Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 537
The battle between Jang Jaryang and Ahn Ji-san was reaching its zenith.
The chiefs of the Ten Thousand Swords Unit and the Snow Flower Swords threw themselves into their respective martial arts techniques.
Their clash resulted in utter devastation in the area.
Three houses were reduced to rubble and the people inside ran out screaming in terror. Despite the chaos, the two men paid no attention to anything but their relentless attack on each other.
Boom! Boom! Bang!
Explosions continued and both men were bruised and battered.
Neither was an opponent to be taken lightly.
Both attacked relentlessly, neglecting defense. As a result, their injuries began to pile up.
“Kuh!”
A groan escaped from Jang Jaryang.
Pushed back by Ahn Ji San’s fierce attack, he tripped over a stone. He quickly regained his balance, but Ahn Ji-san didn’t miss the short opening and went for the kill.
A flicker of despair passed through Jang Jaryang’s eyes.
He instinctively sensed that no matter how he responded, he couldn’t avoid death.
He closed his eyes tightly and waited for death. But no matter how long he waited, the expected pain didn’t come.
Puzzled, Jang Jaryang cautiously opened his eyes.
An unbelievable sight unfolded before his eyes.
Ahn Ji-san was frozen in the stance of delivering the fatal strike.
With just a little more effort, he could have taken Jang Ja Ryang’s life, but he didn’t.
It wasn’t because of Ahn Ji-san’s will.
Four swords were poised at his throat, chest, abdomen, and heart. If Ahn Ji-san moved even slightly forward, he would be divided into five parts.
“What?”
Ahn Ji-san broke out in cold sweat.
Each of the swords pointed at his throat, chest, abdomen, and heart belonged to different people.
All four were martial artists, each wearing a black mask.
Without making a sound or giving off any sign, they silently approached and restrained Ahn Ji-san.
Ahn Ji-san realized that these were not ordinary martial artists.
“Assassins?”
Only assassins could suppress their opponents in such a manner.
But these were not ordinary assassins.
Even though he was focused on subduing Jang Jaryang, it was incredible that he hadn’t noticed them until they were so close.
They were not the typical assassins one would encounter in Kangho.
There was only one place where assassins of such sophistication could be found.
“The Hundred Wraith Union?”
“……”
The assassins didn’t answer.
They were as still as stone statues.
They were merely ensuring that Jang Jaryang could not recklessly move.
At that moment, Jang Jaryang tried to attack Ahn Ji-san.
He didn’t know why the assassins were holding Ahn Ji-san, but he saw it as a golden opportunity to take his life.
Swish!
At that moment, however, a razor-sharp sword leapt from behind him, pointing at his neck.
Any slight movement would result in his throat being cut.
Drip, drip!
Thick beads of sweat rolled down Jang Jaryang’s forehead.
Just then, an old man emerged from the darkness.
The old man, whose face was covered in dark spots, was Sal-no. The ones who had subdued Ahn Ji-san and Jang Jaryang were members of the Black Shadow Assassins.
Sal-no spoke to both men.
“Just stay put for a moment. As long as you stay still, your lives will be spared.”
“Who are you, old man?”
“Haven’t you guessed already?”
Sal-no answered Ahn Ji-san’s question with a laugh.
“Why is the Hundred Wraith Union–?”
“The Supreme One has business here. We don’t want to inconvenience him.”
“The Supreme One? You mean the leader of the Hundred Wraith Union is here?”
This time the question came from Jang Jaryang, not Ahn Ji-san.
Sal-no nodded again in response.
The faces of Ahn Ji-san and Jang Jaryang went pale.
They had heard much about the Hundred Wraith Union, but they had underestimated them.
No matter how infamous they were, they had dismissed them as a mere band of insignificant assassins. But the martial prowess of the Hundred Wraith Union they were now witnessing was beyond their imagination.
Ahn Ji-san shouted out.
“Do you think the Hundred Wraith Union will survive this? My men won’t stand by.”
“There’s no need for you to worry about us. Your men will be taken care of soon.”
“What?”
“Listen carefully. Isn’t the quietness of the streets rather pleasing?”
Sal-no wore a satisfied smile.
His smile looked like a devil’s grin to the two men.
＊＊＊
The martial artists of the patrol squad moved cautiously through the night streets.
“Something’s off, right?”
“What is?”
“It’s strange. It’s too quiet.”
The expression of the eldest woman in the group grew grave.
Ordered to find out what was happening in Duchang, they had come this far.
One of the pieces of information they’d received was that there was a big battle in Duchang.
Because of this, they were highly tense.
But the streets were quiet.
The streets were littered with signs of a fight.
Had it not been for the traces of blood and broken houses, they would not have believed that a battle had taken place here.
It was clear that a fierce battle had just taken place. The problem was that they could not see any of those who had fought so fiercely.
Where there’s a winner, there’s bound to be a loser.
The loser should either be incapacitated by injuries, or dead and strewn across the road. But there was no one in sight on these streets.
Neither winners nor losers.
It was as if the entire street held its breath.
The patrol squad could not comprehend the current situation.
Suddenly, a cold sweat broke out on the forehead of the eldest woman.
The shifting atmosphere was unnerving.
She had never seen the streets so quiet before.
“What’s going on?”
The patrol squad had been left in shambles because of Hong Ye-seol and her companions.
The group had suffered both mental and physical blows, leading to the destruction of their signature warriors, Lee Chee-su and the frost flame twins.
Because of this, they were greatly weakened, both in body and spirit. Confronted with this unfamiliar landscape in such a dire state, their hearts were deeply shaken.
“Everyone….”
Just as the eldest woman tried to issue a warning amidst her uneasy premonition,
Swish!
Suddenly, a sharply honed sword appeared from behind her, aiming for her throat.
“Gasp!”
“Mmm!”
The moans of the patrol members followed one after the other.
Their throats were also threatened by the cold blades.
Like statues, the martial artists of the patrol could not move. Any movement and the sword at their throats would strike.
“Ah!”
Someone whimpered.
Overwhelmed by fear, they shivered uncontrollably.
The nightmare of that day resurfaced.
The memory of that day when they could not move and were mercilessly defeated.
It was then.
“The patrol squad, huh.”
It was a voice they could never forget.
At that moment, a woman emerged, cutting through the darkness.
At a quick glance, she seemed ordinary, but once seen, her peculiar charm made it impossible to look away.
It was Hong Ye-Seol.
The martial artists of the patrol squad recognized Hong Ye-Seol.
The woman who ruthlessly crushed their Frost-Flame twins was none other than Hong Ye-seol.
Her face was one they could never forget.
With the arrival of Hong Ye-seol, the martial artists of the Patrol Squad closed their eyes tightly.
‘Of all people…’
This was the worst possible scenario they could have imagined.
They had no idea how to get out of this mess.
Then, Hong Ye-Seol opened her mouth.
“I’ll give you a chance to live.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
In response to the elder woman’s question, Hong Ye-Seol smiled. But her smile was enough to send shivers down the spines of the onlookers.
Hong Ye-Seol pointed towards the pier.
“You just need to quietly retreat, board a boat and leave Duchang, head to your original destination.”
“If we do that, will you let us go?”
“Of course. You think we’re blood-thirsty killers?”
The elder woman almost lost her temper at Hong Ye-Seol’s words.
‘You are bloodthirsty killers.’
Her voice echoed only within the confines of her mouth.
She didn’t want to provoke Hong Ye-Seol and incur her wrath.
She had suffered enough.
She just wanted to get back to the Golden Heavenly Hall, report back, and rest.
Hong Ye-Seol did not miss the mental and physical fatigue on the faces of the patrol squad
Those who are so mentally broken tend to give up everything at the slightest shock.
Just like now.
The patrol squad turned around feebly.
Hong Ye-Seol, looking at their retreating figures, wore an even deeper smile.
‘Everything’s falling into place now.’
Those who entered Duchang were not only Hong Ye-Seol and the Black Shadow Assassins.
Thunder Eye, Blood Rain, Death Shadow, and even the Ten Blood Assassins had come out to support.
They intervened and suppressed the fights that were taking place all over Duchang.
If these battles had taken place during the day, even if it was the Hundred Wraith Union, they wouldn’t have been able to subdue them so easily.
Unluckily for the other martial artists, it was night now. Moreover, they were preoccupied, battling amongst themselves.
That’s why the Hundred Wraith Union could easily suppress them.
Hong Ye-Seol’s eyes turned to a particularly dark street in Duchang.
***
Shiver!
Namgung Seol’s shoulders subtly shook.
The darkness of the street wasn’t just her illusion.
Even the lamps that faintly lit the street were all out, and the street was engulfed in perfect darkness.
Even the martial artists from Snow Flower Swords, who had just fought Do Yeonsan so fiercely, seemed to have been swallowed up by the darkness.
Something was there in the middle of the darkness.
Namgung Seol focused the internal energy on her eyes.
Despite pushing her eyesight to the limit, she couldn’t make out what was in the middle of the darkness.
The darkness was rippling, as if that part alone was another world.
Namgung Seol held up her sword and shouted.
“Who is it?”
But the dark figure did not respond to her shout.
Namgung Seol shouted once more.
“Reveal your identity.”
Whoosh!
With the roar filled with her full internal energy, the air around them stirred.
When there was still no response, Namgung Seol pointed her sword at Eun-yo’s throat.
“If you do not come out now, I will take this child’s life.”
Whether her threat worked or not, someone emerged from the darkness.
A stark white face, eerily prominent even in the thick darkness.
As soon as she saw that beautiful, out-of-this-world face, Namgung Seol recognised who it was.
“Pyo Wol! Why are you here?”
Her voice shook, indicating her surprise.
Although she was Namgung Seol, who looked down upon many people from her high position, there were a few people she did not dare to do so with.
One of those few was Pyo Wol.
He may not be the strongest in the current Kkangho, but he was arguably the most dangerous man.
Namgung Seol asked,
“What is your connection with this child that you’d step forward?”
She secretly amassed her Qi.
If it came to that, she was ready to take Eun-yo’s life.
Against a master like Pyo Wol, a bluff wouldn’t work.
It was certain that a threat based on a lie would quickly be exposed.
She had to threaten him with real intent to kill.
Pyo Wol did not respond.
His silent figure seemed like a lifeless doll.
“Could it be?”
It was then.
Like a lie, Pyo Wol’s figure wavered and disappeared.
“Illusion?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Namgung Seol plunged her sword straight into Eun-yo. But she didn’t feel any contact.
She turned her head to where Eun-yo had been, only to find it empty. Then, Pyo Wol’s voice reached her.
“She’s a younger sister I cherish.”
In the direction from which the voice came, Pyo Wol was standing holding Eun-yo.
He had deceived Namgung Seol’s senses with the demonic shadow exchange and rescued Eun-yo.
“How dare you!”
Namgung Seol’s face twisted in humiliation.
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