Ch.78Formless Flying Sword Technique

Several days had passed since the Black Fist Maran incident. The man suspected of being an imperial spy was executed by the Sword Master himself. Whether he was truly an imperial spy remained unclear.

There was no way to verify it directly. I was already under suspicion. It would be difficult to take any actions that might arouse further suspicion.

Se-erin, Flora, and Theo were only able to gather for a late lunch. The spacious separate quarters assigned to Se-erin always felt desolate. The building was called Seolhwagak. The name was the only impressive thing about it.

“Are you sure no one else is here?”

Theo asked as he sat down, looking around cautiously. Se-erin simply nodded slightly. Even when she extended her spiritual sense to scan the surroundings, not even an ant could be detected.

“How was it? Do you think we can leave?”

Se-erin asked. Being the focus of the Sword Master’s attention, she found it difficult to move freely. She wasn’t physically restrained, but wherever she went, many eyes followed her. It meant moving in secret was nearly impossible.

“It’s no good. I can go anywhere within the sect, but if I try to leave, someone follows me.”

“It’s the same for me.”

Unlike Se-erin who had difficulty moving around, Theo and Flora were relatively free. However, that freedom only extended within the sect. If they tried to leave the sect and cross the mountain walls, guards would follow them.

It meant escaping wouldn’t be easy. Upon hearing this information, Se-erin let out a deep sigh.

“I’m sorry, because of me…”

It was Se-erin herself who had refused the suggestion to escape. Blinded by ambition, she had made the wrong choice. A heavy sense of guilt weighed on her mind.

“No, we agreed with your opinion too.”

“It’s not just your fault. If we’re being honest, we’re also to blame for not speaking up more strongly back then.”

Flora comforted her, patting Se-erin’s shoulder. Theo also cautiously reached out his hand, but Se-erin slid away, avoiding his touch.

‘What is she, a cat or something…’

Theo could only smack his lips in disappointment.

The three spent a long time discussing their situation, but no suitable solution presented itself. Someone suggested they each leave in different directions to shake off pursuit individually, but that was rejected as too dangerous.

It meant they had to continue their current uneasy lifestyle. Just then, a distinct presence entered Se-erin’s detection range. She was the quickest to notice among the three. By the time she stood up and opened the door to step out, Theo and Flora had also risen from their seats.

“Ah, fortunately you’re all here.”

The visitor was one of the Sword Master’s subordinates. He wasn’t a transmigrator. He was just one of the people the Sword Master had taken in after arriving in the Wilderness. Transmigrators were rare to begin with. Despite many transmigrators coming to join after hearing of the Sword Master’s reputation, eighty percent of the sect’s population consisted of ordinary people.

“The Sect Master has summoned you.”

The first summons had been issued. The three exchanged glances as they left Seolhwagak.

The location they arrived at was the Sword Master’s temporary residence. They weren’t the only ones summoned. All the transmigrators who had been gifted buildings by the Sword Master were gathered. There were ten of them in total.

The Sword Master looked at those lined up before him and spoke.

“It’s been two months since the Ten Thousand Swords Sect settled here. I’ve given quite a long waiting period.”

After appearing in the Wilderness, the Sword Master had issued a warning. He would give people time to submit to him voluntarily. Those who didn’t would face their end. That was the message.

However, there are always those who won’t believe unless they see with their own eyes. This tendency was especially strong in the Wilderness, where strength determined everything.

“This is my first order as Sect Master. Go and eliminate everything. These fools dared to ignore my warning. Don’t leave a single one alive.”

His tone was flat and even. Yet the pressure it contained was tremendous. Those with weak qi found it difficult to breathe.

Swoosh-

As the Sword Master raised his hand, a small dagger floated up and spun around him. Watching this, the Sword Master spoke.

“I will personally teach my Formless Flying Dagger technique to whoever achieves the greatest merit.”

A martial art that had reached the realm of divine skill was offered as a reward. Everyone’s demeanor changed. Observing this, the Sword Master waved his hand.

“Go. Spread the reputation of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect far and wide.”

This was an official mission outside the sect. An opportunity to escape had presented itself. Se-erin, Flora, and Theo exchanged brief glances. Their eyes sparkled, seemingly sharing the same thought.

Just as those who had received the order were about to leave the hall, the Sword Master called out to one person.

“Sera.”

Se-erin’s alias was called. The girl had no choice but to stop.

“Yes.”

“I hope you won’t disappoint my expectations.”

What did he mean? After briefly meeting the Sword Master’s gaze, Se-erin mumbled something and turned away. The girl who had been walking slowly suddenly vanished.

Left alone, the Sword Master closed his eyes. The girl’s face was still vivid in his mind. He couldn’t forget her small smile when she was drunk.

Whirl-

The dagger spinning above the Sword Master’s hand came to a stop. Rising from his seat, he muttered in a small voice.

“I wonder what she likes…”

***

A total of ten transmigrators, along with their subordinates or companions, left the Ten Thousand Swords Sect on horseback. The Wilderness was vast. The distance between settlements was so great that traveling on horseback was essential.

At first, all ten transmigrators rode in the same direction. However, as time passed, they began to split up, watching each other cautiously. Only one person with the highest merit would learn the Formless Flying Dagger technique. It was a natural choice not to stay together, as that would reduce individual achievements.

This created a natural opportunity to break away. Just as Se-erin, Theo, and Flora were about to turn their horses in a different direction, a man approached them. Unlike the other transmigrators, he was alone.

Sword Thief Habaek. A man carrying a large sword on his back. Because he usually kept to himself, no other information about him was available. When Se-erin looked at him questioningly, Habaek spoke.

“I have orders from the Sect Master. He told me not to leave your side.”

It was as she feared. A watchdog had been assigned. Se-erin frowned and turned away. It was the Sword Master’s order. She couldn’t tell him not to follow.

“Do as you please.”

Se-erin unfolded a map while on horseback. It was a map they had been given before setting out on the mission. Though a map might seem unnecessary in the barren Wilderness, it was better than nothing.

“We’re heading toward the rectangular rocky mountain. I heard there’s a large bandit hideout there.”

She had no intention of actually fighting the bandits. She was deliberately speaking for Habaek’s benefit. Theo and Flora weren’t oblivious either. They simply nodded.

While riding, she assessed Habaek’s abilities. However, there wasn’t much she could discern. He completely concealed his qi. Nothing leaked from his body. There weren’t even rumors to gauge his strength. Victory couldn’t be easily guaranteed.

‘I need to see him fight at least a little…’

She couldn’t waste this rare opportunity. Rather than fighting him directly, Se-erin decided to observe him in battle against other bandits before making a judgment.

After riding for a long time, the group finally reached their destination. At the foot of the rectangular rocky mountain stood a small tent village. However, the situation was strange. There was no sign of people, and large tents were torn and flapping in the wind.

The dry wind carried the pungent smell of blood. Looking around, Theo tilted his head and spoke.

“Did someone get here before us?”

“That’s impossible. It would be a waste of movement.”

Se-erin shook her head. It couldn’t be. Everyone had headed in different directions. No one would have taken a long detour to come here. It would have been an unnecessary waste of movement.

Just then, a man walked out from a torn tent. The moment Se-erin recognized his face, she felt as if the world had stopped. Familiar. How could she forget the face of the man who had taken the lives of her tribal brothers?

Hayato.

His pitch-black coat fluttered in the wind. It was Hayato who appeared, swinging his blood-stained katana.

Her heart pounded and her body grew hot. Se-erin felt the immense anger rising within her. Yet contrary to that, her mind grew cold.

A special task force had been formed by the Blue Wing to deal with Hayato. Even that task force, which included the vice-commander and many high-ranking members, couldn’t defeat him. Rushing in now would be tantamount to suicide.

Se-erin suppressed her anger with a long sigh. Just then, Hayato raised his head and looked at the group.

“Oh?”

Step by step.

Having spotted the group, Hayato began approaching more quickly. The three exchanged glances and placed their hands on their swords. Habaek also placed his hand on his weapon at the approach of the stranger.

In that moment, Hayato’s figure suddenly disappeared.

“It would be better not to draw that.”

The voice came from behind them. They had been flanked. They hadn’t even perceived his movement. As the four turned around, Hayato spoke.

“Oh, do you happen to know where someone called the Sword Master is? If not, I’ll kill you.”

Shing-

There was someone who ignored Hayato’s warning and drew his weapon. Sword Thief Habaek. Just as the large sword was being drawn from his back—

Clang-!

With a violent sound, two blades collided.