Chapter 31 : The Last Words of the Dead (1)

The Ten Swords of the Living Sword Sect… the Ghost Slaughter Sword was dead. He had collapsed helplessly, unable to withstand the old man’s single move.

He was just a lowly person… an old man who was always teased, ignored, and looked down upon.

The strange move the old man had executed was truly bizarre.

If the Ghost Slaughter Sword had been caught off guard, there would have been something to say. But that was not the case. The Ghost Slaughter Sword had properly executed the Twelve Linked Swords. He had executed it with all his might.

Even if the Ghost Slaughter Sword were to come back to life, he would not be able to fight better than that.

Now there was nothing the Fifth Hall could do.

What could they do when the strongest martial artist in the Fifth Hall had fallen? If there was anything left, it was only a joint attack, but even that seemed unlikely to be effective. Even if they performed a joint attack, there was no guarantee that they could catch the old man.

So they just followed him.

The old man still smelled of Vinegar Fragrance.

Pigeons circled above the old man’s head. Fierce fighting dogs barked, foaming at the mouth.

The Fifth Hall just had to follow comfortably. Even if they had gathered people who knew nothing about martial arts, they could do that much. Moreover, the Fifth Hall was not incompetent.

The strange one was the old man.

The old man knew that he was being chased. He had already seen the pursuit team. He had also smelled the Vinegar Fragrance, and had seen the pigeons. He had also heard the dogs barking. He had even crossed swords with the Ghost Slaughter Sword.

And yet, he did not run away.

It seemed that he did not even have the Living Sword Sect in his eyes.

His guts were twisted. The fact that he could not attack while watching that guy being so arrogant and ignoring the Living Sword Sect hurt his pride.

They believed in the Sect Master.

If only the Sect Master came, the old man would die. The Sect Master could cut down the old man.

Why hadn’t the Sect Master come yet? How long did they have to just watch that guy act up?

The martial artists of the Fifth Hall clenched their teeth and watched the old man.

* * *

“Where is he?”

“He’s drinking.”

“…Drinking?”

“It seems he doesn’t even have our Living Sword Sect in his eyes. He’s been drinking all day.”

“Are you saying he’s drunk now?”

“Yes.”

“…Hmm!”

The Clear and Elegant Sword, Wang Wei, let out a groan.

The old man had cut down the Ghost Slaughter Sword. He had killed one of the Ten Swords, who was by no means inferior to the Clear and Elegant Sword.

The Tiger Claw Ripping Sword, a killing sword.

The Tiger Claw Ripping Sword was effective when executed in the dark. It had to be executed secretly, by surprise.

The old man had executed it in front of him, from the front.

It had to be said that the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword had reached the level of a sword master. He was a great sword master that no one could ignore.

But that did not mean that he was afraid of the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword. No, his fighting spirit was soaring. The desire to clash with the sword that had killed the Ghost Slaughter Sword right away was rising like a chimney.

He wanted to fight!

The fact that the old man was drunk bothered him. But it was better than the Living Sword Sect being ignored.

The Clear and Elegant Sword recalled the Sect Master’s command.

-Absolutely do not attack.

The command given by the Sect Master had to be absolutely obeyed.

The Ghost Slaughter Sword had disobeyed the Sect Master’s command and attacked. The result was death.

Even now, the Sect Master’s command was still the same. Just because the Ghost Slaughter Sword had died, they should not attack in the name of revenge.

-Absolutely do not attack.

He did not know what the Sect Master was thinking, but since he had said not to attack, they should not attack.

The Clear and Elegant Sword, Wang Wei, who had taken over the Fifth Hall in place of the dead Ghost Slaughter Sword, took out a secret message and wrote down the current situation.

The old servant of the stable was drinking. He was not running away. He was quite drunk now. So much so that he could not even fight. Was the command not to attack still valid?

He reported the facts to the Living Sword Sect Master.

* * *

Pududuk!

A carrier pigeon flew in.

“Where is the Sect Master?”

“He’s in the back garden.”

“Still?”

“…”

“What on earth is he thinking…”

The Flowing Cloud Sword, Gil Sang, who had received the carrier pigeon, moved his feet to the back garden.

The Duke Heo’s residence had thirty six sects under its command.

It controlled thirty six sects like its own hands and feet. It completely controlled the entire central plains.

One of them was the Living Sword Sect.

But this fact, this important fact, was not known to most of the Living Sword Sect disciples.

The fact that the Living Sword Sect was under the influence of the Duke Heo’s residence was a secret known only to a very few, including the Living Sword Sect Master.

The Ten Swords of the Living Sword Sect could be said to represent the Living Sword Sect. But even people in such a position did not know this fact. Perhaps a few of the Ten Swords knew. But it was a top secret that nine out of ten did not know.

The situation was the same for other sects. Most thought that they had no connection with the Duke Heo’s residence, but in fact, they were completely subordinate. It was no different from a master servant relationship.

The Ten Swords of the Living Sword Sect could never challenge the Duke Heo’s residence.

For the Ten Swords to present a duel red card to the Duke Heo’s residence, they first had to get permission from the Sect Master, but the Sect Master would not give permission. Because for the Sect Master, challenging the Duke Heo’s residence would be insubordination.

No, more than that, he might be dissuading them because he knew the reality of the Duke Heo’s residence too clearly. The Duke Heo’s residence was a huge giant tree that could never be challenged, wasn’t it?

There was a reason why the Living Sword Sect Master had told them not to attack Ah Sam.

He had received an ominous premonition after seeing the cause of death engraved on the disciple’s body. It was as if he had seen a monster that should not be touched.

There were many strong swords in the central plains.

If the blade mark engraved on the disciple’s body had been simply a strong sword, the Sect Master himself would have rushed out with his sword now.

If you retreated because it was strong, you were not a martial artist.

But the blade that had cut the heart… he seemed to have seen it somewhere. He couldn’t remember exactly where he had seen it. But the moment he saw the wound, the thought that this was not a blade that the Living Sword Sect could face flashed through his mind.

It was a blade that the Duke Heo’s residence had to face directly.

So he had commanded the disciples not to face him.

He also knew that the disciples were full of dissatisfaction because of this command.

Even though the Ghost Slaughter Sword had died, the Sect Master still did not leave the gate. He did not try to eliminate the old man. He just said not to fight. It was natural for dissatisfaction to explode.

But the Sect Master still waited.

‘I’ve seen that blade somewhere…’

No matter how much he racked his memory, he couldn’t remember.

If it was a blade of this level, he should have remembered it immediately, he would never have forgotten it, but it didn’t come to mind.

But one thing, he was sure that if they clashed with this blade, the Living Sword Sect would collapse like a rotten straw bale. So he just watched, even though he knew that dissatisfaction was rampant.

It was a report that the old servant of the stable was drunk.

There was also a resentment of how long he would just watch. The content written in the secret message was polite, but the content was cold.

The Sect Master said, “Absolutely do not clash.”

* * *

What the martial artists of the Duke Heo’s residence knew, the Wind Path Valley also knew.

The Wind Path Valley was the shadow of the Duke Heo’s residence. It handled matters that the Duke Heo’s residence had a hard time stepping forward in, without anyone knowing. It stole documents, killed people… it was the blade that Heo Dogi had hidden behind his back.

So the Duke Heo’s residence and the Wind Path Valley were one body.

That was also the reason why the people of the Wind Path Valley could ignore the Ten Lesser Swords of the Duke Heo’s residence.

If they were in the same position, what would distinguish the superior and the inferior next? Whose sword was stronger would take precedence. It was old fashioned to go by seniority in a martial family… you had to speak with your sword.

The people of the Single-Instant Sect of the Wind Path Valley did not recognize anyone stronger than themselves. They thought that there was no one stronger. Only one person, Heo Dogi, whom they had fought directly, was an exception.

They looked down on the Ten Lesser Swords.

The Ten Lesser Swords also knew this, so they did not exchange words with the people of the Single-Instant Sect.

They just thought of them as ‘arrogant bastards!’

In fact, the martial artists of the Wind Path Valley and the Duke Heo’s residence would never meet in their lifetime.

Unless a martial artist from the Duke Heo’s residence went to the Wind Path Valley, they would not meet even by chance. Unless they were given a job, the Wind Path Valley would never leave the Wind Path Valley.

When they were given a job, the Wind Path Valley became a shadow.

The Wind Path Valley knew a secret that almost no one in the world knew, that the Duke Heo’s residence controlled thirty six sects.

The martial arts used by the thirty six sects, the method of contacting the sect masters, the secret codes they used… they knew everything as much in detail as Duke Heo Dogi.

Pududuk!

A pigeon flew high in the sky.

It was a carrier pigeon used by the Living Sword Sect. He did not know who was sending it to whom, but it was certain that it was a Living Sword Sect carrier pigeon.

Shwek!

Dongbak threw a dagger and brought down the pigeon.

He had intended to start chasing them now that he had entered the Living Sword Sect’s territory.

“…The Tiger Claw Ripping Sword?”

Dongbak tilted his head.

The Tiger Claw Ripping Sword… it did not suit the Single-Instant Blade. No, the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword did not even belong in the category of martial arts.

It did not mean that the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword was a weak martial art.

The Tiger Claw Ripping Sword was the martial art of the annihilated assassin sect, the Red Wolf Squad. It was the killing sword used by the red wolves. It was very sharp. But the Single-Instant Sect did not even glance at it.

The disciples of the Single-Instant Sect only focused all their attention on honing the Single-Instant Blade.

If it was a martial art that was helpful to the Single-Instant Blade, they would run a thousand li without hesitation. But if it was a martial art that was not helpful, they would not even look at a secret manual if it was lying next to them.

The disciples of the Single-Instant Sect thoroughly discarded martial arts that were not helpful, and the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword was such a sword.

The one who used the Single-Instant Blade and the old man who used the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword.

It was a combination that did not suit at all. So it was confusing.

‘What are these guys?’

Dongbak recalled all the people who had been around his master.

He thought of someone who might have used the Tiger Claw Ripping Sword. He also thought of someone who might have a connection to the Red Wolf Squad.

No one came to mind.

The people around his master were all strong people. They were people who did not need assassins. There was no way they had a connection to the Red Wolf Squad. There was no way they had used an assassin’s martial art.

Then who was the old man? How did he meet the Single-Instant Blade?

‘Damn it! I don’t know.’

Dongbak soon gave up thinking.

He did not like to think deeply about anything. Simple was good.

Whoever it was, it was enough to cut them down.

Dongbak threw away the secret message in his hand.

* * *

The Living Sword Sect, the pigeons gathered in a pile, the barking dogs.

If you put these three together, you get an answer.

‘There he is.’

Dongbak laughed.

He had told Jo Chuhan that it would take a month to go and come back… but in fact, it would not take a month. About a fortnight? That would be enough to resolve this matter cleanly.

There was no need to think complicatedly.

He would kill the one who stood out first.

The one who lived with the Vinegar Fragrance as if to tease them to come and chase him, he would kill the old servant first.

The stable boy would be found on his own. Even if he didn’t look for him, he would come. If he killed the old servant, he would meet him on his own.

He did not know if he was a junior brother, or a fake junior brother… but in any case, he would kill them all. Ah! Since he was out in the martial world, he was also thinking of seeing the long spear of the Yue Family Fortress. How strong it was.

“The weather is cloudy today. That old man, he probably didn’t know he would die on a day like this. Well, it’s not like there’s a separate day to die. The day you get caught by this guy is the day you die.”

Dongbak muttered, tapping the half blade at his waist.

A clear day, a cloudy day, a rainy day… the day of death was chosen from among many days. So you couldn’t say that it was good to die on any particular day. Every day was a pity.

The day the old man died was a cloudy day.

“Huhuhu!”

Dongbak laughed and walked towards the village.

(End of Chapter)