Chapter 574: In Hanam.

Her light green hair shines in the moonlight.

The color, much brighter than when I last saw her, looked almost dazzling.

Her hair, which used to reach her shoulders, now touched her waist.

The scent wafting from her was somehow fragrant.

Is it a floral scent?

It was filled with a sweet feeling I couldn’t quite place.

Her smiling face, and the hint of maturity peeking through her now-slimmer cheeks, were enough to remind me of someone.

No, it would be strange to say ‘someone’.

‘Because it’s her.’

The woman who remained alone in the lands of Sichuan, holding back the demonic beings.

The last hope of the Tang Clan, who lost her eyes and breathed her last in my hands.

The woman from back then and the current Tang Soyeol looked remarkably alike.

If there was one slight difference.

It was that she was dying withered and wretchedly.

And that the current Tang Soyeol was shining brightly.

Feeling that difference, strangely, it hurt somewhere.

Why does it hurt?

It was an emotion I couldn’t understand myself.

I see Tang Soyeol, smiling brightly at me.

Looking at her, I asked.

“What brings you here?”

I held back the question I really wanted to ask.

It was a question I wanted to ask her, but it wasn’t something I could ask her in the same way.

Hearing my question, Tang Soyeol pouted as if displeased.

“I went to all this trouble to come here. And you ask the reason first?”

“No, I was just curious.”

She appeared out of nowhere like this, how could I not be curious?

Of course, I had heard about it.

‘The Dark King did say he would send someone.’

He said once preparations were done, he’d send them soon.

I had already heard this.

But.

‘I didn’t expect them this soon.’

I don’t know where she started from, but I didn’t expect Tang Soyeol to show up already.

Looking at her, I glanced around.

‘So that’s why Nari didn’t react.’

Nari should be managing this whole area. If someone could break through her power to get here.

‘They’d have to be around the Dark King’s level.’

I don’t think that highly of him, but at least they should be at his immediate predecessor’s level.

Thinking that, I looked at Tang Soyeol.

As our eyes met, Tang Soyeol smiled.

It was a smile I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Of course, right now, I was looking at something else.

Looking at Tang Soyeol, I had to swallow a gasp inwardly.

‘The Dark King, that guy….’

What on earth did he do?

‘Her very presence has changed.’

Right now, I had to concentrate considerably while looking at Tang Soyeol.

Otherwise, I felt like I might lose track of her presence.

Her presence was that faint.

So faint and blurry that I had to focus even though she was right in front of me.

It was a completely different state from the Tang Soyeol of the past.

‘The fact that I can sense her this much is thanks to the scent.’

The fragrant floral scent emanating from Tang Soyeol.

Thanks to it, it was easier to keep track of Tang Soyeol.

If not for that, I would have had a harder time.

‘She wasn’t like this originally.’

Because the Tang Clan was originally a place that primarily practiced assassination, led by poison techniques.

The clan members there generally had faint presences.

It was an innate talent developed over long periods of inheriting martial arts.

However.

‘Tang Soyeol wasn’t particularly outstanding among them.’

In a good way, she was average.

In a bad way, you could say her talent level, as expected of a clan member, was low.

Conversely, there was Namgung Bi-ah, a clan member of the Namgung family, who could maximize presence to an extreme.

She was far superior to Tang Soyeol in that particular aspect.

‘…No, maybe that’s not a fair comparison since she excels at everything.’

She could make her presence faint if she wanted to.

And she could make it prominent if she wanted to.

If you use Namgung Bi-ah as a benchmark, there are only a handful of people who could even compare, but…

Everyone around me seems to be like that, so I couldn’t help it.

Even though she was clearly in that state…

What about the current Tang Soyeol?

Although my own condition isn’t great.

‘I couldn’t sense her presence.’

I could only sense her presence after she got close.

Nari sent her, and even considering my poor physical condition.

This is quite something.

Recalling this, I spoke to Tang Soyeol.

“…You must have gone through a lot.”

“Huh?”

Tang Soyeol tilted her head slightly upon hearing my words, but soon seemed to understand, smiling brightly as she replied.

“It’s okay, Gongja-nim.”

Her hair swayed with her slow movements.

“Because I did it because I wanted to.”

“…”

Is that really so?

I couldn’t bring myself to say the words that came to mind.

Although I was the one who asked the Dark King.

It was indeed Tang Soyeol who accepted it.

When I made the request to the Dark King, I had clearly conveyed something.

If Tang Soyeol refused, we would stop right there.

I had definitely conveyed that.

But the fact that Tang Soyeol is here now…

…means she absolutely never gave up.

What’s more.

‘Considering Tang Soyeol’s talent. For that girl to have become like this….’

What kind of training must she have gone through?

The last time I saw Tang Soyeol was about one or two years ago.

Even then, Tang Soyeol’s cultivation level was nowhere near this level.

But now.

‘Has she reached the Hua Jing realm?’

My senses are a mess, so I’m not sure, but…

Her cultivation level certainly seems like it.

How is that possible?

I stared at Tang Soyeol with wide, surprised eyes.

She seemed to understand the meaning behind my gaze and let out a shy smile.

“Do you know something, Gongja-nim?”

“Hm…?”

“You know, I…”

Just as I wondered what she was going to say.

“Now I can see you a little, Gongja-nim.”

“…”

“I worked really hard. I did well, right?”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

She meant she could now see my power, which I usually kept hidden by raising my cultivation level.

And she was asking for praise using that fact.

“…I suppose you did….”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“You must have worked really hard. You did well.”

“Yes!”

Tang Soyeol beamed at my slightly teasing praise.

She seemed so happy she was practically bouncing, which was a little amusing.

After a little while, Tang Soyeol, who had been moving around, directed her gaze somewhere.

“By the way. Who is that person…?”

I turned my gaze at Tang Soyeol’s words.

There was Seong Yul, still clearing his throat awkwardly.

Ah.

Seeing him, I had to put on an awkward expression.

‘I forgot.’

Seong Yul was currently in a bad state due to the backlash from the Heavenly Slaughter Star.

I had provoked him and then immediately triggered the backlash, so he must be in a very confused mental state.

Seeing that, I nodded.

‘I caused this mess, so I have to take responsibility.’

Even if there were reasons, Seong Yul’s condition is somewhat(?) my responsibility.

So, I moved to resolve this.

As I approached Seong Yul, he looked up at me with dazed eyes.

After briefly checking his eyes.

“Seong…?”

WHACK-!

“Gah!?”

I struck his head.

Seong Yul, hit squarely, immediately lost consciousness and collapsed.

Thump.

A brief silence passed the moment Seong Yul hit the floor.

Perhaps, after seeing me after so long, it was too violent a display?

I looked at Tang Soyeol and said, pointing at Seong Yul.

“He’s a friend. A friend. It seems he’s not feeling well today.”

“…”

It was a flimsy excuse, even in my own opinion.

Hearing my words, Tang Soyeol actually laughed.

…Why?

Moreover, her smile was, how should I put it, a little strange.

“Ah, I see!”

She said, beaming.

Looking at Tang Soyeol’s expression, I realized something.

It was like…

‘…A feeling of relief that it’s just business as usual?’

Should I call it an expression of relief?

That’s roughly how it looked.

Seeing that, I somehow felt a bit displeased.

---

A few days passed.

Only a few days had passed, yet the season was transitioning from spring to summer.

It was the time when the heat was starting to rise gradually.

In terms of time, a few days.

In terms of season, it was just starting to change, but…

In that short span, significant talk was circulating throughout the Central Plains.

“Did you hear? The Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit has reappeared.”

It was the common talk among those coming and going through the streets of Hanam.

“Ah, the story about the Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit sending a letter to the Wudang Sect.”

“They say that’s a lie? When was the Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit active? He’s a figure who disappeared long ago. Even if he were alive, he’d be an old man. Would he really be stealing again?”

The legendary bandit who vanished decades ago.

The Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit had reappeared, and he had sent a warning to the Wudang Sect.

Such talk was spreading as a rumor.

Of course.

“Does that even make sense?”

“It is hard to believe.”

Few people believed it.

The Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit hadn’t appeared in person; it was just a warning letter.

The reason even this spread as a rumor was because the recipient of the warning was the Wudang Sect.

If it weren’t for that, it would likely have just been buried as a mere rumor.

The problem was.

“No, forget the Wind and Cloud Ghost Bandit, isn’t there another story going around now?”

“Did you hear about the Wudang Sect being attacked?”

“Of course, I heard. They say even an elder died.”

The Wudang Sect, one of the Nine Schools and the Sect Leader’s sect.

It was said that the sect had been attacked recently.

Rumors were even circulating that an elder who tried to protect Wudang was killed by the attacker.

“How is that possible? For Wudang to be merely attacked….”

As it was an era of upheaval.

Wudang and Hanam were considered the safest places, yet…

Hearing that Wudang was attacked and an elder killed, people started showing disbelief, but…

“Whoa, what are you talking about? ‘Merely’? No, the person who attacked Wudang this time wasn’t just anyone!”

Upon hearing the follow-up story, everyone adopted serious expressions.

“While it’s true the Wudang Sword Saint wasn’t there… they say the demonic leader who attacked this time was no ordinary figure.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…”

As the words began quietly, everyone’s eyes widened.

“What? Taming demonic beasts?”

“Destroying half of Wudang with a single gesture? What kind of…!”

“An elder in one strike?”

The figure who suddenly appeared from the sky riding a giant demonic beast not only forced everyone below to their knees instantly, but…

…destroyed half of Wudang with a wave of his hand, and defeated a Wudang elder who tried to stop him in a single blow.

Then, he disappeared after sneering at Wudang.

“Hey, no matter how much you exaggerate, that can’t be right!”

Naturally, it wasn’t a story that could be easily believed.

“No, the Beggars’ Sect really said that!”

“Even so…”

“What’s more, there’s a rumor that he’s the one who attacked the Alliance branches recently.”

“Hoh…”

The martial arts alliance branches stationed in various regions.

It was said that several branches suffered damage from attacks by an unknown assailant.

The culprit behind those attacks is the main perpetrator of the Wudang incident?

If that were true, it would be a very big deal.

The world is already endangered by the appearance of Red Demonic Beasts.

And here we have someone hostile towards the Alliance, which seeks to protect the world!

If the rumors were true, he was an incredibly powerful being.

Perhaps.

“…Perhaps the culprit is on the level of the Central Plains’ Top Ten Experts?”

“What nonsense is that? Where did you hear such an absurd thing…!”

The Central Plains’ Top Ten Experts, known as the Seven Iron Pillars and Three Fists.

The attacker is comparable to them?

“Think about it. Who else could attack Wudang, kill an elder, and leave without a scratch, unless they were on that level?”

Though the man’s words made everyone frown, no proper rebuttal came forth.

They knew it too.

That if the rumors were true, he would be an incredible master.

The problem is that such a being would be hostile towards the Alliance, which pursues justice.

“…So, who exactly is he?”

“Nobody knows who he is. All we know is that he’s a tall man wearing a mask.”

He was nearly seven feet tall, wore black martial arts attire, and a contrasting white mask.

Every step he took forced those around him to their knees under his oppressive aura, and they felt immense fear from his gaze looking down from behind the mask.

His tone was arrogant, but no one could answer his casually spoken words.

Nothing is known except his gender.

Despite being called such a formidable master, crucial information is completely absent.

Where he suddenly appeared from.

Where he was or what he was doing before then.

Why he antagonized the martial arts alliance and attacked Wudang.

No one could ascertain the reason or his identity, but…

The only thing that could be known was…

“What he said when introducing himself.”

The words spoken by the masked figure as he introduced himself.

“‘Heavenly Demon (天魔)’. He definitely said that.”

The devil sent from heaven.

Those two characters, meaning that…

…had begun to stir up trouble not only in Hanam but throughout the Central Plains.

And at the same time.

“Achoo.”

The self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon had to rub his nose due to an unexpected sneeze.

Casually wiping his nose, he glanced around with fierce eyes.

“Geez, who’s badmouthing me again?”

“Shall I give you a handkerchief?”

“It’s fine, I can just wipe it roughly.”

Putting away the handkerchief Tang Soyeol was taking out, Gu Yangcheon sniffed loudly, swallowing his snot.

Then, he looked straight ahead.

He was in front of a massive building, so huge it made his neck ache just looking up.

Looking at it, Gu Yangcheon sighed.

Seven days and nights passed, and they had finally arrived in Hanam.

They arrived peacefully in Hanam without any particular incidents along the way.

And immediately found themselves in front of a building in the heart of Hanam.

Gu Yangcheon shifted his gaze slightly to look at the building.

Seeing it, he had to frown.

“Maybe… we should go somewhere else first?”

No matter how much he thought about it, he really didn’t want to go.

This was because, in Gu Yangcheon’s opinion, there was someone here who ranked within his top three most uncomfortable acquaintances.

Because of that, he had to ponder for a long time, but…

The conclusion was the same anyway.

It was a point where he had to see it somehow, so postponing the order would be meaningless.

Gu Yangcheon thought that far, then examined the building’s sign.

There,

The Baekhwa Merchant Guild Hanam Branch.

It was clearly written.