The instant Geugak Soma finished speaking, three crows took flight. The Black Night Three Crows (黑夜三烏) had launched their attack.
The killing intent in his words had been unmistakable, so they did not hesitate. If their opponent had made up his mind to kill Yeo Bulgae, then there was no way for them to survive without killing him first.
The Black Night Three Crows rushed in from three directions.
From the left, the shoulder; from the right, the ribs; from the front, the throat.
Until now, no one had ever withstood this combined assault. These night crows were indeed masters skilled enough to raise Yeo Bulgae to the throne of the night. Save for the fact that their opponent was Geugak Soma, it was a perfect attack.
With a single step, Geugak Soma evaded the pincer attack. Three swords grazed past his body by a hair’s breadth, but the eyes behind the mask remained calm. Serene and precise—ping!
The Blood Calamity Finger that flew in from right before his nose was something First Crow could not dodge.
As First Crow’s throat was pierced through and he died, Second Crow let out a monstrous cry and swung his sword.
The opening created by rage was more than enough for a strand of finger wind to pierce through.
Thud!
The sword of the last remaining Third Crow unleashed the finest move of his life, but all it managed to do was cut off the end of his opponent’s bamboo hat.
Had he known who his opponent was, even that would have been something he could boast of for the rest of his life. But after a lifetime of committing evil deeds under Yeo Bulgae, he was not given even a single chance to boast. A hole was pierced through his forehead as well, and he breathed his last.
It was just then.
Screeeeeech!
Something came flying with tremendous force, aimed at Geugak Soma’s back. It was the spear of the Blood-Crying Spear.
Screech.
The spear, which had flown in at a terrifying speed, stopped behind Geugak Soma’s back.
The one who had caught the spear by hand was Geom Mugeuk.
The Blood-Crying Spear was shocked. His spear was not something that could be caught barehanded. If it could be seized with bare hands, how could he have become a renowned spear master of the Evil Faction?
Geom Mugeuk planted the spear in the ground.
Geugak Soma turned around and lightly flicked the shaft embedded in the earth with his finger.
Clang!
The clear sound that rang out was Geugak Soma’s way of expressing his thanks.
Taking that sound as his starting signal, Geom Mugeuk charged toward the Blood-Crying Spear.
The Blood-Crying Spear swiftly joined together the two short spears he wore at either side of his waist. At this distance, there was enough time to connect the spear—had Geom Mugeuk not rushed in with the Myeongwang Steps.
Slice!
The newly joined spear was cut in two along with its owner’s body. In Geom Mugeuk’s hand was not the Black Demon Sword, but the blade used by the Black-White Twin Blades; even so, Geom Mugeuk was a master calligrapher who did not care what brush he held.
At that very moment.
Sssssss!
Vines surged up from the ground and wrapped around Geom Mugeuk’s entire body. It was a sorcerous art that bound an opponent’s body for a brief instant.
The Yin-Yang Ghosts, who had been sitting in front of the flower garden, were suddenly at Geom Mugeuk’s left and right, snatching his wrists.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
Through both of Geom Mugeuk’s wrists, the internal energy of the Yin-Yang Ghosts poured in like a waterfall.
Their martial art was the Heart-Shattering Star-Absorbing Art (破心吸星功).
It was an utterly vicious evil art that injected their mighty internal energy into an opponent to burst their heart and kill them, then drew back all of the opponent’s internal energy and vital essence.
Even alone, either of them could easily kill a fairly skilled master with it. Now that both had latched onto him, they were certain their opponent would never be able to endure.
But that was a misconception born of not knowing what kind of person Geom Mugeuk was when it came to internal energy.
Their internal energy continued to pour in.
By now, he should have been vomiting blood from internal injuries, yet Geom Mugeuk was perfectly fine.
Yang Ghost sent Yin Ghost a grave look. It was a signal that they should stop even now, but Yin Ghost firmly shook her head and refused. She knew from experience that the stronger the opponent was, the more delicious their internal energy and yang essence would be.
Just a little more, just a little more!
It seemed as though Geom Mugeuk would cough blood and collapse at any moment.
More than half their internal energy had been poured in, then more than two-thirds. The more time passed, the more they could not give up. If only because of all the internal energy they had already spent, they could not stop.
Yang Ghost attempted the Strange Shadow Art (怪影術).
While absorbing internal energy, one must never use another martial art, but the situation left him no choice.
Geom Mugeuk’s shadow rose to its feet. Normally, the shadow should have burrowed into Geom Mugeuk’s mind and inflicted internal injuries.
Sssssss!
The shadow merged with Geom Mugeuk, then quietly returned to its original place.
‘Sorcery doesn’t work on him!’
Yang Ghost vomited a bowlful of blood.
Only when the two of them had reached a point of no return did Geom Mugeuk reveal his true ability. Far from dying, he spoke to them with ease.
“What should I do? Sorcery and internal energy are the fields I’m most confident in.”
The Yin-Yang Ghosts realized they had been played by Geom Mugeuk. From the beginning, he had deliberately given them his wrists. Now, even if they wanted to stop, they could not. Their internal power was being sucked away endlessly, as if it had fallen into an abyss.
And so, with their internal energy completely depleted and their blood vessels utterly dried up, the Yin-Yang Ghosts collapsed with a thud. They had lost their lives pouring water into a bottomless jar.
The internal energy of the two merged into Geom Mugeuk’s dantian. Born with the Heavenly Martial Body to begin with, and now having reached a new realm, Geom Mugeuk’s internal energy made theirs his own far faster and more purely than before. Just as no matter how many rivers flow into the sea, the sea remains a vast sea.
Yeo Bulgae, who had been staring blankly as even his last hope, the Yin-Yang Ghosts, died, looked around the scene in a daze. Every master except himself and Hwang Yeom was dead.
‘If only this were a dream.’
Amazingly, he wished all of this were a dream. He had lived his life with Yaryulhan at his back, fulfilling every base desire he possessed.
‘I can’t give up!’
Yeo Bulgae gritted his teeth.
—Take that woman hostage!
At Yeo Bulgae’s transmitted voice, Hwang Yeom did not move.
—What are you doing? Hurry up and take her hostage!
But Hwang Yeom’s mute acupoint and paralysis acupoint had already been sealed. Just when, in the midst of this chaotic melee, had he been subdued?
Originally, he had intended to have Hwang Yeom take the Mistress of Cheonhwaru hostage while he took the women here hostage.
But if matters had come to this—
Yeo Bulgae hurled himself toward the Mistress of Cheonhwaru.
‘If I can just take that woman hostage, I can live.’
Just as he was about to subdue the Mistress of Cheonhwaru, Geugak Soma stepped in front of him a moment faster.
Yeo Bulgae unleashed palm force with all his strength. But how could an old man who had spent his life chasing women possibly contend with Geugak Soma, whom even one who had trained all his life would find difficult to face?
Geugak Soma lightly dissolved the incoming palm force with palm force of his own.
Only then did Yeo Bulgae see his face beneath the bamboo hat. As he stared blankly at the white mask, he shuddered in shock.
“You are—!”
Before the next words could come out, the Blood Calamity Finger was released.
Ping! Thud!
A strand of finger wind, like a beam of light that had been held back since his arrival, pierced through his mouth. Yeo Bulgae let out a short scream and clutched his mouth. Blood streamed down between his fingers.
Then the Mistress of Cheonhwaru spoke to the women.
“Now, everyone, open your eyes and look.”
The women opened their eyes. They were startled by the sight spread out before them. As they listened to the sounds of battle, they had desperately hoped for a situation like this, but they had never imagined that Yeo Bulgae’s powerful subordinates would truly be lying around as corpses.
Amid the bodies strewn everywhere, holes began to multiply in Yeo Bulgae’s body.
Ping! Thud!
His shoulder was pierced. The back of the hand reaching to clutch that shoulder was pierced.
Realizing that his opponent was Geugak Soma of the Demon Cult, Yeo Bulgae lost all will to fight and floundered. He begged to be spared, but because his mouth had been pierced by the first finger wind, the words did not come out properly.
He crawled across the ground and begged for his life.
Geom Mugeuk knew. He knew what that desperate plea would become later. He knew how much mercy and forgiveness granted in a single moment could cause so many people to die.
Fortunately, his opponent today was Geugak Soma.
Crack!
Geugak Soma mercilessly kicked him in the crotch. The desire that had led him into evil all his life was shattered, and he let out a wretched scream.
“Aaaaaaargh!”
Bloody froth poured from his screaming mouth.
‘I’ll survive somehow and take revenge no matter what!’
Yeo Bulgae crawled toward Geugak Soma again.
‘You dog! You damned bastard! I’ll repay this pain a hundredfold, a thousandfold!’
Covered in blood, Yeo Bulgae forced a smile.
“……I’ll live virtuously.”
His pronunciation was unclear, but it was obvious that he was talking about turning over a new leaf.
Of course, it did not work.
This time, the joints of his arms and legs were pierced. Geugak Soma chose only the spots where he could feel the greatest pain and shot finger wind into them. He did not even offer a single word of advice, such as telling him to live kindly in his next life. Geugak Soma thoroughly ignored him.
Lastly, he pulled out the spear planted in the ground and drove it down into the stomach of Yeo Bulgae, who was writhing on the floor.
The future the Mistress of Cheonhwaru had spoken of was unfolding not in hell, but right here.
Geugak Soma stared coldly at the dying man, then extended his palm toward him. The pit of fire the Mistress of Cheonhwaru had spoken of was none other than Geugak Soma’s Demonic Extreme Berserk Palm.
Kwahhhhhng!
His entire body was blown away.
Thud.
He vanished into a bloody pulp, and only the broken spear rolled across the ground. This was Geugak Soma’s answer to what happened when someone touched his woman.
At the sight, some women cried out in cheers, some shed tears of joy, and still others could not bear to look upon the gruesome scene and turned their heads.
Their reactions were all different, but the emotion they felt was one. All that came to mind was the joy that they had now escaped this hell….
Rumble, crash!
As though it had been watching this moment, rain began to pour from the sky.
Shwaaaaaaaaa!
All the women looked up at the heavens. It felt as if all the suffering they had endured until now was being washed away by the rain.
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru walked over to them.
“It’s time to go home now.”
Of course, until this matter was fully concluded, the Mistress of Cheonhwaru intended to keep them with her. Geom Mugeuk could tell. More than anyone else, the Mistress of Cheonhwaru was the person who would help them now. She would soothe their wounds better than anyone.
The women bowed to the three of them.
“We will never forget the grace of being saved by you.”
At the thought that they could see their families again, tears would not stop flowing from their eyes. How much must their families be missing them? How desperately must they be searching?
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru helped them to their feet.
The middle-aged woman who had earlier tried to save the young woman asked with a tear-streaked face.
“Please, at least tell us the names of our benefactors.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,
“As you heard earlier, this lady here is the owner of a courtesan house, that man is her kept husband, and I am the kept husband’s friend.”
Realizing that he did not intend to reveal their identities, the woman did not ask further.
Instead, she expressed what was in their hearts.
“We will live the rest of our lives never forgetting this kindness.”
Now it was time to leave this place.
Geom Mugeuk approached Hwang Yeom, who had survived alone with his paralysis and mute acupoints sealed.
Undoing Hwang Yeom’s mute acupoint, he asked,
“Do you want to live?”
“Yes!”
Hwang Yeom nodded frantically.
He was a subordinate suited to his master. With his master dead, what loyalty could there be? Who in the world could dispose of Yeo Bulgae and his subordinates this easily?
Using sword aura, Geom Mugeuk quickly dug into the earth, then used the Void Grasping Art to throw the corpses into the pit. In an instant, he filled it back in.
The pouring rain washed away all the blood.
Meanwhile, the women cleaned up the scene, and Geugak Soma brought over the large carriage that had been standing in the backyard.
Geom Mugeuk said to Hwang Yeom,
“When we leave, tell the subordinates that Yeo Bulgae has somewhere to go for a while. If you want to try anything funny, go ahead. I’ll throw you into a torture chamber until the day you die. I’ll keep you alive like my own life and drag you around for the rest of your days.”
“That won’t happen.”
The women boarded the carriage. Hwang Yeom took the reins himself, and Geom Mugeuk sat beside him.
Thus, the carriage raced out of Yeo Bulgae’s residence. Hwang Yeom acted even better than instructed, forbidding entry into the inner courtyard. At this rate, news of Yeo Bulgae’s death would not spread before they reached Yaryulhan.
About ten li from that place, the Poison King and Seo Daeryong were waiting.
Seo Daeryong took the reins, and now the Mistress of Cheonhwaru and the women were entrusted to the Poison King.
“Please spare me as promised!”
“I never promised. I only asked you. Whether you wanted to live.”
Just as Hwang Yeom was about to protest—
Thud!
Geom Mugeuk’s fist struck his chest. The reward for helping them was a painless death. In truth, this bastard who had served as Yeo Bulgae’s minion deserved to die painfully as well, but there was no time for that now.
Geom Mugeuk dug deep into the nearby forest and disposed of the corpse.
In the meantime, the Poison King and Seo Daeryong had finished preparing to depart.
“Then I leave them in your care.”
When Geom Mugeuk entrusted the women to the Poison King, the Poison King said something unexpected.
“When you return, let’s make that poison we failed to create last time again.”
It was his way of telling him to come visit the Thousand Poisons Forest again. In other words, he was telling him to handle this matter safely and return.
“If you allow me to stay far away by the door again this time.”
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru, too, did not send off Geom Mugeuk and Geugak Soma too gravely.
“Please take good care of my dear husband.”
“I always tell you this, but you should be asking Lord Soma to take care of me.”
The person most worried was Seo Daeryong. Handing over the Black Demon Sword he had been keeping, he said it over and over.
“I know your skills very well, Pavilion Master, but please be careful anyway. Be careful, and then be careful again. If things go wrong, run! Don’t go acting tough for nothing!”
“If you’re that worried, come with me.”
At that, Seo Daeryong flinched and took a step back.
“Regrettably, there’s no one else to drive the carriage.”
Beside him, the Poison King casually remarked,
“I can drive the carriage. Shall I try driving one for the first time in a while?”
Pretending not to hear, Seo Daeryong said to Geom Mugeuk,
“Then I’ll be waiting. As always.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled and patted his shoulder once. Keep growing, Seo Daeryong. Someday, the day will come when I fight alongside you.
With their farewells done, Geom Mugeuk and Geugak Soma began running toward the place where Gowol was waiting. Now they had to face Yaryulhan, but Geom Mugeuk was not afraid. Because the one guarding his back was Geugak Soma.
Shwaaaaaaaaa!
Cutting through the pouring rain, the two of them ran without stopping.