Chapter 227 : Masters of the Northern Justice Alliance

Chapter 227: Masters of the Northern Justice Alliance

"Who are you to dare interfere with our Sect's ceremony?"

Lee Yung shouted at Yong Hwarin, who wore a mask.

Yong Hwarin realized that even Myeong Gujeong couldn’t handle the situation, and now a terrifying elder had joined—a man Myeong Gujeong claimed not even three of him could defeat. He knew there was no escape.

It was despairing, but he still searched for a way out.

"If you reveal your background and inner energy cultivation, I promise to let you go."

The emaciated old man, who looked almost like a mummy, spoke. Lee Yung stepped forward.

"Third Master, we cannot let him go. We must torture him and extract everything he knows."

"Yung, do you think this person is a mere assassin? I may not be certain, but I suspect only I and this one here could handle him right now."

The one referred to as the Third Master pointed at Myeong Gujeong as he spoke.

Myeong Gujeong bowed respectfully to the old man who addressed him.

"This is our first meeting. I am Myeong Gujeong, in charge of Jeongju’s Information Hub. It is an honor to meet Sam Taegong."

The old man was one of the peerless masters known within the Heavenly Demon Sect as Sam Taegong.

This Sam Taegong was none other than the Nine Hells King Sword Lee Kangmin, one of the three instructors of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Insidious to the extreme and cruel beyond reason, he was one of the most feared figures among the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples.

Especially notorious for his liking of young girls, it was not uncommon for beautiful female disciples to become his playthings.

Only after Il Taegong issued a strict order forbidding him from touching disciples did some female disciples manage to remain in the Sect.

"Hmph, how could such a master be left in charge of a mere intelligence unit?"

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin glanced at his disciple Lee Yung, who replied in flustered embarrassment.

"I didn’t suspect he was such a master. He seemed highly capable in intelligence gathering, so I left him be."

"You foolish brat! With eyesight like that, it’s no wonder you’re losing to someone like Yang Gwak!"

Yong Hwarin used their conversation to quietly shift his body, carving out a space to escape.

At that moment, a telepathic voice slipped into Yong Hwarin’s ear.

–Take me hostage.

Yong Hwarin didn’t turn his head toward the voice.

He knew the others were already watching his every movement, so looking toward the speaker would be foolish.

–If you take me hostage, they will not dare harm you.

Yong Hwarin recognized the voice.

It was Bukri Sehee.

Bukri Sehee was telling him to take her hostage to escape.

She was stealthily approaching Yong Hwarin, unnoticed by the others.

To any onlooker, it would appear as if she were helping to corner him.

"Sehee, stay still."

Bukri Haeng warned her as she kept moving.

He felt it was reckless and dangerous to act without understanding the flow of the battle.

"Orabeoni should earn some merit too. You've done nothing so far. Besides, since the assassin isn’t attacking us with full force, they might become suspicious. That’s why we must actively try to catch him."

Thinking about it, her argument made sense.

Strangely, the assassin hadn’t pressed them hard.

And the others would surely notice that too.

If they appeared to be in collusion with the attackers, it would put them at a disadvantage. So Bukri Haeng made a decision and looked at Bukri So.

Bukri So, sharing Bukri Sehee’s thoughts, moved to flank Yong Hwarin from the rear to prepare an angle of attack.

‘Good. If I move too, it won’t look suspicious.’

As the two moved to flank him, Bukri Sehee followed suit, closing the distance between herself and Yong Hwarin.

–If Bukri Haeng and Bukri So attack, don’t fight back. Just take me hostage.

Yong Hwarin tilted his head slightly, puzzled by Bukri Sehee’s message, which made it sound like she knew him.

He was masked—there was no way she should recognize him. Yet she spoke as if she did.

The same had happened with Myeong Gujeong.

When Yong Hwarin glanced briefly toward Bukri Sehee, Bukri Haeng and Bukri So took the opportunity to charge.

With intense force behind their fists, they unleashed qi strikes at Yong Hwarin. In response, he swung his sword and sliced through their attacks.

Then, using both foot and blade, he struck at their abdomens and chests simultaneously.

Thanks to Bukri Sehee’s warning, he had already anticipated their coordinated attack and countered with ease.

"Urgh!"

Bukri So let out a stifled groan and stepped back two paces, while Bukri Haeng was pushed back an entire jang.

Realizing the vast difference between them and Yong Hwarin, they couldn’t recklessly charge again.

As Yong Hwarin moved to take Bukri Sehee hostage, Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin acted.

With a single downward slash, the overwhelming pressure forced Yong Hwarin to turn and block the incoming sword qi with all his might.

‘To disperse a qi clot so effortlessly…’

In the martial world, sword qi rarely detached from the sword, hence the development of sword flux.

But what Sam Taegong had unleashed was not sword flux—it was a qi clot.

Yong Hwarin raised his Protective Energy to shield himself.

Kyaaaarrrrrng!

The sound was like metal being scraped, echoing long.

"A solid Protective Energy—I haven’t seen one like that in a while!"

The qi clot released by Sam Taegong passed over Yong Hwarin and cut through the trees behind him.

Fortunately, Yong Hwarin’s Protective Energy managed to block Sam Taegong’s qi clot, sparing him from being sliced like those trees.

‘That old man’s cultivation must be at least four gaps above mine.’

It was fortunate the Protective Energy didn’t rip apart and endured.

‘Had he not been negligent and imbued his enhanced qi, even my Protective Energy wouldn’t have held.’

Yong Hwarin knew if Sam Taegong released even Nascent Qi, he wouldn’t be able to block it.

At that moment, Bukri Sehee looked at the masked man with a sorrowful gaze.

"You shouldn't try any tricks in front of me."

The old man slashed his sword again.

A blue light flashed from Sam Taegong’s blade.

In that instant, Lee Yung shouted what it was.

"Nascent Qi!"

Lee Yung cried out in shock from the side.

Yong Hwarin had no choice but to receive that Nascent Qi head-on.

After amplifying the power of three gaps with his Tai Chi Dantian, Yong Hwarin emitted his own Nascent Qi through the Inner-Outer Realm.

When the Nascent Qi of Sam Taegong clashed with Yong Hwarin’s in midair, a tremendous shockwave erupted, sweeping the wind across the surroundings.

A swirling gale burst forth at the collision site, clearly showing the terrifying power of the clash.

"Hmph, from Protective Energy to even Nascent Qi! I take back what I said earlier. I won’t let you leave. I want to see your face now."

Sam Taegong never imagined Yong Hwarin would be capable of unleashing Nascent Qi.

"Let’s see you block this one!"

Sam Taegong brought his sword down again, as if teaching a lesson to a disciple.

That stance resembled Myeong Gujeong’s earlier sword slash.

However, the sensation it carried was vastly different.

Even as the massive sword qi descended from above, Yong Hwarin found himself unable to move his body away.

What was more, just like during the fight with Myeong Gujeong, his eyes didn’t perceive this sword qi as a threat.

‘At this rate, I’ll witness my own body being split in half.’

Sam Taegong’s massive wave of sword qi descended slowly toward Yong Hwarin’s head, but he could only stare blankly, unable to budge—as if paralyzed.

‘At this rate, I’ll die.’

The sword qi came closer, now just one jang above his head.

"Third Master, please don’t kill him."

At that, Sam Taegong twisted his wrist, and the sword qi veered off course, descending toward Yong Hwarin’s shoulder instead.

Just a bit more, and it seemed the sword qi would cleanly sever Yong Hwarin’s shoulder.

Sweat poured from Yong Hwarin’s entire body like rain, as he was about to witness the slash with his own eyes.

He shut his eyes tightly.

Unable to escape the sword qi, he could do nothing but close his eyes.

‘A complete defeat!’

He had not expected such a vast difference between himself and this man—his opponent’s master.

At that moment, throwing knives came flying from all directions toward Sam Taegong.

Sam Taegong immediately redirected his sword from Yong Hwarin’s shoulder toward the dozens of daggers rushing toward him.

Claaang!

Dozens of daggers shattered like twigs and scattered across the ground.

Behind Yong Hwarin stood Deuksang, Baekseom, and assassins of the Blood Green Unit.

Yong Hwarin let out a sigh.

"I told you to leave. What are you doing here? Come to expand the graveyard?"

Deuksang smiled softly.

"We only pretended to retreat. If we had left without you, someone would surely blame us. And Baekseom insisted we must rescue you, so I was pushed along. You should thank Baekseom. We’ll handle things here—Young Master Yong, get out of here."

Yong Hwarin shook his head.

"They are not the type to let us go so easily."

As Deuksang gestured with his chin, five members of the Blood Green Unit charged at Sam Taegong.

"We’ll hold him. You must escape this place. Baekseom, escort Young Master Yong!"

"Yes, Division Leader!"

But they all had to freeze at once.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puk!

A series of sickening bursts rang out, and the five assassins exploded midair into scattered pieces.

They couldn’t withstand Sam Taegong’s sword qi.

However, at that moment, while Sam Taegong’s attention was diverted, Yong Hwarin moved behind Bukri Sehee.

He placed his sword against her neck.

"If you chase us, I’ll cut this woman’s throat."

"Hmph, then kill her!"

As Lee Yung stepped forward and shouted, Sam Taegong scolded him.

"Yung, how could you treat the life of someone aiding our Sect so lightly? If she dies, will other sects still truly cooperate with us? Only by protecting her no matter what will they believe and follow us."

Lee Yung was flustered—he hadn’t expected Sam Master to say such words. Normally, he would’ve told him to kill her and catch the man.

"I, I apologize. Your disciple was short-sighted, Sam Master. I was foolish and failed to grasp your intention."

Bowing his head, he mumbled inwardly.

‘The old pervert is concerned because he wants to keep her in his arms.’

Sam Taegong Lee Kangmin smiled and waved his hand.

"I won’t pursue. Go. But if you lay a single finger on that girl, your lives won’t be worth living."

Yong Hwarin nodded and signaled Deuksang to retreat.

"Withdraw!"

The Blood Green Unit retreated cautiously, watching for any surprise attack from Sam Taegong.

Then, once in the forest, they quickly escaped.

Carrying Bukri Sehee at his side, Yong Hwarin spoke to Deuksang as he ran.

"Division Leader, let’s split up in multiple directions here. They’ll definitely chase us. Letting us go was just to lull us into a false sense of security."

Deuksang thought the same.

"Young Master Yong is right."

Deuksang immediately divided the assassins into ten groups and scattered them.

"When you’ve shaken the tail, head to the Hidden Fragrance Teahouse. That’s our safe house."

Yong Hwarin nodded and immediately activated the Rising Dragon Movement to dash away.