Chapter 458

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on January 27, 2025

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Jang Suhwa makes a face that screams betrayal.

“Are you saying you’ll spare me…?”

“No, I’m just asking a question!”

Jang Suhwa rolls his eyes, as that’s usually what younger siblings say when they get scolded.

“Come on, it’s fine to talk. I promise I won’t hold a grudge, okay?”

Hmm, I see.

But why did you do that? Don’t you realize it was wrong?

“No, I’m just asking!”

If you knew it was wrong, then why did you do it?

“I was just… following orders…”

“Ah, orders. Orders are good, huh?”

Qing snickers.

So, if you receive orders, does that mean you can just kill people?

Then who pays for the evil deeds caused by those orders?

The one who gives the order?

So, if the guy who gives the order is taken out, does that leave the group free of blame?

And what about the members of the group?

They just enjoy the benefits while dodging the responsibilities?

It’s a truly complicated issue.

But in times like this, doesn’t the weight of your bad deeds weigh heavily on you?

The bright red numbers are signaling that this guy is dead meat and pushing Qing on.

“Well, then I…”

“Okay. A promise is a promise.”

Once Qing withdraws the sword, Jang Suhwa finally releases his grip around his neck and tries to breathe out a sigh of relief.

Of course, without releasing his hands, he can’t take a sigh properly.

Then Qing suddenly points with his sword to the flailing Ha Cheon-Dae.

From Qing’s perspective, he’s just a nameless goon and minor thug.

“Oh, by the way, do you see that guy over there? Is he dead or alive? Either way, if he’s not dead, he’s technically alive, right?”

“…!”

Jang Suhwa desperately wants to shout but seems to forget to cover his neck before saying anything.

Qing flashes a white grin.

Those teeth are neatly arranged, with the canines standing out prominently.

At a rough estimate, the ratio of female warriors in orthodox sects stands at about three to one or four to one.

Seomun Sulin found this infuriating.

Whenever new disciples are recruited, they only select men and never women.

So, even if female warriors exist, it’s mostly because the daughters of martial artists naturally learned martial skills from a young age.

Women with exceptional skills aren’t recognized, leaving the martial world predominantly in the hands of men.

This makes the responsibility of disciples heavy indeed.

The future of female martial artists in the world depends on the disciples.

If a disciple becomes the Number One in the World, women in the martial world won’t be disregarded any longer!

But when Qing hears this, it just doesn’t sound convincing.

“Hmmm. Master, that’s a bit off.”

It’s not that they don’t pick women; it’s that women don’t apply!

It’s not like they make the girls do push-ups in the mud, while elders evaluate their skills and strength; they only pick men and leave out the women.

However, there’s no reason for Qing to argue against his Master’s theory that women should be chosen by women for women.

Even if the evidence is a stretch, the conclusion might still hold true.

If the Number One in the World is a woman, then it’s likely there will be more and more women aspiring to martial skills.

Regardless of the process, as long as the answer is correct, isn’t that enough?

The ratio of female warriors in such sects comes out even more miserable in heterodox sects.

In orthodox sects, it’s three or four to one, but what about in heterodox?

In heterodox sects, female warriors are just plain rare.

To start, their atmosphere is different.

Heterodox sects view younger siblings merely as convenient servants or playthings.

Going in there, you can only imagine what kind of dirty sights you’d come across, if you have any common sense.

So, when a group of lousy thugs raid a village, you can expect the usual outcomes.

Men die quickly, and while women live a bit longer, they eventually follow suit.

“We didn’t kill everyone. We’re not the type to just slaughter people; we only took care of those who resisted. The remaining women were stored, no, I mean kept safe.”

Has Qing really seen only a few dirty scenes?

Take care of those who resist, and keep the remaining women.

Calling that an excuse shows how desperate he was; feelings of truth are exposed in moments of urgency.

Men die, women live—well, until they don’t.

But let’s not complain about things we shouldn’t.

Qing reflects on this.

He doesn’t regret the very act of muffling tongues.

Instead, he regrets the process, the method.

He should’ve just sliced it cleanly with a sword.

Yet, he couldn’t help it.

That feeling of taking the tongue while forcibly prying open someone’s jaw…

That slippery but solid mass of muscle being crushed, the desperate closing of his jaw, the pressure on his skin from those teeth…

How can such beautiful techniques of the Supreme Hand-to-Hand Combat not be called the Ten Greatest Demonic Techniques?

It’s been so long since I’ve had a proper taste of this.

And once he comes to, he finds himself holding the severed tongue, still rooted to its base.

That’s because he forcibly ripped it out from a collapsed heterodox victim.

How else could Qing have no choice but to regret this?

He should’ve just cleanly sliced it with a sword.

But really, he couldn’t hold it in.

The feeling of that tongue being ripped out…

“Geez, what a mess.”

But it was still exhilarating…

Yet Qing’s one redeeming quality, his laid-back personality that brushes off past events, shines through.

But why does my body feel so sluggish?

I feel like I’m already tired out, and I haven’t even done anything!

Anyway, it’s not like there are many left in the village, right?

To seize the Heart Consumption Technique, Gang Pae-cheon invested quite a bit.

The first generation, no wait—what’s even the first generation?

The first had eleven, then the second had twenty-one, and the third had thirty-seven. Three elders besides that.

And there’s that guy, So Cheonju Gang Sak-mun.

Instead of being called the sect leader, he’s referred to as Cheonju, since he’s the heir of the sect leader’s son.

Thanks to that, I picked up the useless knowledge that Gang Pae-cheon means the family name of Gang in the sect leader.

But Gang Sak-mun made himself cozy in the village chief’s luxurious residence, lounging around.

Quite the exemplary behavior for an heir of a heterodox sect.

To become the owner of the sect, he must sit back and boss around his younger brothers.

Anyway, So Cheonju has settled in quite nicely, so even the slackers in Gang Pae-cheon should think twice before getting lazy.

Since they all climbed the mountain to find the holy shrine, only Gang Sak-mun and his two key disciples remain in the village.

And those six who are said to be his right-hand men are just lying around on the job, eating honey while others are busy.

Of course, they’d protest with laughter about how tough it is to be on guard duty.

Though they were once six, they’re now four.

Where did the third generation disciples go?

They should be up in the mountains right now looking for the secret manual or spirit herbs.

Can the third generation even dare to mention guarding their bases?

Why don’t you gather once and see who’s above whom?

One peak, one supreme master, three peak masters, and the remaining elite—elite numbers aren’t worth counting, are they?

Not to mention that the heir is just a peak master, while the supreme master is said to be his right arm.

Qing adds it all up.

He can just wipe them out quickly.

The supreme master? Surely the master would have already dealt with them.

Given that the supreme master is involved, what’s one mere peak master to him?

Then it happened.

“Hey! Who’s there!”

The voice booms with inner strength, resonating loudly.

The sound of weapons clashing echoes, indicating a serious conflict.

Qing immediately understands the situation.

The clash of a supreme master!

With a leap, Qing vaults over the wall.

Meanwhile, Jin Jangmyung and Mo Yong Joo-hee lay low in the brush to the west, waiting for a signal.

They certainly agreed that they would jump over the wall together when the commotion starts.

But when exactly is that commotion going to happen?

Jin Jangmyung wonders.

This is so awkward. Where’s my sister?

Mo Yong Joo-hee thinks the same.

This is so awkward, seriously.

The old Mo Yong Joo-hee would have just carried on.

There are plenty of women keen on making friends with Geomhwa, always trying to talk first or earn her favor, so if they had big chests they’d either get scolded or share a bond in mischief.

But now, Mo Yong Joo-hee isn’t that airheaded, strange girl anymore.

She apologizes to each member of the Phoenix Association for her past conduct.

And she’s even reached out to the loners, trying to be friendly.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the Phoenix Association has shifted; they acknowledged that she’s become a decent human being.

Even when Jin Seol was away, rumors circulated about her now engaging in politics properly.

However, Mo Yong Joo-hee doesn’t mind.

“It’s all karma,” she thinks.

So, she doesn’t hesitate anymore to start a conversation.

“Hey, were you called Jang Myung?”

“Yeah, but it’s Unyeonjeong. We were told to use pseudonyms in casual talks.”

“Right. The Seomun, or rather Unyeonjeong, um…”

Mo Yong Joo-hee can’t quite finish her sentence.