“Do you think that makes sense?”

“No, it doesn’t. Of course, it doesn’t.”

Neung-heo answered Gwak Cheonhu’s question.

But given the situation, he couldn’t openly nod his head.

Following Zhuge Seola’s disappearance, Cheon Mubaeck’s whereabouts were also unknown.

The question of whether he had fallen into the canyon during the ambush also arose…

“He’s not the type to fall.”

Neung-heo shook his head firmly. He was a man who had been calm and composed even when the maze in the Advancing Star Formation collapsed. Considering his martial prowess, it was unlikely he would fall so futilely.

“Then…”

“It means he was captured by the Inhuman Lust Fiend.”

“Doesn’t that make even less sense?”

Neung-heo’s face contorted strangely.

The ambush that had happened ten days ago.

The owner of the sword energy that had attacked the camp was likely the Inhuman Lust Fiend.

Immediately after, Cheon Mubaeck disappeared. The possibility that the Inhuman Lust Fiend had kidnapped him could not be denied. But did that even make sense?

“That man was kidnapped?”

“How strong must the Inhuman Lust Fiend be?”

“But for a simple lust fiend, he was strong, wasn’t he?”

At Gwak Cheonhu’s words, Neung-heo nodded. The sword energy that had attacked the camp.

It was not the level of a lust fiend who was just thought of as a villain. Right now, Neung-heo, Gwak Cheonhu, and Zhuge Seohu, who was commanding the tracking party with a red face over there.

It was clear that it was a realm that none of them could boast of.

“Still…”

Neung-heo shook his head.

“I can’t believe that man was kidnapped.”

Excluding Cheon Yuhwa and Heo Seong, the person who had been with Cheon Mubaeck the longest was Neung-heo.

No, if you recall the events right after his awakening, there was no one who knew Cheon Mubaeck as well as Neung-heo. To Neung-heo, Cheon Mubaeck was not a man who would be kidnapped even if the great Heavenly Demon came.

“In any case, it’s true that he disappeared right after the ambush here in the Sword King Valley.”

Gwak Cheonhu’s expression hardened.

He looked around. The Zhuge Clan’s tracking party and the warriors they had hired were swarming the Sword King Valley. Not only that. Cheon Yuhwa, who had heard the news, had also mobilized everything she could.

“We will definitely find him.”

Gwak Cheonhu gripped the hilt of his sword with a face full of firm resolve.

“No… I agree, but.”

Neung-heo looked at Gwak Cheonhu with a reluctant face.

‘Since when did this guy follow that man so much?’

Look at that resolve.

He could even feel the determination to achieve it before he died.

Neung-heo subtly turned his head. He saw Cheon Yuhwa, who had personally come to the Sword King Valley and was commanding the escorts.

“Tsk tsk.”

Well, this is why being young is good.

Neung-heo thought so and immediately moved, following Gwak Cheonhu.

“Avoid the fog!”

“If you encounter the fog, everyone below the peak level, retreat!”

Everyone involved in the pursuit shouted as one.

As Cheon Mubaeck had previously warned, fog appeared in various places in the Sword King Valley.

There was a reason for Cheon Mubaeck’s warning. The moment one stepped into the fog, one would get lost as if in a maze.

“It’s not some kind of formation. The visibility narrows, the sense of direction is lost, and as a result, the cognitive ability also deteriorates.”

Zhuge Seohu said so.

Therefore, unless one was at the peak level or above, one had to avoid the fog.

Even a peak master should not enter alone.

They had to move in a team of at least two, so that if one person couldn’t find their direction, the other could help.

Neung-heo and Gwak Cheonhu plunged into the fog together.

“Ugh. I can’t see an inch in front of me.”

Neung-heo grumbled. But his eyes sharply pierced through the fog.

“Huh?”

It was then.

Gwak Cheonhu, who was heading to the left, flinched. A shimmering figure in the fog.

Shing!

Gwak Cheonhu and Neung-heo drew their swords at the same time.

The tracking party that had entered this way was Gwak Cheonhu and Neung-heo.

In other words, that figure was not from the tracking party.

‘It’s extreme yin energy.’

Gwak Cheonhu’s eyes widened. Neung-heo also seemed to have felt the yin energy and met Gwak Cheonhu’s eyes.

The two’s telepathic communication went back and forth in an instant.

‘It’s not that man. Rather, his presence wouldn’t even be felt like this.’

‘There are two of them.’

‘One of them seems to be a master of ice arts?’

‘Ice arts… Was there anyone in the tracking party who used ice arts.’

‘There wasn’t.’

‘Damn it.’

The veins on Gwak Cheonhu’s hand, which was holding the sword, bulged. He instinctively felt that it was not a being he could easily deal with. Especially a master of ice arts was difficult to deal with. The probability that it was an enemy was high.

Gwak Cheonhu and Neung-heo’s gazes went back and forth.

‘If it comes to it, right away.’

‘I’ll take the left.’

‘Got it.’

Although the two had never practiced together, there might not be anyone who worked as well together as them.

Because they had dueled countless times and knew each other’s martial arts better than anyone else.

They naturally took their stances and positions.

And the moment the fog gradually thinned and the shadow became clear.

The first attack was from Neung-heo.

Shweeeek!

A dizzying sound of something tearing through the air cut through the fog and rushed towards the figure.

Kaang!

“…!”

Neung-heo’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

His skewer-like sword rolled on the floor.

Just once.

A single thrust was blocked, and he unconsciously let go of his sword due to the enormous repulsive force.

“Crazy… Cheonhu! This is not someone we can deal with!”

Neung-heo shouted urgently, but Gwak Cheonhu was already closing in from the right.

At the following sight, Neung-heo’s face turned pale.

A white hand that suddenly popped out of the fog grabbed Gwak Cheonhu’s neck.

At that dizzying sight, Neung-heo was completely overwhelmed.

Gwak Cheonhu, whom he had never been able to land a proper effective blow on while dueling, was dangling like that!

“My life is over here!”

Such a lament naturally came out.

But at the familiar voice he heard then, Neung-heo soon made a dumbfounded expression.

“Are these bastards crazy.”

“…Huh? Lord?”

The one who revealed himself in the fog was none other than Cheon Mubaeck.

“You’re just attacking me now? You want to have a go at it? Alright. Let’s do it.”

“…”

Fear was engraved in his heart before joy.

* * *

“Thank you.”

Zhuge Seohu approached and bowed his waist.

It was not the fist and palm salute that martial artists used when greeting. It was an almost reverent bow, bending his waist in half. The people around him made surprised expressions, but Cheon Mubaeck, who was receiving the greeting, was calm.

“We made a contract, and I just fulfilled the contract.”

“I heard from Seola. The villain was not a simple lust fiend, but a demon called the Lacquer-Faced Yama.”

Cheon Mubaeck said with a grin.

“Keep your promise.”

Zhuge Seohu answered with a firm voice.

“It’s a matter of course. As for the pursuit of the Blood Demon Valley, I plan to step in personally as soon as I return to the clan. The situation where past demons like the Lacquer-Faced Yama are appearing is by no means ordinary. In tracking the fiends of the Blood Demon Valley, as promised, our clan will also help. Because that is the way of the martial world.”

Zhuge Seohu had actually been somewhat lukewarm about the pursuit of the Blood Demon Valley.

Even though he had made a contract with Cheon Mubaeck, he had no intention of mobilizing the full power of the Zhuge Clan.

Since Shaolin and Mount Hua were moving in earnest, he had intended to help just enough to make a show of it. Just enough to save face.

But after hearing the situation from Zhuge Seola, the situation changed.

‘How dare a demon target the Zhuge Clan!’

The one who had kidnapped Zhuge Seola was not a mere lust fiend.

From what he heard, he was an absolute demon who had lived since the Righteous-Demonic War, so this was not a simple kidnapping.

It was a direct attack on the Zhuge Clan. At least, that’s how Zhuge Seohu took it.

Zhuge Seohu also had a hunch that the current martial world was turning strangely.

From the appearance of the Blood Demon Valley to the appearance of a past demon called the Lacquer-Faced Yama.

If this continued, a big conflict would surely arise.

Rather than leaving the matter to Mount Hua and Shaolin alone, it might be a better option to reduce the damage by having the Zhuge Clan also step in and become a pillar.

Zhuge Seohu thought so and decided to put all his efforts into it in earnest.

Because the position of the great young master of the Zhuge Clan had at least that much authority and power.

Even at Zhuge Seohu’s firm promise, Cheon Mubaeck made a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

“No, not that.”

“…”

Zhuge Seohu, who seemed to have realized something, bit his lip and said.

“I will send personnel to the Azure Star Escort Agency as soon as I return. I will install the simplified Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions right away.”

Only then did Cheon Mubaeck smile with satisfaction.

“Don’t be too disappointed. The reason you installed the array in Wudang or Hainan in the past was also to improve relations with them, wasn’t it?”

“That’s true, but…”

“At least in the future, you will consider your choice a good one. Because you have formed a relationship with the Azure Star Escort Agency and, by extension, with me.”

At those words, Zhuge Seohu’s mouth dropped open.

Isn’t it usually the other way around? The people of the world would consider the Azure Star Escort Agency, which had formed a connection with the Zhuge Clan, to have made an excellent deal.

But Cheon Mubaeck was saying the complete opposite. To say that forming a connection with him was an excellent choice.

Zhuge Seohu couldn’t offer any particular rebuttal to those arrogant words.

‘Well. In any case, he is the best talent in the current martial world. From what Seola says, it’s clear that he has a martial prowess even greater than the rumors.’

After the Azure Sky Sword God, the Ten Great Masters of the World existed, but the number one in the world did not exist.

The Sword Saint was worthy of the title of number one in the world, but since it was unknown whether the past Heavenly Demon was still alive in the Demonic Cult, no one could be called the number one master in the martial world.

Zhuge Seohu looked at Cheon Mubaeck.

‘The most likely person to become the number one master in the world in this era.’

A relationship with such a person.

Zhuge Seohu let out a laugh inwardly without realizing it.

‘Maybe this guy is right.’

Zhuge Seohu thought so and stepped back. The person who approached Cheon Mubaeck after Zhuge Seohu stepped back was none other than Zhuge Seola. She looked completely different from before, perhaps because she had washed and changed into clean clothes as soon as she came out.

Her eyes were slightly raised, giving her a typical cat-like appearance.

“What is it?”

“I came to thank you.”

“I’ve heard enough, so you don’t have to.”

Zhuge Seola shook her head with a firm face.

“No. You saved my life, and you also saved my life as a martial artist.”

That was right.

It wasn’t just about saving her from the Lacquer-Faced Yama.

If Cheon Mubaeck hadn’t helped her drive out the yin energy that had spread to her marrow, Zhuge Seola might have become a body that couldn’t use her internal energy properly.

As a daughter of the Zhuge Clan, who had to accept her destiny as a martial artist, how fatal would that be?

Zhuge Seola said clearly on that point.

“So even if I thank you, it won’t be enough. I will definitely repay the favor I have received so far.”

Cheon Mubaeck shrugged his shoulders. Was there any reason to refuse someone who said they would repay a favor? As Cheon Mubaeck smiled blankly, Zhuge Seola hesitated for a moment and said.

“I heard from my brother. You’re going to install the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions?”

“That’s what we promised.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“…?”

“Then, have a safe trip.”

Zhuge Seola bowed her head and trotted over to join Zhuge Seohu. While Cheon Mubaeck was tilting his head for a moment at the somewhat meaningful conversation.

Cheon Yuhwa approached.

“Mubaeck.”

“Yes, sister.”

“Are you okay? You don’t look as good as before.”

“Don’t worry. I had a brief fortunate encounter, but I haven’t made it completely my own yet, so that’s why.”

“Then that’s a relief, but…”

It was understandable for Cheon Yuhwa to be worried. Because Cheon Mubaeck had changed from before he entered the Sword King Valley.

Didn’t his skin, which had turned pale to the point of having no blood, make one worry?

But Cheon Mubaeck was calm. It was a natural phenomenon since the supreme yin energy was wriggling in his dantian. It wasn’t for nothing that Gwak Cheonhu and Neung-heo had mistaken Cheon Mubaeck for a master of ice arts.

So Cheon Mubaeck planned to focus his efforts on this supreme yin energy as soon as he returned to the escort agency.

“Let’s go now. Sister.”

“Alright.”

Cheon Yuhwa smiled brightly. Cheon Mubaeck also smiled back and got on his horse.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep