Chapter 66: The Fist King Hears of the Demonic Path
The Fist King Hears of the Demonic Path
Episode 66: The Fist King Hears of the Demonic Path
Baek Yak stood drenched in the rain outside the lodging, holding an assassin's garment over her head as she gazed silently at Dan Woo-sung.
Rainwater streamed down her cheeks, her hair thoroughly soaked. Few men could look upon Baek Yak's beauty without their hearts racing. The two stood there, staring blankly at each other before awkwardly embracing as if to say, Good work.
To be precise, Baek Yak had dropped the garment she was holding and hugged him first—Dan Woo-sung accepted it without hesitation. When the creaking sound of wooden stairs echoed from inside the lodging, the two hastily pulled apart with flustered expressions.
Dan Woo-sung spoke in a stiff tone.
"You've worked hard, Lady Baek. You should go inside."
Baek Yak replied,
"Yes. Though it seems you have many enemies."
Their exchange was as dry as reading from a script. Baek Ran, who had just descended the stairs, frowned as she scrutinized the two.
What's this atmosphere? Huh...? Who do they think they're fooling?
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
"Seems so. You should go inside."
For a moment, he entertained the thought of whisking Baek Yak away somewhere. Then he remembered the slap from Baek Mujin in his dream and wondered if it hadn't been entirely undeserved.
As if anticipating something, Baek Yak abruptly said,
"Even if the Demonic Path resurfaces, I won't be a burden to you."
Dan Woo-sung's pupils flickered slightly before he replied,
"Of course not...."
Baek Ran, who had come out with an umbrella to greet them, quietly approached from behind and waited.
Dan Woo-sung said,
"See you later."
"Yes."
Baek Yak gave a slight bow before turning away. As she left, Baek Ran scolded her like a grandmother.
"Honestly, walking around drenched like this—what were you thinking?"
Baek Yak replied,
"What's there to think? Just dry off."
"What were you two doing?"
"What do you mean? Taking a walk."
"In this rain? And why is your face red again? What did you two do?!"
"Keep your voice down."
Dan Woo-sung turned away with an impassive expression and headed toward the Silver River Merchant Group. On the quiet, empty road, he suddenly slapped his own cheek.
Whack!
With a composed expression, he muttered to himself,
"Pathetic bastard. You deserve that slap from Baek Mujin."
"We were ambushed by the Gold-Silver Assassin Society."
"What happened?"
"I killed them all."
As Ha Jeon-ik swallowed hard, Dan Woo-sung continued calmly.
"Can you find out where their leader is? With the Eight Dragons Sect's intelligence...."
"I'll look into it. But...."
Ha Jeon-ik hesitated before continuing.
"Even within the Gold-Silver Assassin Society, few likely know the leader's identity. Those who do would rather kill themselves than be captured. The Black Path has tried targeting them before, but the result was always the same. Ruthless bastards."
Dan Woo-sung turned to Cheol Myung-ho.
"Fox, what do you think?"
"About what?"
"How to catch the leader of the Gold-Silver Assassin Society."
Cheol Myung-ho snorted.
"How should I know? And why bother hunting down some rat in hiding? Just find their base and slaughter everyone—assassins, workers, higher-ups, underlings... Keep killing until the leader shows himself. If he doesn't, then tough luck."
A very Cheol Myung-ho-like answer.
Dan Woo-sung nodded and said to Ha Jeon-ik,
"Then the Eight Dragons Sect will lead the assault on their base. I'll disguise myself as an ordinary disciple and join in. Even if we don't find the leader, wipe out the stronghold. I'll kill them all."
Ha Jeon-ik's pupils trembled again.
"Understood."
Dan Woo-sung asked,
"Is the Eight Dragons Sect... afraid?"
Ha Jeon-ik narrowed his brows.
"No, nothing like that. Assassins are just bottom-feeders even the Black Path won't touch. Might as well clean them up now."
Dan Woo-sung nodded, then glanced at the elixirs on Cheol Myung-ho's desk—delivered by Ha Jeon-ik.
"How many now?"
Cheol Myung-ho extended his right arm. The muscles had become grotesquely uneven, as if finely shredded.
"Seventy-six thousand two hundred and three."
"The elixirs will speed it up."
"Probably."
Dan Woo-sung turned back to Ha Jeon-ik.
"Deploy more forces around the merchant group. Spread them wide for surveillance."
"Understood."
The Eight Dragons Sect had effectively become Dan Woo-sung's personal guard. As he left Cheol Myung-ho's underground training hall, he slapped his own cheek again.
Even after exchanging pointless old stories with Cheol Myung-ho, his mind still felt unsettled.
The Double Report brothers asked Dan Woo-sung,
"Brother, did you get slapped?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"But your cheek...."
"I trained extra hard today. That's all."
"Ah, I see."
"Understood."
Only then did Dan Woo-sung eat breakfast with them. For some reason, he devoured an enormous amount. Given his brutal training regimen, it wouldn't affect him much. Even the Double Report brothers were stunned by how much he ate.
Just as he began training, Ga Sol arrived with news.
"Young Master, a messenger from the Moo Yong Family has arrived."
"The Moo Yong Family?"
Dan Woo-sung's stomach dropped. He knew Moo Yong-chu's disappearance was connected to him.
In the reception room, the young messenger—barely twenty—delivered Moo Yong-bin's message.
"Our investigation team found traces of former Patriarch Moo Yong-chu in Wuxue, Hubei."
"Traces?"
"Yes."
Dan Woo-sung listened in silence.
"...It was sheer luck we found anything. The body's condition—no, there was no body. Just his ring, personal effects, bloodstains, and weapons scattered around. We searched the area and found... the spot where his remains should have been."
The messenger's eyes glazed over. He couldn't bring himself to describe the bloodstains shaped like a human body.
But Dan Woo-sung was already recalling his own past. He had expected something like this.
He patted the messenger's arm.
"Have some water."
"Ah, thank you."
After gulping it down, the messenger continued.
"The body seemed to have been... absorbed by something. Only torn clothes, bone dust, and bloodstains remained. I only heard the report, so I don't fully understand it myself."
"A demonic art."
"Yes. The Patriarch believes it was a demonic technique. The news has already been sent to the Emperor's Council and the Murim Alliance. He ordered me to deliver it to you as well."
Dan Woo-sung asked,
"What's the plan?"
"The Emperor's Council will dispatch forces from each family to Wuxue immediately."
Dan Woo-sung wanted to say it was pointless, but this wasn't his place to interfere. Their targets were the pinnacle masters, not the lower ranks.
The messenger added,
"The Murim Alliance will likely move similarly."
"Why?"
"The Sword King, who was preparing to join them, has gone silent. Both the Alliance and our family are now on high alert."
Dan Woo-sung exhaled deeply.
"Understood."
The messenger suddenly remembered something.
"Our elder mentioned two demonic arts that could desecrate a body like this: the Blood God Technique and the Sun-Moon Demon Art."
Dan Woo-sung added,
"I've heard of a third—the Demon Sword's Ultimate Will."
But knowing the techniques wouldn't help track the culprits.
"Ah, is that so? Regardless, we believe their successors have returned. Please keep it in mind. I must take my leave now—other sects outside the Emperor's Council still need to be informed."
After the messenger left, Dan Woo-sung sat alone in the reception room, chin in hand. Only now did his earlier excitement over Baek Yak fully settle.
The Kings—himself included—had been wiped out. The coordinated attacks had been too overwhelming.
And judging by the pattern, they avoided Emperors with factions. Moo Yong-chu, the Fist King, the Sword King—all were targeted while alone or traveling.
This meant they still feared the Three Saints or the Murim Alliance's leader.
Dan Woo-sung recalled the battle he had lost, then imagined Baek Yak joining that fight. The battle dragged on. Then he added the Murim Alliance's leader, Yoo Jung-hong, and the Three Saints.
The conclusion?
They wouldn't strike openly until they were certain they could crush the Three Saints. Given the timing and methods, if the Sword King had been their latest victim, they would likely lie low again.
The entire orthodox faction was being played.
Someone needed to draw them out...
Right now, only the Emperor's Council's Blade Emperor and the Black Path's top figure came to mind.
Dan Woo-sung shared the Moo Yong Family's news and his thoughts with Baek Yak.
She said,
"So their next targets are either the Namgung Family or the Black Path's leader?"
"A guess. They seem to be picking targets step by step. Sect leaders and family heads are also possibilities. So far, they've avoided direct conflict with factions, but that could change."
"Could the Gold-Silver Assassin Society be connected to them?"
"Possible. If their leader is that meticulous...."
"Then I'm coming with you when you attack them."
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
He planned to keep training with Baek Yak—being alone was too dangerous now. If her identity as Baek Mujin's descendant became known, she'd become a target too.
He said,
"Right now, the only people not on their assassination list are probably you and me. The Alliance's leader, Blade Emperor... they're already targets."
The hidden blades needed to create variables.
Baek Yak asked,
"We have extensive records on the Demonic Path. My cousin Ran has memorized them all. There are factions even the Central Plains knows nothing about. If you find a lead, tell me. I'll answer what I can or ask Ran."
Baek Mujin had slaughtered more of the Demonic Path than anyone, so their family's records were far more detailed.
Dan Woo-sung shared his suspicions.
"They're likely successors of the Sun-Moon Art and the Demon Sword's Ultimate Will."
"So two factions, not one?"
"Yes."
Baek Yak replied without surprise.
"Probably followers or descendants of the Sun-Moon Heavenly Demon and the Black Immortal Sword Demon. Their families were the most hostile in the Demonic Path's history."
"Their entire lineages were wiped out by Yoo Jung-hong. Even the servants. The leaders were killed by the Three Saints."
Baek Yak explained the Demonic Path's traditions.
"They have figures called Successors—those who ensure demonic arts aren't lost. If a family faces extinction, they secretly spirit away one descendant to preserve the bloodline. Even the cruelest demons revere these Successors. They're the Demonic Path's benefactors."
The faction currently fulfilling this role was none other than the Ten Thousand Demon Palace.
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