Chapter 362

Cheol Dae-jin took off the bamboo hat that restricted his vision.

He had instinctively recognized Pyo Wol’s strength.

His opponent was not so weak that he could afford to fight with a cumbersome hat on.

Cheol Dae-jin looked at Pyo Wol and muttered.

“A big shot has appeared.”

Although Pyo Wol had not revealed his identity, he had recognized him in an instant.

He could tell just by looking at that bewitching face, which held an inhuman beauty. In all of Jianghu, there was only one man who possessed such an eerie beauty.

“The Reaper!”

Pyo Wol’s face was so unrivaled that even someone who had never seen him before would recognize him at a glance.

Thanks to this, Cheol Dae-jin was also able to recognize Pyo Wol instantly.

Even after seeing Pyo Wol, Cheol Dae-jin showed no sign of fear.

On the contrary, he stared at Pyo Wol with a face brimming with fighting spirit.

Pyo Wol also stared back at Cheol Dae-jin.

As their gazes clashed in mid-air, a suffocating silence fell.

The first to speak was Pyo Wol.

“Why did you annihilate the Hao Clan branch?”

“You’re resourceful to have found out.”

Cheol Dae-jin did not bother to deny it.

He knew that clumsy lies would not work against a being like Pyo Wol.

Instead, his eyes moved restlessly, observing Pyo Wol.

His expression, his gaze, his posture, even the subtle tremors of his muscles. But there was nothing he could read from Pyo Wol’s outward appearance.

He was clearly standing right in front of him, yet it was as if he didn’t exist at all; nothing could be read.

Cheol Dae-jin had faced many enemies, but this was the first time he had encountered such an opponent.

‘To think such a man existed in Jianghu.’

When he heard the rumors about Pyo Wol, he had thought they were greatly exaggerated.

Rumors in Jianghu were always inflated, and people tended to show an unusually enthusiastic reaction to newly emerged martial artists.

Even if they weren’t that impressive in person.

Cheol Dae-jin had thought Pyo Wol was one of those overhyped martial artists. That was, until he saw Pyo Wol with his own eyes.

He felt as if every single one of his senses was awakening.

His body was reacting first, preparing for survival.

It meant his opponent was that much of a threat.

What bothered him most were Pyo Wol’s eyes.

Those inscrutable, crimson-glowing eyes grated on his nerves.

Just then, an unexpected voice flowed from Pyo Wol’s lips.

“Why would they annihilate the Hao Clan’s Poyang Lake branch?”

“What?”

“It must mean there’s something to hide nearby. They’ve hidden it well until now, but recently, the Poyang Lake branch must have become a nuisance. Why a nuisance? It’s probably because of Hong Yushin. After he disappeared near here, the Poyang Lake branch started to move, that must be why.”

Pyo Wol’s words were not directed at Cheol Dae-jin.

He was speaking to organize his own thoughts. But Cheol Dae-jin, who was listening to him, felt a chill run down his spine.

‘This bastard!’

It was because Pyo Wol described it as if he had seen it with his own eyes.

“Also, the Heavenly Flower Acrobatic Troupe disappeared after their last performance here. It’s surely no coincidence that the Heavenly Flower Acrobatic Troupe’s trail vanished where Hong Yushin disappeared. They either found out a secret they shouldn’t have, or they approached a place they shouldn’t have. It must be one of the two.”

“Enough!”

Cheol Dae-jin suddenly shouted and attacked Pyo Wol.

He felt that if he let Pyo Wol’s thoughts continue, all his secrets would be exposed.

Shwaaak!

Cheol Dae-jin’s sword aimed for Pyo Wol’s Adam’s apple. But his sword did not pierce Pyo Wol’s throat.

Because as much as he advanced, Pyo Wol retreated.

Just one inch.

That was the distance between Cheol Dae-jin’s sword and Pyo Wol’s throat.

Shreereek!

At that moment, the Soul Restraining Thread uncoiled from Pyo Wol’s hand.

The Soul Restraining Thread flew toward Cheol Dae-jin at a terrifying speed.

“Keuk!”

Cheol Dae-jin swung his sword to deflect the Soul Restraining Thread. But the Soul Restraining Thread unleashed from Pyo Wol’s hand was not just a single strand.

Ten strands of the Soul Restraining Thread intertwined horizontally and vertically like a spider’s web, pressing down on Cheol Dae-jin.

“Captain!”

Seeing Cheol Dae-jin in danger, a Subordinate attacked Pyo Wol.

Tadadadang!

A metallic clang erupted as the sword and the Soul Restraining Thread collided.

Cheol Dae-jin’s sword, which used Sword Qi, was unharmed, but the Subordinate’s sword, which did not, was instantly severed by the Soul Restraining Thread.

“What?”

Puk!

The moment the Subordinate was stunned, a Ghostly Rain struck his forehead.

Thud!

The Subordinate died without even a scream.

Cheol Dae-jin didn’t even spare a glance at his Subordinate’s death.

He, too, had no room to spare.

“Chahat!”

He frantically unleashed his Sword Stance.

The Demonic Blood Eight Forms, which had given him the Alias of Grass-Cutting Blood Demon Sword, were unleashed one after another.

Shushushu!

The air filled entirely with the sword images he created.

The sword images became a rain, pouring down on Pyo Wol. But not a single drop of the rain touched Pyo Wol’s body.

Tadadadang!

The Soul Restraining Thread spun around Pyo Wol’s body, deflecting all of Cheol Dae-jin’s attacks.

As if each strand of the Soul Restraining Thread had a will of its own, it moved freely, blocking Cheol Dae-jin’s sword techniques.

“This is absurd…”

Cheol Dae-jin’s jaw dropped at the unbelievable sight.

He had never even imagined that this kind of martial art existed.

Martial arts that used Qi Thread.

He had often seen Sword Qi or Blade Energy, but this was the first time he had seen such a martial art. That’s why he was even more bewildered.

To break the Soul Restraining Thread, a single powerful strike was needed.

He had been forced to use only Sword Qi to conserve his Internal Energy, but now was not the time to think about the aftermath.

‘I’ll pour everything into one strike.’

Hwoong!

He poured all his Internal Energy into his sword. A clear halo of light formed on the sword, soon taking the shape of a sword.

Sword Gang had manifested.

“Chaaat! Blood Rain Line Gang!”

He shouted loudly and swung the Sword Gang.

Kwagagagwang!

The Soul Restraining Thread, struck by the Sword Gang, snapped like reeds.

Cheol Dae-jin intended to cut Pyo Wol in two in one fell swoop.

Kaang!

It was then.

A completely unexpected sound erupted, and his sword strike stopped midway.

“What?”

Cheol Dae-jin’s eyes widened.

A single, particularly vivid strand of the Soul Restraining Thread was blocking his Sword Gang.

It was not an ordinary Soul Restraining Thread.

A Gang Qi as thin as a small snake.

It was the Silken Serpent Strong Energy.

Pyo Wol waved his hand. The Silken Serpent Strong Energy then burrowed into Cheol Dae-jin like a venomous snake.

“Heot!”

Startled, Cheol Dae-jin tried to execute a defensive form, but it was already too late.

With a faint sound and a minor mastery, the Silken Serpent Strong Energy pierced through his chest.

“Keok!”

Cheol Dae-jin collapsed, vomiting blood.

Just as a drop of ink spreads on the surface of water, a flower of blood spread across his chest.

The wound was the size of a needle’s eye, but the inside was completely shattered.

He lay limply on the ground and opened his mouth.

“Heuu! Impressive… But this is as far as you go. You won’t be able to find out anything.”

Blood gushed out every time he spoke.

The Fresh Blood stained his mouth and chest red.

Pyo Wol watched him in silence.

A crimson light flickered in Pyo Wol’s eyes as he looked into Cheol Dae-jin’s.

Even in his dying state, Cheol Dae-jin found Pyo Wol’s eyes terrifyingly chilling.

Pyo Wol wiped the blood flowing around Cheol Dae-jin’s mouth with his hand and said.

“There’s no need for you to speak. I’ve already figured out everything I need to know.”

“What?”

“The Jewon Merchant Group showed up just one day after you stirred up the Blood Phantom Organization. That means you were staying within a day’s distance of Poyang Lake.”

“…”

“You might have come by horse or boat, so giving you the benefit of the doubt, there must be a hideout within a two-day journey. So, without searching far, if I find an unusual flow of goods in a place reachable within one or two days from here, I can find the place you’re so desperate to hide.”

At Pyo Wol’s words, Cheol Dae-jin was so dumbfounded he couldn’t say a word.

He got goosebumps at the thought of Pyo Wol’s mind, which had figured all that out in such a short time.

‘This man is different. Different from anyone I’ve ever met…’

Keol-leok!

Cheol Dae-jin coughed up a large amount of blood one last time, then stopped moving.

He was dead.

Pyo Wol began to search the bodies of the dead Cheol Dae-jin and his subordinates.

Having come a long way, they should have carried Gold Taels or Silver Taels, but they didn’t have a single Copper Coin on them. Instead, a strangely shaped Flying Dagger was found in Cheol Dae-jin’s possession.

The blade was not sharp but blunt, and its shape was so peculiar that it looked more like a key than a Flying Dagger.

The problem was that he didn’t know what it was a key for.

Pyo Wol examined the key for a moment before putting it inside his robes. Since it was an item Cheol Dae-jin had kept so preciously, he thought it must have an important purpose.

Noh Taetae approached Pyo Wol and said.

“Thank you for saving my life. I’m alive thanks to you.”

“Are you alright?”

“I was a little startled, but I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief!”

“It seems these are the people the Great Hero Pyo was looking for.”

“It seems so.”

“Hoo! To think they’d be so bold. It hasn’t even been a day since Seol-pung stirred up the Blood Phantom Organization, and they’ve already counterattacked like this.”

Noh Taetae shook her head with a fed-up expression.

She had never seen such aggressive and audacious people in her entire life. The thought that such people were so close gave her the chills.

“By the way, I wonder if my children are safe?”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Would you do that?”

Noh Taetae’s face lit up.

If Pyo Wol went with her, nothing could be more reassuring.

There was no one stronger than Pyo Wol in Poyang Lake.

Since everyone who worked at the Hall of Aging Together had been killed, Pyo Wol had to drive the carriage himself.

Pyo Wol had Noh Taetae board the carriage and headed for the Jewon Merchant Group.

Noh Taetae’s face was full of worry as she looked out the window.

She tried to act composed in front of Pyo Wol, but she couldn’t bear the worry for her children’s safety.

‘Please be safe…’

For the first time, she prayed to the gods of heaven and earth for the safety of her descendants.

Pyo Wol drove the carriage at full speed.

The carriage rattled as if it would break apart at any moment, but Pyo Wol never slowed down.

Thanks to this, they were able to arrive at the Jewon Merchant Group quickly.

The Jewon Merchant Group was a wreck, as if it had gone through a war.

The massive main gate, large enough for three or four carriages to enter side by side, was completely destroyed, and a thick smell of blood wafted from within.

‘Please! Please!’

Noh Taetae got out of the carriage and rushed into the Jewon Merchant Group.

“Ah!”

At the scene unfolding before her eyes, Noh Taetae covered her mouth with her hand.

Countless people were dead.

Among them were people Noh Taetae had practically raised.

“Good heavens!”

“Mother?”

Just then, a grizzled old man ran toward Noh Taetae.

He was Noh Taetae’s son and the Unit Leader of the Jewon Merchant Group, Ju Jang-hwan.

Ju Jang-hwan hugged Noh Taetae and said.

“Are you safe, Mother?”

“Are you alright?”

“I am fine. Fortunately, these people showed up in time to help.”

Ju Jang-hwan pointed to a group of martial artists standing to one side. The martial artists then performed a Fist-Palm Salute and greeted her.

“Namgung Wol of the Thousand Water Society greets Noh Taetae.”

“Yong Hasang of Dragon Sky Valley greets the Elder of the Jewon Merchant Group.”

“Yeom Huisu of Hwayeongchae offers his greetings.”

They were the prodigies who had formed the Anti-Golden Heaven Society.

When the blood-robed men invaded, Ju Jang-hwan’s life was on the line. The Shadow Severance Squad, which had returned late, fought back, but they were outnumbered.

The ones who appeared and helped were them.

With their addition, the blood-robed men were cornered.

The martial arts of the blood-robed men were formidable, but the martial arts of Namgung Wol and the prodigies were even more so. In the end, all the blood-robed men were killed, and Ju Jang-hwan was able to survive.

Noh Taetae said to the prodigies.

“I will never forget this debt. The Jewon Merchant Group will cooperate in any way we can help.”

“Thank you, Noh Taetae! We did not do it expecting a reward.”

Yong Hasang said modestly, which was out of character for him.

Pyo Wol looked at Yong Hasang for a moment before turning to Namgung Wol.

“Were you watching the Jewon Merchant Group?”

“It is true that we were looking for an opportunity to draw in Young Hero Ju. Thanks to that, we were able to save Unit Leader Ju in time.”

“It went as you wished. Ju Seol-pung no longer has a reason to refuse to join the Anti-Golden Heaven Society.”

“This is just the beginning.”

Namgung Wol replied, clenching his fist tightly.