Chapter 319
After that, Bu Eun-seol led the Death Shadow War Unit to villages devastated by landslides.
They repaired the damaged houses and distributed food.
Though they had brought ample provisions, there were far too many starving people.
In the end, the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit even shared their own rations with the civilians.
Though they went hungry, they were robust martial artists trained in Internal Energy. Going without food for three or four days wouldn't harm them much.
Above all, seeing the civilians' happiness as they ate gave them even greater strength.
Especially when they saw the children and elderly regain their vitality after eating, the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit felt as if they had gained years of hard-trained Internal Energy, their bodies brimming with power.
"So this is why the Lord ordered us to pack so much food."
Won Se-mun, Jo Nam-cheon, and Wi Cheon-gyeong watched fondly as the children eagerly devoured bowls of rice porridge.
Though they themselves had eaten nothing but a few dried rations and water for days, their bodies overflowed with vigor, having learned the reward of helping others.
Before long, the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit finished repairing the last village along the path to the White Python Wind.
Thanks to them, the half-dead civilians regained their health, and the village began to thrive again.
Whoosh—
Just then, the Sound of Breaking Air echoed as dozens of martial artists descended from the distance.
It was Cheon-geom and his subordinates from the Yojin Sword Unit, having completely exterminated the White Python Wind.
"Hahaha! You've already given up because we arrived first, haven't you?"
Cheon-geom sneered as he looked at the Death Shadow War Unit warriors resting in the village.
"You've just set up camp here. How pathetic."
Chuckling, he strode to the village center and shouted loudly to the people.
"Everyone! You can rest easy now! This Cheon-geom has wiped out the White Python Wind!"
With a triumphant expression, he bellowed again.
"From now on, the ruthless White Python Wind that extorted money from this region no longer exists!"
The village chief stepped forward and offered a flat thank-you.
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
Cheon-geom, who had been grinning smugly, tilted his head in confusion.
After all the hardship of exterminating the White Python Wind, all he got was a single "Thank you"?
"Our Martial Alliance—no, I, Cheon-geom—have rid you of the White Python Wind, who sucked your village dry!"
"We are grateful. But..."
The village chief sighed deeply as he looked at Cheon-geom, blinking.
"The Yeomhyeon region was devastated by landslides, leaving most villages in ruins and struggling."
"So?"
"Whether it was the White Python Wind or not, we were all starving and shivering in the cold."
The chief stared at Cheon-geom with a hollow expression.
"What difference does it make who's dead when we're already dying?"
Then, pointing at Bu Eun-seol and the Death Shadow War Unit warriors, he declared loudly.
"The ones who reached out to us in our time of need were these warriors."
"This is... disappointing."
Cheon-geom forced a smile despite his anger.
"What they did was child's play. What danger did they even face?"
"..."
"We risked our lives to eliminate the White Python Wind, who tormented you for so long! Risked our lives! Do you understand?"
"But that wasn't for our sake, was it?"
The chief shook his head weakly.
"We never asked you to eliminate them."
From the chief's attitude, it was clear he didn't care at all about the White Python Wind's destruction.
Only the help from the Demon Hall warriors seemed to matter to him.
'That bastard.'
Cheon-geom's eyes bulged as he glared at Bu Eun-seol.
Only now did he realize he had fallen into another trap.
'He deliberately let me go ahead while he helped the villagers!'
Fury boiled inside him.
This time, to avoid losing credit to Bu Eun-seol and to get there faster, he had pushed himself to the limit.
Though he had glimpsed the ruined villages along the way, eliminating the White Python Wind had been his priority.
Of course, some of the Yojin Sword Unit members had advised him.
—Great Leader. Eliminating the White Python Wind is well and good, but shouldn't we save the civilians first?
To which Cheon-geom had snapped:
—The White Python Wind comes first. Don't mistake our purpose.
All things in this world have an order of priority—what comes first and what truly matters.
Everything in this world has its proper order—there are matters of importance and those of lesser consequence.
Of course, dealing with the White Python Wind had been the most urgent priority, and he had swiftly eliminated them. Yet in return, he was met with an attitude that dismissed his efforts as none of their concern.
'Those foolish commoners can't see the forest for the trees.'
But there was one thing Cheon-geom failed to realize.
The reason people had revered him all this time wasn't simply because he had crushed sects that committed evil deeds.
It was because he had immediately eliminated those who threatened the lives of commoners, opening a path for them to survive.
Whether it was the Black Wind Fortress or the infamous sects he had purged while roaming the martial world—none of it had been for the sake of building his own reputation.
It had been no different from extending a helping hand to those in desperate need.
He was skilled in martial arts and sharp of mind.
But unfortunately, he had no intention of correcting his own flaws, and there was no one who could force him to do so.
Moreover, unlike Bu Eun-seol, he lacked experience in the wider martial world and knew little of its underlying principles.
In the end, blinded by his competitive drive, he had lost to Bu Eun-seol yet again.
The guest inn was bustling with people at noon.
Inside the Jade Water Inn, the flood of patrons was so dense that there was barely room to stand.
"Have you heard the news? Lately, the Heir of the Demon Hall has been doing all sorts of good deeds, they say."
A man in blue robes, seated at a table in the center of the inn, spoke to the man with a goat-like beard across from him.
"Ah, you mean the Martial Soul Lord?"
As the bearded man nodded, the one in blue continued.
"Not only did he wipe out those vile sects tormenting the common folk, but this time, he even repaired and restored all the villages in Yeomhyeon that were devastated by landslides."
"Yeomhyeon? Wasn't that where the famous disciple of the Sword Sage—what's his name—from the Martial Alliance recently dealt with the White Python Wind?"
The bearded man grinned and shrugged as if he himself had accomplished the feat.
"Originally, the Martial Soul Lord was going to strike first, they say. But when he saw the landslides ravaging Yeomhyeon, he prioritized repairing the villages and distributing food instead."
Then, with a chuckle, he added,
"The villagers were so grateful they even built a shrine in his honor."
"But you know what's really amusing?"
The man in blue let out a hearty laugh and shook his head.
"The Martial Alliance, supposedly the righteous faction, was so bloodthirsty they went straight for the White Python Wind, while the Demon Hall, known for its ruthless ambition, ended up aiding the commoners?"
"Tsk, what does the Demonic or Righteous Path matter when it comes to helping people? It's just that Cheon-geom or whatever his name is—that man simply lacks basic decency."
Inside the banquet hall of the Jade Water Inn,
the twenty or so martial artists eating their meals fell completely silent at the voices drifting in from outside.
They were none other than Cheon-geom and the Yojin Sword Unit, on their way back to the Martial Alliance.
Though they had annihilated the White Python Wind, a sect that had tormented the common people, their expressions were as grim as if they were returning in disgrace.
"..."
In the suffocating silence, the unit members swallowed even their rice grains with extreme caution.
Cheon-geom sat rigidly, his eyes wide open, his face frozen.
"U-Unit Commander."
Unable to bear it any longer, Vice Chief Han Seong spoke up.
"At least have your meal first."
"Hm?"
Only then did Cheon-geom snap out of his daze and wave a hand dismissively.
"Ah, don't mind me. I'm just not hungry yet."
Then he stood up and said,
"I have no appetite, so take your time. I'll be at the Tea House up ahead, drinking tea."
Watching him leave as if nothing had happened, Han Seong wore an expression of disbelief.
'He heard all that... and wasn't affected at all?'
But when he glanced down at the spot where Cheon-geom had been sitting, he shook his head.
'No, that wasn't it.'
The footprints left behind were deeply imprinted in the floor.
He had been so furious that he had unknowingly unleashed his internal power.
Considering Cheon-geom's formidable martial prowess, for his spirit and mind to be this unsettled... was proof that he had been thoroughly provoked.
'This is worrying.'
Han Seong sighed inwardly.
Cheon-geom had suddenly appeared in the Martial Alliance, revealed his past deeds, and in one stroke, risen to the rank of First-Grade Sword Unit Commander.
But to those who had long been part of the Martial Alliance,
it was nothing more than a position gained through the halo of being the Sword Sage's disciple—and sheer, sudden luck in acquiring fame.
'That is indeed the hallmark of prodigies with exceptional martial prowess.'
When those with outstanding talent meet equally outstanding masters, they walk a path paved in gold—never encountering obstacles or setbacks worth mentioning.
Thus, they rarely experience true failure. Even their ventures into the Martial World are little more than trials to test their martial skills.
Han Seong had discerned that Cheon-geom, too, had never tasted defeat and that his experience in the Martial World was shallow.
'In contrast, the Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall is one of the Ten Demonic Heirs—his experience in the Martial World is said to be vast.'
The Martial Soul Lord, whom Cheon-geom now stood against, had spent years roaming the Martial World and making a name for himself.
Though Cheon-geom had also wandered the Martial World in secret, he was still lacking compared to the Demon Hall's successor, who had weathered countless battles.
'Once I return to the alliance, I must report this to the Divine Guard Unit Commander.'
Han Seong had made up his mind.
If things continued like this, Cheon-geom—this extraordinary prodigy—would face a crushing defeat and plummet from grace in an instant.
Even now, he needed to abandon his high position and start from the bottom, accumulating diverse experiences.
'There's still plenty of time. No need to rush.'
With a slightly lighter heart, Han Seong resumed his meal.
But how could he have known?
That he would never deliver that report to the alliance. That he would soon give up on Cheon-geom as a man.
THUD-THUD-THUD!
Suddenly, a flurry of hidden projectiles rained down into the banquet hall.
Han Seong and the Yojin Sword Unit members, all being elite masters, swiftly dodged or deflected the projectiles.
"Ghk!"
However, the projectiles were unnaturally powerful and cunningly aimed—half the unit members were struck regardless.
"The projectiles are poisoned!"
Seeing the injured members spewing blackened blood, someone shouted in alarm.
"Take the antidotes!"
The unit members immediately swallowed emergency antidotes.
But the poison on the projectiles was so vicious that the standard antidotes had no effect.
PUSHISHIK!
Then, an enormous cloud of poisonous smoke flooded the banquet hall.
'This is a premeditated ambush!'
Han Seong inwardly roared.
The enemy had known the Yojin Sword Unit would be here and had laid a trap in advance.
"Fall back outside!"
KWAANG!
At Han Seong's command, the unit members shattered the guest inn's ceiling and burst into the open air.
There, they spotted an assassin darting across rooftops in retreat.
"After him!"
Just as Han Seong and the unit members gave chase—
WHOOM!
The roof of the nearby Daru Tea House exploded, and a white figure shot into the sky. It was Cheon-geom.
SWISH!
With an incredible movement technique, Cheon-geom instantly pursued the assassin.
But the assassin's movement technique was no joke either—he led his pursuers in a tail-chase, swiftly escaping the village.
By the time they reached the Reed Field at the village outskirts, the assassin turned back and abruptly halted.
He had realized he couldn't shake Cheon-geom.
In an instant, Cheon-geom, Han Seong, and the Yojin Sword Unit surrounded him.
"You need the antidote, don't you?"
The assassin spoke in a voice like grinding metal, pulling out a small pouch.
"If you stop chasing me, I'll give you the antidote and leave!"
Han Seong barked sharply in response.
"How do we know that's really an antidote?"
Instead of answering, the assassin tossed a golden pill to Han Seong.
"Test it."
TAP.
Han Seong immediately fed it to an injured unit member.
Instantly, their darkened complexion returned to normal, and the blackened blood flowing from their wounds turned back to bright crimson.
"Unit Leader. It's definitely the antidote."
"..."
Cheon-geom, as if deaf, kept his glare fixed on the assassin.
'Don't tell me—?'
Han Seong's eyes widened.
Was he seriously planning to kill the assassin even as his own subordinates lay dying?
"Unit Leader!"
When Han Seong shouted, Cheon-geom raised a hand to silence him.
Then, with an unreadable gaze, he spoke.
"You don't seem to be a real assassin from the Killing Sect. Where did you come from?"
"That's none of your concern."
The assassin's reply was icy.
"I'll give you the antidote. Stop chasing me. Do we have a deal?"
"Hahaha."
Cheon-geom suddenly burst into a grating laugh.
"You ambush my men out of nowhere, and now that you're cornered, you say, 'Here's the antidote—let me go'?"
The assassin replied flatly.
"Make your choice. If you refuse, I'll crush the antidote right now."
"Crush it?"
"If they aren't detoxified within half an hour, their Internal Power will deteriorate significantly."
"You."
The Heavenly Sword grinned crookedly.
"Your Movement Technique and boundary stance—you're from the Demonic Path, aren't you?"
"Answer the question."
"Aha! I see now. You're one of his lackeys. Given your mastery of Lightness Skill, you must be a trusted subordinate. Am I wrong?"
"Seems your subordinates' lives mean little to you."
The assassin sneered, channeling Internal Energy into the hand gripping the medicine bottle.
Scorching Yang Force erupted, igniting the pouch as white smoke began billowing out.
"Great Lord!"
Han Seong shouted urgently, watching the Unit Members writhe in agony.
"Great Lord, we must administer the antidote first!"
But the Heavenly Sword ignored him, his eyes flashing as he glared at the assassin.
This fucking lunatic!
Rage surged through Han Seong.
Even if he was the Sword Sovereign's disciple, to them, he was little more than a superior who'd dropped from the sky unannounced.
Wasn't it hard enough to rally the existing Unit Members and lead them effectively? And yet, he only ever cared about his own whims?
"Great Lord!"
Han Seong suppressed his fury and tried again.
"These Unit Members are your very limbs!"
"Yield to a Demonic Path Spawn's threats, and how can you call yourself the Martial Alliance's Great Lord?"
The assassin chuckled dryly at the Heavenly Sword's words.
"Negotiations have broken down, then."
In one swift motion, he channeled his Internal Energy and incinerated the magic pill.
BANG!
At the same time, a deafening explosion erupted from the Reed Field, thick smoke instantly blanketing the area.
Simultaneously, the assassin vanished without a trace—dozens of movements branching out underground.
He had deployed the Earth Escape Art.
"You think I'll let you escape?!"
The Heavenly Sword swung his greatsword in a wide arc, cleaving through one of the dispersing movements.
CRASH!
The earth upheaved, leaving a massive crater in its wake.
But inside it was only an iron lump the size of a human torso, rolling away on its own.
Now it was clear—this wasn't the Earth Escape Art. They had dug tunnels in advance.
Clatter—
To catch the assassin now, they'd have to overturn every last one of those branching movements.
"What are you all standing around for?!"
The Heavenly Sword roared at Han Seong and the Unit Members.
"Capture him, and we can still retrieve the antidote!"
Yet despite his thunderous command, the Unit Members only stared back with icy eyes.
—This heartless bastard.
Superior martial skill didn't make one a worthy leader.
Even if he treated his subordinates as extensions of himself, loyalty was never guaranteed.
The Heavenly Sword was nothing but a madman who disregarded others' suffering entirely.
"Deaf now? Not going after him?"
Under his furious shouts, the Unit Members reluctantly pursued the scattering movements.
BOOM!
As the Heavenly Sword's sword strikes rained down, another massive crater split the earth.
But all they found were more iron lumps.
It was obvious now—they had dug these tunnels long ago, rigging the Reed Field with intricate mechanisms for escape.
Bu Eun-seol!
For an instant, flames seemed to flicker in the Heavenly Sword's eyes.
Only Bu Eun-seol could have orchestrated such a trap in advance.
"Ugh..."
Meanwhile, Han Seong and the Unit Members groaned in pain.
They had been suppressing the poison's spread with their Internal Energy, but they were reaching their limit.
"Don't worry."
Finally, the Heavenly Sword abandoned the chase.
Casually, he addressed his subordinates.
"You think I acted without a plan?"
Placing a large hand on the poisoned Unit Members' backs—on their Great Vertebra Acupoints—he declared,
"Even without the antidote, I can purge the poison with my Internal Energy. No need for concern."
Immediately, he infused them with his formidable Internal Power, forcibly expelling the venom.
Pfft!
With each infusion, the Unit Members coughed up black blood.
True to his word, the Heavenly Sword's Internal Energy expelled the poison in a single burst.
Pfft!
When the last Unit Member spat out the tainted blood, the Heavenly Sword nodded with a smile.
"Well? All cured, right?"
He beamed, spreading his arms wide.
"..."
The Unit Members clasped their hands in perfunctory gratitude—none of them sincere.
So that's how it is.
The Heavenly Sword finally saw through Bu Eun-seol's scheme in an instant.
Strip him of his position as Chief, reduce him back to a rogue, and then force a decisive confrontation.
That way, there'd be no clash with the Martial Alliance.
He's been meticulously sabotaging me from within. How thorough.
The Heavenly Sword scoffed.
Fame and honor were things that could be lost—and regained. It wasn't impossible.
Calmly formulating a plan in his mind, he turned away with a derisive snort.
Let's see if things go your way, bastard.
But the ever-present, leisurely smile on his lips was gone.