Chapter 853
Yu Un-ryong let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"Are you telling me you just stood by and watched?"
"What else was I supposed to do? Dance while watching?"
"A woman was kidnapped!"
"It wasn't a woman being kidnapped—it was a martial artist who barged into the Human-Ghost Society alone, throwing a tantrum, and got caught."
"So, she was..."
Yu Un-ryong, who had been about to reveal Danri Yu-hwa's identity, shook his head.
The Azure Moon Sect Leader and the Blood Rain Hall Leader maintained a close relationship.
But the Azure Moon Sect had never been of much interest to the Demon Hall's inner circle.
Moreover, Danri Yu-hwa had never been active in the Central Plains martial world, so there was no way they would know what she looked like.
Knock knock.
Just then, the sound of knocking came from the door, and Mu-gwang, Yu Un-ryong's adjutant, entered.
"Great Lord."
After bowing to Yu Un-ryong, Mu-gwang gave a light nod of greeting to Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon as well.
"Great Lord Won, Great Lord Jo."
Then, cautiously, he spoke.
"The Death Soul Squad has urgently relayed news. I thought you should hear it immediately."
"Speak."
"Due to the establishment of branch halls, the Azure Moon Sect has repeatedly clashed with the Human-Ghost Society. It's said that Danri Yu-hwa, the sect's young mistress... secretly infiltrated the Human-Ghost Society but was discovered and ultimately captured in Chengdu."
The Death Soul Squad's intelligence network was formidable.
They had instantly relayed the very incident Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon had just witnessed in Chengdu.
"It seems she intended to verify the rumors about the Human-Ghost Society's misdeeds, gather evidence, and use it to gain an advantage in their power struggle."
The Azure Moon Sect's branch halls were located very close to the Human-Ghost Society's territory.
The Human-Ghost Society, which had joined the Black Path Alliance, had been subtly pressuring the Azure Moon Sect's expansion efforts.
However, recently, troubling rumors had been circulating among intelligence circles about the Human-Ghost Society.
Whispers claimed they were kidnapping women and profiting from it.
Danri Yu-hwa had likely obtained this information, infiltrated the Human-Ghost Society, and attempted to confirm its validity—a simple yet reckless plan to counter the Black Path Alliance's pressure.
"This complicates things."
Mu-gwang scratched his head.
"If this is true, we won't be able to deal with the Human-Ghost Society for quite some time."
Coincidentally, Yu Un-ryong had also obtained rumors about the Human-Ghost Society's abductions and had been planning to act.
He had intended to confirm the rumors definitively, but...
Information had surfaced suggesting that a certain faction was backing them.
Thus, he had been preparing to discuss with the other Great Lords and finalize a plan to handle the Human-Ghost Society.
And now, out of nowhere, Danri Yu-hwa had been captured.
"What are you saying? So the woman who was taken earlier was the Azure Moon Sect's young mistress?"
As Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon gaped, Yu Un-ryong nodded.
"That's right."
"What an extraordinary twist of fate."
Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon exchanged stunned looks.
The woman who had been dragged away so brutally by the Human-Ghost Society was none other than the Azure Moon Sect's young mistress—Yu Un-ryong's former arranged marriage prospect?
"Had things gone well with Great Lord Yu, her life would have been smooth sailing."
"Indeed. The Azure Moon Sect Leader went to great lengths to win the Blood Rain Hall Leader's favor."
Yet, despite knowing this...
They spoke of it as if watching a fire burn across the river—detached and unconcerned.
No matter how much they had assimilated under Bu Eun-seol's influence, their roots lay in the Demonic Path.
They had little interest in the affairs of others.
Danri Yu-hwa, whom Yu Un-ryong had met only once for an arranged meeting, was no exception.
"Under these circumstances, we won't be able to touch the Human-Ghost Society for a while."
Mu-gwang spoke calmly.
"Regardless of the details, the young mistress of the Azure Moon Sect—who has ties to our Hall Leader—has been captured by the Human-Ghost Society, a member of the Black Path Alliance. If our forces move now, it could lead to unnecessary friction with the Black Path."
"Hmm."
"She likely won't suffer too much. Given the current situation, the Human-Ghost Society can't afford to wage war against the Azure Moon Sect... They'll probably just demand a ransom and call it a day."
The Human-Ghost Society was a Black Path gang, and in the Black Path, money ruled all.
Not only had she infiltrated their sect in secret, but she had also killed their members and fled.
Even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself intervened, the justification would lie with the Human-Ghost Society.
It was as clear as day that they would demand an exorbitant sum in exchange for her release.
"Great Lord Yu, why the grim face?"
Won Se-mun spoke as if puzzled.
"Don't tell me you're thinking of storming the Human-Ghost Society over a woman you met once?"
"As if that would happen."
Jo Nam-cheon shrugged his shoulders.
"Great Lord Yu is practically the brains of our Hall. Would someone like him ruin a grand strategy over a fleeting connection?"
Though they spoke in jest, their words weren't entirely wrong.
Toppling a carefully laid plan over a passing acquaintance?
That would be a disgraceful judgment for a strategist of the Death Shadow War Unit.
'But the Azure Moon Sect Leader is an inflexible leader. Negotiations will likely drag on for a long time.'
The Azure Moon Sect Leader was, to put it kindly, principled—and to put it bluntly, stubborn to a fault.
Moreover, as someone who valued face, he would struggle to accept the Human-Ghost Society's exorbitant demands.
"The Azure Moon Sect Leader and our Hall's Blood Rain Hall Leader share a rather close bond."
Noticing Yu Un-ryong's hardened expression, Mu-gwang spoke in a cautious voice.
"Precisely because of that, the Human-Ghost Society wouldn't dare treat her recklessly."
After all, the Human-Ghost Society was still part of the Black Path.
If they mistreated her, not only would they fail to extract a ransom, but they might also provoke a conflict with the Demon Hall. There was absolutely no chance they would act rashly.
'Right. This isn't something I need to concern myself with.'
Yu Un-ryong nodded and said to Mu-gwang,
"Understood. Then, regarding the Human-Ghost Society's matter—"
But suddenly—
The image of Danri Yu-hwa's radiant face, smiling brightly as she watched a child crying in the marketplace, surfaced in his mind.
'Hmm.'
Though her personality was somewhat fiery, she was, at her core, a pure and good-hearted woman.
Most likely, her infiltration of the Human-Ghost Society wasn't solely to aid the Azure Moon Sect leader—who was expending considerable mental power and resources negotiating with the Demon Hall's key figures to establish a branch—but also because she had been outraged upon hearing of the women's abduction and had taken action herself.
And if she were left as she was now?
There was no telling when she would be released or what hardships she might endure.
"Summon the Soul-Chasing Squad leader to the conference room."
"Huh?"
"I need to discuss something with him briefly."
Yu Un-ryong sighed as he rose from his seat.
In the end, he had decided to rescue Danri Yu-hwa himself.
The Human-Ghost Society was nestled deep within a fog-shrouded mountain valley, hidden beneath treacherous cliffs.
At first glance, it resembled not so much a martial sect as it did the abandoned ruins of the Vanished Sect.
But Yu Un-ryong could instantly discern that its true appearance was concealed by a Strange Formation.
"Who goes there?"
The moment Yu Un-ryong stepped into the Human-Ghost Society's entrance, a figure covered in scars and bearing a vicious glare abruptly materialized.
Even if there were hidden mechanisms or boundary formations at the entrance, the man's sudden, phantom-like movement was something only those with exceptional Movement Techniques could achieve.
'A mere gatekeeper possesses martial prowess of this caliber...'
His eyes flashed.
'So their rise to prominence isn't just luck.'
Suppressing his thoughts, Yu Un-ryong spoke calmly.
"Yu Un-ryong, Second-grade Commander and Sanghak Unit Commander of the Demon Hall."
"The Demon Hall."
"Indeed. I sent a notice in advance under the Main Hall's name."
"Ah."
The warrior nodded as if recalling.
"Follow me."
As they entered the Human-Ghost Society, thick fog spread in all directions.
Like the Green Forest Bandits, they had laid down a Strange Formation within their stronghold to prevent outsiders from discerning its structure and internal affairs.
"Walk exactly as I do, step for step."
The warrior's tone was less that of a Black Path member and more akin to a ruthless bandit.
Yu Un-ryong gave no outward reaction and simply nodded.
"Very well."
The gatekeeper walked slowly, step by step, through the fog.
Yu Un-ryong followed diligently.
After walking for about half a quarter, the fog finally lifted, revealing a shabby hall.
"This way."
Though unassuming on the outside, the interior was lavishly decorated like a palace.
And at the very front, atop a high dais, was an ornate chair resembling an imperial throne.
There, leaning back comfortably with his chin propped on his hand, sat a man.
His physique was bear-like, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's.
With deep-set, piercing eyes and a prominent aquiline nose, he looked less like a man of the Central Plains and more like a Hui.
This was none other than the leader of the Human-Ghost Society—the Ghost-Soul Sword, Jeon Baek-seung.
"Sanghak Unit Commander Yu Un-ryong greets you."
Though the Human-Ghost Society was a minor faction with fewer than three hundred troops, Jeon Baek-seung was still the head of his sect.
Yu Un-ryong respectfully clasped his hands and bowed.
"Hmm."
Jeon Baek-seung leaned back in his chair and asked indifferently,
"What business does a commander of the Demon Hall have with our society?"
"I heard that a friend of mine is being detained here, so I had no choice but to come."
"And who might this friend of the commander's be?"
"Danri Yu-hwa, the only daughter of the Azure Moon Sect leader."
Jeon Baek-seung let out an oh before replying,
"I'd heard the Azure Moon Sect leader was quite close with the Blood Rain Hall's leader, but I never expected he was also acquainted with a commander of the Death Shadow War Unit."
"Is she unharmed?"
"Of course."
Jeon Baek-seung smiled faintly.
"She's a valuable commodity. If she were damaged, how could we sell her at full price?"
"She is not a commodity. She is my friend."
The edge in Yu Un-ryong's voice made Jeon Baek-seung snort.
"Well, since you're a commander of the Death Shadow War Unit, I'll speak plainly."
Jeon Baek-seung spoke bluntly.
"It was she who infiltrated our society in secret. During her escape, she injured over a dozen of our warriors."
He took a deep breath and shook his head.
"I don't know why a commander of the Death Shadow War Unit is involving himself in this matter, but this is an affair to be settled between the Azure Moon Sect and our society."
His gaze sharpened dangerously.
"No matter how formidable the Demon Hall's influence may be, if you intervene directly like this... won't this escalate into a conflict between the Demonic Path and the Black Path?"
"Don't misunderstand."
Yu Un-ryong replied calmly.
"I revealed my affiliation solely to meet with you, Hall Leader. I have no intention of leveraging the Main Hall's authority."
Then, with utmost sincerity, he added,
"As I said earlier, she and I share a close bond. That is why I've stepped forward—as a friend."
"A friend, you say."
Jeon Baek-seung's lips curled into an enigmatic smile.
He had grasped the full implication behind those words.
"Somehow, I have this intuition that fortune will soon smile upon our hall."
"Since the Hall Leader appears to be a straightforward man, this commander will also speak plainly."
Yu Un-ryong's tone remained indifferent.
"How much would satisfy you?"
The Black Path existed for money—its ultimate purpose was wealth.
Even Jeon Baek-seung's negotiations with the Azure Moon Sect Leader were, in the end, about securing a ransom.
Yu Un-ryong was declaring that he would be the one to pay it.
"Hahahaha!"
Jeon Baek-seung let out a hearty laugh.
"As expected of a hero of the Demonic Path—how refreshingly bold."
His laughter faded, replaced by an icy edge.
"Isn't the value of a treasure determined by the one willing to buy it?"
This kind of negotiation was little more than an endless game of raising the price.
Jeon Baek-seung spoke leisurely.
"The Azure Moon Sect Leader will likely arrive soon with the Blood Rain Hall Leader. There's no need for Commander Yu to recklessly spend such a large sum all at once."
In other words: Combine what you're offering with what the Azure Moon Sect will pay, then hand it over.
In that instant, Yu Un-ryong's gaze turned frigid.
"Considering the dignity of the Martial Soul Lord, who commands the Death Shadow War Unit, I trust the Hall Leader will not treat this matter so shabbily."
Then, he retrieved a banknote from his robes.
At once, an attendant waiting below scurried forward to deliver it to Jeon Baek-seung.
"Oh ho."
Jeon Baek-seung's lips curled as he examined the note.
"Truly, as befits a commander of the Death Shadow War Unit, whose name shakes the world—your generosity knows no bounds."
A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
The sum written there was three times greater than what he had initially planned to extort from the Azure Moon Sect.
"Very well."
Jeon Baek-seung nodded with satisfaction.
"For the sake of the your dignity, let us conclude matters here."
Then, he addressed his subordinate.
"Bring her out."
"I shall retrieve her personally."
"That won't be possible."
Jeon Baek-seung shook his head.
"The place where she is imprisoned is forbidden to outsiders."
His tone brooked no argument.
"I have no desire to cause trouble with the Demon Hall. Do you understand?"
Yu Un-ryong nodded reluctantly.
"Very well."
Jeon Baek-seung gestured to his subordinate.
"Escort Leader Yu to the guest hall."
Then, with a sinister smile, he added,
"Wait there. I'll bring her to you shortly."
Yu Un-ryong nodded and followed the martial artist's guidance outside.
As he walked, his gaze flickered toward a certain spot, and a faint smile touched his lips.
'Success.'
He had detected traces of the Profound Shadowless Movement—a technique capable of slipping through the narrowest gaps with just the span of a palm—the mark of Wi Cheon-gyeong's Body Movement Martial Art.
A masked martial artist of the Human-Ghost Society
made his way toward the prison hidden deep in the mountains.
The prison was constructed to blend seamlessly with the natural terrain, making it nearly impossible to spot even upon close inspection.
Past a small waterfall cascading down a cliff, along a path thick with fallen leaves, stood a massive boulder.
Thud. Thud.
The moment the masked martial artist of the Human-Ghost Society arrived, he traced something on the ground with his foot.
Rumble—
With a resonant sound, the entrance to the hidden prison was revealed.
The false boulder had been crafted to appear as part of the mountain itself—so skillfully that even a master well-versed in mechanism formations
would struggle to detect it.
Thud. Thud.
As the martial artist stepped into the narrow, dark cave, the stench of damp rot assaulted his nostrils.
The deeper he went, the wider the passage became, with torches lining the walls to light the way.
At the end of the tunnel stood a thick iron gate.
In short, they had hollowed out an entire mountain to build this prison.
The Human-Ghost Society was, after all, a Black Path factions that took on contract hits—so why had they secretly constructed such an enormous prison in their headquarters?
Clank.
A dull metallic sound echoed as the iron gate swung open.
Beyond it lay the prison's interior—walls of solid stone, floors slick with moisture, water squelching underfoot with every step.
The cells were divided by rusted iron bars, each equipped with chains and shackles.
At the prison's entrance stood cold-eyed guards, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
"Deputy Hall Leader."
The guards bowed respectfully upon seeing the masked man.
This was none other than Sang-gon, the deputy leader of the Human-Ghost Society.
"Open the gate."
At his command, the guards unlocked the heavily secured iron door.
Clank.
Inside, a woman sat slumped in exhaustion.
Danri Yu-hwa.
"Are you taking her away already?"
At the guard's question, Sang-gon replied flatly,
"The leader of the Demon Hall paid a generous ransom. The Hall Leader ordered her release."
"Eh? The leader of the Demon Hall?"
"That's right. Before the Azure Moon Sect Leader could arrive, the Demon Hall leader concluded negotiations with the Hall Leader."
"Ah, what a shame."
The prison guard licked his lips as he spoke.
"She was a beauty beyond compare to any of the pleasure slaves we've had before."
"Nonsense. It was always just a matter of money in the end."
Sang-gon waved his hand dismissively and unsealed the acupoints he had pressed to suppress Danri Yu-hwa's energy channels.
Shiver.
Though the Demon Blood Point had been released, her internal energy remained suppressed.
As a result, her movements were sluggish, and her complexion was deathly pale.
"You're quite lucky. Among those imprisoned in our prison, you're the first to be released this quickly."
Danri Yu-hwa remained silent in response to Sang-gon's words.
"Follow me."
Unbothered, he led her back outside.
However, after walking for some time through the prison's passageways, Sang-gon's eyes suddenly sharpened as he noticed something.
'So that's how it is.'
After scrutinizing the area for a long moment, he resumed walking as if nothing had happened.
Once outside the prison, Danri Yu-hwa, still following Deputy Hall Leader Sang-gon, was guided by a young martial artist into the Human-Ghost Society's guest hall.
There, a weary-looking young man sat slumped in a chair.
It was Yu Un-ryong.
"So, you were the Demon Hall commander who paid my ransom?"
Earlier, when Sang-gon mentioned that the Demon Hall's leader had concluded negotiations, she had assumed her father had sent one of the Blood Rain Hall Leader’s subordinates to conduct the negotiations.
But who would have thought that the commander in question was none other than Yu Un-ryong himself?
"Are you unharmed?"
At his question, Danri Yu-hwa furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Why did you negotiate with the Human-Ghost Society's Hall Leader?"
"We'll talk later. Let's leave quickly."
From his words, Danri Yu-hwa immediately grasped the situation.
She was the one who had trespassed into another sect's territory and slaughtered their members—meaning the Human-Ghost Society had the moral high ground.
But given her father's uncompromising nature, negotiations would have dragged on endlessly.
Yu Un-ryong had stepped in precisely because he knew that.
'He knew I would suffer for a long time otherwise.'
"Ah, right."
Yu Un-ryong extended his index and middle fingers, unleashing a surge of Finger Wind into her Qi Sea Acupoint.
As the energy pathways unblocked, her suppressed internal energy began to flow back gradually.
"The Human-Ghost Society isn't a mercenary organization."
Once her energy returned, Danri Yu-hwa sent a telepathic message with a guilty expression.
"They abduct women and sell them as pleasure slaves—they're a human trafficking ring. I was captured while trying to uncover proof."
But Yu Un-ryong acted as though he hadn't heard a thing, simply guiding her forward.
The two exited the guest hall and headed for the main gate.
Just as they were about to step through the wide-open gates—
Kuh-woong!
The massive doors abruptly slammed shut.
Sssssk—
Over two hundred martial artists emerged, surrounding Yu Un-ryong and Danri Yu-hwa.
And at the front of the assembled warriors, Jeon Baek-seung strode forward slowly.
"What is the meaning of this, Hall Leader?"
"A pity."
His gaze was icy as he looked down at them.
"I thought it was a fair trade, made in good faith. But it seems you were toying with me all along."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Do you think we carved out that mountain and built a massive prison just for fun?"
His voice was frigid.
"The Heaven Drum Forbidden Prison has mechanisms that detect unauthorized intruders."
Jeon Baek-seung's sharp eyes bore into Yu Un-ryong.
"And I've heard that the Death Shadow War Unit once pulled a similar trick at the Seomun family. First, they sent someone in to distract us..."
"..."
"Drawing all our attention, leaving us off-guard... while another slipped in to gather evidence."
Sigh.
Yu Un-ryong exhaled deeply, then nodded.
"So it's because the Blood Cult is backing you. Your intelligence network is impressive."
Danri Yu-hwa's eyes widened.
The Human-Ghost Society was a newly risen faction of the Black Path.
But the Blood Cult was behind them? What did that even mean?
"What are you talking about? The Blood Cult?"
"If the Blood Cult openly set up a branch with the trappings of a Murim faction, wouldn't the Death Shadow War Unit keep finding and dismantling it?"
He stared straight at Jeon Baek-seung as he spoke.
"After much deliberation, the Blood Cult chose to support Black Path factions instead, offering pleasure slaves to the leaders of various sects to expand their influence."
Yu Un-ryong let out a bitter sigh.
"Because the Death Shadow War Unit can't easily touch Black Path factions. Even if we dismantled them with evidence, it would spark a conflict between the Demonic Path and the Black Path."
Danri Yu-hwa's breath caught.
She had only heard rumors that the Human-Ghost Society, whose forces clashed with the branch, was involved in human trafficking.
Her goal had been to gather evidence, dismantle the Human-Ghost Society, and stabilize the branch factions.
But now it turned out the Blood Cult was behind them—and this entire scheme was meant to provoke a war between the Demonic Path and the Black Path?
"If you knew that, why did you come here?"
Jeon Baek-seung tilted his head, studying Yu Un-ryong.
"We already confirmed you have no reinforcements. You couldn't have brought any forces within hundreds of li."
"..."
"Even if you secretly mobilized the Death Shadow War Unit's troops, a clash between the Demonic Path and the Black Path would be unavoidable."
Yu Un-ryong shook his head.
"Killing you won't start a war between the Demon Hall and the Black Path."
Clatter.
At the same moment, a segmented staff—ten joints linked together—shot out from Yu Un-ryong's sleeve.
The Ten-Section Staff. His signature weapon, usually concealed around his wrist, now fully revealed.
"Because I'll make sure it's known that you kidnapped a close friend of this Great Hall Leader—"
From behind his disheveled hair, Yu Un-ryong's pupils blazed with pure white killing intent.
"—and that I slaughtered you all alone!"