Chapter 378

It was difficult to get on the ship, but once they were on deck, there was nothing to stop them.

This was because the martial artists of the Blood Phantom Organization were far more numerous.

Using their numerical superiority, they overwhelmed the martial artists of the Jewon Merchant Group.

“Kuaak!”

“Keuk!”

The martial artists of the Jewon Merchant Group fell one by one, spraying blood.

“Damn it!”

Jang Jinsam, the person in charge of this ship, looked around with bloodshot eyes.

Everywhere he looked, only his subordinates were dying.

‘When did the Blood Phantom Organization become so powerful?’

No matter how much they dominated the underworld of Poyang Lake, they were endlessly shabby compared to the Jewon Merchant Group.

That was why Ju Seol-pung of the Jewon Merchant Group had been relentless in suppressing the Blood Phantom Organization. But the power the Blood Phantom Organization was showing now was not that of a mere underworld organization.

The Blood Phantom Organization martial artists who had boarded the ship were like ants truly craving blood.

The way they swarmed and killed the martial artists of the Jewon Merchant Group was exactly like Blood Ants.

The Jewon Merchant Group martial artists were cornered.

Half of their subordinates were already dead. The remaining ones were holding on tenaciously, but they were in extreme peril.

Among the martial artists of the Blood Phantom Organization, a man with a particularly fierce impression stepped forward.

“Kaak! Ptui!”

He deliberately spat a thick wad of phlegm on the floor and glared at Jang Jinsam.

It was an act of provocation toward Jang Jinsam for anyone to see.

“Oh, noble escort martial artist of the Jewon Merchant Group. How is it? Do you still look down on our Blood Phantom Organization?”

“Do you think the Blood Phantom Organization will get away with this?”

“Hehe! And if we don’t? Didn’t you know the world has changed?”

“The world has changed? You’re just spouting nonsense because you have a mouth.”

“I should be the one to gouge out those eyeballs of yours. To think you still believe the Jewon Merchant Group is so great when the world has changed this much.”

The martial artist from the Blood Phantom Organization sneered at Jang Jinsam.

Jang Jinsam was provoked, but he couldn’t rush out recklessly.

If he did, the battle line that was barely holding on would collapse.

The martial artist of the Blood Phantom Organization, Lee Guyeol, continued.

“Hehe! To think a day like this would come after living in forbearance. A man really has to live a long life to see it all.”

Lee Guyeol’s eyes were bloodshot with excitement.

He had been hiding in a courtesan’s house to avoid the pressure from the Jewon Merchant Group.

He couldn’t even sleep properly due to the fear of being killed if caught, but now the situation had changed.

The Blood Phantom Organization was no longer the weak one.

One could tell just by looking at the current situation.

While they were talking, two more martial artists from the Jewon Merchant Group died. The final line of defense was on the verge of collapsing.

“A man really has to pick the right side. To think the great Righteous Sword Manor of All Under Heaven is on our side.”

“That’s enough!”

A cold voice was heard then.

It was one of the martial artists from the Blood Phantom Organization. But Lee Guyeol’s expression froze.

“Watch your mouth. We have no connection with you lot.”

“Huk! I’m sorry. My words slipped.”

“This ship was seized by the power of the Blood Phantom Organization alone. It has no connection to the Righteous Sword Manor. Do you understand?”

“Of course. Hehe!”

Lee Guyeol laughed servilely.

A significant number of the Blood Phantom Organization martial artists who attacked this ship were martial artists supported by the Righteous Sword Manor.

As soon as Deung Cheolung, the Boss of the Blood Phantom Organization, heard that Jang Ho-yeon and the martial artists of the Righteous Sword Manor had entered Poyang Lake, he went to find them.

He dared to propose a deal to Jang Ho-yeon.

If they helped the Blood Phantom Organization defeat the Jewon Merchant Group, he would provide all cooperation.

At first, Jang Ho-yeon was so dumbfounded that he intended to kill Deung Cheolung. But on second thought, it didn’t seem so bad to have hands and feet to clean up after him here.

Even though Poyang Lake was not that far from Anhui, where the Righteous Sword Manor was located, it was not their territory anyway.

They needed people to take care of the dirty work.

The Blood Phantom Organization was a perfect fit.

In the end, Jang Ho-yeon accepted Deung Cheolung’s proposal.

The martial artists of the Righteous Sword Manor disguised themselves as members of the Blood Phantom Organization and attacked together. Without their help, it would have been impossible for the Blood Phantom Organization martial artists alone to conquer this large ship.

Their participation had to be kept a strict secret.

If it became known that the Righteous Sword Manor had intervened in a fight between a trading company and an underworld organization, not only would their reputation plummet, but it could also invite the intervention of other sects.

The situation was already a headache due to the conflict between the Golden Sky Society and the Silver Lotus Society, and if it worsened any further, it would become impossible to manage.

That was why the martial artists of the Righteous Sword Manor intended to keep their intervention a strict secret.

The martial artist from the Righteous Sword Manor said.

“Tsk! Because of your loose lips, everyone on this ship is about to die, aren’t they?”

“I’m sorry.”

“If even the word ‘Righteous’ comes out of your mouths, I will kill you all. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes! I will keep that in mind.”

Lee Guyeol replied, bowing his head.

It was then.

“For the Righteous Sword Manor to intervene in a confrontation between Poyang Lake factions. Have you no shame?”

Jang Jinsam, who had been listening to their conversation, shouted loudly.

At that, the martial artist from the Righteous Sword Manor clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! You’re hastening your own death. Not that I was planning to let you live anyway…”

“You will be punished by heaven.”

“Punished by heaven? How ridiculous. Do you think the heavens are that idle?”

It was when the martial artist from the Righteous Sword Manor was openly mocking Jang Jinsam.

“The heavens may not be idle, but I am.”

A single, cold voice pierced the ears of the Righteous Sword Manor martial artist.

Startled by the unfamiliar voice, the martial artist from the Righteous Sword Manor looked up.

A man was standing on the high mast.

The moment he saw the man, the Righteous Sword Manor martial artist felt the blood in his entire body run cold.

“Pyo… Wol?”

He recognized Pyo Wol’s identity at once.

It was because he had seen Pyo Wol’s face in Runan.

“Didn’t… you leave Poyang Lake?”

“What is the Righteous Sword Manor doing in Poyang Lake? Did you track me here?”

“…”

The martial artist from the Righteous Sword Manor couldn’t answer.

At that, Pyo Wol was convinced his guess was correct.

It was by no means common for such a large force to move to a region where they had no connection.

Moving so many troops without a clear purpose also had a negative impact on finances.

That was why many sects were extremely reluctant to dispatch large numbers of martial artists to areas where they had no ties. Nevertheless, the fact that they had dispatched so many troops meant that the Righteous Sword Manor had a clear objective.

The only one in Poyang Lake with a connection to the Righteous Sword Manor was himself.

Although Namgung Wol had organized the Silver Lotus Society, an Anti-Golden Heaven Society, it was not yet known to the outside world. So, Namgung Wol and the Silver Lotus Society could not have been the original purpose.

In the end, only he was left.

They had clearly come all the way here chasing him.

Pyo Wol asked.

“Did Jang Ho-yeon come in person?”

“Attack!”

Instead of answering, the Righteous Sword Manor martial artist ordered his subordinates to attack.

“Yes!”

The subordinates moved with their reply.

A huge martial artist at the front raised his axe and struck the mast. The large mast was cut in an instant and fell.

At that moment, Pyo Wol kicked off the mast and launched his body into the air.

“Now.”

The Righteous Sword Manor martial artists took out the hand axes hidden at their waists and threw them at Pyo Wol all at once.

Swish-swish-swish!

Dozens of hand axes flew, carrying powerful force.

Unless one had reached the realm of Void Stepping, it was impossible to change direction in mid-air.

Before coming here, they had meticulously analyzed Pyo Wol’s martial arts known to the Jianghu. As a result, they concluded that aiming for when his body was in the air was the most effective.

That was why they carried unfamiliar throwing hand axes.

Although they had not learned professional throwing techniques, they were all martial artists who had reached a high level. Hitting a target within a dozen zhang was something they could do with their eyes closed.

Moreover, hitting a martial artist floating in the air was no trouble at all.

The axes they threw flew to within a hair’s breadth of Pyo Wol in an instant. At that moment, Pyo Wol unleashed his Soul Restraining Thread and stirred the air.

Thud-thud-thud!

Dozens of hand axes were all entangled in the Soul Restraining Thread.

At the unbelievable skill, the martial artists of the Righteous Sword Manor’s eyes widened.

Pyo Wol swung the Soul Restraining Thread wide before bringing it down on the Righteous Sword Manor martial artists.

Kwakwakwa!

The axes poured down like a steel rain.

The result was devastating.

“Kuaaak!”

“Keuk!”

The hand axes were embedded in the Righteous Sword Manor martial artists.

The sight of the Righteous Sword Manor martial artists collapsing with fatal wounds from the very axes they had thrown was truly gruesome.

“Ah!”

“Huk!”

The Blood Phantom Organization martial artists who witnessed the scene froze in place.

If the difference was somewhat manageable, they might have dared to attack, but the gap was so immense that they couldn’t even think of trying anything.

Ssk!

Pyo Wol, who had dealt with the Righteous Sword Manor martial artists in an instant, landed silently on the floor.

At that, the leader of the Righteous Sword Manor martial artists’ eyes widened.

Pyo Wol walked quietly toward him.

As he approached, the Righteous Sword Manor leader retreated.

Thud!

But soon, his body was blocked by the railing.

Realizing there was no more room to retreat, his face contorted. He couldn’t believe he had retreated like this, pushed back by the opponent’s aura.

Although not well-known in the Jianghu, he too was an Expert who was quite respected within the Righteous Sword Manor.

Before meeting Pyo Wol, he had been confident.

Confident that he would absolutely not be pushed back against him.

‘No matter how great he is, in the end, he’s just an assassin. If we fight head-on, I can take his head in an instant.’

But now he was bitterly regretting how foolish that thought had been.

He couldn’t feel any presence from Pyo Wol as he approached.

It was as if a non-existent shadow was drawing near.

And yet, his nerves felt like they were shriveling as if seared by fire.

He had never felt this way in his life.

If he had been pressured with an overwhelming presence, he might have resisted, but as he approached so quietly, fear surged up instead.

He was overwhelmed by Pyo Wol’s otherworldly face and atmosphere, as if he were not of this world.

‘D-damn it!’

If this continued, he felt he would kneel before his opponent without any resistance.

The leader bit his lip hard.

A piece of flesh tore off, and blood flowed out.

The sharp pain reawakened his mind.

“You bastard!”

He let out a roar and rushed at Pyo Wol.

Shwaak!

The sword drawn from his waist aimed for Pyo Wol’s neck via the shortest path. But his sword never reached Pyo Wol’s neck.

Pipipit!

Suddenly, he felt a fiery pain in the back of his knees, and his body pitched forward.

“Keok!”

Fountains of blood were gushing from the back of his knees.

Pyo Wol had, at some point, sliced the back of his knees with Ghostly Rain.

With his tendons and muscles severed, his legs dangled from below the knees.

“H-how?”

The leader’s eyes widened in disbelief.

In his common sense, it was an impossible event.

Pyo Wol had used Devil Shadow Illusion Guard to delude him and then slashed the back of his knees. From the perspective of the one who suffered it, it felt like being possessed by a ghost.

That was how the leader felt right now.

The leader shouted fiercely to shake off his fear.

“Bastard! What kind of evil arts did you use? Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

“It’s the same!”

“What?”

“Every single one of you. Spouting the same words, calling it evil arts, threatening that I won’t get away with it.”

The reactions of most of the people Pyo Wol had faced so far were the same as the man before him.

If their common sense didn’t apply, they would unconditionally call it evil arts and threaten that the sect behind them wouldn’t let it go.

The leader was no different.

The way he made threats with such fear-filled eyes was just like a scared puppy barking.

Pyo Wol crouched in front of him and asked.

“I’ll ask one more time. Did Jang Ho-yeon come in person?”

“Kugh!”

As the leader clenched his teeth, the emotion of fear settled in his eyes.