A Lucky Day. (2)

Jeok Sa-gwang, who led the White Flower Blood Cult’s Blood Sword Unit, was beside himself.

Everything had happened in an instant.

A spear launched with sword intent pierced through the packed formation in the blink of an eye.

What followed was nothing short of a catastrophe.

When he came to his senses, about seven out of the roughly one hundred and fifty men were already rolling on the ground.

“What kind of damn situation is this…”

He felt his mind go pale.

Amazingly, not a single one of the fallen men on the ground was dead.

“Kyaaah!”

“Ughhh…”

Yu Seol had, in her own way, shown mercy in her hand.

But they had lost both legs instead of their lives.

In any case, their groans affected the morale of the other members as well.

Jeok Sa-gwang murmured quietly, wary of the Yin Monster.

“All the fallen men shall commit suicide.”

A sudden order to commit suicide? How many sane men among them would carry that out?

Yet the devotees of the White Flower Blood Cult showed not an iota of hesitation.

As if by agreement, they struck their own crowns with the bladed edge of their hands, filled with resolve.

Crack-! Shick-!

It was by no means a pleasant sight.

Yu Seol, watching the scene, frowned.

She then spread her hand wide, and the Dragon Flower Spear that had hovered in the air returned.

Swoosh-!

The moment the spear was clutched in the Yin Monster’s grip, Jeok Sa-gwang issued another order.

“Everyone, attack that woman!”

Only about fifty members of the Blood Sword Unit remained alive.

They had no chance with just those; they wouldn’t hold out even for a moment.

As expected, anyone who approached the Yin Monster fell immediately.

Screech-! Crack-! Snap-!!!

Their appearance was like moths flying toward the flame.

And taking advantage of the gap, Jeok Sa-gwang began to move.

Whoosh-!

But where he darted off to was not where the Yin Monster stood.

He leapt to the side and began climbing up the sheer cliff.

He moved so desperately that with each breath he gained ten or so feet and kept moving away.

Martial artists who saw this shouted urgently.

“Th- that bastard!?”

“The captain is escaping, Yin Monster!”

Yu Seol had already noticed as well.

Only she had a composure different from theirs.

Boom-!!!

The last approaching Blood Sword Unit member was sent flying ten feet away.

With him, there was not a single enemy left standing.

Yu Seol leisurely flew after the spot where Jeok Sa-gwang had disappeared.

Shimmer-!!

Her figure looked like an immortal climbing up a waterfall.

Everyone was speechless at the wondrous light footwork skill.

The martial artists from Zhejiang Province murmured, gazing at the air like baby birds.

“Am I seeing things right now?”

“He really swept them all by himself…”

“Even Master Storm Rider would find that difficult, right?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, I’ll bet on the Yin Monster.”

Before long, the reputation of the Yin Monster in the east had changed completely.

Their previous wariness toward an outsider had vanished, replaced by respect and awe.

At that moment, Yu Jinsan’s murmuring, charged with internal qi, echoed in everyone’s ears.

“How long will you all stand like this? Start attending to the wounded.”

Only about fifty people survived the devastated Soyo Mountain Villa.

But none of them were unharmed: some had their arms severed, others had stab or puncture wounds. Each looked horrific.

Most of those huddled in the narrow gorge sank down as their legs gave out—strength drained as their tension eased.

And all of them simply stared blankly; they couldn’t comprehend the situation.

“Is everyone alright!?”

“We’ll help!”

The martial artists from Zhejiang Province rushed over and began supporting them.

With disciples from many small and medium sects mixed together, their clothing varied.

Some wore familiar attire, which seemed to reassure the warriors of the Soyo Mountain Villa.

Then the Villa’s master, looking exhausted, expressed gratitude to them.

“Thank you all very much. But why did you champions come to help us?”

Meng Nam-cheon had more than one question; naturally so.

“W-well, the thing is…”

No one could answer him; in truth, they hadn’t come to help.

How could they say they came to watch the challenge against the Villa? They couldn’t bring themselves to tell the truth.

So everyone’s gaze turned to one person.

It was a boy standing alone at the back with his hands clasped behind him.

Meng Nam-cheon’s keen eye instantly sensed that Yu Jinsan had achieved Age Revival.

“Could it be… the Yin Yang Twin Monster?”

A pair of masters appearing in childlike forms in the same place—who else could they be but the Yin Yang Twin Monster?

Yu Jinsan slightly nodded, easing his curiosity.

“Indeed. I am the Yang Monster.”

The Villa master, of the Justice Faction, clasped his hands to the Yang Monster of the Heterodox factions.

It was nothing short of the highest form of respect.

“The brothers of Soyo Mountain Villa owe their lives to the Yin Yang Twin Monster champions. Thank you.”

“No need to store it up. It just happened that way.”

Everyone around listened intently to their conversation.

How could anyone miss a conversation between such influential figures in the martial world?

It was only natural to be curious about what would be said.

“In any case, the fact that you owe your lives remains. So if you desire anything of us, we’ll cooperate with anything.”

Fortunately, the matter seemed likely to move quickly.

Yu Jinsan frankly told him what he wanted.

“We came to ask about the location of the Wanderer (Pungunja).”

“May I ask why? Is there some problem with my master…?”

“No, it’s not personal. We only seek to determine who is the world’s greatest.”

“Unfortunately, the master’s whereabouts cannot be confirmed. He went missing while investigating the White Flower Blood Cult.”

“What on earth do you mean by that?”

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s a fact. If it weren’t, how could we have suffered this fate?”

A peerless master missing—ridiculous, yet there was no one to argue with.

Then they’d have to settle for a substitute.

“And one more thing: they say the Yin Monster also challenges you.”

That was also why the martial artists had chased them to this place.

Maeng Namcheon shook his head as if there was no question about it.

“Don’t joke. Even if I were reborn, I have no confidence in defeating him.”

He admitted defeat without fighting—Maeng Namcheon, the invincible sword who had never lost once.

It must have been the first time he’d ever avoided someone’s challenge.

His granddaughter would be disappointed, but what could be done if he didn’t want to fight?

The other martial artists who heard his withdrawal seemed to accept it.

After all, everyone had witnessed him take down the Blood Sword Unit with wondrous martial arts.

It was a pity they couldn’t see the duel they expected, but they’d seen something greater, so no one was disappointed.

“Then it can’t be helped. As soon as the Yin Monster returns, we’ll leave this place.”

If the Wanderer’s location couldn’t be confirmed, there was nothing they could do.

They couldn’t stay here forever; they’d deal with other matters first and confirm it later.

But Maeng Namcheon urgently stopped him.

“Could you stay here for a few days? I have something to say to you in private.”

Was there some story? His gaze looked so earnest.

Yu Jinsan prepared to ask why but let it go; there were too many eyes watching now.

In any case, staying a few days to rest didn’t seem bad.

“Hm. It’s not a difficult matter; very well, we’ll do that for now.”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned skyward.

The Yin Monster, who had chased off the Celestial Sword Sect’s leader, had reappeared.

He was alone and completely unscathed.

“How did it go?”

“I was beating them hard, and they committed suicide on their own.”

As expected. They must have taken their own lives.

“Tsk. You should’ve knocked them out first. Anyway, good job.”

“Mm.”

Yu Seol slyly shot a glance at Maeng Namcheon.

She seemed to be hoping for a duel with him; she was keeping quiet only because the situation wasn’t right.

Perhaps that gaze made him uncomfortable; Maeng Namcheon avoided Yu Seol’s eyes and said,

“W-well, we’ll tidy things up first and then come to you again.”

“Understood. There’s no rush; for now, handle this situation.”

Meanwhile, the martial artists who had followed the Yin Yang Twin Monster decided not to leave immediately.

They would stay at the Villa for a few days to help with the cleanup.

The next day, Yu Jinsan sat alone in the assigned guest room drinking tea.

“‘The Blood Sword Unit, huh? For a single combat group to be that size. They’re scarier than I thought.’”

He couldn’t gauge the White Flower Blood Cult’s true strength.

Hadn’t they already taken down two demonic masters comparable to the Supreme realm?

He suddenly wondered what their intentions were.

And the whereabouts of the Wanderer who had been investigating them.

“‘But when will she return?’”

His granddaughter, who had gone out in the morning, hadn’t been seen for half a day.

She had said she would help gather and cremate the Blood Sword Unit’s bodies with the martial artists.

By now she should have finished and then some.

He was lost in thought for a moment.

Bang-!

Through the wide-open door, his waiting granddaughter appeared.

Her smiling face suggested she had something good to report.

“Grandpa~ what are you doing?”

“Just resting a bit. Finished the work?”

“Yeah~ we’re cremating them now.”

“Good, thank you. But what’s that?”

A fat pouch was held in his granddaughter’s hand.

“Hehe. This? My loot.”

It was likely the money retrieved from the Blood Cult members she had dispatched.

No wonder she had volunteered to help with the cleanup.

In any case, it didn’t go against the ways of the martial world, so there was no reason to scold her.

“You brought quite a lot.”

Yu Seol squatted in a corner and emptied the pouch.

The piled coins looked to be worth at least a hundred silver coins.

“Yep. Now we’re rich~ we can eat delicious food to our heart’s content for a while.”

“But why are you dividing it?”

For some reason she was splitting the money in fixed proportions—there must be a reason.

“My cut is for work, and the rest I’ll distribute as condolence money. The men looked so pitiful.”

Yu Jinsan had also clearly seen the survivors mourning the deaths of their sworn brothers.

They seemed to pity them.

But to give away such a large sum—Yu Jinsan was once again surprised by his granddaughter’s generosity.

“Good thinking. That compassion is an important duty for a person. If you give to others, it will return to you multiplied someday.”

After finishing the distribution, Yu Seol rummaged through her bosom.

She then took something out and asked while showing it.

“But grandpa, have you seen something like this?”

It was a bracelet strung with gems that had red streaks.

At a glance it looked expensive and rare.

As Yu Jinsan racked his memory, he could recall something.

“Hm. It’s undoubtedly a bracelet made of red agate. A very expensive gem—what a windfall.”

Yu Seol gently took her grandfather’s wrist with a pleased smile.

“I’ll put it on for you, stay still. This is a gift from Seol.”

“You’re giving this precious treasure to grandpa? What’s gotten into you?”

“Puhuhu. Do you like it?”

Yu Jinsan wore a look as if anything could happen.

But it lasted only a moment.

As expected, his granddaughter already had the same bracelet on her wrist—she must have acquired two.

No matter; anything his granddaughter gave made his heart glad.

“Yes, it’s pretty. But where did you get it?”

“You know the one who fled to the cliff? She had this tied to her sword’s hilt.”

“You cleverly found and took it. No doubt you’ll become a great tycoon someday.”

Yu Jinsan was convinced.

In the martial world, it’s common to claim the spoils of an opponent you risked your life fighting.

But Yu Jinsan had never seen a martial artist so neat and thorough about looting.

“Yup~ I’ll be the richest in the martial world. I’ll buy you whatever you want.”

“Don’t change your tune later, okay? I’ll hold you to that.”

They exchanged jokes softly when suddenly a voice called from the doorway.

“Um, are you inside? The Villa master says the meeting preparations are complete.”

It seemed the family’s funeral rites had finally been completed.

The Villa master’s grief was immeasurable, but it was not the time to dwell on the past.

Soyo Mountain Villa and the Yin Yang Twin Monster each had matters to attend to for different reasons.

First, they had to meet and talk.

“I’ll go out now.”