I killed them indiscriminately.

Normally, I would’ve checked their faces, exchanged some words, even given them a chance to escape, but this time I couldn’t do that.

It was because they had ambushed us as a group. As I was killing them, it occurred to me that I didn’t like these retainers in the first place.

These retainers never worked and just leached off powerful factions while biding their time.

They lazed around, ate well, and were even treated nicely.

Maybe that’s why their skills were fairly impressive. Chains shrouded in faint energy passed before my eyes, there was even a skilled fighter using an iron fan and magistrate’s brush, and others wielding strange, nameless weapons had considerable internal energy too.

In the past, it probably would’ve been a tough fight, but as I was facing these retainers, I realized there was a clear gap in level.

Of course, my level was higher.

Even though I knew they weren’t lacking in skill, the fight wasn’t difficult. That was because I instinctively knew how to respond and what attack to use at every moment. When the decision was too complicated, I just crushed them with speed.

Killing and moving before thinking.

There was one man among them clearly of a much higher level.

Eldest Brother’s movements looked freer than usual. Only restrained motions meant to kill flowed neatly from him.

A hidden weapon aimed at Eldest Brother sliced through the air and lodged itself in the forehead of another retainer, and a dagger meant for me passed near my neck and struck another retainer in the eyeball.

The two of us were surrounded by many, but we fought as if dragging the tightening net of the encirclement along with us.

It was like the net that had tried to trap us was being dragged behind us.

Anyway, as they started hurting each other with thrown weapons, those kinds of attacks gradually decreased.

Thanks to that, the fight became easier.

A little later, the retainers widened the distance slightly and steadied their breathing while maintaining their formation.

It looked like they felt their tactics weren’t working at all. I glared at the ones who had formed the encirclement and stabbed the sword once into each of the corpses lying around.

Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!

Since someone pretending to be dead could launch a surprise attack, I looked over the fallen again. I looked around, trying to find who had taken command after the Pagoda King’s death. But since everyone kept their mouths tightly shut, it wasn’t easy. I thought maybe there wasn’t a commander at all. Since it wasn’t a strictly hierarchical organization in the first place, just a bunch of retainers gathered for money, that made sense.

From behind, Eldest Brother asked me,

"......Any reason you're holding back in this fight?"

"I shouldn’t get tired. Another expert could show up as soon as we finish killing them."

"Got it."

Eldest Brother probably thought I was holding back because I hadn’t used Flame Technique, Thunder Energy, or Ice Arts.

But now, just swinging the sword was enough.

Since they hadn’t broken formation, I charged again. My direction was toward the frozen retainers I had immobilized earlier with Ice Arts. They had been hit by the technique but were still breathing, and thanks to the other retainers chasing after me, they died standing.

Only then did some of the retainers shout.

"Careful!"

Since there were so many people, the ones who were utterly brutal and the ones who didn’t want to kill allies began to split apart.

That’s how internal conflict begins.

I intentionally wove through the frozen ones so they’d kill each other. They lacked any proper justification from the start, so it was obvious they’d argue later over these deaths.

I sheathed One-Kill and pulled over the grotesque greatsword lying on the ground with Heavenly Pearl Absorption and grabbed it.

Clack!

The One-Kill Sword had the advantage of feeling almost weightless.

The grotesque greatsword felt heavy even when I held it.

The heavier it is, the better it is for beating multiple enemies to death. Also, the blade’s wide surface made it easy to block attacks even without internal energy. On top of that, since it was a weapon that had held up even against the Bright Sword’s blade, when I swung it combining both internal and external power, even those who had defended well couldn’t keep their balance.

Nearby, Eldest Brother maintained his distance from me and swung the Bright Sword.

I wielded the grotesque greatsword and unleashed the heavy sword style. I swung with external energy, and when the trajectory was off and needed adjusting, I added internal energy. When a strike needed power, I drove both internal and external energy into a single point.

Every strike had a satisfying feel to it.

That was because I launched both weapons and bodies at the same time.

With a crack sound, the retainers holding twisted weapons were either slammed into the ground and died while still standing or flew horizontally and crashed into their allies.

Not many enemies managed to block a single strike, since the greatsword’s massive weight was enhanced by both internal and external power.

For the first time in a while, I launched a merciless slaughter.

I hadn’t forgotten the reason for this slaughter.

Whether righteous or demonic, ambushing someone who had just finished a one-on-one duel was exactly the kind of thing I despised the most in the martial world.

People like that aren’t needed in a Jianghu I live in.

Whether I’m the Crazy Demon or in some post-demonic state or whatever, it’s right that I kill them.

Of course, back in the days when I was just a lowly jomsoi, I wouldn’t have been able to.

But now that I’m becoming the jomsoi of the era, it wasn’t hard to beat them all to death. And it’s not like I’m the only brutal one here. Eldest Brother also sent retainers flying into the sky with terrifying force.

He must’ve had some kind of revelation, because his use of the Lonely Central Sword was much smoother than before. Rather than blindly attacking with force, he connected only the most optimal strikes, forcing the Pagoda King into a defensive stance.

It meant his swordsmanship had risen another level.

Since the Pagoda King had been the leader of the retainer group, there was no way the others could withstand Eldest Brother’s attacks.

Only after fifty or sixty people were brutally slaughtered did more and more start fleeing, as if they were finally feeling the infamy of the former Left Guardian and former jomsoi firsthand.

In truth, it’s rare to see demonic troops running away.

But if these people weren’t true cultists but mere retainers, then maybe it wasn’t so strange.

They were just a bunch who had gathered for money.

Trash with no reason to give their lives for another clan. Money truly is terrifying, but in the end, it leads to an empty death like this.

Eldest Brother and I beat to death those who had gathered for money, and chased off a few of them in the end.

Just as I was starting to taste bitterness in my mouth...

The only one still standing nearby was Eldest Brother. Commander Geumho and Commander Eunyong had disappeared at some point, so I asked Eldest Brother,

"Do commanders run away too?"

He shook his head.

"Rarely."

Then suddenly, he checked whether the Seven Killers of Yunnan had fled. I already knew what I had served them was garbage, but seeing Eldest Brother confirm the cooks’ escape route even in a situation like this left me speechless.

But the Killers, camped near the wall, didn’t look like they were planning to flee. Maybe because Manbak Magun had internal injuries and couldn’t run far?

As I watched their expressions, I realized they hadn’t managed to escape. They weren’t looking at us—but watching something behind us.

"......"

When I turned, some of the fleeing retainers were being killed by black-clad figures. They were cutting down the retainers, but I couldn’t immediately tell if they were allies or enemies.

A sudden influx of spectacle.

From Baek Eung-ji’s direction, a man pulling a cart was approaching. He wore a bamboo hat low over his face, so I couldn’t tell whether he was an enemy or ally.

In the northwest and southwest directions, black-clad figures were steadily increasing.

Most of the retainers fleeing this way were being cut down by the black-clad ones.

Eldest Brother and I returned to the entrance of Zaha Inn to greet the man dragging the cart with steady steps.

The man stopped at the entrance, then lifted his bamboo hat.

It was Deungnyang of the Muga. He tapped the barrels of liquor in the cart and spoke to us.

"Have a drink. Just passing through."

Eldest Brother and I approached Deungnyang. For some reason, Eldest Brother seemed much more cheerful in his demeanor than before when dealing with people.

Eldest Brother spoke first.

"Deung the Martial Artist."

"Yes."

"How did you end up all the way out here again?"

As he pulled out a barrel of liquor, Deungnyang replied,

"I judged that this wasn't a fight where I could help with martial arts. From the beginning, I was observing the situation, thinking I might at least deliver some food, but the location was too open, so I couldn’t approach secretly."

Deungnyang diligently unloaded food and barrels of liquor from the cart.

"We’ve been mainly monitoring the movements in the area, and it seems several carriages—ones you don’t often see—have been spotted in various places."

I noticed something in the cart covered with straw. When I reached out to touch it, Deungnyang extended his hand to stop me.

"Ah, please don’t touch that."

"What is it?"

Deungnyang looked at me.

"If it catches fire, it explodes."

"Hmm."

"If we get surrounded by a large force, it’s unavoidable."

Deungnyang smiled and glanced at both Eldest Brother and me.

"Anyway, please enjoy the food. I’ll be getting back to work."

Deungnyang looked over at the Seven Killers of Yunnan and pointed toward the barrels.

"There’s a lot, so the Seven Killers of Yunnan can join in too. Go ahead and take some."

"Take care."

Grabbing the now-empty cart, Deungnyang moved again in the southeast direction. Though it looked like an empty cart, if set ablaze it would explode in all directions—a cart of fire. He was the kind of man who was both amusing and terrifying, a man worth watching.

Meanwhile, the black-clad figures had lined up like a long shadow across the horizon.

Naturally, I asked Eldest Brother,

"Who are those guys?"

He answered,

"Black Forest Vanguard Unit. Members of the inner division who rarely move."

"Did the Cult Leader come?"

"He must be somewhere."

"Why did they start killing the retainers without warning?"

"If their unit leader told them to kill, they would’ve done so without any particular reason. They’re the kind who’d kill anyone, even allies or outer division members, if they’re deemed to be fleeing."

I nodded.

"The inner division is more like the true demonic cult."

Since there was food and liquor right in front of me, there was no reason for me to draw my sword again and charge the vanguard unit. For now, I told the Seven Killers of Yunnan to move the food and liquor, and entered the inn with Eldest Brother.

Maybe because Eldest Brother and I had gone wild, the Seven Killers didn’t make eye contact with us this time.

I wasn’t hungry just yet, so I used a long ladle hanging from a bamboo stick to scoop out some liquor. Eldest Brother took a sip and gave a relaxed laugh.

It must have been cooler than he expected—an amused, surprised laugh.

I scooped some out with the ladle too and took a sip. It was cool, like it had been drawn from a mountain stream. As Eldest Brother and I shared drinks, Manbak Magun, who had been resting on a bench, opened his mouth.

"How could you drink something a stranger just gives you like that? Without even checking for poison first. A man of the martial world should be cautious."

I nodded and said to Manbak Magun,

"Then don’t drink. The rest of the Six Killers can come and have a cup. And if you’re such a cautious bastard, why did you get your ass handed to you by me?"

The Six Killers approached and scooped out some liquor.

Eldest Brother walked over to the bench, sat down, and gave an order to the Six Killers.

"After you drink, set up the tables. Seems like a guest will be arriving soon, and we can’t receive them sitting on a bench."

One of them asked me,

"How are we supposed to arrange the tables?"

"What do you mean how? This is an inn, so arrange them like it’s an inn."

"Hmm, understood."

I grabbed two servings of bamboo-wrapped food and sat on the bench with Eldest Brother to eat. Eldest Brother paused in the middle of eating and suddenly let out a hollow laugh. Even when I asked why he was laughing, he didn’t answer.

At any rate, he looked like a general returning from a victorious campaign.

After finishing off the food cleanly and preparing to drink, a familiar man appeared at the entrance to Zaha Inn and looked at us.

It was such a bewildering reunion that I momentarily lost my words.

Elder Heo’s disciple was the first to bow his head.

"Master of the Inn, and Senior. It’s been a while. This is Yongmyeong."

His attire had changed from when we saw him at Blood Night Palace.

Standing at the entrance, Yongmyeong asked for permission.

"May I come in?"

I nodded.

"Come in."

As far as I remember, the Cult Leader had told Elder Heo that he would be keeping Yongmyeong. If that had actually come true, then Yongmyeong had come here as the Cult Leader’s envoy. If it had just been empty words, then he likely brought news about Elder Heo.

I didn’t hold any grudge against Yongmyeong.

But whatever it was, it was clearly going to be bad news, and that made me uneasy.

Yongmyeong had only taken two steps forward when Eldest Brother spoke.

"Yongmyeong."

Yongmyeong stopped walking and answered,

"Yes, Senior."

Eldest Brother looked at Yongmyeong and said in a calm tone,

"Your killing intent is too strong."

"Is that so?"

Yongmyeong took two steps back and stopped where he had been originally.

Eldest Brother said,

"Speak your business first, then come in."

With a complicated expression, Yongmyeong answered,

"The Cult Leader ordered me to retrieve the One-Kill Sword, so I’ve come."

This time, everyone looked at me. I tilted my head, then replied.

"How exactly are you going to retrieve it?"

Yongmyeong answered,

"I don’t know. I ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ received the order, so I have no choice but to carry it out."

I stared at Yongmyeong’s expression and eyes for a moment.

I wondered if he had been threatened by the Cult Leader. After all, in my previous life, the Blood Night Palace had been annihilated by the demonic cult.

When I looked at Eldest Brother, his gaze was locked on Yongmyeong.

If Yongmyeong made a move, Eldest Brother looked ready to draw his sword.

After thinking it over, I asked Yongmyeong,

"Would it be enough to just give the One-Kill Sword back?"

Yongmyeong closed his eyes briefly, frowned slightly, then opened them again.

"Master."

"Yeah?"

"If you gave it back so easily, the Cult Leader would just order me to bring it again."

"Hah..."

I was dumbfounded too.

"What exactly does he want? What did the Cult Leader say?"

Yongmyeong said,

"He gave me a choice—to either reprimand the Blood Night Palace, or retrieve the One-Kill Sword. And the method of retrieval surely doesn’t mean just asking for it. I can’t afford to insult the Cult Leader."

"So, it means one of us has to die?"

Yongmyeong answered,

"Seems he wants to see who truly inherited Elder Heo’s teachings. The One-Kill Sword is originally meant to be held by the greatest assassin of the era. Just like how my master once held it."

I conveyed my thoughts to Yongmyeong.

"The greatest assassin of this era is me."

This time, Yongmyeong answered immediately.

"That’s why I came to challenge you. If I fight half-heartedly, everyone in the Blood Night Palace will be killed."

"Is that the Cult Leader?"

"Yes."

In that moment, I looked at Eldest Brother, filled with anger. He let out a sigh and said to Yongmyeong,

"The liquor was brought by a friend from the martial world. It’s not poisoned. Will you drink?"

Yongmyeong answered simply.

"Yes."

As Eldest Brother pointed to the liquor barrel, Yongmyeong approached, scooped it out with the ladle, and poured it over his face like a wash.

I asked Yongmyeong, who had just drunk the liquor,

"When will we finally be free from being the Cult Leader’s playthings?"

Yongmyeong wiped his mouth and answered.

"Master, you’re not the Cult Leader’s plaything."

"Why not?"

Yongmyeong looked at me.

"Because you’ve been fighting against him the whole time."