As a low sound brushed past his ankle, Jin Sa-wol flipped his body and hung from a tree branch.

Looking down, he saw a thread soaked with rainwater. The thin, transparent thread stretched long into the Sinryeong Valley.

Ting! T-ting!

The sound of the thread snapping due to the raindrops echoed continuously. Jin Sa-wol closed his eyes and opened his ears.

T-tang! T-ting!

The sounds of countless strings being plucked flew through the night air. It was as if the entire forest was dancing.

'She's spread Blood Threads throughout the entire Sinryeong Valley.'

He withdrew his ground-listening technique because the sounds were too loud.

Anyone entering this place without knowing would undoubtedly be hunted by the Blood Threads.

The rain had its advantages, but also its disadvantages.

The enemy couldn't hear his movements because of the rain, but Jin Sa-wol himself also had difficulty reading the enemy's movements.

Since this was the entrance to Sinryeong Valley, there were bound to be enemies nearby. He needed to identify them, but he couldn't hear anything because of the rain.

However, Jin Sa-wol was not disappointed.

There was no reason to enter Sinryeong Valley noisily.

The target was only one person, Seo Mun-ok.

Swish!

Jin Sa-wol, standing on a tree branch, looked around and then grabbed the Blood Thread hanging in front of him.

'How many are there?'

With the thought of finding out how many Flower Ghosts had gathered in Sinryeong Valley, he shook it with force.

Woong! Woong!

As the Blood Thread shook, its vibration seeped into the darkness far away.

Jingle! Jingle!

Only after hearing the sound of bells did Jin Sa-wol realize that the thread was connected to bells.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol's figure headed into the darkness.

Swish! Thwack!

Three people who appeared where the bell sound had rung looked at the wet ground and then scattered in three directions.

It happened in an instant. By the time Jin Sa-wol arrived, there was no one.

Swoooosh!

A fierce wind blew.

The sound of the rain still continued.

Jin Sa-wol deliberately fell to the ground with a 'splat' sound.

Ping! Swish!

From three sides, a dozen daggers flew through the darkness at once.

The night in the rainy forest was like pitch black.

It was a situation where it was not easy to see even an inch ahead.

In that darkness, the daggers that cut through the empty air accurately aimed at Jin Sa-wol.

Swish!

Jin Sa-wol, holding his scabbard, rotated once and deflected the flying daggers. A loud sound spread through the forest like an echo.

As the daggers that had floated in the air fell to the ground, Jin Sa-wol caught one of them with his left hand and threw it forward.

Thwack!

The dagger that pierced the tree penetrated the chest of the masked man standing behind the tree.

Splat!

Although a fairly loud sound was heard, it was difficult to distinguish whether it was the sound of footsteps or a person falling.

Drip! Drip!

Jin Sa-wol, who was standing while listening to the sound of the rain falling on his shoulders, drew his sword.

"If I can't know, I'll have to shake it."

Swish! Swish!

As the Yuseom Sword cut through the empty air, a sharp sword energy stretched forward with a silver flash.

Trees were cut, and dozens of Blood Threads were cut by the sword energy.

T-ting! Ting!

With the sound of the threads snapping, the loud jingle of bells echoed throughout the Sinryeong Valley along with the sound of the rain.

Thump!

A dozen black shadows rose into the sky at once. They were all Flower Ghosts with slender figures.

Their figures assimilated with the darkness and threw hidden weapons at Jin Sa-wol.

Swoosh! Swish!

As the sound of the hidden weapons flying tore through the night air, Jin Sa-wol jumped towards the Flower Ghosts.

Immediately after, a dozen small dots rose in front of Jin Sa-wol's eyes and penetrated the necks and foreheads of the Flower Ghosts.

Thwack! Thump!

Five of the dozen or so people failed to avoid it and fell to the ground.

Jin Sa-wol, who had landed in front of them, let his sword hang down and looked around.

"If you're seen, you die."

His voice pierced through the sound of the rain.

* * *

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

At the sound of the bell ringing in the middle of the night, the seven-story pagoda that had been engulfed in darkness was lit up.

Swoooosh!

As the rain became stronger with a strong wind, raindrops flew in through the half-open window.

Seo Mun-ok, who was lying in the chamber on the seventh floor, got dressed and went down to the sixth floor. On the sixth floor, which was lit by a lamp, five women wearing black night-traveling suits were standing.

"It's an intruder."

"We can't confirm because it's night, but there is one, and he is still at the entrance."

"Take care of it."

As the women went outside at Seo Mun-ok's words, Mun-gang came in. He too had been resting in his room and had woken up at the noisy sound.

"Has that Jin Sa-wol fellow already come?"

Seeing Mun-gang, who was sitting down and asking, Seo Mun-ok turned her head and looked at the darkness visible beyond the window.

"He foolishly came at night."

"He was a killing ghost, wasn't he? If so, isn't it natural for him to like the night?"

"The night is like a friend to us. For him to come to us on this night means he has come to die."

"You're full of confidence."

At Mun-gang's words, Seo Mun-ok, who had turned her head, looked at Mun-gang's chubby cheeks and belly as he sat stroking his beard.

"You were by his side when the Chung Pavilion Lord died, weren't you? You must have faced Jin Sa-wol then, so you must know his martial arts well."

"I was surprised that the wild man I met then was the killing ghost, Jin Sa-wol. He certainly couldn't be called an ordinary killing ghost."

"You ran away because he wasn't ordinary?"

At Seo Mun-ok's smile, Mun-gang's expression hardened and he twisted his beard.

He seemed to be in a bad mood.

"At that time, I didn't run away, but avoided it. There was a disciple of the Wudang Sect next to Jin Sa-wol."

"Couldn't you have just killed him?"

"My guts aren't big enough to make an enemy of the Wudang Sect."

Mun-gang recalled that time and poured and drank the cold tea.

"By the way, for what reason is the Cult Leader putting in so much effort? Isn't he just one killing ghost?"

"It must be because he's not just one."

Muttering, Seo Mun-ok heard the sound of the bell again as the rain weakened. The battle had begun.

"I should go to my place."

Swish!

As Seo Mun-ok stood up, Mun-gang hurriedly asked.

"Where are you going?"

"To the cave."

At Seo Mun-ok's smile, Mun-gang also stood up.

* * *

To Jin Sa-wol, who had reached the ranks of an absolute master, showing oneself meant wanting to die.

No matter how much it rained and how dark it was, the moment one was caught by Jin Sa-wol's senses, one had to die.

Thwack!

The sword energy of the Sword Bullet Technique that had pierced the tree penetrated the masked man's head.

Swoooosh!

A place where the sound of the rain and the sound of the valley water mixed.

Blood flowed from the head of the masked man who had collapsed to the ground.

Jin Sa-wol, who was standing in front of him, cut down the tree in front of him.

Thwack! Thump!

As the tree fell, two masked men whose waists had been cut collapsed.

'A team of three.'

Jin Sa-wol looked at the corpses and then jumped up to cross the valley water.

In that instant, a hundred willow leaf darts and daggers flew towards Jin Sa-wol's entire body at once.

Jin Sa-wol operated the Thousand-Pound Drop and fell into the valley water.

Splash! Clang-clang!

The hidden weapons collided with each other above Jin Sa-wol's head and then fell down like a shower.

Jin Sa-wol raised his head towards the hidden weapons falling towards his head. Just then, two masked men poked their heads out from the water in front and behind and stabbed their swords.

Jin Sa-wol moved to the right and stabbed his sword.

Thwack!

A dull sound of flesh being hit echoed, and the bodies of the two masked men floated on the water. The hidden weapons fell on top of them.

In Jin Sa-wol's eyes, a faint light was seen in the distance. It was a lamp.

Swish!

With the sound of the wind, dozens of Flower Ghosts appeared in the empty air of the valley.

As the rain stopped and the moonlight was seen beyond the dark clouds, more than a hundred Flower Ghosts were seen floating in the air.

They did not move.

The Flower Ghosts, with emotionless eyes, stood on the Blood Threads and looked at Jin Sa-wol.

Whoosh! Swish!

The number of Flower Ghosts was gradually increasing.

Thump!

As the Flower Ghosts who were floating in the closest place jumped up, a smile hung on Jin Sa-wol's lips.

Whoosh!

In that instant, Jin Sa-wol's figure completely disappeared into the darkness.

It was the moment he became a killing ghost.

As he unfolded the Dark Shadow Heart Art and disappeared at the same time, the Flower Ghosts were flustered and scattered in all directions.

* * *

From the south of the seven-story pagoda, the forest shook with a strong wind, and the sound of bells echoed.

Overlapping with the jingling sound, dozens of Blood Threads were cut.

Whoosh! Thump!

Dozens of Flower Ghosts who were hiding in the forest moved to the south where the sound was heard.

Just then, from the east, a dozen or so trees fell and cut the Blood Threads.

Rumble!

As the forest vibrated and the sound of the bell was heard loudly, other Flower Ghosts headed east.

The rain had lessened and turned into a drizzle.

The woman who was standing by the window on the sixth floor, looking outside, opened her eyes wide when she saw a dagger flying through the raindrops.

Thwack! Thump!

The woman, with a dagger embedded in her forehead, flew back and fell to the floor. And in front of her, Jin Sa-wol, wearing plain clothes, landed.

Jingle!

The loud sound of the bell still shook the forest. As everyone's attention was focused on the south and east, Jin Sa-wol entered the pagoda.

"It's not her."

After confirming the dead woman's face, Jin Sa-wol confirmed that it was not Seo Mun-ok and raised his head.

Thump!

From the ceiling, three masked women fell, unfolding their Blood Threads. Jin Sa-wol's shoulder shook slightly towards the masked men who were making a net-like Blood Thread.

Thwack!

Three sword shadows extended by a zhang and passed by, cutting the necks of the three masked men.

Thump!

There were no screams. The Blood Threads landed on the corpses of the masked men who had fallen to the floor with a heavy sound.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had moved forward as if sliding, reached out his hand towards the wall.

Thwack!

His left hand, which had pierced the wall, grabbed the neck of the masked man standing beyond the wall.

"Where is Seo Mun-ok?"

The masked man, without a word, stabbed Jin Sa-wol's left hand, which was holding his neck, with a dagger.

Jin Sa-wol let go of his hand. Because of that, the masked man had to stab his own neck.

Thud!

As the masked man collapsed, Jin Sa-wol discovered another masked man falling from the ceiling.

He grabbed the arm and neck of the masked man who was swinging his sword at the same time and laid him on the floor.

Thump!

The masked man's eyes widened.

"If you want to die comfortably, tell me where Seo Mun-ok is."

"First floor, underground."

Crack!

After breaking the masked man's neck, Jin Sa-wol heard the sound of hidden weapons flying at his back and entered the room.

Thwack!

As Jin Sa-wol avoided them, the hidden weapons were embedded in the body of the masked man whose neck was broken.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had jumped out the window, flipped his body, went down to the first floor, and then entered through the wide-open door.

In the center of the first floor, there was a staircase leading down to the basement.

The surroundings were quiet.

The entrance to the basement seemed to be beckoning him to come in.

"The hospitality is terrible."

Jin Sa-wol's voice echoed low. The person who had called him here was Seo Mun-ok.

But since she didn't offer any food or a drink, she seemed to have no manners.

Then, a disgusting and dirty sound of 'swoosh!' was heard.

Fwoosh!

As a fire rose from the brazier placed next to the entrance to the basement, the interior became clearly visible.

Dozens of Flower Ghosts were floating in the air, stepping on Blood Threads.

What was peculiar was that the masks they were wearing did not have eye holes, and a thin veil covered their faces.

'High-ranking?'

A black shadow that had appeared next to the brazier turned into a person and bowed to Jin Sa-wol.

Since he was wearing a mask, his face could not be seen.

"Please enter."

At the clear voice, Jin Sa-wol frowned. It was a voice he had heard somewhere.

Jin Sa-wol tried his best to ignore the voice and went down to the basement.

As Jin Sa-wol went down to the basement, the masked man pushed the brazier.

Thump!

The entrance to the basement closed, and the wide-open door on the first floor also closed.

(End of Chapter)