Unlike Me, They Are Quick-Tempered.

“Since everything is out in the open, how about taking off those masks and bamboo hats now?”

What did he mean, everything was out in the open. The only one who had been found out here was Bong Seok.

Naturally, they had no intention of taking off their masks.

“…It shouldn’t matter.”

Demon-Banishing Sword gave a thin smile and flared his qi.

He was not at the entry to second-rate.

He had already set foot on the threshold of first-rate. He had reason to be confident.

Among those who were not from the Nine Sects, One Union or the Seven Powers, first-rate masters were rare.

He could expect respect wherever he went.

Yet no one here was surprised. Everyone present belonged to the Nine Sects, One Union. The only martial artist who was not first-rate was Gyo-ha.

All this did was make things more troublesome.

“What do we do?”

The group traded looks.

Demon-Banishing Sword was not the problem. Shadowless Blade would arrive soon.

Demon-Banishing Sword himself did not think he could defeat them. He only meant to buy time.

Of course, Shadowless Blade was also a first-rate master.

But not all first-rate masters were the same.

In truth, those grades were no more than labels made by idle onlookers so they could sort things easily.

He had simply not yet crossed the wall, but he had long since stood in first-rate.

It was an insult to place him on the same level as Demon-Banishing Sword.

“Let us split up. Gwang, Hong, you two go after that man.”

Jeon Pyeong spoke. He meant to keep people back here to face Shadowless Blade.

They could cut these men down quickly and try to leave, but there was no way a master of Shadowless Blade’s caliber would be unable to pursue them.

It was better to face him here.

But.

“No.”

Gyo-ha shook his head. When the others looked his way, he licked his lips as he stared toward where Jo Chung had gone.

“…That guy from before is fairly strong.”

At his words, the others furrowed their brows.

He had not looked that strong at a glance.

On top of that, he had run right away.

Judging by his internal energy, he was only around second-rate.

Gyo-ha was saying that the two together should not take him on. Yet Jeon Gwang and Jeon Hong were swordsmen of Mount Hua.

It was enough to offend them, but the party listened to Gyo-ha in earnest.

Their opponent might not even be human.

Gyo-ha himself stood far outside ordinary common sense. Above all, their past experiences had taught them to trust him.

Only Tang Ho was staring at this scene in shock.

He knew how strong a martial artist’s pride ran.

Especially when the one speaking was a disciple of another sect.

“In that case, I will go.”

Bong Seok shouted quickly, but the looks that turned toward him were cold.

They knew exactly what he was thinking.

He wanted to avoid meeting Shadowless Blade.

Jeon Pyeong turned to Tang Ho and spoke.

“Can I trouble you with this?”

“I understand.”

Tang Ho nodded.

He was asking Tang Ho to go with the two. He was curious about Gyo-ha’s true ability, but more than that, he wanted to confirm Jo Chung’s nature with his own eyes.

Judging by how things were unfolding, it did not seem like pure nonsense.

So Bong Seok’s opinion was ignored, and it was decided that Jeon Gwang, Jeon Hong, and Tang Ho would go after Jo Chung.

“Be careful.”

At Gyo-ha’s words, the three gave small nods.

Once the three left, the group turned their heads.

Demon-Banishing Sword and the remaining Black Path men.

Demon-Banishing Sword looked as if he could not understand why the three had gone.

“Then, who will take this one?”

There was no need to ask.

Gyo-ha was already walking forward.

Jeon Pyeong let out a bitter smile and looked to the others.

“Then we will clean up the surroundings.”

Before Shadowless Blade arrived.

At his words, the party moved.

As Gyo-ha approached, Demon-Banishing Sword raised his sword into guard.

“No matter if you are from the Nine Sects, One Union, you are looking down on me far too much.”

Demon-Banishing Sword’s face had gone stiff.

He too could read Gyo-ha’s internal energy. It said Gyo-ha was below him.

“I will make you regret looking down on me.”

A moment ago he had been smug, yet now he seethed with anger.

His pride had been hurt.

But that was nothing Gyo-ha needed to worry about.

He clenched his fist and stepped forward.

Gyo-ha shot out like a cannonball.

Startled, Demon-Banishing Sword raised his sword, but his reaction came too late.

Kwaang!

Hit by the punch, Demon-Banishing Sword’s body flew away like a kite.

It was Gyo-ha who was left bewildered at the sight.

‘…He is incredibly weak.’

Gyo-ha blinked.

Even more than he had thought.

But this was not Demon-Banishing Sword’s fault.

Even if he had been off guard, he was still a first-rate master, and he knew Gyo-ha was from the Nine Sects, One Union.

He might not match Iron Tyrant Staff, whom Gyo-ha had fought in the arena, but he was still a master.

The problem was Gyo-ha.

If it were the old Gyo-ha, he might have enjoyed the fight.

But lately the ones crossing swords with him had been Mount Hua’s swordsmen.

Even among first-rate masters, the path they had walked was different, and thanks to Tang Ho he had gone through several battles fought on the brink.

It would have been strange if Gyo-ha’s eye for skill had not risen. Mount Hua’s sword was famed for its odd angles besides.

A sword that was both dazzling and fast.

Because of that, Demon-Banishing Sword’s sword seemed painfully slow.

It was not only Gyo-ha’s body that had grown.

In the meantime, the Black Path men were felled one by one.

To begin with, the Black Path men were not proper martial artists.

They could not be opponents for the group.

“A bunch of nothings daring to act tough.”

Flicking his hand, Bong Seok hurled one of the Black Path men away.

As if venting all the frustration from being looked down on within the group, Bong Seok darted about.

The Black Path men looked at him with fearful eyes.

At that familiar gaze, a pleased smile spread beneath his mask.

‘…That is right. I am Lanzhou’s finest late-generation talent.’

Of course, only within the Beggars’ Union branch.

Still, this fight against Black Path men was enough to satisfy his pride.

It was the others who were strange here.

Martial artists from the Nine Sects, One Union were not supposed to be common to begin with.

Once he began fighting in high spirits, the others stepped back.

The enemy might be numerous, but they were not foes worth all of them stepping in.

After knocking down the last of the Black Path men, Bong Seok smirked.

“That was too bland. My dinner won’t even digest at this rate.”

“Then would you like to cross blades with me?”

“…”

At the sudden voice, Bong Seok’s eyes trembled.

The expressions of the others changed as well.

“Jade Dragon Eight Palms and Roaring Dragon Twelve Hands. That level would make you a Two-Knot Beggar, would it not?”

At some point, an old man had begun walking in among the fallen Black Path men.

A saber hung across his back.

A blade wielder.

Sreuruk.

As he walked, the saber slid free. The motion was so natural it did not feel out of place at all.

Hundreds or thousands of times would not suffice to explain it.

He was a man who had swung a blade more times than one could count.

You could feel those years in the simple act of drawing his saber.

Shadowless Blade.

He had earned that title because he swung his blade so fast that no shadow could be seen.

At that fearsome aura, Bong Seok quietly shifted his steps.

He edged over toward where Gyo-ha stood.

The wild bravado from moments ago was gone, and he acted as if he knew nothing at all.

The others looked at him as if they could not believe him, but Bong Seok did not so much as twitch an eyebrow.

Naturally, Shadowless Blade’s gaze also turned toward Gyo-ha.

And then Shadowless Blade swung his saber like lightning.

His target was not Gyo-ha.

“Kh!”

Jeon Pyeong staggered back.

He was fast enough to deserve the name Shadowless Blade.

Yet after swinging his saber, Shadowless Blade did not press the attack. He simply stared at Jeon Pyeong.

“Taoist martial arts, but not Qingcheng it seems.”

“…!”

Jeon Pyeong’s eyes widened. He had not thought the man would recognize it in a single exchange.

“You look familiar somehow.”

Shadowless Blade searched his memory. But Jeon Pyeong had no intention of waiting for him to remember.

Jeon Pyeong swung his sword.

Shadowless Blade blocked it lightly. But this too had been expected.

A kick came flying in from the side.

Kwaang!

Shadowless Blade was driven back.

And Gyo-ha stepped into place before him.

Next, an iron fan snapped through the air.

In that instant, Jeon Pyeong, having adjusted his stance, hurled himself at Shadowless Blade.

The three figures tangled together.

Soon Shadowless Blade made a great sweeping cut with his saber and then retreated.

“This is troublesome, very troublesome. Three first-rate martial artists, and counting that beggar makes four.”

Shadowless Blade shook his head.

Yet contrary to his words, his expression was still relaxed.

Soon his gaze turned toward Jeon Pyeong.

“Yes, Mount Hua. You cannot hide the scent of plum blossoms no matter how you try.”

“…”

Jeon Pyeong kept his mouth shut.

“A swordsman of Mount Hua and a sloppy movement art. Then that big one must be the fellow called Gyo-ha.”

Shadowless Blade looked at Seo Jong-dae and then at Gyo-ha in turn.

Instead of denying it, the group took off their bamboo hats.

This was not some clumsy guess like Demon-Banishing Sword’s. He saw straight through who they were.

Jeon Pyeong also gave up on hiding his identity and shifted his stance.

It was the opening stance of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword of Mount Hua.

Seeing him, Shadowless Blade laughed softly.

“That is enough.”

Shadowless Blade lowered his saber.

At the sudden change, the group was thrown off. As they stared, Shadowless Blade spoke.

“What are you so surprised about? From the look of things, you do not seem intent on interfering with our hall’s business. No doubt you have some other purpose. The Hall Master already views Kunlun favorably as it is. There is no need to create friction.”

“…Is that really acceptable?”

Jeon Pyeong looked at the dead men.

Shadowless Blade let out a quiet laugh.

“What here would not be acceptable? These men can be replaced as much as we like. Of course, if they were disciples of our hall, it would be different.”

As he spoke those last words, a chilling cold seeped out.

If the dead had been disciples of Ironblood Hall rather than Black Path men, he would not withdraw so easily.

That was a warning.

“And if we refuse to let you go?”

It was Bong Seok. Thinking they had seized the advantage from Shadowless Blade’s attitude, he eased forward.

At his brazen manner, displeasure flickered over Shadowless Blade’s face.

The mood grew dangerous again.

The others did not go out of their way to stop Bong Seok.

They themselves did not know what was truly right in this situation.

“In that case.”

Shadowless Blade toyed with the hilt of his saber. Tension appeared on the faces of the group.

Then his mouth opened.

“I would have to run away. Even for me, it would be hard to defeat four first-rate masters. Ten-odd years ago might have been another story, but I am far too old now.”

It was an answer that did not match the mood. Bong Seok was about to snort when Shadowless Blade went on.

“And if I survived, I would go to the Beggars’ Union with my comrades.”

“…!”

“No, even if I did not survive it would be the same. My comrades, and above all the Hall Master, would not sit idle. They would find out soon enough who the culprits were. Then the Beggars’ Union branches in Lanzhou, Wudu, and Dunhuang would burn, and the beggars in Gansu Province would be wiped out. Mount Hua might be difficult to touch, but Yu Family Manor would likely meet the same fate.”

Twitch.

Murderous intent rose in Jeon Pyeong’s eyes.

But he could not move carelessly.

This was not bluffing or empty threats. He was merely reciting what would truly happen.

There were no Nine Sects, One Union in Gansu Province.

In other words, there was no power that could stop Ironblood Hall.

Let alone Lanzhou. Even if Justice Gate and Yu Family Manor joined forces, they would struggle.

“So then, what will you do?”

“…”

“…”

The group could not easily open their mouths.

Seeing them, Shadowless Blade let out a laugh and turned away.

“Ah, and if you meet my comrades, you had best watch your tongues. Unlike me, they are quick-tempered.”

He was speaking to Bong Seok. He meant that a clumsy provocation might ruin everything.

With that, Shadowless Blade sauntered off.

Even so, the group could not stop him.

“…So the saying that old ginger is spicier really is true.”

Seo Jong-dae spoke with a drained look on his face.

“I would rather trade blows with blades.”

Jeon Pyeong also shook his head. Bong Seok, next to him, rubbed his arms as goosebumps rose.

Only Gyo-ha smacked his lips as if disappointed.

But he knew well that this was not a situation where he could be stubborn.

“Let’s hurry and chase him.”

Jo Chung. They had not forgotten their objective. At Gyo-ha’s words, the group nodded.