Chapter 209: First Sin. (1)

First Sin. (1)

The collapsed debris became a wall.

The man gazing at the thick wall ground his teeth.

“Heh, these brats.”

The man, Bu Gungju Jeon Ohjin, cursed as he replayed the recent situation.

A woman with impossibly deep beauty.

A boy who hadn’t finished growing.

It was strange for either of them to be here.

‘One of them seemed like a girl from the Namgung family….’

Blue martial attire and blue-white hair.

The sword path, flowing while shooting out lightning energy, was clearly a characteristic of the Namgung family.

‘She seems to have received the bloodline strongly, likely a direct descendant.’

A blood relative of the Namgung family at that age….’

Was there anyone besides the Thunder Dragon?

Moreover, a martial artist at their peak. Even with many, their appearance barely seemed past the age of twenty.

The moment their swords clashed, Jeon Ohjin knew.

That the girl’s level had surpassed the wall.

Just then, Jeon Ohjin recalled news he had heard recently.

Wasn’t it called Sword Dancer?

A Namgung family blood relative who distinguished herself at the martial arts tournament.

It was a name Jeon Ohjin had vaguely overheard.

However, the problem wasn’t the Namgung family.

He had to think about the boy next to the Namgung girl, not the girl herself.

While the girl was indeed exceptionally skilled,

she couldn’t compare to the boy.

The red martial attire he wore, the distinct flames unfolding in his hands,

and the fierce gaze that looked at him, radiating killing intent, without fear.

From such an appearance, Jeon Ohjin couldn’t help but think of a monster outside the formation.

“…Bu Gungju-nim!”

An operative from the Black Night Palace, hearing the voice from behind, rushes over.

They too wore surprised expressions upon seeing the situation.

“You said a rat had snuck in.”

“…Yes, an intruder….”

“Correct that. It wasn’t a rat.”

“Yes?”

Jeon Ohjin flashed a chilling smile for a moment.

“It was a tiger cub.”

KWA-NG-!

With a sword strike containing Jeon Ohjin’s internal energy, the blocked wall instantly crumbled.

As the debris collapsed with a ‘wareureuk’, the palace personnel retreated.

“What is the Gungju doing?”

At Jeon Ohjin’s cold question, the personnel behind him flinched.

“…It seems they went to deal with the Flame Ghost.”

“Oh? Then I’ll have to handle this myself.”

If the Gungju went, there shouldn’t be a problem.

Jeon Ohjin thought so.

As the wall completely collapsed and Jeon Ohjin turned his gaze to find their tracks, his eyes widened.

“…Look at this fellow?”

A huge hole had been dug into the floor.

Traces of flames remained on the wall, and seeing the internal energy floating in the air, it was definitely not a weak force.

‘They called him the True Dragon.’

If his guess was correct.

That fellow must be the Gu family’s True Dragon.

Crushing the later generation disciples at the martial arts tournament.

An unparalleled monster who claimed the final Dragon position.

They said he resembled the Flame Ghost, and they weren’t wrong.

Moreover, it seems their talents are similar too. According to Bu Gungju’s memory.

He vaguely recalled hearing that the True Dragon was the one who killed Ya-hyeoljeok, that idiot.

If that’s the case, then even more so.

“I must find and kill him.”

“Bu Gungju-nim, first, to the Gungju….”

Seok.

The martial artist who was about to say something to Jeon Ohjin had his neck severed, ending his life.

“The only one who can give me orders is the Gungju.”

Having said that, Jeon Ohjin flicked his sword and raised his internal energy.

If the Gungju took steps to deal with the Flame Ghost,

I just need to capture and offer the Little Tiger.

Moreover, the flames I saw just before…

The blue flames surrounding the True Dragon had a subtly familiar energy.

It was quite similar to the energy within his own body.

Jeon Ohjin wanted to confirm this.

“I must capture him and ask.”

Jeon Ohjin leaped into the hole created by the True Dragon, leaving the gathered personnel behind.

It was obvious where they were headed.

To where Sword Phoenix is.

He didn’t know why the Gungju went to such lengths to bring Sword Phoenix,

but since it was the Gungju’s action, there must be a valid reason, so he didn’t think further.

It’s just that.

The Flame Ghost appearing here,

and the True Dragon appearing here,

are all because of Sword Phoenix.

‘How did they know the location?’

Jeon Ohjin was curious about that.

Sword Phoenix was only brought here recently.

How could the Flame Ghost and the True Dragon possibly know the location?

Jeon Ohjin wrapped his sword in internal energy and muttered again.

“Whatever, I just need to capture them and ask.”

Jeon Ohjin melted into the darkness with a smile.

---

It felt like ages navigating through the darkness.

‘Shit….’

The backlash felt in my body from using the blood technique hadn’t ended yet,

and having to move stealthily during it, my energy was depleting too quickly.

‘That was dangerous.’

Looking back, it was indeed not a bad judgment.

If you’ve confirmed the difference in skill level, running away is the right thing to do.

You might say retreating while leaving the enemy behind is unsightly, but

the answer to that is.

[Honor won’t save your life, after all.]

Shin Noyaa’s words are enough.

‘It feels a bit off coming from a hero who saved the world.’

[Hmph, it’s important to struggle as much as you can and survive. Only then can you plan for the future.]

Kugugung!

Even as I ran following the light emitted by the bead, loud noises came from behind.

It was because Namgung Bi-ah was chasing after me, destroying the surroundings with her sword energy.

Considering the opponent’s level, it was obvious she would break through the wall and catch up soon.

She was cutting pillars and collapsing the entire structure to prevent me from following easily.

What’s amazing is.

‘I didn’t even ask her to do this.’

Even though I didn’t specifically ask Namgung Bi-ah for this,

Namgung Bi-ah understood my intentions on her own and swung her sword.

Originally, it should have been me doing this,

but right after using the blood technique, and having used too much internal energy at once to break the ground,

my body was strained.

As proof, my dantian was still causing throbbing pain.

‘I need to find her quickly.’

I had to find Gu Hwi-bi before it was too late.

‘The location seems to be straight ahead.’

If the bead isn’t lying, Gu Hwi-bi should be straight ahead.

However, something I wondered as I went was:

Why are there so few people?

This had been a question since I entered the Black Night Palace.

It’s the largest force in the demonic sects,

and the Black Night Palace Lord, one of the Five Demonic Emperors, is its master.

As the main palace (본궁), there should be a multitude of personnel,

but there are too few.

The number of people was far less than expected.

Even now, while moving through the prison floors, it was strange that there were fewer people than on the upper levels.

The few people encountered occasionally were also low-level martial artists, easily killed with a single strike.

‘Is something else going on?’

There was a subtle atmosphere, but

it was difficult to grasp right now.

-…Ahead.

At Namgung Bi-ah’s words, I reached out without hesitation.

I reached out before pinpointing the location,

and then unleashed my internal energy.

Kwak! Hwarureureuk-!

Flames erupted, burning and killing the person in front.

They seemed to be an assassin who had been hiding.

Namgung Bi-ah had warned me of danger like this several times before,

but it was always amazing to witness.

‘Her sensory range is wider than mine.’

Clearly, my cultivation level is higher, yet Namgung Bi-ah’s ability to pinpoint locations is far superior to mine.

This is usually determined by cultivation level, so

it’s unusual for Namgung Bi-ah to be faster at detection than me.

‘…Should I call that talent too?’

As I was thinking that and looking at Namgung Bi-ah,

Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head.

• Why… what’s wrong?

• It’s nothing.

I turned my gaze forward again.

Because this wasn’t a situation for idle thoughts.

There were too many prison rooms in this relatively underground location,

and time was tight to search through all of them.

Fortunately, the bead’s light was guiding me, so I could save time in that regard.

• We’re here.

-…Yeah.

A door is visible in the distance.

As the light was pointing there, I increased my speed.

As the distance closed, I gathered energy into my hand.

‘Gulp….’

For a moment, intense pain shot through my dantian,

but it didn’t hinder igniting flames.

Hwarureuk.

Wrapping my fist in flames, I swung it towards the iron door.

KWA-NG-!

Fortunately, it seemed no measures had been taken on the door,

as the iron door crumpled and flew off in one go.

Tung-! The sound of the iron door hitting something far away echoed, kicking up dust.

‘The inside looks like a prison, alright.’

There were only a few torture devices and large iron bars,

and light streamed in through a very small window.

It was definitely the prison where Gu Hwi-bi was, as seen by the bead’s power.

‘Where is Gu Hwi-bi?’

Looking around immediately, I saw someone inside the prison cell.

“…!”

It was Gu Hwi-bi, looking at me with a startled expression.

“Brother…?”

The Gu family’s martial attire was completely ruined,

and her condition was a mess, but

‘She doesn’t seem to be seriously injured.’

Fortunately, she seemed fine.

However.

‘Demonic energy…?’

I frowned upon seeing the demonic energy coiled around Gu Hwi-bi’s dantian.

It was much less than when I faced the Sword Empress, but

it was clearly demonic energy occupying her dantian and blocking her energy flow.

At that level, she likely couldn’t use her internal energy,

and her physical abilities would be significantly reduced.

‘Is this the Gungju’s doing?’

The only person who came to mind as capable of doing this was the Gungju.

Gu Hwi-bi’s expression as she looked at me gradually filled with shock.

“H-how…!”

Seeing Gu Hwi-bi like that, I replied curtly.

“What do you mean ‘how’? You caused a major incident, so I came to find you.”

Gu Hwi-bi looked at me with surprised eyes, then glanced at Namgung Bi-ah beside me and frowned slightly.

Perhaps because it was an unexpected person?

I ignored such a gaze and reached for the iron bars.

I intended to grab and rip out the bars.

Pajijijik-!

“…Hm?”

As soon as my hand touched the iron bars, energy surged and repelled me.

The moment she saw that, Namgung Bi-ah grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back.

Seureureung.

Simultaneously, she drew her sword and unleashed lightning energy.

She probably intended to cut right through it.

“Stop.”

If she did that, Gu Hwi-bi could be in slight danger.

I restrained Namgung Bi-ah and examined the iron bars.

‘…The energy of the bars.’

Seeing that Gu Hwi-bi could touch the bars, it seemed she wasn’t completely unable to grasp them.

‘Perhaps?’

Realizing Gu Hwi-bi had demonic energy in her dantian,

I too pulled up the demonic energy I had sealed away in a corner of my dantian.

“…!”

As I brought up the demonic energy, Namgung Bi-ah next to me flinched and took a step back.

Could she sense the demonic energy?

Putting Namgung Bi-ah aside for now, I reached for the iron bars.

“As expected.”

The repulsion from before was gone; now that I was surrounded by demonic energy, I could grasp the bars without issue.

It seems to react to demonic energy.

‘Were they already making things like this even before the Demonic Cult appeared?’

At the time, I dismissed it, but

thinking back now, I wonder how they were made.

Kkwadeudeuk-!

I immediately grabbed and ripped out the iron bars.

It seemed the iron wasn’t particularly strong,

as I could easily tear it out with a bit of energy.

I looked at Gu Hwi-bi, who was sitting there dumbfounded, and said,

“Come out.”

“Brother…”

“Hurry up and come out, let’s go home.”

I wasn’t kidding; we really needed to move fast.

Otherwise, we didn’t know when martial artists might storm in.

Just then.

“Yeah! Yeah! We gotta go home quick.”

Someone other than Gu Hwi-bi answered instead.

“…Who is it?”

Surprisingly, I couldn’t sense their presence.

Even though they were this close, I could only sense Gu Hwi-bi.

“Elder Muk…”

Gu Hwi-bi seemed to know the person, calling out to the elder.

‘Elder Muk?’

The elder slowly approaching us looked quite unwell.

There were signs of torture, and his eyes seemed to have a problem, as they were bandaged.

“Tsk tsk…. This is unexpected. The ones who came are not chivalrous heroes, but children.”

“Who are you?”

To my question, the elder merely chuckled.

“Just call me Old Man Muk. Young one, you seem to be Sword Phoenix’s sibling.”

He’s a peculiar old man.

Even though his eyes should be blind, the way he acted as if he could see clearly,

and the faint aura I could vaguely sense.

I looked at the old man and asked,

“By any chance, are you the Hao Clan Leader?”

The old man paused at my question, asked out of mere possibility.

His bandaged eyes, which shouldn’t be able to see, somehow seemed to be looking directly at me.

“…You.”

“You don’t need to answer whether it’s yes or no.”

It felt right, but

I shouldn’t have heard the answer. It was obvious I’d get entangled in troublesome affairs.

If this was the case, I shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

This was my mistake.

‘He really was here.’

It was a mystery why there were only the two of them in this vast prison, but

based on the circumstances, it seemed likely that the old man was indeed the Hao Clan Leader.

“The Hao Clan Leader…?”

Gu Hwi-bi stared at the old man with surprised eyes.

Namgung Bi-ah beside her had a similar look.

Kwak!

Meanwhile, I grabbed Gu Hwi-bi’s shackles and broke them.

“Watching is fine, but do it later. We need to leave now.”

“Brother, you’ve become quite curt since I last saw you?”

“Is it really ‘since we last saw each other’?”

“…Hm?”

“It feels like you’ve been constantly watching me.”

“…”

When I asked if she hadn’t been watching me through the Heavenly Road bead, Gu Hwi-bi’s expression completely crumbled.

“H-how?”

“That’s later too.”

“Ugh!”

I grabbed Gu Hwi-bi and slung her over my shoulder.

Of course, it would have been easier to have her run herself,

‘I don’t have the situation or time to absorb the demonic energy.’

It wasn’t a situation where I had the leisure to remove the demonic energy from Gu Hwi-bi’s body.

Escaping this place now was the priority.

As I turned my back, the old man behind me asked, seemingly sensing something amiss.

“…Wait, hold on! What about me?”

The old man asked, pointing to his own shackles, but

“It’s difficult to manage two people.”

I answered nonchalantly.

“W-well! Young Hero! What do you mean by that!”

“I’m sorry, but you weren’t part of my plan.”

“You heartless…! Where has the chivalry of a righteous sect member gone!”

“You, who aren’t even from a righteous sect, what nonsense is that?”

The Hao Clan is clearly a demonic sect,

yet the old man shamelessly spoke of righteous sect chivalry.

From the Hao Clan Leader’s perspective, he might think I’m really not saving him, but

I genuinely had no intention of saving him.

He’s the type who won’t die even if left behind, as he has his uses.

Saving him would yield considerable benefits later, but

I didn’t have the luxury for such a gamble.

More importantly.

Kung-Kung-!

“Damn.”

Because there were pursuers.

Namgung Bi-ah looked towards the passage and told me,

“…They’re coming.”

Namgung Bi-ah said to me in a tense voice.

As expected, perhaps because she’s a martial artist who reached the Profound Realm, she couldn’t hold them off for long.

…Still, even so.

‘They’re coming much faster than expected.’

It feels like they’re grinding their teeth in anger.

Even from the other side of the collapsed passage, killing intent was leaking out noticeably.

“Tsk.”

I immediately looked towards the opposite side.

It wasn’t completely underground, so I thought I could break through the opposite wall and escape, but

“Ugh!”

As soon as I tried to draw my internal energy, pain struck, forcing me to collapse.

Before the backlash from using the blood technique had even subsided, I tried using demonic energy, and then another type of energy,

so my exhausted dantian cried out in fatigue.

“You’ve got zero sense, seriously….”

Why now, of all times, this crap.

“…Brother!”

As soon as I collapsed, Gu Hwi-bi rushed over to check on me.

Next, Namgung Bi-ah, understanding my intent, swung her sword at the wall, but

Kwadeudeuk!

The wall only deeply gouged where the sword struck; it couldn’t break through.

Namgung Bi-ah gathered more internal energy and prepared herself, but

Kwaaang-!

the wall blocking the other side of the door broke first.

Hududuk….

Debris rained down everywhere, cluttering the area,

and the Profound Realm martial artist I encountered earlier revealed himself.

The man faced us with a chilling shriek.

“Finally found you. You damn brats.”

Pfft, the killing intent flowing from the man’s body made me frown involuntarily.

As if proving he was a martial artist who had reached the Profound Realm,

the man gradually raised his energy, but

“I am Bu Gungju of the Black Night Palace….”

Kwajik-!

Immediately after, his head was crushed, killing him instantly.

“…Eh?”

It was because a giant fist that appeared from behind had smashed the man’s head.

I hadn’t sensed anyone else approaching behind the man at all.

This meant the attacker was incredibly fast and skilled at suppressing their presence.

Then, as the man’s body collapsed and fell to the ground,

a hot heat rode the wind, filling the prison cell.

Ttubeok.

Heavy footsteps.

The owner of the footsteps walked towards us through the passage where the iron door had been ripped out.

Wearing dark red martial attire.

A giant whose hands dripped blood, not hiding them.

Gu Hwi-bi let out a surprised cry upon meeting the giant’s fierce gaze.

“…Clan Head?”

The giant’s identity was my father.

My father, paying no mind to the man whose head had been crushed,

looked only at Gu Hwi-bi.

Then, seeing me collapsed, his eyes widened considerably.

He must have never imagined I would be here.

The surprise was brief; my father quickly averted his gaze from me and spoke to Gu Hwi-bi,

“Let’s go back.”

His tone was calm, as if suggesting returning from a stroll, but

seeing my father, I was filled with confusion.

Never mind that he had finally broken the formation and arrived so quickly,

‘…If Father is here?’

Where did the Black Night Palace Lord, who went to confront Father, go?