The sun was just beginning to set when three men in black martial robes entered the streets of Hefei. On the chest of their robes was embroidered the plum blossom crest of the Mount Hua Sect.
“Master, is this Hefei?”
The youngest-looking of the three lifted his bamboo hat and gazed at the street. He was Yu Kang, the first disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Another man beside him also lifted his bamboo hat and nodded.
“Yes. This is Hefei, one of the greatest cities of the Central Plains.”
“Is this where the famous Namgung family resides?”
“That’s right. This is the city where the Heavenly Dragon Sword Sovereign, one of the ten great masters under the heavens, lives. That is why we must be careful, very careful, not to offend the Namgung family in any way…”
“Will we be able to meet the Sword Sovereign?”
Yu Kang’s eyes sparkled brightly. In contrast, the man who looked at Yu Kang had eyes that grew dim.
“Yu Kang, I’ll say this in advance…”
“At least we’ll be able to see the swords of Namgung, right?”
“We did not come here for sightseeing…”
“Perhaps we might even cross swords with them?”
“We came to congratulate the Namgung family on their joyous occasion…”
“Master, isn’t it like drinking water when you’ve already gone out to relieve yourself?”
“No. Where did you even learn such words?”
Yu Kang puffed out his chest proudly, but his master pressed down firmly on his shoulder.
‘Why did the Sect Leader insist on bringing Yu Kang of all people…’
Recovering the lost Great Rebirth Pill was understandable. It was also clear that the pill had fallen into the hands of a child of the Namgung family and was taken back to their clan. Since they could not openly declare their purpose of retrieving the pill, visiting under the pretense of congratulating the Namgung family was acceptable.
But why… why…
‘Take Yu Kang with you. Who knows? Perhaps he will befriend the Namgung child and easily discover the whereabouts of the Great Rebirth Pill.’
‘To avoid suspicion from Namgung, it would be best to bring Yu Kang along.’
Yu Kang was a newcomer to the Martial World. Though he had joined the Plum Blossom Sword Masters some time ago, he was still young and had never been entrusted with a true mission. Thus, this journey into the Martial World was both his first descent from the mountain and his first mission.
Perhaps that was why he was overly excited. The master sighed deeply, then gripped Yu Kang’s shoulder with a gaze more serious than ever.
“Remember this, Yu Kang. Our purpose is to congratulate the Namgung family. We must not cause any disturbance.”
“Yes, Master! You can count on me!”
You are the one I worry about most. The master answered only with another sigh and turned his gaze toward the lively streets of Hefei. Even as the day waned, the city was still bustling with life.
There was a faint sense of disorder in the air, fitting for a place that served as the key junction between the north and south of the Central Plains.
“Let’s go. The sun will soon set. Tonight, we’ll stay at a nearby inn, so let us hurry.”
The three of them soon blended into the crowd of Hefei.
Dressed now in black martial attire, Seolhwa stepped outside.
“Oh my! Even dark colors suit you so well, Young Lady!”
Choryeon smiled brightly as she handed Seolhwa a strip of black cloth. Seolhwa tied her hair tightly and wrapped the cloth around her lower face, covering her jaw. Her appearance now was that of a true assassin, one who melted into the shadows and moved in silence.
When Choryeon met the sharp gleam in Seolhwa’s eyes above the cloth, she swallowed hard. Those eyes were filled with killing intent, like the gaze of a predator that never let its prey escape.
“…As promised, you’ll leave me out of this, won’t you? I’ll just stay here and sleep.”
Choryeon had pretended to collapse earlier to deceive Seop Mugwang. Though she had helped Seolhwa to avoid exposing her true identity, being involved in this matter was no less dangerous for her.
Seolhwa nodded.
Unless she erased her past and lived anew, the Blood King’s Poison would always bind her actions. If she was going to use someone, it was best to keep it hidden so she could use them longer.
“Take care of yourself, Young Lady.”
Choryeon bowed deeply. Leaving her behind, Seolhwa slipped out the window.
Tap, tatat!
Within the Inner Hall of the Namgung family, a shadow moved swiftly through areas untouched by the fading sunlight. When she heard the voices of patrolling warriors, she hid within the shadows, then moved again once they passed.
Tatak! Tat!
The mechanical traps and formations set up throughout the clan grounds to deter intruders posed no obstacle to her. She avoided them with practiced ease and leapt over the Namgung walls in an instant.
Pasaak, pasasak!
Escaping the Namgung estate, Seolhwa avoided the crowded streets and slipped out of the city. Her path was opposite to the gate where Namgung Cheongun’s group had departed. Her destination was a mountain overlooking both Hefei and the great southern lake, Lake Chao.
Only the rustling of grass and the swaying of trees betrayed her movement. Even as she ran along paths untouched by human feet, Seolhwa constantly glanced behind her. She was checking to see if ‘he’ was following properly.
After running for quite some time, she finally stopped deep within a forest, far from the city.
Pasaak, pasasak…
The bushes rustled. But there was no wind. Seolhwa placed her hand on her sword hilt.
‘One… two…’
Her grip tightened.
‘Three.’
Kaaang—!
Exactly three seconds later, a dagger flew from behind her. Shwik— shwishwik— And as if on cue, more daggers began flying at her from all directions.
Kang! Kakang!
Seolhwa spun in place, deflecting each dagger in the order they came. Some she struck aside with her sword, others she kicked away with precise strikes to the flat of the blade.
Shwishwik! Shwik! Kakang!
Kang!
After deflecting daggers for a while, her eyes suddenly gleamed as her sword flashed.
Kaaang—!
Pouring her inner strength into her blade, she struck one dagger at an angle. The dagger flew back faster than it had come, returning to the direction it had been thrown from.
Shweeeek— kang!
“Kh…!”
A faint groan came from the darkness. Seolhwa pointed her sword toward the sound.
“Come out.”
Moments later, a man stepped slowly from the shadows. Between his fingers was a sharp dagger the length of his palm.
“Hello, Pawol.”
The man called Pawol brushed his cheek with the back of his hand. A long cut marked his face where the dagger had grazed him, and blood seeped from it. When he saw the blood on his hand, his lips twisted into a crooked smile.
“Still as brutish as ever, Young Pavilion Master.”
“What’s this, coming to see me off? I would have left just fine on my own.”
“Why did you leave in such a hurry, without even saying goodbye?”
“We’re not exactly the kind to exchange farewells, are we?”
“…Do you think I meant that kind of farewell?”
Pawol chuckled, sheathing his dagger and drawing a short blade from his robe. The silver blade gleamed under the moonlight. Seolhwa calmly adjusted her grip on her sword, her eyes curving with a faint, radiant light.
“So you still don’t know your place. You actually think you can challenge me?”
Pawol’s grin widened, the scar at the corner of his mouth twisting grotesquely with it.
“When I heard you betrayed the Lord and ran away, I was overjoyed.”
His face shone with fervent excitement.
“Do you know why?”
“I don’t care.”
“Because now, I can finally kill you.”
His tone shifted in an instant. Seolhwa’s gaze sank low and cold. Finding her reaction amusing, Pawol laughed slyly and continued.
“I never liked you from the start. Someone like you, being the Young Pavilion Master? If the Lord hadn’t favored you, you’d be nothing.”
He dragged the tip of his blade dangerously along his temple.
“That’s why I always wanted to fight you properly, just once. I was curious. If I killed the little Young Pavilion Master… maybe I could become the Young Pavilion Master instead.”
The laughter that seeped from the darkness was chilling, and the teeth revealed through his twisted lips were dark red, grotesque to behold. Pawol chuckled low, raising his blade and slashing it through the air. In his vision, the blade cut across Seolhwa’s throat.
“What do you think? If I bring your head, will the Cult Leader favor me?”
Thick killing intent began to rise from his body. It was the kind of menace that made it seem he would leap at her any moment. Yet even as his aura pressed down on her, Seolhwa’s expression remained unchanged.
Perhaps mistaking her calm for fear, Pawol’s smile deepened.
“I knew it ever since you were licking at the old man’s heels.”
Beneath the black cloth, Seolhwa’s lips curved into a soft, mocking smile.
“As I thought, you’re worse than a dog, Pawol.”