Chapter 261: Chapter 261

“Haah, haah… haah…”

Namgung So-hye panted as she hid herself.

She had fled as far away as possible.

She wanted to move to a crowded place, but they had blocked the paths thoroughly as if they were hunting prey, so she could not do so.

Thus, she widened the distance as much as possible and hid herself.

The place where Namgung So-hye was currently hiding was a nearby abandoned house. With holes here and there and long abandoned by people, it was perfect for escaping their eyes for the moment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… what about you, sister?”

“I am fine.”

Namgung So-hye stroked Dan So-mi’s head, comforting her as the child showed an anxious expression.

Since they were under attack by mysterious assailants in broad daylight, it would not be easy for the young Dan So-mi to hide her anxiety.

“Sister will make a path. No matter what happens, you must run without stopping and go home. Do you understand?”

“Yes?”

Without looking at Dan So-mi’s startled expression, she turned her head. She felt the sound of someone walking slowly getting closer.

It would not be long before they reached this place.

‘At the very least, So-mi must…’

Namgung So-hye hugged Dan So-mi and composed her breathing. She did not care about her own death.

In the first place, martial artists were those who lived lives where it was not strange to die at any moment.

But she wanted to save this child by any means necessary.

Their target was likely her, Namgung So-hye.

She could also guess the reason. That was why, if she could just divert their attention as much as possible, it would not be too difficult to let Dan So-mi escape.

‘The Murong Clan…’

Namgung So-hye muttered as she recalled their sword forms in her mind once again.

It was definitely the swordsmanship of the Murong Clan. Although it was not the swordsmanship of the direct line, it was unmistakably the sword technique executed by those of the branch lines.

Why were the people of the Murong Clan here?

Could it be that they had come targeting Namgung So-hye from the beginning?

‘No… that is not it.’

When she first clashed with them, they also looked visibly surprised. Although she could not see clearly because they had pulled down their bamboo hats, it was clear that they had run into each other by chance.

‘Then, did they come to Yueyang for another reason?’

Namgung So-hye could not easily organize her thoughts.

Just then.

Stab-!

“Ugh!”

“Sister!?”

Suddenly, a sword blade pierced through the wall and into her shoulder.

At that intense pain, she clenched her teeth and pulled her body away. Without even having time to scream, she thrust her sword and pierced the wall.

Crash!

Namgung So-hye’s sword pierced the body of the person standing behind the wall.

Along with a short groan, the sound of something collapsing was heard, but Namgung So-hye was not stupid enough to feel relieved upon hearing it.

Crash-!

Soon, with a tremendous resonance, the wall shattered and one man entered.

That man looked at Namgung So-hye with a lofty gaze and wore a thick smile on his lips.

“Murong Jang-uk!”

“Haha!”

Looking at him, Namgung So-hye realized at once who the opponent was.

A person who once possessed skills on par with Namgung So-hye among the rising stars, and whom many praised, saying he would become the Sword Saint in the future.

The young patriarch of the Murong Clan, and the son of the deceased Murong Gwancheon.

“It has been a long time, Namgung So-hye-!”

Murong Jang-uk struck down strongly with his sword as he spat out those words. What he targeted was not Namgung So-hye, but Dan So-mi, whom she was trying to protect.

Without panic, Namgung So-hye parried the sword.

Clang!

Sparks flew at the single clash, and she adjusted her stance and stepped back.

Dan So-mi’s pale face came into her sight, but right now, she did not even have the leisure to soothe her.

Crash!

The sound was heard again.

Behind Namgung So-hye, the crumbling wall shattered and another man revealed himself once more. The moment he discovered Namgung So-hye, he swung his sword.

Slash!

“Ugh!”

Her shoulder was deeply cut.

Blood splattered and pain paralyzed her body.

The moment the man’s sword was swung again, Namgung So-hye hugged Dan So-mi.

Slash!

“Argh!”

She felt the sensation of her back being deeply cut.

Namgung So-hye, who rolled over while hugging Dan So-mi, suppressed her bursting groans and endured the pain. Her entire body trembled violently.

“Si… Sister…”

Dan So-mi touched Namgung So-hye’s face with her trembling hands.

“It is okay, it is okay. So-mi, you did nothing wrong.”

Namgung So-hye clenched her teeth and comforted So-mi. Her heart felt like it was tearing apart at the thought of how deeply this kind child would be hurt if she did not do even this.

Namgung So-hye wobbled as she stood up from her spot.

“Now… there is no longer a Murong Clan that pursues the orthodox path…”

“…Who was it that made it this way?”

Murong Jang-uk glared at Namgung So-hye with a full sneer. From the moment Murong Hyeok-mun touched Namgung Cheon, everything began to tangle.

Therefore, it was the fault of the Namgung Clan that the Murong Clan lost everything and collapsed.

Such nonsensical sophistry was the truth to Murong Jang-uk.

There was no longer the Murong Clan that was called a prestigious family of the orthodox path.

“Then I, too… shall not hesitate.”

“Your spirit is commendable.”

Murong Jang-uk mocked her.

He knew Namgung So-hye was strong, but the probability of her overcoming this situation was low.

Just the subordinates present in this place were more than capable of killing Namgung So-hye.

He lightly raised his hand.

The subordinates who had been waiting outside flocked inside.

The situation of being surrounded did not look good at all.

“It is a pity that I cannot see the end, Namgung So-hye. If you crawl under my feet and beg for your life, I have half a mind to spare you?”

“Stop playing around.”

“Haha, indeed, that is Namgung So-hye. Toy with her to your heart’s content and then kill her. Though her beauty is a waste, she is a bitch who must be killed anyway.”

With a sneer, Murong Jang-uk turned his back.

Seeing Namgung So-hye in a place like this was indeed a coincidence, but since she was an enemy who had to be killed anyway, it turned out to be a benefit instead.

However, Murong Jang-uk could not watch until the end.

He had to head to the place where the elders of the clan were gathered.

If he was even slightly late, he would be heavily scolded.

As if it was a pity to miss a fun spectacle, he clicked his tongue and turned his back.

Namgung So-hye could only watch him leave. Although she was filled with the urge to rush out and kill the bastard right away, she felt that she could not even break through those in front of her.

“Sister…”

“It is okay. It is really okay, so…”

Dan So-mi looked at Namgung So-hye’s back while crying.

Blood dripped down from the deeply cut area. In fact, it was a miracle that she was even maintaining consciousness.

Even so, as if she would protect Dan So-mi at all costs, Namgung So-hye bit her lip to wake her mind and raised her sword.

“Give up.”

“Why don’t you guys do that instead.”

Namgung So-hye glared at them with cold eyes and raised her internal energy.

‘It is my fault.’

If she had not brought Dan So-mi out, this would not have happened.

Of course, it was an absurd thought, and it was an event created by several overlapping coincidences, but Namgung So-hye took all these facts heavily.

Exhaling a long breath, she raised her sword.

A momentum different from before.

The energy of the Blue Sky Illusory Bird Sword softly spread out.

Even if she held out, it would only be about ten moves, but it would buy enough time for Dan So-mi to run away.

Tap-!

Just then, something flew and struck the shoulder of the men.

A small pebble.

The one who threw it was none other than Dan So-mi.

“Go away!”

She shouted loudly, trying to chase the men away. Although there was nothing she could do, she wanted to save Namgung So-hye by throwing even a small pebble like this.

However, the men merely brushed their clothes indifferently.

“I said, go away-!”

With a shrill cry, Dan So-mi threw a stone again.

Whoosh-!

The flying pebble struck one man’s face directly.

Thwack-!

“Argh!”

The body of the man who was hit squarely in the face bent backward violently, and he fell right on his buttocks.

Thud!

The man who collapsed with a tremendous sound trembled.

“Eh?”

“Uh…?”

Dan So-mi and Namgung So-hye looked at it with bewildered expressions. She had simply thrown it the same way as before, but the man who was hit lost consciousness just like that.

“What! What did you do!”

Roar-!

The flustered men raised their voices and rushed forward.

Since an unbelievable thing had happened before their eyes, how could they not be?

At that moment.

Thud thud thud thud-!

Suddenly, something that flew through the wall struck the limbs of the rushing men without fail.

The moment those who were rushing frantically fell forward with painful groans.

A wind whipped up and enveloped the surroundings.

“This… This is…?”

Namgung So-hye realized what that wind was.

At the same time, she reached out and tapped Dan So-mi’s acupoints.

The moment she caught the limp Dan So-mi, the door opened and someone walked in.

Drag, drag, drag-

In one hand, he held the bloody Murong Jang-uk, who had gone out a moment ago, by the hair. Perhaps because he could not even resist properly, he was twitching his body as if he was about to draw his last breath.

“Dan… Young Master Dan…”

“You held out well.”

Dan Woo-hyun muttered as he looked at the injured Namgung So-hye.

At the single word that came from his mouth, Namgung So-hye slumped to the ground. As relief enveloped her entire body, the strength in her legs gave out without her realizing.

“Who are they, these things?”

Dan Woo-hyun cast a murderous gaze and looked at the fallen men.

Before they knew it, the martial artists who had regained their senses stood up one by one and pointed their swords at Dan Woo-hyun.

They had noticed the fact that he was more threatening than Namgung So-hye.

“The Mo… Murong Clan.”

“I see.”

A sneer, colder than freezing, seeped into his face.

The moment she looked at it, Namgung So-hye even got goosebumps from the chill that felt as if her entire body was freezing.

The moment she swallowed her dry saliva, a gently blowing wind wrapped around her body.

Vigor began to return to her exhausted body, which felt like it would collapse at any moment.

As she opened her eyes wide at the phenomenon whose meaning she could not understand, only then did Dan Woo-hyun’s voice reach her.

“Go.”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words that reached her, she moved her body without realizing. As she took a step with Dan So-mi on her back, the watching warriors of the Murong Clan tried to swing their swords.

However.

“Do not move.”

Dan Woo-hyun’s sudden word made their bodies unable to budge at all, like an irresistible command.

Tremble-

Everyone tried to force their bodies to move, but they only twitched.

Dan Woo-hyun’s murderous intent filled the surroundings terribly.

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