Chapter 114: Chapter 114

In the early morning, Ma Jang-gang’s group left first. Because of the situation where they had to take care of Dan So-mi, the group who could not help but move late hurriedly ate breakfast and boarded the carriage again.

“By the way, is it not truly a scary thing? That story even appeared in my dreams.”

“Do you mean the wooden logs?”

“Yes!”

Jang Sam-tae replied, trembling.

The appearance of those who were attacked becomes wooden logs, as if sucked by something. The more he thought about it, the colder the back of his neck became.

Since they did not just die, how painful would it be?

“Does such a martial art actually exist?”

Jang Sam-tae, sitting on the driver’s seat, turned his head and asked. Since they had just started and because of the rattling sound, his voice grew somewhat high.

It was to the extent that not only the people inside the carriage but also Gwon Mu-jin beside him could hear it clearly.

All of their gazes turned toward Dan Woo-hyun.

“It exists.”

“Isn’t that the kind of thing displayed by those like the Yin Yang Double Elders? I mean sucking internal energy through intercourse.”

Sa Do-hak asked with a frown.

The Yin Yang Double Elders were famous people in the Central Plains. As old monsters of the Unorthodox Faction, they forcibly copulated with everyone from young children to adults and sucked dry their internal energy.

Although it was an extremely vicious absorbing art, it felt different from the current one in that it was not powerful enough to turn the opponent into a wooden log.

“It is a kind of demonic art.”

“A… A demonic art? There is no such martial art in the Demonic Cult!”

Sa Do-hak shouted roughly.

The demonic art spoken of in this Central Plains meant a martial art that flowed out from the Demonic Cult. Since all its roots lay in the Demonic Cult, Sa Do-hak, who could be called its peak, should also know it.

However, it was his first time hearing it.

A martial art that turned a person into a wooden log?

“I see…… there isn’t one.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked without realizing it.

‘There isn’t…… there isn’t, huh.’

Indeed, it existed now, but they did not know it at all. If so, it meant that martial art had not existed until now and had not been known to anyone.

That had appeared in this reality now.

“It is a demonic art that absorbs the opponent’s internal energy. Was it called the Demon-Absorbing Art? I heard it was the mysterious art of the Black Wind Godly Demon who died after fighting the Heavenly Demon for three days and three nights.”

“O… One of the Three Heavens…… fought with that person for three days and three nights? It is my first time hearing such a thing……”

“It must be so……”

Dan Woo-hyun recalled the past.

Originally, the one who tried to unite the forces of the Demonic Cult was none other than the Black Wind Godly Demon. The Heavenly Demon, who was called one of the Three Heavens and idolized and revered by the current Demonic Cult members, was an existence that could be called his right arm.

However, because the Black Wind Godly Demon’s temper was too cruel, and he also mastered heterodox mysterious arts, the Heavenly Demon at that time, Cheon Mu-gwang, showed movements to eliminate him.

In doing so, he became half-crippled at the hands of the Black Wind Godly Demon who noticed the betrayal, and the person who happened to meet Dan Woo-hyun and gain a miraculous opportunity was precisely the Heavenly Demon and one of the Three Heavens they spoke of, Cheon Mu-gwang.

“That such an existence exists is surprising…… but it is strange. I mean that martial arts that have not been known so far continue to appear.”

Namgung Cheon also spoke with a frown.

If it was used by a single person, one might think he acquired it by chance through a miraculous opportunity. However, seeing it appear continuously like this, it felt as if someone was playing tricks.

Thinking so, he quietly looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

Having stared out the window for a long time, he opened his mouth.

“Stop the carriage.”

At the words suddenly heard, Jang Sam-tae slowly stopped the carriage without panic. Although he looked around to see if something was happening, nothing of the sort was felt in the least.

“Dad?”

Rustle.

Dan So-mi, who had been sleeping on Dan Woo-hyun’s lap, opened her eyes with a disheveled appearance. Her somewhat blank expression was lovely somehow.

Dan Woo-hyun smiled and stroked her head.

“Since I have something to check briefly, enter Henan first. Let us meet at the inn near the Martial Alliance.”

“Hey, my friend? What do you plan to do alone?”

“Did I not say I have something to check?”

At the words of Dan Woo-hyun who narrowed his eyes, Namgung Cheon was lost for words.

He was firm.

He felt that no matter what words were spoken, that person’s will could not be bent.

Sa Do-hak also closed his mouth, perhaps for the same reason.

Instead, Gwon Mu-jin tried to get off the carriage.

“I will assist you.”

“No need. You remain by So-mi’s side with Sam-tae and do not leave.”

“……If it is your command.”

Gwon Mu-jin bowed deeply.

He said nothing more. Dan Woo-hyun was a person who valued Dan So-mi’s life more than his own.

In that sense, it was identical to Dan Woo-hyun entrusting his life now.

He must not betray that.

“Where are you going?”

“Haha, do not worry and play. Since I will follow soon.”

Dan So-mi looked up at Dan Woo-hyun with a somewhat anxious gaze. Although Jang Sam-tae, Gwon Mu-jin, and the others were beside her, the place Dan So-mi felt most at ease was none other than beside Dan Woo-hyun.

Knowing that heart, Dan Woo-hyun pinched So-mi’s cheek.

“If there is something good, ask them to buy it, and if there is something delicious, eat. Since I will go quickly, you must have fun until then.”

“Hehehe, I understand. Then So-mi will stick right beside the uncles.”

At that smile, Dan Woo-hyun nodded.

She was still a child who listened well.

“Will it take long?”

“Well, I do not think it will take long.”

Smirking, he turned his back.

To talk more than this would just be wasting time. As he walked away without hesitation, Dan So-mi, who watched his back for a long time, grabbed Jang Sam-tae’s hand.

“Let’s go!”

“Ah, yes…… okay.”

Jang Sam-tae smiled awkwardly and nodded.

* * *

“Pant…… pant!”

Ma Jang-gang began to run.

Covered in blood all over his body, he was running solely to live. Forgetting the title of Vagabond King and the weight of the saber he carried, he ran only for survival.

He did not want to die.

He did not want to become like that.

Such thoughts weighed heavily on his head.

‘Wh… What on earth are those things!’

Meeting them was truly a coincidence.

He encountered them while wandering in the mountains after parting from that group early in the morning. Just seeing them wearing goblin masks allowed him to guess they were the group they were searching for.

Until then, he had underestimated the opponent too much.

The title of Vagabond King.

The skill to enter the hundred great experts.

Such words had deluded his ears too much.

And he had to realize once again.

Reality was always cruel and cold.

The subordinates he brought were all killed. The sight of them becoming wooden logs in front of his eyes still hovered before his eyes and did not disappear.

Even when he extended a hand of salvation to them who begged to be saved, it did not work, and he had to watch them die.

It did not work.

Everything.

The opponent naturally shed and blocked the martial arts he was so confident in, as if dealing with third-class or lower martial arts, and seemed to play with him.

That soon came as terror.

Thud!

“Aaaack!”

Feeling extreme pain in his back, he rolled on the ground.

His entire body, covered in cold sweat, became smeared with dirt. His eyes, trembling in terror, turned to look at one place.

They are here.

They are approaching.

The twenty ghosts.

They looked down at Ma Jang-gang without any words.

There was no emotion in their gazes.

It was as if corpses were standing.

However, they moved actively and their strength transcended imagination.

“Wh… What on earth are you! What are you, I say!”

Ma Jang-gang jumped up and shouted.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at the Twenty Ghosts.

However, no reply came, and they gradually extended the hands of death.

Thump!

In an instant.

The head of one of the approaching Twenty Ghosts flew off.

It was fast and refreshing to the point of being hard to believe even when seeing it with eyes.

The refreshing sound of a watermelon breaking stimulated the ears, and the body of one of the Twenty Ghosts, who looked so strong, collapsed in vain.

What?

What on earth happened?

The other Twenty Ghosts who were approaching also paused.

Their heads turned to look toward where something had flown from.

Look?

Since he could not even know the direction it flew from on his side…….

What kind of bigger monster had appeared.

“Twenty Ghosts? I wondered how great they were…… are they just simple corpses?”

Thump, thump.

That footstep sounded the loudest in Ma Jang-gang’s entire life. The sound of bushes parting, the approaching footsteps, the human voice heard.

Soon, the moment he saw the face of the person who revealed himself, Ma Jang-gang looked up at him with a trembling gaze and forgot even what to say.

Light shone.

Toward the man who appeared in front of his eyes.

It was splendid, as if looking at the hero he admired. A halo seemed to shine behind his back, and the slight smile on his face even looked beautiful somehow.

“Y… You are……”

“If you cannot move, lie down for a while. I will organize this place.”

That single sentence was cool beyond description.

A tone that even washed away the anxiety nested in a corner of his chest. It was a firm feeling, as if this man’s ease would not disappear even if there were twenty or a hundred ghosts here.

A thrill ran through his entire body.

He felt like gaining strength just by looking at that man.

“That aside…… they master the Demon-Absorbing Art and are corpses? I do not know which fellow it is, but he is quite something.”

The man took another step.

What was the Demon-Absorbing Art, and what did he mean by corpses?

Although he uttered words of unknown meaning, he realized that no questions were allowed.

Ma Jang-gang just caught his breath and watched the situation.

Soon.

Two of the Twenty Ghosts rushed.

They showed a fighting spirit entirely different from when they dealt with him and his subordinates just now, and their eyes were filled with killing intent, allowing him to feel it even from afar.

As if they were the target from the beginning.

“Not a single one shall be missed.”

However, the man muttered firmly and slightly stepped forward with his foot. In the moment he wondered what kind of martial arts stance that was.

Boom!

Along with a loud sound, the ground suddenly split and shook. The fragments flew up in all directions and poured toward the Twenty Ghosts as if they were alive.

That was by no means…… a human’s martial art.

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