Martial Arts Assassin (3)

The wind carried the scent of blood. I couldn't tell ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if it came from my own body or from Gong Jo's corpse, which had just died and was gushing bright red blood like juice squeezed from crushed fruit. The earthy dust swirling in the rancid stench seemed to hint at the treacherous future awaiting me. The woman rubbed her chin with a finger and tapped the ground with the tip of her foot as she spoke.

"Docheol of the Crimson Ring Sect. No one knows his hometown or sect, but he suddenly appeared and seized the position of sect leader of the Crimson Ring Sect. Then he apparently fell out with a bastard named Venerable Geumbok, after which his whereabouts became unclear, and Venerable Geumbok is dead."

The woman looked at me. Her orange eyes fixed on me with an emotionless gaze that pierced through, so fierce I had to avert my eyes.

"What a strange coincidence. It's as if someone's fervent wish took flesh and settled over the family."

"...I know nothing of it."

The woman laughed. She raised only one corner of her mouth and let out an exasperated sigh. It was plainly obvious she didn't believe me. But she didn't seem intent on killing me for telling a lie.

"Since there's no evidence, I won't press the matter. Nor am I trying to hold you accountable."

If she wasn't interrogating me, what was her intention? Leaving me deeply uneasy, the woman continued.

"When the story about the Heavenly Demon's treasure circulated in Shaanxi Province, you were moving more busily than anyone. You contacted the Hao Sect Leader, and then the Hao Sect suddenly found a secret manual. A remarkable coincidence. Almost as if you originally knew what I was looking for."

I gave no answer. To say I didn't know what she was talking about would be a lie; to nod would be a meaningless gesture. I had a guess as to the woman's identity, but even uttering her name was dangerous.

"Since your silence is prolonged, it's rather pleasant to listen to. To continue, after that, stories began to circulate about the Eight Trigrams Association and the Beggars' Sect. A rising star on a winning streak, and a giant sect, both fell apart after becoming entangled with a single martial artist. Even on thin ice, there is sound. When a giant like Mount Tai collapses, there are always omens."

"...What do you want?"

With enough intelligence to figure out what I'd done, denial and humility were useless. The opponent was a master who could kill me with a flick of her finger, so it was better to hear her demands quickly. When I asked, the woman nodded and said.

"When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠listing the most troublesome in the martial world, it's indeed the Sichuan Tang Clan."

I unwittingly nodded at that. I had been thinking exactly the same thing just moments ago.

The Tang Clan was extremely annoying and threatening. Even if I became immune to all poisons, my subordinates and wives would likely not be, so as long as the Tang Clan existed, I would suffer from constant dread.

If I wanted to make a name for myself in the martial world and openly grow my power, I had to first eliminate the Tang Clan, which could kill me without justification, without anyone knowing.

"Regrettably, neither my disciples nor my subordinates are immune to all poisons, so their venom is a grave threat. They say life is but a breath of glory and ruin; a path where a single misstep leads straight to death should be shunned."

The woman looked straight at me and said.

"I will ask one thing. For what purpose do you go around destroying sects?"

The phrase 'destroying sects' sounded strange. But looking at my track record, there was no better description for me. I killed Venerable Geumbok, who backed the Zhongnan Sect; I killed the Zhongnan Sect's direct disciple; I massacred eight promising talents of the Eight Trigrams Association; and I toppled the Beggars' Sect.

It was exactly the actions of a madman who went around destroying sects and killing masters. I felt somewhat awkward, but I puffed out my chest and boldly told the woman.

"I got rid of them because they were in the way of becoming the strongest under heaven."

The woman, uncharacteristically, opened her eyes wide. She blinked in slight surprise, pursed her lips, then rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Then our objectives are the same. And you must understand the danger of the Tang Clan."

That was correct. I could also understand her intention. She was now trying to find a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way to join hands with me and strike the Tang Clan. But I had one question about her subtle proposal.

"But why would a master who can kill someone with a single finger ask for help from someone like me? Couldn't you just go to Sichuan and crush them all?"

The woman didn't look displeased that I asked. Rather, as if it was a perfectly natural question, she readily continued her answer.

"If I do such a thing, the martial artists will only unite. Even in this world under heaven where everyone struggles for their own survival, when a blade is at their throats, they join hands. Nothing in this world is eternal. Even personal martial power will one day fade away. Dispersing the enemy's strength and striking at a single point is the right way."

"So you're hoping that I, who am inside the martial world, will take care of the Tang Clan."

If that woman were to crush the Tang Clan by force, no matter how selfish the martial artists were, they would immediately band together, form a resistance, and lend their strength to the Murim Alliance. But with the methods I had used so far, even if the Tang Clan was destroyed and toppled, there would be no justification for lending strength to the Murim Alliance's name.

"It's a good thing for both of us. So, your answer?"

I answered her question immediately.

"Fine. After all, the Tang Clan needs to disappear for my sake as well."

"If you succeed, I will reward you handsomely."

I inadvertently swept my gaze over her body at those words. She wore a long martial robe, yet her chest was full, and every time she swayed her hips, the alluring curve of her waist and pelvis stood out. If I asked to bed her just once, I'd die, wouldn't I?

While I was entertaining other thoughts, the woman turned around. Her gentle, swaying gait was beautiful, and the shape of her backside faintly revealed and then disappeared above her skirt with each step. After a few paces, the woman glanced back at me and said.

"By the way, are you from Sannyeo Valley?"

"I am not."

Afraid she might be trying to interrogate me, I unconsciously straightened my body as I answered. Seeming a little puzzled by my suddenly imposing posture, the woman continued.

"How did you come to form ties with a survivor of Sannyeo Valley?"

She was referring to Sannyeo. The fact that Sannyeo had rushed out, saying she was calling her, seemed to be connected to this woman. How far did her strings reach? Could it be that Gong Jo's arrival here and even our one-on-one duel were all calculated and intended by her?

"It was by chance. I have no other way to explain it other than to say it was truly by chance."

But even if she questioned my connection with Sannyeo, I could only say this. From the time we first met at the mountain stronghold to now, everything tangled up with Sannyeo had begun by coincidence.

The woman blinked. She seemed rather deeply impressed by the word 'coincidence'. She asked me.

"...Do you believe in heaven's mandate?"

"I do. I believe heaven has filled the end of my path with hefty lumps of gold."

The woman laughed. It was a different smile from her earlier sneer, a truly delighted one. In a voice far more relaxed than her expression, she said.

"Let me ask one more thing."

I tensed up at her question for a moment. The words that came out of her mouth were not what I expected.

"How did you obtain Cheonpung's secret manual?"

"...I don't know what you mean."

A dangerous edge crept into the woman's voice.

"Lies are not good."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words. She had only spoken with a trace of inner energy, yet I was paralyzed as if caught in her grip. She relaxed her fingers and continued.

"The footwork technique you used when fighting that assassin just now. That was clearly an application of the Dark Moon Step. You couldn't use it without knowing it."

Since she precisely named the Dark Moon Step, I had nothing to say. If I played dumb any further, my head might fly off. In a situation where the opponent could kill me at any moment, testing the limits of her patience was not a very good idea.

"...This too, I can only say was a coincidence. While climbing the mountain path wanting to learn martial arts from Mount Hua, I witnessed a scene of martial artists committing murder and disposing of the corpse. Startled by that, I fled, jumped off a cliff, and found it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inside a cave."

"The book?"

I did not answer.

But just seeing my hesitation, she seemed to understand what had happened to the book. She narrowed her brows as if regretful and spoke in a bitter tone.

"What a pity."

But she did not get angry at me. After finishing her words, the woman let out a deep sigh and tucked her hair behind her ear. Then she closed her eyes and said.

"There is a blood relative. I merely wished to see their face, but I unexpectedly met a good connection. I will inform the Yeonrakchaek in Sichuan."

I nodded while racking my brain inwardly. She was an unfathomable woman. I had imagined a bloodthirsty killer or a vengeful ghost, but she was a far calmer and colder human being. Just how far could I trust her?

If she thought I was useless, wouldn't she cut my neck the moment the job was done?

Before I knew it, the woman's figure had disappeared, but my thoughts grew tangled.