Tianyou glanced at Tianhui following behind, then quietly asked Xuanzhen.
"Is it alright to bring our junior disciple along?"
"Tianhui is now a Taoist of the Huashan Sect as well. It's something he'll experience someday, so wouldn't it be good for him to witness such missions as early as possible?"
"But the place we're going to is..."
"It's fine."
Xuanzhen said firmly.
"We're here, aren't we?"
Meanwhile, a Plum Blossom Swordsman approached beside Tianhui.
The man with a warm, bear-like impression was Kou Qianwei, who, despite entering the sect at a later age than the others, was acknowledged for his outstanding skill and became a Plum Blossom Swordsman.
"Stay right by my side."
His voice, directed at Tianhui, was brimming with warmth and concern.
'His outward appearance has gotten better, at least.'
He glanced at Tianhui.
The appearance of the tall young man was far removed from what he remembered.
Because the Tianhui he knew was frozen in the image of a frail child, so gaunt he might collapse at any moment.
So he could rejoice.
Thinking, 'He's finally recovered.'
But perhaps because of that very reason.
Kou Qianwei even less welcomed Tianhui coming along on this mission.
Because he had barely recovered his body and become healthy, he didn't want to bring him on a mission fraught with such danger.
And the thoughts of most of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were the same as Kou Qianwei's.
Because to them, Tianhui was a sanctuary for their hearts and the youngest junior disciple who had always cherished and doted on them since the old days.
"Does the junior disciple know about this mission?"
"I don't."
"...You don't? And yet you still came along?"
"Yes."
"Y-you came along even so?"
Flustered, Kou Qianwei scratched his cheek.
Then he looked to the side.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen who had been glancing over flinched at his gaze and coughed repeatedly.
"Ahem. How about I tell you, junior disciple?"
"Since Kou senior brother explains things perfectly, that seems like it would be best."
They turned their heads slightly, seemingly embarrassed at having been caught stealing glances.
"Haa."
Kou Qianwei let out a deep sigh.
"Junior disciple. Then listen well."
Tianhui perked up his ears.
What he had heard from Tianyou last night was only extremely simple information.
That they were dealing with an evil cultivator living in the mountains.
'Before I could hear more explanation, I left to prepare.'
Kou Qianwei slightly bent his knees to make eye contact with Tianhui, who was about a handspan shorter.
"The one with the kill order issued this time is an evil cultivator discovered by the Beggars' Sect while investigating rumors of commoners going missing in nearby villages. It's said he kills commoners and absorbs the death qi of the deceased—a vicious demonic art he has cultivated..."
Kou Qianwei recited the gathered intelligence.
The explanation continued for about one shichen until Xuanzhen stopped walking.
"We've arrived."
The place they arrived at was Tongshan, located not far from Hubei Province.
"...It'll be inside there."
As Xuanzhen's low voice ended, a strange tension filled the air.
"Then everyone, move out."
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen scattered in all directions.
"Tianhui, follow me."
Xuanzhen spoke to him.
Having already drawn his sword, he was on guard, exuding a faint internal energy.
With those final words, Xuanzhen advanced.
'Simple.'
Their intentions were plainly visible.
A method of surrounding and gradually closing in.
A simple but efficient method.
'But is this the true skill of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?'
Tianhui recalled the movements of those who had departed.
Their footwork, having kicked off the ground and vanished in an instant, was quite fast, but.
'This is the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?'
Compared to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of the past, they were absurdly weak.
'Still, should I be grateful it's this much?'
He shook his head.
The current Huashan Sect and the past Huashan Sect were different.
'Though each and every one is far superior to Chijian and Xuelan.'
Step— Step—
After advancing while stepping on leaves for a while.
"...!"
Xuanzhen stopped and turned his head.
'Encountered it.'
Tianhui also turned his head.
He could feel the collision of qi from the direction he was looking.
"Do you know the way back?"
Xuanzhen said urgently.
"Yes."
"Then go back first."
With those words, Xuanzhen moved.
Tap!
In an instant, as he stomped his foot, the leaves blanketing the ground shot up into the sky, and through them, Xuanzhen's departing figure could be seen.
"At that level, he should be able to handle it on his own."
Tianhui lost interest and turned away.
The qi of the one called the evil cultivator was absurdly weak.
'Still, it's not demonic qi either... it's a qi I've seen somewhere before?'
Tilting his head in wonder, as Tianhui was about to head back the way he came, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had surrounded an old man and were on guard.
"What brings the Taoists of the Huashan Sect all the way into these mountains?"
The white-haired, white-bearded old man who looked carefree stroked his beard with a hearty laugh.
"You know that well, don't you?"
Though he appeared as if he had transcended the secular world, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were not deceived.
"What do you mean?"
"Did you think you'd get off easily after massacring commoners?"
The old man's eyebrows twitched convulsively.
Then his face contorted violently as a sinister killing intent rose from him.
"How did you find out?"
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen did not answer.
No, they couldn't.
Because the old man's killing intent was intensely pressing down on them.
At that moment.
Flash!
A streak of sword light cleaved through his killing intent.
"...!"
The old man whipped his head around. There stood Xuanzhen with his sword drawn.
"Instead of spouting nonsense, how about paying for your crimes obediently?"
"Crimes?"
The old man sneered.
"This seat has no crimes to pay for."
"Even after massacring commoners?"
"Hmph, they became nourishment for the Qi-Blood Art this seat has cultivated, so shouldn't they rather be grateful?"
"Qi-Blood Art, then!"
In an instant, Xuanzhen's pupils trembled.
"...Heixiao Shamo."
The old man's lips twisted grotesquely.
"Kuku. So you recognize this seat."
Flustered, Xuanzhen looked back and said.
"Everyone, fall back."
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen flinched.
Xuanzhen saying such a thing meant the opponent was not an easy adversary.
"Hmph, as if I'd let you live just because of that."
Heixiao Shamo, who snorted, revealed his true nature he had been hiding.
The chilling killing intent flowed from his entire body, encroaching on the surroundings and stripping them of their qi perception.
"...!"
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen panicked and fell back.
And Heixiao Shamo, without missing that brief moment, moved.
Closing the distance in an instant, he swung his hand toward the abdomen of Tianyou, who was standing on the far left.
Thump!
A dull sound rang out, and Tianyou's knees buckled powerlessly.
But as if that wasn't the end, Heixiao Shamo's hand was raised high again.
Flash!
At that moment, sword light surged from below.
"You bastard!"
Having dodged to the side, Heixiao Shamo erupted.
"...Keuk."
The sword that had somehow appeared in Tianyou's right hand, which had been clutching his stomach, was pointing to the sky.
Meeting the gaze of Tianyou, who was glaring with bloodshot eyes, Heixiao Shamo felt a chill and pulled up his internal energy.
"You're one who must not be left alive!"
A vivid red qi began to gather in his right hand.
It was the unique hand-qi emitted by the Blood Qi Hand, the hand technique he had cultivated.
"Die!"
The enraged Heixiao Shamo's Blood Qi Hand swept like a storm, shredding the space.
Strands of red hand qi extending in all directions looked as if they would tear Tianyou to pieces at any moment.
But there was something he had forgotten.
That the opponent was not just one person.
Clang!
A very small sound rang out.
Heixiao Shamo panicked and looked at Xuanzhen, who had suddenly appeared and swung his sword.
The next moment, a boom crashed down.
Kwaaang!
Heixiao Shamo and Xuanzhen were sent flying in opposite directions.
Grrrk—
The two, bounced back by the impact, hastily straightened their bodies while executing the Thousand-Catty Drop.
At that moment, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen also moved.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who simultaneously deployed the Drifting Step, surrounded Heixiao Shamo, who had not yet regained his balance, and swung their swords.
"A combined attack?"
The flustered Heixiao Shamo shouted.
But the Plum Blossom Swordsmen swung their swords regardless of what he said.
Swish!
Heixiao Shamo swung both his hands.
His hands, which seemed to be swung haphazardly, sharply scattered the red hand qi.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
They temporarily deflected the trajectory of their swords to block the incoming hand qi.
And Heixiao Shamo did not miss that opening.
Crack!
A gruesome sound rang out, and belatedly, the Plum Blossom Swordsman Yunxuan's scream erupted.
"Aaaargh!"
Heixiao Shamo grabbed Yunxuan, whose forearm had been shattered, and hurled him at the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
"Junior disciple!"
"Senior brother!"
While they were trying to catch Yunxuan.
Tap!
Heixiao Shamo fled.
"Everyone, stop for now!"
Xuanzhen shouted, clutching his chest.
Whether his internal energy had been shaken by the recent clash, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he forcefully pulled up his internal energy.
"Kou Qianwei, stay and treat the two who have fallen."
"I'll move too..."
"No, stay here. That man could come back and take them as hostages. With your footwork, you can escape from him even if he's injured, so I'm trusting you with this."
"Ah!"
Kou Qianwei let out an exclamation of admiration.
Xuanzhen was speaking while considering even the worst-case scenario that could happen one in ten thousand times.
"Understood."
Xuanzhen gritted his teeth.
"The rest, follow me."
Thus began the pursuit again, following Xuanzhen who had pulled himself together, while—
"Damn it...!"
Heixiao Shamo, clutching his shoulder and fleeing urgently, ground his teeth.
"If only I had endured a few more years, I would have achieved great mastery!"
Anger surged.
His goal was the great mastery of the Blood Qi Art.
Because of that, being a bit greedy and annihilating a village had been the root of this disaster.
"Damn it, I've lost all the internal energy I accumulated this time."
His voice was dyed with rage.
How many had he risked danger to kidnap and kill in order to build up this internal energy?
At that moment, his qi perception reacted.
"That kid..."
Heixiao Shamo's eyes sharpened.
On the descending mountain path, there was a young Taoist wearing the robes of the Huashan Sect.
"Kuku. They left a disciple behind."
His eyes gleamed viciously.
Just when he harbored ill feelings toward the Huashan Sect, the perfect prey had walked right in on its own.
Moreover, although his qi presence was weaker than expected, he was far more nutritious than the commoners.
He immediately accelerated.
"Quietly become my prey...!"
The moment he spread both hands wide, intending to tear the Taoist to pieces with his Blood Qi Hand.
Swoosh—
He met eyes with the Taoist who had turned his head.
"...!"
At that moment, Heixiao Shamo's body froze.
Cold, indifferent eyes.
The moment he saw those, he recalled an emotion he had forgotten for a long time.
It was fear.
And at that moment.
Crack!
His head burst.
"No wonder it felt familiar—it was blood qi."
Tianhui looked down at Heixiao Shamo, who had collapsed to the ground having lost his head.
What he had felt earlier was the qi of the Blood Cult that he had crushed when they caused a commotion to create jiangshi in the past.
'But does the Blood Cult's legacy still remain?'
Tianhui looked down at him.
"Seeing that he was roaming about so openly, the Blood Cult hasn't risen again; he must have just coincidentally picked up the martial arts."
He looked at the corpse, then lost interest.
The Blood Cult had already been exterminated.
Taking interest was unnecessary.
"It'll be troublesome if I stay here."
After seeing Xuanzhen approaching from afar, Tianhui left the spot, and about one ke later.
"...!"
Xuanzhen and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen who arrived later looked at the corpse and were horrified.
"Who killed Heixiao Shamo?"
Xuanzhen's shock was especially profound.
Who was Heixiao Shamo?
He was a demonic cultivator that even the Nangong Family, which had wielded influence in Anhui Province in the past, couldn't capture.
Yet such a man lay dead, cold.
With his head shattered, no less.
Xuanzhen looked around.
But there were no traces at all.
As if Heixiao Shamo had been killed one-sidedly.
"Just who..."