Chapter 168: What Does It Mean to Be a Great Master? (4)

*Step. Step.*

Under the noble moonlight, the masters of the Society were being mercilessly cut down.

Hot blood spurted, and those who cursed and screamed in their death throes tangled chaotically.

*Step. Step.*

The strange thing was that death was eerily silent.

Though they screamed and wailed in their final moments, the world was utterly quiet.

*Step. Step.*

But what struck Ko Il-seo as even more peculiar was the figure walking toward them with steady steps.

A young man with a youthful face.

With a neat martial robe fluttering, he walked with his hands behind his back.

*Step. Step.*

His face was indistinguishable in the moonlight, but the smile beneath his disheveled hair was unmistakably one of enjoyment.

‘Is he… smiling?’

*Step. Step.*

Incredibly, the young man walking in a straight line was indeed smiling.

But that wasn’t the only strange thing.

Amidst the chaos of dozens of people killing and dying, nothing obstructed the young man’s path.

—-!

Someone splattered blood, but the young man had already passed by.

He hadn’t quickened his pace or shown any intention of dodging.

It was just by sheer luck that he happened to pass by as the blood sprayed.

*Step. Step.*

But it was too strange to dismiss as mere coincidence.

The bloodshed always occurred before or after he passed.

*Step. Step.*

In the midst of this brutal hellscape, the young man continued his steady steps, and Wang Woo bowed his head with utmost respect.

“I greet my lord.”

Seeing the ecstatic look in Wang Woo’s eyes, Ko Il-seo began to understand why this person could walk so calmly through a field of death.

‘This person is orchestrating this hell.’

The one who created and directed this land of death was none other than him.

Even the blood-soaked battlefield of over a hundred people was under his control.

As he pondered, other thoughts came to mind.

Creating a soundless space of death must have been his doing.

He must have used an immense amount of energy to envelop the area in a powerful barrier.

His guess was likely correct.

With his two hundred years of internal energy, he could barely manage to block conversations nearby.

But to envelop the entire area in front of the Confucius Temple was beyond his wildest dreams.

‘Is he even human?’

Absolutely impossible.

As he reached this conclusion, the sharp mind that had been working so well just moments ago went blank.

“Ah… Ah… Ah…”

Could it be possible if he were a god?

Realizing this, he suddenly felt despondent.

‘I sold my soul to reach this position.’

He had sold his righteous soul, abandoned his reputation, and joined the Heavenly Destruction Society.

He had bowed to the Apostle, seeking elixirs and secret techniques.

But his personal history was nothing before this being.

He had struggled to rise above the top ten masters of Suzhou, to stand tall in the martial world.

‘To this being, I’m just a wriggling insect.’

What was the point of two hundred years of internal energy?

A sudden wave of regret washed over him.

*Thud.*

As Ko Il-seo collapsed, the young man who had approached him smiled faintly.

“You’re quite perceptive.”

An unfathomable being spoke.

“One mouth is enough.”

*Thud!*

Turning at the sound, he saw the Spear of Suzhou, embedded in the wall, go limp.

He was dead.

As his trembling gaze focused, the unfathomable being asked.

“I have one question.”

Ko Il-seo instinctively shook his head vigorously.

***

The question was simple.

“Who is behind this?”

Barely calming himself, Ko Il-seo spoke without even lifting his head.

“Please spare me.”

“Depends on what you say.”

The firm response was surprisingly casual.

This sparked a flicker of hope in his heart.

“If I reveal the secret, the curse implanted in me will activate, and I will die.”

“Then you must die.”

Firm. This wasn’t the answer he had hoped for.

“Reveal the secret and die.”

The opponent showed no intention of negotiating. Normally, he would have tried to bargain, but instead, he felt a strange calm.

“Tell me about the Apostle.”

“So, it was you who intervened.”

All his questions were now answered.

No matter how strong, no one could silently erase the Society’s forces.

‘With such a being, it’s inevitable.’

Humans cannot stop a typhoon or a storm.

Natural disasters cannot be stopped by human hands.

Nor could they be resented.

Just as one doesn’t blame a cliff for falling to their death.

Realizing his inevitable death, Ko Il-seo spoke.

“If I’m going to die anyway, I have a request.”

“Your tongue is long.”

A shiver ran down his spine, but Ko Il-seo persevered.

“I wish to cross swords with you.”

“Swords?”

Haha. Want to act like a true martial artist at the end?

“If you draw your sword, I won’t be able to withstand even one strike.”

“Not only perceptive but also insightful.”

“I want to imitate a martial artist at the end.”

“Being greedy is a flaw.”

The young man chuckled like an old man.

“No need to take the easy path when you can go the hard way.”

Fine.

“A friend who named this technique is waiting in hell for those who die by it.”

The technique he was about to use was the Seven-Step Soul Severing.

“You will die within seven steps.”

So, child.

Reveal everything you know within seven steps.

*Step.*

The steady pace resumed.

*Slash!*

As Ko Il-seo saw his chest split open, he realized.

‘Whether I beg for my life or make a final stand.’

Everything.

‘Was within his calculations.’

Ko Il-seo collapsed to his knees.

***

As he looked down at the cooling corpse, Wang Woo approached.

“Haha. Indeed, my lord’s swordsmanship reaches the heavens.”

“Well, it’s nothing special.”

Myo Gwang, who had been standing by, quickly retrieved a heavy piece of paper from the dead Spear of Suzhou.

“What’s this?”

“It seems to be news from the Murim Alliance.”

“Send it to Yo-ran. We owe her a favor.”

Sending Myo Gwang away, Cho Un-hwi furrowed his brow.

“It’s troublesome that the Apostle has taken an interest.”

“Is it enough to worry you, my lord?”

“The Apostle himself is just a nuisance.”

The problem was what Ko Il-seo had said before he died.

“The issue is the Blood Tear Stone.”

“It seems another human sacrifice has taken place.”

“With the Murim Alliance on high alert, it shouldn’t have been easy. How did they manage it?”

Useless. The Murim Alliance is.

“They might have been scheming where no one was looking.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“And Danya.”

Before he finished speaking, Danya leaped to his side.

“Speak, my lord.”

“As you heard, the Apostle might come with his minions.”

If that happens, don’t cause trouble and retreat.

“What? I can’t turn them all into minced meat?”

“Absolutely not. They’re not easy targets.”

While dealing with the grunts might be possible, they had to avoid the Apostle who had obtained the stone.

Most importantly.

“You need to find someone.”

“Find someone?”

“Jin Seol-hyang. Find her location as quickly as possible.”

Sensing the urgency in his voice, Danya formed a circle with his bandages.

“Understood. I’ll obey.”

As Cho Un-hwi averted his gaze, he muttered.

“The final issue is…”

Ko Il-seo, receiving direct orders from the Apostle, knew a lot.

Among the information was about another Apostle.

– There is an Apostle called Wind Guest.

He’s known as the Apostle of the Three Thousand.

“Wind Guest? Why is he mentioned here?”

“Do you know him?”

“Somewhat.”

In his previous life, he had encountered him several times. However, there was one thing he didn’t understand.

– Wind Guest brought the Blood Tear Stone from somewhere.

The Wind Guest he knew in his previous life was part of the Heavenly Destruction Society but had no interest in human sacrifices or summoning demons.

‘He wasn’t someone who aspired to be a cult leader.’

He was a strange figure who wandered around, doing inexplicable things.

‘He wasn’t someone who would create a stone through human sacrifice.’

Hearing this new information, he wondered if it was the same person he knew.

“Well, I’ll figure out the troublesome stuff later.”

For now, he was satisfied with having dealt with the nuisances.

“It’s time to return to my main job.”

Let’s go back.

To being the lazy instructor of Dongcheon Hall.

***

Just as he declared confidently, Wang Woo spoke as if he had just remembered something.

“Now that I mention it, there’s a complicated matter.”

“A complicated matter?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Cho Un-hwi gradually becoming lazier, Wang Woo spoke.

“The child you’re looking after has encountered trouble.”

What?

“Trouble?”

“Yes, trouble.”

He said.

“A fly has been buzzing around.”

***

Namgung Yun-ho had once again gone out early in the morning to fetch spring water after finishing his training.

For a while, Eon Ho-seung had been causing a ruckus, preventing him from training properly.

– Temporary instructor. Where is he?

When he asked the tearful Eon Ho-seung the reason, he replied despondently.

– I thought I had graduated from the supplementary class, but I got caught up in rumors.

Fortunately, Seo Ok-rang’s matter seemed to have been resolved, but Eon Ho-seung didn’t leave.

He would have to face probation for a while.

As a result, Namgung Yun-ho had to endure his noisy voice all day, feeling a bit tired.

“My ears are ringing.”

But thinking back, it was quite a new experience.

“Before, no one even talked to me.”

Life is truly unpredictable.

As he muttered and retraced his steps toward Myojinmun, he suddenly sensed a presence ahead and stopped.

*Swish.*

Narrowing his eyes and gathering his energy, he sensed someone hiding behind a tree.

‘Strange. Who would wait for me?’

Since he hadn’t made any enemies, he didn’t suspect a fiend.

The atmosphere of the presence was also different.

He could sense hostility or killing intent, but it was very clean.

‘No one should be looking for me.’

Suddenly, he had a guess, and Namgung Yun-ho hung the gourd at his side and called out.

“Yong-ho, is that you?”

There was no one else who would come looking for him.

Sure enough.

“Oh, it’s been a while, brother…”

Seeing the awkward figure emerge from behind the tree, Namgung Yun-ho smiled brightly.

“You look healthy. How have you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been fine.”

What was even more pleasing was the softer tone of voice, unlike the sharp tone of the past.

“…Have you been well?”

The awkward expression and hesitant tone reminded him of his younger brother from childhood, making Namgung Yun-ho smile broadly.

“Haha. Of course, I’ve been well.”

Greeting him warmly, Namgung Yun-ho approached and hugged Namgung Yong-ho tightly.

It was a long-awaited reunion.

(TLN: honestly Yun-ho is such a great guy)