Bu Eunseol took a deep breath and shook his head.
‘The ways of the world are all the same. Everything is.’
Tang Gon, who had attacked the Blood Poison Valley to solidify his position as young master.
The Ten Demonic Warriors, who could become candidates for the Demon King’s successor by killing a Great Righteous Master…
And Seong Ryun, aiming to kill a Ten Demonic Warrior to strengthen his standing within the Beggars’ Sect and gain an edge in the competition.
"Interesting."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Bu Eunseol calmly clasped his hands. "Thank you for the information."
The branch leader of the Yangju branch had been reluctant to share information despite being a fellow member of the Nine Deaths Squad. But the Yeonju branch leader, upon verifying the Nine Deaths Squad’s mark, had provided the information courteously. It was, after all, at the discretion of the individual in charge.
"No need to thank me. Someone has to survive, don’t they?" The branch leader gave a weary smile.
As Yeonju was under the influence of righteous sects, it seemed the sacrifices of Nine Deaths Squad members were frequent.
"Well, then." Bu Eunseol slowly turned away.
Now, he would go to hunt Seong Ryun, the Great Righteous Master consumed by ambition.
***
Jeongju Village. This was a small village located at the gateway to Henan Province.
"Buy some dumplings!"
"Exotic mirrors from the Western Regions, only five coins!" The market street was filled with the voices of merchants, the chatter of people, and the sounds of cooking.
Bu Eunseol stood on the second floor of a teahouse, looking down below. His gaze settled on a stall where a man in tattered clothes was eating alone.
It was none other than Seong Ryun, the Great Righteous Master of the Beggars’ Sect.
"That guy sticks to the ways of a beggar." Bu Eunseol muttered softly.
Though the Beggars’ Sect was a den of beggars, they maintained their beggar status only due to sect rules. They were far from poor. With countless disciples spread across the martial world, they gathered a flood of information.
Roaming through mountains and remote areas, they also knew the locations of many hidden treasures and spiritual beasts. Some of these held incalculable value, allowing the Beggars’ Sect to live comfortably.
Thus, sect leaders often frequented high-end inns where a single dish could cost dozens of taels.
‘He’s alone.’ Scanning the surroundings, Bu Eunseol saw no allies who might assist Seong Ryun. ‘For now, at least.’
The Beggars’ Sect was an exceptional intelligence organization. If they chose to, they could conceal anyone perfectly.
‘Yeongpung Pass would be ideal.’ Seeing Seong Ryun eat voraciously despite it not being lunchtime, it was clear he planned to pass through the Yeongpung Pass area toward Kaifeng by the end of the day.
The dense forests around Yeongpung Pass made it an ideal place for a confrontation.
But then, ‘Someone’s there.’
Bu Eunseol sensed someone hiding on the roof of the opposite pavilion.
‘A master from the Beggars’ Sect?’ To face Seong Ryun, he needed to know the scale and skill level of his allies.
Whoosh.
As if realizing they’d been spotted, the figure on the pavilion roof swiftly deployed a movement technique.
‘I have to catch them.’ Bu Eunseol immediately left the teahouse and began pursuing.
Swish!
Chasing the fleeting shadow speeding out of the village, Bu Eunseol’s expression turned puzzled.
‘Not from the Beggars’ Sect.’ The fleeing figure’s movement technique was not only swift but also poised for a counterattack at any moment.
Neither the Beggars’ Sect nor the righteous sects had such an aggressive movement technique.
Zip!
As the shadow grew distant, Bu Eunseol accelerated, deploying his Swift Beyond Shadow.
Swish! Zip!
Racing through the air, Bu Eunseol finally caught up to the figure’s back.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, something sharp aimed for his forehead. The move was so swift and came from an unpredictable angle that even Bu Eunseol, trained in the Beast Way, couldn’t anticipate it and had to hastily spin mid-air to dodge.
"This is…" Spotting the white gleam—a whip tinged with white light—Bu Eunseol shouted, "Yoo Unryong?"
The fleeing shadow halted its movement technique and landed on the ground. Dressed in ragged clothes, reeking of a sour odor, he looked like a vagrant.
But his frame was massive, and his eyes gleamed as sharply as a blade. It was none other than Yoo Unryong.
"Bu Eunseol." Unlike before, Yoo Unryong’s face was cold and razor-sharp.
This time, even Bu Eunseol couldn’t hide his surprise.
Yoo Unryong, who had failed to kill a Great Righteous Master and was rumored to have fled after a grave injury, had vanished without a trace—yet here he was, disguised as a vagrant.
"What happened?" Bu Eunseol asked in a low voice. "I heard you were defeated by the Kongtong Sect’s Great Righteous Master and fled."
It had been six months since he left the Demon King.
Aside from Bu Eunseol and Seok Woohaeng, no other Ten Demonic Warrior had killed a Great Righteous Master, meaning the rest should have had their martial arts crippled.
Moreover, wasn’t it widely rumored that Yoo Unryong had been defeated and fled from the Kongtong Sect’s Great Righteous Master, killed by Seok Woohaeng?
Yet Yoo Unryong, reappearing now, had intact inner power—stronger, even, than before.
"I’m still on the run. Even now." Yoo Unryong spoke calmly. "After four months, the Demon King sent pursuers to cripple the martial arts of the Ten Demonic Warriors who failed to kill a Great Righteous Master."
Pausing to take a deep breath, he continued.
"But when they arrived, I had been struck by Pyeong Seoun’s Seven Wounds Palm. My qi channels were severed, and my organs were shattered. I was on the brink of death." Recalling that moment, Yoo Unryong bit his lip. "So they left without touching me, probably thinking I was already dead."
Clenching his fists, he shouted in frustration.
"Seok Woohaeng must have followed me. He watched me fight Pyeong Seoun and planned to kill him." Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes, lost in another thought.
How could Yoo Unryong, with most of his qi channels severed and organs shattered, have survived?
"Bu Eunseol, are you here to kill Seong Ryun too?" Snapping out of his thoughts, Bu Eunseol nodded, and Yoo Unryong sneered. "Judging by your appearance, you haven’t been pursued. You killed Yeo Hwanjin, the Great Righteous Master from Zhongnan, didn’t you?"
"That’s right."
"Then you still have about two months." Yoo Unryong’s face turned serious. "But I have no time. So I’ll kill Seong Ryun."
"What do you mean?"
"I’m being hunted again. The pursuers know I’m still alive."
"Who’s hunting you?" For a moment, hundreds of needles seemed to shoot from Yoo Unryong’s eyes.
"Myeonhon."
"Myeonhon?" Bu Eunseol was shocked again.
The pursuers sent to cripple the Ten Demonic Warriors were from Myeonhon?
"That’s right. The Demon King entrusted the task of dealing with failed Ten Demonic Warriors to Myeonhon."
‘So that’s why Myeonhon’s leader personally gave the order to face the Great Righteous Masters.’ As Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes, Yoo Unryong trembled with betrayal and rage.
"In the end, a Ten Demonic Warrior can never escape this cycle without killing a Great Righteous Master." Staring intently at Bu Eunseol, he gritted his teeth and said, "Let me have Seong Ryun. I have to kill him."
Bu Eunseol didn’t respond immediately. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to yield. He knew Yoo Unryong’s skills weren’t enough to kill a Great Righteous Master.
"You think I can’t beat him?" Reading Bu Eunseol’s gaze, Yoo Unryong spoke. "Fighting Great Righteous Masters and evading pursuers, I’ve crossed the threshold of death multiple times. Those battles have been indescribably beneficial."
Bu Eunseol nodded. The experience of fighting a formidable foe for one’s life would have been invaluable.
"I’ve relentlessly trained my martial arts since then. I’m not the same as before." When Bu Eunseol still didn’t respond, Yoo Unryong gritted his teeth. "If you refuse, I’ll kill you first."
"You’ll kill me?"
"I know I can’t beat you." Yoo Unryong had grown significantly and could sense how strong Bu Eunseol was. "But if I’m going to die at the hands of Myeonhon, I’d rather fight you to the death. If I manage to injure you?"
He spoke coldly.
"Could you face a Great Righteous Master while wounded?"
‘No choice, then.’ If he refused, Yoo Unryong would truly fight to the death. In that case, it was better to let him face a Great Righteous Master to his heart’s content.
"It’d be a shame to come this far and just watch." At that, Yoo Unryong grinned. "Don’t worry. There’s something for you too."
"For me?"
"That shady guy from the Beggars’ Sect seems alone, but he’s actually protected by masters from the Dog-Slaying Unit."
The Dog-Slaying Unit was an elite escort team drawn from the Beggars’ Sect’s top group, the Beggar Band. They were temporarily assigned to protect key sect figures during travel, hence the unique name "Unit" rather than "Band" or "Party."
"But they’re so well-hidden you didn’t notice."
"How did you know?"
"I’ve been watching Seong Ryun for ten days, waiting for my chance."
"I see."
"If you take on the Dog-Slaying Unit’s masters, I’ll kill Seong Ryun. What do you say, Bu Eunseol?" No further discussion was needed. The decision was already made.
Bu Eunseol slowly nodded.
"Let’s do it."
***
The weather was clear, without a single cloud.
Having finished his meal, Seong Ryun left the village and entered the path to Yeongpung Pass. After walking for a while, he suddenly looked at the distant sky and sighed.
"It’s about to begin." He could feel it.
At some point, blatant gazes and killing intent had started following him. The Dog-Slaying Unit masters secretly protecting him had also sensed it, their movements growing even stealthier.
‘If I take down a Ten Demonic Warrior, my standing in the sect will change completely.’
Originally a second-rank disciple from the Xiangju branch, Seong Ryun had competed with the sect’s most talented prodigies and was selected among ten to take the Martial Alliance’s Great Righteous Master test. Passing five trials, he became a Great Righteous Master.
Though his exceptional martial talent earned him the title of Blue Bamboo Beggar, a candidate for the next sect leader, his origins remained that of a second-rank disciple from the Xiangju branch.
He had no foundation or elders to support him within the sect.
As the current sect leader, No Bong, grew frail, the Beggars’ Sect began seriously considering which Blue Bamboo Beggar would become the next leader.
Relatively young branch leaders and sub-leaders, impressed by Seong Ryun’s martial prowess and generous nature, wanted him as the next leader.
But the powerful elders and party leaders opposed this, pushing their own chosen Blue Bamboo Beggars. Thus, the branch and sub-leaders supporting Seong Ryun devised a plan.
"Why not take down one of the Ten Demonic Warriors stirring up the martial world? If you defeat even one, the elders won’t object." Accepting the proposal, Seong Ryun deliberately exposed his movements and headed to Kaifeng for the True Martial Banquet.
However, knowing that Yeo Hwanjin and Pyeong Seoun had been killed by those suspected to be Ten Demonic Warriors, he deployed Dog-Slaying Unit masters to prepare for any contingencies.
Tap, tap.
As dusk fell, a cool mountain breeze brushed past his hair. With darkness descending, Seong Ryun stopped, lighting a fire in a suitable spot.
He had planned to use his movement technique to pass through the Henan ridge before nightfall. But sensing faint killing intent trailing him, he changed his mind. The pursuer would show themselves before the day was over. He would rest here and wait for the enemy.
‘I’m curious who’ll come.’ The Ten Demonic Warriors were generally no match for Great Righteous Masters due to the vast gap in skill.
As proof, four Ten Demonic Warriors had challenged Great Righteous Masters and lost. Only the Ten Demonic Warrior from White Horse Temple had escaped after defeat, and just two had succeeded.
‘I’m different from Yeo Hwanjin and Pyeong Seoun.’ Those two, favored disciples of their sects, lacked intensity when training in the Martial Alliance.
But as a second-rank disciple, he had devoted himself to martial arts more than anyone. Even if the one who defeated Yeo Hwanjin and Pyeong Seoun came, he was confident of victory.
Whoosh.
As the thought crossed his mind, a man in gray robes descended before him from the air.
"…" His hair was disheveled like a vagrant’s, his body covered in grime, but his eyes held an eerie, sinister aura.
What drew more attention than his eyes was the whip at his waist. The glossy, blindingly white whip’s tip stared at Seong Ryun like a living white snake.
It was the White Horse Whip, wielded only by the top masters of White Horse Temple.
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