Chapter 72
A full moon shone brightly in the night sky.
The gate guards of Gwageommun blinked repeatedly, struggling to shake off the drowsiness creeping over them.
Suddenly, a woman’s urgent voice pierced the quiet.
“Help us! Please, help us!”
The guards snapped awake, drawing their weapons as they turned toward the source of the cry.
Clang! Clang!
A woman, supporting someone who seemed about to collapse, came running toward them, shouting desperately.
The person being supported was also a woman, small in stature, her face mostly hidden beneath a dark cloak.
“There’s a lecher after us! Please, help!” the woman cried out again.
Behind them, a figure clad in black with a masked face hesitated upon seeing the guards, then slipped back into the shadows.
The squad leader stepped forward cautiously, eyes fixed on the fleeing figure, then turned to the women.
“You’re safe now, ladies. Since you’ve come to Gwageommun, we will protect you from here on.”
Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes as she expressed her gratitude.
“Thank you. We were suddenly attacked, and my friend was hurt. I thought we were done for, but Gwageommun truly lives up to its reputation.”
The squad leader smiled knowingly and said, “Come inside and rest for a while. Your friend needs treatment.”
“Thank you, we won’t refuse,” the woman replied.
As the leader opened the main gate and ushered the two women inside, he asked, “By the way, where are you from?”
“We’re disciples of Cheongpungmun, a branch of Cheongseong Sect. We were on our way to visit the main temple when this happened…”
No sooner had the gate closed behind them than the squad leader suddenly reached out and pressed a vital point on the back of one woman.
Snap!
Startled, she cried out, “Ah! What are you doing?!”
Without hesitation, he pressed the other woman’s back as well.
Snap!
“Did I have a lucky dream last night? What a gift,” he muttered with a greedy grin, the polite demeanor from moments ago completely gone.
This fake squad leader of Gwageommun was actually Ma Chungseol, a top-tier assassin dispatched by the Blood Sect’s Jeonghyeopbang.
He chuckled darkly as he looked down at the two women collapsed on the ground.
It was rare to have such beauties walk right into his hands.
The woman who had revealed her face was stunning, and even the one cloaked in the dark garment seemed quite beautiful from the glimpse of her face.
Knowing they were mere disciples of a third-rate sect like Cheongpungmun, he had no reason to hesitate.
“Heh heh heh. I was bored anyway. Since they’ll belong to the brothers inside, I might as well have my fun first.”
Though unable to move, the woman whose vital points had been pressed could still speak, screaming in protest.
“What is this? Why would a Gwageommun guard do this?!”
“Ha ha ha! When did I ever say I was a Gwageommun guard?” Ma Chungseol sneered.
The woman’s face twisted in fear as she shouted with all her might, “Help! He’s a lecher! Someone, please!”
Hearing her cries, Ma Chungseol trembled with excitement.
The terrified struggles and desperate voice of the woman stirred him like nothing else.
“Yes, yes. Your face and voice are very pretty indeed.”
He bent down and flipped the fallen woman over.
At that moment, something gleamed in her hand.
Thrust!
“Ugh!”
As she was turned over, the dagger she’d hidden pierced Ma Chungseol’s heart.
Caught completely off guard by the swift attack, even a top-tier warrior like him couldn’t react in time.
His eyes widened in shock, blood trickling from his mouth as he muttered, “I was sure I’d pressed the vital points… how…?”
And then he collapsed.
Jungyeon whispered as she released the vital point pressure on Sun Woojin, who was still cloaked in the dark garment.
“I’m sorry. I should have found where the women were being held…”
Sun Woojin replied quickly, “No. You made the right call. He was going to do something terrible, so we had no choice but to distract him.”
They had expected the assassin to try pressing vital points from behind.
So, while being supported by Jungyeon, Sun Woojin focused on the attacker’s movements and managed to free Jungyeon’s pressure point without being noticed.
It was only possible because they were pressed tightly together.
But the original plan to locate where the women were imprisoned had failed.
Trying to satisfy his desires here, without taking them inside and with other guards watching, was typical of a Blood Sect member.
The surrounding guards shouted.
“That woman killed the squad leader!”
“Catch her!”
The patrolling guards near the inner wall, who had been watching with interest, rushed forward in surprise when the squad leader fell.
Feigning support for Sun Woojin, Jungyeon drew her sword with one hand and dashed back toward the main gate.
At the same time, Bisa-yeong and Jeong-an were hiding stealthily outside the side wall of Gwageommun.
They had begun moving to infiltrate as soon as Jungyeon’s scream for help confirmed that the attackers were indeed Blood Sect operatives.
Though not as skilled as Sun Woojin, Bisa-yeong’s sensory training was sharp enough to find a weak spot in the inner defenses.
He waited just outside the wall.
Voices came from inside.
“The women are escaping! After them!”
“But what about this side?”
“Just go catch them and come back!”
As the guards inside rushed toward Jungyeon and Sun Woojin, Bisa-yeong sent a silent message to Jeong-an.
With a light, catlike grace, Bisa-yeong scaled the wall.
Jeong-an followed, moving with impressive skill as she had claimed.
Confirming she was behind him, Bisa-yeong focused intently on the surroundings.
Originally, Jungyeon and Sun Woojin were supposed to find the women’s location, but since that failed, he had to rely on his own judgment.
The heavy responsibility sharpened his concentration.
Just then, as he studied the layout of the buildings, Jeong-an’s voice came through the silent message.
Bisa-yeong chuckled softly at her sudden confession.
She had been excited about infiltrating, but now that they were inside, the nerves had set in.
He knew that wasn’t entirely true.
No matter how well Sun Woojin distracted, they couldn’t know what powerful enemies awaited inside.
But it was a task that had to be done, and he couldn’t show doubt in front of her.
I think the women are being held in one of the inner buildings. What do you think?
Yes, I agree.
Then let’s go.
Lowering his body, Bisa-yeong moved stealthily like a thief through the buildings of Gwageommun.
Jeong-an, her face flushed with excitement beneath her mask, followed closely.
What they didn’t know was that two pairs of eyes were watching their every move from the rooftops.
What do you think?
Interesting. Shall we wait and see?
Hmm, yes.
Jungyeon, supporting the injured Sun Woojin cloaked in the dark garment, rushed forward and shoved open the main gate.
Beyond the open gate stood four gate guards.
They looked at the open door with suspicion, then recognized the two and drew their weapons in alarm.
Jungyeon charged at the nearest guard, swinging her sword.
She had to strike before they could fully react.
“Hah!”
Clang!
But her sword was easily blocked, and she gritted her teeth.
The Blood Sect foot soldiers were no ordinary gate guards; even the lowest ranks were first-rate warriors, their internal energy fully charged.
“How dare you!”
The Blood Sect warrior who barely blocked Jungyeon’s strike cursed.
As Jungyeon pressed on with her attack, a hidden weapon flew like a ray of light from inside Sun Woojin’s cloak, piercing the Blood Sect warrior’s neck.
His eyes immediately dimmed.
Startled by the unexpected turn, Jungyeon received a silent warning.
Snapping back to full alert, Jungyeon turned to see another Blood Sect warrior charging from behind.
“You witch!”
Gritting her teeth, Jungyeon’s sword flashed wildly.
“Yah!”
Swish swish!
Her blade danced like a chaotic whirlwind, the Amipa’s Nampi Pung Sword Technique in full force.
Clang clang clang clang!
Despite the desperate situation, Jungyeon managed to fend off the ambush.
Thanks to the power of the Nampi Pung Sword Technique—and the enemy’s momentary lapse in vigilance—she held her ground.
Though the blood sect warrior had filled his internal energy to the level of a first-grade master, his lack of true insight kept him from reaching the very top tier. Because of this, he still had no intention of killing Jeong-yeon.
At that moment, once again, a hidden dart shot out from within the blood wind.
Fwoosh!
“Ugh!”
The distance was too close, and the blood wind masked any pre-movement, so even a first-grade master couldn’t defend against it.
The other two gate guards shouted out.
“The wounded woman’s throwing darts! Watch out!”
“How dare she!”
At that instant, Jeong-yeon heard Sun Woo-jin’s voice in her ear.
— Charge in with confidence, Sojeo. I’ve got your back.
A smile involuntarily spread across Jeong-yeon’s face at Sun Woo-jin’s words. At this moment, his voice was more reassuring than anything else.
Since she first took up the sword, the elders of the sect had always given her the same evaluation: talented, but overly cautious and overthinking things, which held back her growth.
This was the exact opposite of Jeong-an, who was reckless and simple-minded but, because of that, was expected to develop faster than anyone else if he survived.
Jeong-yeon was well aware of her own shortcomings.
But innate personality was hard to change.
Yet now, without even realizing it, she was charging forward boldly, unleashing a sword technique.
And not just any technique—the most aggressive sword style in the Amipa: the Annihilation Sword Technique.
Annihilation Sword Technique—First Move: Demon-Slaying Ghost.
Shriiing!
From her blade came a chilling, eerie sound that no one would expect from a righteous sword style.
The swordlight surged like a storm, as if a demon with long claws was raking through her opponent.
Cha-cha-cha-cha-chang!
“Ah, no! Aaaah!”
One of the warriors desperately trying to block the fierce onslaught was overwhelmed and pierced by Jeong-yeon’s blade.
Haa, haa.
Realizing that she had just killed a first-grade master with a technique she’d unleashed unconsciously, Jeong-yeon stared blankly at the fallen enemy.
Then Sun Woo-jin’s voice came through again.
— Well done, Sojeo! But now’s the time to run!
“Y-yes!”
Snapping back to reality, Jeong-yeon supported Sun Woo-jin and launched herself forward.
The last warrior was already dead, a hidden dart lodged in his neck.
As Jeong-yeon helped Sun Woo-jin and prepared to flee, other warriors burst out from inside the main gate.
They spotted the bodies of the gate guards and shouted in shock.
“That woman killed all the brothers at the main gate!”
“Was she a master?!”
“Quick, call for reinforcements from the squad leaders and the Grandmaster!”
Inside the Amipa headquarters, chaos erupted like a disturbed beehive.
They could never allow those who knew their secrets to escape.
The warriors waiting inside rushed out, chasing after Jeong-yeon and Sun Woo-jin as they fled into the night.
‘As expected of Jin. He’s reliable.’
It was only natural that Bi Sa-yeong, watching from the shadows, smiled with satisfaction.
Now, it seemed they could investigate the now much quieter Amipa headquarters with far greater ease.
Inside the Amipa’s main hall.
For months, the sect leader hadn’t set foot in his chamber. Instead, two men sat drinking there.
They were the first and second chief commanders of the blood sect occupying the Amipa: Yang Bul-gi, the eldest, and Myung Dae-sul, the second.
Yang Bul-gi frowned and asked suddenly, “It sounds like things outside have gotten noisy. What’s going on?”
Myung Dae-sul answered with disinterest, “Probably nothing important. Most likely some trivial matter.”
But Yang Bul-gi shook his head. “I don’t think so. I heard someone shouting to catch a woman. Could it be that the captive woman escaped? Go check it out.”
Yang Bul-gi’s internal energy had surpassed eighty years of cultivation, while Myung Dae-sul hadn’t yet broken that barrier.
So Yang Bul-gi could hear things Myung Dae-sul couldn’t.
Myung Dae-sul reluctantly rose, scowling. “Where are the third and fourth guys when you need them?”
He grumbled as he left, but returned shortly after.
“The woman didn’t escape on her own, but there was one who walked in by herself. She ran off just before they could catch her. That’s why it’s so noisy—everyone’s trying to find her.”
Yang Bul-gi’s frown deepened. “They lost her even though she came in on her own? And a squad leader-level guard at that? If there’s an idiot like that, he needs to be killed immediately.”
“No need for that. She already killed him. Probably caught off guard. What an idiot.”
Myung Dae-sul’s words made Yang Bul-gi’s expression shift.
“She killed him? A squad leader?”
Then, with a curious look, Yang Bul-gi stroked his chin and suddenly stood up.
Myung Dae-sul asked, puzzled, “You’re not seriously going yourself, are you?”
Yang Bul-gi smiled greedily. “I’ve been bored lately. Holding captive women is dull. It’s much better to catch them myself and hold them close. I’ll be back soon. Keep a good watch while I’m gone.”
“Understood. I’ll go find a woman to have some fun with. Oh, and if she’s pretty, don’t kill her—bring her back.”
“Heh heh heh, got it.”
With that, Yang Bul-gi left the room.
Neither Sun Woo-jin nor Bi Sa-yeong had any idea that the eighty-year cultivation master Yang Bul-gi—the first chief commander, comparable to the Grandmaster Man Jong-im of the Forty-Two Dragons—was now pursuing them, nor that the seventy-year cultivation master Myung Dae-sul was guarding the main hall.