Chapter 361

Ju Seol-pung’s jaw muscle twitched.

“Who are you bastards? Do you know this place is managed by the Jewon Merchant Group?”

“Your long tongue tells me we’re in the right place.”

The men in blood-red robes surrounded Ju Seol-pung.

In that moment, a cold sweat ran down Ju Seol-pung’s back.

He was, after all, an Expert who had learned Martial Arts. He could gauge their level just by looking at their movements and the look in their eyes.

‘I can’t see any openings.’

Their hands hung naturally at their sides, their steps free and unrestrained.

At a glance, they seemed full of weaknesses, but in reality, they were so solid that he could see no gap to exploit.

Ju Seol-pung drew his sword and said,

“Were you sent by the Blood Phantom Organization?”

“……”

“Are you perhaps the ones the Blood Phantom Organization was hiding?”

“……”

“I knew it.”

Their silence, on the contrary, gave him certainty.

That the men surrounding him were the ones Pyo Wol was looking for.

At that moment, the men in blood-red robes moved.

Shwiak!

They attacked Ju Seol-pung with terrifying force.

As if they had synchronized their breathing for many years, the men in blood-red robes unleashed a precise joint attack.

Tadadadang!

The clear clang of metal rang out continuously as sword met sword.

‘Keuk!’

Ju Seol-pung’s expression grew more and more distorted.

He could have somehow handled one of them, but with three attacking together, it was hard to endure.

‘To think such Experts exist.’

The problem was that even though they were fighting so fiercely, his Subordinates were not rushing to his aid.

Only one possibility came to mind.

‘Were they really wiped out?’

If so, he was clearly facing the worst possible situation.

It was then.

“Do you have the luxury of thinking about other things?”

Shwiak!

The sword of a man in a blood-red robe grazed his arm.

His clothes and muscle were sliced open in a long gash, and Fresh Blood spurted out.

“Keuk!”

Ju Seol-pung endured the pain and swung his sword.

He had been on the defensive even when his arm was fine; now that he was injured, it was even more overwhelming.

Although Ju Seol-pung had learned Martial Arts to a high level, this was the first time he had fought with his life on the line.

Because of that, he couldn’t display his true skills and was pushed back helplessly.

Conversely, the men in blood-red robes were extremely accustomed to life-or-death battles.

They had not learned their Martial Arts in a comfortable environment like Ju Seol-pung. Theirs was a Martial prowess built through countless real battles in the harsh wilderness.

Their fortitude was incomparable to Ju Seol-pung’s.

“Keok!”

In the end, Ju Seol-pung allowed a sword strike to his sword-wielding hand.

Ju Seol-pung dropped his sword and fell to his knees.

A man in a blood-red robe pointed his sword at his neck and said,

“They said you were someone to be wary of, so I was on edge, but you’re nothing special.”

“Who are you bastards? If you kill me, the repercussions will be endless.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Noh Taetae and your grandfather won’t see tomorrow’s sun.”

“What?”

“You should have known when to stop. Why did you stir up the Blood Phantom Organization and cause this mess?”

“Keuk!”

“Farewell.”

The man in the blood-red robe swung his sword without mercy.

Ju Seol-pung squeezed his eyes shut and waited for death. But no matter how long he waited, he felt no pain.

Finally, unable to wait any longer, Ju Seol-pung cautiously opened his eyes. At that moment, he saw an astonishing sight.

A small Flying Dagger was embedded in the forehead of the man who had swung the sword at him.

The man in the blood-red robe stood with his eyes wide open, as if he couldn’t believe his own death, and then collapsed.

“Yang Won?”

“Who is it?”

The remaining men in blood-red robes were horrified by their comrade’s death.

Even they hadn’t noticed when the Flying Dagger had flown in.

Ju Seol-pung’s eyes suddenly shot open.

Behind the men in blood-red robes who were on guard, a black shadow had descended without a sound.

The stark white face that stood out even in the darkness belonged to someone he knew well.

‘Pyo Wol!’

Even though he was right behind them, the men in blood-red robes were completely unaware of his presence. And this was while they were on high alert.

Only then did Ju Seol-pung truly understand why Pyo Wol was called the Reaper.

The sight of Pyo Wol he was seeing now was terrifying enough to make him piss his pants.

Just then, one of the men in blood-red robes saw Ju Seol-pung’s face and eyes.

‘Could it be?’

He turned his head, following Ju Seol-pung’s gaze. In his line of sight, he saw a dazzlingly white face.

‘Heok!’

He was so startled it felt like his heart would leap out of his mouth.

At that moment, Pyo Wol extended his finger.

The Soul Restraining Thread shot out from his fingertip.

Puk!

The Soul Restraining Thread pierced straight through the man’s forehead.

The man in the blood-red robe trembled and then collapsed.

He died without even letting out a scream.

Only then did the last man in a blood-red robe notice Pyo Wol’s presence.

“You bastard!”

He unleashed his Secret Transmission Sword Stance toward Pyo Wol. But before he could even execute half of the stance, Pyo Wol snatched his wrist.

Thwack!

“Keuk!”

The backlash from the interrupted Sword Stance churned the man’s insides.

Pyo Wol did not miss the opening and struck the man’s chest with Jade Destruction.

Kwadeuk!

The man’s chest caved in, and he collapsed. But unlike the others, he did not die instantly.

It was because Pyo Wol had controlled his Internal Power to some extent.

The man in the blood-red robe barely managed to lift his head and look at Pyo Wol.

“Keuk! You, you…”

“Why did you massacre the Hao Clan branch?”

“Keuheuk! Do you think I’d answer?”

Peok!

Suddenly, with a soft pop, the man in the blood-red robe collapsed, bleeding from his Seven Orifices.

He had ruptured his own heart meridian to commit suicide.

Pyo Wol silently looked down at the corpse of the man who had taken his own life.

The man’s action, taking his own life without a moment’s hesitation when cornered, reminded Pyo Wol of a certain group.

‘The Nine Dragons Assassination Guild.’

They were like this too.

They would throw away their own lives like straw to protect their secrets.

As far as Pyo Wol knew, the Nine Dragons Assassination Guild was the only group that possessed this kind of blind loyalty.

It was then.

“Great Hero Pyo! My great-grandmother is in danger.”

Ju Seol-pung said with all his might.

Pyo Wol gave a slight nod and then launched himself toward the Hall of Aging Together.

“Keuheuk!”

Ju Seol-pung used his sword as a cane to push himself up.

Pyo Wol had gone to Noh Taetae, but there was no one for his grandfather.

It was then.

“Young Master!”

“How could this be!”

The Shadow Severance Squad, who had been outside, rushed in.

They hurriedly tried to support Ju Seol-pung. But Ju Seol-pung waved his hand and said,

“I’m fine, so please go to my grandfather. You must not be late.”

“Damn it!”

The Captain of the Shadow Severance Squad and its members left Ju Seol-pung and rushed toward the Jewon Merchant Group.

Ju Seol-pung gritted his teeth as he watched their receding backs.

‘Please, don’t be too late…’

＊＊＊

Noh Taetae lifted her head and looked at the night sky.

She couldn’t tell if the single, faint moon hanging in the distance was hard to see because of her old eyes, or because she didn’t have much time left to live.

Noh Taetae thought it didn’t matter either way. She had already lived a full life, and for some time now, she had felt that she had finished all she had to do in this world.

“The new era is led by the young. It is the way of the world for the old who have done their part to disappear into the background.”

A serene smile graced Noh Taetae’s lips.

“Keok!”

“Keueok!”

Suddenly, a series of screams erupted from her surroundings.

The color drained from Noh Taetae’s face.

After Pyo Wol’s visit, Noh Taetae’s son, thinking the security at the Hall of Aging Together was insufficient, had increased the number of guards.

The security at the Hall of Aging Together was now almost three times stronger than when Pyo Wol had infiltrated. And with much higher-level Experts, at that.

For screams to be heard despite this meant that a formidable Expert had invaded the Hall of Aging Together.

“Surely he wouldn’t have come back again…”

Noh Taetae quickly dismissed her own thought.

If Pyo Wol had returned, there wouldn’t have been such screams. He left no trace, no sound.

So, the one who had invaded the Hall of Aging Together now was not Pyo Wol, but someone else.

“It seems this old woman has committed many sins. To experience so many things in my final years…”

Noh Taetae stared ahead with deeply sunken eyes.

In her line of sight, three men in blood-red robes wearing bamboo hats appeared.

They were approaching Noh Taetae, their swords hanging low. Fresh Blood dripped from the blades pointed at the ground.

Seeing this, Noh Taetae’s gaze sank even deeper.

“To think that precious lives were lost trying to protect this old woman in vain. Why didn’t you just come straight for this old woman without touching the others? I would have gladly given my life.”

“Ending it at that wouldn’t serve as a warning.”

The voice of Cheol Dae-jin, the leader of the men in blood-red robes, was cold.

Noh Taetae flinched at the voice, which was completely devoid of human emotion.

She could tell just by hearing his voice.

Just how heartless and cruel a man he was.

‘How many people have died on the sword in that man’s hand? I suppose this old woman’s blood will be added to it now.’

The closer he came, the thicker the smell of blood became.

Noh Taetae’s body trembled uncontrollably.

Even if she had to die, she did not want to die in an unsightly manner.

Just as she had lived with dignity until now, she wanted to die that way too. So she lifted her head higher and straightened her back.

Although her body trembled in reaction to the opponent’s Killing Intent, she tried her best to maintain her composure.

Cheol Dae-jin was slightly impressed by Noh Taetae’s demeanor.

‘They said she was a rare heroine. She didn’t build a massive trading company like the Jewon Merchant Group for nothing.’

He had killed countless people until now, but this was the first time he had seen someone as dignified as the old woman before him in the face of death.

Cheol Dae-jin spoke without realizing it.

“I’ll kill you as painlessly as possible.”

“Thank you!”

At Noh Taetae’s reply, Cheol Dae-jin smirked and swung his sword.

The moment the sound of slicing air echoed, Noh Taetae closed her eyes.

‘Is this the end?’

It was then.

Taang!

Suddenly, a loud metallic clang rang out right in front of her.

Noh Taetae opened her eyes in surprise to see that the sword Cheol Dae-jin had swung had been knocked back. A Flying Dagger lay at Cheol Dae-jin’s feet. From the looks of it, someone had clearly thrown the Flying Dagger to strike Cheol Dae-jin’s sword.

So much power had been imbued in the Flying Dagger that Cheol Dae-jin had been pushed back three or four steps.

“Who is it?”

Cheol Dae-jin shouted loudly, on his guard.

Shwit! Shwiiit!

At that moment, Flying Daggers flew in again from somewhere.

One of Cheol Dae-jin’s Subordinates barely managed to dodge, but the other was not so lucky.

“Keok!”

The Flying Dagger lodged deep in his neck.

The Martial Artist staggered for a moment and then fell backward.

Thud!

Cheol Dae-jin’s expression turned grave.

The palm of his sword hand was still ringing. That was how powerful the force contained in the Flying Dagger was.

There were only a few Martial Artists in All Under Heaven who could imbue a mere Flying Dagger with such power. And now, such a Martial Artist had appeared before his eyes.

A man who had blocked Noh Taetae’s path without a sound, without a trace.

His stark white face, a contrast to the darkness, was otherworldly.

For a moment, Cheol Dae-jin was overwhelmed by an aura that seemed not of this world.

On the other hand, color returned to Noh Taetae’s face.

The saying that one becomes detached from life in old age was all a lie.

She still wanted to live.

Even if it was just for a single day.