Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 623

Song Cheonwoo spoke to So Yeowol.

“We cornered him in the direction of the Death Gate.”

“He wouldn’t have just walked towards the Death Gate, would he?”

“The archers we placed had the desired effect. He must have found it difficult to face the archers who could shoot from a distance.”

So Yeowol frowned in thought.

She couldn’t believe that Pyo Wol had walked so obediently towards the Death Gate.

‘Did he not realize the trap? No, he’s too sharp to miss that.’

The Pyo Wol she knew was incredibly cunning and intelligent.

Just by observing unfolding events, he could discern the bigger picture. He would have surely noticed the archers directing him towards the Death Gate, yet he went. It was unsettling.

‘He must have a plan.’

Consolidating her thoughts, So Yeowol asked Song Cheonwoo.

“You stationed the martial artists sent by the Golden Heavenly Hall at the Death Gate, right?”

“Three hundred and fifty of them, all elites,”

“Got it. Let them be prepared. After all, they’re up against Pyo Wol.”

“They know who Pyo Wol is, so they won’t let their guard down.”

“Our own forces?”

“I’ve stationed the elites of the Blood Demon Corps in strategic places. There’s no way for him to escape.”

Both So Yeowol and Song Cheonwoo were skilled assassins.

Moreover, they had trained alongside Pyo Wol, learning deadly martial techniques.

Not only did they know him well, but they knew his methods like the back of their hands.

She knew how he would behave when cornered, and how he would try to escape, so she deployed the Blood Demon Corps accordingly.

This Blood Demon Corps were a group of assassins nurtured with dedication by both of them.

They had combined the assassin skills they learned from the underground cave with secret techniques they had discovered while operating in Kangho

Song Cheonwoo confidently asserted,

“The Blood Demon Corps has been specially trained to face Pyo Wol. No matter what tactics he uses, it will be impossible to break through them. Even if he does, he’ll have to face the elite warriors of Guryongsalmak. Unless Pyo Wol is a god, there’s no way he can survive.”

So Yeowol remained silent, making Song Cheonwoo frown.

“We designed this trap specifically for Pyo Wol. What’s bothering you?”

“Do we truly know the full extent of Pyo Wol’s capabilities?”

“You think he’s hiding more?”

“Possibly.”

“It doesn’t matter, we’ve got more than that.”

Beyond the Blood Demon Corps and the Guryongsalmak, they also had the support from the Golden Heavenly Hall.

Over three thousand elite warriors were mobilized. All this effort for just one man: Pyo Wol.

Such a grand mobilization of forces to eliminate a single individual was unprecedented.

Song Cheonwoo was convinced there was no escape.

After a moment of looking at him,

So Yeowol finally asked, “What about the ones accompanying Pyo Wol?”

“I’ve sent the Blood Demon Corps after them as well. All the loose ends will be taken care of.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes!”

“Well done. Let’s make our move.”

It wasn’t anyone else, it was Pyo Wol.

The mastermind behind the Grand Heavenly Net was So Yeowol.

The true power of the Grand Heavenly Net is realized when she personally commands it.

That’s why she had to make the move herself.

“I promise you, Pyo Wol, your last breath will be taken by my hand.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

Two men clutched their throats, blood pouring out.

Staggering briefly, they soon fell motionless to the ground.

“Damn it!”

“Tighten the encirclement.”

The fallen men’s comrades yelled to each other.

All were martial artists dispatched by the Golden Heavenly Hall, responsible for guarding the Death Gate.

The Death Gate was literally the gate of death.

Naturally, the most formidable martial artists were tasked with making sure no one got through alive.

However, this meant accepting significant casualties.

Even the martial artists dispatched by the Golden Heavenly Hall knew this. Still, they willingly accepted the role.

Their animosity towards Pyo Wol was immense.

While many did not know it, the elite of the Golden Heavenly Hall knew that Pyo Wol had survived the killing attempts of Dokgo Hwang and the martial artists of the Martial Sword Alliance.

The relationship between the two men was so famous that it was impossible for a martial artist to not know about it.

Upon hearing of Dokgo Hwang’s death, they naturally suspected Pyo Wol’s involvement.

When Dokgo Hwang’s inhumane actions at Sea Gate city put the Golden Heavenly Hall in a tight spot, they blamed him.

If it weren’t for him, they thought, none of this would have happened.

Naturally, their hatred for Pyo Wol pierced the heavens, which is why they volunteered for this mission.

Among them, the hatred of Lee Hyeon-yul, the Thousand Shadow Swordsman, was particularly profound.

He had been quite close to Dokgo Hwang.

While not widely known in Kangho, his skills were formidable.

He was dubbed the Thousand Shadow Swordsman because his blade created a thousand shadows with every swing.

“Pyo Wol!”

He roared, swinging his sword.

Dozens of sword shadows rushed at Pyo Wol. But before they reached him, Pyo Wol had vanished.

Lee Hyeon-yul yelled,

“Seal the gate!”

“Yes!”

The Golden Heavenly Hall martial artists moved efficiently to seal the gate.

Pyo Wol’s retreat was cut off.

Another of Lee Hyeon-yul’s specialties was tactical formation.

Deeply knowledgeable, he could set up a small-scale formation even within the Grand Heavenly Net.

The formation was specifically tailored to trap Pyo Wol.

“Pyo Wol, today you’ll die here. By my very hand…”

Suddenly, Pyo Wol was thrust back into the formation, blocked by the martial artists at the Death Gate.

Lee Hyeon-yul smirked triumphantly.

Whoosh!

Blades and Qi strikes flew towards Pyo Wol, ready to tear him apart.

Yet, Pyo Wol, unruffled, dodged each strike with his snake steps.

His evasive maneuvers resembled that of a serpent.

“You coward!”

“Coward! Face us head-on!”

The martial artists, unable to hide their frustration, turned red with anger.

Lee Hyeon-yul calmed his men, ”

Everyone, remain calm. If you get agitated, we will play into his hands.”

“Yes!”

Upon his command, the martial artists regained their composure.

Swish!

Pyo Wol unleashed his Soul Reaping Thread, attacking both Lee Hyeon-yul and the martial artists.

Given the vast number of martial artists that had been mobilized under the Grand Heavenly Net, it was crucial to conserve energy.

That’s why Pyo Wol chose the Soul Reaping Thread, which was less powerful than the Threaded Serpent Qi.

At the end of the threads, ten blades shimmered ominously.

They were the Ghost Blades, linked in a sequence.

With swift, unpredictable motions, the ten Ghost blades and the soul reaping thread tore through the air.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Ugh!”

“Guh!”

The groans of the martial artists erupted along with the clangs.

The impact of their weapons colliding with the Ghost Blades traveled up their arms, shaking their core.

The force embedded within the seemingly light blades was immensely overpowering, churning their insides.

“Huff!”

“Ugh!”

Caught off guard and unable to control their reactions, the martial artists faltered, and Pyo Wol did not miss the opportunity,

The Ghost Blades Soul Reaping Threads sank in like vipers, cutting off their breathing.

In the blink of an eye, half a dozen martial artists collapsed in a spray of blood.

But then, something changed.

The remaining martial artists, having witnessed the fall of their comrades, altered their stances.
Sharper. More precise.

Whoosh!

Their weapons flew, targeting Pyo Wol’s vital points.

Pyo Wol frowned.

Their reaction was uncharacteristically calm and strategic, especially considering the loss they had just experienced.

Though their faces were flushed with adrenaline, they seemed to be suppressing their emotions.

‘Someone is controlling them.’

At first, Pyo Wol assumed that the leader, Lee Hyeon-yul, was directing them. However, his demeanor mirrored that of the other martial artists, suppressing his excitement.

While fending off the onslaught, Pyo Wol observed the martial artists closely.

Every so often, he caught them tilting their heads, as if listening intently to some distant sound.

‘They are receiving orders through ventriloquism.’

It wasn’t any of the martial artists within his immediate vicinity.

Ventriloquism was a technique of compressing one’s voice into a sound wave and transmitting it to a recipient.

Apart from legendary techniques like “The Luminous Heart-Whisper”, which directly conveys one’s intention into the recipient’s mind, the practitioner would typically need to move their lips.

Yet, none of those attacking Pyo Wol appeared to be practicing this technique.

Swish!

Pyo Wol swung the Soul Reaping Thread with all his might..

Ten ghost blades, each following a unique trajectory, moved through the air as Lee Hyeon-yul and the martial artists dodged like swarming locusts.

Suddenly, Pyo Wol leapt high into the air, ascending rapidly.

He reached a height of about ten yards above the ground and looked around.

Not far from where he was, he spotted a figure atop a nearby tree, veiled in a voluminous robe, observing him intently.

But it wasn’t just one. Numerous figures stood atop trees scattered across the plains, all gazing in his direction.

One particularly close figure seemed to be whispering something.

Instantly, the demeanor of Lee Hyeon-yul and the martial artists shifted.

Pyo Wol also sensed the approach of more martial artists from all directions.

Realization dawned upon Pyo Wol.

While the plains had sporadically tall trees, anyone atop them could have a clear view of the entire landscape, observing even the slightest movement.

The one commanding the Grand Heavenly Net had strategically placed martial artists on these trees. Through sound ventriloquism, they communicated, coordinating their moves.

These tree-top martial artists were special.

They had mastered a specific martial art technique – the “Ten-Li Voice Transmission”, a technique that allowed communication over a distance of more than ten Li.

Dozens of martial artists, proficient in the art of the ‘Ten-Li Voice Transmission Technique,’ were stationed atop trees. This allowed almost real-time exchange of information.

Any movement or tactic employed by Pyo Wol in close vicinity would be swiftly reported via the Ten-Li Voice Transmission Technique. In mere moments, this information would reach the ears of the mastermind residing tens of miles away in the Grand Heavenly Net. Then, directives from this master would be relayed back with similar immediacy, arriving to the martial artists ready to act.

Thus, they launched their assault on Pyo Wol following these commands.

This explained the distorted expressions on the faces of Lee Hyeon-yul and the martial artists.

It wasn’t their personal vendetta fueling the attack.

They were simply obligated to follow the orders of their master.

While their hearts burned with the desire to avenge their fallen comrades immediately, the master commanded them to stall for time.

“Drive him to the Death Gate.”

The voice instruction echoed in Lee Hyeon-yul’s ears.

The master’s order was clear: Herd Pyo Wol towards the Death Gate.

With gritted teeth, Lee Hyeon-yul and his martial artists continued their assault.

Their combined force was overwhelmingly directed at Pyo Wol.

In a split second, Pyo Wol darted in the opposite direction they intended for him.

“No! Seize him! We must drive him to the Death Gate!”

Lee Hyeon-yul shouted involuntarily.

Hearing this, Pyo Wol became certain his speculation was accurate.