Hood.
The identity of the thing that emerged through the mist.
Simultaneously, it was also the culprit that made everyone present swallow dry.
‘What kind of footstep is that…!’
At first listen, it sounded like the steps of someone who hadn’t practiced martial arts at all.
Had it not been in Mucheon Ravine but rather in a marketplace, one might not even have paid attention.
However, this was Mucheon Ravine.
Ordinary people could not enter Mucheon Ravine. Even at the lowest estimate, the place was filled with top-notch martial artists, yet there was no perceptible aura.
The only result derived from frantic reasoning was one:
‘A superlative expert…!’
The thought crossed the mind of the Heaven-Sundering Demon General, sending a shiver down her spine.
Not only her, but everyone in the area was thinking the same thing.
When martial arts skills reach their peak, it’s not uncommon for them to leave no trace of their presence: the realm of a superlative expert.
Otherwise, there was no rational explanation for someone within Mucheon Ravine emitting no detectable energy at all.
“Hey, you brawling girls there.”
The hood moved, and a sharp voice rang out.
Though devoid of any murderous intent, the voice was like a blade cutting through the air.
“By any chance, do any of you know the whereabouts of the Sword Sage? He must be around here somewhere…”
She paused mid-sentence, tilting her head covered by the hood.
There was no trace of hostility emanating from her, but the Four Demon Generals, Tang Sobaek, and Jade Flower had their minds racing.
Sword Sage.
The reason the Four Demon Generals and Jade Flower were fighting; to some, he was someone to safeguard at the cost of one’s life, and to others, someone who must perish at any cost.
And now, this supreme warrior was searching for him.
“Uh, why does the elder seek the Sword Sage…?”
They had to ascertain whether this search was adversarial or not.
Even the slightest of steps must not be taken carelessly.
The battle swiftly entered a temporary lull.
“What do you intend to do by knowing that?”
“Ah…! Th, that is…!”
“Let me provide an answer for you. To this maiden, he is a grudge-worthy enemy. And someone who this maiden must kill.”
“…!!”
The faces of the Four Demon Generals were filled with exhilaration, while Jade Flower’s expression was that of despair. Tang Sobaek was subtly making preparations to leave.
“Sword Sage! We know where he is! He is right there!”
“What?”
“Those blinding fools are keeping watch! Look carefully behind the woman dressed in white!”
Pointing eagerly, the Heaven-Sundering Demon General indicated a direction shrouded in mist behind Jade Flower.
Amidst the thick mist, Hong Ryun saw a faint silhouette despite the difficulty in detecting life force.
“Is this one the Sword Sage?”
With deliberate steps: thud, thud.
While adjusting her hood, Hong Ryun approached the direction pointed out by the Heaven-Sundering Demon General.
Being about to confront someone was making her slightly tense.
As she watched Hong Ryun’s retreating figure, the Heaven-Sundering Demon General celebrated inwardly.
“Yes! That person is the Sword Sage!”
To pierce through Jade Flower, even if three of the Four Demon Generals came together, one person would have to be prepared to perish.
Given Jade Flower’s steadfast resistance, it might even have been two people. And Tang Sobaek, an expert in toxins, could not be ignored.
Yet, the issue they had been fearing resolved itself so effortlessly!
It was truly a stroke of luck! Surely, the heavens were favoring them, their thoughts wandered in the minds of the Four Demon Generals.
That was, until just now.
Thud.
The advancing Hong Ryun stopped in her tracks upon hearing the Heaven-Sundering Demon General’s words.
Just as everyone was about to question her pause—
Snap.
“…”
In the blink of an eye, Hong Ryun had arrived before the Heaven-Sundering Demon General.
Her glowing pink irises were filled with a deep, simmering anger.
“Did you say something just now?”
A question as fierce as a tiger’s roar landed on the Heaven-Sundering Demon General.
Under the overwhelming pressure, the Demon General felt her consciousness start to blur.
“Uh, uh…?”
“Did you hear what you just said?”
“Th, that… it…”
Instinctively, her throat trembled. She strongly felt that speaking the truth would cost her her life.
However, Hong Ryun was not the kind of woman to be easily swayed.
“Let me explain it for you.”
“S, s, so sorry!”
“You referred to the grudge-worthy person as ‘that guy,’ right?”
“…!!”
No answer followed.
Puuck!
A beam of sword qi shot out from Hong Ryun’s palm, its sharp blade gleaming as it pierced through the Heaven-Sundering Demon General’s neck.
Sprays of red blood shot out in all directions. Having not experienced the sensation of cutting flesh in a long time, Hong Ryun smirked.
“Gurk…! Kehack…!”
“Pha, Pha-Chon Demon General!!”
“Kee…! Who are you? Declare your name and organization!”
Hong Ryun’s sword qi swept left and right rapidly.
Ziiip!
With that simple motion, the Heaven-Sundering Demon General’s head, which was still alive till just a moment ago, was severed without resistance, rolling across the floor.
Gooey liquid dribbled down, drenching the stone ground.
“Are you asking for my alias?”
“Gu…!”
Gently knitting her eyebrows, Hong Ryun turned her head toward the remaining two Demon Generals.
Crushed by the weight of her ominous killing intent, neither the Bloodsucking Demon General nor the Rakshasa Demon General dared to lift their weapons.
“My organization is the Execution Tower, and my alias… no one who’s heard my alias has survived. Are you prepared to bear the burden?”
Cold sweat streamed down the necks of the two Demon Generals.
And yet, Hong Ryun gave them a mischievous smile before lightly patting their shoulders.
“Well, it isn’t good to see blood on such a nice day. Today is when we will reunite with our grudge-worthy guest.”
‘But if we aren’t supposed to see blood, why did she just kill Pha-Chon Demon General…!’
“Aren’t you wondering why I just killed this fellow? I originally resolved to restrain myself from killing as much as possible for the sake of improving humanity. But seeing someone speak so casually about our grudge-worthy guest, anger just surged in an instant.”
Hong Ryun shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing, but to the two Demon Generals, it was a shocking answer.
Would she kill a superlative expert like swatting a fly, just because of a simple outburst or accidental slip of the tongue?
Regardless of martial arts skill levels, she was essentially a psychopath. A greater villain than themselves.
“Stop your nonsense and stay still. I’ll be returning to greet our grudge-worthy guest.”
With those words, Hong Ryun turned her back on the two Demon Generals who were sprawled helplessly and strode toward Jade Flower.
“Stop right there! Do not proceed!”
Jade Flower shouted with a solemn expression, her blade pointed fiercely at Hong Ryun.
The Poison Flower, Tang Sobaek, was already positioned at a safe distance, observing the situation.
“You dare to toy with such perilous things.”
Hong Ryun stepped closer to the highly alert Jade Flower.
Then, she casually stretched out a finger to touch the blade held by Jade Flower, its edge gleaming green.
Tang!
“!!”
Hong Ryun’s finger strongly flicked the blade.
As Jade Flower’s eyes widened in surprise, the sword she was wielding soared sky-high, embedding itself into the walls of the Demon Gorge.
Truly an astonishing feat.
Puuk.
Before Jade Flower could react, Hong Ryun had stabbed into her pressure points, stunning her completely.
“Eep…!”
Paralyzed, Jade Flower could do nothing as her acupuncture and martial points were rendered ineffective.
“Stay like that for a while. All I have to do is see my grudge-worthy guest… oh?”
Pushing aside the stunned Jade Flower, Hong Ryun inspected behind her and her expression instantly changed.
Her face had become rigid and cold.
“…Is there not someone who could explain this situation?”
Her dry, murmured voice betrayed an icy menace.
“Why does my grudge-worthy guest’s complexion appear so unwell!”
A volcanic rage slowly boiled over.
The oppressive energy radiating from Hong Ryun caused Tang Sobaek to swallow nervously.
“Blow this wind right now! How dare you treat the Sword Sage this way!”
Realizing that Hong Ryun might bring down the Mucheon Ravine itself, Tang Sobaek quickly sprang forward.
And then, pointed directly at the trembling Four Demon Generals.
“Them! It’s all their doing that the Sword Sage has come to such a state.”
Unlike the frozen Jade Flower, Tang Sobaek had quickly assessed the situation.
She recognized that the woman in the hood deeply cared for the Sword Sage—to the point where she would commit murder if anyone insulted him.
“…How do I know that’s true?”
“I am Poison Flower Tang Sobaek from the Central Plains, and this person here is Lady Jade Flower, one of the Seven Flowers! They used a nefarious black sorcery called Cursed Face Art on the Sword Sage, leaving him in this condition! We were only trying to protect him! This can be proven by our positions!”
Hong Ryun glanced at their positions, confirming what Tang Sobaek said.
Indeed, they revealed a clear pattern of attack and defense.
“Cursed Face Art?”
“Yes! It’s a terrible black art that imprisons the victim in an eternal nightmare! Darkened complexion is its characteristic!”
Tang Sobaek’s confident declaration instilled in Hong Ryun a sense of certainty that one cannot feel in a liar.
“Then, can you dispel this black sorcery?”
“With some time, yes. Fortunately, I know the counter-sorcery.”
“Then proceed.”
Turning her head back to the Four Demon Generals, Hong Ryun spoke again.
“While you dispel it, I shall go tear these wretches to pieces.”
Bloodcurdling dread filled the Bloodsucking Demon General and the Rakshasa Demon General at her words.
This fear, however, turned into a futile end the moment they spewed fountains of blood shortly thereafter.
*
“We, we, we, grudge-worthy guest…?”
Turning with the sound, a woman stood before me, her face flushed like a tomato.
For some reason, her face seemed familiar.
No, not just her face.
“Is, is it truly you, grudge-worthy guest…! You’ve finally appeared before me!”
Her pale pink hair and deep pink irises, the hood she had flung back.
Her hair and eyes reminded me of the color of blood-soaked tides.
“Heh… What should I say? The weather’s good…? Wait, we’re in Mucheon Ravine?”
“…”
“Hey, what does the grudge-worthy guest like? I heard you like chicken legs, so should I pull out the ones I’ve brought first?”
What an unusual woman.
Even engaging in bizarre muttering while someone is right in front of her is quite extraordinary.
Dripping… drip.
Covered in bright crimson blood like a blood demon.
“Haah…! Dear benefactor appears before my eyes, and my mind…!”
And yet, she emits such a merry laugh and twists her thighs as if this is the first time in my countless reincarnated lifetimes.
