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chapter 44
“They say he has separated from the Hyeonryong Sect. We are currently tracking his whereabouts.”
The arrival of Jeon Seo-gu at the Cheonmyeong Mountain Villa in Guangdong Province set the villa’s martial artists into busy motion.
The villa’s master, Hyeon Taeryeong, and his eldest son, Hyeon Jinwoo, were conversing in front of a small pond in the villa’s backyard.
Hyeon Taeryeong seemed indifferent to his son’s words, feeding the ornamental fish in the pond as if he hadn’t heard anything at all.
“I’ve sent three squads of the Geomcheon Corps to Hunan Province.”
Since they had separated from the warriors of the Shin Chang clan, there was no need to keep an eye on them.
Hyeon Taeryeong reacted at the mention of sending the Geomcheon Corps.
“Only three squads?”
He asked, yet his gaze remained fixed on the fish.
“My younger uncle accompanied them, and a few others have stepped forward to help with this matter.”
These were the skilled fighters staying as guests at Cheonmyeong Mountain Villa.
“Once we locate his movements, we will send Jeon Seo-gu to follow him.”
“Hm…”
Each squad of the Geomcheon Corps consisted of twenty men, and there were five guest masters, plus Elder Hyeon Taeseong, and twenty members of the previously dispatched Killing Sword Squad. In total, forty-six people were targeting a single individual.
Even a master capable of resisting their sword techniques would not escape them, Hyeon Taeryeong believed.
“Is the Killing Sword Squad pursuing him?”
“Yes. We should be able to pinpoint his location soon.”
Hyeon Taeryeong finally turned his head.
“We must find his whereabouts, even if it means reaching out to the Haomil Sect.”
“We will. We will ensure Jinmyeong’s injustice is righted.”
After leaving Nokmyeong Mountain, the two headed toward Chongqing, stopping at a city called Sinjeon.
Sinjeon was more like a large county than a city.
Surrounded by larger cities like Yeongju and Yeongheung, it hadn’t developed much.
“The streets are pleasantly quiet.”
As Geomryeong had said, no one was walking along the streets.
“Yes. Compared to the surrounding cities, development here is slow.”
As the wind blew, dust rose, and the two turned their heads slightly to avoid it.
“It would be best to leave this place quickly.”
Hurrying along, they went further into Sinjeon and only saw people once they entered the market.
“Welcome, warriors!”
A waiter, Jeomsoi, greeted them as they entered the inn, noting the swords at their waists and assuming they were martial artists.
Preferring window seats, he guided them accordingly.
“Could you show us a table further inside instead?”
Jeok Hwamyung asked.
“This is the best spot in the inn.”
“It may be a prime view, but with all the dust, it doesn’t seem ideal for dining. Please, guide us to a table further inside.”
Jeomsoi nodded and led them further in.
“Duck stir-fry, spicy vegetable salad, and dumplings, please.”
Seated, Jeok Hwamyung ordered the food.
“Understood. Would you like any alcohol?”
“No need, just the food.”
“Very well. Please wait a moment.”
As Jeomsoi headed to the kitchen, Geomryeong surveyed the room.
Several peddlers had placed their bundles under the tables, either eating or waiting for their meals.
“Brother! How strong is the intelligence of an average sect?”
The sudden question surprised Jeok Hwamyung, but he quickly collected his thoughts.
“Big organizations like the Martial Alliance or the Satanic Alliance have far superior intelligence compared to ordinary sects, so it’s hard to compare.”
“What about an assassin sect?”
“Assassin sects are different. They receive help from the Haomil Sect and gather intelligence themselves. An ordinary assassin sect could likely obtain the information they want within five days.”
Geomryeong nodded.
“I see, Brother Jeok!”
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s best to prepare accordingly.”
Jeok Hwamyung looked at Geomryeong as Jeomsoi returned with water and a teapot, pouring it for the two.
“The dust will leave your throat dry. Most guests would drink a bottle of alcohol, but since you won’t, please at least have some water.”
“Thank you,” Jeok Hwamyung said, lifting his cup.
—The cup is coated with poison.
Geomryeong quickly transmitted a warning.
Startled, Jeok Hwamyung looked at Geomryeong.
—Pretend to drink calmly, but do not swallow.
Geomryeong sent the message again and drank the water.
—Didn’t you say it was poisoned?
Jeok Hwamyung, seeing Geomryeong empty the cup, sent a message in shock.
—I am immune to all poisons. Just follow my instructions, Brother!
—Understood.
Jeok Hwamyung activated his internal energy to protect himself, anticipating any danger while drinking.
Jeomsoi refilled the water and spoke.
“Please wait a moment.”
He winked at the peddlers seated nearby. All of them were assassins disguised as customers.
While the assassins attacking Geomryeong earlier belonged to the Frozen Valley group in Fujian Province, these were from the Hamilcheon assassin sect in Jiangxi Province.
At this point, Geomryeong frowned.
—Do not worry, it’s all an act.
Geomryeong sent a message preemptively, clutching his chest.
“Jeomsoi!”
Geomryeong called out.
“What is it?”
“What did you put in the water?”
Jeomsoi’s expression changed slightly, revealing the assassin beneath his smile.
“Just a little corpse poison.”
The poison, a byproduct of rotting leaves or animal carcasses over many years, was a type of necrotic toxin.
Squeeee!
A guest near the door stood and closed it, completely blocking outside views.
“Why?”
“Don’t blame us, we were just hired.”
Jeomsoi drew his sword from his sleeve and swung at Geomryeong.
Bang!
Geomryeong twisted and fell to the ground, appearing poisoned.
Rising unsteadily, he asked Jeomsoi,
“One more question: who hired you to kill us?”
“Normally I wouldn’t reveal a client, but since you’re about to die, I will. It was Cheonmyeong Mountain Villa.”
Geomryeong nodded knowingly.
Pffft!
Hearing “Cheonmyeong Mountain Villa,” Jeok Hwamyung spat the poison he held in his mouth toward Jeomsoi.
“What?!”
Jeomsoi was doused in the poison.
“You mean Cheonmyeong Mountain Villa actually sent assassins?”
As Jeok Hwamyung spoke, the assassins realized something was wrong.
They drew their swords from the bundles under the tables.
“Either way, you will die.”
They attacked Geomryeong, though Jeok Hwamyung was also a target, the actual assassination target was Geomryeong.
Geomryeong moved, evading the assassins swiftly, impossibly fast for someone supposedly poisoned.
“You deceived us.”
Jeomsoi said to Geomryeong.
“You too deceived us, so it’s fair.”
Jeomsoi’s expression changed. The corpse poison, though not instantly lethal through skin contact, could cause severe skin disease or even ulcers. Yet Jeomsoi seemed unconcerned.
“What a relief it is to know who hired you!”
“Die!”
Jeomsoi swung his sword at Geomryeong’s abdomen.
Clang!
Geomryeong blocked the attack and slashed across Jeomsoi’s chest.
“Ugh!”
Jeomsoi, in disbelief, fell to the ground, leaning on a table briefly before collapsing.
The assassins disguised as peddlers launched their attack at the two.
Having revealed the client, they had to kill the two or die themselves.
“Be careful.”
Jeok Hwamyung moved to intercept, aware that Geomryeong was a higher-level master.
An assassin is only threatening in the shadows; revealed, they lose that fear factor.
Jeok Hwamyung’s sword moved quickly.
Zhanmyeong Sword!
True to his nickname, his sword ruthlessly cut through the assassins.
Blood sprayed, bodies fell, yet no screams were heard.
Geomryeong focused on observing the assassins’ martial arts rather than countering them immediately.
—Martial arts evolve over time. The essence remains, but flaws are corrected. Since we’ve been away from the Central Plains for forty years, the techniques here may have advanced.
—However much martial arts evolve, the essence never changes. Knowing the changes helps in combat.
Following this principle, Geomryeong made it a habit to observe the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents’ techniques.
Even attacks that could not be dodged could be blocked with strength. Ghost Master Gu Yeongcheol’s Jingxing Method was considered the best of all time, so Geomryeong trusted it wouldn’t come to that.
Geomryeong observed the assassins’ techniques, nodding.
Their martial arts were not remarkable. Assassins focus on stealth and killing rather than direct combat, spending more time studying ways to kill than refining martial arts.
After analyzing their techniques, Geomryeong simply walked forward.
“Guh!”
Walking as if on a casual stroll, the assassins fell one by one before him.
