Chapter 391: Shadow of the Yin God (5)
“Night Lord, it’s an urgent report.”
Even while saying it was an urgent report, his voice was calm. All the assassins under the Yin God were numb like that.
Yelu Jeok spoke with a languid face.
“Report.”
“It’s said that a unit appearing to belong to the Murim Alliance has entered Guangdong. The exact number is unknown, but seeing as they are wearing light armor and leading horses, it’s expected to be the Evil-Annihilating Army, one of the detached units.”
“The Evil-Annihilating Army.”
If it was the Evil-Annihilating Army, Yelu Jeok had heard of it as well. It was said to be a small elite unit that swept away the vicious Black Path sects as soon as it was created in the past.
“There are two detached units of the Murim Alliance. Did the Demon-Sweeping Army come together with them?”
“It’s currently under investigation, but the Dark Bird Group said there is a high probability of that.”
“I guess so.”
Yelu Jeok’s eyes shone.
‘The detached units of Sweeping Demons and Annihilating Evil.’
If it was the Three Cults, and among them the Evil Lust Cult, they couldn’t not know the detached units of Sweeping Demons and Annihilating Evil.
‘I heard they are the ones who defeated those starving wolves.’
The starving wolves meant the Gray Wolf Squad. They, who were notorious as the worst bandits outside the Great Wall, became a force equipped with martial power on the level of a considerable major sect under the frontline command of an outstanding Demonic Person named Pa Sa-reuk.
And the ones who crushed that major sect-level force were exactly the Demon-Sweeping Army and the Evil-Annihilating Army.
Xiao Fang said.
“I expected them to come, but better guys came than I thought.”
“Right.”
“But the leaders are greenhorns.”
Xiao Fang smiled fishily.
“It was Yeon Ho-jeong and Murong Yu, right? The rising stars called the Twin Generals of the Tiger and Sword.”
The Twin Generals of the Tiger and Sword was an alias calling Yeon Ho-jeong and Murong Yu, the strongest rising stars of the current Jianghu.
Among them, the one whose name was valued higher was definitely Yeon Ho-jeong.
Murong Yu’s age had reached thirty, and Yeon Ho-jeong’s age was just past twenty. Even though he was younger, since he broke through the Wall of the Martial Arts´ End before Murong Yu, the evaluation of the world couldn’t help but be higher.
Of course, even so, there was almost no one who said Murong Yu was second.
Whatever it was, from the standpoint of Yelu Jeok or Xiao Fang, they were merely greenhorns.
Yelu Jeok said.
“You were the one who told me not to be careless.”
“I know. I’m just saying that’s how it is, not that I’m being careless. It’s not like the Murim Alliance are fools either, so there’s no way they would have sent real greenhorns to a place they consider an important fierce battleground.”
“I guess so.”
“However, no matter what organization it is, if the leader is hit, the morale of the subordinates is bound to drop.”
Xiao Fang stroked her chin.
“So wouldn’t it be better to catch the leader first?”
Yelu Jeok also agreed with Xiao Fang’s words. That was why he educated his subordinate assassin groups more thoroughly. Extreme emotional wear-and-tear training was essential so that they wouldn’t waver even if the head died.
“Let’s watch carefully for now.”
“Of course that would be good.”
Xiao Fang got up from her seat.
“You do it your way. I’ll do it my way.”
Yelu Jeok frowned.
As he frowned with a blue complexion like a corpse, the atmosphere instantly turned cold.
“Are you planning to interfere?”
“What did you hear my words as? I said I’ll do it my way.”
“Guangdong is my territory.”
“No, it’s just a zone the main cult entrusted the responsibility for to you, it’s not your territory.”
“Whatever it is, I don’t allow hasty actions.”
“I’m sorry but I’m not your subordinate. Rather, I’m the one who came receiving orders from the higher-ups. You are the one in a position who has to follow my orders. But didn’t I say I won’t pay attention to you?”
Murderous intent was cast in Yelu Jeok’s eyes.
“Don’t complicate things, Xiao Fang.”
Xiao Fang’s smile turned cold.
“I’m doing this to simplify things. I’m saying I’ll help an idiot who eats away his own flesh with the excuse of cautiousness, so why are you stopping me?”
“……”
“I don’t have the slightest intention of interfering. I’ll just catch one of Yeon Ho-jeong or Murong Yu and come back, so you take care of the rest. That should satisfy you, right?”
It was a remark that made him so angry his nape grew hot. Yelu Jeok seriously pondered whether to execute Xiao Fang right here and now.
But that was only for a moment.
“Indeed, your words are right too. Even if you fail, we’ll be able to figure out the enemy’s fighting power.”
“Is your brain working now? Unless you step forward yourself, there is no one else with as good utility as me as a vanguard. Of course, I don’t think I’ll lose.”
“Good. I will entrust one guy to you.”
Xiao Fang slowly turned her neck.
Udaduk.
The bloody sound echoing from her neck made the atmosphere in the room even more chilly.
“Hey, kid.”
The target Xiao Fang spoke to was not Yelu Jeok, but the assassin prostrating in front of Yelu Jeok.
The assassin bowed his head without any movement. To begin with, unless it was the Night Lord Yelu Jeok, he wouldn’t listen to anyone’s orders and wouldn’t answer back either.
Xiao Fang continued her words.
“If the Demon-Sweeping Army is not visible, the side that revealed itself right away must be Yeon Ho-jeong.”
“……”
“Where is Yeon Ho-jeong?”
The assassin didn’t answer.
A smile that seemed to say it was ridiculous lingered on Xiao Fang’s face.
“Look at this?”
Huk!
A terrible murderous intent spewed out from her body.
Her qi flow, which had been quiet, instantaneously increased explosively. The change was so dramatic that the assassin’s mask and back became damp and wet in an instant.
But that was all. His body reacted first to Xiao Fang’s terrifying murderous intent, but the eyes of the prostrating assassin didn’t waver at all. He was thoroughly brainwashed by Yelu Jeok.
Xiao Fang looked at the assassin with eyes of unexpectedness.
“Pretty good? Yelu Jeok, you trained them properly?”
Yelu Jeok nodded.
“In assassination, agitation of the heart is an absolute taboo. That much is a given.”
“……Hmm.”
Yelu Di said.
“Dark Eight. Report the location of the Evil-Annihilating Army Commander Yeon Ho-jeong.”
The assassin, Dark Eight, immediately opened his mouth.
“Currently, the Evil-Annihilating Army Commander Yeon Ho-jeong is riding down the official road from Mount Yang. As the leader, he stood at the front, and is moving while hiding his subordinate soldiers at regular distances.”
Yelu Jeok nodded.
“He’s a guy who knows tactics. It’s proof that he didn’t rise to that position with martial arts alone.”
He said to Xiao Fang.
“You heard him, right?”
“I heard him well.”
Xiao Fang, who had been quietly looking at Dark Eight, smirked and passed by him.
Seureuk.
Xiao Fang, who stood behind the prostrating Dark Eight, smiled and turned her head.
“A coveted talent. How many of these guys are there?”
“It’s not a matter to report to you.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Xiao Fang placed her hand on Dark Eight’s shoulder.
Flinch!
Dark Eight’s body trembled instantaneously.
Xiao Fang said with a cheerful face.
“You, you are quite decent? Later, if you get tired of working under that guy, come to me anytime. I’ll put you to vital use. I thought the Central Plains bastards were all soft regardless of region, but there was an outstanding figure like you?”
Yelu Jeok glared at Xiao Fang with glaring eyes.
“Xiao Fang.”
“Yeah?”
“……Don’t.”
“What?”
“I said don’t do it.”
Xiao Fang smiled brightly.
“Don’t do what? You mean don’t appease your subordinate? Or……”
“The last thing you said……!”
It was then.
Jureureureuk.
Thick bloody water flowed down from Dark Eight’s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
Bureureureureu!
Dark Eight, whose body trembled as if convulsing once, collapsed just like that. The eyes of the collapsed Dark Eight had already become cloudy like the eyeballs of a rotten fish.
He was dead.
“Does it mean don’t eat him up?”
“……Xiao Fang.”
Hwa-ah-ah-ah-ak!
A flame-like murderous intent spread out from Yelu Jeok’s body.
His murderous intent was quite different from Xiao Fang’s murderous intent. If Xiao Fang’s murderous intent was sticky and turbid beyond words, Yelu Jeok’s murderous intent was fierce like fire while accompanied by a strong smell of blood.
Xiao Fang shrugged her shoulders.
“If we can eliminate the leader of a detached unit of the Murim Alliance with the life of one subordinate, isn’t it a completely profitable trade?”
“……You bitch.”
“Think about it in a good way. Since you trained it, this toy is ultimately also property of the main cult. Do you need to set up such an angle over breaking one item of the main cult?”
There was no meaning in arguing further here.
Yelu Jeok spoke in an icy voice.
“Remember this one thing. After this time right now, if you go against my feelings even one more time, I will execute you immediately.”
Xiao Fang smirked.
“Scary. So scary.”
“If you think it’s a lie, try running wild once. Before catching the stragglers of the Murim Alliance, I will tear your limbs apart and throw them as dog food.”
Xiao Fang’s face gradually turned expressionless. She felt the sincerity in Yelu Jeok’s words.
“You’re getting too angry over ruining one item. Very unlike you.”
“I’ve delivered everything I had to say. Now go catch Yeon Ho-jeong and come back.”
Xiao Fang, who was quietly looking at Yelu Jeok, snorted and turned her body.
Before stepping out of the room, Xiao Fang left a cold final word.
“I haven’t liked you since the past.”
Kwang!
The room door closed.
Yelu Jeok’s qi flow, which had been erupting with fierce murderous intent, instantly quieted down.
“Hmm.”
Returning to his usual indifferent expression, Yelu Jeok placed his hand on the corpse of the collapsed Dark Eight.
Uuuuuwoong.
A bizarre grayish-black true qi swayed like smoke from Yelu Jeok’s hand.
A moment later.
“Her skills have improved.”
Yelu Jeok’s eyes narrowed.
“To think she achieved great success in the Blood-Drinking Palm…… If she goes on with this momentum, she might really receive the Yin Desolation Art.”
Her talent was certainly outstanding. In the history of the Evil Lust Cult, there were few people who achieved great success in the Blood-Drinking Palm at Xiao Fang’s age.
“Then again, since she’s‘His’ bloodline even if a half-blood, I guess it’s natural if it’s natural.”
However, the limits of that bloodline were also clear. Even if‘He’ carried your blood, if lowly blood was mixed in, he didn’t view them as a person but as a beast.
That was exactly the reason why Xiao Fang became crooked, and the reason why Yelu Jeok could treat Xiao Fang recklessly.
Yelu Jeok smiled coldly.
“It would be better to eliminate a competitor in advance.”
* * *
“Grand Commander.”
Muk Bi stuck close to Yeon Ho-jeong’s side.
“Currently, we have deployed most of the soldiers on the path, excluding Ok-cheong and Yeo-guk.”
“Good.”
“Should we deploy Ok-cheong and Yeo-guk as well?”
“No.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who pondered for a moment, said.
“We take the two of them with us.”
Tension rose on Muk Bi’s face. Because she remembered what Yeon Ho-jeong said before entering Guangdong Province.
“……Is an enemy appearing?”
“I’m not certain. But I smell something.”
“A smell?”
“Yeah.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled coldly.
“A stale stench. I feel like someone is coming this way. And……”
Huwwoong. Huuuuuwoong.
White haze rose from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.
The combative White Tiger Qi heated up frighteningly. The Vermilion Bird Qi was controlling his heart rate and blood circulation, the Black Tortoise Qi sharpened his senses to the extreme, and the Azure Dragon Qi loaded in his two legs made his body light so he could react at any time.
“It’s a strong person. At least not worse than me.”
Muk Bi’s face stiffened.
“Already?”
That was the reason Ok-cheong and Yeo-guk were needed. Because if there were a total of three or more people, including Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi, they could open a Killing Formation.
‘Is it Yelu Jeok? Whoever it is, it’s a wise judgment.’
The intention was to break the momentum by sending the vanguard right away without weighing this and that.
And before entering Guangdong Province, Yeon Ho-jeong had set up countermeasures while recalling most of the enemy’s reactions.
‘If it’s Yelu Jeok, there’s a high probability he would have attempted an assassination. In other words, if it’s an opponent coming directly casting murderous intent like this……’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
Kwang!
His foot struck the earth.
“It’s hot right from the start.”
Paa-ah-ah-ang!
All four people, Yeon Ho-jeong, Muk Bi, Ok-cheong, and Yeo-guk, looked in the same direction.
From far away, a woman was running at a frightening speed. The appearance of her running almost as if flying was as bloody as a ghost.
A smile of joy lingered on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
“……Evil Lust.”