36. Murim Chuldu

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“Let’s head back. Let’s wrap up the investigation with this.”

 

 

I’d been investigating for days, hoping for any additional clues, but nothing had turned up.

If there had been even a little progress, I would have held onto hope.

But strangely enough, nothing came out.

 

 

The only things I could see were the things I had already investigated with the Nine Unit Leaders.

 

 

“Finally….”

 

 

The unit members slumped into their seats, relieved that they were finally going back.

It was only natural, considering they had been working almost non-stop for the past four months.

 

Namgung Yu-i looked at them with a sorry expression and sighed.

 

 

‘Was I a bit too much?’

 

 

In fact, if you go up to a higher organization, you do even harder tasks for longer periods of time.

Compared to that, the work of the search team isn’t that hard.

 

 

From that perspective, discovering the Blood Cult’s base and reporting the related investigation to the Murim Alliance is enough to fulfill our duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hmm. You’re ending the investigation? That’s a shame.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

A voice echoed in the cavern.

A woman’s voice that was both violent and imbued with an unknown dignity.

 

Instantly, Yu-i and all the unit members tensed up and drew their swords.

 

 

“W-Who is it?!”

 

 

Looking around, I discovered a mysterious woman with silver-white hair fluttering.

 

She looked to be in her mid-20s, with sharp eyes that seemed to cut flesh, scanning Yu-i and the others.

She was wearing a Hanfu (Chinese traditional clothing, Hanbok) that combined black and white, and it fluttered like a winged robe, making it look like a painting.

 

 

 

“Could it be…you are…!”

 

 

Such a distinctive appearance.

Due to the nature of Murim people, many maintained black hair even in old age, so it was difficult to find white-haired Murim people.

Especially female martial artists. Moreover, that woman doesn’t look older than her mid-20s.

 

 

 

 

– A peerless beauty female warrior who enjoys wearing black and white Hanfu with long white hair.

 

 

 

 

There was only one person Yu-i knew in the Murim who was like this.

 

 

“Ho. You know me? Well, it would be strange if you didn’t.”

 

 

The unknown woman covered her mouth with her wide sleeves and smiled.

 

 

“Women of the Murim Alliance, this lady is Yeo Se-rin of the Pear Blossom Palace. Do you recognize me?”

 

 

Her big eyes curved into crescent shapes as she chuckled, “Hohoho.”

Then, Yu-i, who had been frozen in disbelief, hurriedly put away her sword and took a fist salute.

 

 

“Namgung Yu-i, the third daughter of the Namgung Clan, greets the Sword Empress-nim!!”

 

 

Sword Empress!

 

 

The idol and goal of female martial artists.

One of the few absolute female masters who can assert her will in the Murim, where men dominate.

 

 

Throughout history, the title of Sword Empress has been a source of respect for women.

 

 

In particular, the current Sword Empress was ranked as the third highest master among the Ten Great Masters of the World, with the Murim Alliance Leader being first, the Black Heaven Alliance Leader being second, and considering that female martial artists are relatively undervalued, it was no exaggeration to say that she was practically the best in the Murim.

 

 

Of course, the Ten Great Masters of the World mentioned in the Jianghu did not include martial artists from Saeoe or Naman, or Daegoryeo, but even so, it was not an exaggeration to call her the best in the Murim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the current Sword Empress had one problem….

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Namgung Clan? That insignia looks like the Murim Alliance’s search team, but is it true that a daughter of the Namgung Clan is in such a low-level position?”

“….”

“The world is a strange place. I’ve come to see such a rare sight.”

 

That was because the Pear Blossom Palace was affiliated with the Black Heaven Alliance, a Demonic Sect.

Not just some ambiguous group like the Sichuan Tang Clan, but a genuine Demonic Sect that had been doing Demonic deeds since the beginning of time.

 

 

Looking at the composition of the sect, it is entirely female and has a very closed structure, yet its lineage continues and even the number of disciples is increasing.

They forcibly kidnap useful men and use them as studs.

 

 

Anyway, Sword Empress Yeo Se-rin is the Palace Lord of the Pear Blossom Palace.

She was born in the Pear Blossom Palace, ate and slept in the Pear Blossom Palace, and learned the martial arts of the Pear Blossom Palace in the Pear Blossom Palace, a woman who was a Pear Blossom disciple to the bone.

 

 

Her personality is very violent and cruel, and she thinks of murder as a pastime, an extreme Demonic Sect even among Demonic Sects.

So much so that even the Black Heaven Alliance makes earnest requests for her to be moderate.

 

Of course, she didn’t care at all, and continued to do massacres and murders as she pleased. Thanks to this, before receiving the title of ‘Sword Empress’, she was called ‘Remnant Slaughter Demon’, not Remnant Slaughter Demon Woman, but just Remnant Slaughter ‘Demon’. It meant that it was the thing itself without the need to add the modifier ‘woman’.

 

 

Thanks to this, she was once on the verge of becoming a public enemy of the Murim, but due to the active support of the Demonic Murim, especially the Demonic women, she eventually became the first in the Demonic Murim to inherit the title of ‘Sword Empress’.

 

 

 

 

“By the way, the investigation should just be starting, but you’re stopping. Aren’t you disappointed?”

“…The…the preliminary investigation is already over.”

“Is that so? Then did you find anything? I wish there were some Murim books.”

“Uh…no.”

“Really?”

 

 

The Sword Empress’s eyes narrowed.

 

“How can there be nothing in the place where the Blood Cult’s main headquarters was located?”

“Main headquarters…?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t even know that?”

 

 

She shook her head as if she was dumbfounded.

Her attitude seemed to look down on them, so I was furious, but I couldn’t show it to the Sword Empress.

 

 

“It’s a lamentable thing. Even though our goals were different, it was one of the two skies, but the level has fallen so low. It wasn’t like this in my day.”

 

 

The Sword Empress, who had a nostalgic expression as she recalled the old days, soon sighed and walked towards Yu-i and the others.

 

 

“The Blood Cult’s base and main headquarters. According to this Palace’s investigation, the Blood Demon, the leader of the Blood Cult, was also here. But,”

 

 

Chak.

 

 

She stopped right in front of Yu-i, who was frozen, and gave a strange smile, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

 

 

“They were all slaughtered in a matter of days. This lady thought it was the Murim Alliance’s intervention…but looking at the state of things, it doesn’t seem to be the case….”

 

She openly ignored the Murim Alliance.

Yu-i’s hands trembled.

 

 

No matter how much of a senior and top master of the Murim she is, the Demonic and Orthodox factions are fundamentally unable to associate with each other.

 

The Sword Empress was an extreme Demonic Sect even among Demonic Sects, and Yu-i was a daughter of the Namgung Clan, which is considered the pillar of the Orthodox Murim and the First Family of the Murim even among the Five Great Clans.

Normally, there should be a sword fight as soon as they meet.

 

 

That’s why there is a part that they respect each other and don’t touch each other.

But such words and actions. I can’t help but be angry.

 

 

However, Yeo Se-rin continued to speak as if she didn’t care about Yu-i’s anger at all.

 

 

“Anyway, this lady is not satisfied yet, so lead the way. There must be a treasure trove of the Blood Fiends.”

 

 

A coercive order.

A domineering energy that seemed like she had to follow unconditionally wrapped around Namgung Yu-i’s body, but she struggled to shake it off.

 

 

“…We’re on our way back now.”

“So? What does that have to do with this lady?”

“….”

 

 

But that was it.

The name of the Sword Empress was too great to uphold the Dao of the Orthodox faction and reject the orders of the Demonic martial artist.

 

 

If she were alone, she would have fought against the Sword Empress to protect the pride of the Orthodox faction, but she was not alone now.

Everyone will die if they stand up to the Sword Empress here.

 

I wanted to prevent at least that.

 

 

“…I’ll lead the way.”

“Unit Leader!!”

 

 

The unit members were startled by her decision, and the Sword Empress smiled like a rainbow.

Yu-i soothed the unit members and led the Sword Empress deep into the cavern.

 

 

As befitting a place where many humans lived, the cavern was very large. Buildings were built there, so how big would the scale be?

 

 

Yu-i took the Sword Empress and looked through the places she had searched several times over the past few days.

 

 

 

“By the way, child, what is your father’s name?”

“….”

 

In the meantime, the Sword Empress, who was interested in the fact that she was ‘the daughter of the Namgung Clan’, started talking to her.

Yu-i didn’t want to mix a word with her, but in the Jianghu, the weak had no choice.

 

 

“It’s Righteous Gentleman Namgung Geo-hwi.”

“Geo-hwi? That brat?”

“….”

“He definitely pointed his sword at this lady about 30 years ago and boldly said the word ‘subjugation’. Of course, he paid the price.”

 

She laughed, “Hehe.”

Yu-i wanted to draw her sword, but she endured it by swallowing her patience four times.

It shouldn’t explode here for the sake of the unit members.

 

 

“Time has certainly passed a lot. Hwi gave birth to a brat like you. Life is so enjoyable.”