Chapter 66

In front of the lodging, Baekyak, drenched in rain, held the assassin’s cloak over her head and gazed up at Danwooseong.

Rainwater streamed down Baekyak’s cheeks, and her hair was soaked. Few men could see such beauty without their hearts racing. The two stared at each other blankly before awkwardly embracing once, as if to say “good work.”

To be precise, Baekyak had first dropped the clothes she was holding onto the floor before embracing him, and Danwooseong accepted it without batting an eye. As someone descended the stairs inside the lodging, producing a creaking sound of wood rubbing against wood, the two hurriedly pulled apart.

Dan Wooseong spoke in a stiff tone.

“Miss Baek, you’ve worked hard. Go inside now.”

Baekyak replied.

“Yes, by the way, you have many enemies.”

The two conversed as if reading a book. Baekran, descending the stairs, frowned and watched them intently.

‘What’s with this vibe? Huh…? Who do they think they’re fooling?’

Danwooseong nodded.

“That seems to be the case. Come inside.”

Danwooseong suddenly thought it would be nice to kidnap Baekyak and take her somewhere. Then he also thought maybe he hadn’t been slapped by Baekmujin in his dream for no reason.

Baek Yak, as if anticipating something, said rather out of the blue:

“Even if the demon path appears in the future, I won’t be a burden to you.”

Danwooseong replied, his eyes flickering slightly.

“Of course…”

Baekran, who had been waiting with an umbrella, approached the two and quietly stood by.

Dan Wooseong said.

“See you later.”

“Yes.”

Baekran bowed her head slightly before turning away. As Danwooseong walked off, Baekran scolded him like a grandmother.

“Oh my, how can you walk around getting soaked like this?”

Baekyak retorted.

“What’s the big deal? Just dry off.”

“What were you two doing?”

“What else? We went for a walk.”

“No, what kind of walk is this in the rain… And why is your face all red again? What were you two doing!”

“Be quiet.”

Dan Wooseong turned away with an expressionless face and headed toward Eunhwasangdan. On the deserted, quiet road, Dan Wooseong suddenly slapped his own cheek.

Smack!

With a calm expression, Dan Woo-sung muttered to himself.

“You pathetic fool. You deserve to be beaten by Baek Moo-jin.”

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“We were ambushed by the Gold and Silver Murderers.”

“What happened?”

“I killed them all.”

As Ha Jeon-ik swallowed hard, Dan Woo-sung continued in a calm tone.

“Can you find out where the head of the sect is? With the information network of the Eight Dragon Sect…”

“I’ll look into it. However…”

Ha Jeon-ik paused briefly in thought before continuing his response to Dan Woo-seong’s question.

“Even within the Gold-Silver Murder Society, the leader’s true identity is likely unknown. Those who might know would take their own lives if captured. The Black Path has tried to touch the Gold-Silver Murder Society several times, but the result was always the same. They’re vicious bastards.”

Dan Wooseong then turned to Cheol Myeong-ho.

“Hori, what should we do?”

Cheol Myeong-ho retorted.

“What?”

“To capture the leader of the Gold-Silver Murder Society.”

Cheol Myeong-ho retorted.

How should I know? And why bother hunting down some guy hiding like that? Just find the Gold and Silver Murder Society’s headquarters and kill them all. Kill the masters, kill the workers, kill the top dogs, kill the lowly ones…

And if we keep killing, the leader will show up. If he doesn’t, then there’s nothing we can do.”

It was a response worthy of Cheol Myeong-ho.

Dan Woo-sung nodded and said to Ha Jeon-ik.

“Then let the Palryongmun attack the headquarters. I’ll disguise myself as an ordinary Palryongmun disciple and join them. It doesn’t matter if it’s not the leader; just find the base. I’ll kill them all.”

Ha Jeon-ik’s pupils wavered once more.

“Understood.”

Danwooseong asked.

“Could it be that the Eight Dragon Gate is afraid…”

Ha Jeon-ik narrowed his eyes.

“Ah, it’s nothing like that. Those assassins aren’t even worthy of being counted among the black-clad assassins. We should just wipe them out while we have the chance.”

Dan Woosung nodded and looked at the desk in Cheol Myeongho’s office. The elixirs Ha Jeonik had procured were laid out there.

Dan Wooseong asked Cheol Myeongho.

“How many times now?”

Cheol Myeong-ho extended his right arm. Its muscles had become lumpy and uneven, as if they had been meticulously carved.

Cheol Myeong-ho said.

“Seventy-six thousand two hundred and three.”

“Taking the elixir will make it go faster.”

Cheol Myeong-ho nodded.

“I suppose so.”

Dan Woo-sung said to Ha Jeon-ik.

“Munju, bring in more troops and spread them out widely near the merchant caravan to maintain vigilance.”

“Understood.”

Palryongmun had essentially become Dan Wooseong’s personal guard force. As Dan Wooseong emerged from the underground training hall of Cheolmyeongho, he slapped his own cheek once more.

Even after parting ways with Cheolmyeong-ho, having shared pointless old stories, his mind was still unsettled.

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The Ssangbo brothers asked Dan Wooseong.

“Brother, did you get slapped?”

“No way.”

“Your cheek…”

“I ran extra hard today, that’s all.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I see.”

Danwooseong finally ate breakfast with the Ssangbo brothers.

For reasons unknown, it was a massive binge.

Since he was undergoing rigorous training anyway, it wouldn’t have much effect. By the time Dan Wooseong, who had eaten so much that even the Ssangbo brothers looked astonished, began his training, a household servant arrived and said to him:

“Young Master, a messenger has arrived from the Murong Clan.”

“The Murong clan?”

The moment he heard the name, Dan Woosung’s heart sank. He knew Murong Choo’s disappearance was connected to him.

Dan Woo-sung went to the reception room and met the messenger from the Murong clan. As soon as the greetings ended, the young messenger, who looked barely twenty, relayed the words of Murong Bin, the clan leader.

“Our investigation team has discovered traces of the late former head, Murong Chui, in Wuxue, Hubei.”

“Traces?”

“Yes.”

Dan Wooseong listened with his lips tightly sealed.

“…It was sheer luck we found anything at all. Because the state of the body… no, there wasn’t even a body left. We discovered the location where the body should have been by examining the area for the bracelet and pendant the former head wore, the bloodstains, and the weapons.”

The messenger’s eyes went blank.

The words describing the bloodstains shaped like a human form could not pass his lips.

But Danwooseong himself was recalling his own past. It was something he had somewhat anticipated.

Danwooseong tapped the messenger’s arm and said.

“Herald, have a drink of water.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

After gulping down the water, the messenger continued.

“So, the body had been absorbed by something and vanished, leaving only torn clothing, bone dust, and bloodstains. I only heard about it, so I don’t quite understand the story either.”

“It must be demonic magic.”

“Yes, the Master also mentioned that he seems to have fallen victim to demonic arts. This news has already been relayed to the Imperial Council and the Martial Alliance first. The Master instructed me to inform the young master of the Galaxy Trading Company as well, so I came running.”

Dan Woo-seong said.

“What countermeasures have been decided?”

“The Imperial Council will soon dispatch personnel from each sect to the Bloodless Region.”

Dan Woosung wanted to say it would be futile, but since it wasn’t his place to interfere in the Emperor’s Association’s affairs, he remained silent. After all, the enemies’ target was the masters at the pinnacle, not those below them.

The messenger said.

“The Martial Alliance will likely show similar movements.”

“Why is that?”

“All contact with the Sword King, who was preparing to join the Martial Alliance, has been severed. Both the Martial Alliance and our faction have declared a state of emergency.”

Dan Woo-sung let out a long sigh.

“Understood.”

The messenger added as if he had just remembered something.

“According to our Elder, there are two types of demonic arts capable of mutilating a corpse so horribly. The Blood God Technique and the Sun-Moon Demon Technique.”

Dan Woosung added to the explanation.

“I’ve heard there’s one more. A demonic art called the Demon Sword’s Ultimate Intent.”

The factions that could be found by knowing martial arts were never the ones to begin with.

“Ah, is that so? In any case, you believe those descendants have appeared. Please keep that in mind. Master, I must now set out again. I have been ordered to continue contacting sects not affiliated with the Imperial Council and relay information. Since there’s no way to contact them via the Imperial Post Office, I’m doing it the hard way.”

“Hmm, understood.”

After the messenger departed, Dan Woo-sung remained alone in the reception room, resting his chin on his hand. Only then did the excitement stirred by Baekyak settle into a calm stillness.

All the kings, including himself, were wiped out. The coordinated attack was so overwhelming that it was inevitable.

And judging by the situation so far, they haven’t touched the emperors who command armies. Murong Chui, the Sword King, the Sword Emperor… all were struck down while moving or alone.

This signaled they still guarded against the Three Immortals or the Martial Alliance Leader.

Suddenly, Dan Wuxing recalled the battle where he had been defeated that day and imagined what would happen if he deployed Bai Yao to that location. The fight dragged on. Therefore, he added the Wulin Alliance Leader, Yu Zhenghong, and the Three Gods to the scenario.

The conclusion was this.

They would not step forward until they could decisively defeat the Three Gods, conserving their strength. Judging by the timing and methods, if the Sword King had been struck down recently, it was certain things would remain quiet for a while longer.

It was almost as if the entire White Path had been toyed with.

It was a situation demanding someone to draw the enemy out…

Right now, only the Emperor’s Council’s disciple and the Black Path’s First Man came to mind.

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Dan Woo-sung relayed the news the Murong Clan had conveyed to Baekyak, sharing his own thoughts as well.

Baekyak said.

“So you’re saying the next target will be either the Namgung Clan or the Black Path’s top assassin?”

“It’s conjecture. They seem to be scouting opponents step by step. Targeting the head of the Nine Sects or the heads of the major families. Until now, they didn’t seem to want a fight with the major factions, but who knows what will happen going forward.”

“Could the Gold and Silver Murder Society have reached them?”

“It’s not impossible. If the leader is such a cunning individual…”

“Then I’ll join you when we strike the Eight Dragons Sect and the Gold-Silver Murder Society.”

Dan Woo-seong nodded.

From now on, Baekyak and he planned to continue practicing their martial arts together. For Danwooseong to be alone, or for Baekyak to be alone, was a dangerous move given the circumstances. If it became known that he was a descendant of Baek Mujin, Baekyak would likely draw their attention too.

Dan Woosung said.

“For now, the only ones not on the enemy’s assassination list are probably Miss Baek and myself. Whether it’s the Alliance Leader or the Disciple… they’re already being targeted.”

It was a situation where the hidden blade had to create variables.

Baekyak asked.

We have quite a bit of information on the demonic forces. My cousin Lan has memorized it all. There are likely factions unknown even in the Central Plains that are recorded at the main house. Whenever you find a lead, please tell me. I’ll answer to the best of my knowledge or ask Lan.

Baek Moo-jin had slain more demonic forces than any other man, so his family possessed far more intelligence than other clans.

Dan Woosung voiced his own conjecture.

“It’s likely a descendant using the Sun-Moon Art and the Demon Sword Art.”

“So it’s not one faction, but two?”

“Indeed.”

Baekyak replied as if it weren’t particularly surprising.

“They must be followers or descendants of the Sun-Moon Heavenly Demon and the Black Immortal Sword Demon. Those two families were the most bitter enemies in the history of the demonic path.”

“Those families were all killed long ago by the leader of the Yu Jeonghong faction. Every last one of them. Their leaders were slain by the Three Gods.”

In response to Dan Wuseong’s words, Baekyak explained the traditional methods of the demonic path.

“In the realm of dark arts, there exist individuals known as successors. They ensure the lineage of dark magic is preserved, preventing its extinction. Should a particular family face imminent destruction, they sometimes secretly remove one descendant to protect them. I’ve heard even the cruelest dark arts show deference to these successors. For they are the benefactors of the dark arts.”

The force fulfilling the role mentioned by Baekyak was none other than the Palace of Ten Thousand Demons.