"The Great Righteous Master of the Kongtong Sect has been assassinated!"
Suddenly, a shocking rumor spread through the martial world.
Just one month after the death of Yeo Hwanjin, a Great Righteous Master from the Zhongnan Sect, another Great Righteous Master had been killed.
"The culprit must be an assassin!" The body of Pyeong Seoun, the Great Righteous Master of the Kongtong Sect, found dead in his quarters, bore thirty types of hidden weapons, eight types of deadly poison, and five types of qi-dissipating powders.
But the decisive cause of death was a stab wound about an inch deep near his neck. A sharp, narrow blade had severed his carotid artery.
This method closely resembled the traces of the Blood Flash Demon Subduing Sword, a technique from the assassin swordsmanship of the Extreme Slaughter Sect, and in some ways, it was similar to the killing sword that had taken Yeo Hwanjin’s life.
"We’ll catch the culprit no matter what!"
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Following the Zhongnan Sect, the Kongtong Sect began sending out large numbers of disciples into the martial world to hunt down the perpetrator.
A fine, foamy mist of rain drenched the entire world. Perhaps due to the drizzle or because the inn’s patrons were all martial artists, many were ordering wine from the morning.
Martial artists never skip wine with their meals. Their trained inner power makes them less susceptible to drunkenness, and they drown the hardships of their blade-driven lives in alcohol.
Clink.
A young man sitting alone by the second-floor window of the inn was filling his wine cup. His long, loose hair obscured his face. A rusty longsword hung on his back, giving off the air of a poor martial artist.
It was Bu Eunseol.
The mysterious glow emanating from his Black Blade was too eye-catching wherever he went, so he had deliberately rusted it.
Hum.
At that moment, a faint sword hum resonated from the Black Blade. It was as if the sword, covered in layers of grime, was frustrated.
"Wait a little longer," Bu Eunseol said in a low voice, taking a sip of wine. "I’ll soon find you a worthy opponent."
As if understanding, the sword’s low hum gradually faded. With a faint smile on his lips, Bu Eunseol refilled his cup.
"To think I’ve ended up here." After dealing with Yeo Hwanjin and leaving Jinyang, he had originally planned to return to Nangyang Pavilion.
But a sudden realization made him change course.
‘If I return to the pavilion, Master Baek will surely point me to an easy path.’ Bu Eunseol was the heir tasked with carrying Nangyang Pavilion’s future, and Baek Yeon, overly concerned for his safety, would go to great lengths to protect him.
If he returned to Nangyang Pavilion? Baek Yeon would undoubtedly devise the easiest way to deal with the Great Righteous Masters.
‘I don’t want to face the Great Righteous Masters that way.’ Bu Eunseol was no assassin.
He had no interest in studying how to fight from an advantageous position. Even if it meant defeat, he wanted to face his opponents head-on, pouring everything into the battle. Of course, failure would mean death, but if he survived… it would be a stepping stone to becoming stronger.
Pour.
Finishing his thoughts, Bu Eunseol refilled his cup.
"Hm." But something was strange. He had only drunk one bottle, yet his cheeks felt warm, and his body felt heavy.
Until recently, he could down three or four bottles of potent fire wine without feeling a thing. Yet now, after just one bottle of mild white wine, he felt tipsy.
‘Is it because I’ve entered the realm of Returning to Simplicity?’ Having reached the fourth level of the Ban-geuk Method, Bu Eunseol’s extraordinary nature had reached its peak, paradoxically reverting to the ordinary—a phenomenon known as Returning to Simplicity.
The issue was that it not only subdued his qi but also the true energy coursing through his body, making it seem ordinary. Unless he deliberately raised his inner power, no one would suspect that Bu Eunseol was a master with over a hundred years’ worth of inner power.
‘It’s inconvenient to get drunk…’ About to subtly raise his inner power to burn off the alcohol’s effects, Bu Eunseol paused. ‘No, this will save me on wine costs.’
He snorted and shook his head.
Thud.
Suddenly, a group in blue-green robes burst into the inn. Their short swords, worn at the waist, resembled assassin blades, and their robes exuded a strong Taoist aura.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed as he observed them closely.
‘The Kongtong Sect.’ They were none other than Taoist disciples of the Kongtong Sect.
Swish.
The Kongtong Sect Taoists, scanning the inn’s interior, split into groups and surrounded the place.
"Sorry to interrupt your meal. I am Gang Jungnyang, a protector of the Kongtong Sect. We’re searching for the villain who harmed our sect’s disciple, so we ask for your cooperation." Bu Eunseol frowned.
Even officials from the government would be scoffed at, yet a mere sect was investigating martial artists? In truth, this was close to an outrageous overreach.
But the Kongtong Sect was part of the Nine Great Sects. With their immense influence and the fact that Jinan was dominated by righteous sects, it was possible.
‘Seok Woohaeng. Was he staying here?’ The moment Bu Eunseol heard the rumor of a Kongtong Sect Great Righteous Master being killed by an assassin, he instinctively knew it was Seok Woohaeng’s doing.
‘He must have gathered information from Yoo Unryong’s defeat and killed Pyeong Seoun.’ Seok Woohaeng’s killing of Pyeong Seoun wasn’t for something as trivial as revenge for Yoo Unryong.
He had likely observed the duel between Yoo Unryong and Pyeong Seoun in secret and planned Pyeong Seoun’s death based on that.
‘The intelligence network of the Nine Great Sects is no less than that of the Nine Deaths Squad.’ Seeing them investigate this place, it was clear Seok Woohaeng had been in the area. ‘Still, it’s strange.’
Watching the Kongtong Sect disciples search the inn, Bu Eunseol felt puzzled.
‘How exactly are they planning to find the culprit?’ Seok Woohaeng was a prodigy chosen by the Extreme Slaughter Sect.
When killing Pyeong Seoun, he hadn’t used the pavilion’s exclusive assassin techniques but left traces typical of an ordinary assassin. Though the marks resembled the Blood Flash Demon Subduing Sword, that was merely speculation.
So how was the Kongtong Sect planning to find the culprit?
"Excuse me for a moment." At that moment, two Kongtong Sect disciples approached a man seated in front of Bu Eunseol.
"We know it’s a rude request, but… could you show us your palms?"
"My palms?" The seated man, puzzled but compliant, showed his hands.
The Kongtong Sect disciples examined his palms closely for a while. Exchanging glances, they clasped their hands.
"Sorry for the trouble."
‘So that’s it.’ Only then did Bu Eunseol realize how the Kongtong Sect masters planned to track Seok Woohaeng.
The hands of an assassin are like a swordsman’s blade.
Training in assassin techniques for years leaves unique traces on the hands, distinct from those of ordinary martial artists.
‘But it’s a reckless method.’ Finding traces of advanced martial arts through marks on the hands?
That was impossible for an ordinary martial artist. Only someone at the very peak of mastery could barely discern such signs. Yet these seemingly average Kongtong Sect disciples could find such traces?
"No marks on the index finger or thumb." Hearing the Kongtong Sect disciples muttering softly from another table, Bu Eunseol nodded in understanding.
‘I see. They’ve been specially trained to identify traces of assassin techniques.’
The strength of the Nine Great Sects was evident once again. Having endured countless crises over generations, the Nine Great Sects had overcome them all.
Even if it took years, they would pursue Seok Woohaeng to the end.
"Excuse us." This time, the Kongtong Sect disciples approached Bu Eunseol.
"…" But after staring at his face, they shook their heads and clasped their hands.
"No, sorry." They turned away without hesitation.
Seeing Bu Eunseol’s flushed cheeks from a single bottle of white wine, they were convinced he wasn’t even a martial artist.
‘So it’s useful in times like this.’ Bu Eunseol let out a soft chuckle. The phenomenon of Returning to Simplicity, which had felt somewhat inconvenient, was proving helpful.
Shaking his head, Bu Eunseol downed the last of his wine. Just as he was about to leave the inn,
"Have you heard? Seong Ryun, the Great Righteous Master from the Beggars’ Sect, is attending the True Martial Banquet this year." The conversation of two martial artists seated behind him stopped Bu Eunseol in his tracks. "Hm? Isn’t he a candidate for the next sect leader? Why bother attending the True Martial Banquet?"
The Beggars’ Sect had countless disciples, and begging was their trade.
As a result, their martial arts transmission was often disorganized and inconsistent. This caused them to lose many talented individuals, weakening the sect’s influence. After much deliberation, the Beggars’ Sect created the True Martial Banquet, a gathering exclusive to disciples of the third rank and below.
Each year, they used it to discover talented disciples or adjust ranks based on martial prowess.
"Of course, it’s because of the chaos caused by the Ten Demonic Warriors! Haven’t they already killed two Great Righteous Masters?"
"What does that have to do with the True Martial Banquet?"
"It’s a provocation. The Beggars’ Sect’s intelligence network is among the best in the world, isn’t it? For someone who’s stayed hidden to make such a public move… it’s like flaunting it in front of the Ten Demonic Warriors." The martial artist paused, downing a cup of wine, and continued. "It’s a challenge to come at him if they dare."
‘So that’s it.’ Lingering in an inn often brought unexpected high-quality information.
Like now. Silently listening, Bu Eunseol rose from his seat.
He intended to verify the information’s authenticity.
***
At a brewery located in an alley of the market street.
Looking up at the gate, Bu Eunseol entered, finding the courtyard filled with heaps of millet. The brewery workers would steam the millet, mix it with yeast, and ferment it. Through this process, fine white wine would be produced.
"This way, please." A friendly middle-aged man led Bu Eunseol to a storage room filled with large wine jars.
Thud.
As the door closed with a low sound, the man spoke in a hushed voice.
"It’s all true." This brewery was actually a branch of the Nine Deaths Squad in the Yeonju region, and the man was the branch leader managing information. "Seong Ryun is passing through Henan to attend the True Martial Banquet in Kaifeng."
Pausing briefly, the branch leader continued in a low voice.
"I don’t know what mission you’re on, but stop." Staring at Bu Eunseol for a moment, the branch leader went on. "The Beggars’ Sect is practically the world’s top intelligence organization. Their high-ranking members have never had their information or movements exposed."
In the brewery’s secret storage, low and secretive voices continued to echo.
"He’s deliberately exposing his movements. There’s surely another motive behind it." Bu Eunseol nodded. His thoughts aligned with the branch leader’s judgment.
But at the end lingered a single question: why?
Seong Ryun was a Great Righteous Master destined to be a pillar of the righteous martial world and a candidate for the Beggars’ Sect’s next leader. Why would he go to such lengths?
‘Candidate. A candidate…’ As if struck by a thought, Bu Eunseol asked, "Is Seong Ryun confirmed as the Beggars’ Sect’s next leader?"
"No. His exceptional martial talent got him selected as a Great Righteous Master, but he wasn’t originally a candidate for the next leader." The branch leader continued calmly. "Becoming a Great Righteous Master drastically elevated his status. From a third-rank disciple, he shot up to a candidate for the next leader."
‘As I thought.’ Only then did Bu Eunseol grasp what Seong Ryun wanted.
Seong Ryun was originally a low-ranking, low-skilled third-rank disciple. His exceptional martial talent had earned him the title of Great Righteous Master in the Martial Alliance. His outstanding prowess had elevated him to a candidate for the next leader, but his foundation likely wasn’t solid.
By defeating one of the Ten Demonic Warriors, he aimed to boost his fame and solidify his position as the next leader.
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