Chapter 392

“Hoo!”

Jang Ho-yeon, with his shirt off, let out a deep breath.

The flesh on his chest and side had turned black and necrotic. It was the wound from Yong Hasang’s fist strike.

Had Yong Hasang’s Internal Power been even slightly stronger, or had Jang Ho-yeon’s response been even a moment slower, he would no longer be a man of this world.

In truth, his wound was quite severe. The inside was in a worse state than what was visible on the outside.

Yong Hasang’s fist strike had concussed his internal organs. Because of it, he was in a state where he would need to recuperate for at least a month.

However, Jang Ho-yeon was not the only one who had suffered. Jang Ho-yeon, too, had inflicted a great wound upon Yong Hasang’s body.

If one had to put it, it could be called a mutually destructive outcome. But the real benefit had been taken by Jang Ho-yeon.

It was because he had gained justification and the people’s hearts.

He was the one who had invited the Seven Sages Scholar, and he was also the one who had commissioned the Hundred Wraith Union for the ambush.

It was an act that would have been greatly condemned if the people of Jianghu found out, but Jang Ho-yeon did not care.

That was how thoroughly he had maintained secrecy.

He had even made contact with the Hundred Wraith Union himself. The fewer people who knew the secret, the better. Evidence of his involvement would never be found, even if he died and came back to life.

“Huhu!”

A laugh escaped his lips.

He was pleased that the gamble he had staked his fate on had succeeded. But it was too early to be relieved. Above all, his body was in the worst possible condition.

No matter how much justification and popular support he had gained, he could do nothing in this state. But Jang Ho-yeon was not greatly worried.

He had the Righteous Sword Manor’s Secret Transmission Spirit Medicine.

The pill, named the Nine Yang Life-Extending Pill, was a Spirit Medicine that could heal even the most severe internal injuries as long as one was still breathing.

However, its ingredients were extremely difficult to obtain, so the Righteous Sword Manor had only succeeded in making two. One was held by the Manor Lord, Jang Pyeong-san, and the other was held by Jang Ho-yeon.

After taking the Nine Yang Life-Extending Pill, Jang Ho-yeon began his Qi Circulation. Then, thick steam began to pour out from his entire body.

The formidable heat was healing the internal wounds, expelling impurities and bodily fluids as steam.

In that state, Jang Ho-yeon continued his Qi Circulation until the next morning.

“Hoo!”

By the time he finally finished his Qi Circulation, all his internal and external injuries were completely healed. Not only that, but his Internal Energy had also increased by more than thirty percent.

This could be called a blessing in disguise.

“Good!”

Jang Ho-yeon expressed satisfaction with his body’s condition.

With his body in this state, he felt he could subdue Yong Hasang within a hundred moves if they fought again.

Jang Ho-yeon washed his body clean and changed into new clothes.

The crisp feel of the new clothes made him even more pleased.

By the time Jang Ho-yeon came outside again, the sun was already high in the sky.

“You’re out?”

There was a middle-aged Martial Artist smiling as he looked at Jang Ho-yeon.

The Martial Artist, with a faint red glow in his eyes, was none other than the Blood-Eyed Ghost Sword, No Shin-pil.

No Shin-pil was an Elder of the Righteous Sword Manor.

Jang Ho-yeon returned a Fist-Palm Salute to No Shin-pil.

“Thank you for coming all this way, Elder!”

“It was your request, of all people. How could I not come?”

The one who had overseen Jang Ho-yeon’s Martial Arts training when he was young was none other than No Shin-pil.

Aside from his father, Jang Pyeong-san, he was the strongest Martial Artist in the Righteous Sword Manor, and to Jang Ho-yeon, he was no different from a Master.

Naturally, the bond between the two was bound to be strong.

“How did it go?”

At Jang Ho-yeon’s question, No Shin-pil looked at the Subordinate standing beside him instead of answering. In the Subordinate’s arms was a small wooden box.

Receiving No Shin-pil’s glance, the Subordinate carefully offered the wooden box to Jang Ho-yeon.

When he opened the lid of the wooden box, someone’s head was visible.

The neck had been severed and placed in the box.

“This is a man from the Hundred Wraith Union named Lee Myung-hak. He was in charge of supporting the Assassin who carried out the Assassination.”

“Is that so? Were there any who escaped?”

“For now, I have killed all those I was assigned.”

“As expected of the Elder.”

Jang Ho-yeon smiled with satisfaction.

No Shin-pil’s work was so perfect that he didn’t need to worry about it. That was why he had bothered to call No Shin-pil to this distant place.

“It would have been better if we had also taken care of the Assassin who killed the Seven Sages Scholar.”

“It couldn’t be helped, could it? It was Blade Fiend who intervened, of all people. If we had rashly interfered, we would only have aroused suspicion.”

“It seems Blade Fiend is a troublesome one.”

“Even the great Jang Mu-guk of All Under Heaven makes a face like he’s chewing on sand whenever he speaks of him.”

“Jang Mu-guk does?”

“Yes! So we must be careful. It’s not that I’m afraid, but there’s nothing to be gained by causing trouble with him right now.”

“Is there any chance he might find out we’re connected to the Assassin?”

“That’s not possible. Even the Assassin doesn’t know who commissioned him, so how would Lee Geom-han find that out? The reason we killed all those who supported the Assassin was to be thorough, not because there was a risk of information leaking.”

“I understand. If you say so, then it must be so.”

No Shin-pil nodded his head.

Having taught Jang Ho-yeon Martial Arts since he was young, he knew better than anyone how meticulous his nature was.

“What do you plan to do from now on?”

“First, I must take care of a troublesome guest.”

“A guest?”

“The uninvited one, isn’t there?”

“You mean… Pyo Wol?”

“That’s right.”

“To deal with him, our side will also suffer great losses.”

“There’s no reason to dirty our own hands. Even if it’s not us, there are many who see him as a thorn in their side.”

Jang Ho-yeon smiled.

A stone that is too sharp is bound to be chiseled.

Envy was one of the basic desires of people.

That was why there were many who could not simply watch others succeed.

The atmosphere had already been set.

If someone just threw a spark, a tremendous flame would erupt.

There were many, many people who would throw that spark.

Because the world is full of foolish people.

＊＊＊

“Sev, Seven Sages…”

An old man with a bushy beard shed tears as he looked at the corpse of the Seven Sages Scholar.

The old man’s name was Gwan Musu.

His Alias was the Scorching Hunter. Unusually, he was a Martial Artist who had been a hunter.

On his back, he carried a greatbow larger than a child, and at his waist, he had various weapons used for hunting, such as an axe and a Curved Blade, dangling all over.

Gwan Musu and the Seven Sages Scholar shared a friendship as close as Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya. The friendship they had shared since their youth had continued until now, when they were over sixty.

Although they lived in different places and couldn’t meet often, they still made sure to meet at least once a year.

Gwan Musu’s area of activity was Mount Baiyun. Mount Baiyun was a huge mountain located several hundred li south of Poyang Lake.

Gwan Musu was spending his later years there, hunting fierce beasts.

Before coming to Poyang Lake, the Seven Sages Scholar had first sent a letter to Gwan Musu. It said that he had business in Poyang Lake and suggested they meet after a long time.

At his friend’s call, Gwan Musu had dropped everything and rushed here. But what greeted him was not his friend’s welcoming smile, but only a cold corpse.

“My friend! Why are you like this? You said we’d drink for three days and three nights, so why are you lying here like this? Uheoheong!”

He buried his face in the Seven Sages Scholar’s chest and wailed loudly.

The sight of Gwan Musu made the disciples of the Seven Sages Scholar solemn.

Unable to watch any longer, Gong Ji-pyo, the eldest disciple of the Seven Sages Scholar, stepped forward.

“Please compose yourself. If you act like this, Master will not be able to pass on peacefully.”

“Who killed the Seven Sages?”

“That is…”

“Did that man really kill him? Pyo Wol!”

“That is not certain.”

“So you’re saying he didn’t?”

“That is…”

Gong Ji-pyo wore a troubled expression.

It had all happened in an instant.

Because of the thick smoke from the Mokroe-yeon, they hadn’t even been able to identify the Assassin’s face, let alone whether they were male or female.

Because of that, he couldn’t answer Gwan Musu’s question.

“Fine! I’ll be able to know for sure if I ask him directly.”

Gwan Musu raised himself up.

“Are you planning to go to him directly?”

“That’s right! Confirming things through the person’s own mouth is always the fastest way.”

“But that man is the Reaper.”

“Does being the Reaper mean he can’t die? His Alias is just Reaper; it’s not like he’s the real god of death.”

Gwan Musu’s eyes were bloodshot.

“Please compose yourself. Even if it’s true that he killed Master, you must not attack him recklessly.”

“What do you mean, I can’t? Are you telling me to become a coward?”

“That’s not it…”

“I have never once in my life hesitated and looked back and forth. That’s why I was able to become friends with your Master.”

Just like the Seven Sages Scholar, Gwan Musu was a man who loathed evil. That was why they became lifelong friends, and they were the kind of friends who would readily give their own lives for each other.

Gwan Musu looked at the Seven Sages Scholar’s corpse and said.

“I’ll be right back.”

He walked out without looking back.

His junior martial brothers asked Gong Ji-pyo with anxious expressions.

“Senior Martial Brother, what should we do?”

“There’s no guarantee that the Reaper really killed Master.”

“For now, let’s follow and watch. Only the youngest will stay behind to guard Master’s body, and the rest will all come with me.”

“Yes!”

They hurriedly followed Gwan Musu.

Thump! Thump!

People’s gazes focused on him as he walked with heavy footsteps.

People couldn’t take their eyes off the sight of Gwan Musu, carrying a huge greatbow on his back and various weapons dangling from his waist.

Anyone could see that he was a man on his way to a fight.

Someone among them recognized Gwan Musu’s identity.

“Isn’t that the Scorching Hunter, Great Hero Gwan Musu?”

“Ah! That’s right. In all of All Under Heaven, there’s no one else who carries so many weapons on their body but Great Hero Gwan.”

“What on earth is he so full of Killing intent for?”

“Didn’t you know? The Seven Sages Scholar and Great Hero Gwan are close friends.”

People watched Gwan Musu with curious eyes.

Some of them couldn’t overcome their curiosity and followed Gwan Musu outright. And the number of such people grew larger and larger.

By the time Gwan Musu arrived at the Southern Sky Inn, more than a hundred people were following behind him. A considerable number of them were Martial Artists who had learned Martial Arts.

Kwang!

Gwan Musu kicked the door open and entered the Southern Sky Inn.

The customers inside the Inn were startled and looked at Gwan Musu, but no one dared to even protest.

They were overwhelmed by the Killing intent he was emitting.

Gwan Musu briefly looked around the Inn and then shouted.

“Pyo Wol! Come out.”

Wuuuung!

The Southern Sky Inn shook as if it would collapse from his Lion’s Roar.

“Keuk!”

“Ack!”

The customers inside the Inn covered their ears and writhed in pain.

One customer even bled from his eardrums.

However, Gwan Musu paid them no mind and once again unleashed a Lion’s Roar.

“Pyo Wol! I have something to say. Come out.”

Victims began to appear from the repeated Lion’s Roar.

“Keoheok!”

“Heup!”

People let out pained screams and rolled on the floor. Among them were those who had learned Martial Arts, but they could not withstand Gwan Musu’s Lion’s Roar.

It was truly a formidable Internal Energy.

But despite his repeated Lion’s Roar, Pyo Wol did not show himself.

Anger clouded Gwan Musu’s face.

“So this is how you’re going to be?”

Gwan Musu muttered and drew up his Internal Power. His face turned red.

He intended to unleash a Lion’s Roar with all his might.

“Ugh!”

“R-run away!”

The customers who sensed the unusual atmosphere were terrified and tried to escape outside the Inn. But they had been hit by the Lion’s Roar and had no strength in their legs.

The faces of those whose legs had given out turned deathly pale.

“N-no!”

“Save me!”

But their pleas did not reach Gwan Musu’s ears.

“Pyo Wol…”

It was the moment Gwan Musu was about to unleash his Lion’s Roar once more.

Shik!

A single Flying Dagger came flying.

The Flying Dagger, the size of a child’s palm, aimed for Gwan Musu’s philtrum.

Gwan Musu hastily stopped his Lion’s Roar, pulled out his axe, and struck the Flying Dagger.

Jjeo-eong!

With a metallic clang, the Flying Dagger was deflected. But it was too early to be relieved. The Flying Dagger, as if it were a living creature, flew towards Gwan Musu once more.

Swish