Chapter 286 – Green Is the Same Color, But It Can Also Play Separately (2)

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Dam-ho and Eum Yu-kyung remained silent throughout their return to the inn. Each was lost in their own thoughts.

Their silence continued even after they returned to the inn.

The first to speak was Eum Yu-kyung.

“Hero Dam.”

Dam-ho raised his head to look at her.

Conflict was clearly visible on Eum Yu-kyung’s face. She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“The Tang Sect’s poison people… did you notice anything strange about them?”

“Are you referring to the soul-lost people?”

“So you did notice.”

“I’ve experienced them before.”

“I see.”

Eum Yu-kyung nodded.

Dam-ho stared at her intently and asked:

“Is it the Demon Cult again?”

“It seems so. The method of creating soul-lost people has only been passed down within the Divine Cult.”

“I see.”

“It’s one of the methods the Divine Cult uses to punish those who commit serious crimes. They strip away the reason of those who refuse to repent for their sins and sentence them to over ten years of hard labor. Once someone becomes a soul-lost person, they have no choice but to follow the commands of the one who binds their soul. They may appear normal on the surface, but in reality, they cannot make proper judgments and can only follow the orders given to them.”

A subtle anger appeared on Eum Yu-kyung’s face.

Creating soul-lost people was taboo even within the Demon Cult. It was a method that was absolutely never used unless someone had committed a truly grave sin.

“The method of creating soul-lost people is the most classified of secrets. Even within the Divine Cult, only an extremely limited number of people can manufacture soul-lost people. Naturally, leaking this to outsiders is absolutely forbidden.”

“But soul-lost people were created within the Tang Sect.”

“Yes!”

Eum Yu-kyung’s voice lacked strength as she answered. Her face was filled with self-loathing.

She had stronger pride in the Divine Cult than anyone else. Though the world pointed fingers at them and called them the Demon Cult, she had taken pride in believing that their intentions were noble. But at this moment, her self-esteem and pride were trampled into the mud at rock bottom.

“Creating soul-lost people is never an easy task. Our sect also spent countless years researching to perfect the method of creating soul-lost people. No matter how proficient the Tang Sect may be with poisons and hidden weapons, it would be impossible for them to perfect the method of creating soul-lost people in a short time. Whether the entire Tang Sect has joined hands with our sect, or some among them have betrayed their principles, either way, they are definitely involved.”

Eum Yu-kyung sighed once more.

She tried to think positively, but the truth was that she kept having ominous feelings.

“It seems like something unusual is happening in Sichuan Province. Yul-cheon’s disappearance, and now the Tang Sect’s soul-lost people. None of these things can be easily overlooked.”

Dam-ho nodded at her words.

Ever since entering Sichuan Province, he had felt it – there were unknown undercurrents flowing here.

Whether this was limited to just the Demon Cult, or whether the Heavenly Evil Sect was also involved, he couldn’t tell, but it was certain that this was not a normal situation.

A sea of chaos awaited him.

One so turbid that he couldn’t see even an inch ahead.

***

“Il-rang is dead.”

At the carefully delivered voice, Tang Sa-il’s movement stopped completely.

Drip! Drip!

Ink flowed from the brush he was holding, staining the rice paper black. The orchid painting he had been carefully working on was ruined by the ink, but Tang Sa-il didn’t even twitch.

Tang Sa-il moved only after a considerable amount of time had passed. He set the brush down on the rice paper and turned around. There, he saw a middle-aged man in his mid-forties prostrating himself. It was his trusted subordinate, Tang Chu-wun.

Tang Sa-il opened his mouth.

“Then the Soulless Wolves are dead too.”

“That’s correct.”

“The bodies?”

“They all melted. No traces remain, so you need not worry.”

“Hmm!”

Tang Sa-il’s eyes sank deeply.

Tang Chu-wun silently watched such a Tang Sa-il.

“This is not good.”

“I apologize.”

“Were the Soulless Wolves insufficient opponents?”

“…”

Tang Chu-wun did not answer. No, he could not answer. He knew that Tang Sa-il’s words were directed at himself.

“Troublesome. Very troublesome!”

Tang Sa-il muttered this several times.

After a moment, his gaze turned toward Tang Chu-wun.

“Have you identified his identity?”

“We’re still confirming, but I have a rough idea about one of them.”

“Who?”

“The Fist… Demon.”

“The Fist Demon? Wasn’t he holed up at Mount Hua?”

Tang Sa-il’s eyes flashed.

“From the fact that his whereabouts were first exposed in Guangyuan, it seems he crossed the Shu Road.”

“Hmm!”

“I apologize. Everything is my fault for not identifying his identity earlier.”

Thud!

Tang Chu-wun struck the floor with his forehead. His forehead split and blood flowed, but Tang Chu-wun didn’t know how to move.

Tang Sa-il watched such a Tang Chu-wun indifferently. But his mind was working more complexly than ever.

“The Fist Demon is someone who has fought the Demon Cult more than anyone else. He must know a lot about the Demon Cult as well. Perhaps he has realized that we are connected to the Demon Cult.”

“Surely that can’t be…”

“All assumptions must always consider the worst-case scenario.”

Tang Sa-il’s pupils turned cold. At this, Tang Chu-wun became even more at a loss.

“I apologize.”

“What do you have to be sorry about? How could we have known that the Fist Demon, who was holed up at Mount Hua, would show up this far away in Sichuan Province? The problem is that the Fist Demon has touched our family. After the Poison Dragon Group, now the Soulless Wolves too. If we leave him be like this, not only will our family’s reputation hit rock bottom, but our relationship with the Demon Cult will also be exposed.”

“What should we do?”

“The Fist Demon, truly a troublesome opponent. He charges forward without regard for consequences, like a wild beast. Fighting such an existence would result in considerable damage on our side too. Rather than dirtying our own hands, it would be better to borrow their power.”

“Then?”

“Contact them.”

“I will do so.”

“Fist Demon, I hope I never have to hear that name again.”

“Um…”

Finally, when Tang Chu-wun carefully opened his mouth, this time killing intent appeared on Tang Sa-il’s face.

“What else is it?”

“I apologize. But there is something I must definitely inform you of.”

“Speak.”

“There were witnesses.”

“Who?”

“Well… they are disciples of the Emei Sect.”

“The Emei Sect?”

“What should we do?”

Tang Chu-wun held his breath and waited for Tang Sa-il’s mouth to open.

***

Nun Eun-yeop left the inn with Jung So-cheon and the others.

“Master, is there a need to leave so quickly? Wouldn’t it be better to take time and make contact with them?”

“Junior sister.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you understand?”

“What do you mean?”

“Whether we like it or not, we’ve become involved in the Tang Sect’s affairs.”

“What?”

“Poison people are beings that are taboo in the martial world. Of course, it’s not legally prohibited, but it’s implicitly forbidden. And the Tang Sect has broken such implicit rules.”

At Nun Eun-yeop’s words, Jung So-cheon’s expression became slightly flushed.

“Master, are you thinking that the Tang Sect might harm us?”

“There’s a possibility. As you know, the Tang Sect is such a closed place that not even an inch can be predicted.”

“But isn’t that too much of a leap in thinking?”

“It could be. But if there’s even the slightest possibility, we must respond to it – that’s the life of a martial artist.”

Nun Eun-yeop’s expression was rigidly stiff. For Nun Eun-yeop, who never lost her reason and remained cool-headed under any circumstances, to show such an expression meant the matter was that seriously important.

“First, informing the sect leader about what happened here is urgent. After that, whatever judgment the council of elders makes, we just need to follow it.”

“Sigh! It’s regrettable that we have to return like this without finding any clues about the missing people.”

“It can’t be helped. In Sichuan Province, there’s nothing more important than the Tang Sect’s movements.”

“I understand, but…”

Jung So-cheon trailed off.

She understood with her head, but her heart still couldn’t accept it. But since the chief disciple Nun Eun-yeop had decided, she had to follow.

‘Speaking of which, that man…’

Dam-ho suddenly came to mind.

Dressed in pitch-black clothes like an incarnation of darkness, with violent techniques befitting the nickname Fist Demon. Jung So-cheon had never seen such a man before.

The Emei Sect was called by combining the Geumjeong Temple, which was mainly composed of nuns, and the Bokho Temple, which was mainly composed of male monks. Though it was externally perceived as a sect of nuns, the Emei Sect had a considerable number of male monks, and their martial prowess was no less than that of the nuns.

Particularly, the martial power of Master Gwang-un, the abbot of Bokho Temple, was truly formidable, to the extent that even the current sect leader of the Emei Sect, Master Jeong-myeong, would defer to him.

Jung So-cheon had always thought Master Gwang-un’s martial power was the highest. But the moment she directly witnessed Dam-ho’s martial prowess, she couldn’t help but revise her thinking.

Master Gwang-un was strong, but Dam-ho was stronger. It wasn’t a matter of the level of martial arts. His techniques, atmosphere, momentum, and even his mindset were different.

Dam-ho seemed like a human born to kill someone. Once he unleashed his momentum, one couldn’t even breathe.

Jung So-cheon too had been overwhelmed by such momentum from Dam-ho. Before his terrifying killing intent, she had been as precarious as a candle flame. She even wondered who in the world could possibly be Dam-ho’s match.

‘Why did such a man come to Sichuan Province? Did he also come looking for missing people like us?’

All sorts of questions arose in Jung So-cheon’s small head. But since she couldn’t be certain about any of them, she dared not voice them.

That’s when it happened.

“What kind of people are you?”

Suddenly, Nun Eun-yeop’s voice rang out clearly. At this, Jung So-cheon snapped to attention and looked ahead.

A group was blocking their path ahead. Because of this, there was no space visible anywhere on the narrow official road for them to pass through.

At a glance, it was clear that they were deliberately occupying the official road. Jung So-cheon secretly raised her internal energy and became alert.

“Master.”

So Yul-hee stood beside Jung So-cheon with a fearful expression. Jung So-cheon silently patted So Yul-hee’s shoulder.

Then Nun Eun-yeop’s voice rang out again.

“Didn’t I ask what kind of people you are? How dare you block the path of Emei Sect disciples?”

“Haha! There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

Then someone burst into hearty laughter from among the group blocking the road and stepped forward.

It was a man in his late forties wearing light green martial robes.

Nun Eun-yeop recognized him at a glance.

“Hero Tang Cheon-yang of the Tang Sect?”

“Haha! It’s been a long time, Master Eun-yeop. I think it’s been about five years since we last met.”

Tang Cheon-yang burst into hearty laughter.

Unlike typical Tang Sect martial artists, Tang Cheon-yang had a good build. That’s why Nun Eun-yeop remembered him clearly.

Though they were already acquainted, Nun Eun-yeop did not lower her guard. She knew the position Tang Cheon-yang held within the Tang Sect.

Thousand Poison Hall.

It was a place that researched all poisons existing in the Tang Sect and created new poisons. Along with the Thousand Weapon Hall, which specialized in researching hidden weapons, it was one of the Tang Sect’s most core organizations.

Tang Cheon-yang was the master of the Thousand Poison Hall. He was definitely not someone who would easily come outside, so Nun Eun-yeop’s wariness could only increase.

“How is Hero Tang Cheon-yang here?”

“Haha! This is truly an amazing coincidence. I was just looking for Master Eun-yeop.”

“You were looking for me?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“Our family head wishes to meet you. All of you…”

Tang Cheon-yang’s gaze swept over Nun Eun-yeop, Jung So-cheon, and So Yul-hee. The moment So Yul-hee received his gaze, she shuddered and hid behind Jung So-cheon.

Nun Eun-yeop met Tang Cheon-yang’s gaze head-on and said:

“Do we have the right to refuse?”

“Well!”

Tang Cheon-yang smiled meaningfully.