Only the head of the Na family and a very small number of people knew Master Jang's true identity.

His job was to sell medicinal herbs from Chang'an to the Central Plains. Conversely, he also sold herbs from the Central Plains to Chang'an.

His merchant group handled no other goods besides medicinal herbs.

Five years ago, when the Ghost Spirit Valley was annihilated, Master Jang, upon hearing the news, immediately cut off all contact.

He was troubled, not knowing what had happened afterward, until Jin Sa-wol appeared and explained the whole situation.

Having grasped the situation, Master Jang minimized the activities of the Dark Cloud Division and quietly observed the movements of the Demonic Cult.

There was nothing else he could do. The Demonic Cult was a colossal rock, and compared to it, the Dark Cloud Division was merely an intelligence organization.

Its informants were herbalists and medicine merchants who knew little of martial arts. If they were to fight the Demonic Cult, the outcome was obvious.

However, after Na Hyeon-gi's brief visit last year, he began to secretly support the Jongnam Sect.

Of course, Jin Sa-wol knew nothing of this, and there was no reason to inform him.

"The Gangnam Grand Inn... The belly button is bigger than the belly. He's acquired something he can't handle, so trouble is bound to follow."

Master Jang muttered, stroking his beard.

***

In Luoyang, from within the Zamiwon, where the master of the grandest establishment, Moonlit Pavilion, resided, an irritated voice flowed out.

"These bastards from the Martial Alliance are hell-bent on devouring our kids. Even after we've stuffed their mouths with gold nuggets."

"If we were trading a small number of slaves, it wouldn't be so conspicuous, but nearly a thousand have entered the Demonic Cult. With continuous reports of human trafficking, the authorities and the Martial Alliance have no choice but to step in."

"And that's why we're lining their pockets with gold, isn't it?"

Mun-hyeok glared at the Moonlit Pavilion's master with a face full of rage. The master, in her mid-forties, was a plump-faced middle-aged woman.

Mun-hyeok drank his liquor and then clenched his fist.

"Who do they think they are, ordering me around?"

Thump!

Mun-hyeok's face, as he slammed the table, was still filled with fury. The Moonlit Pavilion's master gently soothed him.

"It's not the first or second time. The Martial Alliance asking to see you, isn't it just to cut off the tail? We just need to play along appropriately."

"Right, I should."

Mun-hyeok sighed and drank again. As his insides grew hot, his mind calmed down more than before.

The business of trading people was forbidden by the Martial Alliance and the government, but it was an open secret.

The human trade was large in scale and highly profitable, making it a significant business that the Hao Faction could not give up.

It seemed that their recent conspicuous dealings, due to the Demonic Cult, had provoked the Martial Alliance.

"Which ones got hit?"

"The Mosa Faction and the Gwiin Faction, who were trading with the Blood Killing Faction. Dozens, including their leaders, were killed, and a few seem to have been dragged away by the Martial Alliance. Of course, the 'meat' was lost."

The Moonlit Pavilion's master referred to the slaves not as firewood, but as 'meat'.

"Delay the meeting with the Martial Alliance as much as possible. I have to go to the Demonic Cult before that."

"Yes, I understand."

"The Yongnam Escort Agency?"

"They arrive in the morning."

"Don't receive them here. Guide them to the villa in Bukmang Mountain."

"Yes. And it seems the Hwahwaru's master has come down to Chang'an to see you."

"It must be because of the escorted goods."

Mun-hyeok gave a slight smile and then drank his liquor.

***

A small stone flew through the half-open window of the inn, making a tak! sound.

Jin Sa-wol, awakened by the sound, knocked on the wall.

Knock, knock.

The sound was faint, but Son Ae-hwa, who was sleeping, shot her eyes open.

It was the signal to move.

Son Ae-hwa hurriedly put on her night-traveling clothes.

Jin Sa-wol, looking out the window, saw the back of Do Sam-gi pulling a cart full of medicinal herbs.

The message he sent meant that the Yongnam Escort Agency had arrived.

***

In a place called Taepyeong, south of Bukmang Mountain, a small estate was nestled in the forest.

It was called Yideungwon, and its owner was known to be a wealthy merchant of Luoyang.

Around noon, a large number of escorts from the Yongnam Escort Agency, disguised as merchants, entered the estate and left again in the evening.

The goods they had delivered were placed in the center of the main hall.

The estate was quite quiet, as there was no one except for the workers who managed it.

The workers were in their quarters, and no one was coming or going outside.

Jin Sa-wol and Son Ae-hwa were sitting on a large tree overlooking the main hall.

"If we kill Mun-hyeok, the martial world will be in an uproar. Will it be okay?"

"It's fine. It will be noisy for a moment, but it will die down quickly."

Incidents are naturally forgotten over time. And someone else would replace the Hao Faction Master.

The real power behind the Hao Faction was the Seo Mun family, and the Seo Mun family was the Demonic Cult. In that case, the Hao Faction could also be considered part of the Demonic Cult.

But was it really the Demonic Cult?

Only after taking over the Gangnam Grand Inn and dealing with the Martial Alliance did he realize the deep relationship between the Hao Faction and the Martial Alliance.

It seemed the Hao Faction was not just dabbling in the martial world but might be a complete martial arts sect.

As bright lanterns began to be lit in the estate, a group of people holding lanterns appeared.

"They're coming."

As Jin Sa-wol's voice echoed low, Son Ae-hwa observed the group of about ten people entering the main hall.

Thump!

Mun-hyeok, who opened the door of the main hall and entered, walked towards the wooden coffin placed in the center.

He opened the coffin with a familiar touch. As the smell of the decaying corpse stimulated his nose, he covered his mouth with his sleeve.

"It's not him."

The moment Mun-hyeok saw the corpse's face, he knew it wasn't Jin Sa-wol. It looked similar, but there were subtle differences.

It was as he had expected.

"Tsk! Foolish couple."

Mun-hyeok shook his head and closed the coffin again. With this, he could gain the justification to annihilate the Gangnam Grand Inn.

"Burn the coffin."

"Yes!"

After his subordinates answered and carried the coffin out, Mun-hyeok sat down at a desk on one side and ground the ink.

Swish! Swish!

As he ground the ink, he recalled the fact that Jo-rim had betrayed the cult. Just then, he saw something like a spider's web under his chin.

A colorless, transparent, thin spider's web sparkled in the lamplight.

"Hmph!"

Papat!

Mun-hyeok, who had hit the desk and jumped back, threw hidden weapons at the ceiling and then landed in the center of the main hall.

He was incredibly fast, belying his chubby physique.

"Who is it?"

Mun-hyeok did not shout loudly. It was to sense the enemy's presence.

The hidden weapons thrown at the ceiling were embedded in the pillars, and there was no presence. He used his ground-listening skill, but all he could hear was the sound of the wind and the chirping of insects.

Sseuk!

As a strange sound was heard from the darkness on the left, he threw a dagger there.

Thwack!

The dagger pierced the wall, but there was no enemy.

Cold sweat trickled down.

The place where he was standing now was the center of the main hall, a bright place full of lanterns. In contrast, the enemy was in the darkness.

Since the enemy could see him but he couldn't see the enemy, it was naturally a disadvantageous situation.

However, there was no need to be disappointed. His martial arts were not weak enough to be killed by an assassin's attack.

No, on the contrary, he was confident.

Click!

Mun-hyeok took out a flexible sword from his waist, held it in his hand, and looked around with eyes full of killing intent.

"If you don't come out, I'll have to make you come out. Show yourself!"

Whoosh!

As he swung his sword to the left, a sword energy rose and cut through a pillar.

With a thwack! sound, the door flew off, and a cold wind blew in.

After that, he cut the pillar on the right.

Kukung!

As the pillar shook and the wall was breached, a loud noise erupted.

Mun-hyeok struck the pillar forcefully.

Boom!

An explosive sound erupted, and the main hall shook violently. But there was no sign of the enemy.

What was annoying were his subordinates.

"What happened?"

If such a loud noise had erupted, they should have appeared. But not a single one of his subordinates showed themselves.

Ping!

In that instant, a hidden weapon flew from the ceiling.

Mun-hyeok quickly swung his sword and parried the hidden weapon.

Clang!

At the same time, he sprayed sword energy at the ceiling.

But the enemy had already moved.

Mun-hyeok's sword swung towards the grand master's chair with a whoosh! and sprayed sword energy.

As the sword energy, which had extended by a zhang, drew a semicircle and headed for the grand master's chair, the masked person who had just appeared there quickly bent their waist.

Hwing!

The sword energy grazed the long black hair.

The black figure wearing a mask raised a sword. It seemed as if they were about to fight Mun-hyeok.

"What? It's a woman."

Mun-hyeok frowned at the fact that the black masked figure's physique was that of a woman.

'Hwahwaru?'

"Who are you? Did you come knowing who I am?"

Son Ae-hwa did not open her mouth. Her job was to briefly attract Mun-hyeok's attention.

"I know."

A low voice was heard from behind Mun-hyeok.

Mun-hyeok, turning his head, looked at the young man in plain clothes who had entered the main hall.

The man holding a sword was a familiar figure.

"Jin Sa-wol..."

Mun-hyeok was quite surprised that Jin Sa-wol was in front of him, and his flustered expression was evident.

"How are you here?"

Mun-hyeok's expression, as he asked while looking around, was stiff.

Jin Sa-wol approached Mun-hyeok and said, "If you're looking for your subordinates, give up. They're all dead."

He hadn't even heard a proper groan, yet they were dead?

Mun-hyeok, realizing that Jin Sa-wol's martial arts were higher than he had thought, became tense.

"How did you kill them?"

"With a sword."

"Just the two of you?"

"Two."

Jin Sa-wol answered, slightly raising his sword.

Mun-hyeok looked at Jin Sa-wol's sword and then smiled.

Stroking his beard, he was relieved that there was no one except for Jin Sa-wol and the masked person standing behind him.

"Do you really think you can kill me with just the two of you?"

"I'm enough alone."

"Heh heh! Do you think I became the Hao Faction Master without knowing any martial arts?"

"You seem to be confident in your martial arts."

"I can certainly kill the likes of you."

Mun-hyeok raised his sword and showed his killing intent. Being from the Seo Mun family, he would naturally have learned and mastered the martial arts of the Seo Mun family.

But it meant nothing to Jin Sa-wol.

Even after seeing Jin Sa-wol, Mun-hyeok did not run away. That also meant that Jo-rim had not told Mun-hyeok about him.

If he had heard the fact that he had killed Yeon Jeok-sim of the Demonic Cult, Mun-hyeok would not have been standing here like this.

Unfortunately, Mun-hyeok did not know that fact. That was why he had so easily agreed to the order to kill Jin Sa-wol.

"After I kill you and burn down the Gangnam Grand Inn, I will skin that Jo family bitch who insulted me. I will deliver your corpse to the Demonic Cult properly."

"Do as you please."

Pit!

In that instant, Jin Sa-wol's figure became blurry, and a sharp light appeared before his eyes.

Its speed was like lightning, and Mun-hyeok was startled and quickly twisted his waist to the left to avoid it.

Just then, Son Ae-hwa, who was standing behind, extended her sword towards Mun-hyeok. Although she had just assisted, Mun-hyeok hurriedly turned his body.

Papat!

"Hmph!"

As he became conscious of Son Ae-hwa, Mun-hyeok stood with his back against a pillar. Just then, he saw a sword piercing through his Tiantu acupoint.

It was Jin Sa-wol's Yuseom Sword.

Thwack!

"Keok!"

The Yuseom Sword pierced Mun-hyeok's Tiantu acupoint and was embedded in the pillar.

(End of Chapter)