Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 198 : Troublesome Work

As she said, if the God of Death had appeared, the current situation was understandable. The God of Death's martial arts were such that even Buk Myeong-woo and Seok Jeong-bi could not stop them.

It was understandable even if they were helplessly defeated by him.

"The fake one seems to be the God of Death for sure. If it weren't for Mr. Jin, I would have also died at his hands."

Eun Cheol-sam, recalling Jin Sa-wol who had blocked him in the pavilion, trembled his shoulders. Even thinking about it now, it was dizzying, and the hair on his back stood on end. To him, Jin Sa-wol was a benefactor of life.

At the words 'God of Death', Bi-sun and Jo-rim had surprised faces. Of course, the reason they were surprised was a little different from others. Because they knew who the God of Death was.

Bi-sun and Jo-rim were conveying a silent message to Jo Geom-ok by widening their eyes and flaring their nostrils.

Although it was a question of 'is it okay?', Jo Geom-ok crossed her arms and nodded as if it didn't matter.

Eun Cheol-sam swept his chest and asked Bi-sun and Jo-rim.

"I heard there were two strange people who appeared yesterday, did you perhaps see them?"

"We also lost consciousness while working, so we didn't see anything."

"I'm sorry."

At the answers of Bi-sun and Jo-rim, Eun Cheol-sam showed a disappointed expression. It seemed he could find out more in detail when Jin Sa-wol and Woo Jeong-bong woke up.

Eun Cheol-sam, who had licked his lips and turned his body, said as if he had remembered something.

"He might still be around here. Since he's an elusive guy, be careful."

"I understand."

Hearing Bi-sun's answer, Eun Cheol-sam hurriedly went outside.

As he went out, Jo Geom-ok asked with a curious face.

"How did you lose consciousness yesterday?"

"We were organizing the ledgers, and we felt a presence, and after that, we lost consciousness. I don't know who the opponent was, but he was definitely a great master."

"Because he was able to make a fool of both of us."

At the answers of Bi-sun and Jo-rim, Jo Geom-ok crossed her arms and said.

"The strange people who appeared yesterday had bodies that were impervious to swords and sabers. They were people with strong external skills, to the point of suspecting them of being Diamond Indestructible Bodies. The warriors of the Inspection Pavilion died fighting those strange people. On top of that..."

Jo Geom-ok, who was speaking, frowned as Cheon Yu-myeong came to mind and said again with a gaze full of killing intent.

"The fake Sa-wol that Pavilion Master Eun was talking about was an absolute master. There is a person I can guess... but..."

Jo Geom-ok shook her head as she thought of the Esoteric Cult Leader. Bi-sun stood up from his seat.

"We can just ask Brother Jin."

As he went out, Jo-rim and Jo Geom-ok also moved together.

The three entered Jin Sa-wol's room, but Jin Sa-wol was not in the room.

***

There was a small burial mound on a low hill inside the Geumwon. It was a burial mound that had been made not long ago. On the tombstone, the name Son Ae-hwa was written.

Son Ae-hwa was buried in a sunny place where she could see the sun first when the morning sun rose.

Jin Sa-wol sat next to it, looked at Poyang Lake, and then looked up at a flying bird.

"The scenery here is good. In Buddhism, they say there is reincarnation. It would be good to be a bird and fly around in the next life."

As he lay down, leaning against the burial mound, he felt a hot energy rising from his dantian. He closed his eyes, practiced qi circulation, and thought of Jeokrin.

His martial arts far exceeded his expectations. On the other hand, he was dumbfounded that he was his grandfather, not his father.

Of course, there was no family love. Jeokrin was just an enemy who had killed Son Ae-hwa, whom he had thought of as his person.

'Half a year is not much time left.'

Jin Sa-wol engraved Jeokrin's words of coming back again in his head and contemplated how to deal with it.

"I was wondering where you went, and you were here."

Jo Geom-ok approached and sat next to Jin Sa-wol, lighting incense in front of Son Ae-hwa's tombstone.

"What happened? Who is that person? Don't tell me it's the Demonic Cult Leader?"

"It is the Demonic Cult Leader. He said he would come back in half a year. So either stay here and die together or leave."

"He's coming back?"

"Yes."

"That's good. If he appears again, I'll tear his mouth apart."

Although Jo Geom-ok muttered indifferently, she was full of killing intent, as if she would really do so.

Jo Geom-ok said again.

"In the Martial Alliance, it was said that the God of Death appeared and killed the Inspection Pavilion Master. The God of Death is targeting you."

She showed a face that said 'do you understand?', and Jin Sa-wol nodded.

Bi-sun and Jo-rim appeared from afar and were coming together. As they approached, Jin Sa-wol talked about his affair with Jeokrin.

As darkness fell, Jo-rim and Bi-sun returned to their rooms, and only Jo Geom-ok remained by Jin Sa-wol's side.

Her expression was complicated because she knew that Jeokrin was Jin Sa-wol's grandfather and a person who had deceived the world by going back and forth between the Esoteric Cult and the Demonic Cult.

'Grandson.'

She thought that Jeokrin and Jin Sa-wol had a resemblance.

Although Jo Geom-ok could not tell whether the appearance of the Esoteric Cult Leader she had seen was Jeokrin or the real Esoteric Cult Leader, he was similar to Jin Sa-wol.

"If Jeokrin goes to meet another grandson, who would it be?"

"It must be Leng Yushan."

"Am I also that bastard's granddaughter?"

Jo Geom-ok asked with an anxious gaze. Jin Sa-wol looked at Jo Geom-ok's face and then shook his head.

"If that were the case, you would have already died."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Jo Geom-ok let out a long sigh as if she were relieved. Jeokrin was not a person who would just leave his grandson and granddaughters alone.

Just as he had appeared before Jin Sa-wol, he would have captured or killed them all.

Jo Geom-ok thought of Leng Yushan.

"I have to go to the Ice Palace."

"What are you going to do when you go?"

"I have to let them know. That a person named Jeokrin is targeting you. And I also have to let the Ice Palace Master know."

"Won't he be dead before then?"

"Still, I have to let them know."

At Jo Geom-ok's answer, Jin Sa-wol nodded as if he had no intention of stopping her and leaned against the burial mound.

"What about Brother Woo?"

"Not yet."

"Tell me when he wakes up."

"Are you more worried about my brother than me?"

"That's right."

At Jin Sa-wol's honest answer, Jo Geom-ok kicked the ground and stood up, glaring at Jin Sa-wol.

"If I die, you won't even make a grave for me, will you?"

"Why would you die?"

As Jin Sa-wol asked back, Jo Geom-ok stood there for a long time without being able to say anything.

***

The sound of the workers going back and forth at the inn was heard.

"The location here seems to be bad. Is it cursed, or how can people die one after another every other day... Tsk, tsk."

"That's right. We should also be careful."

"They say not to even come near when the sun sets. They say everyone will die."

Their story was perhaps natural.

Do Sam-gi, who had entered while listening to the stories of the workers going back and forth at the main gate, felt that the atmosphere had changed a lot.

A large number of warriors from the Guguang branch were visible, and the warriors of the Inspection Pavilion were not visible.

"It seems the person called the God of Death has a lot of resentment towards the Martial Alliance. To even kill the Inspection Pavilion Master."

Do Sam-gi sighed at the story of the other workers who were passing by, carrying lumber.

'Here or the Demonic Cult, the confusion is the same.'

Do Sam-gi guessed that it might be a good time to persuade Jin Sa-wol.

Do Sam-gi, who had entered a wide tea room, examined the complexion of Jin Sa-wol, who was sitting in a chair.

His complexion, which was paler than before, felt like that of a person with an internal injury.

"The atmosphere of the inn is not good, but did something bad happen while I was out?"

"What's going on?"

Jin Sa-wol asked as if he were not interested in Do Sam-gi's question.

Jin Sa-wol's expression, who was drinking tea, had no emotion. Jin Sa-wol did not think that Do Sam-gi would have come to see him without any business.

Do Sam-gi, as Jin Sa-wol had expected, conveyed Na Hyeon-gi's story.

"The family head has asked you to think about it one more time. Isn't the position of the master of the Ghost Spirit Valley a position that should be held by the family head's closest aide? There must be a person who can receive the family head's trust and can be trusted. The family head hopes that you will become the master of the Ghost Spirit Valley."

"I would have refused."

"He asked again after hearing the refusal."

"What if I refuse again?"

"It seems he will take it as a sign of breaking off the connection."

Do Sam-gi was a person who knew well what two refusals meant. In the Demonic Cult, those who went against the master's will were always killed.

Do Sam-gi, as if he were worried about Jin Sa-wol's safety, said quietly.

"The head of the Na family is trying to become the Cult Leader. But you are going against the family head's will. To say you will become the Cult Leader means you have bet everything. And it also means you will kill all those who go against your will. Follow the family head's will. If the head of the Na family becomes the Cult Leader, the position of the master of the Ghost Spirit Valley will also be elevated."

"I thought Na Hyeon-gi was a friend, but it seems that's not the case."

"Even if you're friends, if you're not needed, you become an enemy and a stranger."

Do Sam-gi's story was not wrong. And even if he became an enemy instead of a friend, Jin Sa-wol had nothing to be disappointed about.

The difference between a friend and an enemy was a single sheet of paper, and it meant that they could become friends again at any time.

"Tell the head of the Na family that I refuse."

Jin Sa-wol's will did not change, and Do Sam-gi stood up with a disappointed expression.

"I understand."

Do Sam-gi went outside with a worried face.

After he left, Bi-sun and Jo-rim came in. Bi-sun's expression was not good because he had heard all of Do Sam-gi's story from outside.

"It seems the inside of the Demonic Cult is very complicated over the position of the Cult Leader. I didn't expect Do Sam-gi to come back like that."

"There's no need to get involved in the affairs of the Demonic Cult."

Jin Sa-wol said as if he were a person who was not interested in the Demonic Cult. But Bi-sun's thoughts were different.

"Even if you're not interested, if they are interested in you, you can't help but get involved."

"If the Seo Mun family helps the head of the Na family, it means that the Hwahwaru and the Hao Faction have also sided with the head of the Na family, and this is not a matter to be taken lightly."

As Jo-rim added, Jin Sa-wol shook his head.

"There will be no involvement with the Demonic Cult."

Jin Sa-wol emphasized once again that he had no intention of getting involved in the affairs of the Demonic Cult.

At those words, Bi-sun and Jo-rim were silent.

***

That evening, Yuk Seol-jeong of the Chung Pavilion, who had not been expected, came to visit.

The road from the Chung Pavilion to the inn was very long.

Yuk Seol-jeong lay down on Jin Sa-wol's bed with a very tired face, as if she had run for several days without washing.

"Haa! Haa! Phew..."

Yuk Seol-jeong, who was dusting off her clothes, which were full of dust, let out a long breath.

Although Jin Sa-wol was happy to see her, he could not hold back his curiosity and asked.

"I didn't expect you to come all the way here. Is there something urgent?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, Yuk Seol-jeong, after catching her breath, stood up and drank water.

"My brother, no, the pavilion master has been captured."

At Yuk Seol-jeong's story, Jin Sa-wol showed a hardened expression. The Chung Pavilion Master was a very important person to Jin Sa-wol.

"For what reason?"

"For betraying the cult."

"He's not a person who would betray."

"I don't know the details."

Yuk Seol-jeong, as if she had calmed down, sat down on the floor and then lay down again.

"A considerable number of the disappeared Cheon Cult Leader's corpse demons were stored in the Chung Pavilion, and it seems he tried to betray the cult with that as an excuse. He is now imprisoned in the Thunder Prison."

Hearing Yuk Seol-jeong's story, Jin Sa-wol had an expressionless face but cast a complicated gaze.

As Jang Cho was captured by the Demonic Cult, only Jin Sa-wol came to Yuk Seol-jeong's mind. The only person who could save Jang Cho was Jin Sa-wol.

"Save him."

Jin Sa-wol could not refuse Yuk Seol-jeong's request.

"Yes."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Yuk Seol-jeong smiled brightly as if she were in a good mood.

(End of Chapter)