Cheon Mubaeck immediately steered the small boat to the riverbank. Beyond the riverbank was a dense forest, and Cheon Mubaeck jumped into it without hesitation.

“Neung-heo!”

“Yes, yes!”

“You take the child.”

“Oh my…”

Neung-heo let out a groan.

My goodness. Would this be an easy task? Who was it that was after this child? It was the Poison Demon.

“You bastard, relax your face. I’ll take care of the Poison Demon anyway, so hide well until then.”

“Is that really true?”

“Do you think I’d put you in danger? Huh?”

“Since I’ve been with you, Lord, I’ve been in danger hundreds of times more.”

“But you’re still alive and well, aren’t you?”

Neung-heo pouted with a dumbfounded expression.

“Look at this. Do you think I’ll really regret it only when I’m on the verge of death?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let this child be in danger, even if you are.”

At Cheon Mubaeck’s words, Neung-heo looked down at the child with a momentarily hurt face.

As if she didn’t even know that the situation was very urgent, Soyong was just smiling innocently. At that smile, Neung-heo, without realizing it, felt his strength drain away.

“Hah. I can’t even be jealous of this little child…”

At the sight of the great Neung-heo loosening up, Cheon Mubaeck’s gaze became strange.

‘Jongri Hong was right. This is immortal energy.’

An immortal energy that an ordinary person could not possibly have.

Cheon Mubaeck suddenly felt a sense of pity.

‘To this child, it must be like a curse.’

If it weren’t for the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art of his upper dantian, or if it weren’t for the experience he had accumulated through countless reincarnations…

It was impossible for a mere human to contain the immortal energy of a sacred object.

Didn’t even Cheon Mubaeck now have to concentrate all his mental power when he handled the immortal energy? Although it exerted enormous power, it was an unprecedented power that put a great burden on the body.

But this small child was born with that much immortal energy.

‘Rather, the fact that her body has endured without collapsing until now is what makes this child special. But that will also have its limits soon.’

As time passed, her illness would have deepened. Even if they had searched for doctors and medicine in all directions, there would have been no effect.

So it was a curse.

‘A fate that can only lead to a short life.’

Cheon Mubaeck recalled Jongri Hong’s face when he had handed over Soyong.

‘That man, he wasn’t just harboring greed in his heart.’

A smile that was hard to read appeared on Cheon Mubaeck’s lips.

He had thought that he was a martial artist who valued the safety of his sect more than chivalry and righteousness, who was not afraid to fall into greed for the sake of making Jongnam stronger, for Jongnam to stand tall in the martial world.

Even so, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t a problem.

Just as he was living a life to reach the sword’s edge, he was just living for Jongnam.

On the one hand, he felt a little sorry.

The Orthodox Path exists as the Orthodox Path.

No matter how powerful and majestic it was, in the end, what supported the Orthodox Path was chivalry and righteousness.

That was the reason why Shaolin was the roof of the Orthodox Path, and Wudang was the pillar that supported the Orthodox Path.

Jongnam was lacking.

But looking at Soyong, he understood.

When he had handed over Soyong’s hand, what had appeared on Jongri Hong’s face was a clear sense of pity.

“Jongri Hong has also aged. Because he has a sense of pity.”

“A sense of pity? What are you talking about? He’s a kidnapper who even kidnapped a young child to achieve his goal.”

Although Neung-heo answered coldly, Cheon Mubaeck shook his head.

“Didn’t you see his eyes? It might have been like that at first, but it won’t be now. Even if it wasn’t a sacred object, he would have wanted the child to be cured of her illness.”

“…”

Was that so? From what he had seen, it was the same.

Although Neung-heo tilted his head, he roughly agreed since Cheon Mubaeck had said so.

“Although he has the greed and will to do anything for his sect, he has not forgotten the minimum of righteousness, so Jongnam will remain as an Orthodox Path sect.”

Cheon Mubaeck, who had clearly witnessed the change in Jongri Hong, who would become the next sect leader, felt much more at ease.

A war with the Demonic Path that might become a long and tedious fight.

Because the Jongnam Sect was a powerful sword that should not be missed even in the joint front that Cheon Mubaeck intended.

“What that man wants is not just a sacred object. It’s for this child to be healthy.”

“Hmm. He doesn’t seem like a person who has repented that much.”

“So shouldn’t we grant the old man’s wish? If I absorb this child’s immortal energy, the child will also become healthy.”

“…Somehow, that seems to be the main point.”

Neung-heo clicked his tongue. Somehow, he had praised Jongri Hong’s change. He must have said all this to say this.

It was a surprisingly self-centered rationalization.

“Well, am I wrong?”

“No, you’re right. Yes. You’re right.”

Cheon Mubaeck turned his head and looked at the child.

“Child.”

“It’s Soyong!”

“Right, Soyong. Follow this ugly uncle. I’ll come for you soon.”

“Ugly uncle, you say.”

Although Neung-heo grumbled, he was already holding Soyong in his arms.

“Take good care of her. She’s a precious person.”

“Hah. You’re making me sad. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her like my own child.”

“Right, it’s good to practice in advance.”

“…What?”

Although it was a casual remark, Neung-heo’s head turned sharply.

Cheon Mubaeck smiled.

“When a child is conceived, the flow of qi that flows from a person’s body changes. When this matter is over, contact Seolyeong right away. It’s been four months now, so the signs of pregnancy will be clear.”

“…!”

Neung-heo’s eyes widened. He opened and closed his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. As if his inability to speak was quite unexpected, Cheon Mubaeck patted his shoulder.

“So you have to go back alive this time too.”

Neung-heo, only then, after taking a deep breath, barely managed to say.

“…No, did you bring me along, knowing all this?”

“I never brought you. You volunteered.”

“…”

That was right. It was so.

The fame of the One-Eyed Snake had spread along with the name of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero.

The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero was an enemy of the Blood Demon Valley.

Then the One-Eyed Snake was also an enemy of the Blood Demon Valley.

‘At any time, I will also be a target, and my surroundings will be a target.’

In the old days, he had no worries. He had thought, what was the problem with living and dying as a member of the Unorthodox Alliance?

But not now.

He had his own things.

There was Seolyeong, who was in charge of the Lotus Pavilion. And, he also had a child.

Neung-heo held Soyong tightly with a determined face.

“If I just do as you say, is it right that we will exterminate all those Demonic Path bastards?”

“Don’t you remember the path we’ve taken so far?”

Neung-heo smiled slightly.

“Well, what the hell. I’ll do whatever you say. Is there anything I haven’t been able to do so far? When I actually do it, it’s nothing special.”

“Alright. If you’re active until today, I’ll speak well of you to Seolyeong. I’ll say that you’ve become a great hero.”

“Lord.”

“Yes?”

“Seolyeong is about ten years older than me, so shouldn’t I call her sister-in-law?”

“…”

Cheon Mubaeck pondered for a moment.

It wasn’t a wrong statement, but…

* * *

The battle between the Zhejiang martial artists, led by the Yugeom Emperor and the Sword Empress, and the demons, centered on the Poison Demon, was sudden, but fierce and intense.

The number of demons was much greater. Their skills were also unusual, as befitting the demons that the Poison Demon had brought with him. It was a situation where the Zhejiang martial artists were absolutely at a disadvantage.

But as the Sword Empress and the Yugeom Emperor intervened, the Zhejiang martial world did not collapse and fought hard.

The problem was that it only ended there. Although the Zhejiang martial world was engaged in a close fight, they could not push them back.

The Poison Demon stood in the middle of the battlefield and watched the fight with an aloof air.

“Poison Demon. You bastard! I will surely cut your neck!”

Even at the Sword Empress’s sharp cry, the Poison Demon did not care.

At this moment, he was not interested in this fight.

‘Wasn’t he a member of the Unorthodox Alliance?’

His attention was solely on Cheon Mubaeck, who had taken the child.

At first, he had thought he was a member of the Unorthodox Alliance. Because he was a person who had come from the Black Assembly in the first place. Seeing him mobilize the river pirates, he had thought it was certain, even if things got complicated.

But from somewhere, something had started to go wrong, the pursuit team had quickly caught up, and in the end, even the Sword Empress had arrived.

When the Sword Empress came, the river pirates were pushed into a defensive position and had finally fled.

In the midst of that, the Poison Demon, who had thought that the child would be taken by the Sword Empress if things continued like this, had no choice but to reveal himself.

‘It’s a Bidara that I’ve researched and created for decades. To make that Bidara invincible, I need that child!’

Instead of a sacred object whose usage was unknown, the child was certain.

‘Even if I have to dissect the body, if I can just find out how to use that immortal energy!’

He had to take the child no matter what.

But no matter how he looked at it, it was strange.

‘He’s not a member of the Unorthodox Alliance. The direction in which the river pirates fled is not the mountain.’

At the last moment, Jongri Hong had meekly handed over the child. He had not been taken.

If the opponent were a member of the Unorthodox Alliance, Jongri Hong would not have done that.

The Poison Demon’s eyes emitted a sharp, blue light.

‘Could it be. Has some bastard intervened in this matter?’

Aiming for the child?

The Poison Demon’s face contorted like a demon.

He turned his gaze. It was the direction in which Cheon Mubaeck had fled.

“I don’t know who it is, but could he have intentionally guided me like this?”

Noticing that he was being watched?

So he had intentionally guided him to reveal himself?

‘To take the child and flee while I’m fighting the Sword Empress!’

A blue will-o’-the-wisp burned in his eyes for a moment.

‘Hmph! Did you think I would be held back by these mere Zhejiang small fry!’

The Poison Demon smiled eerily.

The number of demons mobilized here was also considerable. His intentions might have been held back. Not only himself, but also the demons here.

But the Poison Demon had no intention of doing so.

“You guys will fight these Orthodox Path small fry here, even if it means dying.”

The Poison Demon’s order was as stern as autumn frost.

Rather, the Poison Demon used the demons mobilized here to hold back the Sword Empress and the pursuit team.

In the meantime, if he caught the fleeing Cheon Mubaeck and snatched the child, it would not be a loss even if he lost all the demons here.

“Where are you going! You bastard, Poison Demon!”

As the Poison Demon turned his body and left, the Sword Empress’s cry erupted.

But the Poison Demon did not even pay attention and left. Because it was more profitable to take the child than to kill her.

“Hmph. This young bastard. He probably thought that all the demons were mobilized here, and that no one would chase him, right?”

If so, that was a miscalculation.

The Poison Demon immediately shot a signal flare.

At that, a huge number of demons rushed in.

‘Did you think that the demons of the Blood Demon Valley in Zhejiang were only that many?’

The Poison Demon’s eyes emitted a cruel light.

Not only the demons who were fighting the pursuit team on the riverbank, but the rest of the demons remained.

If he mobilized the rest, it would be no problem to track him.

“How dare you mock me and take what’s mine?”

The Poison Demon ground his teeth.

“Spread a net that reaches the heavens. We’re catching him.”

A blue will-o’-the-wisp burned in his eyes.

* * *

Cheon Mubaeck was very reassured by Neung-heo.

‘In any case, we have the same goal.’

Cheon Mubaeck’s true goal was to reach the sword’s edge. To do that, he had to protect his own residence and fence. A sanctuary where he could rest comfortably at any time had to exist.

The Blood Demon Valley was an obstacle that threatened that.

Cheon Mubaeck thought of the Blood Demon Valley as an adversary and an obstacle that had to be eliminated. Since it was a matter that he had not been able to completely resolve in his previous life, he planned to deal with it now.

Neung-heo also had the same intention. Not only for his own safety, but also to protect the family that would soon be born.

A person with such a clear purpose would naturally have an iron will and strength.

‘He’ll take good care of her.’

Cheon Mubaeck thought as he dug into the mountain.

He had mobilized the river pirates, led the pursuit team as he pleased, and had received the precious child from Jongri Hong by making the situation a mess.

To entrust such a child to Neung-heo, Cheon Mubaeck trusted Neung-heo that much.

“He’ll escape well.”

In fact, he was not very worried.

Because Cheon Mubaeck planned to lure them to chase only him, by openly revealing himself.

To make himself a bait so that Neung-heo could escape safely?

It was not like that.

“At least the Sword Empress will not leave the demons gathered on the riverbank alone…”

The Poison Demon would probably chase him to snatch the child.

If it were demons without the Poison Demon, the Sword Empress would be able to cut all their necks.

So Cheon Mubaeck was destroying the Blood Demon Valley that was secretly active in Zhejiang without even blowing his nose.

Of course, he was not satisfied with just that.

“Bring them all, Poison Demon.”

Cheon Mubaeck knew. That there were more than just the demons gathered on the riverbank.

The Poison Demon was a sinister and persistent guy, so he had not poured everything out at once.

Even during the Great War, hadn’t he always kept a reserve force in the back and had used it well whenever he was in a crisis?

So the Poison Demon would lead the rest of the demons and chase him.

He would probably think of himself as a hunter chasing his prey.

It was a ridiculous story.

Cheon Mubaeck spread his fingers one by one.

“Henan, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Hubei…”

The path he had walked. Every single one was stained with blood.

“And here, Zhejiang.”

He would eliminate them all.

All the demons of the Blood Demon Valley.

“Without leaving a single one.”

It was a clean sweep.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep