Thud!
Na Hyeon-gi, who had turned Shim Cheong-cheong's neck, immediately grabbed Shin Yul's head with both hands, unfolded the Star-Absorbing Demonic Art, and pressed down.
"Kraaak!"
As his head was crushed and the sound of his skull breaking echoed, Shin Yul's eyes rolled back.
As Shin Yul's body, which had coughed up blood from his five orifices, fell powerlessly, Na Hyeon-gi withdrew his hands.
As Shin Yul's internal energy, which had been absorbed by the Star-Absorbing Demonic Art, warmly filled his dantian, a desire arose.
He needed even stronger power.
As he clenched his fists and operated his internal energy, a sky-blue smoke gathered in his hands. That power was definitely his own.
"With this, I can become the Demonic Cult Leader. Surely... I can hold the Demonic Cult in my hands. Hahahaha!"
Na Hyeon-gi laughed loudly, then threw the dead bodies on the roof of the thatched house and set it on fire.
As the house burned, the corpses also burned with it.
***
"Kraaak!"
"Ack!"
With screams, Ha Shin-hak's third disciple, No Gun-cheong, and fourth disciple, Deung Ho, fell with their necks broken at the same time.
Behind the two who had fallen on the hard bluestone floor, the seventh disciple, Gwak Ji, was seen sitting down.
Gwak Ji, who was now of age, looked up at Na Hyeon-gi, trembling all over.
"Only you are left."
Na Hyeon-gi, who had taken a step closer to Gwak Ji, frowned when he saw Gwak Ji wetting his pants.
It was because he had not thought he would be so scared just because a person had died.
Gwak Ji's face, full of fear, was like that of a child who could do nothing.
"Sa... Spare me..."
Gwak Ji shed tears and snot and clasped his hands towards Na Hyeon-gi. At that sight, Na Hyeon-gi laughed in disbelief.
"Keuk!"
Na Hyeon-gi, who had let out a snort without realizing it, said to Gwak Ji, who was showing a pathetic appearance.
"If you're thinking of revenge, do it. I'll wait. But can you really take revenge?"
"You're letting me live?"
When Gwak Ji asked again, Na Hyeon-gi turned his body.
"You fucking idiot."
Na Hyeon-gi would have killed Gwak Ji on the spot if he had attacked. But seeing him so soaked in fear, a single remaining conscience pricked his chest.
'In any case, it's just one guy.'
Since he had received things from the Jongnam Sect, he thought it wouldn't be bad to leave one person.
It was a kind of repayment of a favor.
"I'm going back to the Demonic Cult."
Na Hyeon-gi, who had kindly told him where he was going, left the manor without any lingering attachment.
After he left and a cold wind blew, Gwak Ji, who had come to his senses, crawled to his dead brothers-in-law and began to wail.
"Sob! Uwaaaaaa! Uwaaa!!"
Gwak Ji's crying did not end even when night came.
***
Gwak Ji had entered the Jongnam Sect ten years ago, when he was ten.
Born in Shanxi, he had barely managed to escape and live when his village was annihilated by the Demonic Cult.
The place he had gone to was the Wudang Sect, but they had not accepted him there.
Although he had tried to go to the Martial Alliance, it was too far, and he had happened to meet Ha Shin-hak and had become his disciple.
Gwak Ji had come up to Wang-ok Mountain, met his brothers-in-law, and had been able to overcome his sadness with them.
When Na Hyeon-gi had entered as the youngest under him, he had been very happy. Because he had escaped from being the youngest. But when he found out he was from the Demonic Cult, he had resented him.
Since there was no reason to be nice, he had treated him coldly.
His sister-in-law Shim and his eldest brother-in-law had reprimanded him several times to fix himself.
Still, he had disliked it. Although his head had to accept him as the youngest, he could not stop his heart from moving separately.
"You damn bastard."
Gwak Ji, who had chewed on Na Hyeon-gi several times with his bloodshot eyes, was standing at the entrance of the Huashan Sect.
He had run to the Huashan Sect for several days without proper sleep.
It was to report the affairs of the Jongnam Sect and to take revenge. The Huashan Sect, like the Jongnam Sect, was a faction with a deep resentment towards the Demonic Cult.
Since numerous disciples had been killed by the Demonic Cult members, he had thought they would understand his feelings.
But all that had come back was the words that they could not.
"I'm sorry. Our faction also has no room right now. We have no mind to deal with the Demonic Cult, so please understand. Let's do it together later."
"Aren't Jongnam and Huashan brothers? Please help. I have to take revenge."
"If Senior Ha were alive, I don't know... How can we help Jongnam, which is left with only you? More importantly, find a way to live for now. We at Huashan will take care of dealing with the Demonic Cult."
"What kind of shitty talk is that! Please help! That vicious bastard came in as a disciple and killed everyone. He killed everything of Jongnam!"
Although Gwak Ji shouted, the middle-aged disciple of the Huashan Sect who was dealing with Gwak Ji shook his head.
Although Gwak Ji had appealed several times, he had to turn his feet in the end.
The words to find a way to live echoed in his ears.
Gwak Ji headed for Wudang. On his way to Wudang Mountain, he heard the news that Zhuge Qing had died, and that Seok Jeong-bi of the Huashan Sect and Buk Myeong-woo of the Baekgeom Mun had also been killed by an assassin.
'If it's an assassin, he might be able to kill him. If he takes revenge by killing that guy, I'll do anything.'
Although he had such a thought, a disciple of the orthodox faction could not bow his head to an assassin. And he could not find that assassin either.
Gwak Ji headed for the Jeong family, who had been friends with Ha Shin-hak.
He had thought the Jeong family would welcome him. He had believed they would discuss revenge together.
But what had come back was a cold reception at the door.
"What if we are annihilated by being on the bad side of the Demonic Cult? I'll pretend I didn't hear."
Although he had heard many stories that people were heartless, he had never thought they would change overnight like this.
"When Master was alive, they acted as if they would give their liver and gallbladder, but how can a person change like this!"
Although Gwak Ji shouted in front of the firmly closed gate of the Jeong family, there was no sound coming.
'Let's go to the Martial Alliance.'
Gwak Ji wiped his hot tears and headed for the Martial Alliance. He believed that the Martial Alliance would surely lend a hand for his revenge.
A few days later. Gwak Ji, who had arrived at Kaifeng Fortress, was moving towards a tavern. Just then, three or four people approached. A short middle-aged man among them asked.
"Are you Gwak Ji of Jongnam?"
"Yes. But who are you?"
The moment he answered, a large club fell on the back of Gwak Ji's head.
With a thwack! sound, Gwak Ji, who had fallen to the floor, looked around at those who had hit him.
"Keok! Fuck... who..."
"Don't kill him, you bastards!"
Leaving the middle-aged man's voice behind, Gwak Ji lost consciousness.
***
How much time had passed?
Gwak Ji, who had opened his eyes with a start, found himself lying on a soft bed and jumped up.
As he opened the door and came out, he saw Mae Gang-hwa sitting in front of a table.
"Who are you? Why on earth am I here?"
"I'm sorry for the commotion, though it was unintentional. I'm Mae Gang-hwa of the Hao Faction. You are the last disciple of the Jongnam Sect, Mr. Gwak, right?"
"Yes."
At the words 'Hao Faction', Gwak Ji's eyes sparkled, and he sat down in a chair. Mae Gang-hwa poured him tea and said again.
"It's Longjing tea. It will warm your body."
At the words 'Longjing tea', Gwak Ji nodded, drank the tea, and then said to Mae Gang-hwa.
"I heard there are many assassins in the Hao Faction. I want to hire a killer. Please kill a person named Na Hyeon-gi. He's a Demonic Cult bastard. That bastard... killed all my master and brothers-in-law."
"Our faction can sufficiently fulfill Mr. Gwak's request. But it's expensive. Na Hyeon-gi is the head of the famous Na family in the Demonic Cult. Can we kill such a person without any compensation?"
"If it's money, I have some saved up."
Mae Gang-hwa, who was not interested in money, shook her head and showed a smile.
"Please give me the martial arts secret manuals of the Jongnam Sect. If you give me the Nine Palaces Sword Art, the secret art of the Crane Flying Sword, Ha Shin-hak, and the Silver Sky Divine Art, I'll do it. Ah! If you also give me the Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven and the Taiyi Divine Art, I can even capture that person named Na Hyeon-gi alive."
Boom!
Gwak Ji, who had slammed the table, jumped up from his seat and shouted.
"What kind of absurd talk is that!"
What Mae Gang-hwa was demanding was the Jongnam Sect itself. It was a story that he could not possibly agree to.
"Keuk!"
It was then. Gwak Ji felt his eyes close and strength drain from his whole body.
Gwak Ji soon fell face down on the table and fell into a deep sleep. It was the effect of the sleeping pills put in the tea.
"I knew you would refuse."
Mae Gang-hwa showed a smile and then stroked the hair of Gwak Ji, who was lying face down on the table.
"You novice."
***
Sizzle!
"Aaargh!"
With the smell of burning flesh, a scream burst from Gwak Ji's mouth. Gwak Ji, who was tied to a chair, had a face that was half bruised, and his lips were also burst, and blood was flowing.
Mae Gang-hwa, who had lightly stabbed his thigh with an iron skewer, put the iron skewer, which still had a hot heat, into the brazier.
"Where are the secret manuals?"
"I don't know, you bitch!"
Gwak Ji shouted loudly. Although he had wet his pants, he resisted with the feeling of 'let it be'.
Although he was scared at the thought that he might die, the pain was so strong that he had lost his reason and was only left with anger.
"Kill me! Kill me!"
"I can't do that. Where did you hide the secret manuals? You have to say that for you to live."
"Don't be ridiculous. I don't know anything."
"We'll kill Na Hyeon-gi for you, so give it as a price. We're not just asking for it, are we?"
"You crazy bitch."
At Gwak Ji's cold gaze, Mae Gang-hwa shook her head, let out a deep sigh, and then picked up the iron skewer that had been heated in the fire again.
Gwak Ji's eyes shook greatly.
"Stop."
Just then, a voice that saved Gwak Ji echoed in the room.
Mae Gang-hwa, who knew the owner of the voice well, bowed her head and retreated. Then, Seo Mun-ryeon poked her face out from the darkness.
'She's pretty.'
Seeing Seo Mun-ryeon, Gwak Ji thought she was pretty without realizing it. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as Seo Mun-ryeon in his life.
In his eyes, she was a great beauty.
They say that when you see a pretty person, you lose your mind for a moment. That was a man's instinct that even pain could not stop.
"You're in a sorry state."
Seo Mun-ryeon extended her hand, stroked Na Hyeon-gi's cheek, and cast a pitiful gaze.
"Na Hyeon-gi has caused a big incident. The Demonic Cult will be very happy. Tsk! Tsk! You poor person."
Seo Mun-ryeon, who had patted Gwak Ji's shoulder, cast a warm gaze. Because of the words 'poor person', Gwak Ji trembled all over.
A short while later, Gwak Ji shed tears of sorrow and pain.
Seo Mun-ryeon looked at Gwak Ji and said to Mae Gang-hwa.
"Please treat Mr. Gwak. And also prepare a place for him to rest and treat him warmly. As a guest."
"Yes, Master."
Hearing Mae Gang-hwa's answer, Seo Mun-ryeon touched Gwak Ji's wound with her hand and said again.
"I'm sorry for the unreasonable demand. I, the Hao Faction Master, will sufficiently compensate you for today's pain. Of course, I'll also look into the assassin."
"Sob! Sob!"
At Gwak Ji's crying, Seo Mun-ryeon patted his shoulder and then went outside. Mae Gang-hwa ran up and whispered.
"Do you think he'll like it if you give him medicine after giving him a disease?"
"If the whip doesn't work, the medicine will. He's a guy whose heart is closed because he has gone through a big incident. You have to melt his heart with affection."
Seo Mun-ryeon's gaze had completely changed, and she was smiling brightly, as if she had gotten a new doll to play with.
"What about Jin Sa-wol?"
"He has entered Guguang."
"Tell him that Na Hyeon-gi has returned to the Demonic Cult."
"Yes."
As Mae Gang-hwa retreated with an answer, Seo Mun-ryeon thought of Na Hyeon-gi and the Hwahwaru Master.
'You cunning bastards.'
(End of Chapter)
