---

Chapter 338: The Commotion

Kuuung—!

A tremor shook the sky.

Padddeudeuk—!

My energy, which filled the surroundings, seemed to be veiled by something, its color fading away.

Deep black.

An ominous churning blackness.

The bet I had spread around to protect the Gwandosaeng was being devoured by something.

– Kooaaah!

– S-save me!

Cries echoed from all directions.

I could sense that something had gone horribly wrong.

While I was aware of the risks involved since this was an exercise, this was—

Not the kind of screaming that comes from a demon beast.

Huuuk—!

My energy swirled violently.

It wasn’t unusual for a martial artist’s aura to mix in the air, but—

The current swirling energy was infused with a dreadful aura.

The distinctive malevolence emanating from the Sa-pa faction.

That energy mixed with the air, spraying outwards in all directions.

Blood scent wafted through the woods.

Under a sky steeped in black, the light was dim and hard to see.

From that place—

Suuuk—!

A flash darted forth.

The blade, containing my energy, hurtled towards the Gwandosaeng, who was trembling in confusion.

With the sword approaching right before him, Gwandosaeng flinched and reacted, but—

It was just too late.

The blade, laced with my energy, pierced towards Gwandosaeng’s neck.

Chwaak!

Before long, blood sprayed, soaking the trunk of a tree.

Just when it seemed Gwandosaeng had lost his life—

“Hiik!”

Surprisingly, the one meeting death was not Gwandosaeng.

It was the unidentified martial artist who had been staging the ambush.

As Gwandosaeng gasped in shock at witnessing the killing right before his eyes, someone stood around, shaking off the blood from the tip of their sword, surveying the area.

Their eyes scanning for more enemies.

After scanning the surroundings for a moment, the woman glanced at Gwandosaeng, asking.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… yes… I’m f-fine.”

In Gwandosaeng’s eyes, he saw the woman’s hair.

The slightly golden-brown locks were stained with blood.

Crimson droplets also trickled down her fair cheeks, creating a strangely enchanting sight.

Even in this terrifying situation, it was enough to catch Gwandosaeng’s attention.

“If you go left, there should be an instructor.”

Seemingly unfazed by Gwandosaeng’s gaze, the woman pointed with her fingertip, as if urging him to escape that way.

At her words, Gwandosaeng snapped back to reality and rose to his feet, asking the woman.

“Y-young lady… aren’t you coming with me?”

His words were not born of fear.

Sure, he felt afraid since he had just been faced with death, but—

It wasn’t a statement born from that fear.

Gwandosaeng convinced himself of this.

The woman, however, remained unresponsive, her expression devoid of emotion while keeping her peripheral vision alert.

“What in the world is happening right now?”

“Well…”

The woman gave a brief reply, shaking off the blood clinging to her sword before exhaling deeply.

The scent of blood thickened in the air.

Yet, she still eyed the person she had just killed.

Having sliced through a vital point, there would be no pain for them.

Despite having killed another while in motion, she felt no particular thrill.

This was the first time she had taken a life after learning the sword.

She had directly severed a person’s life and yet—

Feeling nothing at all was strangely unsettling.

“…I hate this.”

The woman had to feel a dislike for herself.

It was certainly not a state of normalcy.

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Move carefully. Unless you want to go through something like that again.”

With that said, she turned her back. Gwandosaeng, in a rush, reached out to grab her shoulder.

• ••Huh

The woman lightly turned her head back just before his hand could touch her shoulder.

Her gaze was so sharp that Gwandosaeng instinctively withdrew a step.

“W-wait! It’s dangerous for you too. You should come with me in the direction I mentioned!”

Gwandosaeng knew of her.

If she were the current heroine residing in the Shinryong Temple, there was no way he would be unaware of her.

She was one of the most famous figures in the entire clan.

A descendant of the Sword Sovereign, Wi Hyogun, known as one of the Three Eminent Beings.

A figure destined to make a name for herself soon enough, given her already outstanding abilities.

At her icy voice, Gwandosaeng faltered and withdrew.

“I don’t need it.”

Wi Seol-Ah finally turned her eyes away and spoke.

“I have someone to find.”

Immediately after leaving her words, Wi Seol-Ah lightly sprang into motion.

She didn’t leap sky-high but jumped just enough to get a view of her surroundings.

‘She’s vanished.’

As she looked down in that state, Wi Seol-Ah frowned.

The presence of Gu Yangcheong, whom she desperately sought to follow, had disappeared.

‘…What happened?’

It had only been a moment.

Even having unfolded her Qi Perception from a distance to check the situation, just when she found him, his aura had vanished in an instant.

Then, shortly after, an unusual sensation began to coil around the dispelled energy.

A chill-inducing energy merely felt was a stroke of luck.

If just feeling it was all that was the case.

‘An ambush?’

Unknown individuals had mixed among the Gwandosaengs and were beginning a massacre.

The scent of blood was evidence enough of that.

Wi Seol-Ah looked around, her eyes darting as she surveyed the scene.

The air was thick with the scent of blood.

What reasons did they have for attacking this place?

What was their objective?

There were so many things to think about, yet—

‘…Where did he go?’

Wi Seol-Ah didn’t prioritize such thoughts.

For her, Gu Yangcheong’s safety was far more important.

‘I should have followed from the start.’

Regret washed over her.

Even while seeing where he was headed, she had hesitated to follow.

Grinding her teeth inwardly, Wi Seol-Ah asked someone.

‘…Did you know things would turn out like this?’

She asked inwardly, but no answer came.

‘Sister.’

Calling out to her, she still received no response.

The reason she hadn’t gone by Gu Yangcheong’s side in this exercise was that the one inside her had intervened.

For his sake, she had been told to remain still for now.

Wi Seol-Ah questioned why this had to be but only received the answer that it was for his sake.

In the end, even knowing that Jang Seonyeon was moving toward him, she had forced herself to patiently wait, merely feeling his presence from afar.

Then, this had happened.

‘For him?’

How was this for him in any way?

If something were to happen to Gu Yangcheong—

Gritting her teeth, Wi Seol-Ah tightened her grip on her sword.

Fire lit up her gentle gaze, morphing into a sharp glint.

What was the point of learning the sword if she were to lose him?

‘I have to find him.’

Charging towards the last place she felt him, Wi Seol-Ah descended.

It wasn’t particularly far.

As she landed, she increased her speed and moved forward.

Even while screams echoed from all around during her movements, Wi Seol-Ah didn’t turn back.

‘Where is he?’

Racing about without rest, she sought the direction.

His presence was unusually strong, so even if he tried to hide it—

Wi Seol-Ah could feel it.

At the highest point in this place.

As Wi Seol-Ah looked up to see where she was climbing—

In that very moment, she was struck.

“…!”

Wi Seol-Ah staggered, catching herself on a nearby tree to halt her momentum.

Feeling the throbbing pain ripple through her body,

She bit her pretty lips tightly, pulling something out of her possession.

…

!

.

In the past, it had been the blessing pouch granted by the divine.

In a hurry, Wi Seol-Ah opened the pouch and took out an Inner Altar to swallow.

Gulp.

‘Of all times…!’

She bit down hard.

She felt the Inner Altar going down her throat and deep into her body.

But as she felt the urgency increase, it didn’t seem like the effects were taking hold right away; her situation felt dire.

Doing everything she could to summon her energy, she felt only a powerful tremor within her body, but she couldn’t move easily.

“Huh… Huh.”

Wiping away the beads of sweat flowing down her brow,

Wi Seol-Ah moved again.

For now, finding him took precedence over the pain coursing through her.

However, the problem was—

‘It’s dangerous.’

For the next few minutes, it was going to be tough on Wi Seol-Ah to exert her energy, as the surroundings were in a considerably precarious state.

Her Qi Perception was immobilized.

Unlike in the past when she could seek out presences and mask her own, with her vessel sealed, she couldn’t do that.

‘…What now….’

Heat enveloped her.

The effects were slowly spreading, yet her frantic plight had her immobilized.

At that moment—

Pashik.

A crunch from the grass behind her snapped Wi Seol-Ah’s attention, lifting her sword.

Were those enemies like before?

They were unknown individuals who had killed with ambush tactics, yet they were not weaklings.

They were the elite martial artists, renowned in many ways.

As Wi Seol-Ah pointed her sword in the direction of the sound, shrouded herself in her drug-induced haze, she barely managed to keep focused.

It was merely a matter of holding out for a few minutes.

If she could just endure—

“I wonder where you’re in such a hurry to go. I was trying not to be seen if possible.”

“…Ah.”

Upon hearing the voice from beyond the bushes, Wi Seol-Ah’s wide eyes softened slightly.

It was a familiar voice and tone.

“Seeing your state, it feels right to step in.”

Clearing away the bushes, the figure that appeared in front of Wi Seol-Ah wore a distinctive black martial robe.

An expressionless face and hair haphazardly tied gave him a striking appearance.

“Are you alright?”

The one from the Six Dragons Three Peaks—was Jin Ryong himself.

While the situation had rapidly escalated…

“Uaaah!”

Cheol Jiseon was continually screaming.

And understandably so. A grown man was being hefted about by his collar like a ragdoll.

It was even more troublesome that it was him.

As if someone was holding a duffel bag and running without a thought.

How could this even happen?

No matter how much there was a difference in realms, this was an absurdity.

Moreover, the one hurling Cheol Jiseon around like a plaything was none other than the Sword Dance Hero, Nangong Bi-ah.

Though she looked petite and delicate,

The way she playfully tossed Cheol Jiseon around was befuddling.

‘S-save me.’

In this ridiculous situation, Cheol Jiseon could only scream silently inside.

“Y-young lady! Slow down…!”

Cheol Jiseon desperately pleaded, yet Nangong Bi-ah didn’t acknowledge him.

He would have much preferred if she had just let him go.

– Where did he go?

Suddenly, appearing from nowhere, Nangong Bi-ah asked about Gu Yangcheong’s whereabouts.

Without waiting for Cheol Jiseon’s reply, she glanced in a direction and suddenly took off with him.

It seemed urgent.

“Koooa…!”

The pace was so fast it was hard to believe she was running while holding a person.

Though Cheol Jiseon couldn’t see Gu Yangcheong or the Sleeping Dragon, but—

That the Sword Dance Hero was like a monster in herself was undeniable.

‘…Jin Ryong, I couldn’t even mention him.’

Though Cheol Jiseon hadn’t properly mentioned whom he was searching for, he was aware that the subject of her search was Jin Ryong.

Occasionally, the gaze Nangong Bi-ah directed at Jin Ryong was one Cheol Jiseon recognized as different from what she depicted toward others.

Even if this weren’t the case, the fact that those two were in an engagement was widely known throughout the Shinryong Temple.

One couldn’t help but question how the fearsome Jin Ryong had gotten engaged to the Sword Dance Hero in such a manner.

It didn’t seem to be a forced engagement from either family.

Seeing Nangong Bi-ah’s markedly different attitude towards Jin Ryong, the Gwandosaengs had frequently lamented over this.

Beyond merely being the most beautiful in Anhui, they whispered her title was ‘the most beautiful in the land.’

It had been something someone casually tossed out while disregarding others’ glances.

Cheol Jiseon had to admit.

While all the women surrounding Jin Ryong were indeed striking, among them, the Sword Dance Hero and the Sword Sovereign’s descendant were in a league of their own.

The issue, however, was that this was hardly the time to be reminiscing about appearances.

“Y-young lady…!”

As the wind blew by, Cheol Jiseon worried his skin might get sliced.

Perhaps it was due to his pathetic voice echoing in the commotion.

Suddenly, Nangong Bi-ah loosened her grip on Cheol Jiseon’s collar.

“Huh? Wait just a moment.”

While it was good she let go, this was too sudden as she had been running before abruptly dropping him.

Cheol Jiseon found himself propelled forward, rolling across the ground.

“Koaaak!”

As he tumbled, Cheol Jiseon barely managed to break and halt his momentum when he crashed into a nearby tree.

“…Ha… ha… I lived.”

Enduring the spinning sensation in his head, Cheol Jiseon rose to his feet.

He wondered if Nangong Bi-ah had released him by accident.

If not, to throw a person like a sack of trash was simply outrageous.

‘It… it definitely was a sack.’

While just moments before he had nearly died from fear,

He hadn’t yet regained his wits from being tossed around by Nangong Bi-ah.

Looking around for her, while realizing she had saved his life—

He remembered that he knew where Jin Ryong was.

‘If I say it, would I be killed?’

That thought crossed his mind.

Because just earlier, the expression on Nangong Bi-ah’s face while asking about Jin Ryong was fearsome—notably beautiful, yes, but frighteningly so.

Yet, Cheol Jiseon felt he should speak up.

Having been deceived by Jang Seonyeon into this convoluted mess, despite Jin Ryong assuring him it was fine—

‘…This isn’t right, no matter how you look at it.’

In the end, the most significant actions fell upon Cheol Jiseon.

Just as he began scanning his surroundings for Nangong Bi-ah,—

Pazik-!

A sudden surge of thunderous energy resonated from somewhere.

Immediately recognizing this aura as belonging to Nangong Bi-ah, Cheol Jiseon snapped to focus.

If she was unleashing her thunder energy, couldn’t that imply a dangerous situation was afoot?

Momentarily contemplating whether he should go find an instructor, he hesitated but soon steeled his resolve and followed the direction from where the energy came.

How long had it been since he had fallen?

The sounds and energies seemed much further away than he expected.

Having moved that distance in such a short time was shocking.

Cheol Jiseon gathered his Qi and began making his way, pulling the sword bound at his waist with trembling hands.

As he dashed toward the source of the energy, he came to a halt.

“…!”

Cheol Jiseon could only swallow hard at the sight that unfolded before him.

“What a bother.”

The moment he heard that heavy voice,

“Another nuisance has appeared, hasn’t it?”

Cheol Jiseon teetered, overwhelmed by the energy that burdened him too much.

Leaning against a distant rock was none other than Nangong Bi-ah’s betrothed, the Poison Phoenix of the Tang Clan.

And beside him, applying first aid to the injured was none other than the Peng family’s daughter.

Meanwhile, amid the swirling thunder energy, the Sword Dance Hero had drawn her sword, standing in opposition to someone.

Dressed in dark silks, a neatly tied back hairstyle adorned a middle-aged man.

His pale skin was striking, and his eyes glimmered with a purple sheen.

As Cheol Jiseon laid eyes on him, he knew immediately—

He was not someone he could hope to challenge.

The man flicked a glance at Cheol Jiseon, seemingly uninterested, before focusing on the Sword Dance Hero in front of him.

“It’s been a while. It seems you and I know each other.”

Qi energy flared around him, radiating dark energy he could not comprehend.

“Are you laughing at me?”

Cheol Jiseon gulped as the man’s words harbored a mocking tone.

 

---