Chapter 78

Thump, thump!

In the early morning, a hand knocked on the firmly shut door.

The hand belonged to an old Daoist priest with a graying beard. Behind the old Daoist priest stood dozens of young Daoist priests.

Despite knocking for a long time, the door did not open, and the Daoist priests grew weary of waiting. But the old Daoist priest continued to knock without a single sign of displeasure.

Finally, as if worn out by the old Daoist priest’s persistence, the door opened.

The one who opened the door and peeked out was an old man, as aged as the Daoist priest.

The old man’s face lit up.

“Goodness! I was wondering who was knocking so hard this early in the morning, and it turns out to be Daoist Master Muhwa.”

“Have you been well, Go Chonggwan? You’ve grown quite old, too.”

“How can one stop the passing of time? But what brings you here?”

The old man, called Go Chonggwan, asked cautiously.

It was by no means common for Daoist Master Muhwa to descend from Mount Qingcheng. For him to come down from the mountain and visit this place meant that something significant had occurred.

“Senior Martial Brother Wu. Is he inside?”

“He is, but…”

“Go and tell him I am here. I know his grief is great, but the Qingcheng Sect is in a precarious situation and we desperately need Senior Martial Brother Wu’s help.”

“What?”

“Just tell him that.”

“I understand. Please wait a moment.”

“I will wait as long as it takes.”

At Daoist Master Muhwa’s words, Go Chonggwan closed the door and ran to the main hall.

Left outside the gate, Daoist Master Muhwa gazed at the plaque above the main entrance with a bitter expression.

The four characters for Wu Family Trading Company were faintly visible.

It was a sign of complete neglect.

Not only the plaque, but the crumbling walls and the overgrown tree branches peeking over them showed just how neglected this place was.

An old Daoist priest of a similar age approached Daoist Master Muhwa’s side.

He was Daoist Master Muhwa’s Junior Martial Brother and the Hall Leader of the Enforcement Hall, Daoist Master Muyeong.

Daoist Master Muyeong spoke with a look of pity.

“Senior Martial Brother Wu’s grief must have been immense.”

“How could it not be? To us, he was a Disciple, but to him, he was his only flesh and blood. How could our sorrow compare to his?”

“Gun-sang’s death was a great shock to everyone. Who would have known that an Assassin would infiltrate the serene Daoist Temple and assassinate Qingcheng’s greatest talent?”

“Haa! It’s all said and done, the sect’s wings were broken because of it.”

Daoist Master Muhwa let out a deep sigh.

Seven years ago, after Wu Gun-sang, the greatest talent of the Qingcheng Sect, was assassinated by an Assassin, a heartbroken Wu Jin-pyeong gave up everything and returned to his family home to live in seclusion.

He did not involve himself in the affairs of the Qingcheng Sect, nor the Wu Family Trading Company. The Qingcheng Sect had visited several times to persuade him, but to no avail.

Having lost Wu Gun-sang, Wu Jin-pyeong fell into deep sorrow and lost his will for worldly affairs. He closed his ears and shut his eyes, living in seclusion.

Seven years had passed since then, and most of the household members had left, with only a few loyal retainers, including Go Chonggwan, remaining to protect him.

After Wu Jin-pyeong went into seclusion, the momentum of the Qingcheng Sect, which had been soaring to unknown heights, was broken.

It was the common opinion that if Wu Jin-pyeong had been soundly in his place, the dispute with the Emei Sect would have ended much earlier.

Such a great talent had been in seclusion for seven years due to the grief of losing his child. And today, Daoist Master Muhwa had to persuade him to come out into the world again.

It was an unpleasant task, but someone had to do it.

Daoist Master Muhwa and Daoist Master Muyeong stood and waited for a long time. Still, Go Chonggwan did not reappear.

By this point, someone might have voiced a complaint, but no one showed a single sign of displeasure.

That was how deeply they understood Wu Jin-pyeong’s situation.

Creeak!

A long time later, the door opened and an old man with disheveled hair appeared. The moment he saw him, tears welled up in Daoist Master Muhwa’s eyes.

“Senior Martial Brother!”

“Welcome, Junior Martial Brother!”

“Have you been well, Senior Martial Brother? I apologize for not visiting more often.”

“As you can see, I’m getting by. Junior Martial Brother Muyeong, you’ve come as well.”

Wu Jin-pyeong also greeted Daoist Master Muyeong.

“Senior Martial Brother!”

Daoist Master Muyeong embraced Wu Jin-pyeong and was speechless for a while.

The sight of the gaunt Wu Jin-pyeong pained his heart.

At that moment, the Martial Artists of the Enforcement Hall all performed a Fist-Palm Salute and greeted Wu Jin-pyeong.

“The disciples greet Senior Martial Uncle Wu.”

“Yes! You’ve all come too. Let’s all go inside.”

Wu Jin-pyeong led the people into the house.

The inside of the house was in a much more serious state than it appeared from the outside.

Most of the pavilions were half-collapsed and overgrown with weeds, and only the pavilion where Wu Jin-pyeong lived and the one where Go Chonggwan and others stayed were in a relatively decent state.

At the miserable sight of the Wu Family Trading Company, the Martial Artists of the Qingcheng Sect were at a loss for words.

Daoist Master Muhwa sighed and said.

“Haa! I am sorry. Please curse this thoughtless Junior Martial Brother as much as you like for never visiting. I truly did not know you were living with everything abandoned like this.”

“What’s the point of accumulating more wealth when I have no child to pass it on to? It’s all meaningless. I am happy enough as I am.”

“Senior Martial Brother!”

“But what brings you here?”

“By any chance, did Senior Martial Brother Mujeong not visit here?”

“I haven’t even seen Senior Martial Brother Mujeong’s face. And what is this about the Qingcheng Sect being in a precarious situation?”

“Well! The truth is…”

Daoist Master Muhwa told Wu Jin-pyeong what had happened.

Wu Jin-pyeong closed his eyes and listened to Daoist Master Muhwa’s words. When Daoist Master Muhwa finally finished speaking, Wu Jin-pyeong opened his eyes and said.

“It’s clear there was a third party’s intervention.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because the timing of everything is too coincidental. The fact that the young master of the Thunder Clan was assassinated by our sect’s Seventy-Two Cutting Waves, for instance…”

Wu Jin-pyeong suddenly trembled as if struck by lightning.

“What is it, Senior Martial Brother?”

“Good heavens! The Seventy-Two Cutting Waves.”

Wu Jin-pyeong closed his eyes tightly.

The Sword Art that had killed his son, Wu Gun-sang, was none other than the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves. He hadn’t known at the time of Wu Gun-sang’s death, but upon closer examination later, he realized the wounds were from the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves.

“Didn’t the Assassin who killed Gun-sang in the past master the Seventy-Two Cutting Waves?”

“But didn’t Senior Martial Brother Mujeong kill him?”

“He said he threw him into a snake pit, not that he killed him directly.”

“So, Senior Martial Brother, you think that Assassin has come back to life?”

“The possibility isn’t entirely non-existent, is it?”

Wu Jin-pyeong’s eyes glinted eerily.

At his gaze, which they had never seen before, Daoist Master Muhwa and Daoist Master Muyeong felt a chill.

Daoist Master Muhwa asked cautiously.

“What if he really is the Assassin from that time?”

“Naturally, I must avenge my child. Isn’t it the duty of the one left behind to resolve the grudge of a child who died before their parent?”

For the first time, a flicker of life returned to Wu Jin-pyeong’s face.

＊＊＊

Shhk! Shhk!

Pyo Wol sharpened the Ghostly Rain on a whetstone.

From rough use, the blades were damaged in places. It would have been best to entrust them to Tang Sochu for proper repair, but sharpening them on a whetstone as a temporary measure wasn’t bad either.

With each movement of Pyo Wol’s hand, the Ghostly Rain regained its original sharpness.

It was so keen that a slight touch of the hand could cut through fabric.

Pyo Wol stood up, tucking all ten Ghostly Rain daggers into his belt.

His back and legs were numb from crouching for a long time.

Pyo Wol tapped his back and legs with his fists and looked around.

There was no one around the well where he had been sharpening the stone.

Pyo Wol drew out a long Soul Restraining Thread with his hand.

An invisible thread of qi stretched out long.

By now, drawing out and maintaining a single strand of the Soul Restraining Thread didn’t take much effort. That was how much he had gotten the hang of it.

“Then, can I do two?”

Pyo Wol, on a whim, drew out another strand of the Soul Restraining Thread.

As he had gotten the hang of it, drawing out another strand was not difficult, but it consumed a massive amount of Internal Power, making it hard to maintain.

Beads of sweat trickled down Pyo Wol’s forehead. The sweat flowed into his eyes, stinging them, but Pyo Wol did not lose his concentration.

Pyo Wol used all his strength to maintain the two strands of the Soul Restraining Thread. After a Shichen passed, the two strands stabilized. But Pyo Wol was not satisfied with this.

Now, he had to use the two strands of the Soul Restraining Thread freely.

Swish!

Pyo Wol swung the Soul Restraining Thread, circling the open space near the well.

The Soul Restraining Thread cut sharply through the air, displaying immense power. But Pyo Wol had no intention of being satisfied with just this.

The Soul Restraining Thread extending from his hand delved into his waist and soon pulled out a Ghostly Rain.

Two Ghostly Rain daggers were attached to each of the Soul Restraining Threads.

Shh!

With the Ghostly Rain attached, the power of the Soul Restraining Thread was maximized.

Pyo Wol handled the two Ghostly Rain daggers as if they were his own limbs.

Only after a long time did Pyo Wol retract the Ghostly Rain.

As the Ghostly Rain disappeared into his belt, the Soul Restraining Thread also naturally vanished.

Pyo Wol’s entire body was drenched in sweat. Yet, Pyo Wol had a dissatisfied expression.

He thought his progress was too slow.

His goal was to freely use ten Ghostly Rain daggers with the Soul Restraining Thread. Two was not enough to satisfy him.

Pyo Wol shook his head and returned to the well.

He drew water from the well and poured it directly over his head.

The cold stream of water soaked his clothes and his body. Pyo Wol drew water several more times to wash off the sweat.

Pyo Wol put down the bucket and circulated his Internal Energy.

Chiiik!

Instantly, the water soaking his body and clothes evaporated into steam.

Becoming comfortable in an instant, Pyo Wol left the well area.

As he left the well, Pyo Wol covered the lower half of his face with a scarf. It couldn’t completely hide his handsome features, but it could at least block people’s gazes to some extent.

The atmosphere in Chengdu was grim.

Not only the Martial Artists of the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect, but also a significant number of the sects representing Sichuan Province had dispatched their forces.

Countless Martial Artists from outside, as well as those from sects based in Chengdu like the Gold River Gate and the Qingming Room, were roaming the city.

Among them were Martial Artists directly related to the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect, and others who were not.

Their faces showed a mixture of tension and excitement.

The full-scale war between the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect was the first major event since the incident seven years ago when all the Martial Artists of Sichuan Province joined forces to deploy the Celestial Net and subjugate the assassins.

Whoever the victor was, the power structure within Sichuan Province would change significantly.

Martial Artists connected to the Qingcheng Sect would naturally fight for the Qingcheng Sect’s victory, and those connected to the Emei Sect would do the same. But not everyone was like that.

There were also those who sought to gain scraps from the middle, or those who wanted to make a great name for themselves through this opportunity.

Chengdu had become the center of a storm with the people who had flocked there.

Because the atmosphere was so grim with Martial Artists, ordinary people had completely stopped venturing outside their homes.

Pyo Wol headed for the Inn right in front of the Hundred Flowers Room.

“Welcome.”

As Pyo Wol entered, a Waiter ran up to greet him.

He had been staying here for several days already, so the Waiter knew him.

“Please guide me to a seat with a view of the window.”

“Follow me.”

The Waiter readily guided Pyo Wol to the best seat.

As it was still early, the Inn was quiet.

Pyo Wol ordered some simple food and sat in the seat with the best view of the Hundred Flowers Room.

At the main entrance of the Hundred Flowers Room, unfamiliar people were standing guard.

Pyo Wol knew that they were disciples from the main headquarters of the Emei Sect.

He had spent several days here observing the Hundred Flowers Room. Thanks to that, he could remember most of the faces of the newly arrived Emei Sect disciples.

Their body types, faces, voices, and even their hierarchical relationships with each other.

Thud!*

At that moment, food was placed on the table where he sat. But the person who set down the food was not the Waiter.

“Hello! Handsome Orabeoni.”

The woman who set down the food instead of the Waiter was none other than Heo Ranju.

After setting down all the food, Heo Ranju sat in the seat opposite Pyo Wol and said.

“The food here seems delicious. Go on, eat.”

“…”

“Hey! Are you worried I might have put poison in the food? I don’t do such dirty tricks, so rest assured and eat.”

Heo Ranju rested her chin on her arms and smiled sweetly.

Pyo Wol, without even touching the food, asked Heo Ranju.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I came to see my handsome Orabeoni.”

“For what reason?”

“Because I wanted to see you.”

Heo Ranju smiled even more deeply and stretched out her white finger. Her finger touched the scarf covering Pyo Wol’s face.

Heo Ranju slowly pulled down Pyo Wol’s scarf. Then, Pyo Wol’s face was fully revealed.

“You really are handsome. Why do you cover up a face like this?”

“Did you come to see my face?”

“That’s one reason, and there are other reasons… Still, seeing your face like this makes me feel good. Looking at a handsome man is always a pleasant thing.”

Heo Ranju kept grinning as if she was genuinely in a good mood. But Pyo Wol was not naive enough to be fooled by her appearance.

Heo Ranju brought her face close to Pyo Wol’s. And she continued.

“Do you know how much trouble I went through to find you? Who would have guessed you’d be watching the Hundred Flowers Room from right under our noses? You’re quite a fox, a fox.”

“You were looking for me?”

“Yup!”

“Why?”

“Our Unit Leader received a request.”

“If I ask what kind of request, will you answer?”

“Of course. You need to know how things are going, too.”

“Tell me. What’s the request?”

“A request to kill you.”

Heo Ranju answered with a bright expression.

Pyo Wol’s expression did not change even after hearing her words. At that, Heo Ranju tilted her head.

“You’re not surprised?”

“I am plenty surprised.”

“Really? I was about to be disappointed, thinking you weren’t surprised.”

Heo Ranju blinked her large eyes.

She looked like a lover acting cute, but Heo Ranju’s eyes were not smiling at all.

Heo Ranju was glaring at Pyo Wol with a chillingly cold gaze.

“Pyo Wol!”

“Speak.”

“I’ll say this one last time. Join the Black Cloud Corps. Then I’ll cancel the request.”