Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 205 : Omen (3)

Mun-gang, with a serious face, twisted his rat-tail-like beard and said again.

"You can express your gratitude, but there's no need to withdraw your suspicion. In any case, there is only one Cult Leader. It's only the Dokgo family."

Mun-gang's eyes turned to Dokgo Hyeon. He was telling him with his eyes that the person who would become the Cult Leader was Dokgo Hyeon.

Dokgo Hyeon showed a smile, as if he liked that gaze.

"That's right. There is only one Cult Leader."

Dokgo Hyeon, who had emphasized that there was only one, said to Mun-gang and Dokgo Hye with a face that had turned cold, unlike usual.

"When the head of the Na family and Gung Ma-yeop fight, we will strike from behind. We just need to catch the two injured rabbits and skin them."

Dokgo Hyeon drank his tea, leaving a sneer.

***

The Thunder Prison was still full of damp air. Jang Cho, who had been imprisoned here for some time, counted his fingers.

'It's been ten days.'

Originally, they were going to execute him for the crime of cooperating with the former Cult Leader, but it could not be done because Gung Ma-yeop and other elders had opposed it.

At the sound of a thump, Jang Cho, who had raised his head, watched as a man in black who had entered changed the candle and sat down in a chair.

The person who sat in the chair was Na Hyeon-gi.

Jang Cho, who saw Na Hyeon-gi, the head of the Na family, leaned his back against the wall.

"Do you have business with me?"

"Where are the research records and records on the Heavenly Armored Corpses?"

At Na Hyeon-gi's mention of the Heavenly Armored Corpses, Jang Cho's expression hardened. Until now, several people had entered this place and met him, but no one had mentioned the Heavenly Armored Corpses.

"I heard the Chung Pavilion researched quite a lot with the Cult Leader."

"Who did you hear it from?"

"The Hall of Light Master, Ma Chung."

As Ma Chung's name popped out, Jang Cho frowned and then nodded.

Ma Chung was a close aide of Cheon Yu-myeong, and when Cheon Yu-myeong was the Cult Leader, he was the real power who managed the major and minor affairs of the cult on behalf of the Cult Leader.

He was known to be dead.

"He was alive."

Na Hyeon-gi, whose eyes met Jang Cho's, did not answer. There was no reason to tell him where and how he was living.

"Hand them over to me."

"The price?"

"I'll give you the One Sun Hall."

The One Sun Hall was one of the seven halls, and in the past, the Five-Colored Blood Demon, Gang Hang, had been the master. After Gang Hang's death, the One Sun Hall had gone under Gung Ma-yeop.

"I'll give it to you when I become the Cult Leader."

If he became the Cult Leader, there would be no reason to come and ask for it like this. Na Hyeon-gi took it as a refusal.

"I will become the Cult Leader. But if I become the Cult Leader, there's no reason to make a deal with Pavilion Master Jang."

Na Hyeon-gi, who had stood up with a smile, went outside, showing a killing intent.

As a thump! sound echoed, only a single candle emitted a bright light.

***

Although the position of the master of the Ghost Spirit Valley was vacant, there was a general manager who acted on behalf of the master. It was Jang Haeng, who had been the general manager when Ma Ryong was the master.

He managed the Ghost Spirit Valley and was raising the killing ghosts.

The instructors who were Ma Ryong's peers and the first-class killing ghosts had all been killed by Na Hyeon-gi's hands a while ago.

They had paid the price of betrayal with their lives.

The reason he had been able to survive in the Ghost Spirit Valley, where a sword wind blew, was because he had crawled on the floor well.

He had prostrated himself at Na Hyeon-gi's feet and begged for his wrongdoing.

Even now, he was prostrated at Na Hyeon-gi's feet.

Na Hyeon-gi was not in a good mood because he had just come from the Thunder Prison. He showed a strong killing intent, thought of Jang Cho, and then thought of his father's death.

"A bastard who has betrayed once will betray a second and a third time."

Na Hyeon-gi's expression, who was sitting in the seat of honor with his arms crossed, was completely different from when he met other people in the cult.

A haughty gaze that ignored the opponent and a confidence-filled arrogance that he could kill at any time were glimpsed.

Since this was like his home, it was an extremely comfortable resting place for him.

On top of that, since he had been greatly burned by the killing ghosts, he had no trust.

It was just like a piece of paper to be used and thrown away when needed.

'Even paper is a waste. These bastards are shit water.'

"Shit water."

"Yes?"

At the words 'shit water', Jang Haeng raised his head. But he could only see the bottom of Na Hyeon-gi's shoes.

"How many useful kids are there?"

Jang Haeng wanted to pour shit water on Na Hyeon-gi, who was looking for useful killing ghosts after coming and killing them all.

But thoughts and words are different.

"There are about twenty."

"Too few."

'Too few. Would there be many?'

"Twenty is the maximum. If we include the beginners who have just come out of the Hell Hall, there will be fifty."

Na Hyeon-gi felt even more regretful about Jin Sa-wol. Since he had killed the first-class killing ghosts, there was no suitable person to properly rule this place.

If a trustworthy and skilled person ruled the Ghost Spirit Valley, it would be able to regain its former appearance in a few years.

But Jin Sa-wol had refused. Besides him, there was no suitable person.

"Bring only five. There's something to do."

"As you command."

Jang Haeng answered, retreated, and then quietly went outside.

A short while later, there were six black shadows coming out of the Ghost Spirit Valley.

***

Gung Ma-yeop came out after finishing the elder's meeting with dozens of cult officials.

The people lined up behind him were all those who followed Gung Ma-yeop. On the opposite side, the elders and officials who followed Dokgo Hyeon were standing.

In another place, Seo Mun Ga-jeong was standing with Na Hyeon-gi.

Gung Ma-yeop looked at Dokgo Hyeon and then his eyes met Seo Mun Ga-jeong's. They were saying it had been a long time.

Gung Ma-yeop turned his body and headed for his Blood Good Palace with his subordinates.

"It seems Dokgo Hyeon and the head of the Na family have joined hands, but that's not the case."

At his subordinate's words, Gung Ma-yeop stroked his beard.

"Don't be hasty."

Gung Ma-yeop said a word and then looked at another subordinate who was approaching. He was a person in his late twenties wearing a red martial arts uniform.

He prostrated himself before Gung Ma-yeop and handed him a small, folded letter.

"It came in the morning."

Gung Ma-yeop nodded and unfolded the letter. There were not many words.

-Tomorrow, at the hour of the Monkey, at Haecheongwon. Jin Sa-wol.

Gung Ma-yeop, who had folded the letter, raised his internal energy in his hand and burned the letter with the Samadhi True Fire.

Fwoosh!

The burning letter instantly turned to ash.

Na Hyeon-gi and Seo Mun Ga-jeong were watching Gung Ma-yeop's receding figure.

"It's tomorrow."

At Seo Mun Ga-jeong's words, Na Hyeon-gi nodded and turned his gaze to Dokgo Hyeon.

Dokgo Hyeon nodded, and Na Hyeon-gi turned his body.

***

Haecheongwon.

It was a manor built in a small basin about ten li south of Heavenly Water, and there was a large pond inside. It was a place that had gotten the name Haecheongwon because the pond was clear.

Around the pond, there were several pavilions and a large pavilion, and the place where Jin Sa-wol was standing was the pavilion.

Jin Sa-wol, who was standing on the high pavilion and looking around the pond, showed a smile when he saw the approaching Gung Ma-yeop with footsteps.

But the smile soon disappeared.

-There are about three hundred.

Jo Geom-ok had informed him that there were three hundred of Gung Ma-yeop's subordinates surrounding Haecheongwon.

Jo Geom-ok's ability to survey the entire area in that short time was certainly worthy of being the leader of the Ten Sword Demons in the Shadowless Division.

-Stay away.

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's telepathic message, Jo Geom-ok retreated ten zhang and disappeared into the deep forest of Haecheongwon.

Jin Sa-wol noticed her presence. But Gung Ma-yeop did not.

"Are you alone?"

"I'm more comfortable alone."

Gung Ma-yeop, who had climbed the pavilion, handed the liquor bottle in his hand to Jin Sa-wol and said.

"It's the finest bamboo leaf liquor. The bitter taste is excellent."

Jin Sa-wol, who thought it was liquor prepared for him, drank it without any suspicion. It certainly had a strong bitter taste, but at the end, a sweet taste arose. He thought it was a good liquor.

As he handed over the liquor bottle, Gung Ma-yeop also took a sip.

"Kraaak... It's bitter. But it's delicious. Liquor is truly a strange thing. It has a mysterious taste. Just like life."

"I will take Jang Cho."

"You're an impatient friend."

As Jin Sa-wol brought up the main point as if he were not interested in discussing life, Gung Ma-yeop felt a little disappointed.

"Aren't we comrades-in-arms? Don't treat me so coldly."

At the words 'comrades-in-arms', Jin Sa-wol recalled Gung Ma-yeop, who had been with him when he had faced Cheon Yu-myeong. Gung Ma-yeop's martial arts were certainly threatening.

"You said you weren't an enemy, what did you mean?"

"When you left the Demonic Cult, the ones who attacked you were not me, but others."

"Who?"

"The Dokgo family."

"I heard it was you."

"They must have framed me."

Hearing Gung Ma-yeop's story, the faces of Dokgo Hye and Dokgo Hyeon, and the dead Dokgo Shin-wi, as well as Jang Cho and Seo Mun-ryeon, flashed through Jin Sa-wol's mind at a very fast speed.

Among them, the only one with the guts to smile in front of him and stab him was only one person.

'Dokgo Hye...'

Only she was possible.

'Hoo hoo hoo... It's all a lie.'

Jin Sa-wol laughed lightly and looked at Gung Ma-yeop's wrinkled eyes.

"Is there a reason for the Dokgo family to do that?"

"It's to drive a wedge between you and me."

"A wedge..."

Jin Sa-wol, as if he were interested, looked at the pond with an indifferent face. The wedge was a military tactic that divided yesterday's comrades into today's enemies.

Sun Tzu of the Art of War had also said it was the easiest way to defeat an enemy.

And in the martial world, one of the two had to die.

"We're not brothers or friends, so is there a reason to use a wedge?"

"If you and I join hands, it's not difficult to take control of the Demonic Cult. They must have been afraid of that."

Gung Ma-yeop stroked his beard and examined Jin Sa-wol. But he felt frustrated because he could not tell what he was thinking.

"How about joining hands with me and ruling the Demonic Cult?"

Gung Ma-yeop's low voice stimulated Jin Sa-wol's chest. It was a word that made his blood boil.

It was then.

Countless arrows embroidered the sky.

"Oh dear."

Gung Ma-yeop frowned when he saw the arrows. Jin Sa-wol, who was looking at the falling arrows, said.

"It seems you have many enemies."

"Many. But would they have only targeted me?"

The moment Gung Ma-yeop's words ended, a shout and a scream and the sound of weapons clashing echoed like an echo.

"Kraaak!"

"Kill them all! Don't let a single one out of this Haecheongwon alive!"

"Keok! Kek!"

"Kkeuk!"

The sound of dying people's breath always gave a cool feeling.

Jin Sa-wol, as numerous people appeared and formed a circle around the pavilion, asked Gung Ma-yeop.

"Was it you who imprisoned Jang Cho?"

"The Dokgo family."

At the words 'Dokgo family', Jin Sa-wol frowned with a displeased face. Gung Ma-yeop looked around at the numerous Demonic Cult members who were rushing in and said.

"Who in our cult do you think wants to be the Cult Leader the most? What kind of person do you think covets the position of the Cult Leader the most?"

"It seems to be you."

Gung Ma-yeop, whose eyes met Jin Sa-wol's, shook his head and leaned his arm on the railing.

"The Dokgo family."

Ping! P-ping! Swish!

Arrows that flew with the wind brushed past his surroundings.

Plop! Plop!

Arrows falling into the pond were also visible.

"The Dokgo family has been the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult for hundreds of years. But lately, they haven't been able to become the Cult Leader. What do you think the Cult Leader is to the Dokgo family?"

"What is it?"

"The family itself. The Dokgo family is the Demonic Cult. The Demonic Cult means the Dokgo family."

Gung Ma-yeop fell from the railing and turned his body.

"The Dokgo family will do anything to become the Cult Leader."

His voice lingered inside the pavilion.

Immediately after, numerous Demonic Cult members rushed at Gung Ma-yeop's subordinates.

(End of Chapter)