Chapter 27
Looking at Pyodu who jumped in surprise, Chanho asked, “What’s wrong?”
Tian Ailang also turned a puzzled gaze toward him, unable to fathom the reason.
Receiving stares from everyone, Pyodu spoke gravely. “The Yun Nam Ten Ghosts were infamous murderers from Yun Nam. They’re composed of ten sworn brothers who delighted in killing—ruthless fiends, from what I’ve heard. Especially their leader, the First Ghost, who’s said to be a peak master at the pinnacle of perfection.”
Hyungsu’s face paled at Pyodu’s words. The terror from just half a day earlier surged back.
Tian Ailang nodded and addressed the group. “Then all the more reason for Chanho and me to go and nip this danger in the bud. If they track the villagers here, this place won’t stay safe forever. While they’re tangled up fighting someone, that’s our chance. We’ll scout the situation, so you should prepare defenses.”
Hyungsu’s eyes still brimmed with unease as he tried to dissuade Tian Ailang. “Couldn’t the one protecting the villagers handle it? Do you really have to go?”
Pyodu calmly soothed Hyungsu. “Hyungsu, their plan sounds the most realistic. If things go south, we can all flee on the pack mules. That should keep us from the worst outcome.”
“Urgh…”
Chanho averted his gaze from the fearful Hyungsu and turned to Pyodu. “If we don’t return after one shichen, leave without us. We’ll follow once we know which way they went.”
Pyodu nodded. “Understood.”
Chanho nodded back and looked at Tian Ailang. “We’ll be right back. Ailang, let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
Guided by the village man, Chanho and Tian Ailang moved out at once.
* * *
“Kuhaha! What a jackpot!”
“Kee kee kee, you said it, big brother.”
“Ke he he he he. These village girls are real beauties—nice haul.”
“Kekeke, kill all the men and round up the women and loot!”
The ten men dashed through the village, slaughtering every man they found. Their faces were grotesquely ugly from years of villainy, but their movements were exceptionally nimble.
“Argh!”
“S-spare me! Ugh!”
The peaceful village on the outskirts of Beijing—tilling fields at the foot of Little Wutai Mountain—had turned into pandemonium in an instant, thanks to these uninvited intruders.
At that moment, a lone figure hid atop a locust tree in the village, watching the carnage unfold.
The hero’s headband wrapped around the figure’s forehead neatly secured a tightly bound topknot. A refined jawline and flawless skin made for a striking impression—the sort of looks most would call a beautiful youth.
‘Why are the Yun Nam Ten Ghosts here? What now…’
Then it happened. The Yun Nam Ten Ghosts’ youngest, the Tenth Ghost, swung his sword mercilessly and cut down a young boy, who bled out on the spot.
“No!”
The boy’s mother collapsed in heaving sobs, wailing in anguish.
His presumed father bellowed, desperately trying to staunch the blood gushing from the child’s chest.
The Tenth Ghost flicked the blood from his blade and leered at the boy’s mother with lust-filled eyes.
At the same time, he swung at the obstructing father.
‘Tch!’
The figure in the tree clicked his tongue and shot into motion.
Clang!
The Tenth Ghost’s descending sword was deflected by a blade that appeared from nowhere, right above the father’s head.
The dead boy’s mother screamed, fearing for her husband, while the father stayed focused on stemming the flow from his son’s chest.
The Tenth Ghost glared savagely at his blocker. “Who the hell are you?!”
“You don’t need to know!”
Slash!
“Gurk!”
Expecting some retort, the Tenth Ghost never saw the sudden sword stroke that severed his head clean off. He dropped dead instantly.
The mysterious figure scanned the hellish village scene, then called out to the boy’s father. “Hey!”
The father clutched his child, tears streaming endlessly.
The beautiful youth clicked his tongue and surveyed the area more closely. His eyes landed on a man cowering in the stable of the building next door.
“Hey!”
“Eek!”
The hiding man yelped and fell flat on his ass at the sudden face before him.
“You! You’re from this village, right?”
Trembling violently, the man nodded frantically.
“Run and get help from nearby—now. I’ll buy us some time however I can. The villagers’ lives—your family’s lives—depend on what you do.”
Nod, nod.
Slap!
The man’s cheek whipped around from the sharp strike—he’d just kept nodding in blind terror.
“Snap out of it and run! That side’s clear—go!”
“Y-yes, yes!”
The man scrambled off in the direction the beautiful youth pointed.
“Hmm… Couldn’t hold back and jumped in, but now what?”
The beautiful youth furrowed his smooth brow in thought.
“Wah wah… dear… Cheol-ah…”
The dead boy’s mother crawled toward her child and husband, sobbing uncontrollably.
The boy’s father abruptly stemmed his endless tears. His eyes bloodshot, he rose.
He shuffled to a corner of the house and emerged clutching a sickle.
“Haa… Hey! You’re not seriously planning to take them on with that, are you?”
At the beautiful youth’s words, the father stared with unfocused eyes toward the village center, where screams rang out.
“……”
“I get how you feel… sigh.”
Pop!
The beautiful youth struck the father’s sleeping acupoint as he gripped the sickle.
“Dear!”
The woman jolted in terror, thinking her husband dead.
“Don’t worry,” the beautiful youth said. “Your husband’s fallen prey to a heart demon. Grief and rage overwhelmed his reason, so I put him to sleep by force. Hide in the house… I’m sorry about your child.”
The beautiful youth carried the dead boy and unconscious father into the nearest house.
The woman followed, collapsing against her sleeping husband and lifeless son, weeping muffled sobs.
The beautiful youth gave the scene one glance, then quietly shut the door.
“Acted on impulse coming out here… but now what?”
He hastily retied the loosened hero’s headband around his forehead, then headed toward the screams filling the air.
* * *
Tian Ailang and Chanho reached the village outskirts and cautiously scouted ahead.
Buildings smoldered here and there, the acrid tang of blood wafting on the breeze. Corpses littered even the fringes.
“Ailang, you said your injury keeps you from using internal energy—are you sure you’re okay?”
Tian Ailang turned to the concerned Chanho. “Yeah. I’ll manage.”
“If there’s a real master, I’ll handle ’em. Don’t push it—I just met my first real kindred spirit since I was born, and I’m not losing you so soon.”
Sincerity filled Chanho’s face.
Tian Ailang nodded gladly at the sight. “Got it. Let’s move before it’s too late.”
Tian Ailang, Chanho, and the village man crept deeper into the village, staying cautious.
Far more bodies lay inside than out.
Then the guiding village man froze, trembling uncontrollably.
Chanho shot him an impatient glance to hurry up—but clamped his mouth shut a moment later.
“Mother…”
The village man dropped to his knees before the cold, stiff old woman, tears spilling freely.
Chanho stepped past him and said to Tian Ailang, “Just us from here.”
Tian Ailang agreed it was best. Using buildings for cover, they pressed toward the village heart, where the commotion swelled.
A group came into view, split into two sides locked in standoff.
Tian Ailang sized up both.
Eight ugly brutes, drenched in slaughter’s blood and grinning; opposite them, a bloodied beautiful youth shielding the surviving villagers.
No explanation needed to spot the enemies.
“Kuhuhuhu, kid—you’re done for.”
“Kel kel kel. Dare kill two of our brothers?”
“Dodged and struck like a weasel, but we finally pinned ya!”
“Exactly, Second Ghost. Hostages make ’em walk right into it. Kekeke.”
“Mess with the Yun Nam Ten Ghosts—now the Yun Nam Eight Ghosts—and forget surviving. Ke he he he.”
The self-proclaimed Yun Nam Eight Ghosts mocked and jeered at the man barring their path.
Bathed in blood but eyes blazing with life, the man spat back. “Shut your traps! Even if I die, I’ll drag at least one of you ugly fucks down with me!”
The Eight Ghosts flinched at his words.
The Sixth Ghost—who hated “ugly” more than anything—roared and lunged. “You pretty-boy gigolo?! Die!”
“Eek!”
Clang!
The beautiful youth barely parried the Sixth Ghost’s sword.
Clang! Clang!
The First Ghost spoke up as the man blocked with unexpectedly agile footwork. “Gang up and take him alive. Peel that pretty face off for a human-leather mask—fetch a fine price.”
“Kel kel kel, on it, big bro.”
The rest of the Yun Nam Eight Ghosts swarmed the man, who could barely handle the Sixth alone.
Tian Ailang leaped from cover at the desperate turn.
“Hey? Wait up!”
Chanho bolted after Tian Ailang’s abrupt charge.
Tian Ailang dashed to the Seventh Ghost mid-saber swing, slamming his knuckles into the flat of the blade.
In his haste, he’d used the back of his hand instead of the palm to channel force projection.
Unbeknownst to him, the move wove in the subtleties of plum blossom grafting and four ounces deflecting a thousand catties.
Whirr!
The Seventh Ghost’s saber wobbled wildly and flew from his grip.
He gaped in shock at the sudden twist. He’d gripped it with internal energy, yet some insane force had wrenched it free.
The intruder’s arrival stalled the fight cold.
Chanho marveled at Tian Ailang’s silky-smooth motions.
No internal energy, sure—but the sharpness, the impeccable balance mid-combat… incredible.
It sure looked like plum blossom grafting and four ounces work, but Tian Ailang’s own surprise suggested it wasn’t deliberate.
Whatever his backstory, what a fascinating guy.
Chanho’s interest piqued, mentally replaying their fights with a “what if he had internal energy?”
He’d seen plenty of prodigies, but Tian Ailang felt… different. Something more.
“Wh-who the hell are you?!”
The Seventh Ghost scrambled for his saber and bellowed.
Tian Ailang stared at his hand, a deeply satisfied smile spreading.
His senses felt keener than against those bandit scum.
Couldn’t put it into words, but that tactile feedback hinted at a whole new path.
He itched to clash those swords right now.
“Hahahahaha!”
Tian Ailang threw his head back in booming, inexplicable glee.