Chapter 421: Chapter 421

“Is that so…? He ran away?”

Dan Wu-hyun, having returned to the inn, looked at Sa Do-hak, who had bandages tightly wrapped around his abdomen.

He hadn’t received a seriously deep wound, but since it was a wound received by the Sa Do-hak of the world, one could tell that the opponent’s level was similar to his.

“Yeah, but that guy wouldn’t have been safe either.”

Sa Do-hak clenched his fist with a highly reluctant expression.

He had thought it was a perfect victory.

To begin with, someone like the Blood Emperor didn’t even enter his eyes. It was because he wondered how strong a mere assassin lackey could be.

Rather than such a person, the name Sword Emperor was heavier to him.

Because of that, he didn’t care even though he was right in front of him.

He only thought he could suppress him at once.

Furthermore, since Blood Emperor Bi Cheon-ung being injured also played a part, he didn’t even think he would lose or fail to suppress him.

However, the situation was the exact opposite.

Despite being injured, Bi Cheon-ung’s movements caught up with Sa Do-hak.

He had the strength to inflict countless wounds, and just by seeing that he wasn’t pushed back, if he had a normal body, Sa Do-hak might have actually been the one pushed back.

“Damn bastard! You had that much strength and were hiding in the shadows?”

“…….”

Dan Wu-hyun silently stared at the angry Sa Do-hak and said nothing. Since it could be seen as suffering a hit from an opponent he was looking down on, it was also true that frustration would burst out from Sa Do-hak’s perspective.

If it were the opposite position, Dan Wu-hyun might have had such thoughts as well.

“Was he to that extent?”

“Yeah! If we fought in a normal state, I might have even lost. His last sword strike wasn’t even visible to my eyes.”

As he thrust his hand while bursting with rage, *Bang!* the closet broke.

That was how much Sa Do-hak’s anger pierced the sky.

After today, he had to throw away the prejudice he had against assassins. Blood Emperor Bi Cheon-ung possessed enough strength not to be pushed back in a head-on confrontation, let alone in an ambush.

Thinking like that made his annoyance surge even more.

“So where were you and what were you doing?”

Turning his gaze, Sa Do-hak glared sharply at Dan Wu-hyun. If he had arrived just a little earlier, they might have caught Bi Cheon-ung.

However, it was about an hour later that Dan Wu-hyun arrived.

Considering the time, Bi Cheon-ung would have already left this village and disappeared somewhere, so there was no point even if they chased him further.

“I had something to check.”

“Because of this?”

With an extremely rough tone and gaze, Sa Do-hak looked at a child lying on the bed. A child who was continuing their breath, albeit faintly.

The child didn’t seem like they would die right away, but it was a hideous appearance that made one frown the moment they saw it.

Also, a disgusting smell was reeking.

It felt as if the stench of corpses had permeated their whole body.

Just being together, a disgusting smell piercing the nose was spreading, so there could be no other situation as perplexing as this.

“It’s the child Bi Cheon-ung had with him, right? Did he kill that many people because of this child?”

“I don’t know for sure, but… I think that might be the case.”

“Hmm…”

Dan Wu-hyun quietly looked at the child.

Although a hideous appearance, there is talent. If she starts learning martial arts, she is an outstanding talent capable of achieving great success. Moreover, because all her five senses are awakened, if she learns martial arts right away, she will easily show superior skills compared to children her age.

“What are you going to do?”

“I plan to raise her.”

“You?”

Sa Do-hak saw Dan Wu-hyun nod slightly. As if Dan So-mi alone wasn’t enough, a hollow laugh slipped out at the words that he would raise another young child.

To begin with, he wouldn’t give affection to another child anyway, would he?

Dan Wu-hyun’s gaze looking at the child was very different from when he looked at Dan So-mi, so Sa Do-hak knew that even if he raised her, he wouldn’t give this child as much affection as he gave Dan So-mi.

“With what intention?”

“She has martial bones. If I raise her just a little, I can assign her as a guard.”

“…So-mi’s guard.”

Sa Do-hak let out a small groan with a ‘hmm-‘.

Of course, there are many guards beside Dan So-mi.

Basically, the White Tiger and the White Cat were such. With the skills of the two spiritual beasts, unless it was something extraordinary, Dan So-mi would not be harmed.

That would increase as time passed.

Because spiritual beasts inherently become stronger as time goes by.

However, they were animals to the end.

They are not people she can share her heart and talk with.

Considering the current position of the Hunan Dan Family, it was also a natural fact that Dan So-mi needed a guard who could stick with her anytime, anywhere.

Sa Do-hak understood that point and nodded.

“I know she has good martial bones, but… it’s not like you’re going to teach her martial arts, right?”

“I just need to find something suitable and throw it to her. She is a vessel that will achieve great success no matter what she learns.”

“What are you thinking, you bastard?”

“Nothing.”

Sa Do-hak glanced at Dan Wu-hyun.

He wasn’t a guy to say things for no reason.

From beginning to end, he seemed to have some kind of thought. For a guy who didn’t even teach his true supreme martial arts to Jang Sam-tae, to try to raise a young child and have her learn martial arts?

From Sa Do-hak’s perspective, it was somewhat hard to understand.

Actually, if thinking of a guard, Hong Jin-rang would be more suitable.

“Ah- I don’t know. It’s your thought, so you’ll handle it yourself. By the way, about that thing you’ve been holding since earlier.”

In the end, it was Sa Do-hak who threw his hands up.

Dan Wu-hyun didn’t say anything and didn’t even answer. Ultimately, glossing over it here was the best policy.

What bothered him the most was the one sword grasped in Dan Wu-hyun’s hand.

A sword that gave a feeling like he had seen it somewhere.

No, should he call it a sword or a dagger?

Since it was shorter than a sword and longer than a dagger, calling it a medium sword would be slightly more accurate. That sword, which seemed usable anytime and anywhere whether in a wide or narrow space, was thickly stained with blood, as the scent of blood spread from its blade.

It was a sword that had harbored blood for a long time.

Slashing one or two people wouldn’t produce this kind of momentum.

It was undoubtedly Bi Cheon-ung’s sword.

Why was Dan Wu-hyun holding it?

“No matter how I look at it, it seems like that son of a bitch Bi Cheon-ung’s.”

“It was at the county office.”

“Does that mean it really is his?”

“Yes.”

Dan Wu-hyun quietly examined the sword.

It was endlessly sharp.

Even if all the treasured swords in the world were brought, would they match this?

It felt like it would never break no matter what sword it clashed with, and its edge wouldn’t even be damaged.

It was Bi Cheon-ung’s sword that the villagers and the county magistrate had collaborated to set the blacksmith shop on fire and recovered from there. Dan Wu-hyun had to go around asking for quite a long time to obtain this.

Although he put quite a bit of effort into bringing it, there wouldn’t be any future repercussions.

Even without selling Hong Won-chang’s name, Dan Wu-hyun had that level of ability.

“Those village bastards, and the county magistrate… they’re all rotten to the core?”

“They’ve lived like that, so this must be natural for them.”

“Ha, seriously… and you’re actually understanding them! Really.”

Sa Do-hak clicked his tongue.

No matter if it was Dan Wu-hyun, understanding and accepting this situation didn’t look very good. Sa Do-hak resolved that if he returned to Hunan, he would smash the county magistrate here even if he had to beat up Hong Won-chang.

“By the way, it’s an incredible renowned sword. It’s enough for the villagers to roll their eyes. With this much, it could easily buy a village.”

“Indeed.”

Dan Wu-hyun also nodded.

Then he slowly examined the sword and smiled.

Bizarre crests were engraved on the surface of the sword.

He quietly observed them.

A feeling as if serving an unknown religion.

Or a sensation as if it were pointing to someone.

The blade flashed as if it were alive, emitting a dreary energy and trying to swallow the one holding it. Just looking at it was enough to show its wickedness, so Sa Do-hak made a highly reluctant expression.

Dan Wu-hyun knew what it was.

“It’s the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s sword, so it’s natural.”

Saying so, he let out a sneer.

* * *

“Keugh…!”

Staggering, Bi Cheon-ung slumped to the ground.

The final blow.

He thought he had barely avoided serious injury and launched a counterattack, but Sa Do-hak’s demonic arts did not easily let Bi Cheon-ung go. It was piercing his unhealed wounds and gnawing at his mind.

It felt like he might be swallowed by the demonic arts just like this if he didn’t circulate his energy right away.

“Damn… old man…!”

*Grind!*

The slumped Bi Cheon-ung ground his teeth and thought of Sa Do-hak.

He hadn’t even thought they would meet in such a place. Giving up the first move to a surprise attack was also unlike Bi Cheon-ung. Because originally, surprise attacks and preemptive strikes were among his specialties.

To control his shaken heart the moment he looked at Dan So-mi and the demonic energy he emitted, he revealed an opening to the opponent.

Something like this had never happened before.

Bi Cheon-ung was someone who was always cold-hearted and had the ability to get through any situation.

For such a person to be shaken meant he had received a shock of that magnitude.

‘Why?’

Bi Cheon-ung couldn’t figure it out.

The faces of the dying young child and the soundly sleeping Dan So-mi were just alternately drawn in his mind. Every time he thought of them, a corner of his heart throbbed.

‘They are merely young children…’

He had seen many children so far.

He had actually killed children right in front of his eyes.

He is always heartless and cold, and if it’s the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s order, his blade does not discriminate against age or gender.

Thinking that his sword wavered because of a mere two young children, he unconsciously scoffed and didn’t like it.

He tightly gripped the dirt floor in his hands and vented his anger.

He was angry at himself for failing to carry out the mission even though the target was right in front of him.

Considering the person named Dan Wu-hyun, Bi Cheon-ung also knew that such an opportunity would definitely not be common. Because of that, the mistake hit him even more bitterly.

Furthermore…

‘To even lose my sword, this is absurd…’

Bi Cheon-ung turned his head.

A fire in the village could be seen in the distance. He didn’t know if people were moving or if a fire had broken out somewhere, but if he intended to go back, he could return within an hour.

However, Bi Cheon-ung didn’t have any lingering attachments.

It was a place he had already stirred up once.

If the people from the Hunan Dan Family weren’t there, it might have been possible to return again, but not now.

Having touched Dan Wu-hyun’s temper, he would naturally be on guard as well.

Even if he went back for no reason, he wouldn’t even be able to gather his bones.

Knowing that, Bi Cheon-ung felt even more vain.

There had been many things since he was born until now, but there was never a day with as much trouble as today.

Because of that, right now…

‘Recovering my body comes first.’

Getting back the sword and killing Dan So-mi were things possible only when his body was normal. Being alive itself after getting hit by a move from Cheon Mu-gwang and a move from Sa Do-hak was a marvelous thing.

Bi Cheon-ung walked without any lingering attachment.

His figure slowly faded away into the quiet forest.

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