Chapter 33: Chapter 33

The sword-like eyebrows of Yuk Hon (Six Souls), who had been hiding by the wall of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild and secretly spying on the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, suddenly furrowed.

Belonging to the Soul Slaying Squad, one of the martial battalions of the White Ghost Castle, he was carrying out the order given by the squad leader, the Silver-Hand Beheader, a few days ago before he left for the White Ghost Castle.

Monitoring the Flying Wind Merchant Guild and identifying the culprit.

Among them, what he focused on the most was the surveillance of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild…….

To be precise, it was to grasp the combat power of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen staying at the Flying Wind Merchant Guild.

And thanks to continuously monitoring them like that, he was able to gather quite a bit of information about them.

That they came to protect the Flying Wind Merchant Guild from the attack of the Supreme King Sect, and that one of them was the legitimate heir of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild.

And even that they were novices who hadn’t been Plum Blossom Swordsmen for long.

But now he was thrown into confusion.

‘Who is that guy?’

The handsome young man who appeared out of nowhere while he was observing the Plum Blossom Swordsmen was enough to shake up the information he had gathered so far.

He knew the identity of the Daoist.

When he first monitored the Flying Wind Merchant Guild, he focused on gathering information about that young Daoist punk first.

Since the Guild Master of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild paid special attention to him and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen served him politely.

However, he soon excluded him from the combat power.

It made sense, as his age was quite young, and he wasn’t a Plum Blossom Swordsman either.

Furthermore, his momentum was also very faint.

As if he hadn’t even learned martial arts.

So he concluded that Cheon-hwi was just a Daoist with a high generation rank.

Because there were a few cases in Jianghu where old Daoists with high generation ranks took in young orphans.

But now he had to revise the information he had organized like that.

‘Such martial prowess…….’

Yuk Hon’s nose wrinkled as he recalled the sight of the handsome young man overwhelming the Plum Blossom Swordsmen just a moment ago.

‘That young punk is an elder-level master of the Mount Hua Sect who leads the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?’

His two pupils shook uncontrollably, and a dry thunderbolt struck his head.

Why had he been continuously monitoring the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?

It was to find traces, thinking that an elder-level master who would lead them must have come along.

But because they couldn’t find any traces at all during that time, all the Soul Slaying Squad members only suffered immensely…….

Did they say it’s dark under the lamp?

The one he dismissed as a mere Daoist was an elder-level master.

‘He probably aimed for this. If he is a young Daoist, no one would think he is the one leading the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.’

Yuk Hon clicked his tongue at seeing him act meticulously, unlike a Daoist.

‘Then is he someone who learned the Boy’s Divine Art? Because since ancient times, it is said that Daoists who learn the Boy’s Divine Art look like young boys even as they age……. But why did he suddenly reveal his skills today?’

While scanning the Daoist, Cheon-hwi, with narrowed eyes at the sudden question that arose.

Swish…

Cheon-hwi’s head turned.

Before he knew it, two pitch-black pupils were staring at him, sharply piercing through him.

‘N-No way…….’

Stunned, he shook his head.

‘No. It’s a coincidence, a coincidence.’

Yuk Hon swallowed dry saliva.

Right now, he was at the end of the wall, at least fifty zhang away.

It was a distance where even he would look like an ant if he didn’t concentrate all his internal energy into his eye strength.

The moment he tried to calm his mind and straightened his shaking head.

Flinch!

His two pupils trembled slightly.

The young punk was staring straight at him just like before.

And with his index finger raised, pointing straight at him before he knew it!

‘I’m, I’m caught……!’

The moment Ji-hon, who sensed the crisis, urgently turned his body to run away.

Flash!

A blinding red light swallowed his vision, and his consciousness was cut off.

“They sent that thing as an assassin?”

Cheon-hwi, who killed him, let out a hollow laugh.

Just a moment ago, that guy tried his best to use stealth arts, but in his eyes, it was an incredibly sloppy act.

‘He’s not even as good as the dirt under the toenails of the assassins sent by the Hidden Form Demonic Witch.’

The six assassins sent by the Hidden Form Demonic Witch back when he had no greed for the Cult Leader position.

Even they had a unique ability to deceive the five senses of masters, and were ones with outstanding sixth senses.

It was an insult to compare them with this punk.

“Whether they are sloppy guys or whatever. Anyway, you mean they targeted me?”

* * *

Late in the evening, Sam-hon (Three Souls), who had gathered the Soul Slaying Squad members together, furrowed his eyebrows.

The original number of people who were supposed to gather was eighteen in total.

But the number of people gathered here right now was only seventeen, and one person did not come.

“This time…….”

Sam-hon’s face drastically crumpled as he tried to confirm the identity of the person who couldn’t come.

“……Was Yuk Hon taken down?”

At that single remark, the atmosphere sank.

“This dog-like……!”

Swallowing down the curse that had risen right up to his throat, Sam-hon glared at the Flying Wind Merchant Guild, a hundred zhang away, with narrowed eyes.

Now that the Silver-Hand Beheader had left a few days ago, the Soul Slaying Squad followed the words of Sam-hon, who was practically the squad leader.

But he didn’t come here?

It meant he was turning his back on the White Ghost Castle.

‘Unless he is crazy, he wouldn’t have ignored my orders and gone into hiding.’

Sam-hon’s eyes narrowed.

In the end, it was clear that a problem had occurred with Yuk Hon’s safety.

During that time, there was no setback in him leading the Soul Slaying Squad and carrying out missions.

Something was strange from the moment he gave the mission to monitor the Flying Wind Merchant Guild.

‘It’s already the third time that one person lost contact every time I sent someone to the Flying Wind Merchant Guild. And this time it’s Yuk Hon!’

“What is going on?”

Sam-hon, with his face drastically crumpled, let out a voice mixed with a great deal of annoyance.

It was understandable, as monitoring the Flying Wind Merchant Guild and gathering information on the culprit was an order given directly by the Silver-Hand Beheader.

But they can’t carry out the order?

Then the result was only one.

Death.

But right now, already three people had lost contact.

Furthermore, one of those three was Yuk Hon, a master counted among the best in the Soul Slaying Squad, so it was perhaps natural for resentment to burst out from within.

Starting to bite his fingernails due to the rising anxiety, he rolled his eyes and muttered.

“Is it the Plum Blossom Swordsmen? Or…….”

At that time when he was thinking about someone who could pull off such a thing.

“It’s not the doing of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. With their skills, let alone detecting Yuk Hon’s presence, they don’t have the ability to deal with him so quietly.”

Sip-il-hon (Eleven Souls) interjected.

He was someone who, along with Yuk Hon, had an expert knowledge in stealth arts in the Soul Slaying Squad.

“Then are you saying the culprit who annihilated the Supreme King Sect has appeared again?”

A sharp edge entered Sam-hon’s voice.

Sip-il-hon slightly flinched at the momentum, but soon shook his head left and right and answered.

“……I don’t know about that either.”

As they went around and around and returned back to square one, wrinkles formed on Sam-hon’s forehead.

“Are we left with no choice but to lie low in the end?”

“May I look into it?”

“You mean you?”

“If three squad members assist me, I can infiltrate deep inside the Flying Wind Merchant Guild with my stealth arts.”

“……Hmm. Is that so.”

Sam-hon fell into thought for a moment.

The reason they hadn’t entered the interior of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild was because of the squad leader’s order not to be discovered until he came.

But what if he gave an order independently now, and they happened to get caught?

He would have nothing to say even if his head flew off.

After contemplating, he made a decision.

“Make sure you absolutely do not get caught instead.”

“Understood.”

Sip-il-hon bore a resolute look in his eyes.

And a little while later, Sip-il-hon and three squad members headed to the Flying Wind Merchant Guild, while the rest scattered in all directions.

After leading the squad members and advancing for a moment, Sip-il-hon calmed his eyes and whispered upon arriving at the wall of the Flying Wind Merchant Guild.

“Erase your presence, and kill your breathing.”

Now they just had to climb over the wall right in front of them, but Sip-il-hon did not let down his guard.

Afterwards, without anyone saying a word, the three of them simultaneously scattered.

While watching the three disappear into the darkness, Sip-il-hon unleashed the Hidden Matter Old Form, and gradually stifled his breathing.

His breathing and presence gradually grew smaller soon after.

Having become assimilated with the darkness before he knew it, he entered the Flying Wind Merchant Guild as if it were his own home.

‘……This merchant guild has also grown!’

‘The Guild Master prepared a hefty amount of money for Hyang-yi’s bereaved family…….’

‘Hey, aren’t the Plum Blossom Swordsmen so cool? So noble and…….’

The feast of information continuously ringing in his ears.

As he continuously gathered information, he soon felt it becoming quiet as dinner time approached and rolled his eyes.

‘There is no special information so far.’

Sip-il-hon’s eyes sank deeply.

Although he had obtained a lot of information, there was no information about the one who killed Yuk Hon.

‘Did Sa-sip-gu-hon (Forty-Nine Souls) gather any information?’

Realizing that it was impossible to obtain any more information, he turned his body to grasp the information obtained by the other squad members.

Afterwards, at the moment he tried to move in order to feel Sa-sip-gu-hon’s presence, he suddenly froze.

‘H-He’s not here?!’

The presence of Sa-sip-gu-hon, who had come together with them, disappeared.

As if he didn’t exist at all.

‘When did he disappear? N-No way!’

He hurriedly turned his head and looked towards Sam-sip-yuk-hon (Thirty-Six Souls), whose presence still existed.

Fortunately, Sam-sip-yuk-hon was still there.

‘Sam-sip-yuk-hon is still…….’

The moment he felt relieved.

“……!”

Sam-sip-yuk-hon’s presence suddenly went out.

‘W-What is this…….’

Sip-il-hon’s pupils shook.

Now, the only thing remaining was the presence of a single person, I-sip-chil-hon (Twenty-Seven Souls), who was hiding with bated breath beyond ten zhang.

‘The one who attacked Yuk Hon has appeared……!’

Immediately grasping the situation, he sensed the crisis and hurriedly buried his body in the thick darkness before heading towards I-sip-chil-hon.

‘I need to join forces with I-sip-chil-hon for now.’

Hastily arriving at the place where I-sip-chil-hon was hiding, he swept down his chest.

‘The evil clutches haven’t reached here yet. Which means it’s over there.’

While looking in the direction where Sam-sip-yuk-hon died.

Step… Step…

Footsteps could be heard.

Sip-il-hon’s pupils rolled at the footsteps that somehow grated on his nerves.

A handsome young man wearing a Daoist robe with a bizarre color scheme of red and black was captured in his vision.

‘……Is that a plum blossom?’

The moment he saw the plum blossom engraved on the sleeve, the information he had shoved into the corner of his mind came to mind.

‘Was it the Daoist who accompanied the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?’

Tap.

The handsome young man, Cheon-hwi, stopped walking.

And then he asked, looking down at the small lake next to him.

“Is it a bug again?”

There was no answer to the question spat out into the thin air in an empty space.

However, Cheon-hwi didn’t stop speaking.

“Just how many of them are there?”

With those words, he raised his index finger.

Thwack!

The finger wind that pierced and entered the lake.

Soon, red water flowed out from under the lake, and a corpse floated up smoothly.

“……!”

Sip-il-hon, who was watching, swallowed his shock.

The one hiding under the lake was I-sip-chil-hon.

‘I-sip-chil-hon, who possesses the sharpest sixth sense even in the Soul Slaying Squad, was…….’

A moment later, the corpse surfaced on the lake.

The moment he confirmed that corpse, cold sweat formed thickly on Sip-il-hon’s forehead.

The corpse floating on the lake had a hole just like the one pierced in the Cold-Faced Blade Ghost’s forehead.

‘T-That guy is the culprit!’

Sip-il-hon felt his breath catching in his throat.

At that time, Cheon-hwi raised his head and spoke.

“Until when are you going to stay?”

The moment his gaze headed towards the top of the roof.

Swish!

At the same time, the shadow in the darkness sprang out.

Sip-il-hon urgently unleashed the Hidden Matter Old Form, trying to flee from this place.

“Where are you going?”

But before that, the finger wind shot from Cheon-hwi’s index finger pierced through his neck.

‘N-Nonsense…….’

Sip-il-hon’s thoughts were completely cut off.

Thud!

Looking at the corpse that suddenly dropped down in the middle of flying away, Cheon-hwi clicked his tongue, saying, ‘Tsk.’

“I don’t know where it’s from, but they only sent half-wits.”

Looking at the corpses pathetically, Cheon-hwi looked around and then fiddled with his chin.

“It’d be a bit much to just leave it like this, right?”

It wasn’t a very pleasant sight to see.

Because there were gruesome corpses on the lake and around it.

“Let’s see.”

Cheon-hwi approached the lakeside.

And then he looked around for a moment.

“Here will be good.”

Approaching the dirt ground where grass grew near the lakeside, he swung his right hand.

Thwack!

In an instant, dirt scattered in all directions, and a deep hole was created.

“This should be enough for them to fit in.”

Seeing the hole dug deep enough for several people to fit in, Cheon-hwi lifted the corpses swiftly with a satisfied expression.

Whoosh-

Having thrown all the corpses inside, Cheon-hwi swung his hand once again.

Then, the hole was cleanly filled up.

“It looks completely natural.”

The moment Cheon-hwi nodded at the dirt ground, where one wouldn’t know what had changed without looking closely, and was about to turn his body.

“Martial Uncle!”

Jeok-geom (Jeok-geom) came running while panting heavily.

Perhaps he had applied Golden Spear Medicine, as his swollen eyes and face had subsided, and he opened his mouth in surprise upon seeing Cheon-hwi.

“That sound just now……”

“I caught some bugs.”

“……Bugs?”

“There were a lot of them today.”

Jeok-geom panicked and looked around.

Because summer was definitely approaching, there were flying insects flying around in the surroundings.

“There are a lot just as you said, but why suddenly in the middle of this night…….”

“It’s fine now. Because I took care of all of them.”

“Yes……?”

Jeok-geom burst into bewilderment.

It was completely incomprehensible words.

Weren’t the flying insects continuously flying around even right now?

While Jeok-geom was panicking.

“What are you doing?”

Cheon-hwi spoke to Jeok-geom, who still hadn’t come to his senses, as he took large strides forward.

“We should eat.”

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