บท 1: 433
Chapter 433 The Ruins of an Old Castle (1)
-Whoosh!
High above the clouds.
The Demonic Beast Heumwon, transformed into its true form, was flying at high speed.
In Heumwon's massive claws was a large carriage, carrying Mok Gyeong-un, Seop Chun (the First Escort Commander serving as the temporary Head Escort Commander), Mong Mu-yak (the Second Escort Commander), the masked Ma Ra-hyeon, the Subduing-Demon and rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong, and Eight Poison Snake Staff Guyang Sa-oh.
They were heading towards the ruins of an old castle in the northern part of Shaanxi Province.
The distance was too far to travel by carriage or horse, and even using qinggong would result in differences in speed between them, so they were riding the Demonic Beast Heumwon, the fastest mode of transportation.
Mong Mu-yak addressed Seop Chun, who had a somewhat sullen expression.
"Don't tell me you're scared?"
"Of course not. It's not like this is my first or second time riding. Why would I be scared?"
"Then… Is it because you couldn't become a guardian, even if it's temporary?"
At Mong Mu-yak's words, Seop Chun coughed.
"Ahem."
Before coming here, they had been assigned temporary positions for the sake of organization.
Although the official structure of this new massive organization hadn't been fully established yet, these individuals had been recognized for their meritorious service in assisting Mok Gyeong-un and were given temporary positions as Head Escort Commanders.
However,
[Since the three of you have outstanding martial arts, please take on the roles of guardians directly under the lord until the official structure is established.]
The most experienced Eight Poison Snake Staff Guyang Sa-oh was appointed as the Great Guardian, the masked Ma Ra-hyeon as the Right Guardian, and the rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong as the Left Guardian.
This had secretly upset Seop Chun.
He had been the first to recognize Mok Gyeong-un and wanted to become his right-hand man.
But in reality, he was outmatched in martial arts and had to give up the guardian position to outsiders, which made him uncomfortable.
At that moment, the rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong took a swig from his gourd bottle and said,
"This monk has no interest in positions or titles, so if you want to be a guardian or whatever, you can have it. Hehehe."
At Ja Geum-jeong's tone, which seemed like he was doing him a favor, Seop Chun's lips protruded in a pout.
He had his pride, and having been outmatched in martial arts to become an Escort Commander instead of a guardian, if he were to accept this offer, what would become of his face?
"No need. Ahem."
"Hey now. Don't tell me you're upset over something like this?"
"Not at all. I'll take that position by my own power soon enough, so no need for your charity."
"Keuheuheu. Do as you please."
"Stop picking unnecessary fights and just pass me the alcohol."
"As much as you want."
Ja Geum-jeong tossed the gourd bottle to Seop Chun.
-Tap!
Catching it, Seop Chun, seemingly annoyed, started gulping down the alcohol.
"Hey! Are you planning to drink it all?"
While Ja Geum-jeong had no interest or desire for positions, he absolutely wouldn't yield when it came to alcohol.
As if knowing this, Seop Chun continued drinking, looking like he might empty the entire gourd bottle.
Watching them, Eight Poison Snake Staff Guyang Sa-oh chuckled and said,
"Hohoho. Ah, to be young."
Right now, they were heading towards a mission that might be even more dangerous than their escape from the Kaifeng Imperial Capital or the internal war of the Heaven and Earth Society.
The Secret Society still hadn't revealed its full strength.
They had only shown a part of it and used the opponent's power.
If they were to reveal their full strength with determination, trials incomparable to anything before would follow.
Yet, these people seemed not worried at all.
Which meant,
'Are they trusting him? This man.'
Guyang Sa-oh's gaze turned to Mok Gyeong-un.
The sight of Mok Gyeong-un with his hair fluttering in the wind was indescribably beautiful.
He too, in the past, would have felt anxious at the thought of potentially clashing with the full force of the Secret Society.
However, at some point, he had developed expectations for this man.
A belief had blossomed that no matter what, this man could overcome anything.
'Well, if even this old man feels this way, how could the young brothers be any different?'
Reflecting on himself through their appearance, Guyang Sa-oh straightened his posture.
It might be better to focus on circulating his qi and preparing his mind and body to build fighting spirit rather than worrying unnecessarily.
But just then,
-Flinch!
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been looking into the distance, suddenly stood up in the carriage.
As they wondered what was happening, the Demonic Beast Heumwon, which had been flying forward, suddenly stopped mid-air, flapping its wings roughly.
"Oh no…"
At that moment, the rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had been trying to snatch the gourd bottle from Seop Chun, also frowned and surveyed the surroundings.
They wondered what was wrong, when,
-Rumble!
'This is?'
They could now understand why the Demonic Beast Heumwon had stopped mid-flight.
This was because in the path where the Demonic Beast Heumwon had been flying, there was a snake-shaped monster with wings as large as the dark clouds accompanying it.
But the monster wasn't alone.
-Whoosh!
As the wind gusted, other monsters appeared behind and on both sides.
They were all bird-shaped Imaemangyang.
Eight Poison Snake Staff Guyang Sa-oh clicked his tongue while holding his staff.
"To think we'd be caught here."
They had thought that by moving at an altitude higher than the clouds, they wouldn't encounter any enemies.
However, their opponents weren't simply humans.
It was the Secret Society, which also controlled Imaemangyang.
"Keukeukeu. It seems we can't let our guard down even for a moment."
Ja Geum-jeong then took out a vajra he had received from his old master, the Venerable Gong-jeon, at Shaolin Temple.
[Take these dharma instruments with you just in case. It seems there's a demon mixed in with your group that you should be wary of.]
'Master's foresight was correct.'
Following this master, he found himself frequently clashing with non-human entities.
Thanks to that, things were never boring.
After all, they were constantly risking their lives.
-Rumble!
At that moment, six hands started to sprout from the body of the winged snake-shaped monster blocking their path.
Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un recalled something he had seen in the "Classic of Mountain and Seas".
That was the Demonic Beast Bi Yu of Mount Taihua in the Western Mountains.
The "Classic of Mountain and Seas" said that when this Demonic Beast Bi Yu[1] appears in the sky, a great drought occurs.
This was because Bi Yu would take away the dark clouds.
-Crackle!
Lightning formed from the dark clouds was drawn into Bi Yu's hands.
Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un gripped his sword-formed fingers and said,
"Here it comes."
As soon as he finished speaking, Bi Yu, like a supreme beast from mythology, hurled the lightning it was holding, and the Imaemangyang surrounding them all rushed in at once.
***
A dark main hall.
A long-haired man wearing a pure white uniform was kneeling on one knee in front of the stone throne, showing respect.
The long-haired man with red lips, as if he had applied rouge, said,
"We've found them. As expected, they were moving through the air."
In response to the man's report, the shadowy figure sitting on the stone throne finally spoke.
"If I had eyes, it would have been an interesting spectacle. What a pity."
While monitoring the Heaven and Earth Society, he had lost the Imaemangyang that had been serving as his eyes.
Because of this, he could no longer observe directly.
However, the being who had grasped Mok Gyeong-un's side's strength through the internal war of the Heaven and Earth Society predicted that they would definitely go there by air.
That's why he sent forces that could fly in the sky.
What would happen if they made even a single mistake in the sky higher than the clouds?
He had missed an interesting spectacle.
The long-haired man with red lips spoke with a voice full of confidence.
"There will be good news soon."
"Good news?"
"Yes."
"Surely you don't think you can kill him with just that?"
"Pardon? But…"
"Enough. This won't kill him."
"… Even if he's an unparalleled master, if he falls from that height, he won't be able to overcome the force of the fall…"
"If he could die from something like that, there would be no need to worry about him."
At the assertive words of the being on the stone throne, the red-lipped man showed an expression of incomprehension.
The being on the stone throne snorted and said,
"It's enough to have tied his ankles."
The original purpose was not to kill them.
It was to kill or damage the wings of the Demonic Beast Heumwon, which could be considered their means of transportation.
If that happens, they will no longer be able to move through the air.
Even if he is an unparalleled master surpassing the Seven Heavens, considered the peak of the Central Plains martial arts world, it's impossible to move from where the Heaven and Earth Society is to the northern part of Shaanxi Province in a short time using qinggong.
"Huhuhu."
By the time he arrives, everything will be over.
Both Ryu So-wol's spirit and the forbidden technique to unite the soul and body will be in his hands.
When that happens, he will taste despair.
And that's not the end.
When he returns to the Heaven and Earth Society, an even worse hell will unfold.
The corners of the shadowy being's mouth lifted.
Just then, someone entered the main hall.
It was a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and covered in scars.
-Thud!
The middle-aged man knelt before him, paying respects, and said,
"My lord. I have finally brought what you desired."
At his report, the red-lipped man smiled brightly and said,
"It seems it has finally arrived. Mok Gan. Bring it in quickly."
-Swoosh!
At the man's words, the middle-aged man gestured behind him.
Then, two masked individuals who had been waiting outside carried in a coffin and placed it in front of the stone throne.
"Open it."
At this, the masked individuals tore off the talismans attached to the gaps and opened the coffin lid.
Inside, an incredibly beautiful woman was revealed, lying straight as if her acupoints had been sealed.
She was Wi So-yeon, the youngest disciple of the Heaven and Earth Society Leader.
Even with her eyes closed, her beauty was not diminished at all, causing a small gasp to escape from the red-lipped man's mouth.
The man finally clasped his hands together and congratulated the being on the stone throne.
"Congratulations, Mok Gan. Finally…"
-Swoosh!
But before he could finish speaking, the being on the stone throne raised his hand, stopping the congratulations.
Then, the left armrest he had placed on the stone throne crumbled.
-Crack!
At his sudden action, those in the main hall couldn't hide their bewilderment.
They couldn't understand why the being was displeased when what he wanted had arrived.
Then, the being on the stone throne stretched out his hand.
Wi So-yeon's body in the coffin floated up.
In that state, as the being on the stone throne lightly waved his hand,
-Stretch!
Wi So-yeon's facial skin began to stretch.
They wondered what was happening, but as the stretched skin tore off, another face was revealed underneath.
-Rip!
"What?"
"Th-This is…"
The scarred, middle-aged man with disheveled hair couldn't hide his bewilderment.
This woman was not Wi So-yeon.
'Could it be?'
The middle-aged man suddenly recalled that when they had opened the coffin lid midway, Wi So-yeon had briefly attempted to escape, having somehow released her sealed acupoints.
They had recaptured her in less than a moment, so he didn't think it was worth reporting.
But in that short time, when had she been switched with someone else?
Just as he was feeling perplexed,
-Snap!
The being on the stone throne snapped his fingers.
At that moment, the bewildered middle-aged man's head exploded.
-Boom!
The body of the middle-aged man with his head blown off staggered and then collapsed.
Seeing this, the face of the long-haired man with red lips turned pale, unable to utter a word.
This was because the middle-aged man was his subordinate, and he was the one who had promoted this operation.
As he didn't know what to do, the being on the stone throne spoke in a heavy voice.
"Move the residence immediately."
The third eye on the forehead of the being on the stone throne could see it.
The red connection linked to the spirit body of the fake Wi So-yeon, whose human skin mask had been removed.
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