-Explosive Art.

Only at the moment Jin Sa-wol's sword tip touched his solar plexus did Cheon Yu-myeong's figure become visible.

Pat!

Cheon Yu-myeong's figure, who had jumped back, shook greatly, leaving an afterimage.

Jin Sa-wol's sword changed direction and went up.

Swish!

As a sharp light bloomed, Cheon Yu-myeong's figure appeared half a zhang behind.

A red line was drawn from his solar plexus to his right shoulder.

Jin Sa-wol did not stop. The Ghost Step through the Explosive Art and the first form of the One Sword Killing Ghost headed for Cheon Yu-myeong's neck.

Before that, Na Hyeon-gi's sword was also cutting Cheon Yu-myeong's back.

Flash!

A huge light rose from Cheon Yu-myeong's back and swallowed Na Hyeon-gi.

Boom!

"Keuk!"

As Na Hyeon-gi's figure flew towards the main gate of the main hall, Jin Sa-wol's sword reached Cheon Yu-myeong's neck.

But Jin Sa-wol's figure was pushed up by a strange force.

Jin Sa-wol's eyes widened.

In that instant, Cheon Yu-myeong's right palm headed for Jin Sa-wol's abdomen. It was where the blood was flowing. If he was hit by the Six-Layered Demonic Palm there, even Jin Sa-wol would have no choice but to die.

Moreover, there was nowhere to escape in the air.

Jin Sa-wol's left hand grabbed his belt.

Close range.

Click!

The flexible sword that was on Jin Sa-wol's waist was drawn.

In that instant, dozens of sword energies rose and covered Cheon Yu-myeong's entire body like a net.

Cheon Yu-myeong's upper garment was torn to shreds and fluttered in the air.

Tak!

Jin Sa-wol, who had retreated, examined Cheon Yu-myeong's uninjured upper body. A few red scars that looked like they had been hit by a whip were visible, but that was all.

'Adamantine Body?'

To receive the Hundred Ghost Killing Sword, which tears through protective qi, with his body!

At the completely unexpected event, Jin Sa-wol's expression hardened noticeably.

"What happened?"

"I did some experiments on the Heavenly Armored Corpses with my own body. When I had nothing to do, I spent the whole day training my external martial arts. As a result, I became like this, an Adamantine Body."

In that instant, blood spurted from Cheon Yu-myeong's entire body. A dozen or so sword wounds were revealed late, and blood flowed down.

It was a wound caused by the Yuseom Sword.

Clang!

As the Soul Sound Bell, which had been cut in half, rolled on the floor, Cheon Yu-myeong's face hardened like a stone.

The wounds on his body could be healed. But the Soul Sound Bell was not.

Because it was one of his treasures that could not be made again.

"Damn it!"

Cheon Yu-myeong raised his voice with an angry face.

Jin Sa-wol had also aimed for Cheon Yu-myeong, but he had not forgotten to cut the Soul Sound Bell.

Seeing the Soul Sound Bell cut in half, Jin Sa-wol let out a light laugh and raised his sword.

"Hoo hoo!"

Although the flexible sword only hit Cheon Yu-myeong's skin, the Yuseom Sword, which belonged to the category of famous swords, was not so.

Although it only cut his skin, Cheon Yu-myeong was clearly hit.

On top of that, he had cut the Soul Sound Bell that Cheon Yu-myeong cherished in half and made it unusable, so he couldn't help but feel good.

Cheon Yu-myeong's flustered facial expression made him forget the pain for a moment.

"You seem to be in pain."

It was amusing to see the expression of Cheon Yu-myeong, who didn't even blink an eye when killing people, waver.

Jureureuk!

Blood overflowed at Jin Sa-wol's feet. His lower body was completely soaked.

Cheon Yu-myeong, seeing this, relaxed his expression and laughed.

"You'll die soon. You look as pathetic as a carp with its belly split open. Still, you won't be bored on the road to the afterlife with many companions."

"It's not over yet."

Seuk!

Jin Sa-wol raised his sword and gathered his internal energy.

In that instant, Jin Sa-wol felt the strength drain from his entire body. His legs gave out, and he collapsed.

The moment he tried to get up again, Cheon Yu-myeong picked up Na Hyeon-gi's sword that had fallen on the ground.

It was a poisoned sword.

Cheon Yu-myeong sniffed the fishy smell and then nodded.

"It's the poison of the Black Crow Insect."

He muttered lowly and then aimed the sword at Jin Sa-wol and spoke again.

"It was nice to meet you after a long time."

Cheon Yu-myeong raised his sword to cut Jin Sa-wol's neck.

In that instant, a fluttering black cloth covered his eyes.

The black cloth that crossed between Jin Sa-wol and Cheon Yu-myeong fluttered and shook greatly like a butterfly dancing.

Jin Sa-wol stared at the black cloth. He didn't know why it had appeared or where it had come from, but he was frustrated because he couldn't see Cheon Yu-myeong.

From beyond the black cloth, Cheon Yu-myeong's voice flowed out low, as if whispering.

"Do you dare to interfere with me? Hoo hoo hoo. Yes... even so, as a mother... This one is a failure anyway. So I must kill him with my own hands. Are you telling me not to? This is the only time. There will be no second time."

Seureureuk!

As the black cloth disappeared into the air like the wind, Cheon Yu-myeong's figure also disappeared.

The sound of thunder echoed in Jin Sa-wol's ears.

-If you live, you will meet me again someday. And then you will bitterly regret being alive.

Immediately after Cheon Yu-myeong's telepathic message disappeared, Jin Sa-wol stared blankly at the main hall full of blood.

"Failure..."

Just then, a memory came to him.

It was a story the Esoteric Cult Leader had told him. Since he didn't know what kind of story it was or what it meant, he hadn't paid much attention to it in the past.

-If you try to kill Ok-i, I will not stand by.

He couldn't understand the reason why he had said that back then.

He had stopped the Esoteric Cult members from taking Jo Geom-ok to a cave full of corpses. Of course, he was also the one who had killed the cult members who had tried to take Jo Geom-ok.

The story the Esoteric Cult Leader had told him was that he was a failure.

"Umm..."

When he touched his abdomen, it was still hot. He tried to save his breath as much as possible, but he couldn't stop his mind from becoming confused.

Footsteps were heard.

Na Hyeon-gi was slowly walking, crossing the main hall full of corpses.

Although his complexion was pale due to internal injuries, his eyes were clear.

Na Hyeon-gi glanced at the collapsed Jin Sa-wol and then smiled.

Na Hyeon-gi withdrew his gaze, slowly climbed the stairs leading to the grand master's chair, and then sat on the grand master's chair.

As if that seat were his own, Na Hyeon-gi looked comfortable, like a familiar person.

"It's not a high place."

Na Hyeon-gi muttered and took in the main hall, which was full of the smell of blood, at a glance.

Sitting in a place where no one could sit and looking down at the main hall, he felt like he had the whole world.

Countless Demonic Cult members had killed each other to sit here. But in the end, the situation had come where he could sit.

Na Hyeon-gi's expression began to become complicated.

Jin Sa-wol, looking at Na Hyeon-gi, recalled the Cult Leader. Only then could he understand what Na Hyeon-gi had really wanted.

Na Hyeon-gi threw a smile at Jin Sa-wol and threw out a word.

"Good work."

At his words, Jin Sa-wol closed his eyes.

***

Behind Cheon Yu-myeong, who had appeared on a mountain ridge overlooking the main headquarters of the Demonic Cult, five young men followed.

They were all wearing black martial arts uniforms and had pale skin.

They were the five young men who had been lying in the secret room.

Sararak!

A black cloth flew from the empty air, came down next to Cheon Yu-myeong, and then changed into a shape as if a person were inside.

Cheon Yu-myeong looked around the scenery of the Demonic Cult and asked, "Are you not worried about your son's safety? He'll die if you leave him like that."

"It's fate."

"How cold."

"That's not something you should say."

The owner of the voice echoing from the black cloth seemed to be angry. It also felt as if she were sulking.

If she hadn't stopped him, Cheon Yu-myeong would have cut Jin Sa-wol's neck. But she had blocked his way, and Cheon Yu-myeong had to lower his sword.

If she got angry, he would have to fight, and this was a very troublesome problem.

Cheon Yu-myeong looked around the scenery of the Demonic Cult once more.

Since it was a place he had lived in for a while, he thought he would have lingering feelings, but he didn't feel that way. In any case, it was enough to live well again in another place.

Also, his people were still left in the Demonic Cult. It was a place where he could come back again when he saw an opportunity.

Cheon Yu-myeong stroked his beard and said, "The Soul Sound Bell is a waste."

"Wasn't there something you left in the Esoteric Cult?"

"That's also broken."

Cheon Yu-myeong had found the Soul Sound Bell among the various items he had recovered from the Esoteric Cult, but he had found a crack in it and had thrown it away.

A cracked Soul Sound Bell was useless.

Because he had to leave the Esoteric Cult in a hurry, he had to leave almost everything behind.

"Let's think about that problem slowly."

"I'll be waiting in Nanjing."

Seureureuk!

As Cheon Yu-myeong's words ended, the black cloth soared into the sky and crossed the mountain, riding the wind.

Cheon Yu-myeong, who was watching the black cloth fly away, disappeared with the five young men.

***

Chirp! Chirp!

Jin Sa-wol, who had opened his eyes at the sound of birds from beyond the window, looked around.

It was a bright day, but the scenery of the room was unfamiliar.

"Oh my? You're awake?"

Turning his head at the sudden voice, he saw Yuk Seol-jeong of the Chung Pavilion sitting next to him.

She showed a bright smile, took a sip of the decoction, and then covered Jin Sa-wol's mouth, forcing him to drink the medicine.

At the sudden event, Jin Sa-wol tried to move his body, but since there seemed to be no bad intentions, he remained still.

Gulp!

Jin Sa-wol, who had drunk the decoction, looked at Yuk Seol-jeong's face as she pulled her head back.

"Have you been feeding me like this all along?"

"Yes. I've been feeding you like this for three days. Hohoho! Do you like it?"

"I'll eat by myself now, so I don't want to see that mouth anymore."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Yuk Seol-jeong pouted as if she were sulking.

"Shouldn't you be grateful that a beautiful and pretty person like me is feeding you directly with my mouth?"

Although he heard her words, Jin Sa-wol touched his stomach and asked again, "Did you treat me?"

"I'm good at killing, but not at saving. It was the Pavilion Master."

Yuk Seol-jeong asked, looking at Jin Sa-wol with an interested expression, "The thing that entered your stomach is a Blood Ghost Insect, don't you feel it?"

Wriggle!

After hearing Yuk Seol-jeong's story, he felt a strange sensation as if something were moving in his abdomen.

As Jin Sa-wol's expression changed, Yuk Seol-jeong quickly stood up and went outside.

"Pavilion Master! He's awake!"

After she ran out, a short while later, Jang Cho of the Chung Pavilion entered.

He, wearing white and holding a leather pouch in his hand, sat next to Jin Sa-wol and placed the leather pouch down.

Jang Cho, whose eyes met Jin Sa-wol's, nodded and touched Jin Sa-wol's abdomen.

As expected, the feeling of a worm moving was transmitted to his hand.

"It's fine."

Jang Cho smiled as if it were a relief.

Jin Sa-wol asked with a curious face, "What happened?"

"What do you mean, what happened? I was nearby, so I saved you."

"What about Dokgo Hye?"

"She's in the next room."

"Is she alive?"

"She's over the dangerous hump."

Jang Cho said as if to reassure him. Because he had been near the main headquarters at the right time, he had been able to treat Jin Sa-wol and Dokgo Hye.

Jin Sa-wol touched his stomach and asked again, "You said a Living Blood Ghost Insect entered my stomach, what is that?"

"I forgot to explain that for a moment. I put a few in your stomach for hemostasis. They're from Sister Yuk's body, so they're useful. And if you drink the medicine that can kill the Living Blood Ghosts that parasitize the body, they will all die, so you can rest assured."

"When should I drink that medicine?"

"I'll have to see your condition."

Just then, Yuk Seol-jeong came in with a decoction.

"Drink it."

As Jang Cho held out the decoction bowl, Jin Sa-wol drank it in one go. As soon as he finished the decoction, his eyes closed on their own.

Thud!

Jin Sa-wol, who had lain down on the bed, closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep again.

Jang Cho, seeing this, showed a strange smile.

(End of Chapter)