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Chapter 210: The First Sin (1)

The collapsed debris formed a wall, and the man staring at it gritted his teeth.

“Ha! These little punks.”

The Deputy Lord, Jeon Ojin, spat out his venom as he replayed the recent events in his mind.

An absurdly thick-skinned girl and a boy still not fully grown. The mere presence of either one of them made it clear that these rotten brats were involved.

‘One is likely from the Nangong Clan…’

With hair as blue as his martial robe, the flowing sword path radiating a fierce thunder Qi was unmistakably a signature of the Nangong family.

‘It seems like there’s strong blood running through that one, likely a direct descendant.’

A descendant of the Nangong Clan at that age…

‘Could there be any other than the Thunder Dragon?’

To think a peak martial artist was so young! No matter how many there were, they could barely have been past the tender age of twenty.

In an instant, Jeon Ojin realized the skill level of that girl had surpassed a mere wall.

At that moment, a recent rumor floated back to him.

‘Wasn’t there talk of one called the Sword Dance Hero?’

A member of the Nangong Clan who stood out during the martial arts tournament.

The name was something Jeon Ojin had only dimly overheard.

However, the real issue was not with the Nangong Clan woman but rather the boy beside her.

Although the girl was certainly on a high level, she could not compare to him.

The red martial robe he wore, the brilliant flames he wielded, and those fierce eyes that gazed at him without a hint of fear…

From that visage, Jeon Ojin couldn’t help but think of the monster outside the formation.

“…Deputy Lord!”

From behind, a member of the Black Night Palace rushed in upon hearing the commotion, their expression revealing their surprise at the situation.

“I heard a rat had snuck in.”

“…Yes, it’s an intruder…”

“Calm down! It’s not a rat.”

“Pardon?”

In an instant, a chilling smile spread across Jeon Ojin’s face.

“It’s a tiger cub.”

Bang-!

With a powerful strike imbued with his aura, the obstructing wall crumbled to rubble in an instant.

The debris crashed down, causing the palace’s members to retreat hastily.

“What is the Lord doing?”

Jeon Ojin’s frosty inquiry made those behind him flinch.

“I think… the Lord went to deal with a Flame Ghost.”

“Oh? Then I suppose I’ll have to handle this myself.”

If the Lord had left, there shouldn’t be any problems.

With that in mind, Jeon Ojin turned his gaze back to find the traces of his enemies as the wall collapsed fully.

“…What’s this?”

A massive hole had been opened in the ground, indicating some sort of disturbance.

Flames still lingered on the wall, and the energy swirling in the air was definitely not shallow.

‘So it’s the Thunder Dragon, huh?’

If his assumptions were correct, then the culprit must indeed be the infamous Jin Ryong of the Gu Clan.

The monster that swept through the martial arts tournament, decimating opponents, ultimately claiming the title of the last dragon.

‘They said he bore a striking resemblance to the Flame Ghost, and they weren’t wrong.’

Furthermore, it appeared he bore a similar talent. Jeon Ojin recalled that Ya Hyeoljeok had been killed by Jin Ryong.

In that case…

“I need to hunt him down.”

“Deputy Lord, perhaps we should inform the Lord first…”

Swish.

Before the martial artist attempting to speak could finish, his head rolled away.

“There is only one person who can issue me commands, and that’s the Lord.”

With that, Jeon Ojin shook off his sword and heightened his aura.

If the Lord had left to confront the Flame Ghost, then he only needed to capture the little tiger (小虎).

‘Especially given that flame I saw just before.’

The blue flames surrounding Jin Ryong felt astonishingly familiar to Jeon Ojin, reminiscent of a power existing within his very own body.

He was compelled to verify it.

“I’ll have to catch him and pry it out of him.”

Leaving the gathering members behind, Jeon Ojin leaped into the hole created by Jin Ryong.

It was clear where they were headed.

The location of the So Sword Peak.

Why the Lord had gone to such lengths to bring the sword peak here was still a mystery to him.

However, knowing the Lord, there must be a valid reason behind it; there was no need to ponder further.

Only…

The appearance of the Flame Ghost here, alongside the arrival of Jin Ryong, was undeniably connected to the sword peak.

‘How did they know the location?’

Jeon Ojin was baffled by this.

It had only been a short time since the sword peak arrived at this place.

How could the Flame Ghost and Jin Ryong have discerned its whereabouts?

Jeon Ojin tightened his grip on his sword and muttered once more.

“Whatever it is, I’ll just have to catch him and ask.”

With a smile, Jeon Ojin infiltrated deeper into the darkness.

After some time navigating through the shadows…

“Damn it…”

The backlash from using blood energy had yet to wane in his body, and with all the stealth his current situation required, the consumption of energy was painfully rapid.

‘That was close.’

Looking back, it was indeed a wise decision to evade when he recognized the gap in strength.

Some might argue it was disgraceful to retreat before an enemy.

But the answer was simple:

[Honor won’t spare your life.]

According to Shin Noya, those words were more than enough.

‘It is indeed a pity for one who saved the world to say that.’

[Hmph, as long as you can flail about and survive, that’s the priority; only then can you seek vengeance.]

Thump, thump!

As the orb emitted its light, he heard a loud noise from behind him.

Nangong Bi-ah was barreling in, swinging her sword and smashing through everything in sight.

The moment he recalled their respective realms, it was obvious she’d soon break through the wall chasing after him as well.

Given how impressive she was…

‘It’s astonishing that I didn’t even have to ask her for help.’

She had quickly grasped his intent and was swinging her sword with precision.

Initially, this was something he should have done himself.

However, in his current state, having just used blood energy to break through the ground, he had overextended himself.

This was evident as the lower dantian still throbbed painfully.

‘I need to find her soon.’

He had to locate Gu Huibi before it was too late.

‘If I keep moving straight like this, I should find her.’

However, a lingering question still gnawed at him.

‘Why are there so few people around?’

This was a mystery he’d pondered since entering the Black Night Palace.

As one of the largest forces in the demonic faction, the Black Night Palace, under the leadership of the formidable Black Night Lord, should be bustling with personnel.

The main palace should have throngs of people.

‘It’s far too quiet.’

There were significantly fewer individuals than he’d anticipated.

Even now, as he stirred through the prison, it felt remarkably emptier than the upper levels.

Occasionally running into members, they seemed like martial artists who could be taken out with just one hit.

‘Is something else odd going on?’

While a strange atmosphere lingered, deciphering it proved challenging in his current rush.

“…Ahead.”

Upon hearing Nangong Bi-ah’s words, he grasped without hesitation.

Before pinpointing the location, he flared his energy.

Boom! Flame Burst-!

Flames erupted, incinerating the individual ahead. Likely, a hidden assassin.

Nangong Bi-ah had warned him several times about similar threats, yet it always amazed him.

‘Her perception is wider than my Qi perception.’

Despite his realm being higher, her ability to track locations was far superior.

Given how the order of progression is determined by one’s realm, it was normal for her to pick up on things faster.

‘…Is that also a talent?’

As he pondered this while watching Nangong Bi-ah tilting her head…

“Why… what’s the matter?”

“Nothing at all.”

He turned his gaze back, knowing it wasn’t the time for distractions.

There were numerous prison rooms in this relatively underground area, and time was of the essence to navigate through them.

Fortunately, the shining orb was guiding his path, allowing him to save precious time.

“We’re almost there.”

Ahead, he caught sight of a distant door, illuminated by the light.

Speeding up, he gathered his energy into his hands as the distance closed.

‘Gah…’

A sudden sharp pain radiated from his lower dantian, but it posed no issue in unleashing a burst of flames.

Whoosh.

With the flames enveloping his fists, he swung them toward the iron door.

Bang-!

Fortunately, he hadn’t done anything to the door; it crumpled and flew open instantly.

Thud-! The resounding noise echoed as dust swirled into the air.

‘Inside looks like a prison.’

A few torture devices and a massive iron cage stood alone.

A small window was the only source of light.

Clearly, this was the same prison he’d witnessed Gu Huibi being held in.

‘Where’s Gu Huibi?’

Quickly scanning the surroundings, he spotted a figure within the cage.

“…!”

It was Gu Huibi, staring at him with a horrified expression.

“Little sister…?”

Her Gu Clan robe was in tatters, and her condition looked disheveled.

‘It seems she’s not overly injured.’

Fortunately, it appeared she’d come out of it relatively unscathed.

But…

‘What’s this Demon Energy…?’

Seeing the Demon Energy coiling around her lower dantian made him frown.

While it didn’t appear as severe as the encounter with the Sword Demoness, it certainly seemed potent enough to seal her energy.

At this level, she couldn’t use any energy and her physical capabilities would have been severely diminished.

‘Is this the Lord’s doing?’

The only figure who could impose such constraints on her was undoubtedly the Lord.

The look on Gu Huibi’s face when she spotted him was rapidly filled with despair.

“How…!”

Responding brusquely to her panic, he said,

“What do you mean how? I came to find you since you caused such a ruckus.”

Gu Huibi blinked at him, her eyes shifting to Nangong Bi-ah with a slight frown.

Perhaps the unfamiliar presence threw her off.

Ignoring her gaze, he reached for the iron bars.

He planned to yank them apart.

Crackling-!

“…Huh?”

The moment his hand touched the bars, he was jolted backward by a surge of energy.

Seeing this, Nangong Bi-ah quickly pulled him back by the shoulder.

Swish.

Simultaneously, she drew her sword, unleashing her thunder Qi.

Perhaps she intended to slice the bars right in two.

“Stop!”

At that rate, Gu Huibi might get hurt.

Holding back Nangong Bi-ah, he inspected the bars.

‘…The energy within the bars.’

From the way Gu Huibi griped them, it didn’t seem like they were entirely sealed off.

‘Could it be?’

Remembering the Demon Energy crowded around Gu Huibi’s lower dantian, he too summoned the tightly sealed Demon Energy from his own.

“…!”

As he pulled up the energy, Nangong Bi-ah recoiled in shock and took a step back.

Did she sense the Demon Energy?

Reassuring her with a look, he reached once more towards the bars.

“Looks like it.”

The earlier incident where he’d been thrown back was gone, and the moment he wrapped his own energy around it, he could grasp the bars effortlessly.

This was definitely a response to the Demon Energy.

‘They might have been crafting these from the very onset, well before the Demonic Sect’s emergence.’

He barely believed that back then but looking at it now, he was left wondering how it was even made.

Crack-!

Without delay, he grabbed the bars and pulled them apart.

It seemed they weren’t particularly reinforced, as it came apart easily with just a little exertion.

He looked down at Gu Huibi, who was sitting there dazed.

“Come on.”

“Little brother…”

“Hurry up, we need to go home.”

This wasn’t just an empty remark; they truly needed to move quickly.

They were in a scenario where they didn’t know when martial artists would come rushing in.

At that moment…

“That’s right! Let’s hurry home.”

Another voice joined in, answering Gu Huibi’s worried tone.

…Who was that?

To his surprise, he hadn’t sensed any presence whatsoever.

Even with Gu Huibi so close, his only awareness came from her.

“Elder Muk…”

Gu Huibi seemed to recognize the figure approaching slowly.

‘Elder Muk?’

The elderly man’s appearance was far from great, showing signs of past torture, and the gauze over his eyes indicated he had been injured.

“Ha-ha… this is unexpected; I never imagined a child, not a heroic figure, would come find me.”

“Who are you?”

In response to his inquiry, the old man simply smiled.

“You can call me Elder Muk. Oh, you must be the younger brother of the Sword Peak.”

A rather peculiar elder.

Even with his sight obscured, he behaved as if he could see everything clearly.

There was also the faint aura surrounding him…

“Are you… Hao Gate Master?”

The question slipped out, and for some reason, the old man paused.

Though his bound eyes couldn’t see, he somehow seemed to fixate directly on him.

“…You.”

“Yes or no, you don’t need to answer.”

The gut feeling told him it was likely true, but he couldn’t afford to run the risk. This was a situation he was keen to avoid.

This had been his mistake right from the start.

‘So the master really is here.’

Wondering why only the two of them were within such a vast prison remained, he observed the elderly man.

“Is that truly the Hao Gate Master?”

Gu Huibi gaped in astonishment, gazing at the old man.

Nangong Bi-ah too shared a similar incredulous look.

“Hey!”

While he was secretly releasing Gu Huibi’s shackles…

“Observing is fine, but let’s do that later. For now, we need to leave.”

“Little brother, you’ve become quite brusque in your absence!”

“Have we really been apart?”

“…Hmm?”

“It seems you’ve been keeping an eye on me all along.”

“ ”

As he asked if she had been watching through the Orb of Heavenly Road, Gu Huibi’s expression crumbled.

“How…?”

“That’s a matter for later.”

“Ugh!”

He hoisted Gu Huibi onto his shoulder.

While it would have been easier for her to run on her own,

‘There wasn’t ample time to expel the Demon Energy within her.’

The situation did not allow for leisurely time to eliminate the Demon Energy restraining Gu Huibi.

Escaping this place was paramount.

Once he turned his back, the old man called out from the shadows.

“…Wait! What about me?”

Pointing to his own shackles, the elder inquired desperately.

“I can’t carry two people.”

He replied flatly.

“W-what? You uncaring child!”

“I’m sorry, but you weren’t included in my plan.”

“How dreadful… and where’s the righteousness of that so-called righteous faction?”

“If you’re not even a part of the righteous faction, how can you utter something so nonsensical?”

The Hao Gate acts strictly under demonic principles.

His brazen comments about righteous faction agreements were ridiculous.

To the Hao Gate Master, it may have seem serious.

But in reality, he had never planned on saving him.

Finding him would be a greater burden, and it was unlikely to result in a fatal outcome.

Moreover…

Boom-boom-!

Given that pursuers were evidently in hot pursuit now.

Nangong Bi-ah glanced at the corridor and warned him.

“…They are coming.”

Her serious voice made it clear that, indeed, the person approaching wasn’t to be trifled with.

Perhaps it was the artistry of a high-tier martial artist.

…But that was how the situation stood.

‘Honestly, why are they coming so fast?’

He felt they were coming nearly brake-neck fast.

The swirl of energy pouring into the space beyond the collapsed corridor signaled trouble.

“Damn it.”

Immediately, he turned to the opposite wall.

Since this wasn’t the true underground, he should be able to break through the opposite wall easily.

“Ugh!”

As he prepared to tap into his energy, the pain surged, forcing him to collapse to his knees.

His earlier use of blood energy triggered a painful backlash before he could animate his other powers.

Just prior, his lower dantian cried for attention, and he had to yield.

“Do they have no sense at all…?”

How unfortunate that he’d find himself in such a predicament all at once.

“…Little brother!”

Gu Huibi rushed to his side the moment he fell.

At once, Nangong Bi-ah, sensing his intent, charged at the wall with her sword.

Crack!

The wall had been deeply sliced, but not completely broken.

While Nangong Bi-ah called up more of her aura and prepared herself,

Boom-!

The wall blocking their exit shattered.

Dust exploded in every direction, causing a ruckus.

The martial artist they had previously encountered in the peak of transformation revealed himself.

The man stood there, his bloodthirsty smile causing them to cringe.

“I’ve finally found you; you filthy little brats.”

The very blood energy trickling from the man as he unleashed his powerful aura made them temporarily gasp.

Proving his prowess as a formidable peak martial artist.

“I am the Deputy Lord of the Black Night Palace…”

Bang-!

Immediately, a gigantic fist crushed the man’s head.

“…Huh?”

His surprise was palpable as he fell prey to the sudden might of a blow he hadn’t sensed approaching from behind.

Jeon Ojin hadn’t noticed either, even as the man crumpled lifelessly under the attack.

The sudden impact of a heavy footstep approached as they acknowledged the new arrival.

The figure donned in a thick red martial robe, his hands smeared in blood, did not hide his ferocity.

Upon encountering the intensity of his gaze, Gu Huibi gasped.

“…Clan Leader?”

The identity of the giant loomed before them.

It was their father.

He paid no mind to the lifeless body of the man who had just died and only stared intently at Gu Huibi.

When his eyes fell upon Jeon Ojin, they widened in utter shock.

He never would have imagined to find him here.

In a flash, surprise gave way, and his expression returned to normal as he turned to Gu Huibi.

“Let’s go back.”

His tone exuded a casualness as if they were merely stepping away from a pleasant stroll.

But Jeon Ojin felt a wave of confusion crashing over him.

Not only had he smashed through the formation, but the alarming fact that his father had arrived here so quickly squeezed his thoughts.

‘…If Father is here, where is the Black Night Lord who went to confront him?’

 

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