Mong, carrying Gangchan, raced along the mountain path like a whirlwind. If not for Mong, this plan would have been impossible to even attempt.
Gangchan planned to head to Wuhan in Hubei Province to capture the Haomun Munju, then immediately travel to Hangzhou to deal with the remnants of the Haomun. If everything went according to plan, he would be able to return a restored Haomun to Nanseol.
After riding through the biting midwinter wind for some time, the hazy outline of a city appeared in the distance. White steam rose from Mong’s body as they came to a halt. As soon as he entered Wuhan, Gangchan found the nearest inn.
While he was eating in his room, someone from Nanseol’s faction of the Haomun somehow tracked him down.
“Are you Leader Kang?”
“My, you certainly are talented.”
“I was about to say the same. How could you arrive here so quickly?”
“Haha, that is a secret.”
“Is it perhaps because of the horse you rode?”
“Maybe.”
Seeing him answer with a smile, the man became certain that the secret lay with the horse.
“We lost track of you midway… I apologize, but do you have something to prove your identity?”
Gangchan showed the man a token. It was a token Nanseol had given him, telling him to use it if he ever needed the Haomun’s help. In the center of the token, the word ‘Mangwon’ was elegantly engraved.
Upon seeing the token, the man was greatly shocked and prostrated himself.
“I am Go Seok, a disciple of the Wuhan Haomun.”
Gangchan looked perplexed by the man’s sudden behavior.
“Do you perhaps not know what this Mangwon-pae is?”
“You mean this?” Gangchan held up the token.
“Yes, that is the Mangwon-pae. It is because of that token that the traitor Doak is still hunting the Munju.”
“What? Is this such an important item?”
“The Mangwon-pae is an absolute symbol that allows one to demand almost anything from the Haomun, with a few special exceptions. Of course, its even greater value is that when combined with the Mangcheon, it becomes the Mangwon-cheon-pae. Most people are unaware, but that is the Sect Leader’s Command Token.”
“Why would she give me something so important?”
Go Seok looked troubled by the question. “How could I dare to fathom the Pavilion Master’s intentions?”
“I suppose so. Then, who currently possesses the Mangcheon?”
“The Mangwon-cheon-pae was held by the previous Munju, the current Munju’s father. However, it is my understanding that before he met with misfortune 20 years ago, he passed only the Mangwon-pae to the Young Lady. Therefore, he likely had the Mangcheon on his person when the incident occurred. We believe the traitor Doak currently possesses it.”
“I have one question. What does the Mangcheon look like?”
“The Mangcheon is shaped like a round ring, designed so that the Mangwon-pae can be inserted into it.”
“If Doak is still searching for the Mangwon-pae, it means he hasn’t completely seized control of the Haomun yet, right?”
“That is correct. Out of the ten managers, only seven follow the current Munju. The remaining three refuse to follow him until they see the Mangwon-cheon-pae, and they have all been sidelined into minor positions.”
“Is it possible to contact those three managers?”
“It is possible, but for what purpose?”
“In case I capture Doak and recover the Mangwon-cheon-pae, I was wondering if they could handle the Haomun’s cleanup until the Munju arrives.”
“If that is the case, I will contact them immediately.”
“Please do. Now, shall we hear the information on those bastards?”
“Doak is served by an old man named Gwak Gu and travels with a strategist named Ho Yeon-gang and ten bodyguards. His residence is the Heuk-un-jang in downtown Wuhan, but since he frequently alternates between several secret hideouts, it is difficult to pin down his exact location.”
“I see. Then where does he spend his time during the day?”
“He stays at the Cheonha-jeil-ru most of the time. The problem is that Mad Blood Demon Lord Bang Geuk is staying in the annex there.”
Gangchan, who did not have much experience in the Kangho, had never heard that name before. “Who is that?”
“You don’t know Bang Geuk?” Go Seok stared at Gangchan blankly, his mouth hanging open.
“I take it he’s quite a famous figure?”
As Gangchan muttered indifferently, Go Seok became even more confused. ‘The man who single-handedly defeated the Fujian Twins, who are counted among the world’s most wicked, doesn’t know Bang Geuk?’
Go Seok looked at Gangchan with a fresh sense of wonder. “Mad Blood Demon Lord Bang Geuk is not just a famous figure. He is one of the Four Demon Lords of the Demonic Sect.”
“If he’s one of the Four Demon Lords, that means there are four of them?”
“That is correct. The four martial artists who reign as absolute beings within the Demonic Sect are called the Four Demon Lords. I assume you don’t know the other three either?”
“Haha, of course not.”
Go Seok nodded as if he had expected it. “Regardless, Bang Geuk is known to be someone Doak invited from the outside, but in reality, he was dispatched by the Demonic Sect to monitor the Haomun. Bang Geuk is a master of the Iron Blood Star-Plucking Saber technique and is over 50 years old. His martial arts cultivation is estimated to be at the Superlative Stage or the Extreme Demon Realm.”
“I see. Then how strong is Doak’s martial arts?”
“No one has actually seen Doak’s martial arts. It is only known that he mastered a secret throwing knife technique called the Red Dragon Soul-Snatching Twelve Daggers.”
“In the end, the Haomun has essentially fallen into the hands of the Demonic Sect.”
“Strictly speaking, yes.” Anger filled Go Seok’s eyes as he answered. “I apologize for not being able to provide more detailed information.”
“It would be better if there were more, but that much is enough.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“Well, I’ll have to finish him off and escape before that Mad Blood Demon Lord fellow notices.”
“Is that even possible?”
Go Seok’s concern was only natural. It was easy to say, but if it were truly that simple, they wouldn’t have been on the run for the past 20 years. However, unlike Go Seok’s worry, Gangchan showed no signs of tension whatsoever.
“Don’t worry about that, and tell those three managers to come to Mount Huang in Anhui Province as quickly as possible. And please, guide me to the Cheonha-jeil-ru.”
With an expression of resignation, Go Seok nodded. “Please follow me.”
A short while later, guided by the Haomun disciple, Gangchan sat in a small tea house overlooking the Cheonha-jeil-ru. Befitting its name, the Cheonha-jeil-ru had a main building nearly twice the size of the Cheonhyangru and several annexes. It was 4:00 PM, and the sun had not yet fully set.
***
Leaving the tea house, Gangchan walked slowly along the wall of the Cheonha-jeil-ru like a man out for a stroll. Behind the main building, about ten luxurious annexes revealed themselves over the wall. Gangchan walked along the wall, searching for the terrain he wanted, and finally found a suitable spot.
‘Shall I see who’s inside?’
As he cast Jieugiseong, the surrounding energy began to slowly enter his body. After a moment, a smile spread across Gangchan’s face.
‘Hah. What’s this? There’s someone with the same energy as those guys.’
Gangchan’s senses caught someone with the same energy as the Demonic Sect observers who had been watching him. ‘His energy is much thicker and stronger than theirs.’
Gangchan also examined the energy around that person. The source of the energy was the annex on the far right. There, he felt two more energies alongside him. One was faint, but the other was large and gloomy. As he expanded his range a bit more, he detected a group of ten people with similar energy.
At that moment, a massive energy appeared within his range.
‘Is that Mad Blood Demon Lord Bang Geuk?’
Gangchan concentrated further, meticulously exploring that energy. ‘That’s it. What incredible Mage Energy.’
Bang Geuk was about to enter the building where Doak stayed when he felt a strange energy and stopped in his tracks. His eyes flashed fiercely as he looked around. He was a giant, over 6 feet tall, with a rugged, muscular body. His exterior appeared benevolent, but he was a cold-blooded killer who had slain countless righteous martial artists by catching them off guard.
‘What is this?’
An unknown energy that irritated Bang Geuk’s nerves was spreading. However, no matter how much he looked around, he saw no particular signs of abnormality. Tilting his head, Bang Geuk eventually went inside the building where Doak was staying.
Gangchan checked other places as well, but no special energy was detected except for the two locations from before.
‘Good. Now I just need to wait for him to come out on his own.’
And so, Gangchan waited for Doak to emerge. The sun dipped lower, and the surroundings grew dark. Gangchan sat quietly, waiting for them. Since the sun had completely set, they would likely move to a secret safe house.
A short while later, Doak and his party came out of the building. After talking for a while, everyone except Bang Geuk began to quickly leave the Cheonha-jeil-ru. Gangchan confirmed that there was someone with Demonic Sect energy among the group and smiled with satisfaction.
The unique energy detected through Jieugiseong was etched into Gangchan’s body like an imprint. Tracking an energy imprinted in such a way was not a difficult task for him. Since one of them possessed that energy, there was no need to rush after them.
The group repeatedly entered buildings and exited through back doors as they moved. Each time, their clothes and appearance changed. Their efforts to shake off any potential pursuit were almost pitiful.
A short while later, the group entered a shabby manor not far from downtown Wuhan. Gangchan waited for them to come out again from a spot about 300 feet away from the manor. After waiting for an hour, their movements stopped.
‘Found it.’
Gangchan was certain that this was one of their hideouts.
‘Alright, I’ve found the hideout, so now I have to catch the Demonic Sect guy…’
Gangchan quietly approached the manor and jumped over the wall. There were a total of five buildings in the manor, and he felt three energies coming from the building at the very back. The faint one was likely the old man Gwak Gu, and the powerful one was likely Doak.
‘Then the remaining one is the strategist, Ho Yeon-gang. The Demonic Sect guy has disguised himself as the strategist.’
Five guards were standing watch in front of the building where they stayed, and five more had entered the building directly in front of it. They were likely taking a rest. Gangchan faded into the shadows of the wall like a ghost.
‘I should move after taking care of Ho Yeon-gang first.’
Since he didn’t know the level of Doak’s martial arts, he couldn’t be certain. In the worst-case scenario, if a fight broke out, some of them would try to contact Bang Geuk. It would take them roughly 15 minutes to reach the Cheonha-jeil-ru. If Bang Geuk heard the news and flew over, it would take him about seven minutes.
Ultimately, the calculation was that if a fight started, he had to finish it and escape within 22 minutes at the latest.
‘Is it possible?’
As expected, the problem was Doak’s martial arts level. Unable to delay any longer, Gangchan decided to eliminate Ho Yeon-gang first and then act according to the situation.
After drawing in the surrounding energy, he performed the Ghost Soul Step, and his figure completely melted into the darkness. He bypassed the five guards and quietly stepped onto the roof of the last building. He could feel three people moving inside.
‘What are they doing?’
Just as he was wondering, one person said something and came outside. After looking around for a while, he looked up at the sky and leaped toward the roof.
‘Now.’
The moment the man’s feet touched the roof, Gangchan’s hands shot out like lightning. Two Soul Axes flew toward the heart and neck of the Fifth Shadow of the Amyeong, who was disguised as Ho Yeon-gang.
*Clang! Thud!*
The Fifth Shadow of the Amyeong twisted his body, blocking the Soul Axe aimed at his heart. He was on a completely different level from the ones who had monitored Gangchan before. Unfortunately for him, his opponent was Gangchan. Although he blocked the axe aimed at his heart, he couldn’t perfectly avoid the other one.
“Who are you?”
Blood spurted from his left shoulder. Frowning at the wound, the Fifth Shadow of the Amyeong searched for his opponent. Gangchan, appearing at the edge of the roof, muttered with ill-concealed disappointment.
“Ah, I failed.”
Because he couldn’t kill him in one blow, the situation had turned for the worse. The five men hiding below were narrowing their perimeter while looking at the roof, and the five men inside the building also rushed out in alarm. He could hear frantic movements under the roof as well.
The Fifth Shadow of the Amyeong, about to say something, gritted his teeth as he saw Gangchan charging at him. Closing the distance in an instant, Soul Axes appeared in Gangchan’s hands again, slicing through the night sky.
A massive force infused with energy, along with the blood spurting from the Fifth Shadow’s shoulder, enveloped his entire body. Focus gradually faded from his eyes. However, as the incoming Soul Axes failed to pierce his energy and were deflected, his right hand, clutching a dagger, lunged toward Gangchan. He was charging with his entire body, intending for a mutual demise.
‘A double suicide? Stubborn bastard.’
There was no time to dodge.
Without anyone seeing him draw it, the Demon Axe in Gangchan’s hand descended from the sky. As the Demon Axe struck from above, a thunderous roar echoed through the air.
*Grrrr! Crash!*
It was Bungsangyeongcheon, one of the last three forms of the Hyeolbu Cheollyeong. It was a terrifying technique that didn’t just cut the opponent but crushed and exploded them with pure energy.
Amidst the spreading thick darkness, the body of the Fifth Shadow of the Amyeong exploded. Blood and flesh scattered like mist, and a hole about a yard wide was blasted into the roof where he had stood.
“Ha, there’s no helping it now. I’ll have to finish this as quickly as possible.”
Gangchan’s body disappeared into the hole.
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