"Wh-what… is the meaning of this?"

At the merchant's words, Maeng Segwang lifted his chin slightly, looked down, and said.

"What does it look like?"

"…Pardon?"

As his tone grew colder and the smile on his lips deepened, his internal energy intensified, and the merchants began to let out pained groans from the shock, as if their kneecaps were collapsing.

Crack.

Even the bluestones that had been evenly laid on the floor cracked and burst with a popping sound.

Seoak Maeng Segwang.

The reason people compared him to a mountain was because he used the martial art of oppressive energy.

He was slow.

And full of openings.

But once you stood before him, you couldn't do anything.

Because he dominated the space.

Looking down on his enemies majestically like a huge mountain blocking the view, a warrior who crushed his opponents with the power of heaviness, that was Seoak Maeng Segwang.

And the merchants, no, Jin Sagung and Jin Yukseong, who were disguised as merchants, could tell.

What reason could there be for Seoak to reveal his aura and pressure them?

Their identities had been discovered.

"Damn it! Yukseong!"

"It can't be helped!"

At the shout of Jin Sagung, who realized that things had gone wrong, Jin Yukseong gripped a hidden weapon in his hand.

Pyuuung!

Two streaks of fierce flashes flew towards Maeng Segwang.

"Tsk, a useless act."

Ting!

The hidden weapons were deflected without any particular effect.

But what Jin Sagung and Jin Yukseong were aiming for was not his life.

"Get out!"

With his shout, the assassins who had been pressed down by Maeng Segwang's oppressive energy tore off their cumbersome clothes, revealing their identities, and threw their bodies towards the wall.

That was the purpose of the hidden weapons.

To briefly scatter Maeng Segwang's energy to create an opening to escape.

"Foolish things."

But had he anticipated their actions?

Maeng Segwang spread his hands wide and released his internal energy all at once.

"Did you think you could escape from me!"

At the sight of the assassins throwing their bodies towards the wall behind him, Maeng Segwang sneered.

The Sangmun Hall was located at the very end of the outer court.

Since the Tang Family was a huge concentric circle, if they went behind the Sangmun Hall, the depth would increase, and a large number of the Tang Family's warriors would be positioned there.

Anyone trying to escape would choose a short escape route.

Maeng Segwang, who had kept that fact in mind, had been standing with his back to the main gate of the outer court from the beginning.

"You fly-like bastards, die."

Maeng Segwang, with a chilling gaze, pressed down hard with his two hands that he had spread wide to both sides.

Kuuuuung!

The difference between one hand and two hands.

And the difference in the concentrated power when pressing down on the entire space versus just a specific space.

The assassins who had gotten closest to the wall flapped like they were caught in a net and were slammed to the ground in an instant.

And they were buried in the ground, pressed down by the oppressive energy.

Kwa-deu-deu.

"Keueo."

Being buried was not the end.

Their bodies began to be crushed between the ground and Maeng Segwang's oppressive energy.

Kwa-deu-deu.

A bizarre sound echoed.

"Save me…"

The assassins, who couldn't even lift a hand and were buried in the ground, pleaded with their comrades with eyes filled with pain.

But even their voices were choked, and they soon met their end.

Thwack! Thwack!

It was literally a crushing death.

Not a figurative expression, but literally, they were pressed down from head to toe like pressed meat by the oppressive energy and then burst.

It was a cruel sight.

Bones and flesh mixed with blood flowed, soaking the ground.

The assassins who were trying to escape were terrified at the sight of Maeng Segwang, who had crushed and burst a dozen assassins in an instant, leaving a gruesome trace, and they retreated.

They couldn't even get over one wall.

Maeng Segwang had blocked the path of the Jingagu assassins like a huge curtain.

"Are there any more who want to run away?"

The figure of Maeng Segwang, who had retrieved his spread hands and stood with them behind his back, was truly a great mountain.

His head was like a mountain peak reaching the end of the sky, and his shoulders were like a mountain range forming a ridge like a folding screen.

The assassins, surprised by his majesty, stepped back and returned to their original positions.

Thump!

"What is this?"

At the commotion outside, Jin Palhyo, who had opened the door of the Sangmun Hall and rushed out, had his eyes wide open.

"Seoak has noticed."

"What?"

"Damn it, Palhyo! Give the order! What are we going to do?"

At Jin Sagung's shout, Jin Palhyo, who frowned, quickly assessed the situation.

There was nothing to think about.

To the left and right of Maeng Segwang. The blood that was spread thickly near the wall.

Their escape was blocked.

"Palhyo!"

"Damn it! Deploy the Arrow Shot! I'll take the lead!"

Simultaneously with his shout, Jin Palhyo threw his body, and the assassins immediately followed in a line in the places he passed.

"Arrow Shot, their naming is quite simple."

At the tactic deployed by the assassins, one corner of Maeng Segwang's mouth rose.

Arrow Shot, a fired arrow.

It meant they were going to pierce through him.

Weren't they foolish?

Perhaps the Inner Hall Mistress of the Tang Family had made a rather quick judgment, as his back felt secure.

The warriors of the Tang Family were flocking and forming a defensive line.

Even if he left them alone, there was no way they could escape.

Because the Tang Family's encirclement would continue to thicken.

But.

"Hehehe, you audacious bastards! You're going to pierce me? Me!"

He couldn't allow it.

Maeng Segwang sneered at their effort to pierce him and gathered a huge amount of energy in his hands.

Sweeeeeeek!

At the same time, the hidden weapon thrown by Jin Palhyo flew in.

"Annoying!"

Thud!

The hidden weapon was deflected by his hand, which was imbued with internal energy, the Iron Crusher, but Maeng Segwang's brow furrowed.

The Iron Crusher had the power to crush not only diamonds but also iron gates.

But his hand, which had only struck a mere hidden weapon, throbbed.

That wasn't all.

Jin Palhyo, who had thrown the hidden weapon, turned and moved to the back of the Arrow Shot, and Jin Sagung, who followed him, threw a hidden weapon.

Sweeeeeeek!

Claaang!

He blocked it, but it was the same.

At the throbbing sensation in his hand, another wrinkle appeared on Maeng Segwang's brow.

"Revolving Needle?"

The hidden weapon had a rotation on it.

It was a 'Bone-Piercing Needle' that had maximized its power through that.

"These bastards!"

His anger flared, but the third man had already thrown a hidden weapon, and its speed was so impressive that Maeng Segwang had no choice but to block it with the back of his hand again.

Of course, he could dodge.

But how could he dodge with the pride of one of the Three Western Sovereigns?

Also, if an opening was created, a few of them would get over the wall, and it was as clear as day that a fight would break out with the warriors of the Tang Family who were forming an encirclement.

Since they were men who threw hidden weapons strong enough to make his hand tingle, the warriors of the Tang Family would suffer great damage.

Thud!

In the end, Maeng Segwang did not dodge and continued to strike away the hidden weapons thrown by the assassins from that spot.

The men who threw the hidden weapons immediately followed, and the man who followed behind threw a hidden weapon again, so the attacks continued without a break.

As the attacks of the assassins, who were rotating rapidly in a circle, flew in a single line, annoyance piled up on the face of Maeng Segwang, who could do nothing but block.

"You, you sons of bitches!"

Maeng Segwang, who felt as if he were being swayed by them, could no longer hold back and gathered all his energy in his hands.

Wooooong!

As a huge amount of power gathered, the air vibrated, and the ground began to tremble minutely.

He was going to burst the assassins as they were, hidden weapons and all.

It was a dangerous thing to do as another attack could follow, but for now, he couldn't hold back his surging annoyance.

"Haaap!"

The energy that had gathered in his raised hand pressed down on the world with a thunderous shout.

Kuuuuuuu!

It was as if the entire space was falling.

Even though the power had not yet reached the ground, the ground caved in, and the flying hidden weapons, unable to reach their target, were slammed into the ground.

It was only natural that the assassins' attacks slowed down.

If that much oppressive energy reached the ground, a few of them would die in a miserable state.

But that death would create an escape route.

They had to escape.

How could they win against Seoak?

After escaping the Tang Family, they had to immediately return to the Jingagu and report this.

That their tail would be caught, so they had to burn down the base in the Qilian Mountains and immediately cross the border of the Central Plains and leave for the Demonic Cult.

Having made up his mind, Jin Palhyo drove the assassins to their deaths.

"Increase the speed of the Arrow Shot!"

The pressing force, and the relentlessly fired hidden weapons.

Just as Maeng Segwang's huge oppressive energy was about to reach the assassins' heads.

Sweeeeeeek!

A streak of sword light flew in like lightning.

But the place the sword light was headed was not the assassins, but Maeng Segwang.

"Hey!"

The startled Maeng Segwang stopped his attacking hand and jumped back.

Tadadadang!

Then, a warrior who had jumped into the spot where Maeng Segwang had been swung his sword and struck away the hidden weapons.

"Changlim?"

It was him.

The Sect Leader of Qingcheng and another of the Three Western Sovereigns, Sword Immortal Changlim Il-woo.

Then the sword that had flown towards him?

Whoosh!

The sword that had been stuck in the ground was pulled out on its own and returned to where it had been.

The place the sword returned to was the hand of an old man standing on the roof of a nearby pavilion.

It was obvious who it was.

Who else could make a sword thrown from such a far distance return?

"Damn it, even the Sword Emperor?"

Maeng Segwang grumbled with a contorted face, and the assassins' attacks soon stopped.

Maeng Segwang, who had been blocking the assassins' front, had stepped back, creating a space, but another warrior, Changlim, had blocked that space.

How could they waste hidden weapons in a situation like this?

The assassins soon formed a formation and gathered around the High Heavenly Ghosts, including Jin Palhyo.

"Haha, Boundless Life Buddha. It seems Seoak is struggling?"

"Who's struggling!"

At Changlim's gentle smile, Maeng Segwang shouted.

"It was a won game! Why are you bastards interfering!"

His words did not come out nicely.

He had been planning to monopolize the merit of protecting the Tang Family, but the whole thing had been ruined.

"I know you were winning."

"Then why!?"

"The Sword Emperor's words were truly right."

"The Sword Emperor's words?"

"That's right."

"What on earth did he say?"

Maeng Segwang glared at Namgung Hyeok, who was lightly jumping down from the roof.

"For now, I will guard them, so go and have a talk with the Sword Emperor."

"You son of a bitch, if it's not for a special reason, you'd better know I won't stand for it. I'll make you pay dearly for interfering in my fight."

"Boundless Life Buddha, Seoak has a lot of anger."

"To hell with your Buddha."

Although he was annoyed, Maeng Segwang, who couldn't do anything since they had already come to help, asked Namgung Hyeok.

"What's the reason?"

At the irritable question, Namgung Hyeok sent a telepathic message with a dignified expression.

[We have to keep these men alive.]

A telepathic message all of a sudden?

Maeng Segwang, who felt something was strange, asked with narrowed eyes.

[What do you mean? Why keep the damn assassin bastards alive?]

[Changlim says there is Gu in their bodies.]

[That's…]

Maeng Segwang knew that too.

Hadn't he already heard it from Tang Cheonyeong?

[From what I hear, they must have the Yin-Yang Gu. If we kill them, won't the Gu die too?]

[So what?]

[You're frustrating. What will happen if the Gu dies?]

[You son of a bitch! Why are you asking me? Just say it! Say it!]

[Tsk, tsk, your way of speaking…]

Namgung Hyeok, who shook his head at his un-adult-like way of speaking despite his age, said calmly.

[Lord Tang has left for the Qilian Mountains, the assassins' base.]

"Ah!"

Only then did Maeng Segwang understand.

If the assassins die, the Gu dies.

If the Gu dies, the leader of the assassins in the Qilian Mountains will know that there is a problem here.

Then, of course, he will disappear, and Cheonyeong will be like a dog chasing a chicken.

Who would the responsibility fall on?

"Hah, damn it. I was short-sighted."

Maeng Segwang looked at the cruel traces near the wall.

But what could he do?

He had already killed them…

Still, it was a relief that the leader here seemed to be alive.

"We'll have to capture them all alive."

Maeng Segwang said annoyedly, twisting his lips, and Namgung Hyeok and Il-woo smiled and surrounded the assassins.

As soon as Maeng Segwang's words ended, the three of them took their positions in a '品' character formation, as if it had been planned.

There were only three of them, but in the eyes of the assassins, there was no encirclement in the world more tenacious and powerful than that.

(End of Chapter)