Rustle.
Night, with a still atmosphere surrounding the area.
Although the season was still winter.
It was not the cold but a sharp killing intent that enveloped the vicinity.
Henan.
Black storm clouds were gradually approaching the Henan region.
“Tsk, tsk….”
Inside the pitch-black, ink-colored fog, a white-haired old man let out a laugh.
His voice was completely cracked, and a large sword scar remained on his neck.
The old man’s epithet was.
Black Dragon Sword (黑龍劍).
The one who first unified the Demonic Faction.
Starting from Sichuan, he had tried to conquer the Central Plains.
A master and martial artist of the past.
“So this is Henan.”
In the distance, buildings emitting a brilliant light could be seen.
The territory of the Alliance and Shaolin.
A place that could be called the heart of the Orthodox Faction.
Henan Province.
Black Dragon Sword continued to laugh as he looked at Henan Province.
How much he had longed to see it.
And how much he had yearned for it.
The day he would tread upon this land with his own feet.
“Taesu.”
A man appeared behind Black Dragon Sword and knelt on one knee.
Then, he took out a letter and handed it to Black Dragon Sword.
“A letter has arrived for the Taesu.”
“He sent it quickly. He must be waiting quite eagerly.”
It was likely a letter from the one who had called him all the way here.
Impatience could be felt from the haste.
Perhaps he had touched on something sensitive.
Or perhaps a problem with the young heir had come up.
Black Dragon Sword unfolded the letter and checked its contents.
Then, he put it back into his bosom.
And turning around, he spoke.
“Set up camp. It seems we must wait for the time being.” “Yes, sir!”
At Black Dragon Sword’s command, those hidden within the fog moved quickly.
They were right before the Alliance’s territory.
If they were the slightest bit careless, they risked being discovered.
However, Black Dragon Sword was not particularly worried.
“Rather than just spectating, how about joining in and working?”
Where the old man sent his gaze.
A man was looking at Black Dragon Sword with dark eyes.
“I am not your subordinate. Taesu.”
Dark Night Palace Lord, one of the Samaoje.
He was staring at Black Dragon Sword from within the darkness.
Looking at Dark Night Palace Lord, Black Dragon Sword scoffed.
“I brought you here to earn your keep, yet you seem pointlessly angry.”
“And you, what in the world were you thinking, coming all the way to Henan?”
“What is the problem?”
“This is the Alliance’s territory. After hiding in the darkness and suppressing your presence, what reason do you have to step forward now?”
Dark Night Palace Lord could not understand.
No matter how he thought about it, such behavior from Black Dragon Sword was inefficient.
To the Palace Lord’s question, Black Dragon Sword answered with a smile.
“Simply because the time has come.”
“…The time?”
“If you are so worried, why did you follow me, Palace Lord?”
“ ”
“Tsk, tsk, I can see right through you. What you want is a clue that could unravel the seal placed upon you.”
At Black Dragon Sword’s words, Dark Night Palace Lord furrowed his brow.
Because the words had struck a vital point.
The Samaoje, including Dark Night Palace Lord, were of the Demonic Faction and could not set foot in the land of the Orthodox Faction.
No, now that another had died, should they be called the Sama Samje?
“Even with that mysterious energy, it seems you cannot do anything about your seal?”
“You speak recklessly.”
*Crack.*
Black energy rose from Dark Night Palace Lord’s body like a heat haze.
Even as a murderous aura spread out.
Black Dragon Sword was merely smiling.
“Are you still struggling against the seal placed by Ho Hyeop?”
At Black Dragon Sword’s words.
*Swoosh!*
The energy that bloomed from Dark Night Palace Lord’s body surged forward in a massive form, but.
Before the energy could reach Black Dragon Sword’s nose.
*Crackle….*
Like a lie, the energy turned to dust and scattered away in the wind.
It was the aftermath of a single wave of Black Dragon Sword’s hand.
“If you are going to struggle, you ought to choose your opponent more carefully.”
“…Taesu…!”
“The reason I accepted you was because the darkness within you was intriguing. Have you gone blind so that you cannot see the difference?”
*Crunch.*
At Black Dragon Sword’s words, Dark Night Palace Lord clenched his fist.
And retracted his energy.
In the past.
To the Orthodox Faction, he was Ho Hyeop.
To the Demonic Faction, he was called Yeom Gwi.
During the time when such a master was active in the Central Plains.
There was an incident where Ho Hyeop, who despised the Demonic Faction, visited all of the Samaoje.
It was something no one knew.
A humiliating past that the Samaoje would never wish to be known by anyone.
Dark Night Palace Lord still remembered.
—Leave the Central Plains, and never show yourself for eternity.
The young martial artist’s aura had been fiercely blazing, hot enough to burn.
Though he had boiled over with killing intent, in the end, he had merely placed a seal and did not take their lives.
Why was that?
The Palace Lord had not known why Yeom Gwi had done so at that time.
Whether he had wanted to see him flail about unsightly due to the seal.
Or whether there had been some other reason, it was something he did not know.
The seal was strong.
It had made him live like a cripple until Dark Night Palace Lord discovered the heavens.
Even now, having obtained new power through a blessing.
He could only suppress and bind the seal, unable to erase it.
Moreover.
Yeom Gwi, whom he had thought he could kill if they met now.
Had grown even stronger than back then by this point.
‘The Hundred Great Masters of the Central Plains?’
A nonsensical story.
For such a monster.
There was no way he was merely one of the Hundred Great Masters.
Moreover, the same could be said for the figure right before his eyes now.
A specter that should have died and disappeared.
Was devoured by malice.
And had been corrupted into an even greater darkness.
“Why not stop the stray thoughts there?”
“…I hope you keep your promise.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
“Of course. Once this matter is finished, I will definitely unravel your seal.”
Though he wondered how this old man could do what he himself could not even do about his own heavens.
Since there was something he had witnessed, he had no choice but to believe.
Black Dragon Sword turned his gaze away from Dark Night Palace Lord.
And looked at Henan once more.
The lights shining brilliantly even at this late hour.
Were still beautiful despite the passage of time.
They were pleasing to Black Dragon Sword’s eyes.
Brilliant.
So beautiful was that light that he wanted to extinguish it all.
“When will the operation commence?”
“The operation…. Yes, a month from now should do.”
“What?”
A waiting period of a whole month?
He could not understand why it had to be drawn out so long.
As the Palace Lord harbored doubt.
Black Dragon Sword immediately gave an answer.
“They also asked us to wait.”
Black Dragon Sword recalled the contents written in the letter in his bosom.
It was a message saying there was something to take care of, so to wait.
‘The brat is impudent.’
To dare tell him to wait.
There was no end to his impudence, but.
Because he knew what a massive darkness the brat would become in the future.
He decided to let it slide this once.
“More importantly.”
*Clack.*
Black Dragon Sword gripped the bead in his hand and recalled.
“Since reinforcements are coming and it will take some time, we must wait.”
“Reinforcements?”
Who else was coming?
“If it were only Cheonghae Ilgeom, we could proceed as is, but unfortunately, the Sword Empress. I hear that arrogant girl is there as well.”
“So who did you call?”
The Palace Lord spat out the words, his demeanor turning somewhat savage.
To think that even after he himself had come all the way here.
It meant that even that was not enough.
At those words from the Palace Lord.
Black Dragon Sword sent a subtle gaze.
“You still haven’t discarded that pride and inferiority complex. That is why you cannot escape the inner demon known as Ho Hyeop.”
The moment Black Dragon Sword’s words were heard.
Dark Night Palace Lord spewed out hundreds of blades made of energy.
The time called night.
Concealed the presence of the dark blades.
The energy bearing deep darkness rushed at Black Dragon Sword once more, but.
Rather than that.
*Snap.*
Black Dragon Sword’s hand was faster.
“Kuk…!”
“You weren’t this kind of person in the past. How did you end up so broken?”
Was it the influence of the inner demon?
Or if not, was it a problem with the direction the Palace Lord pursued so fervently?
Black Dragon Sword did not know.
Nor was he particularly curious.
Before his usefulness was exhausted.
He merely hoped the Palace Lord wouldn’t break.
A figure of this caliber was too troublesome to discard anywhere.
“Did you not say you were curious who the reinforcements were?”
*Whooosh.*
A chilly wind blew through the winter surroundings.
Feeling a wind that seemed somehow mixed with the smell of blood.
Black Dragon Sword spat out in a dry voice.
“The Dark King (暗王).”
“…!”
At the name Black Dragon Sword uttered.
Dark Night Palace Lord’s eyes widened greatly.
The leader of the Seven Nights Death Squad, and.
The king of assassins who had never failed a single assassination.
The Dark King.
He was coming to Henan.
“Thus, there will be no failure. Your goal is but one, so remember only that.”
Having finished speaking, Black Dragon Sword removed his hand from the Palace Lord’s neck and stood up.
His body blocking the moon risen in the sky.
Somehow gave the illusion that it was growing larger bit by bit.
“The potential for poison immunity, and a direct descendant of the Dang clan.”
Dokbong Dang Soyeol.
“You simply need to capture that girl and bring her. A very easy task, is it not?”
“…Dokbong? Did you not say she was the descendant of the Sword Venerable?”
The Palace Lord vaguely knew what feelings Black Dragon Sword held toward the Sword Venerable.
That was why he could not understand.
To the Palace Lord’s question, Black Dragon Sword spoke.
“Tsk, tsk…. Unlike you, I do not let myself be entangled in vengeance and ruin the plan.”
*Kuk.*
Leaving behind the speechless Palace Lord.
Black Dragon Sword moved his steps deeper into the forest.
The formation had already been fully deployed.
Now, all there was to do was wait.
For the many events to come.
‘As a prologue to announce my return, this much isn’t bad.’
For announcing that I, Black Dragon Sword, am still alive.
Erasing the Shinryong Hall, where the future of the Orthodox Faction has gathered.
Would not be bad.
If I killed all those promising young talents.
The reaction would surely be heated.
‘Then, what kind of expression will you make?’
Because of the one he himself had failed to deal with.
If the Central Plains were once again dyed in blood.
Wi Hyogun.
What expression would his old friend make?
Black Dragon Sword was truly curious about that.
Black Dragon Sword, having entered the forest.
Leaned against a large tree and closed his eyes.
It was a place where moonlight could not be seen.
‘Truly, not much time remains.’
I thought with my eyes closed.
This plan would not fail.
The Sword Empress was an unexpected variable, however.
For that, I had called the Dark King. And had found a way to avoid the Heavenly Eye.
If I was merely careful of the possible intervention of Nakgeom.
This matter would not fail.
‘Like that time.’
Unless a being like Wi Hyogun.
Was present in the Shinryong Hall, that is.
It had already been a month since I entered the Shinryong Hall.
It meant I had gone through this unbearably boring situation nearly thirty times.
If there was a problem.
It was something I thought every morning when I woke up.
But the fact that I had to live like this for a year was truly annoying.
‘And what’s with the practical training?’
They even said there was practical training based on theory within seven days and nights.
If I didn’t properly carry out the practical training or drills.
In the worst case, it could lead to expulsion, so I was putting in some effort.
‘I’m solid on the theory, so that’s fine.’
And as I kept saying regarding demonic creatures, there would be no one here with better theoretical knowledge than me.
Even if there were, it would be among the instructors.
There was no way I would fall behind in the exam meant for them.
Thanks to that.
—The True Dragon has a ferocious nature and is even extremely intelligent.
Such bullshit rumors were spreading again.
No, the rest was fine.
They could have just said I was smart.
Why did they have to attach “ferocious nature” in front?
It was really absurd.
‘I really need to catch the bastard spreading these rumors and turn him into a square.’
Which bastard kept poking at me.
I would find him without fail.
*Hoo.*
A sigh escaped me.
Rumors, attention, having to attend for a year—
All of it was annoying, but.
What annoyed me most right now was none other than something else.
“…Fuck. How do you do this?”
Right now, I am near the Hall Leader’s office.
Sitting in the grassy thicket where I’d talked with Wi Seora before.
The goal was the same as last time.
To find the secret manual located beneath the Shinryong Hall.
And to find a way to break through the formation to get there.
But.
‘I can’t feel it…!’
The peculiarity of the formation I had felt back then.
Could not be felt at all now.
Back then, I had clearly even seen the flow that Wi Seora was touching.
And I had been waving my hands around in the air for a while after that.
‘No way….’
The thought flashed by, forcing me to furrow my brows.
‘…Can’t I do it alone?’
Just as Wi Seora had held my hand and let me feel it.
Was I unable to sense the formation on my own?
‘Then that’s a problem.’
Because I knew the location, I had thought I could just find it.
If that was the problem, it was quite serious.
‘Should I bring Wi Seora here now?’
From Wi Seora’s perspective, it would be bewildering, but.
I had to choose quickly.
Because there was not much time.
*Glance.*
I sent a look behind me, toward the Hall Leader’s building some distance away.
‘I need to finish this before he returns.’
Cheonghae Ilgeom had the Hall Leader’s office empty right now.
It was something I had ‘requested’ of the Sword Empress.
‘…I don’t know where Wi Seora is. What do I do?’
If I had known this would happen, I should have brought Wi Seora with me.
I had thought I could find it alone since I knew the flow.
‘What do I do?’
To run back and bring Wi Seora again.
I didn’t know how much time was left.
And I couldn’t just bombard this place.
I couldn’t control it while hiding the backlash.
To blow up the formation.
I would need at least Flame Prison–level destructive force.
The moment I set that off.
There was no way Cheonghae Ilgeom wouldn’t notice the erupting energy around the area.
‘Tch.’
Thanks to that, I had ended up in a situation where I could do neither this nor that.
Of course, I couldn’t just wave my hands around blankly like this either.
Time was short, which meant I was in no state to hesitate.
Eventually, deciding it wouldn’t work.
Just as I was thinking I had no choice but to find Wi Seora and bring her.
“What in the world have you been doing since earlier?”
A voice came from behind.
“…What, are you watching ants or something?”
I had not sensed any presence.
‘Damn.’
I remembered.
That in this area, whether due to a spirit creature or some other force.
Presence was not easily sensed.
I urgently turned my head.
The owner of the voice was looking at me with a subtle expression.
“…Who are you?”
When I asked in disbelief.
He made a similar expression.
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
Where I turned my head.
A young man stood there, so tall that I had to look up for a good while while sitting.
Towering height and a handsome face.
Yet with a face that looked somehow tired.
And in that interval, a young man wearing martial robes with the symbol of Wudang.
It was a bastard I knew well.
Seeing that, I retorted.
“Why are you here?”
Sleeping Dragon Uhyeok.
The bastard was looking at me.