Chapter 576

Not far from the Village of the Beginning, there stood a small island that was home to an ancient and prestigious martial sect known as the Heavenrend Sect. Despite its modest size, with just over ten members barely qualifying it as an official sect, the name of the Heavenrend Sect carried considerable weight.

The sect's leader, Cheon Geum, had once risen alone amidst the ceaseless conflicts between martial sects. Renowned as one of the five absolute figures of martial superiority, he had triumphed over numerous formidable opponents. But for reasons that remained unknown, he retired from murim roughly thirty years ago, a time when the name of Heavenrend Sect had already spread far and wide.

However, even this great master still met his end, betrayed by a disciple named Ji Woo. Due to Ji Woo's actions, the master suffered grave injuries, and the Heavenrend Sect was annihilated by the Ak Rim Sect, a long-time enemy. All of Han Ja-Seong's martial brothers and fellow disciples—except for senior sister Yun, who had left for the Martial Alliance—perished. Sisters Min, Dok, and Yu, senior brothers Jin and Gil, and even the master himself!

Han Ja-Seong, the youngest member of the sect, who also regarded the sect master as a father figure, was left in shock as he witnessed the ordeal. He was bewildered both by Ji Woo's sudden attack and by his master's passive attitude facing it.

***

Han Ja-Seong's consciousness snapped back, and his eyes widened with alertness as he sat up. The first two things he noticed were the piercing scent of an apothecary and the softness of the blanket.

"You're awake."

Han Ja-Seong stared blankly at the speaker—an old man.

The old man continued, "Are you the youngest member the sect leader took in? I haven't seen you before."

"...Yes."

"Well, pleased to meet you. I am Oh Bak-Sae. The one who treated you and Hee-Ah... Actually, I just gave you medicine to make sure you'd awaken."

"What on earth happened?"

"That's what I want to ask. What exactly happened? Han Ji-Wook, from the militia, visited the island where Heavenrend Sect was located not long ago. There was nothing there but ruins."

Han Ja-Seong's eyes bulged in shock. "Hee-Ah... Where is Hee-Ah?!"

"Ah, there's no need to overreact. Yun Young is taking care of her and she's mostly fine. You're the one in critical condition."

"..."

"Tell me. Where have all your martial brothers and your master gone?"

Han Ja-Seong's expression soured at the question. "Fiends... They invaded... There were about a hundred... and eerie, powerful ones among them."

"Fiends?"

"Master called the one leading them Elder Tae Sang-Jae of the Ak Rim Sect."

"Tae Sang-Jae... Well, that explains the remnants of qi in your body. There are traces of the Devil's Massacre in you, a poison that erodes and consumes the host."

"But...You said something about Han Ji-Wook finding nothing but ruins. Then what about the bodies of my martial brothers?"

Indeed, Han Ja-Seong had seen his master and brothers being slain by the fiends when he fled the island.

"Not a single body or bloodstain was found. I thought everyone had survived," the elder mumbled bitterly as he knocked the ash off from his pipe.

"Rest now."

"Why am I...here?"

"What are you talking about?"

"While we were fleeing, the Green Forest Bandits spotted us first. I lost consciousness, so I don't know what happened, but when I came to, they were gone. And...that monstrous woman who was with Tae Sang-Jae was chasing after us."

Han Ja-Seong remembered how she had said she would take Hee-Ah. However, Hee-Ah was fine. So who had brought them here?

"Hmm, that young man and the beautiful lady you speak of? After they brought you here, they left almost immediately."

"Did they save me then?"

"Hmm. I doubt it. Neither of them showed any sign of knowing martial arts."

Oh Bak-Sae's words further confused Han Ja-Seong, and he tilted his head in puzzlement. How could this be? Had that red-haired woman just knocked him out and left without doing anything more? Or had something else prevented her from harming them, forcing her to leave?

The important thing was to meet the couple first. He had to express his gratitude, and he also had to ask them questions.

But the situation was not looking good.

"If you're lucky, you might see them again."

"What...do you mean?"

"Oh dear, an old man's slip of the tongue. Ahh, I should die for getting old..."

The subsequent story Han Ja-Seong heard was astonishing. A large number of disappearances were occurring near the Village of the Beginning. A disaster arose due to a jiangshi, specifically the upper-class White Wraith Jiangshi, being on the move. The White Wraith, formed from the combined resentment and corpses of over a hundred people, was an entity that matched the power of an Expert.

The issue was that the White Wraith here was not just any White Wraith, but a particularly abnormal existence among them. Even Peak-realm martial artists could not guarantee victory against it.

"Kwak Joon-Seong, the second disciple of the Gongdong Faction, went looking for them, but whether he can find them in time... You! What are you doing!"

"I must find them! The ones who saved us, I can't let them die so miserably... Cough!" shouted Han Ja-Seong, trying to get up. However, he wobbled and swayed.. "Cough!"

"Hey, watch it! You're as good as a living corpse right now! You're lucky to be alive after such a grave injury!"

To be more precise, treating Han Ja-Seong was like bringing the dead back to life. Oh Bak-Sae could hardly believe his eyes, so he had wanted to grab the young man who healed Han Ja-Seong and ask what kind of treatment had been done to make a dead man walk. To his trained physician eye, it was almost a miracle that the young man was even alive.

"Thank you for your concern, but I have to go."

"Shut it and lie down again."

"I must go."

"Lie down, I said."

"I must go."

Han Ja-Seong kept repeating himself like a parrot, and Oh Bak-Sae finally relented with a sigh. He rose from his seat and produced three boxes that contained medicinal herbs and offered them to Han Ja-Seong.

"Choose one. They aren't very potent, but they could still have side effects if taken in excess, so only take one. The choice is yours."

"Thank you."

"I'll inform the patrol members. Head toward the Blade Canyon. You'll find it if you go north from here."

After some hesitation, Han Ja-Seong selected one of the boxes and departed. Watching him go, Oh Bak-Sae heaved another sigh. With Kwak Joon-Seong gone, hopefully, there would be no additional casualties.

"Sigh... When troubles come, they come in droves... They all better be safe. Tsk tsk."

While Oh Bak-Sae was worrying, Perserque and Davey were engrossed in taking pictures and savoring the scenery, unknowingly accompanied by the White Wraith Jiangshi.

***

A woman with fiery red hair awoke in the forest to a cold, numbing sensation. She sat up with a frown. "Ugh... My head..."

A dull pain spread throughout the back of her neck.

She couldn't recall what had happened. But she was sure she had followed the orders of her lord, the elder Tae Sang-Jae of the Ak Rim Sect—to find that pathetic young man and abduct Cheon Ji-Hee, the last descendant from the bloodline of the defunct Heavenrend Sect.

Capturing him should have been easy, as he was affected by her lord's power, the Massacre Devil; it was like he was in the palm of her hand. Indeed, she found him without much trouble, but it seemed like he had some luck as someone had helped him.

Nevertheless, subduing that young man was easy, but... Why could she not remember what happened afterward?

Stunned, she frowned deeply and slowly stood up. Gracefully getting to her feet, she dusted off her tight leather clothes and said, "I failed. My apologies."

—'You failed?'

"Yes."

—'Why?'

It was a smooth voice that sounded like a young man's, but it sent chills all over her body.

"I'm sorry."

—'Hmm, did that brat have some trick up his sleeve?'

"No. I had subdued the escapees from the Heavenrend Sect, but... I suddenly lost consciousness."

—'Hmm... Fine then. Return to the base. We can collect bodies anytime.'

The red-haired woman nodded. "I won't disappoint you this time. There are a lot of ghosts being nurtured in the Hori Cave, and their transformation is now perfect. The Village of the Beginning will definitely be unable to resist them."

—'I'll trust you then. You must obtain the Heavenly Destroyer's secret book kept in the Village of the Beginning, and you must bring back the Heavenrend Sect's descendants.'

The voice turned silent.

The woman showed a leisurely smile, as if she was trying to convince herself that she wasn't trembling. Then, she vanished.

As she arrived at a certain cave, she saw them—the ones who were brazen enough to enter the Hori Cave, where her beasts and mutated monsters resided.

"Damn it! I don't think they were caught, but where have they gone?! Miss! Miss, where are you! Kwak Joon-Seong is here to protect you!"

"Quit shouting. We don't want to alarm the White Wraith Jiangshi..."

"Bah! White Wraith Jiangshi my ass! Do you think it's faster than my sword?"

The faces of the militia members looked like they were ready to explode with frustration.

'Is that blabbering idiot any help at all?'

Yet, no one dared speak up due to the influence of the Gongdong Faction.

'Intruders, huh? They truly picked an inconvenient time to appear.'

The woman contemplated what to do with them, but she did not have to think for too long.

One of the faces seemed familiar—a young man who witnessed the annihilation of the Heavenrend Sect. His martial prowess appeared pitiful. Was he here seeking something, or had the force of the Massacre Devil within him guided him? Ultimately, the reason didn't matter.

The red-haired woman clapped her hands lightly, deciding on her course of action. Though she had been instructed not to kill them, she wasn't too keen on that idea. Crippling them a little wouldn't hurt.

Not all the ghasts were awake, but with the White Wraith Jiangshi capturing passersby and the awakened ghasts, they had enough force to obliterate the intruders.

With her mind made up, she appeared before them nonchalantly. It seemed they had come to search for someone who had gone ahead inside.

"Looking for someone, boys?"

Confusion spread across the men's faces at her leisurely question.

"Who... Who are you?"

"How did she appear just like that?!"

These were reputed martial artists. However, this woman had appeared out of nowhere before they could sense her presence. Was she an assassin? They were all instantly on guard.

The Gongdong Faction's second disciple was present, and yet, they hesitated to act.

'A formidable foe!'

The thought that flashed through their minds made them hesitant.

The young man's eyes widened as he recognized the red-haired woman. "You?!".

"You know her?!"

"It's her! The witch from Ak Rim Sect, the one who murdered my master and brothers!"

Horror filled the eyes of everyone present.

"Oh dear, little boy, do you have nine lives? To think you survived and made it here! Well then, I should give you a gift, shouldn't I?"

"What in the world are you plotting here!"

In response to their desperate cries, the red-haired woman stepped forward with a leisurely stride. "Well, there's not much harm in telling those who are about to die..."

An instant later, she vanished.

Kwak Joon-Seong had been leading the patrol confidently, but what happened right now was beyond his comprehension.

"Wha... What?!" he yelled in shock.

Before he could even realize, she had unsheathed his sword and was now holding it.

As a martial artist, to have his weapon taken was shameful, but being unable to detect the theft meant a stark warning for his life.

"Planning something, you say... Well, it's simple. I'm going to sweep the Village of the Beginning clean and take the Heavenly Destroyer's secret book stored there."

"You're joking! You plan to take that demonic book?! Are you out of your mind?!" yelled Han Ji-Wook.

The woman shrugged indifferently. "I don't know, am I?"

"We won't let you take it just like that."

"Don't worry. I have my methods. By the way, aren't you curious about what's right beneath you?"