“There’s no need for so many guides.”
At Seo-jun’s command to leave one person behind, the men all looked at a single individual.
The same guy who had been slapped and sent flying, and the one who had first spoken to Seo-jun.
He glared at his companions, but with Seo-jun standing right in front of him, he hesitated to say anything.
In the end, the man surrendered and saluted with a pale face.
“I’m Cho-baek, sir…”
“Nice to meet you.” Seo-jun patted Cho-baek on the shoulder.
“You’ll be the one leading the way. As for the others…”
The men flinched every time Seo-jun’s gaze swept past them.
Seo-jun sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
“Get out of here.”
“Yes!”
“We’ll leave immediately!”
The men didn’t show any camaraderie and quickly took off.
The trembling in Cho-baek’s eyes betrayed his unease.
Not that it mattered to Seo-jun.
“How far is it to the Blood Crow Sect from here?”
“It’ll take about four days with Qinggong.”
“Four days?”
How badly did he misjudge the direction?
Seo-jun sighed and jerked his chin.
“Lead the way.”
“Yes, sir.”
The southern Mongolian region is vast.
Even the nearby righteous sect territories include Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei.
As such, it’s naturally at the forefront, with many martial artists present.
And martial artists on edge tend to pick fights at the drop of a hat.
Because they don’t like the look of someone’s face, the sword at their waist, their gait, or even the look in their eyes.
Like teenagers, martial artists constantly look for reasons to pick fights, and Seo-jun was making quite the profit.
“Wow, everyone here has plenty of money.”
“They’re mostly wandering ronin, so if they survived the recent war, their pockets are likely full.”
After roughing up three ronin, Seo-jun tossed their coin purses to Cho-baek, who beamed as he tucked them away.
There was no need to give it to him, but his bags were getting heavy with all the money. Giving him a share changed his demeanor.
He was now thoroughly obedient.
“So, what’s the word on the Blood Crow Sect?”
“Uh… are you going as a guest?”
“Why do you care?”
“Hmm.”
After some thought, Cho-baek cautiously spoke up.
“Well… they’re brash and brutal, depending on how you look at it.”
“Just be honest. You’re not on good terms anyway.”
“Yes! They’re insane thugs who grind people down like animals!”
Grind down? He probably meant that literally rather than figuratively.
Seo-jun chuckled dryly.
“Is that unusual?”
“Most sects follow some moral code. If they slaughter every commoner, it inconveniences us too, not to mention the grudges and restless spirits they leave behind.”
Seo-jun, as a righteous warrior, couldn’t relate.
“I don’t quite get it.”
“Huh? Doesn’t the Northern Sea Ice Palace conduct spirit appeasement ceremonies annually?”
“Did I ask for backtalk?”
“…When a lot of people are killed in one place, the accumulated resentment can manifest as vengeful spirits!”
“Oh, really? Are they dangerous?”
“Not that much. Big ones can be pretty menacing, but usually, a top-level martial artist can handle them easily.”
Apparently, martial arts could even exorcise ghosts.
Not Seo-jun’s concern, then.
Seo-jun spent about four days occasionally tormenting Cho-baek while crossing through the territory of the Black Lotus Alliance.
Even in southern Mongolia, crows are black, and life goes on.
Though the atmosphere differed slightly, the principles weren’t that different.
‘Makes sense.’
In the end, it’s all just human nature.
The well-off live well; the poor live poorly.
It’s universal, though the gap was a bit more pronounced here.
When they arrived in Blood Crow Sect’s territory, Cho-baek pointed to a building in the distance.
“That’s the Blood Crow Sect.”
“Good job.”
When Seo-jun waved him off, Cho-baek bowed deeply.
“Long life and prosperity, sir!”
“Try living an honest life.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll become a chivalrous warrior!”
“Spare me.”
“Haha…”
Cho-baek bowed deeply again before walking away.
Standing in the middle of the path, Seo-jun pondered.
‘So, what now….’
There were about three options.
First, infiltrate stealthily and assassinate the sect leader to start things off.
Second, use Honwonbo to storm in and demolish a few buildings to start.
Third, use a bit of time to unleash Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art to make a grand entrance.
‘Assassination might be best.’
The target wasn’t the lackeys, but the sect leader.
From what Seo-jun gathered, the Blood Crow Sect’s only absolute master was the sect leader.
Taking him down would bring the sect crumbling down.
Assassinating him at night was probably best.
Seo-jun decided to explore the city until then.
“Empty…”
There were few people around.
From the signs, it seemed the buildings had people inside, but only a few were seen wandering outside.
According to Cho-baek, the Blood Crow Sect started grinding people down indiscriminately about half a year ago.
Probably why people were holed up indoors, though Seo-jun couldn’t fathom why they’d do it.
Were they aiming for some breakthrough?
“Nothing to do.”
After completing his sightseeing, Seo-jun slumped against an alley wall and gazed blankly at the sky.
Do you understand what it means to step into the martial world? Suddenly, he recalled Chun-bong’s words from their days in the slums.
The martial world’s grudges and obligations are like tangled strings you’ll never unravel. You’ve already taken a step into it. Grudges and obligations.
Thinking back, he already had entangled connections.
Qingha Sect, the Wang Family, Hao Sect, Mount Hua Sect, Namgung Clan, Shaolin, and more.
On the darker side, the Qilian Sect, Blood Crow Sect, Northern Sea Ice Palace… what else was there?
Quite a few, apparently. The Demon Cult would probably join that list soon.
Chun-bong’s metaphor of tangled strings fit well.
Though it’s true that life is complicated, martial artists’ grudges often involve blades rather than words.
He had already killed quite a few people himself.
If the war continued, those numbers might quickly multiply.
It seemed a bit late to start lecturing about the sanctity of life.
Wasn’t Lee Seo-jun, a top-tier elite killer, the one who’s slain hundreds with a flick of his sword?
So Seo-jun didn’t have any noble ideals about taking down the sect leader.
It wasn’t about justice or anything grand.
The leader’s death was just a matter of removing an annoying obstacle.
Too bad for the sect leader.
‘Well, I do have something I’d like to test.’
Seo-jun let his mind wander, thinking of a technique he wanted to try out.
Having witnessed Shaolin’s Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, one of the revered martial formations.
Of course, to use a formation meant for 108 people alone, it would need some modification.
If he incorporated the unique trait of his internal energy and linked it with spellcraft….
‘It might just be possible.’
He might be able to grasp even a portion of it.
The domain.
The power reserved for martial artists of the highest caliber.
Above Seo-jun, the sun continued its arc across the sky.
Sss… Hoo….
In the dead of night, faint breathing filled a small room.
The eyes of the man seated cross-legged at the center of the room snapped open.
“…Success.”
Hoo… A red aura mixed with his exhale.
The man rose, burning away impurities expelled from his pores with his energy.
After dressing and habitually placing his pipe between his lips, he ignited it with his Sammae Flame, and his mind sharpened with each puff.
As he exited, his guards outside bowed.
“Congratulations, Sect Leader!”
“Enough.”
The man, the Blood Crow Sect Leader, asked one of his men.
“What’s the status on Jin Ki-jae-cheon?”
“No results, sir. It seems he’s still moving freely. Just a few days ago, we failed to catch him in Henan.”
“Is that so….”
Namgung Clan’s new top-tier master, Lee Seo-jun.
He’d thought that if he pressured him a bit, he’d lie low in the clan for a while, but it seemed the man wasn’t cautious.
“He’s proving troublesome. Leave it be. There’s no point in pursuing him further.”
“Yes, sir!”
Although the contract from the Black Lotus Alliance had come through the Blood Crow Sect, now that he had ascended a level, it was best to move on.
The Black Lotus Alliance would likely agree.
The Blood Crow Sect Leader clenched his fist, feeling the surge of power within him.
“Finally, mid-top level.”
Though he’d ground 3,333 people to make the elixir, the lack of quality in the ingredients yielded only moderate results.
But he’d broken through a wall, and that was enough.
Starting from the mid-top level, one could freely shape one’s energy, exponentially boosting the Blood Crow Sect’s unique Blood Essence Energy.
“Where is the Raksha Blade?”
A subordinate answered immediately.
“He’s resting in the annex, sir.”
“Good. It’s fortunate nothing happened.”
Though he’d invited the guest warrior to guard while he was in seclusion, it seemed his intervention wasn’t needed.
It’s a shame for the investment in payment and rare medicines, but it couldn’t be helped.
No incidents were the best outcome.
“Report to the Black Lotus Alliance, and have the others rest. We’ll likely head to the battlefield soon.”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinates dispersed quickly.
The Blood Crow Sect Leader tapped out the tobacco from his pipe.
“Hmm.”
His mouth felt dry. Something didn’t sit right.
Clicking his tongue, he tucked the pipe away and started walking.
He intended to visit the Raksha Blade in the annex.
‘With two top-tier masters, nothing should go wrong.’
Feeling slightly better, he turned the corner when a chill prickled his neck.
“Gasp…!”
He instinctively channeled his energy, swinging his hand.
Slice-
His energy-laden hand was cut clean off. His severed hand hit the ground.
The Blood Crow Sect Leader’s eyes widened.
“Guh…! You’re…!”
In shock, he clenched his thumb on his remaining hand, recognizing the man before him.
A face he’d seen several times in portraits.
“…Jin Ki-jae-cheon! How are you here?!”
Wasn’t he supposed to be in Henan just days ago?
Seo-jun chuckled as he looked at the stunned sect leader.
“You blocked that? Impressive instincts.”
The Reverse Heaven Sun and Moon Art energy dissipated from Seo-jun’s sword, replaced by the Ice Spirit Art.
Tonight, the Blood Crow Sect would meet its end at the hands of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.