Chapter 105: Chapter 105

“Kugh……!”

Namgung Yong, the current Family Head of the Namgung Family, swallowed a groan and clenched his fists. The place was damp to the extreme, the blowing wind cooled even their body temperature, and the stones on the floor were sharp enough to make it impossible to lie down and sleep.

Where was this place?

It seemed to be a cave somewhere in the Anhui region.

However, he could not grasp the exact details. Because there was so little information. Moreover, he did not know why the opponent kept them alive.

“Are you alright?”

Namgung Yong threw a question.

He was not the only one imprisoned inside. Although more than half had died due to the fierce battle, there were still those who were alive and had not died yet.

The one he worried about most was none other than his son, Namgung Gang.

“F… Father…… I, I am…… fine.”

Namgung Yong let out a sigh of relief at the voice heard from a corner. Since they were all heavily injured and had been imprisoned in such a place for over a month, they could easily fall ill and die.

Although he felt his energy had weakened somewhat, he seemed to be still alive.

“How are the others?”

“F… Family Head. We are also fine. Rather, we worry more about the Family Head…… Were you not struck by a sword?”

“Ha, haha. Isn’t this kind of thing common?”

Namgung Yong opened his mouth awkwardly and sighed.

A martial artist being struck by a sword was a common occurrence anywhere. It was merely that he had forgotten it because he had lived too peacefully until now.

Yes, the Martial World was always a harsh and cold place for martial artists.

“Oh. You guys are still alive without dying.”

Just then, a voice was heard.

Namgung Yong, frowning, looked at him.

Step, step.

The one walking in slowly from one side of the cave. He was missing one arm, but his gaze and spirit were not inferior compared to anyone.

That fellow was indeed.

Snake Blood Band Leader Gang Do-hyul.

“Kugh. You bastard……! Do you think you will be safe after doing such a thing?”

“Haha, aren’t I safe as a result? It has already been over two months since I made the Namgung Family like that. Nothing has happened to me other than having one arm fall off, has it?”

“…….”

“I thought the Martial Alliance would invade immediately, but seeing that they haven’t…… it seems the Orthodox Faction is indeed rotten?”

“Y… You bastard! Do not open your mouth so carelessly!”

“Did I say anything wrong? Anyway, try to endure well. I need to capture one more, but she shows no sign of coming out at all, tsk tsk…….”

At those words, Namgung Yong and Namgung Gang widened their eyes.

The only person who was not in this place now.

Namgung So-hye.

Also, judging from Gang Do-hyul’s words, she seemed to have escaped.

“As expected, your eyes roll when your daughter is mentioned. Huhuhu, I will let you meet soon. Of course, after that, I will cut off your necks one by one.”

“You bastard! Why on earth are you doing this to us! What grudge do you have to commit such a deed!”

Booming!

Namgung Yong’s anger-filled shout spread throughout the cave. However, there was no way power would spread in a situation where his dantian was sealed.

Gang Do-hyul was not one to be cowed by a simple shout.

Smirking fishily, he opened his mouth.

“A grudge? There is no way such a thing exists. It is just…… that you guys are unlucky.”

Namgung Yong trembled all over.

Of course, he did not believe that fellow’s words literally. For someone with no grudge, their actions were to an excessive degree.

Unlike a normal state, his surging heart did not fade easily.

He gripped the iron bars confining them as if to crush them.

If only his dantian were intact, such iron would have turned to powder.

Namgung Yong’s anger pierced the sky to that extent.

Yet, Gang Do-hyul’s ridicule did not end there.

“I will show you before killing you. Exactly what happens to your daughter. Hahaha!”

Gang Do-hyul’s laughter spread endlessly.

* * *

“Des…… Desolate.”

Such was Sa Do-hak’s impression upon looking at the Namgung Family. It was a sight as if hit by cannonballs. No, it was actually filled with traces of fallen cannonballs.

The grand appearance of the Namgung Family could not be found, and now only its remains were left, occupying the space in vain.

The plaque of the Namgung Family, which had ruled Anhui for a thousand years, could not even be found in trace.

The bloodstains visible everywhere were surely the blood of someone from the family. It was to the extent that he wondered if this place was truly the Namgung Family, which was called the peak of the Eight Great Families.

It was too miserable.

Namgung Cheon sat down and stroked the shattered plaque with his hand.

“Hahaha.”

His mouth let out a hollow sigh.

Until seeing it directly with his eyes, he had not thought it would be this desolate. Even if he was absent, it was still the Namgung Family; because he had that pride, the current shock was beyond words.

Sa Do-hak could not offer any words of comfort to Namgung Cheon. He too would not want to hear any words if the Demonic Cult ended up in this state.

“Hmm……”

In contrast, Dan Woo-hyun was calm.

It was not once or twice that he had seen things so miserably collapsed and trampled. Indeed, if he counted the families and sects that had collapsed by his hands, it would easily exceed a hundred.

“Their numbers must have been large. Cannonballs are one thing, but the skills of the fellows who raided are out of the ordinary.”

This was somewhat surprising.

The ones who raided were said to be the Snake Blood Band. However, looking at the remaining footprints of the opponent and the traces of martial arts, it was certain they were not random scoundrels.

Because it was no ordinary matter for traces to remain so clearly like this.

Furthermore, unconsciously, it was familiar somewhere.

Dan Woo-hyun narrowed his brow.

It seemed he could remember, yet it did not come to mind.

“Did you say the Snake Blood Band? Any place that comes to mind?”

“None.”

Namgung Cheon also recalled that name he had heard on the way here multiple times. However, no particular people came to mind.

He thought they were one of those harboring a grudge, but wasn’t the Martial World originally a place where such relationships were entangled?

There was no way he could remember every single one.

“At least it is fortunate that they took the survivors away.”

“How do you know?”

“I know because there are traces.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked and pointed to the ground.

He already knew that considerable time had passed. However, there were always things that did not disappear. Especially for masters who reached a considerable level, their traces were deep and did not vanish easily.

Furthermore, if no one had touched it, something had to be left behind.

“A guest has arrived.”

And if the Snake Blood Band surely existed somewhere, they had no choice but to pay attention to those who visited the Namgung Family.

Because of that, since no one had approached, someone naturally reveals themselves to execute those who entered.

Rustle!

A series of groups revealed themselves.

But the feeling was slightly different from what they had thought.

“The Snake Blood Band?”

Every single one of them wore a red mask. Although he did not know those called the Snake Blood Band, he thought that mask might be their mark.

He watched them in wonder.

“What is the reason you came here?”

A man muttered quietly.

Coming to the Namgung Family meant there was a connection.

Perhaps they were related to Namgung So-hye whom they were searching for.

Displaying a spirit of never letting them escape, he gripped his sword.

“Then what is the reason you bastards came here?”

The one stepping forward with a rustle was none other than Namgung Cheon. Because he wore a mask, his momentum seemed to have changed even more strangely.

Flinch.

The masked men shrank back.

Shring!

Namgung Cheon slowly drew his sword.

The sharp metallic sound greatly stimulated their ears.

The fierce momentum spreading at the same time gave them a strong pressure that was beyond description.

Ominous.

Yes, the energy flowing from Namgung Cheon’s body now was ominous to the extreme. It was entirely different from the gentleness he had shown when he was the Sword Emperor in the past.

However, the masked men did not budge.

They calmly brushed off even the felt killing intent. As if they possessed no emotion called fear, their eyes gleamed sharply and they took their opening stances.

“Ho!”

Not to mention Sa Do-hak, even Dan Woo-hyun was surprised.

Was the opponent an idiot who did not know how to see the difference in skill?

It was a situation where they were already overwhelmed just by the felt momentum, yet pointing their swords was merely an act that was reckless to the extreme.

Yet, it was interesting.

Dan Woo-hyun looked around and happened to find a space where he could sit.

As he sat down there, Sa Do-hak also sat beside him.

“Do not fight a boring battle.”

“Yes, yes, if you are going to do it, you should do it excitingly.”

Dan Woo-hyun and Sa Do-hak muttered.

At those sounds, Namgung Cheon cast a somewhat dumbfounded gaze. His side was in a situation where anger reached the top of his head, yet those two were acting as if they had become spectators.

Although it was a situation that caused him to frown, he soon smirked.

The sharply rising killing intent subsided somewhat.

Only then did he calmly compose his mind.

“A boring battle? This is a one-sided battle. Naturally, it is not fun.”

“Even if it is one-sided, you just need to make it interesting. There is no benefit in killing them, so just do it gently.”

“Hahaha.”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Namgung Cheon let out a chuckle.

Did he say that while knowing it would be a one-sided fight?

Holding the sword with one hand, he glared at the opponents.

It was a real battle after a long time.

His senses stood sharply on end.

“Crazy.”

On the contrary, the masked men narrowed their eyes.

What was that confidence?

It was not even funny. Their side was numerous and their martial arts were also high. Losing to a strange guy who had only one arm at most was unimaginable.

Although his momentum was indeed great, one could not win every battle by momentum alone.

“Kill.”

Soon, the mouth of the one who seemed to be the leader opened.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun, Namgung Cheon, and Sa Do-hak flashed their eyes.

Only now did they realize who the highest guy among them was.

The masked men pounced all at once.

Quickly treading the ground, they shot straight toward Namgung Cheon. Their figures moving in the dark gave the illusion of being assimilated with the darkness.

“Dark Shadow Steps?”

Sa Do-hak identified that martial art.

The masked men were seen to be startled by the single word uttered from his mouth, but no matter how surprised they were, they should not have looked at Sa Do-hak.

Slash!

Instantly, something flashed along with the moonlight.

The one who had approached Namgung Cheon first suddenly saw the landscape flip and saw the moonlight that could only be seen by looking up at the sky. In a situation where he could not understand what was what at all, the world twisted once more, and at the same time, blood splurted from the neck of a familiar torso somewhere.

Splat!

“Even if I have only one arm, I can still crush ants. Be careful, everyone.”

Soon, Namgung Cheon’s chilling voice was heard.

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