Chapter 184 The Little Lord

Chapter 184: The Little Lord

No Je-eok, the Blood Sect’s supreme master, was a notorious drunkard.

No, beyond simply loving alcohol, he was an addict whose life became unbearable without it.

So his nickname was also Jugeui.

In the past, he might have also been known as “Fatal Arrow,” but now no one remembered that nickname.

Now, to the Blood Sect disciples, he was simply known as Ju Gwi, the drunken ghost, No Je-eok.

And he was also a fool who, during several shifts, claimed he was going to take care of business, only to be caught drinking alone in the outer passageway by the Black Blood Demon Lord Duwang, the head of the Wuhuang Tomb, and the White-faced Demon Guujie.

‘Stupid drunkard.’

That was the Blood Cultists’ perception of No Je-eok.

That old drunkard No Je-eok had been living in a constant state of gloom during his guard duty shifts lately.

The agony of not being able to drink during his entire shift felt like his heart was withering away.

‘If only I could take a single drop, just one drop…’

Then, it felt like all this torment would vanish, and he could come back to life.

But even he, a demon possessed by alcohol, knew well that he absolutely must not do that now.

He knew full well that he wouldn’t be satisfied with just one drop.

And he also knew full well that if he happened to get caught drinking by Baekmyeonshima Guujeol this time, he would never survive it.

While the Black Blood Demon Doudang wasn’t one to fret over such things, Baekmyeonshima Guujeol possessed a meticulous and disciplined nature, quite unlike most Blood Cultists.

So today, too, No Je-eok let his comrades’ teasing about him go in one ear and out the other, simply waiting for this guard duty shift to pass quickly.

That was when it happened.

Suddenly, his nose began to twitch.

“Sniff, sniff, sniff. Hmm?”

His eyes snapped open in an instant.

It was a faint scent, the sort only a beast might detect, but he caught it precisely.

It was the smell of alcohol.

The scent of alcohol mingled in the air.

His keen sense of smell, which became almost animalistic when it came to alcohol, had detected it.

His sense of smell began to quickly track the source of the scent.

‘Where is it? Further down the passage?’

It was.

It was definitely deeper inside the exterior corridor.

A faint yet intensely fragrant scent of liquor wafted through the passageway.

And his well-trained sense of smell could accurately gauge the liquor’s value.

‘This isn’t… the smell of cheap middle-grade liquor. It’s very high-grade liquor!’

Gulp!

Realizing the liquor’s presence, he swallowed the saliva he couldn’t possibly hold back.

He glanced around cautiously; his other comrades seemed completely unaware.

Now, No Je-eok began fidgeting restlessly, his body trembling violently.

He couldn’t stand it any longer.

‘I have to go find that!’

He didn’t care at all why the hallway smelled like alcohol.

His mind was occupied solely with the thought that he had to go check out that smell, and how he could make an excuse to his colleagues and leave naturally.

That was when it happened.

Two lights suddenly began to glow deep within the passageway.

It was a bright green light, like two will-o’-the-wisps floating side by side.

His colleagues, witnessing the lights, let out a low cry of alarm.

“Look over there!”

“Lights? What is it?”

The moment they realized those lights were the eyes of a feline predator was the very next instant.

Crack!

It was a huge black panther, as big as a tiger.

The black panther had suddenly leaped out from within the passageway and vanished into another passageway right beside it.

Two Blood Sect masters, momentarily flustered, immediately grabbed torches and lunged toward the black panther.

“I’ll go!”

“Me too! We’ll bring it back!”

The other four, who had also been about to move, hesitated and had no choice but to stay put.

It was somewhat large, but it didn’t seem like it would take more than three peak masters to capture a single leopard.

They began chatting among themselves, licking their lips.

“How did a leopard get out through the outer passageway?”

“How? Don’t you remember? Didn’t we say last time that a collapsed gap opened up over there?”

“Oh, was that it? Shouldn’t we fix that?”

“Repair? Why bother? Nobody ever goes there anyway.”

It was while the remaining Blood Sect masters were having this conversation.

Juguui Nojeok quietly rose to his feet, picked up a torch awkwardly, and said.

“My body feels a bit stiff. I think I’ll go catch that leopard over there.”

Then the other colleagues sneered and asked.

“You? You’re not just going to hide away somewhere and drink again, are you?”

“Exactly. You drunkard, you wouldn’t move for anything but booze, would you?”

But at his colleagues’ skeptical questions, No Je-eok instead flew into a rage.

“What nonsense! Where do you think I have any liquor to drink now?! Just you wait! I’ll definitely skin that leopard and bring back its pelt!”

With that, No Je-eok strode purposefully into the passageway.

But as he moved toward the passage where the leopard had gone, he glanced back at his companions. The moment their gaze wavered, he darted into another passage.

It was straight toward the direction where the smell of alcohol wafted.

No Je-eok now ran with all his might through the dark passageway. He heard his comrades shouting behind him, but ignored them.

“You idiot! That’s not the way!”

He just kept running, chuckling to himself.

The scent of alcohol now intensifying in his nose felt so good it was like his soul was about to leave his body.

“Hehehe! Not this way, but precisely this way. The smell of alcohol! It really is the smell of alcohol! Hehehe!”

How far had he run?

The scent of alcohol, now closer, was stinging his nose completely.

Suddenly, the beautiful form of a flask resting in a corner of the passage caught his eye.

Its beautifully rounded form—it was unmistakably a liquor bottle, no matter how you looked at it.

“Ooooooh! It was real!”

No Je-eok cheered.

He couldn’t fathom why that bottle was placed here.

Perhaps it was a divine being who took pity on him and descended in the form of a black panther.

Anyway, that didn’t matter.

All that mattered to him was grabbing that bottle of liquor, popping the cap, and tilting it toward his mouth.

“Waaah!”

Just as he grabbed the bottle with such a look of pure joy,

Psssh!

With a small whizzing sound that echoed in that instant, his body stiffened rigidly.

He had been struck by a dart fired from behind, hitting an acupoint.

“?!”

But No Je-eok couldn’t grasp what was happening in that instant.

Right after the stinging sensation, a leather whip suddenly lashed out from behind, wrapping itself around him.

Swish!

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

‘Oh, no!’

Wrapped in leather whips and dragged away like a cocoon, he gazed at the bottle with a sorrowful look until the very last moment.

His love was slipping away.

***

Seon Woo-jin and his group, who had kidnapped No Je-eok using Jeong Chil’s memorization and Ya Un-hyang’s whip, first carried him back to a more rear passageway.

Then, leaving him on the floor, they prepared to interrogate him.

Zeng Qil and Xue Feng first created a barrier in the air, forming a space where sound could not pass.

Then they released the blood pressure points on No Je-eok.

Then, having regained his voice, No Je-eok immediately shouted loudly.

“You bastards from the righteous faction! How dare you crawl this far in?! Do you think you’ll leave even a single bone fragment behind?!”

But Zeng Qil, wearing an indifferent expression, let his words go in one ear and out the other as he asked Sun Wujin.

“By the way, how do you plan to interrogate him?”

At his question, Seon Woo-jin smiled faintly and replied.

“I happened to learn the Bone-Crushing Technique some time ago. I’ll give it a try.”

“…You learned torture techniques on the side? What the hell were you doing out there, you bastard?”

But Seon Woo-jin ignored him and addressed Noh Je-eok.

“We will now ask you questions. If you feel like answering, blink your eyes.”

But his attitude remained stubborn.

“Don’t make me laugh! I won’t say a single word to you righteous faction bastards…!”

Crack!

Without listening to his words, Seon Woo-jin, having once again seized his blood vessels, unleashed the first stage of the Bone-Crushing Fist upon him.

Snap!

The excruciating pain of muscles and bones being dislocated made No Je-eok’s eyes widen in horror.

“Guhhhhh!”

A painful groan escaped his mouth, which was sealed shut by the pressure point.

After a moment, Seon Woo-jin, who had been observing his condition, raised the stakes and said to him.

“Now it’s this stage. There are ten stages in total. Let’s see how long you can hold out.”

“Ugh!”

His body began to tremble violently.

The others swallowed hard, their eyes darting between Seon Woo-jin and Noh Je-eok.

No Je-eok’s face was contorted in agony, his eyes bulging as he trembled violently. Seon Woo-jin, calmly twisting his muscles and bones to escalate the pain level, looked utterly insane.

Jeongchil suddenly muttered with a weary look in his eyes.

“See? That guy’s got something off about him. Who would bother learning the Bone-Crushing Technique just for the sake of it in the first place?”

This time, Bisea-yeong and Seolpung also had no choice but to clear their throats and avert their eyes.

Seon Woo-jin advanced to the fifth stage of the Bone-Crushing Technique before releasing it, then unsealed Noh Je-eok’s acupoints to make him speak.

But even with his face almost ashen, No Je-eok refused to say what the group wanted to hear.

“Kraaaah! You… you bastards! Did you think I’d surrender to this kind of pain?! Kha ha ha ha ha! Ten levels?! Try a hundred levels! The only thing I’ll tell you is your mother’s…”

Crack!

With an expression that seemed about to spew something unthinkable, Seon Woo-jin frowned and pressed his finger against his blood vessel.

It seemed he really would have to go all the way to the tenth level.

That was when it happened.

Yawun-hyang, who had been watching from behind with a languid gaze, suddenly spoke up.

“Just a moment.”

Then, as everyone watched with puzzled expressions, she stepped forward and said to Seon Woo-jin.

“May I give it a try?”

Seon Woo-jin looked surprised at her offer.

But he nodded in agreement.

Then, Youn Hyang pointed at the bottle of liquor Jung Chil was holding and said,

“May I borrow that?”

Zeng Chi was startled by her words and clutched the flask tightly.

“What?! Why do you want my wine?!”

His treasured small bottle of rice wine was now less than half full.

So when Seon Woo-jin asked to borrow it briefly earlier, Jeung Chil reacted as if he were sending off his own child.

But since he had firmly promised that he only needed the scent and would absolutely not touch the liquor, he had been able to lend it briefly to use as bait.

Now, Yawunxiang was asking to borrow his precious liquor again.

Yawunxiang said in a languid voice.

“I’ll only need it for a little while.”

At her words, Jeong Chil’s eyes narrowed warily as he debated what to do.

Then, Biseoyoung, who was beside him, soothed him.

“Oh, come on, Master. I’m just borrowing it for a moment to help the pretty young lady eliminate the Blood Sect’s gang, aren’t I? I’m not saying I’ll drink it—just borrow it for a bit. Please.”

At his words, Zengchi asked again with a skeptical look.

“Is that so? You really won’t drink it, right?”

Biseoyoung declared emphatically, as if it were obvious.

“Of course not! Do you think we’d drink in a situation like this?!”

Zengchi reluctantly handed the flask to Yao Yunxiang.

But the moment Yawunxiang received it, she sent a telepathic message to Biseyoung.

– Please restrain Old Man Jeung, Master.

– Huh? What did you say?

Biseyeong was startled by her words.

But before he could even respond, Yawunxiang had already begun acting.

She approached No Je-eok without hesitation, tilted the flask, and poured a few drops of liquor into his mouth.

In that instant, both their eyes widened as if they might pop out.

“Guhhhhh!”

One was No Je-eok, reacting even more violently than when he’d been struck by the bone-crushing blow.

And the other was, of course, Jeong Chil.

Zeng Chil erupted like a volcano, roaring in fury.

“What the hell are you doing, you little brat?!”

But Biseyoung, who had assessed the situation, acted first.

He hurriedly pressed a pressure point on Zeng Chi’s back.

Thud!

“Ugh! Ugh!”

With his vital points sealed, Zengchi howled as if being tortured.

But Yawunxiang didn’t even glance back at him.

Meanwhile, Sunwoojin swiftly rebuilt the barrier Zhengchi had been blocking, completing the soundproofing.

It was as if the situation had returned to normal in an instant, as if prearranged.

Ya Yunxiang released No Je-eok’s acupoints and said,

“If you give me the information, I’ll let you drink this wine.”

Then, even No Je-eok’s eyes, which had never flinched before, began to tremble uncontrollably.

Behind him, Zheng Qil, struck by a pressure point, wailed desperately.

“Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Yawunxiang continued speaking with a languid gaze.

“But if you won’t speak…”

Then, she slowly tilted the flask toward the ground.

The liquor inside began pouring helplessly onto the floor.

Splash!

Noyeok finally howled like a beast.

“No! You cruel bitch! Don’t do this! I’ll tell you everything! I’ll tell you everything, I swear!”

Jeong Chil also howled.

“Gwaaahhhhhhh!”

Amidst the chaos, Seon Woo-jin asked Mok Rang with a stunned expression.

‘Is that for real?’

Then Mokrang, who could discern lies by reading the other’s will, answered.

– …It’s an intensely genuine sentiment. I’m speechless myself.

Shortly after, Seon Woo-jin and his group were able to hear detailed accounts of the inner workings of the Muwang Tomb from No Je-eok.

Yawunhyang poured him a little more wine each time No Je-eok revealed valuable information. In the end, he disclosed everything and passed away with a happy expression.

But it is the way of the world that where there is happiness on one side, there is unhappiness on the other. As No Je-eok breathed his last with a happy expression, Jeong Chil wept endlessly.

And moments later, when Jeong Chil’s tears ceased, his gaze was filled with venom.

It was a murderous glare, as if he could unleash a sea of blood the instant the pressure point was released.

Then, Yawunxiang approached him with a languid gaze.

Then, calmly addressing Jeong Chil, who was glaring at her as if he wanted to kill her, she said.

“When we return, I’ll give you three jars of So Bongju.”

At that moment, Zengchi’s gaze wavered slightly.

And as Yawunxiang released his pressure point, he immediately shouted loudly.

“Don’t lie to me, you bitch! How could you possibly give away something so precious…!”

But cutting him off, Yawunxiang said.

“I can make it.”

“…What?”

When Jeongchil was momentarily flustered and couldn’t continue, Yawunhyang affirmed once more.

“I can make it. Not just Sobongju, but also Sohongju, Dugangju, Baekaju—I can make them all. One of our ancestors was a notorious drunkard. He vowed to taste every liquor in the world and collected all the brewing recipes under heaven.”

Then Jeongchil’s mouth fell open.

Soboongju, Sohongju, Dugangju, Baekaju.

All were renowned liquors representing their respective regions.

Zengchi stared blankly, his expression disbelieving.

“You… you can make all of those? Is… is that lie really true?”

Yaunxiang replied with a peculiar smile.

“I’ll make them all for you when we return. Since you’re my master.”

With that, Jeong Chil’s anger completely subsided.

The situation was resolved in that instant.

***

Six Blood Sect masters guarding the perimeter of the exterior passage were just about to relieve each other.

“Hey, it’s shift change!”

“Ugh! I’m sick of this. Finally over.”

“Hmph, nice to finally get inside and rest. What am I supposed to do for another hour?”

“Huh? Why are there five of them? Where’s that bastard Jugeui?”

“No idea. They went in saying they’d catch the leopard that snuck in through the passageway, but the first two who went in missed the leopard and came back out, and that bastard didn’t come out? Well, it’s obvious what that bastard would do.”

“Heh heh heh heh heh, that Zhu Gui really is desperate to die.”

“Heh heh heh, he’s gotten out of hand now that the old master isn’t around.”

At that moment, Seon Woo-jin and his group, concealed in the shadows of the passageway, were watching them with sharp eyes as they changed shifts.

Seon Woo-jin sent a telepathic message.

– Let’s prepare.

The men raised their thumbs, signaling they had all received the message.

According to what Jugeui Nojeok had said, the outer corridor guards rotated shifts every one shijin (two hours).

Therefore, if they acted immediately after the shift change, it meant the next shift would not arrive for one shijin.

But that didn’t mean they had a full hour.

The guards outside the cave rotated shifts at half-hour intervals, alternating with each other, so in reality, the outer perimeter guards would pass through this outer passageway for their shift change after half an hour.

Therefore, the window to avoid detection was only half a shen. They had to finish the task within that time.

Moments later, Seon Woo-jin, who had closed his eyes to maximize his senses and was watching the departing guards fade away with his inner vision, suddenly snapped his eyes open and locked gazes with Seolpung.

Seolpung, too, looked at him and nodded.

It meant now.

As before, Heukpyo made the first move.

Seon Woo-jin stroked Heukpyo’s neck, conveying his intent.

‘Could you lure them over to this passageway?’

As if he had heard it himself, Heukpyo rose to his feet and began to shuffle toward the Blood Cultists.

Moments later, commotion erupted among the Blood Cultists who spotted Black Mark’s eyes.

“What’s that light?”

“A beast? It’s Black Tiger!”

“That’s the one the guards mentioned earlier! Two of us will pursue!”

“I’ll go!”

“Me too!”

Bang!

Two horsemen at the peak of their prowess, torches in hand, followed Black Mark into the passageway.

They shouted as they pursued Heukpyo’s retreating figure.

“He’s pretty fast, huh?! No wonder the guys ahead couldn’t catch him!”

“But they didn’t catch the main bastard!”

“What? Kkkkk! Yeah. That one’s execution is confirmed.”

That was when it happened.

Something long and squishy suddenly rose from the floor, tripping their legs.

Thud!

“Ugh! What the hell?!”

“A snake?”

The two masters, though not top-tier, didn’t fall but lost their balance and staggered, fixing their gaze on the thing that had tripped them.

It was a long rope shaped like the body of a black snake.

Then one of them realized it was a whip and was about to cry out in shock.

“That…!”

But he was unable to utter another word.

Crack!

“Gah!”

“Guh!”

Two dolls had surged up like ghosts from the shadows behind them, covering their mouths and slashing their throats.

It was Seon Woo-jin and Bi Sa-yeong.

In that instant, the torches slipped from the Madu’s hands. Seolpung and Jeungchil caught them effortlessly.

Clang! Clang!

They moved with such seamless coordination it seemed as if they’d been practicing for months.

The five exchanged glances, nodded to each other, and began moving silently back toward the area where the Madu were standing guard.