Chapter 431: Chapter 431

“To think I’d come again…”

Bi Cheon-ung, who had entered Yueyang, looked around in an alley where no one could be seen. Due to Blood Heaven’s attack, the entirety of Yueyang was full of tension.

The figures of the Hao Sect gang seen here and there clearly seemed to be wary of strangers.

Thus, he couldn’t carelessly reveal himself.

Also, considering that the skill of the person protecting the target was beyond imagination, no matter how careful he was, the threat would still remain.

Swoosh.

Bi Cheon-ung’s body disappeared as if melting into the air.

Before long, he climbed onto the roof of the highest place.

If he hid his presence in a place like this, he would be able to look around clearly without worrying about other people’s gazes.

“Dan So-mi…”

Bi Cheon-ung chewed over that name several times.

For the first time in his life, he hadn’t dirtied his hands with blood but had saved someone.

But now that he had to reap that life with his own hands again, he wasn’t without hesitation.

However, he must do it.

The grace the Heavenly Martial Emperor had bestowed upon him wasn’t light enough to be shaken by mere lingering affection.

Also, knowing that the only thing waiting for him the moment he betrayed him was death, his hesitation soon vanished.

He must definitely kill her, even just to survive.

That was the way the Murder Demon Bi Cheon-ung lived.

Bi Cheon-ung touched the sword worn at his waist.

He had to pierce that small child’s heart with this blade. Bi Cheon-ung’s heart sank somewhat heavily.

It was then.

Swish-!

A presence was suddenly felt.

Bi Cheon-ung’s gaze turned quickly.

There was a man there.

A person draped in black clothing all over his body. Even his face could not be seen, and only those terrifying eyes were shining fiercely.

“Surely, you aren’t thinking of betraying the Heavenly Emperor, are you, Bi Cheon-ung?”

“…”

Bi Cheon-ung knew well who the opponent was.

One of the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s puppets, just like himself.

Why was he in this place?

Bi Cheon-ung looked at him with a tense gaze. Even if they grew up the same way, there was definitely a difference in skill.

Bi Cheon-ung had never won against Dark Shadow even once until now.

Was it because of that?

Caution and fighting spirit dwelt in Bi Cheon-ung’s eyes as he looked at Dark Shadow.

“Don’t worry.”

“…Don’t forget. The reason I came to this place.”

“Is it the same order?”

At Bi Cheon-ung’s words, Dark Shadow didn’t say anything. However, since that was enough of an answer, Bi Cheon-ung frowned without realizing it.

A mere child.

What was the meaning that child held that they sent both Bi Cheon-ung and that man?

Bi Cheon-ung could hardly understand that fact.

At that time, the body of the man in front of his eyes slipped away in an instant.

It was to the point that he was late to recognize the fact that he had disappeared even though he was looking. If he had made up his mind and swung his sword towards Bi Cheon-ung, he would never have been able to block it.

‘As an assassin, he is superior to me.’

Bi Cheon-ung clenched his fists.

He steadied his trembling hands and swallowed his breath.

His presence began to fade gradually.

The pressure that he must absolutely kill Dan So-mi.

The thought that he didn’t want to disappoint the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

The determination that he would complete his order even if he had to risk his own life.

Amidst those emotions, Bi Cheon-ung quietly closed his eyes.

In an instant, a child’s face clearly came to mind.

The dying child.

Although she would have rotted away and disappeared by now, those eyes did not leave his head.

His heart ached the moment he remembered it.

But he couldn’t just be shaken by it.

Bi Cheon-ung ground his teeth and gripped his sword.

At that time, something came into his sight.

“That’s?”

A familiar child’s figure.

The moment he saw the child wandering the streets of Yueyang alone, Bi Cheon-ung clenched his teeth without realizing it and hid his traces in the shadows.

* * *

“Mmm-.”

Dan So-mi, who was out on the streets of Yueyang alone, was just walking while eating sweets.

Originally, the distance from the Hunan Dan Family to Yueyang was considerable, so it wasn’t something a young child could traverse alone, but the White Tiger and the White Cat were escorting her from a distance. That was why Dan Woo-hyun had permitted her to go out alone.

It was good up to the point of diligently riding the White Tiger’s back and coming to Yueyang, but Ju Ji-yak couldn’t come out because she had matters at home, and today was the day Hong Jin-rang received training.

Also, since Yeo Eun-wol had a fever due to the arduous training, in the end, she couldn’t hang out with any of the children.

She looked around the marketplace to find the kid named Yoo Baek she had seen last time, but perhaps because he had other things to do too, he couldn’t be seen easily.

Dan So-mi let out a sigh with a bored expression.

“Should I have just stayed home?”

Although no one was listening, she tried talking to herself. She might have thought that doing this would soothe her somewhat lonely heart.

Dan So-mi, who put all the remaining sweets in her mouth, looked around the marketplace here and there and turned around with a bored expression.

“It might be nice to go fishing with Dad too?”

Only then did she think of something to do.

It had been a while since they went fishing.

There was nothing else as fun as that.

She giggled, thinking of making a bet on who catches a bigger fish, and pestering him to buy what she wanted if she won.

She was already laying down the premise that she had won.

In truth, it was because she had never lost while fishing together with Dan Woo-hyun.

The way back was the same as usual.

But for some reason, she didn’t call the White Tiger. It was because the weather was exceptionally good today, so she wanted to walk slowly while looking at the surrounding scenery.

Dan So-mi left Yueyang and walked.

Walking on a forest path would be very dangerous, but the fact that she didn’t care a bit made it seem like she was indeed Dan Woo-hyun’s daughter.

Even at a young age, her courage seemed very good.

Like that, Dan So-mi was walking towards her house again while looking around here and there.

* * *

There was someone following behind such Dan So-mi.

Bi Cheon-ung.

The distance was about forty zhang.

Although it was quite a far distance, with his lightness art, he could close it in an instant. Piercing his body into that heart in a flash was also a very easy task for him right now.

But he was hesitating right now.

His gaze looking at Dan So-mi wavered.

She was a child walking without knowing anything.

The bright smile that suited the word innocent seemed to heal even Bi Cheon-ung’s heart.

‘I must do it! I must do it!’

Bi Cheon-ung pledged several times.

He must kill her.

He must definitely kill her.

If he failed to kill the target, the value of his existence would disappear.

Bi Cheon-ung steeled his heart again and looked at Dan So-mi. But he couldn’t dare to run towards the child.

Bi Cheon-ung, who tightly closed his eyes, soon steeled his heart and threw his dagger.

Swish!

It shot out and flew.

Its speed was truly beyond what the eyes could follow.

The dagger flying while closing the distance carried enough strong power to pierce through the opponent’s heart and pop out.

“Huh? What’s this?”

Swoosh!

At that time, Dan So-mi sat down.

The dagger brushed past above the child’s head. Soon, a ‘Clang!’ sound faintly echoed, and it was none other than because of another person who was hiding.

-What are you doing?

A telepathic message dug into his ears.

He was also aiming for Dan So-mi. Dark Shadow, who was watching Bi Cheon-ung’s situation, struck away the dagger flying unexpectedly and emitted murderous intent.

-A… mistake.

-…

Bi Cheon-ung broke out in cold sweat as he sent a telepathic message.

How could there be such a subtle moment?

It was heaven’s luck that she sat down the moment the dagger was about to pierce through her head, and it extended out to keep Dark Shadow, who was hiding, in check.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was an impossible coincidence.

But he wouldn’t be able to avoid it this time.

Bi Cheon-ung made up his mind and ran. He bit his lip tightly and put strength into the sword he was holding.

The one in front of his eyes was not the child he had saved, he deceived himself like that and unleashed a sword strike.

Bi Cheon-ung revealed himself above Dan So-mi’s head. The moment he was about to swing his sword.

Clang-!

He clashed with Dark Shadow’s blade again.

Bi Cheon-ung and Dark Shadow looked at each other at the same time.

It was in the blink of an eye.

The moment Dan So-mi looked up with a puzzled expression, the two people instantly hid their bodies from that spot.

“Eung? What is it?”

Dan So-mi tilted her head.

She clearly heard some sound. But even if she looked up and looked around, it didn’t seem like there was anything.

Wasn’t even the White Tiger quiet?

Thinking it might be a mistake, she tilted her head and picked up mushrooms under a tree one by one.

“I should ask Uncle Jang to cook them for me.”

Dan So-mi, who didn’t even know the fact that her life was in imminent danger, was just humming and enjoying herself.

Unlike her, Bi Cheon-ung swallowed a groan.

A sharp gaze was felt from a distance.

It was unmistakably murderous intent.

And it was directed at Bi Cheon-ung.

-Are you planning to interfere?

-…The one who interfered is you.

-You must want to die.

Dark Shadow had already been checked twice.

Naturally, he came to have doubts about whether Bi Cheon-ung had betrayed them, and thus his murderous intent spread out even thicker and sharper.

But the moment one betrays the Heavenly Martial Emperor, the restriction is designed to activate.

Seeing that he was still alive, was it an illusion after all?

The moment he was having such thoughts.

“Young Lady-!”

A loud voice rang from somewhere.

Not only Bi Cheon-ung but Dark Shadow also turned their heads.

A child he had seen for the first time ran quickly and stopped in front of Dan So-mi.

“Pant, pant… I… I was s-startled when I heard you went out alone.”

It was Yeo Eun-wol.

“Eung? I heard your fever was really high, why did you come out?”

“That’s because the Young Lady went out, so I was worried…”

“Oh my… really.”

Dan So-mi let out a sigh.

Even until this morning, her fever was quite high. Not only walking right away, but she couldn’t digest food and vomited several times repeatedly.

Since she said she was worried about her and chased after her in such a state, Dan So-mi felt sorry for no reason.

“Hehehe, I’m sorry! I won’t do that from next time. If you’re sick, I’ll stick right by your side and nurse you, so don’t worry!”

“A-Young Lady…”

The intimate conversation of the two people could be heard.

It could also be heard by Bi Cheon-ung’s ears from a distance. His gaze trembled slightly and his pupils grew larger. Despite the far distance, and even though her face was covered with a bandana, he recognized her at a glance.

‘Why… is she alive?’

She was a child he thought was definitely dead.

To think such a child was calmly together with Dan So-mi?

His whole body trembled at the absolutely unbelievable situation.

A sensation that couldn’t be described in words dominated his head. Before everything shaking his head was sorted out.

A pitch-black cloth fluttered above the children’s heads.

Bi Cheon-ung rushed in without caring about the consequences.

His blade that advanced in an instant.

Slash-!

Accurately cut Dark Shadow’s clothes and threatened him.

At Bi Cheon-ung’s direct attack which he hadn’t thought of at all, Dark Shadow’s eyes narrowed even more sluggishly, and the sword grasped in his hand was about to be stretched out towards Bi Cheon-ung without hesitation.

Roar-!

At that time, the fierce roar of a tiger echoed in all directions.

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