020. "Are we on such friendly terms ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that we should exchange greetings?"

The Sa-ma Clan's martial force, the Victory Exemplar Unit, was putting up a decent fight against the Jiangshi. Within the Sa-ma Clan's formation, their combat power nearly doubled.

They knew exactly what to disrupt within the formation to negatively affect their opponents and secure advantageous positions for themselves.

Martial power doesn't just refer to the cultivation a martial artist has accumulated.

If that were the case, the standard for strength would have been recorded as martial arts merit.

Therefore, Sa-ma Ryang prioritized loyalty above all else, then considered effort to create the Victory Exemplar Unit.

If someone lacked strength, they were taught techniques to respond according to the situation. If someone was slow and reacted sluggishly, they were drilled with examples of holding a defensive stance until they could see an opening for a decisive move.

Beyond that, they were forced to memorize the formation, trained to exhibit top-tier martial prowess within the clan's formation.

Moreover, recently, though few in number, some had gained a sense of how to engage in combat against a master by being pummeled and taking hits from Sama Damcheon, the Indestructible Vajra Body.

Thus, the Victory Exemplar Unit, though limited to defensive duties for protecting the Sa-ma Clan, displayed skills not inferior to the martial forces of the Five Great Clans.

Crack!

"They've stopped! Victory Exemplar Unit, aim for their necks immediately!"

The sudden stiffening of the Jiangshi.

Before they could even conclude that Geum Wi-un might have accomplished something, the Victory Exemplar Unit Leader finished his impromptu situational assessment and issued orders to his unit members.

Regardless of the reason, it was good news, so they reached the ultimate conclusion to kill the Jiangshi while they had this opening.

Rather than laboriously shattering the Jiangshi, it was better to sever their necks, cutting off the organ that received commands.

Shattering the head would be more certain, but the skull is the sturdiest part of the human bone structure, and the skulls of Jiangshi, having become even tougher, would take time for the physically weaker Sa-ma Clan warriors to break.

The Victory Exemplar Unit Leader instantly reached the optimal conclusion: quickly strike only the necks to eliminate the threat.

Crack.

Crunch. Ssshk.

"Slow. Even in falling."

"No, it's you who's slow in making them fall."

"...Tch. Play along with the mood, will you."

Some severed necks with a single blow, while others broke them after several slashes. A paradoxical group with endlessly lacking martial prowess yet not lacking in martial power.

While the elders rejoiced at the Victory Exemplar Unit's performance, the expression of Sama Jung, acting clan head with full authority delegated to him, was subtly contorted.

'What is this? Why have the Jiangshi stopped moving? Could it be that Blood Spirit Granny really failed to stop Geum Wi-un?'

As a collaborator with the Blood Cult—no, as a cultist who agreed to hand over the entire Sa-ma Clan in exchange for a position as one of the Five Elders—Sama Jung found the current situation utterly incomprehensible.

Even if they were weaker than existing Jiangshi, being mass-produced, they were still Jiangshi. With external martial arts as a basic feature and made from the corpses of those who had all learned martial ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠arts, they should normally defeat a unit like the Victory Exemplar Unit.

But seeing them suddenly cease function and be slaughtered one-sidedly, something must have definitely happened to Blood Spirit Granny, who was supposed to be blocking Sa-ma Ryang and Sama Damcheon.

He was seriously considering whether to take the assets and flee right now.

"Grow─────!!!"

A deep, resonant lion's roar imbued with demon-dispelling power echoed.

At that shout, the frozen Jiangshi convulsed and began to be sliced like tofu by the Victory Exemplar Unit's swords. It was thanks to the lion's roar, which produced an effect similar to demon-dispelling through extremely pure Yang energy.

And Sama Damcheon, who had unleashed this lion's roar, appeared alongside Sa-ma Ryang and Blood Spirit Granny.

"What is this disgrace before the Clan Head! Do you think I trained you to watch you struggle and flounder against Jiangshi made with mere tricks?"

Everyone in the Victory Exemplar Unit flinched. Even the Unit Leader was no exception.

And for good reason, because that statement about 'training' was, in reality, merciless beatings.

He would pinpoint their gaps and drive his fist in to forcibly raise their reflexes, and miraculously, without causing injury, it hurt so damn much that everyone screamed during training.

Some even have nightmares thinking about that time and can't sleep, so you can imagine how harshly Sama Damcheon trained them.

"Quickly dispose of the Jiangshi!"

"""Yes!"""

The Victory Exemplar Unit, their discipline sharply honed, steeled their resolve.

"By the way, the ten with the fewest Jiangshi eliminated will have special training disguised as sparring with me."

"""......Yes!!!"""

The Victory Exemplar Unit, filled with terror, steeled their resolve with desperate determination.

Sa-ma Ryang, watching the scene with her hands behind her back, offered a single comment.

"Hmm. Their discipline is sharply honed."

"No, Clan Head? To anyone looking, they just seem scared..."

"Blood Spirit Granny. If they obey orders well, that's discipline. It doesn't matter if it's through fear, prohibition, or isolation."

"......."

"Ah. For your information, this Clan Head likes subordinates with sharply honed discipline."

"...Yes."

Hearing the implicit statement that a well-obedient dog is good, Mae I-ran took it as a warning that she would be closely watched from now on.

And given that Sa-ma Ryang's personality didn't seem kind enough for it to be just a verbal warning, she might even assign surveillance.

For the time being, Mae I-ran thought she should behave without causing trouble, lying low like a dead mouse.

Sama Jung was fleeing. From the moment Sama Damcheon's lion's roar was heard, he ran for his life without looking back.

'This is insane. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠For Elder Yi to be defeated!'

As the Chief Steward of the Sa-ma Clan, when he submitted a request to the Hao Gate and obtained information ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about him, he thought he was just an external martial arts master with an 'Indestructible Vajra Body.'

So he calculated that two Heavenly Steel Jiangshi, the puppets of Blood Spirit Granny Mae I-ran, who also possessed an Indestructible Vajra Body, could handle him and executed his plan.

But Sama Damcheon appearing unscathed meant Mae I-ran had been defeated, and unleashing a lion's roar meant his internal energy was also top-tier.

'Elder Yi may not be at her peak, but she hasn't weakened.'

When she took the former Martial Alliance Leader's left arm, she lost two Heavenly Steel Jiangshi, but put differently, she still had two left. Those two alone were excessive force, enough to wipe out most sects.

But seeing him appear unscathed meant Sama Damcheon was a master beyond common sense, exceeding his expectations.

In the martial world, when you confirm a reclusive expert is an existence beyond expectations, you must cut ties immediately. True to a seed who devoted himself to the Blood Cult, he knew well how many reclusive experts existed in the martial world and was aware of how dangerous they were, making this an accurate judgment.

'Good. As expected, this formation hasn't been deciphered yet.'

He hadn't fled thoughtlessly. It was a formation he created to use as a secret channel for supplying materials to the Blood Cult after becoming the Sa-ma Clan's Clan Head in the future.

Namely, a loophole.

Since he created it secretly alone, no one else knew of this place. Moreover, as a top-secret passage formation, it could even hide his own traces, making it the optimal choice for escape.

However, what he didn't anticipate was that Mae I-ran was alive and had passed on information about him, the spy.

Because of that, the Tower Conqueror, who now knew Sama Jung was a traitor, was chasing after him with fire in his eyes.

"Found you."

"?!"

A voice that shouldn't be heard came from behind.

Sama Jung immediately turned around, drew a talisman from his sleeve, and hurled it at the pursuer. The talisman glowed and surged forward, turning into sharp icicles.

"Ouch. Cold."

Sama Damcheon, hit by it, brushed off the frost clinging to his body, saying it was cold rather than stinging. He had been struck by icicles harder than steel, yet they didn't even pierce his skin.

If he had blocked it with protective energy, it wouldn't have been so absurd.

But he didn't show any sign of panic. Even if he was a traitor who abandoned the clan and fled, his identity as a Blood Cult member shouldn't be known yet.

"......Young Master. Did you have to chase down this old man who fled because he wanted to live?"
"I'm the one who wants to ask. You learned sorcery to that extent and fled because you were scared of Jiangshi? Chief Steward. Chief Steward."

Sama Damcheon grinned so widely it seemed his mouth would tear.

At that sinister smile, Sama Jung flinched involuntarily.

A pure killing intent devoid of any malice. Moreover, that joyful appearance gave an impression akin to a great evil leader who enjoyed killing.

Seeing such a person enter as an adopted son under the guise of being righteous, perhaps the Sa-ma Clan had really gone too far.

"Sama Jung, who grew old enough to prepare such an ugly betrayal. Mae I-ran already spilled everything. That you're the traitor in charge of the Sa-ma Clan."
"...You were toying with me from the start."

Realizing there was no need to hide his identity anymore, Sama Jung immediately straightened his back stiffly.

The Sa-ma Clan's Chief Steward, who had slightly bowed and adopted an attitude of deference, was now gone.

"I have no idea how you defeated Elder Yi. No, I can't comprehend the fact that the Escort Agency Leader broke through her and entered the Cave of Heavenly Destiny in the first place. How was that possible?"

Even granting that Sama Damcheon, who had hidden his strength, and Sa-ma Ryang combined forces to defeat Mae I-ran.

This required the prerequisite that Geum Wi-un had to break through her strict guard, disable the formation at the Cave of Heavenly Destiny, and enter inside.

Even if one possessed high-level martial arts and profound knowledge of formations, Sama Jung, who had watched him for over a decade as Chief Steward, was certain Geum Wi-un was absolutely not at that level.

That's why he found Sama Damcheon escaping from the Cave of Heavenly Destiny even more incomprehensible than Mae I-ran betraying them.

"It's the power of love. Father triggered his innate potential energy, creating a gap in the formation and put his hand inside the Cave of Heavenly Destiny. So the condition of three people was met, and I could come out."
"Triggered his innate potential energy? I see. Then a sliver of possibility could exist."

If a competent martial artist like Geum Wi-un triggered his innate potential energy and launched a strike with the resolve of a life-or-death struggle, a formation utilizing dragon veins could be breached.

Having judged so, Sama Jung wore a look of pity for the first time.

"What a fool. To be so hung up on a woman who didn't even bear his own child. Having triggered his innate potential energy, he must be a cripple by now."
"...Uh. Right?"

Actually, he and Sa-ma Ryang had joined forces to eat the shock and collapsed, but Sama Damcheon felt no need to correct that.

"Right. Anyway, since you know everything.... Shall I properly introduce myself? This one is Sama Jung, one of the Blood Cult's Five Eld-!"

Crunch. Crunch.

The illusionary figure blurred, an impossible sound echoed, and Sama Jung's vision toppled over.

Sama Damcheon, who had deceived his eyes with a Heteromorphic Illusion and closed in, had shattered his shins with his toes. With both knees completely destroyed, Sama Jung, naturally collapsing to the floor, finally recognized his body's condition and screamed.

"Gyaaaaaah!! My legs...! My legs...!!"
"Sorry about that."

Sama Damcheon looked down at him rolling on the floor, a sneer on his lips.

"Are we on such friendly terms that we should exchange greetings?"