“Cough!”

White Rat’s eyes went wide.

“L-Lord.”

Yangcheon slowly opened his eyes. For some reason, the unfocused gaze carried deep exhaustion.

“...White Rat.”

“Yes, Lord. Are you all right?”

Yangcheon didn’t answer. He closed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and checked his condition—only then did he speak.

“Did I collapse?”

His tone was calm.

It was the voice of an absolute ruler who never lost composure, no matter the circumstances. Only then did White Rat truly feel it—his lord had come to.

“Yes.”

“What did the physician say?”

“We still [N O V E L I G H T] haven’t found the exact cause.”

“Hm.”

“However...”

“Speak.”

White Rat’s lips moved for a moment. Then, as if making a decision, White Rat put strength into the voice.

“The Director of the Intelligence Division examined your pulse and said that something unusual was felt from the wound on your chest.”

In an instant, Yangcheon’s eyes flashed.

“My chest?”

“Yes. Given the situation, I committed the offense of entrusting even your pulse to the Director of the Intelligence Division. Please forgive me.”

It wasn’t something to beg forgiveness for. If anything, White Rat’s effort—trying to uncover the cause no matter what—was commendable.

Still, it was unexpected that the Director of the Intelligence Division had seen through something even the physician hadn’t.

“Where is the Director of the Intelligence Division now?”

“Well...”

Yangcheon looked at White Rat.

An uncharacteristically awkward expression was plain on White Rat’s face. Astonishingly, there was even a hint of regret.

Yangcheon instinctively realized something was wrong.

“Explain. What happened after I collapsed.”

“I obey.”

White Rat lowered the head deeply and recounted everything that had happened, without omission.

Yangcheon’s face twisted viciously.

“Black Sheep—him?!”

“Yes.”

He had known that man was still connected to the Perverse Lust Cult. But he had never imagined such open betrayal.

Worse, the Director of the Intelligence Division had said Yangcheon collapsed because of the scar on the chest.

Leaving aside how he knew it, that scar was the injury inflicted by the Perverse Lust Cult Leader’s Yin Desolation Divine Palm. And now Black Sheep had betrayed him.

In Yangcheon’s mind, things began clicking together one after another.

“Did you imprison him in the Brain Prison?”

“Yes. However, it seems the Director of the Intelligence Division felt urgency while capturing him. Black Sheep is in a severely damaged state.”

“As long as he’s alive, it’s enough.”

Yangcheon sat up.

The aura of an absolute ruler pouring from the body made White Rat’s breath seize in the throat.

“As long as he’s alive.”

“And...”

White Rat clenched his teeth.

Black Sheep being a traitor was a huge shock, but in truth, something else was even more shocking.

“The Director of the Intelligence Division... seems to have died.”

Killing Intent gathered in Yangcheon’s eyes.

“Explain. In detail!”

*****

“Hah...!”

Je Gal Ahyeon panted.

BAAANG!

Yeon Hojeong moved to the side in a flash and placed a hand on her life meridian.

WUUUUNG.

He used Black Tortoise Qi to create a channel for True Qi to seep through, then poured Azure Dragon Qi into that channel. Unless there was an immediate, severe cardiopulmonary problem, Azure Dragon Qi would be more suitable than the rough White Tiger Qi.

WUUUUNG.

Color returned to Je Gal Ahyeon’s face.

“Thanks.”

“No.”

Azure Dragon Qi could blast away fatigue, and Black Tortoise Qi could draw out turbid qi to a degree, but none of that was a fundamental solution.

And it wasn’t only Je Gal Ahyeon. Tang Sang-a—of course—but also Ga Deoksang and Pae Yul had burned through a significant amount of Inner Qi. Stamina was a problem, but the bigger problem was Inner Qi slowly hitting the bottom.

“Damn it. I wasn’t even getting excited.”

In urgent situations, you weren’t supposed to stiffen up. Je Gal Ahyeon complained in a joking voice.

“You think you were the only one excited? Everyone was.”

“Grr.”

“What was that weird sound.”

“I had nothing else to say.”

It was meant to lighten the mood, but dozens of civilians had died. The mood wasn’t going to loosen easily.

Yeon Hojeong asked Ga Deoksang.

“Where’s Gangryang?”

“See that peak with moonlight hanging on it? Waiting there.”

“Then at most, we’ll meet in half a shichen.”

Yeon Hojeong asked Pae Yul.

“Senior, are you all right?”

“What do you take me for? I can run three more days.”

“Within three shichen, this ends.”

“Didn’t I say three days?”

“Fine.”

Pae Yul glared viciously—

and that was the end of it. Either way, if Yeon Hojeong hadn’t shown up in time, all of Changsha could have turned into hell. No amount of thanks would have been enough.

“And the Tang?”

“I’m fine.”

“You really do look like you’ve got room to spare. Good stamina.”

Tang Sang-a forced a smile. She said she was fine, but her fatigue had piled up, too.

Pae Yul asked Yeon Hojeong.

“And the spear?”

“I left it behind. I figured that way they’d believe I’m dead.”

“Mm.”

Yeon Hojeong was strong enough barehanded. But with a polearm, he was far stronger.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“We’ve opened some distance. Unless something goes wrong, if we keep running half a day along this route, the situation ends.”

“That’s the problem. Something could go wrong.”

“We’ll manage.”

Pae Yul’s eyes narrowed.

We’ll manage? It was hard to believe those words had come out of Yeon Hojeong’s mouth.

WUUUUNG.

Yeon Hojeong opened his vision.

So Gangryang is there.

Near Cheonja Mountain at the northernmost edge of Hunan Province.

Once they crossed Cheonja Mountain, it would be Hubei from then on. The moment they entered Hubei Province, Ink Dragon Manor’s forces would have no choice but to stop pursuing.

“Come on. Just a little more. Push it.”

BAAANG!

They ran again.

A cycle of brief rests and full-force flight. Their speed was enough, but their stamina was visibly dropping.

How much time passed like that—

“....”

From the rear, Yeon Hojeong’s gaze deepened.

“Senior.” 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

“Speak.”

“Just in case, I’ll check the rear. Lead the squad members and go on ahead.”

In that instant, Pae Yul’s eyes flashed.

In the dark night, their eyes met in midair and sparked—silent conversation the others, exhausted in body and mind, didn’t notice.

[Are they on us?]

[Yes.]

[Strong?]

[If we don’t cut them off, it’ll be hard.]

[Damn it.]

Pae Yul tried to insist on going himself.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong gave a slight shake of the head.

[Please take care of the squad members.]

[...]

[That’s an order as operational-team leader.]

Pae Yul clenched his teeth and turned away.

FLAP!

Pae Yul stripped off the wind cloak and threw it to Yeon Hojeong, then barked out, short and hard.

“Move!”

BAAANG.

The three followed after Pae Yul and ran out.

Yeon Hojeong smiled as he watched them go—then his eyes met Je Gal Ahyeon’s.

Je Gal Ahyeon’s eyes were shaking violently. Even in exhaustion, Je Gal Ahyeon understood why Yeon Hojeong had said he’d check the rear.

Yeon Hojeong smiled and waved a hand. Don’t worry—that was what it meant.

Step.

One by one, all of them disappeared from Yeon Hojeong’s view.

BAAANG!

Yeon Hojeong turned back the way they had come and shot off with an explosive burst.

There.

No sign of the Soul-Slaughter Band. That was only natural—they’d already opened more than twenty li.

Which meant—

They’re strong enough to catch up after starting earlier than the Soul-Slaughter Band—and overtake them by far.

Yeon Hojeong drew a light breath.

“Yeah. Nothing in this world comes easy.”

Ssshh.

Yeon Hojeong eased the stance smoothly, suppressed the Four Spirit Qi, and pulled the Wall of Martial Arts to its limit.

WUUUUNG.

The Wall of Martial Arts resonated with the air. A blue current like clear sky settled into his pupils.

Here. Come here.

WHIIIIII—

The wind that blew in was cold.

The air was writhing. The masters who had been approaching spread out suddenly condensed into a single point, sharpening into a formation like an awl.

And the point they targeted was Yeon Hojeong.

Sorry, but you’re not setting foot in Cheonja Mountain.

FLAP!

Yeon Hojeong stripped off the long robe and burned it away with Vermilion Bird Qi, then pulled on Pae Yul’s wind cloak.

He pulled the hood up, covering above the bridge of the nose. More than half his expression disappeared.

“Hooo...”

Yeon Hojeong slowly exhaled, loosening the body.

How long passed like that—

Step.

On the dark mountain path, someone’s foot crunched down on fallen leaves.

Yeon Hojeong still had his eyes closed, breathing out. An Inner Qi master’s breath ran longer and steadier than a normal person’s, but Yeon Hojeong’s breathing was especially long even among them.

Step, step.

Had they decided there was no other threat?

In the darkness, more than thirty masters began to reveal themselves, one by one.

“...”

A strange silence settled.

After a moment, someone asked.

“The collapse at Ink Dragon Manor’s entrance. The unknown master who annihilated Soul-Slaughter Band Squads Three and Four. The suspicious group suspected of having some connection to the Mo Yong Clan.”

“...”

“Where is the rest of the group?”

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong took a deep breath in.

WUUUUNG.

The Wall of Martial Arts surrounding his entire body flared brighter, scattering a more intense, more ornate blue light.

The speaker stared at Yeon Hojeong and opened the mouth again.

“I’ll ask one last time. Where is the group—”

Yeon Hojeong’s breath stopped.

“Hup!”

PUUUUK!

The speaker’s head exploded into pieces.

Yeon Hojeong had closed the distance like a beam of light and crushed the head in a single blow. His eyes were already filled with the majesty of the mountain king.

Grrrrr...

A beast’s growl leaked from Yeon Hojeong’s mouth.

It was the cry of a demonic beast—on a different level from Blue Tiger’s roar.

“Kill him!”

BAAANG!

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

Fast.

Even after the leader died, there wasn’t the slightest hint of shaking. The aura said so.

And these movements—so efficient, with no waste.

Death-Soul Team?

Ink Dragon Manor’s assassination specialty squad.

A different class entirely from the Soul-Slaughter Band—those murder-ghosts. Within Ink Dragon Manor, the unit that embodied absolute intent to kill—the death squad—was the Death-Soul Team.

And if the Death-Soul Team had deployed, that meant—

Yangcheon woke up!

WHIIIIII—KRRRROOOOOM!

An explosive strike of Tiger King’s Nine-Wall Breaker launched three Death-Soul Team members away.

If you only heard the sound, you’d think some kind of firebomb had detonated. The punch was that powerful, yet the three who flew back only staggered for a moment—they didn’t die.

Yeon Hojeong’s brow tightened.

BAAANG!

Four Narrow-Edge Blades shot in from exquisitely chosen angles.

But the Killing Intent loaded into the blades was too faint. It was hard to believe they were even swinging to kill.

FLAP-FLAP-FLAP!

The wind cloak snapped in a flourish as Yeon Hojeong dodged all four Narrow-Edge Blades.

Yeon Hojeong’s legs whipped like a windmill.

PABABABAK!

Four hits—one each.

But not a single one died. Death-Soul Team members waiting in the rear immediately closed in and dispersed the force.

Damn it.

Their ability to disperse force was absurdly good. One-on-one, he was confident he could decide it within three exchanges at most—but the more their numbers grew, the harder it became to process them, exponentially.

“Damn it. This is going to drag out.”

He had no choice. For the group, for the mission, and for himself, he had to put these bastards down somehow.

If I don’t deal with them, then Yangcheon will truly move. No—maybe Yangcheon already has.

Yeon Hojeong’s cheek twitched.

If anything, go to Mo Yonggun.

WHOOSH!

Vermilion Bird Qi surged up, and the extreme killing art—Red-Flame Six-Kill Art—showed itself.

PUUUUNG!

At that same time—

The Evil-Smiting Corps entered Cheonja Mountain.