Seo Mun-ryeon shouted and threw the daggers in her sleeves at the man in black who was throwing hidden weapons again.
Swish! Ping! Clang!
As the hidden weapons collided in the air and sparks flew, a sword suddenly popped out from under Seo Mun-ryeon's feet.
It was the man in black who had been in the room.
At the same time, the roof next to her exploded, and the man in black who had appeared extended his palm to strike Seo Mun-ryeon's chest.
"You beast bastard! How dare you!"
Seo Mun-ryeon shouted with a very angry face and drew her flexible sword.
In that fleeting moment, with a swish!, a blurry shadow appeared and cut the head of the man in black who was extending his palm.
At the same time, drawing a semicircle, he cut the head of the man in black who was coming up from the floor, wrapping around Seo Mun-ryeon's waist.
Blood spurted after the sword had passed his head.
Jin Sa-wol, who had drawn a few circles in the air and had landed on the roof, put Seo Mun-ryeon down and moved like the wind.
Thump!
The man in black, who had fallen to the floor in a large character, was out of his mind.
Before he could properly grasp what had happened, his demonic acupoints had been suppressed.
He couldn't do anything because it had happened in the instant he had discovered Jin Sa-wol and had tried to turn his body to run away.
'How can he die like that?'
The elite nobles of the Salmun had bodies harder than rock, so they were impervious to swords and sabers.
The sight of their bodies, harder than cast iron, being cut like tofu felt like an illusion.
He felt that the past years of enduring the pain of grinding bones, training martial arts, and controlling his emotions were all in vain.
As he was staring blankly at the sky, he saw Jin Sa-wol's face.
"Did you aim for the Hao Faction Master?"
Jin Sa-wol's expression, looking at the lying young man, was indifferent. Because he was a guy who was going to die anyway.
"That's right."
Hearing the young man's answer, Jin Sa-wol took a step back as Seo Mun-ryeon approached. Since he had not aimed for him, but for Seo Mun-ryeon, he handed him over to Seo Mun-ryeon.
"Who are you from where?"
"I'm from the Salmun."
The young man had a face that had given up everything, as if he had foreseen his death.
"Who's behind it?"
"Pfft! I don't know."
The young man, finding the question boring, laughed without realizing it. In that instant, Seo Mun-ryeon's foot stepped on the young man's face.
With a thwack! sound, the young man's figure flew half a zhang and rolled on the ground. It was clear that he was dead when he saw that his head was completely turned.
"You're laughing?"
Seo Mun-ryeon, who had thrown a word as if she were dumbfounded, dusted off her hands and turned her body.
Jin Sa-wol approached the young man and examined the gourd bottle containing hidden weapons and poison.
"They were men of outstanding skill."
"Why do you care about the skill of a dead man?"
"It's for your safety."
Jin Sa-wol had barely felt their movements from a distance of about ten zhang. They were that stealthy.
In fact, he had noticed their movements the moment they had revealed their killing intent.
Until then, even Seo Mun-ryeon had not known of their approach.
Although she had spoken easily, Seo Mun-ryeon's expression was very tense. She let out a deep breath and calmed her chest.
And as she recalled the image of Jin Sa-wol who had saved her, her heart pounded.
'You handsome bastard.'
Although her head told her to keep her distance, her heart was constantly going towards Jin Sa-wol.
Jin Sa-wol confirmed the poison, stood up, and turned his body.
Just then, Seo Mun-ryeon saw a light shining from Jin Sa-wol's body. Flowers were blooming all around him with the light.
'It's dazzling.'
Seo Mun-ryeon staggered and frowned.
The image of him saving her was so dazzling that it looked like a god who had descended from the sky.
"The Salmun will send other assassins, so hide in a safe place for a while."
At Jin Sa-wol's words, Seo Mun-ryeon, who had come to her senses, nodded.
As he had said, their skills were above the first class. Although they were not at the peak, they were sufficiently threatening.
It was not easy to properly receive the combined attack of the three assassins.
"Let's go to Guryeon Mountain. It's the safest place for now."
Hearing Seo Mun-ryeon's words, Jin Sa-wol nodded and headed for the yard.
Sama Chung and the other elders could not properly see Jin Sa-wol's martial arts that had blocked the assassins' attack.
Because they had only been in the room. They could not go outside because they were scared.
Even Sama Chung, who had trained in martial arts, could not properly deal with the event that had happened in an instant, as if beans were being roasted in a lightning bolt.
If it weren't for Jin Sa-wol, it would have been difficult to block the assassins.
Jo Geom-ok, who was heading for the room, came up to Jin Sa-wol. She had examined the assassins' corpses in the room.
"Wait a minute."
Jo Geom-ok, who had spoken to Jin Sa-wol, crossed the yard.
Seo Mun-ryeon went into the room, watching the suspicious behavior of the two. It was to reassure the elders.
Jo Geom-ok, as there was no one around, quietly opened her mouth.
"About the assassins."
"Why?"
"They seem to be from the Esoteric Cult."
At the words 'Esoteric Cult', Jin Sa-wol's expression hardened.
"I smelled a unique scent from the corpses."
"A scent?"
"It was the same smell as the medicine used when training external arts in the Esoteric Cult. A scent like the Blood Bone Water that makes the skin hard."
When learning unique external martial arts, to prevent the bones and skin from being damaged, they applied medicinal water to their bodies three times a day. Among them, the medicinal water used in the Esoteric Cult was the Blood Bone Water.
In the Demonic Cult, Yuk Sam-yuk had also used a medicine with a similar effect to the Blood Bone Water to learn demonic arts, and Mun-gang also had a medicinal water that he enjoyed eating or applying.
In the orthodox sects, when learning the Iron Sand Palm, for example, they protected their hands by soaking them in medicinal water.
"The guy who died outside didn't have any scent."
"The corpses inside all have the same scent."
In Jo Geom-ok's story, Jin Sa-wol showed curiosity.
It was certain that one of the dead young men was a person he had seen a few days ago. He was a person with a face that had no expression, like a dead tree.
"The Salmun is a group that came out of the Demonic Cult..."
Jin Sa-wol, who was about to say that it had no connection with the Esoteric Cult, nodded as he recalled that the Demonic Cult Leader had been Cheon Yu-myeong.
If the Demonic Cult was the Esoteric Cult and the Esoteric Cult was the Demonic Cult, everything was possible.
And if the annihilation of the Esoteric Cult was all a work created by Cheon Yu-myeong, or rather, Jeokrin, out of necessity, it would not be strange even if the Salmun were a branch of the Esoteric Cult.
It was not a difficult task for Jeokrin to create a sect like the Salmun.
'That guy is a monster who has lived for hundreds of years.'
He had to clearly put that thought in his head.
The martial world was a place where numerous sects were created and disappeared in a single day. Moreover, it was strange that Jeokrin, who had lived for hundreds of years, did not have a sect that he commanded like his own limbs.
There was no way he didn't have his people in the Hao Faction, and there would be in the Martial Alliance as well.
Perhaps there were even subordinates of Jeokrin who had lived for a long time, pretending to be of the orthodox sect.
"Why?"
"It's nothing. You take charge of the Hao Faction for a while. If they're guys who have learned the demonic arts of the Esoteric Cult, even Seo Mun-ryeon will have a hard time dealing with them."
At Jin Sa-wol's story, Jo Geom-ok cast a gaze full of dissatisfaction. Although she said 'why me?', Jin Sa-wol ignored her. In any case, it had to be done, and Jo Geom-ok was the right person for now.
Jo Geom-ok said with a face as if she had thought of something.
"Brother Woo is coming."
Jin Sa-wol, thinking of Woo Jeong-bong, showed a smile. Although he had said he would stay in Shaolin with Yeon-il for a while, it seemed he had gotten tired of it now.
The problem was that even if he came, there was nothing to see at the inn.
Since Namgung Ji had been sent back to the place she was supposed to return to, it was not a big problem.
But Woo Jeong-bong was a guy who wouldn't go even if he were told to go to Wudang Mountain if he didn't want to.
"Just leave him be."
At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Jo Geom-ok showed a smile.
It meant there was no need to talk about it.
Jin Sa-wol, who had entered the room, heard Seo Mun-ryeon's loud voice.
"Find out exactly where the main headquarters of the Salmun is in Hangzhou. Find and kill the people related to the Salmun by any means necessary."
"Yes, I understand."
"Yes, Master."
The elders and Sama Chung answered, and Mae Gang-hwa nodded.
The Salmun was not the Martial Alliance. So Seo Mun-ryeon, the master of the Hao Faction, could go strong.
The Hao Faction was strong against the weak and weak against the strong. The elders and the general managers, Sama Chung and Mae Gang-hwa, were still sitting.
Seo Mun-ryeon, as if she were dumbfounded, shouted.
"What are you sitting there for! Hurry up and go out and find them!"
At her voice, everyone hurriedly went outside.
The eyes of Jin Sa-wol and Seo Mun-ryeon, who were standing on one side, met.
"I'm going to Hangzhou. I have to stop by the Martial Alliance, so I might be a little late."
"Okay."
"Take Geumdo with you."
"Yes."
Since Geumdo was Seo Mun-ryeon's close aide, it was better to be with him for contact with the Hao Faction.
***
Outside the south gate of Hangzhou Fortress.
In the area south of the Qiantang River, large and small hills and wild mountains were spread out. Wide tea fields were gathered here and there between the mountains, creating a good scenery.
If there was West Lake in Hangzhou Fortress, there were South Lake and White Lake, with the low hills and mountains of the south of the river.
In the south of South Lake, there was a manor called Namcheongwon in the mountains.
Namcheongwon, which owned a wide tea field, was a wealthy manor that owned a vast tea field of about one li in the surroundings.
A man entered the tea room prepared on the seventh floor of the seven-story wooden pagoda inside Namcheongwon.
He was a man in his mid-thirties, wearing a purple silk robe. He had a sword on his waist and a fan in his left hand.
He stroked his short beard and, as he entered the room, was startled to see a person's shadow in front of the silver bead curtain and prostrated himself.
"I greet the master."
He seemed very surprised, as if he had not expected a person to be there.
"Stand up and sit down."
Through the soft, beautiful voice, he knew that the shadow inside the bead curtain was a woman.
"Yes, Master."
In a low voice, Jang Ryak, the master of Namcheongwon, raised his head.
"There is no report from the nobles who left to kill the Hao Faction Master."
"They have failed."
"The report is late."
"I'm sorry. I couldn't deliver it because it was news that had just come in. From now on, I will deliver the news as quickly as possible."
"Prepare for the Hao Faction's attack."
"As you command."
Although Jang Ryak's answer, who had bowed his head, had ended, there was no movement from inside the bead curtain.
Jang Ryak, who had slightly raised his head, confirmed that there was no one inside the bead curtain and then let out a long sigh and wiped his cold sweat.
"It's not like I'm dealing with a ghost..."
Jang Ryak let out a long sigh as he thought of the master who always appeared suddenly and disappeared like a ghost.
Jang Ryak, who had sat down at the tea table placed on one side of the tea room, drank his tea. He saw a person's figure from outside.
"Master Jang."
"Come in."
Two middle-aged men entered the tea room. As they entered, Jang Ryak leaned back deeply in his chair and said with an arrogant expression.
"Since we failed to kill the Hao Faction Master, the Hao Faction will now attack our faction. It's only a matter of time before they find out that this Namcheongwon is the Salmun. Prepare."
"I understand."
"And if there is anyone who is inquiring about our faction in Hangzhou Fortress, they will be Hao Faction members, so execute them as soon as you see them."
"Yes."
As the two middle-aged men answered at the same time, Jang Ryak waved his hand. At the order to leave, as the two middle-aged men went out, Jang Ryak drank his tea again.
A short while later, a masked person in a black mask suddenly appeared in front of Jang Ryak and prostrated himself.
Jang Ryak was not surprised.
"Kill the Hao Faction Master. That bitch is still in Guguang. If you need limbs, take them."
As Jang Ryak's words ended, the masked person quietly disappeared outside.
(End of Chapter)
