Chapter 124: Who Is Closer To Death?

While heading to the Four Flow Valley using the carriage provided by Blood Night Palace Leader, I repeatedly read the book presented to me by the old manly man.

Based on my experience...

Reading a book several times can help the reader capture a glimpse of the author's emotions.

After reading it about 10 times, I gain an understanding of what Elder Heo is trying to convey.

After I read it about 20 times...

I notice the handwriting at the beginning and the latter half is different, and the writing style of the sentences also becomes more stable toward the second half.

After I read it about 30 times.

I catch a hint of Elder Heo's mental state as he writes each page. Some days he was calm, and some days he was anxious. There were especially many errors during days when he felt exhausted.

As I reach my 40th read through.

I can differentiate Elder Heo's thoughts from mine.

I agree with this part, and I disagree with that part.

I read it in the wagon, reread it as I got off the wagon for a meal, and read it again and again as we took a breather under a tree during the trip.

As I read the book over and over again, none of my companions disturbs me.

I have picked up four people who would come and attack the Four Flow Valley.

I didn't ask the Blood Night Palace for help to allow them to fill the Four Flow Valley with spies.

I also want a master who can survive after getting rid of the Four Flow Valley's assassins.

Therefore, the current groups consist of me, the Sword Demon, Pervert Demon, and Yong-myeong, Elder Heo's disciple.

The four of us are on our way to exterminate the Four Flow Valley alongside one horseman. I had rejected the Blood Night Palace Leader and Gyo Young's offer to join us.

First of all, this is not the time for the Palace Leader to come forward.

Gyo-young is also not experienced enough to deal with the assassins.

On the other hand, the Sword Demon and Pervert Demon don't have to prove themselves.

Yong-myeong is Elder Heo's disciple. He knows about the assassins better than anyone else.

Though I only got one extra companion from the Blood Night Palace, this is sufficient force.

Four masters are more than sufficient to take down a faction.

Whenever we felt stuffy, my companions would get out of the carriage and chase me around using footwork. However, I have to read the book, so I treat the carriage as a prison and lock myself up as we head for the Four Flow Valley.

Thanks to that, I sleep more than before. I didn't realize it was so comfortable to nap in a rattling carriage.

If I ever lack sleep again, I think I'll let a subordinate of mine drive a carriage while I nap inside.

From the third day on, I lose track of time of day.

I read the book when the wagon takes off.

When the wagon stops, I eat, wash up, and sleep.

When I reach my 70th readthrough, I finally come out of the rattling carriage.

Only then did the Sword Demon ask me.

"Leader, are you done reading?"

"I've read it enough."

"You sure read it fervently."

"I had a lot to think about, so I read it repeatedly while meditating, and that's what happened."

I hand the book to Yong-myeong.

"Thank you. Please pass it back to the Elder later."

"I will."

Yong-myeong, who has remained silent throughout the trip, replies briefly.

When I look around, I see that the wagon is passing through a muddy road.

I stretch and tell the horseman.

"Thank you for your hard work, sir. I think you can drop us here."

The middle-aged horseman replies.

"As my wish, my lord."

I take out the silver ingot I usually carry and hand it to the coachman.

Perplexed, the coachman says.

"You don't have to, Leader."

"Go back and buy yourself a drink. The way back can be dangerous, so make sure you head to crowded places, okay? "

"Yes, my lord."

As the carriage heads back the way we came, I look at the mountain covered in fog.

In fact, without Elder Heo's help, it would have taken us a long time to find the Four Flow Valley. However, the coachman ordered by Elder Heo guides us directly to Grey Ash Mountain.

Looking at it from down here, the mountain gives off a gloomy atmosphere due to the fog.

We naturally look to Yong-myeong, who has often helped us with directions.

Yong-myeong says.

"Regardless of life and death, it's not easy to go into the Four Flow Valley due to the fog."

I nod at his words and then take a deep breath, mix it with Qi, and shout towards the big mountain.

"Hey, you assassin pricks...!"

The whole group looks at me with a startled expressions.

"......."

Because it is a shout mixed with internal Qi, it echoes endlessly.

The Pervert Demon asks me.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I don't know what kind of place Four Flow Valley is, so I need to say my greetings. They're going to kill me anyway. Won't they come out?"

"But, still..."

"Surprise attacks don't work for these guys anyway."

I speak to my companions.

"We came to kill them all anyway. There are four of us. It's perfect for them to underestimate us."

The Sword Demon nods with a calm expression.

"That's right. Let's go."

Pervert Demon then says in a troubled tone.

"Are you sure we can catch them all?"

Sword Demon replies lightheartedly.

"If we can't find them, we'll set this ominous mountain on fire. The whole mountain is ominous."

This time I nod in agreement at the Sword Demon's remark.

"That's right."

I speak to Pervert Demon as I advance to the misty mountain.

"Shithead, sing a song."

"You're crazy."

"If you mind, then whatever."

Then, Yong-myeong, who has kept his mouth closed throughout the trip, speaks unexpectedly.

"I can't sing, but I have a message for you."

The three of us stop walking and look at Yong-myeong.

"What is it?"

"Wow, that's the longest sentence you've said. Let's hear it."

Yong-myeong clears his throat and says.

"I am Yong-myeong, a disciple of Heo Gyeom, the first instructor of the former Dark Shadow Squad(暗影隊).

The disciple of Heo Gyeom, former Left Hand Commander who eliminated the Right Hand Man.

The disciple of Heo Gyeom, the former assassin who killed all the defectors.

Yong-myeong, a disciple of Heo Gyeom, who used to be an assassin trainer.

Yong-myeong, the disciple of Heo Gyeom who can hold his breath underwater for an hour.

Yong-myeong, the disciple of a man who stood in the reed field for 13 days.

I ask him, who is the top head of the assassins?

Once upon a time, my master was at the top.

My master said...

There is a world of difference between an assassin and a rat.

Today, Heo Gyeom's disciple arrived at Four Flow Valley. Let's find out who are the true descendants of the Dark Shadow Squad.

I shall avenge the dead who antagonized the traitor."

"Oh... bravo."

As soon as Yong-myeong finishes speaking, I give him a big round of applause.

Clap, clap, clap.

"What a great speech. It was a great self-introduction, a great improvised poem."

"Thank you."

I look at Yong-myeong and ask on a whim.

"How old are you?"

Yong-myeong replies to me.

"I'm 20 years old."

"Similar to shithead."

The Pervert Demon then speaks to Yong-myeong as if to get an advantage.

"Yong-myeong, I'm older, so call me Brother from now on."

Yong-myeong then says.

"I don't want to."

"Yes."

I say to Pervert Demon with a kind voice.

"Mong Rang."

"What?"

"Loser."

"......."

"You should introduce yourself, too. Like Yong-myeong."

After thinking whether or not he should do it, the Pervert Demon clears his throat and mutters.

"I'm Mong Rang of Baekeungji.

I'm Mong Rang of the Wind Cloud Mong Clan."

"......."

The Pervert Demon gulps. It's not easy when he tries it.

He's a man who reached the pinnacle of the Ice Technique.

Bahahahahaha!

"......."

As we walk, we watch the speechless Pervert Demon. Perhaps his pride is hurt, but he continues introducing himself through gritted teeth.

"I'm a man who can make any woman mine as long as I'm determined.

I'm a man who can love a woman today and love another woman tomorrow!"

As soon as I spot the Sword Demon's expression, I roll my tongue in my mouth and hold back my laughter.

'He's mad.'

The Sword Demon sighs and snaps.

"Disciple, are you finished?"

The disciple replies in a whiny voice.

"Yeah. I can't think of anything, so... I apologize. Yong-myeong was good at it."

Before we realize it, we have entered a thick fog. The person walking next to me is also covered in fog.

However, everyone present has advanced cultivation, so the fog is cleared with just a few hand movements. We then proceed to continue with the climb.

While walking quietly, the Sword Demon tells me.

"Leader, you should introduce yourself. I want to hear it."

I nod.

"Alright."

I pause for a moment and, with my hand on my waist, look forward. I warn my companions.

"Be careful of your earbuds. Haa...... eup!"

I take a deep breath and shout as loud as a lion's roar.

"The leader of the Low Down Sect.

That's me!"

"Hahaha!"

After the shout, I add a loud laugh.

The fog surrounding us wavers instantly, and the fog before us scatters along with the echoes of "That's me" as our vision opens up. Meanwhile, the Pervert Demon and Yong-myeong are covering their ears with their hands.

My voice roars through the foggy mountain.

"That's me... that's me... that's me... that's me."

We climb through the path cleared by my echoes and reach a fairly spacious spot halfway up the mountain. Before I know it, white fog is again approaching and blurring the space in front of us.

I look at the Sword Demon before the party gets swallowed by the fog.

"I'm also curious about your self-introduction."

"......."

As soon as I finish speaking, the Sword Demon pulls out his Light Ray Sword.

When the Light Ray Sword is unsheathed, a ghost's wail gradually fills the foggy mountain following the sound of a sword being pulled.

A horrifying Sword Echo.

It is a ghostly wail mixed with screams, cracking skulls, sobs, cries, silent screams, and angry shouts.

This man is the Sword Demon who has escaped the gates of the Demonic Cult.

A low voice pierces through the wail of ghosts swirling around the foggy mountain.

"I am a Sword Demon."

The clamorous cries are crushed by the silence in an instant and disappear without a trace. But it isn't just the wailing that disappeared. The fog that surrounds us also disappears, along with the ghostly howls. Nevertheless, the buzzing continues to echo in my ears.

Only then do I hear a calm voice that I have never heard before coming from somewhere.

"Left Hand, why did you enter your own grave..."

The Sword Demon replies as he walks to the center of the empty clearing.

"Are you saying this is my deathbed?"

A peal of laughter follows as an answer.

"Yes."

"Let's see who's closer to death, assassins."

As I see the Sword Demon face north while sitting in a lotus position, I settle towards the east and do the same.

Subsequently, Pervert Demon settles in the west and Yong-myeong in the south.

Four people are in charge of the east, west, north, and south.

The fog, cleared by the ghost's wails, returns and covers my surroundings.

The eldest among the party, the Sword Demon, gives us a warning.

"Be careful of each other's attacks."

"Yes, Master."

"I understand."

Then a monotonous bell rings.

Deng... Deng... Deng...!

Hidden weapons fly in from all directions with each ring as it repeats a few times.

The Sword Demon brushes them off with the Light Ray Sword.

The Pervert Demon deflects the weapons in front of him using palm force.

Yong-myeong barely makes a sound, but the hidden weapons directed at Yong-myeong fall to the ground after losing their momentum.

I keep my eyes on the sky.

The others are attacked by hidden weapons, but a large rock falls through the fog above me.

'These bastards always target me.'

I pull out the Black Hare's Tooth and swing it twice. The incoming rock is cut in a sib(十) shape, and I extend my left palm.

The bell still rings.

At that moment, I can see a steel needle appearing in rhythm with the ringing bells.

I swing my hand, which is filled with Waxing Moon Ice Technique, and blast away the steel needle.

I am the only one facing a tough challenge.

The corners of my mouth naturally go up.

"Can the assassins see me?"

The voice that spoke to Sword Demon replies to me.

"Welcome, Low Down Sect Leader. You're the only one who needs to die. You brought this upon yourself...."

"Yeah, nice to meet you. A man who brings trouble upon himself, that's me."

I instill Fighting Chicken energy into Black Hare's Tooth with the mindset that anyone I attack will die. When nothing comes into my sight, I unfurl the Cut In Half Technique.

Singggggggggggggggg!

The air is filled with the sound of splitting trees and the continuous sound of branches breaking. As the sound of various items and shields being cut fill the clearing, I hear the faint sound of flesh being cut.

This is definitely the sound of a body part being cut off.

I speak with my eyes wide open.

"Hey, I think I slashed someone. Did I cut off your arm?"

"......."

Silence. Quiet or not, I ask again in a serious tone.

"Who am I talking to?"