Soho swallowed his dry saliva with unfocused eyes.
Wasn't there only one place under heaven named Iron Staff Mountain?
'Nangyang Pavilion.'
There were only two people in the martial world capable of breaking this Mind-Seizing Secret Art, and if one of them was in the Nangyang Pavilion, the current number one sect of the demonic path...
Did that mean the terrifying Human Demon Ak Muryeong had to use his power to save Seulgae?
'Either Seulgae dies, or I die.'
The image of the Human Demon known to the martial world was the great demon himself, whose joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure could not be divined.
It was known that he would strike off one's head at the slightest offense, and turn the surroundings into a sea of blood for trivial disrespect.
Moreover, no matter if he was the Mercenary King.
It did not seem likely that one could move the Human Demon Ak Muryeong with just a single flying dagger.
"Umm..."
As Soho, looking down at the flying dagger, opened his mouth with a trembling voice, Black Leopard noticed his thoughts and waved both hands.
"Do not worry. The next Pavilion Master will do it for you."
"If it's the next Pavilion Master."
"The Martial Soul Command Lord will handle it for you."
Soho let out an exclamation.
The leader of the Death Spirit Corps, the transcendent supreme master of the demonic path martial world who transcended generations.
The opportunity had arisen to see the young Great Grandmaster of the demonic path, revered by the entire martial world.
Swa-swa-swa-swa.
But a bizarre sound began echoing from the distant sky.
It was a sound that was unpleasant just to hear and made one feel like vomiting.
"They do not know how to give up."
Black Leopard muttered in a low voice.
"Why do things always happen whenever I am training in martial arts alone."
"Yes?"
As Soho asked, Black Leopard let out a deep sigh and said.
"Please return to the Central Plains quickly."
"Is something the matter?"
"It seems these forces have taken deep roots even beyond the frontier."
Black Leopard's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the black wings attached to his shoulder.
At the time he saved Seulgae, he had encountered those who used preternatural power.
Although he had struck them down in a single breath, looking back, that power was extremely similar to the energy of the One Hundred and Eight Stars.
But now, dozens of individuals possessing the same preternatural wavelength were flocking here.
"Would it be better to call them, even if late?"
Black Leopard, about to pull a signal flare from his bosom to call the Mercenary Corps, soon shook his head.
"No, I cannot miss the opportunity to develop further."
Black Leopard, like Bu Eunseol, was also pursuing the martial path in extreme combat.
By fighting incredibly dangerous strong foes that could cost his life, he intended to once again develop his martial arts.
"I will block them here."
"Great Hero."
"I hope you return to the Central Plains safely and save your friend."
Turning around, Black Leopard spread his arms and opened his palms.
Pa-pa-pak.
Then, the stones and pieces of wood on the ground bounced in all directions, and soon a transparent light spread across the entire massive rocky terrain.
To ensure no harm could come to Soho returning to the Central Plains, he was unleashing a massive formation to deal with the charging enemies.
"Great Hero Black Leopard. I will absolutely repay this grace!"
Looking at Black Leopard's back, Soho prostrated and bowed.
Then, clenching his teeth tightly, he embraced Seulgae and ran back toward the Central Plains.
'Absolutely.'
The back of Black Leopard, standing tall in black martial attire with shoulders seemingly supporting Mount Tai, lingered like an afterimage, never fading from before his eyes.
'I too will absolutely become a knight-errant who helps others.'
Soho's chest grew hot.
Namgung Un, Black Leopard.
Even at a young age, these two people.
Reached out without hesitation, disregarding their own lives to save an unknown vagrant.
Even though it was only for a very brief moment.
Being together with young renowned heroes who would never be matched again under heaven.
A hot Soul of Chivalry and Righteousness was being born inside Soho's chest as well.
And this resolution was the first page in the biography of the legendary renowned hero later called the Lone Star Knight-Errant.
"I must survive and repay the grace."
Muttering lowly, Soho embraced Seulgae and unleashed his movement technique toward the Jade Gate Pass again.
'Great Hero Namgung tracked them strategically.'
Namgung Un had instantly seen through the masked men's ingenious escape methods with outstanding tracking arts and insight.
And Soho, who had watched from the side, had also grasped various wisdoms.
'I must conserve my physical strength.'
Prurrut.
Rather than running at full speed recklessly, he moved to pathless cliffs or canyons.
To slow the pursuers' tracking speed, or prevent a large number of people from forming an encirclement while moving.
Even while running, he always observed the terrain and definitely found a place to rest, even for a moment.
Soho, unleashing his qinggong again, moved through waterways or used rocky terrain where traces were not easily left to erase his footprints.
Anticipating that the pursuers would track by scent, he considered the direction the wind blew while moving.
And sometimes he avoided pursuit by making traces of having jumped over a cliff.
Thanks to these efforts, Soho passed through the Jade Gate Pass and perfectly shook off the pursuers for a whopping four days.
However, the outstanding masters possessing super-senses rendered such arrangements meaningless.
They were tenaciously pursuing him by somehow finding his traces.
'It was a matter of time anyway.'
Soho also did not think he could perfectly shake them off.
From the beginning, his goal was.
Not to shake off the pursuit.
But to reach a location where he could use the emergency signal flare given by Woo Kyung.
'If it's here, there should be a branch that the Death Spirit Corps' signal can reach.'
Although he could not arrive at Qinling, this Jiuquan was also strictly the border of the Central Plains. The Death Spirit Corps would definitely be there.
'If not, this journey ends.'
Such emergency communication could send a signal for help to allies, but it was also akin to revealing his position to the enemy.
"Seulgae."
Soho spoke lowly while looking at Seulgae, who was asleep due to the Soul Severing Great Art.
"I will definitely save you."
Taking out the bamboo tube he received from Woo Kyung, Soho aimed it at the sky.
Beeeep.
The firework rising into the distant sky,
Sizzle.
Faded away powerlessly, contrary to expectations.
'Did it break while coming all this way?'
Soho bit his lip.
The emergency bamboo tubes of the corps members undertaking perilous missions, whether soaked in water or subjected to great impact.
Were made sturdily so that they would absolutely never break.
But whether because he had stored it improperly for a long time, the bamboo tube seemed damaged.
"My last hope."
Even before Soho's muttering could finish,
Baaaaang!
An explosive roar that shook heaven and earth echoed, and the distant sky began to be dyed pure white.
The emergency signal of the Death Spirit Corps not only informed the branch of one's location.
But also spread tremendous explosive roars, blasts, and light.
To buy time for the endangered corps members to hide their positions and flee.
'My qinggong skills are lacking, so it will be safer to stay here.'
The signal had spread across this area anyway, and the enemies did not know his exact location.
If so, rather than moving clumsily, it would be much better to stay still here.
'I must set up a formation.'
Woo Kyung had taught Soho a formation to hide in when he ended up in a situation where he could neither advance nor retreat.
Pa-pa-pak.
Gathering all the surrounding branches and stones, Soho rapidly began setting up the Five Elements Formation.
A formation was something that borrowed the energy of the earth and the power of nature.
To deploy it required concentration, physical strength, and an outstanding memory.
Although one often makes mistakes when setting it up for the first time.
With the sole determination to save Seulgae, Soho perfectly completed the Five Elements Formation without a single mistake.
Whiiir.
When the formation activated, Soho embraced the unconscious Seulgae and went inside.
The Five Elements Formation was transparent on the outside but allowed one to see outside, making it also the best formation for observing enemy movements.
'I am tired.'
As the surroundings became quiet due to the formation, fatigue and sleepiness poured over Soho.
'I must hold on.'
He must not fall asleep.
Soho endured and endured by pinching his thighs.
But eventually, his eyes lost focus and he fell asleep.
Blink.
How much time had passed?
Feeling the presence of people in all directions, Soho jumped up in surprise.
Swa-swa-swa-swa.
Numerous shadows were rapidly brushing past outside the transparent veil.
It was precisely the masked men who had kidnapped Seulgae.
'I am in big trouble.'
Holding his breath, Soho watched the masked men passing by.
Their eyes were fierce, and the speed of their movement techniques was like a fierce wind.
If he were caught by them, he would be murdered without leaving even a bone intact.
Swa-swa-swa-swish.
They passed the place where the formation was set up and circled the middle of the mountain once.
Traces were clearly left here, but since Soho's group was missing, they were endlessly hovering around.
Looking around, looking around.
Soho, who was observing outside from within the formation.
Locked eyes with the masked man at the forefront of the circling group.
Even though he clearly could not see inside the formation, when their eyes met, a chill went down his spine and all his fine hairs stood on end.
'Ah.'
Only then did Soho realize he had made a great mistake.
Even if the Five Elements Formation hid his appearance and presence, they were masters possessing super-senses.
Capable of instantly detecting the extremely subtle sensations felt from somewhere.
He should absolutely never have met their gaze.
"......!"
The masked man who met eyes with Soho circled the area where the formation was set up for a long while.
Soho firmly held his breath and hid his presence.
But at that moment,
"Mmm."
Seulgae, who was subdued by the Mind-Seizing Art, let out a low groan.
It was an extremely low sound, and.
Since it was inside the formation, the sound could not be heard outside.
However, it could not deceive the sensitive ears of the masked man.
"It is a formation."
The masked man flashed his large eyes and wore a fierce smile.
"No matter how profound the formation, destroying the area is enough."
Whoosh.
A fierce storm was already raging in both hands of the masked man.
Baaaaang!
As he struck the ground with both hands, it began to heave as if an earthquake had occurred, and the interior of the Five Elements Formation began to shake greatly.
Riiip.
At the same time, the previously transparent formation shape began to waver like a ripple.
"They are here!"
With the masked man's shout, numerous martial artists began to swarm and surround the place where Soho was.
"You gave us trouble."
The masked man clicked his tongue upon discovering Soho holding Seulgae inside the nearly collapsed formation.
"I clearly confirmed that you weren't a disciple of the Beggars' Sect and were orphans with no ties to the world... it almost became a lifelong regret."
'Great Hero Black Leopard's prediction was right.'
They had not simply kidnapped vagrants, but had conducted meticulous prior investigations, and.
Because their identities must not be revealed, they had been pursuing them so desperately.
"Well, does it matter."
The masked man reached out his hand.
"Even if you bastards were Imperial Princes, you absolutely could not survive."
Just as the light coalesced on his fingertips was about to pour onto Soho,
Goooooooo.
A bizarre sound was heard from the distant sky, and then,
Swaaassh!
With an ear-splitting air-tearing sound, a black shadow began flying like a meteor drawing a cross from the distant sky.
Swaaasshhh!
The shadow descended to the ground without reducing its speed at all, and then,
Flash!
As sharp sword light poured out, it felled the masked men surrounding the formation in droves.
Pa-at! Pa-pa-pat!
The black shadow was emitting sharp sword energy while moving at ultra-high speeds completely invisible to the eye.
Thud, thud, thud.
The black shadow, having felled all forty-plus martial artists, stood by Soho's side in an instant.
"You are Soho."
Standing before Soho's eyes was a glossy black old man.
With tiger-like eyes and irises flashing with lightning, the old man bore a smile covering his entire face.
It was none other than the Protector of the Death Shadow Corps, the previous generation's master who styled himself as Bu Eunseol's retainer, the Flying Demon, Tak Ilhon.
"S-Sir."
As Soho was surprised, Tak Ilhon spoke calmly.
"I heard everything from Heavenly Tiger."
Heavenly Tiger was Woo Kyung's codename.
The bamboo tubes of the Death Spirit Corps are strictly possessed only by regular members, and they are strictly managed.
Since Woo Kyung had given his bamboo tube to Soho, he had to immediately report that fact.
Just in time, Tak Ilhon, who was investigating the Heavenly Mechanism Star's whereabouts under Bu Eunseol's orders, was in Taewon, and.
According to the chain of command, it was first reported to him.
―I have already covered the cost of the bamboo tube.
To manufacture the emergency signal flares issued to the Death Spirit Corps members, an exorbitant amount of thirty thousand nyang is required.
Bu Eunseol bore the cost for the safety of the members, but.
Since Woo Kyung had arbitrarily given it to another, he delivered the cost to the Death Spirit Corps.
―Do not mind such things.
Tak Ilhon had said.
―However, a report must be made to the Corps Captain and the Command Lord. Since it is a matter they absolutely must know.
It was Bu Eunseol who brought Soho to raise him as an information mercenary of the Death Spirit Corps.
Also, since he knew well that Woo Kyung was raising him like a disciple, it was a situation that naturally had to be reported to Bu Eunseol.
Therefore, such contents were.
Reported to the Death Spirit Corps Captain and Bu Eunseol through Tak Ilhon.
"You can relax now."
Because Woo Kyung intended to bring the clever and outstanding Soho in as a formal Death Spirit Corps member anytime.
He had personally brought up such stories to Tak Ilhon several times.
"Hmm."
Even though Tak Ilhon had felled all his subordinates, the masked man did not blink an eye, and.
Sharply scanned his body.
"Well, who might this be?"
Even though he recognized Tak Ilhon's face, the masked man wore a confident expression.
"I heard you lost all your subordinates and crawled into Majeon to play the servant of the Martial Soul Command Lord... how is it, is it quite fun?"
Due to a misguided greed of the past.
For Tak Ilhon, who had lost most of the loyal subordinates of the Secret Demon Palace, it was a mockery that dug into his lungs.
If it were in the past, he would not have been able to suppress his anger and would have struck immediately.
But after coming under Bu Eunseol, the cultivation of his spirit was not inferior to an eminent high monk of Buddhism... so he rather laughed heartily and said.
"It doesn't seem like something a bastard playing the hunting dog of another house to kidnap snot-nosed kids should say."
The masked man described Tak Ilhon as a servant.
But Tak Ilhon went a step further and described him as a dog.
"We are not kidnapping children, it is because they have appropriate uses!"
As the masked man shouted, Tak Ilhon laughed heartily.
"What could a servile group that torments the weak, kneels before the strong, and chases profit by any means fair or foul possibly have to say?"
"How dare you!"
Rumblllle.
As the greatly angered masked man began to use his power, the surrounding ground writhed, and.
Tak Ilhon's feet were planted deep into the ground up to his ankles.
One Hundred and Eight Stars.
The masked man had completely trapped Tak Ilhon with mysterious preternatural power.
"Flying Demon. No matter how fast your movement technique is, you could not block the power of the Earth-Strength Star."
Whiiir.
The power of the masked man, the Earth-Strength Star, did not simply plant Tak Ilhon's feet into the ground.
Using the earth energy within the ground, he was extracting all the power in his body down into the earth.
"Only a skeleton will be left soon."
Feeling Tak Ilhon's pure energy transmitted from the ground, the masked man, the Earth-Strength Star, wore a wicked smile.
"Since when was Flying Demon the Flying Demon of the past."
In an instant, a mysterious light flowed from Tak Ilhon's body.
As the Protector of the Death Shadow Corps.
He had led numerous battles to victory until now, and personally inherited the realizations and true martial arts from Bu Eunseol.
Also, as the Palace Master of the Secret Demon Palace.
In the field of pure movement techniques, he was a master of movement arts to whom even Bu Eunseol yielded a step.
Vwooom.
Tak Ilhon's entire body began to vibrate rapidly, and a transparent air current spread out.
To shake off the power of the Earth-Strength Star, he was continuously vibrating his body, escaping the very space he was standing in.
"Fat chance."
The Earth-Strength Star said while laughing.
"Even if you escape, I just need to widen the ground."
Rumblllle.
Just as the ground writhed and the distance between the Earth-Strength Star and Tak Ilhon was slowly about to widen,
Vwooom. Swaaashhhh!
With a tremendous roar, Tak Ilhon escaped the space and drew a dagger right in front of the Earth-Strength Star's face.
Slice.
With his neck severed about halfway by Tak Ilhon's single strike, the Earth-Strength Star glared with wide eyes.
"How."
"You widen the distance by about half a li (里) per fraction of a second, but."
Tak Ilhon coldly snorted.
"This Protector can move one li (里) per fraction of a second."
The Earth-Strength Star glared with wide eyes.
No matter how famous the Flying Demon was in the past, he was nothing but a washed-up master now.
But since when had he cultivated movement arts to this level?
"Fat... chance."
Gurgle.
The skin of the halfway severed wound writhed.
All of the One Hundred and Eight Stars possessed special bodies.
And the Earth-Strength Star was born with the Resilient Spirit Body, capable of recovering external wounds in an instant.
Swaaassh!
In that time, with a sharp air-tearing sound, Tak Ilhon became a streak of light and surged at the Earth-Strength Star once again.
Pa-at!
The sharp sword energy spreading from the dagger grazed past the Earth-Strength Star's neck.
"Hmph."
Having dodged the decisive strike, the Earth-Strength Star snorted boastfully.
And just as he was about to counterattack,
Sizzle.
Suddenly, a red blood line was drawn in a circle around the Earth-Strength Star's neck.
Tak Ilhon had cut his neck at such an incredible speed that he had mistakenly thought the attack had only grazed him.
"A mere movement technique defeats the capabilities of the One Hundred and Eight Stars?"
"It is not a simple movement technique."
The Earth-Strength Star glared with wide eyes, wondering what secret it was.
Then, Tak Ilhon spoke with a solemn expression.
"It is the invincible movement arts directly bestowed upon this Protector by my Liege, the eternally immortal sun of the demonic path martial world, the brilliant commander of a hundred victories in a hundred battles, the peerless great man whose tale will be passed down through centuries and generations. The one and only savior of our destinies."
The Earth-Strength Star wore a bizarre expression.
Because he could not understand what Tak Ilhon was talking about at all.
Thud.
Ultimately, the Earth-Strength Star breathed his last with both eyes glaring wide open.
Spuuuurt!
As the Resilient Spirit Body collapsed, blood surged a foot high from his neck, creating a pool of blood.
"Huu."
Tak Ilhon let out a deep breath and wiped the sweat formed on his forehead.
In order to exert the qinggong that moved while compressing distance instantaneously.
A highly advanced technique that exploded the energy inside the body in a single breath was required.
"If it were in the past, performing a technique like this would have caused me to collapse instead."
For the key figures of the Death Shadow Corps, Bu Eunseol had imparted everything from internal energy mental arts to martial arts tailored to their individualities.
Since Tak Ilhon had also received absolute arts from Bu Eunseol from one to ten, his martial prowess had risen incomparably compared to the past.
"Sir."
Soho approached with a worried expression.
"Are you alright?"
Seeing that, Tak Ilhon chuckled.
"Of course."
"That is a relief."
Soho also showed a smile.
In his eyes, Tak Ilhon's qinggong was truly the best under heaven. It seemed there would be no worries no matter who attacked.
"We must flee quickly."
At that moment, Tak Ilhon spoke with an immensely serious expression.
"Reinforcements for the rats have arrived in the meantime."
His super-senses were sounding an alarm.
"Because this old man was handling affairs traveling to and from beyond the frontier, I arrived alone this quickly. It will take at least another day for the Death Spirit Corps' forces to arrive."
The organization of the masked men was so massive that it could not be dared underestimated.
They had rapidly sent forces even to this place close to the Jade Gate Pass.
But heaven protects us.
Tak Ilhon, traveling back and forth beyond the frontier under Bu Eunseol's orders, had discovered the emergency signal of the Death Spirit Corps and immediately rushed here.
'Should I hold out here? Or move?'
If it were Tak Ilhon alone, he could protect his own body no matter what master appeared.
But while being chased by such a mighty force, he did not have the confidence to move safely taking the two boys with him.
"Then how about setting up a formation here?"
At Soho's words, Tak Ilhon shook his head.
"If masters of the same level as the one from earlier swarm in, they will shatter the formation in a single breath."
"Then."
"It cannot be helped."
Tak Ilhon said while rousing his internal energy.
"Relax your bodies and absolutely do not move."
Ultimately, Tak Ilhon made a decision.
Float.
As he used his energy, Soho and Seulgae rose into the air, and were grabbed respectively by Tak Ilhon's forearms.
"Close your eyes too."
Swaaassh!
Rising into the empty air, Tak Ilhon instantly leaped over several mountains.
Swaaaah.
Before long, the sky was dyed black and a faint ghostly wail echoed from somewhere.
In less than a quarter-hour, pursuers had already started tailing them.
"Did they blockade this entire area in that time?"
By now, even if the main forces of the Death Spirit Corps had not arrived, at least the forces of the nearby branches should have swarmed in.
But they had already blockaded this area and deployed a massive force.
Paaaah!
Ultimately, dozens of hidden weapons poured toward the flying Tak Ilhon.
They were Winged Darts, said to be capable of destroying protective astral energy in a single blow.
Whisk, ta-a-ak.
Tak Ilhon landed on the ground and then entered the dense forest.
If it were here, even if hidden weapons poured down like rain, he could prevent the damage to some extent.
Phew-phew-phew-phew.
The Winged Darts poured down like rain, but because they embedded into trees or pierced through them, their speed decreased.
Even while moving rapidly, Tak Ilhon deployed a directional formation, lightly deflecting the pouring Winged Darts.
But his movement technique speed grew increasingly slower.
Because he had to deploy his protective astral energy extensively so that Soho and Seulgae would not be hurt, the consumption of his energy was extreme.
"Has this old man's vitality waned somewhat lately."
Muttering lowly, Tak Ilhon doubled his movement technique.
Swa-swa-swa-swa.
But black shadows began to fill the forest entirely.
The forces that had captured his movements had completely surrounded the entire forest.
Pa-at!
From a distance, they once again poured out Winged Darts with a transparent air current, as if firing a cannon.
Whiiririk.
Tak Ilhon dodged the hidden weapons by drawing large circles within the forest, but.
Because he was holding Soho and Seulgae in both arms, his movements were not nimble.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Now, along with explosive roars, the surrounding scenery began to collapse.
Knowing that his movement technique was too fast, were they completely collapsing the forest itself?
"They are creating a formation."
Their tracking arts were highly distinguished.
Rather than precisely targeting Tak Ilhon, they were naturally surrounding the area while.
Intentionally opening a retreat path, simultaneously deploying a formation that lured him to where they were.
Swoosh. Pa-at!
Flying like a swallow with the two people in his arms, Tak Ilhon doubled his energy.
He intended to slip out right before the formation was completed.
Prurrut.
But as if the pursuers had seen through Tak Ilhon's thoughts,
Swaaassh!
Now, dozens of masters with incredible movement techniques blatantly began chasing Soho.
Pa-pat!
Although they could not match the speed and profundity of his movement technique.
The space available to move was restricted due to the formation nearing completion, and.
Because they were continuously pursued with the retreat paths preempted, the distance eventually began to be caught up little by little.
Shwook.
Ultimately, Tak Ilhon stopped his movement technique.
"Eventually, we'll have to end things here."
Looking up at the cloudless sky, he muttered lowly.
"I will take a full whiff of the stench of blood I had forgotten for a long time."
Although he crouched in the Death Shadow Corps to serve Bu Eunseol with loyalty.
His true nature was ultimately the Flying Demon, who had once stirred up a storm of blood in the martial world.
As a battle where flesh and blood would burn approached right before his eyes, he was rather heating up with a strange excitement.
"Sir, please leave us behind and flee."
But Soho, misunderstanding Tak Ilhon's words, spoke earnestly.
"We will be fine."
"Do you think this old man would flee in fear of mere hunting dogs like them?"
"Please take revenge instead."
A light of steely will, seemingly capable of melting iron, flowed from Soho's eyes.
"Is this not an action of a step back for a counterattack, rather than you fleeing, Sir?"
Wearing a blank expression for a moment, Tak Ilhon,
"Hahaha!"
Laughed heartily, letting his beard flutter.
He had wondered why that outstanding Death Spirit Corps member Woo Kyung was so protective of him.
Not to mention his peerless aptitude, did he not also possess a spirit that looked down on the world and an unbending nature?
"Good. Then let us do this."
Tak Ilhon smiled.
"If you survive here, you will become this old man's disciple."
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