Chapter v11c22

**Another Reunion**

– The Majesty of the Seven Plum Sword

“Gasp!”

Yun Jun-ho was terrified. The saber technique these men were using was beyond ordinary principles. He had never faced a reverse-grip saber technique before, making their style even more unfamiliar. The masked men in black used a vicious and sinister saber technique, making it extremely difficult to predict their trajectories.

Slash!

A lightning-fast strike from a Blood Demon Squad member cut across Yun Jun-ho’s chest. However, he managed to dodge backward quickly, resulting in only a skin-deep cut. Yet, as the cold chill touched his skin, an instinctive fear welled up. It seemed his training was still insufficient.

But the man in black was equally surprised that his strike had missed. He had been certain of a clean hit, making his surprise even greater. He quickly concluded that Yun Jun-ho was no ordinary opponent and decided he needed a more definitive method to end his life.

He signaled to his comrade with his eyes. Two of his companions acknowledged the signal. As his signal dropped once more, three of them simultaneously leaped towards Yun Jun-ho. The black blades in their hands exuded the scent of death.

Yun Jun-ho urgently used a defensive technique from the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Style to deflect the saber of the man in black aiming for his left side. He quickly twisted his body to parry the saber of the man on his right, who was slashing upwards from below.

Clang!

‘Gasp!’

Yun Jun-ho inwardly screamed. His sword had been locked by the saber of the man on his right. His front was completely defenseless. The reverse-grip saber of the man in front flashed black. Yun Jun-ho squeezed his eyes shut.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

No matter how long he waited, the touch of death didn’t come. Yun Jun-ho, who had felt death so close just moments ago, cautiously opened his eyes to see if he was in the afterlife or still in this world. The men in black were now five steps away from him. They were all clutching their hands, and Yun Jun-ho couldn’t understand why or when they had retreated so far.

“Did you have fun playing?”

The voice ringing in Yun Jun-ho’s ears belonged to none other than Bi Ryu-yeon, who had appeared in front of him with an extraordinary movement technique. Fallen leaves swirled around his figure.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you still have a long way to go. To struggle so much against opponents weaker than you!”

Bi Ryu-yeon clicked his tongue as he looked at Yun Jun-ho, whose front was cut and stained with blood.

“What are you doing with these small fries?”

“Ah, well, I…”

Yun Jun-ho was at a loss for words.

“These people suddenly…”

Unconsciously, Yun Jun-ho was politely referring to his would-be killers as “people.”

“Well, I can tell they’re bad people without any explanation. It’s written all over their faces. They look like typical villains from stories.”

Black sabers, black clothes, and black masks – what more needed to be said?

The five Blood Demon Squad members exchanged glances. Then, as if by agreement, they nodded. They had decided to eliminate Bi Ryu-yeon as well. Killing all witnesses was their top priority. In their strict adherence to their mission and duty, they had made the mistake of failing to assess their opponent’s strength.

“Alright then, give it your best shot!”

Bi Ryu-yeon, who had been standing in front of Yun Jun-ho, picked up Lee Song-hak and sat down under a tree shade nearby. However, being thoughtful, he didn’t forget to offer encouragement.

“Huh? Aren’t you going to help?”

Yun Jun-ho’s face fell at Bi Ryu-yeon’s unexpected action. He had assumed Bi Ryu-yeon would naturally help him. There were five of them, and on this side, only two, including an injured person unable to fight! The situation was stark.

“You need to handle this level of thing on your own. Don’t worry! Even if you die, I’ll collect your bones properly. If you have any last words, you can leave them now. I’ll handle it without any fees.”

It was such a nonchalant statement, as if he were saying, ‘What nice weather we’re having today.’

“Are you really my friend?”

“Of course, we’re friends. That’s why you should do well! How could my friend lose to such small fries?”

It was a heartless statement. Bi Ryu-yeon smiled brightly and waved his hand. Yun Jun-ho wanted to cry but couldn’t bring himself to do so. He knew enough to understand that appearing weak in front of the enemy could put him at a disadvantage in terms of morale.

“But… but still…”

Bi Ryu-yeon interrupted Yun Jun-ho, who was about to say something more with a tearful face.

“Jun-ho! Why should I side with the stronger party? I don’t help people who fight opponents weaker than themselves!”

‘Weaker? Are you saying they’re weaker than me? That’s impossible!’

Yun Jun-ho couldn’t readily understand Bi Ryu-yeon’s words.

“Are you really not going to help that young man?”

The person asking this was Lee Song-hak, who had been carried to the tree shade by Bi Ryu-yeon.

“Of course not. Who do you think will win?”

“Obviously, those men in black will win. They’re terrifying. I should quickly help that young man. Otherwise, he’ll die soon. You should go call for reinforcements!”

Lee Song-hak shouted urgently. However, Bi Ryu-yeon paid no attention.

“Well then, shall we make a bet?”

“A bet? At such a critical time, what kind of bet?”

“That’s exactly why we should bet. Since our opinions differ, shouldn’t we settle who’s right? There’s nothing better than a bet to show your trust. How about ten silver taels? I bet he’ll win alone!”

Strangely, Lee Song-hak couldn’t refuse this ridiculous, joke-like proposal. For some reason, he felt he could just trust it.

“A-Alright!”

“Great! Then the bet is on.”

Caught up in Bi Ryu-yeon’s words, Lee Song-hak ended up accepting the bet. He had never wished so desperately to lose a bet before. Ten silver taels were nothing compared to the value of a life.

“I stake my name on this. You are definitely stronger than all of them combined! So don’t be afraid! Have more faith in yourself. Trust me! As proof, I’ve bet money on your victory. So you must win! You can do it!”

Bi Ryu-yeon shouted confidently. It was his way of cheering.

‘Have faith in myself? I’m stronger than them? And Bi Ryu-yeon bet on me!’

This laughable situation that should have angered him instead gave him courage. The Bi Ryu-yeon he knew never did anything that would result in a loss. And he had never lost a bet involving money. Suddenly, the morning dawn from that day flashed in his mind.

‘From now on, no matter what happens, I won’t run away!’

Hadn’t he sworn that oath while watching the rising sun on the day of the Phantom Demon Cave entrance exam? Am I still keeping that oath?

‘I won’t run away! I’m not a coward!’

Yun Jun-ho’s sword began to tremble, drawing countless plum blossoms. The plum blossoms that bloomed from sword energy in his swordsmanship extended towards the Blood Demon Squad members, tracing a red trajectory.

Even though it wasn’t winter, the scent of plum blossoms filled the entire forest.

It was the Seven Plum Sword, manifesting from the Sword Fragrance Realm.

Huff, huff, huff, huff!

Yun Jun-ho lowered his sword, drenched in sweat. His sword arm trembled. His heart was still pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.

“Did I really do this?”

Looking around, Yun Jun-ho couldn’t believe his eyes. All five men were sprawled around, having fallen to his sword energy. Judging by the sword marks on their bodies, it was undoubtedly the trace of the Seven Plum Sword.

“Are… are they dead?”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded. He didn’t seem to mind being an accessory to murder. At Bi Ryu-yeon’s silent answer, Yun Jun-ho’s face turned pale. His complexion was ashen. For someone who had lived so innocently until now, his first kill was like lightning striking in the midst of verdant green.

“It was an inevitable outcome anyway. If they hadn’t died, it would have been you with your bloodied face planted on that cold ground. They must have had death in mind when they attacked you too. Of course, they didn’t end up like that because they underestimated you… They were careless.”

After watching the trembling Yun Jun-ho for a moment, Bi Ryu-yeon firmly stated his thoughts.

“To take a life, you must risk your own. That’s the rule of the martial world!”

If nothing else, Bi Ryu-yeon knew this absolute rule. It didn’t matter if he didn’t know about the Nine Great Sects or the Eight Great Families. This simple truth was more important than such miscellaneous knowledge. As Yun Jun-ho looked at the atrocity he had committed in a daze, he felt something was off. Upon closer inspection, two of them hadn’t died from the Seven Plum Sword. One had a saber wound piercing the heart, and the other had died from poison.

“What… what did I do?”

Yun Jun-ho asked in a trembling voice. His mind seemed blank, as if it had been thoroughly cleaned. His body was still shaking.

“I’ll tell you later!”

Bi Ryu-yeon chuckled at the bewildered Yun Jun-ho.

“You still have a long way to go! You’re really too much trouble, requiring so much attention!”

Finally, Yun Jun-ho slumped to the ground. It seemed he needed more training to properly handle his role.

“I won the bet, didn’t I?”

Bi Ryu-yeon’s smile faded as he turned to look at Lee Song-hak with a broad grin. Lee Song-hak gave no response. Bi Ryu-yeon hurriedly approached him and checked his pulse. Fortunately, he wasn’t dead. There was still a faint pulse. It seemed the last bit of tension had left him after seeing Yun Jun-ho’s victory.

“Oh dear, oh dear!”

Bi Ryu-yeon thought it might take some time to collect his bet money.

“Ahem… So these are the ones who were after Lee Song-hak?”

Yeomdo surveyed the bodies of the men in black with a displeased look.

“They’re all dead.”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded.

“I wanted to capture one to find out their identity, but the last one was particularly vicious. He killed his fallen comrade who was still breathing with his own hands, then bit down on a poison pill in his mouth and committed suicide.”

That’s how the two deaths Yun Jun-ho had noticed came about. Yeomdo and Binggeom’s faces hardened as they heard the details of the incident from Bi Ryu-yeon. To be able to commit suicide so readily was a mental state that couldn’t be achieved through ordinary training.

“They seem to be killing machines raised through hellish training, including hypnotic suggestion.”

Yeomdo muttered as he examined the bodies of the masked men in black, and Bi Ryu-yeon nodded.

“The reverse-grip saber technique is unusual!”

The reverse-grip saber technique was not commonly used in the Central Plains. This made their identity even more intriguing. Yeomdo picked up one of their sabers and examined it closely. There were no special markings.

“A saber filled with killing intent. How much blood must it have drunk…”

The surface of the saber was treated with a black coating to prevent moonlight reflection, making it suitable for ambushes in the dark.

“A saber that would only bring harm to the world if it existed. Such a saber is unnecessary. A saber that cannot be purified can only be broken.”

Binggeom looked at the dark saber with cold eyes.

“They’re clearly professionals. There aren’t many who use this kind of outfit and weapons. This equipment is made purely for practical use in real combat.”

Jang Hong spoke in a serious tone, examining them with hawk-like sharp eyes. The worry they had been harboring had finally materialized. The shadow of darkness had revealed itself.

‘Is this just the beginning?’

His face hardened. He could feel tension silently spreading throughout his body.

“Now, what should we do with that?”

The place Bi Ryu-yeon pointed to was the escort carriage where Lee Song-hak was currently lying. They had saved him, but now they were at a loss about what to do with him. After dealing with the situation, the group continued on their journey. Despite being given a life-saving pill, Lee Song-hak was still unconscious. He had lost too much blood while evading pursuit. Moreover, the emergency treatment of his wounds was inadequate, and pus was oozing from several places where the wounds had festered. As a result, he had a high fever due to his injuries.

They couldn’t continue to Mount Hua like this. There was a 100% chance he would die from his wounds reopening along the way.

“We can’t keep carrying him around in this state… We need to leave him somewhere. A safe place where even those masked men in black wouldn’t dare to touch. A place that will safely keep my bet money!”

At that moment, only one place came to mind.

“It seems that’s the only option!”

Everyone nodded at Bi Ryu-yeon’s words.