Chapter 197
"Who would dare do such a thing?"
Though it stood apart from the Zhongnan Sect's main headquarters, this place undeniably belonged to the sect.
Aside from Zhongnan disciples, no one should have been able to infiltrate this place unnoticed.
"An outsider? No, that can't be possible."
Jin Ga-ryeong shook his head.
It was unthinkable that anyone could slip past the watchful eyes of the Zhongnan Sect's masters—their crimson gazes ever vigilant—and enter this place undetected.
If such a person existed, it could only be Go Wol, the legendary master of movement techniques who had long since vanished from the Martial World—the one known as the Swift Shadowless.
"Hmm."
Jin Ga-ryeong swallowed a sigh and channeled his internal energy, sweeping aside the dung with a flick of his hand.
Beneath the wooden box, sharp characters—as if carved by a sword—revealed a message:
If you wish to retrieve your Go board and stones, come to Ten Thousand Scenery Terrace in four days.
"Ha ha ha ha."
An incredulous smile crept across Jin Ga-ryeong's face.
In his hundred years of life, he had never imagined something so absurd would happen to him.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
His laughter boomed, startling the young assistant, So-dong, who stumbled inside in a panic.
"Elder, did you call for me?"
"Demanding that this old man retrieve his Go board? Ha ha ha ha."
Though he laughed, Jin Ga-ryeong's eyes were bloodshot, and a chilling killing intent radiated from his entire body like a heat haze.
"E-Elder...!"
So-dong recoiled in fear, taking a step back.
"Rì luò xī shān—the sun sets in the west," Jin Ga-ryeong muttered lightly, exhaling.
"Like the fading sun, the day has finally come when this old man is insulted by the scoundrels of the Martial World."
"Elder..."
"Take this wooden box to Ok-in and deliver my message."
Sim Ok-in—the current leader of the Zhongnan Sect.
"Tell him that in four days, he must retrieve this old man's Go board."
"But what does that—?"
"He will understand."
As another flash of cold lightning flickered in Jin Ga-ryeong's eyes—eyes that had always held an immortal's serenity—So-dong hastily bowed his head.
Blood Pill Cave, Demon Rebel Gate.
This was the Spiritual Medicine Treasury under the Demon Rebel Gate's control.
The reason they had expanded their influence so rapidly and produced disciples of exceptional martial prowess?
It was all thanks to the miraculous elixirs they had seized by absorbing other demonic sects.
Among them, the Demon Rebel Gate mass-produced a pill known as the Demon-Binding Pill.
Though it had drawbacks—turning the user violent and inducing addiction—it caused a drastic surge in internal energy.
As a result, their most talented disciples and hall master-ranked figures were already addicted. Without the pill, they suffered withdrawal symptoms.
In the end, their loyalty wasn't to the Demon Rebel Gate—it was to the Demon-Binding Pills.
"After them!"
Over thirty martial artists wearing red demon masks rushed through the passage leading out of Blood Pill Cave.
Ahead of them, ten masked figures—each carrying a cloth bundle on their backs—were swiftly executing their movement techniques.
Whoosh!
The blood-robed martial artists hurled hidden weapons, but the masked men's lightness art was so fast that the projectiles fell harmlessly to the ground before reaching them.
"You reckless bastards!"
Just then, the pursuing ranks split apart, and a man wearing a black demon mask stepped forward.
His movement technique was extraordinary—in an instant, he closed the distance, pressing right behind the masked thieves.
This was Go Ryong-pung, the Demon Rebel Gate's vice sect leader and overseer of Blood Pill Cave.
"Who dares steal our sect's treasures?!"
Truthfully, the Demon-Binding Pills were so dangerously addictive that none outside the sect dared consume them.
Yet someone had infiltrated their remote mountain stronghold and stolen a massive quantity?
"Hmph. You won't escape anyway."
A sinister smile curled at Go Ryong-pung's lips as he pursued the thieves relentlessly.
The only exit from the Demon Rebel Gate was a long bridge spanning two cliffs.
And the moment intruders entered, a hidden mechanism would instantly sever the bridge.
"Unless you can fly, there's no escape."
But as he chased them with rising confidence, Go Ryong-pung's expression gradually twisted in confusion.
Even though the severed bridge was clearly visible ahead, the masked men didn't slow down—instead, they sprinted toward it at full speed.
Are they trying to kill themselves?!
His eyes widened in shock.
Whoosh!
Just then, the masked thieves kicked off the ground, soaring into the air between the cliffs.
"No! If they fall, the Demon-Binding Pills—!"
Go Ryong-pung let out a frustrated roar.
Unless they were birds, crossing a gap of over roughly a thousand feet was impossible.
The masked men had taken nearly the entire stock of Demon-Binding Pills stored in Blood Pill Cave.
If they plummeted into the abyss, the pills would be lost forever.
Swoosh!
Yet as the thieves hovered mid-air, beginning their descent—
Sprong!
Suddenly, their bodies rebounded as if propelled by invisible springs, launching them forward again.
Sprong! Sprong!
Like crossing an unseen bridge, they bounded twice more—effortlessly clearing the chasm.
"Void Step? No."
Go Ryong-pung narrowed his eyes and spotted something stretching from the bridge pillar embedded in the cliff to the rocks on the opposite side.
It was an extremely thin silver thread.
"You bastards!"
Enraged, Go Ryong-pung raised his sword to sever the silver thread tied to the bridge pillar.
But then—
"You've worked hard."
A young man in blue robes appeared on the opposite cliff. It was Hyeok So-jin.
Once the masked men had all safely crossed the chasm, he gave a slight nod, then yanked his arm back with full force.
Whoosh!
The faintly glimmering silver thread coiled back into his left sleeve like magic.
It was the Blood Thread Steel Wire he had obtained from the Eight Demons' Institute of the Demon Hall.
Tch.
Hyeok So-jin spotted Go Ryong-pung glaring wide-eyed from the opposite cliff and let out a loud shout.
"You stinking mongrels of the Demon Transfer Sect!"
He waved his hand mockingly at Go Ryong-pung, who now looked like a mere black dot in the distance.
"If you want your stinking pills back, you'd better chase us down quickly!"
Then, amplifying his voice with internal energy, he roared:
"If you don't catch us before we leave Shaanxi, I'll dump every last one of these pills into the river!"
From afar, Go Ryong-pung's eyes burned with fury.
The Demon-Binding Pills they had stolen amounted to 70% of the stock stored in Blood Transfer Cave.
Producing these pills required rare, expensive ingredients and an immense amount of time.
If they were to discard them all? The addicted disciples would scream in agony.
"Gather every master from Blood Transfer Cave!"
As Go Ryong-pung bellowed in rage, a subordinate beside him clasped his hands hesitantly.
"Shouldn't we first report to the Sect Leader...?"
"We can report after we retrieve the pills!"
Go Ryong-pung gnashed his teeth, glaring at the opposite cliff.
"We have to catch that bastard before he leaves Shaanxi!"
Ten Thousand View Terrace
A vast rocky plateau near Lotus Mountain in Western Peace Prefecture.
With its scenic surroundings and open expanse, the flat stone surface made it a popular spot for travelers to rest or enjoy meals they had brought along.
Whoooosh.
A dry, biting wind swept across the center of the terrace.
There, standing like a statue, was a figure who had just placed a large wooden box on the ground.
Between strands of fine hair fluttering in the wind, one could glimpse obsidian-black eyes and a straight, elegant nose.
Had it not been for the thick eyebrows and height exceeding six feet, one might have mistaken this person for a peerless beauty.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
Fwoosh.
Suddenly, the low Sound of Breaking Air echoed across the quiet terrace.
Three groups, unleashing movement techniques that kicked up fierce winds, were racing toward the plateau.
Thud.
The first to arrive was a young man in plain blue martial robes, drenched in sweat yet unable to hide his striking features and sharp aura.
Hyeok So-jin.
Swish.
Next came a long-banged youth, robes fluttering—Wi Cheon-gyeong.
Tap-tap-tap.
Behind him, members of the Second Squad of the Rootless Squad arrived one by one.
"Hah... Hah..."
Having pushed their movement techniques to the limit, the squad members gasped for breath.
Wi Cheon-gyeong, showing no signs of exhaustion, clasped his hands toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Thanks to the Vice Chief's assistance, we successfully seized the Demon-Binding Pills."
At his signal, the squad members gathered the cloth bundles they had been carrying and dumped them into the large box.
These were the Demon-Binding Pills stolen from the Demon Transfer Sect's Blood Transfer Cave.
"Well done."
Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
But strangely, every member of the Second Squad wore bright smiles.
When Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brows, Wi Cheon-gyeong answered.
"Thanks to the secret technique you passed down, not just me, but all squad members have increased their movement speed by at least 30%."
"A technique alone wouldn't have been enough."
"Huh?"
"You must have trained relentlessly for this."
Bu Eun-seol spoke flatly.
"The final stage of this mission will be a life-or-death battle. Hone your movement techniques until you can survive it."
'Use your movement arts to stay alive.'
Thump.
Wi Cheon-gyeong's eyes, hidden behind his long bangs, trembled violently.
He had always been more talented in movement techniques than martial arts. But no matter how exceptional his speed was, it only earned him a place in the Information Warfare Unit, where spies were trained.
—Movement arts are still a form of martial skill, aren't they? I don't want to be stuck in some intelligence unit!
His protests had been useless.
He was always compared to his older brother, the Celestial Slaughter Corps Commander, who was fifteen years his senior. No matter where he went, he was just "the Corps Commander's little brother."
After repeated insubordination, he was eventually thrown into the Rootless Squad—a gathering place for reckless brats.
Most of the Second Squad's members were in similar situations.
But now, for the first time, he had met a superior who recognized his abilities and put them to good use.
"Understood."
Wi Cheon-gyeong bowed respectfully before stepping back.
And a faint smile—just like his squadmates'—lingered at the corner of his lips.
"Hahk— Hahk!"
Then, Won Se-mun—twin swords strapped to his back—and the First Squad members arrived at the terrace.
"Damn it all..."
Won Se-mun, bent over with ragged breaths, grumbled in a low voice.
"How the hell did those Mount Hua bastards start chasing us without even a day's delay?"
After panting heavily for a long while, he met Bu Eun-seol's icy gaze and quickly turned his head, shouting,
"Fatty!"
At his call, the towering young man Han So-ung, clad in his Bronze Shell Armor, set down the wooden box he had been carrying.
Clack.
When the box was opened, inside lay a single longsword with two purple tassels hanging from it—none other than the sword of Bang Wook, a second-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.
"Are the Mount Hua disciples coming here?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Won Se-mun nodded.
"They'll be upon us within a quarter of an hour. They've been maintaining that distance the whole way."
"Good work."
As Bu Eun-seol nodded in approval, Won Se-mun's face broke into a pleased grin.
"Sure, we're crazy, but you're on another level, Commander. Picking a fight by insulting Mount Hua disciples?"
He chuckled before adding,
"And you even specified that the insults had to include their sect leader!"
The members of the First Squad snickered and chimed in.
"But wasn't it fun? I've been itching to mess with those so-called righteous bastards for ages."
"Right. It's been a while since I had this much fun. If the Demon Hall had given us missions like this from the start, I'd have been a model soldier."
The First Squad members were not only highly skilled in martial arts but also wild-spirited and battle-hungry.
They had always struggled with rigid hierarchies and strict chains of command—so who would've thought they'd end up with a superior even more unhinged than themselves?
—Pick a fight with the Mount Hua disciples. Insult their sect leader to ensure they chase you.
It was an absurd order.
What's more, Bu Eun-seol didn't enforce strict discipline or demand accountability.
For battle-crazed soldiers like them, meeting such a superior was nothing short of exhilarating.
"This is just the beginning," Bu Eun-seol murmured in a low voice.
"Soon, we'll drive the Zhongnan Sect, Mount Hua, and even the Demon Rebel Gate to madness. All you have to do is smash everything in your path."
"Heh heh heh. Now that's what I like to hear!"
Won Se-mun and the squad members burst into laughter.
Just then, another group began ascending Ten Thousand Scenery Terrace.
It was the Third Squad, led by Jo Nam-cheon.
Huff... huff...
Jo Nam-cheon and his men panted as they stood before Bu Eun-seol.
"We've drawn out the direct disciple of the Jade Treasure Hall Master and his entire group of second-generation disciples from the Zhongnan Sect."
He and the Third Squad had caused enough trouble at the Zhongnan Sect to allow Bu Eun-seol to easily steal the Go board hidden in the Jade Purity Pavilion's secret chamber.
Fortunately, the Third Squad was ordinary, and Jo Nam-cheon led them well, so they completed their mission without incident.
"Brother Bu."
Hyeok So-jin, who had been gazing at the distant sky, whispered softly.
"They're coming."
"I hear them too."
"But I can't tell who it is. Let's hope everything goes according to plan."
Bu Eun-seol nodded slightly and lightly stamped his foot.
Thud.
The entire Ten Thousand Scenery Terrace trembled faintly as a low vibration rippled outward.
'Good.'
Using his Void-Breaking Mind's Eye, Bu Eun-seol gauged the distance, numbers, and movement techniques of the approaching figures before nodding in satisfaction.
'Today is just the beginning.'
He had ordered the Rootless Squad to seize the sword of a Mount Hua disciple and steal the Demon-Binding Pills from the Demon Rebel Gate.
He himself had infiltrated the Zhongnan Sect to steal the Go board and stones belonging to Jin Ga-ryeong, their most revered elder.
And all of this was merely the first step in toppling the Demon Rebel Gate.
Thud thud thud thud.
Then, an extremely faint tremor and the sound of footsteps reached Bu Eun-seol's ears.
It was the noise of dozens of people simultaneously activating their Lightness Skill.
Tap tap tap—
The footsteps grew closer until, finally, the sound of dozens of feet landing became unmistakable.
"You bastards!"
With a Great Roar, over fifty martial artists clad in red robes arrived at Ten Thousand Scenery Terrace.
It was Go Ryong-pung, the deputy leader of the Demon Rebel Gate, and his subordinates.
'The die is cast.'
As Bu Eun-seol nodded slightly, once again scanning the surroundings with his Void-Breaking Mind's Eye,
"So, you did have accomplices."
Go Ryong-pung, a veteran of the Rivers and Lakes, instantly recognized that Bu Eun-seol, Hyeok So-jin, and the Rootless Squad members were all in league.
"You dare steal our sect's Demon-Binding Pills? You won't be able to live or die—"
His words cut off abruptly.
Hyeok So-jin had suddenly stepped forward, clasping his hands together.
"We'll give them back."
"What?"
"I said we'll return them. Are your ears clogged?"
Hyeok So-jin's sarcastic jab made flames of fury erupt in Go Ryong-pung's eyes.
"You must have a death wish."
Just then, Bu Eun-seol—who had been standing with his eyes closed, gazing at the distant sky—snapped them open and spoke.
"Return everything."
At his command, Jo Nam-cheon moved the wooden box that had been at Bu Eun-seol's feet near Go Ryong-pung, while Wi Cheon-gyeong and Won Se-mun set down the boxes they were carrying near Go Ryong-pung.
"What the hell is all this?"
"You'll know when you take a look."
Jo Nam-cheon's indifferent reply made Go Ryong-pung frown.
'Don't tell me they split the Demon-Binding Pills into three boxes?'
Come to think of it, the number of stolen pills wasn't small.
"Bring them here."
Though suspicious, Go Ryong-pung ordered his men to retrieve the boxes.
Click.
When he opened them, he blinked several times in disbelief.
Inside the three boxes weren't just the Demon-Binding Pills—but also a useless Go board and a long sword.