Chapter 335: Blood-Red Hell Within the Trap
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Dokgo In-wang asked with a surprised expression.
“Then you mean Former Hall Master Byeok discussed this with Sect Leader Cheol in advance?”
Byeok Song-ha touched her chrysanthemum hairpin and answered with a faint smile.
“Yes, I acted according to his plan. I also brought elite personnel from our former hall, and they’re currently carrying out a separate operation.”
“Wait, the Ghost Cloud Great Bee swarm too, perhaps…?”
“That also became possible thanks to Sect Leader Cheol letting me know the habitat. This sphere is a mystical spirit jade that can freely control Ghost Cloud Great Bees. Of course, Sect Leader Cheol procured this for me too. You saw earlier, right? When the sphere emitted light, the Ghost Cloud Great Bees moved like an army.”
“But how did he obtain that?”
“The southern Outer Region beyond the border.”
At those words, Dokgo In-wang’s gaze wavered.
One thing immediately came to mind.
It was the name of the supreme force that ruled the vast jungle region beyond the southern border.
“From the start, Sect Master Cheol saw through the rumor about the Divine Martial Sword being the enemy’s scheme. Now, shall we go?”
With those words, Byeok Song-ha raised the spirit jade above her head.
Immediately after.
FLASH!
The sphere called spirit jade emitted energy light.
While translucent heat haze spread into the air.
-Boowooowoong, boowooowoong, boowooowoong…!
The sound of countless bees flapping their wings hammered hard against everyone’s ears.
Before long, countless Ghost Cloud Great Bees formed a giant circular formation in the air as if shielding the party.
“Now the Ghost Cloud Great Bees will guide us.”
At Byeok Song-ha’s words, the Ghost Cloud Great Bee swarm began advancing.
Matching that movement, the Dokgo Sword Family group, led by Dokgo In-Wang, also started walking one by one.
* * *
Before long, evening had arrived.
The sun was tilting toward the western mountain, and grayish twilight covered the earth.
In a forest somewhere in the darkening Shiwan Mountains, the scent of blood permeated.
Roughly twenty or so bodies of martial artists.
It was truly a gruesome scene.
Some had died with their heads severed, and some had died with their limbs cut off.
In the midst of that, one person suddenly stirred.
“Keu…”
He, who had risen by using his sword as a cane, was a man who appeared to be in his thirties.
On one cheek, an old-looking cross-shaped scar was engraved.
And.
His clothes, torn here and there, were soaked in blood.
It was such a mess that it was impossible to tell if it was his blood or someone else’s.
It appeared he had fainted and just awakened.
The man soon shook his head left and right before turning his gaze.
‘Keuk…! This can’t be…’
The man’s complexion hardened like stone at the blood-red gruesome scene.
He was grinding his teeth.
It was unbelievable.
Because these weren’t people who would fall this futilely.
After all, each person who had met death here was a renowned blade expert.
The surviving man was the same.
In fact, he was a killer counted among the best of the current era.
Hwal-bae, whose Jianghu epithet was Earth Gate Assassin.
He was a notorious killer said to secretly traverse underground doors and kill those who became his targets.
He was also the hall master of Shadow Cliff Assassin Hall – the one and only assassin organization of the Guangxi region.
His personal martial prowess was also at a tremendous level.
He was one of the Three Martial Arms of Guangxi, so-called for representing the current Guangxi region.
Shadow Cliff Assassin Hall Master Earth Gate Assassin Hwal-bae, as befitting a killer who moved according to money, coveted treasure.
That was why he had come to the Shiwan Mountains.
The Divine Martial Sword.
Greatest Sword in the Jianghu, Greatest Sword Under Heaven, Greatest Sword of All Time… truly the highest weapon among the Ten Great Heavenly Weapons.
He had come here with his subordinates to obtain that.
Today was the fourth day.
The initial swelling anticipation had ultimately turned into frustration.
After being attacked by a group even more covert than assassins.
Formations that disrupted vision, energy sense, and such were the cause.
Moreover.
The enemy who had covertly attacked employed strange sorcery of illusion and phantasm properties, compounding the confusion.
At that point, he finally realized.
That the enemy’s true identity was the Heretic Cult.
Also, that the rumor about the Divine Martial Sword was a lure.
‘It was the Heretic Cult’s trap…! Hmph, the audacity. When this becomes known to the various martial circles, you…’
His hand gripping the sword handle trembled like a wind-struck branch.
It was the effect of having consumed vast amounts of stamina and internal power.
He soon swept his entire body with the true energy from his lower dantian.
‘Fortunately.’
His internal injuries weren’t that severe, so he felt relieved.
However, he wasn’t normal either.
He needed to perform Energy Circulation and Breath Regulation first in a quiet place.
If he ran into Heretic Cult lackeys again like this, he would be in danger.
At that moment, a cold voice flew in.
“So you were still breathing.”
It was a voice coming from the rear, not very far away.
Startled, Hwal-bae staggered as he turned around.
‘Oh…!’
About one Zhang away.
A young man and woman were visible.
Hwal-bae immediately sensed it.
The young couple’s outstanding martial prowess.
He hadn’t detected the approaching presence, after all.
Though he was in an exhausted state of body and mind, their skill was clearly no ordinary level.
One more thing… currently the man and woman stood emitting a sinister intangible aura.
Therefore, he was certain.
That they were Heretic Cult members.
Enraged, Hwal-bae’s eyes blazed like flames.
“Are you the Heretic Cult!”
His furious shout echoed through the space.
The young man who met his gaze answered with a gesture.
“Not stupid, are you.”
It was an oddly spine-chilling tone.
The young man who appeared to be in his late twenties had strong features.
Thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, a thick and high-bridged nose… a cold and fierce feeling as if you couldn’t draw a drop of blood even if you pricked him with a needle.
His attire was quite peculiar.
He wore clothes embroidered with Red Flower patterns that any ordinary man would refuse as effeminate.
A long robe with red flowers harmonized against a black background.
Somehow, it suited his appearance strangely well.
Looking at him, even a subtle demonic elegance seemed to flow.
The woman beside him had rather plain clothes.
She only wore a common white robe.
In contrast, her face was so gorgeous it was dazzling…
She looked about twenty-five or so.
Black hair styled high in a cloud-shaped bun, features so beautiful they would make a fairy weep, a waist as slender as a gourd bottle… a seductive figure that could truly be called a femme fatale.
Everything that entered the eyes was beautiful.
However.
The man and woman’s skin was strangely pale.
There was almost no color of blood.
What was it? They weren’t frozen corpses, after all.
The young man, leisurely clasping his hands behind his back, spoke coldly again.
“This Lord is… Cult Leader Snake-Robed Hwa-rang.”
Then he indicated the stunning beauty and continued.
“This one is my younger sister and Vice Cult Leader, called Snake-Robed Hwa-nong. I know who you are.”
Hwal-bae shouted with thick veins standing out on his neck.
“Shut up! Do you think you’ll get away with this! To rashly break the promise with the Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon…”
At that, a cold sneer crossed Snake-Robed Hwa-rang’s lips.
“Heh…”
“You laugh? Now the Heretic Cult has become a public enemy of the Jianghu. Be prepared. There are already masters from various circles here…”
“Foolish. Do you think we did this without such resolve?”
“What…!”
“The Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon is dead, and that old promise is now meaningless.”
“Keuk, treacherous things… you will certainly pay the price.”
“Such words only make you look weak. Don’t you know that? And anyway, you can’t freely leave this place.”
“Even if not me, there are many who will eliminate you. Come, kill me! I’ll become a ghost of Mangsan and take revenge! You dirty evil spirits…”
“Evil spirits? How amusing. Is someone who trades in human lives any different?”
Hwal-bae, grinding his teeth, poured out more abuse.
“I don’t want to hear such words from someone who walks around in women’s clothes! Shut your mouth and just cut off my head!”
Snake-Robed Hwa-rang smirked and showed cold eyes.
“Kill you? That would be a waste. Having survived this with difficulty.”
“…!”
“I just happened to lose a hunting dog. So you shall become the hunting dog instead.”
“Instead of barking nonsense… keok!”
Snake-Robed Hwa-rang moved like a flash of light and gripped Hwal-bae’s neck.
At that moment.
CHEUCHEUCHEUEU, CHEUCHEUCHEUEU…
The surrounding scenery began to move and change as if made of smoke.
Hwal-bae, despite his suffering, was horrified upon seeing that sight.
‘Keu… wh-what is this…?’
The forest disappeared and an ancient castle’s plaza newly appeared.
That was right.
What he had thought was a forest was an ancient castle site from the beginning.
Realizing that, Hwal-bae’s complexion turned pale white.
‘Keu… c-crazy… that bastard’s sorcery is this powerful…?’
The admiration of fear was brief.
PAT, PAPAT.
Snake-Robed Hwa-rang pressed his demon acupoint and pulled out a talisman.
At that moment, Snake-Robed Hwa-nong wore an alluring smile.
“Hoho. Become a hunting dog and run around diligently. There’s prey scattered all over.”
Snake-Robed Hwa-rang, also smiling, spoke.
“This talisman shall guide you to the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan’s path.”
He immediately attached the talisman to Hwal-bae’s chest.
Simultaneously.
SYUSYUSYUSYU, SYUSYUSYUSYUSYU…
The talisman that burst with energy sound scattered smoke along with black flames.
“Keuah… keuaaak!”
The paralyzed Hwal-bae trembled violently.
But suddenly.
-Ohoho! Good, another usable dog has been born.
A voice resembling Six-Direction Sound Transmission was heard from somewhere.
Soon, one figure appeared with nimble movement beside Snake-Robed Hwa-rang and Snake-Robed Hwa-nong.
It was a movement descending from the air like a feather.
Snake-Robed Hwa-rang looked at that figure.
No.
He looked up at it.
Why?
Because the figure that appeared nearby was tall enough to approach fully nine Cheok.
A tall woman.
Her grayish-white pair of pupils were terrifying, but her overall appearance was quite beautiful.
Due to her thin black gauze attire, the body beneath was exposed and embarrassing to look at.
Her features looked middle-aged, but it was difficult to guess the exact age.
The woman’s identity was Lust-Blood Seductive Ghost Hu-ra – one of the Three Spirits under Bat Demon Great King Heuk Ma-yung.
“That man, he’s the famous blade expert called Earth Gate Assassin, right?”
Hu-ra smacked her lips after asking that.
“Yes, one of the Three Martial Arms of Guangxi.”
No sooner had Snake-Robed Hwa-rang answered softly.
“Hmm, I like him very much.”
Hu-ra swayed her gauze robe and approached directly in front of Hwal-bae.
“Keu… keuah…!”
Hwal-bae was still screaming.
In an instant, Hu-ra’s pupils changed.
CHEUCHUT…
Her grayish-white eyes turned dark green.
Moreover, heat haze began to writhe and spread out.
Following that, Hu-ra lowered her head and opened her mouth wide.
Gleaming fangs.
Sharp and pointed like a beast’s, they were thrust into one side of Hwal-bae’s neck.
BEOLKEOK-BEOLKEOK, BEOLKEOK-BEOLKEOK…
The sight of Hu-ra drinking his blood was terrifying.
However, Snake-Robed Hwa-rang and Snake-Robed Hwa-nong had calm expressions.
Rather, they seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.
Some time passed.
SEUK.
Hu-ra, raising her head, twisted her body with an excited expression.
“Heuuung… good. As expected, men’s blood is the best. My thighs are already wet with heat.”
No sooner had her words ended.
TTUK, TTUDUK, TTUK…
Strange sounds continuously rang from Hwal-bae’s body.
Amazingly, his skeletal structure was rapidly changing.
By now, the talisman’s black flames had been absorbed into his body and disappeared.
“Keu… keu-reuk, keu-reo-reo…!”
Hwal-bae, trembling, made ferocious beast-like sounds.
In the midst of that, Snake-Robed Hwa-rang quietly muttered.
“He has splendidly been reborn as a Forbidden Soul Ghost Thing Body.”