Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Zhuge Un was running blindly.

Being chased by someone was something he had already experienced many times. Since he held the position of Chief of the Martial League, he naturally encountered countless assassination crises while clashing with the talents of the unorthodox path.

However, the current situation was completely different.

It was because he was not being chased by a trivial assassin, but by the gang of Huang Haiyan, one of the Nine Swords who was ranked among the top one hundred experts.

"Yeon, are you alright?"

"Father! Do not worry about me and look ahead!"

Zhuge Yeon shouted loudly at Zhuge Un's question.

Zhuge Yeon could not think of anything else other than the fact that they had to escape.

The Zhuge Clan was not originally a family with exceptional martial arts. Therefore, the current situation could be said to be the crisis of a lifetime for this father and daughter.

"Why is that man here!"

Huang Haiyan of the Nine Swords was a man who had made a name for himself as a wanderer.

He was also a man who did not stand on either the orthodox or unorthodox side, and wielded his sword solely for his own benefit.

And there was a significant ill relationship between the Zhuge Clan and Huang Haiyan.

Back when Zhuge Un had just become the Chief of the Martial League, the ill relationship began when he killed Huang Haiyan's younger brother while subjugating wanderers who had committed crimes.

But he had never expected to see him in a place like this.

"Do you think you will be safe after doing such a thing!"

Zhuge Un shouted loudly even as he ran.

Although he had retired now, Zhuge Un was someone who had held the position of Chief of the Martial League. If they killed such a person, Huang Haiyan would immediately be declared a public enemy of the martial world.

All the forces of the Martial League would move to kill Huang Haiyan, and if that happened, he would no longer be able to set foot in the Central Plains.

"Haha! If I kill you and the girl next to you, who will know who killed you!"

Huang Haiyan was confident. At best, they were just two powerless members of the Zhuge Clan. Killing such people was a piece of cake for Huang Haiyan.

Furthermore, there was no need to worry about any aftermath.

'It does not matter if I kill you people. I have already received a guarantee from the Murong Clan.'

Huang Haiyan smirked.

The cost he was to receive for disposing of Zhuge Un was five hundred taels of gold.

With that amount of money, he could live grandly wherever he went. Moreover, he could even get revenge for his younger brother which had been kept in his heart all this time, so it was killing two birds with one stone.

Therefore, Huang Haiyan took this job.

Huang Haiyan narrowed his eyes. He then put more strength into the hand holding the saber and swung it powerfully.

Swoosh!

The saber flew ruthlessly as if it would cleave Zhuge Un's body.

There was no way Zhuge Un could dodge the saber that flew with such rapid momentum.

"Father!"

At that moment, Zhuge Yeon quickly stretched out her foot and kicked Zhuge Un.

Slash!

Saber energy grazed past Zhuge Un's body as it was deflected at an angle.

"Ugh!"

Fortunately, it missed his vital points, but Zhuge Un collapsed while swallowing a groan.

Although it only grazed his flank, the pain was beyond words.

Zhuge Un, who was holding his sword, took a deep breath and gnashed his teeth.

Even if he ran away again like this, he would eventually be caught by that man in the end.

Cornered, Zhuge Un judged that there was no other way but to clash with his life on the line.

Zhuge Un quickly turned around and swung his sword.

Clang!

Zhuge Un's sword deflected the sword of the black-clothed man who had rushed forward in an instant, and dug inside.

Although the Zhuge Clan was evaluated as having the weakest martial arts among the Eight Great Families, they were not to the point of being defeated by the sword of a mere underling.

Clang, clang, clang!

The sword blade extended in an instant flashed several times, beating back the opponent's blade and pushing forward little by little.

As if it was somewhat difficult to block Zhuge Un's sword path that suddenly became faster, the black-clothed man faltered backward and tried to widen the distance.

However, Zhuge Un showed no mercy, quickly digging into the black-clothed man's chest and slashing with his sword.

Slice!

"Kegh!"

At the same time as Zhuge Un slashed the opponent's neck, he lowered his head.

Since no blade was flying toward him, his action was quite suspicious.

However, another black-clothed man who was approaching from the front was startled.

It was because a small dagger flew at a fierce speed from Zhuge Yeon, who was behind Zhuge Un.

Thud!

"Argh!"

The blade that pierced the opponent's chest was retrieved and flew back as Zhuge Yeon reached out her hand.

It was highly unlikely that a woman in her early twenties could use telekinesis.

In reality, she had made a small hole at the end of the sword hilt, connected an invisible thread, and pulled it.

Huang Haiyan quietly watched Zhuge Yeon's appearance.

'Is that girl Zhuge Yeon, who is called the hidden sword of the Zhuge Clan?'

Zhuge Yeon rarely showed herself. However, rumors said she was a greater genius than Zhuge Un, and her martial arts were said to be not inferior to those of Namgung So-hye.

Of course, because there were few who had experienced it directly, people shook their heads and said it was nonsense.

However, based on the single move he just saw, Huang Haiyan expected that Zhuge Yeon's existence would be quite threatening.

'Before the bud sprouts… I must trample it!'

Thud, thud, thud!

Huang Haiyan ran forward.

As if the lives of his dying subordinates did not have a single bit of value, he just looked ahead and ran, swinging his saber grandly.

Although it was somewhat slow, it was definitely a violent move that contained the essence of the saber technique.

Boom!

"Ugh?!"

In an instant, Zhuge Yeon was startled and stepped back.

The ground shattered, and a cloud of dust splattered up.

Feeling the pain of her whole body being battered by small fragments flying in all directions, she quickly turned her head back.

Swoosh!

Huang Haiyan's saber narrowly grazed her.

At that moment.

Clang!

Zhuge Un's blade struck Huang Haiyan's saber away.

However, Zhuge Un's sword could not push away Huang Haiyan's heavy saber so easily.

Huang Haiyan pushed Zhuge Un's blade back again with strength to create an opening, and at the same time, swung it violently vertically.

Slash!

"Ugh!"

"Father!"

Zhuge Un clutched his bleeding chest and collapsed just like that.

Huang Haiyan's saber, flying in once again, looked as if it would ruthlessly cleave Zhuge Un's entire body.

"Even the great Chief of the Martial League goes down like this! Hahaha!"

Huang Haiyan burst out laughing loudly.

However, his goal was not achieved.

A throwing dagger flew from Zhuge Yeon's chest.

If it were a simple throwing dagger technique, Huang Haiyan would not even have snorted, but the one flying now looked quite dangerous.

Clang!

Huang Haiyan shifted the trajectory of his blade and knocked the hidden weapon away.

It was only a small hidden weapon, but the feeling of deflecting it was quite different, and poison was even applied to the tip of the blade.

'The hidden weapon technique of the Tang Family?'

It was definitely the hidden weapon technique of the Tang Family.

'They said the Tang Family and the Zhuge Clan had a deep friendship, but to the point of even sharing martial arts?'

Huang Haiyan looked at Zhuge Yeon with new eyes.

A woman who could even display hidden weapon techniques.

But that was it.

Huang Haiyan threw his body toward her back.

As expected, Zhuge Yeon was more troublesome than Zhuge Un.

He judged that it would be better to send her off first.

Slash!

"Ahhh!"

"Yeon!"

Huang Haiyan's saber dug into Zhuge Yeon's back.

Fortunately, the wound was not deep.

Zhuge Yeon had momentarily twisted her body to avoid a fatal injury. Also, as if she would not just take it, she reached out her hand and threw another hidden weapon.

"Ugh!"

Huang Haiyan moved his body.

By twisting, he was barely able to avoid the hidden weapon thrown by Zhuge Yeon.

Since poison must have been applied, even a graze would cause significant damage.

"How regrettable."

"Ugh…!"

"Yeon! Are you alright?"

Huang Haiyan smiled smirked and stepped in front of the fallen father and daughter.

It seemed that no secret card was left for Zhuge Yeon anymore, and Zhuge Un was also in a state where he could not move properly, so there was nothing to stop him.

Rustle!

In the meantime, the remaining black-clothed men gathered around Huang Haiyan.

As if to prevent the father and daughter from escaping, they stood blocking the escape route, gripping their swords tightly in their hands so they could swing them at any time.

Huang Haiyan took another step closer and said magnanimously.

"It was truly wonderful. To the point that it is unimaginable for members of the Zhuge Clan, haha! But now it is the end."

Huang Haiyan raised his saber.

One must not hesitate when killing a person. Especially in this kind of situation, one must not act relaxed or give them time.

This was the iron rule Huang Haiyan had kept while living as a martial artist.

There was no reason to hesitate.

Since the Murong Clan would take care of everything.

The moment Huang Haiyan, who wore a smirk, was about to strike down with his saber.

Crack!

Crash!

A punch flying from somewhere smashed his face.

At that, Huang Haiyan flew back, unbefitting of his large build, and crashed through countless trees, falling down dozens of yards away.

In the distance, Huang Haiyan could be seen twitching his entire body while collapsed.

"So noisy."

Rustle, rustle.

An unfamiliar voice was heard, but no one could turn their head toward that place.

It was because they still could not properly comprehend the situation that had just unfolded before their eyes.

"My… My Lord, the punch just now felt completely like venting your anger…"

"It is not."

"…"

The ones who revealed themselves from the bushes were Dan Woo-hyun and Gwon Mu-jin.

Dan Woo-hyun frowned as he wiped his blood-stained hands, and Gwon Mu-jin, who was following behind him, gave an awkward smile.

Even when Gwon Mu-jin thought about it again, the one just now was venting anger.

It was clear that Dan Woo-hyun had vented the anger he received from Geum Wang-su onto strangers.

"Wh… What are you, yo…!"

Boom, boom!

The moment the black-clothed men, who regained their senses, gasped and tried to open their mouths, Dan Woo-hyun's fists flying out of nowhere smashed their faces.

In succession, Dan Woo-hyun swept the surroundings like a storm, and the black-clothed men flew miserably into the surroundings and fell here and there.

"Ah…"

"Gasp…!"

Zhuge Un and Zhuge Yeon could not close their mouths as they watched that scene.

Not only did he beat down Huang Haiyan with a single blow, but he also subdued the black-clothed men in an instant.

Just where on earth did such a person pop out from?

While they were unable to regain their senses with such thoughts, Dan Woo-hyun's voice flowed out low.

"You guys…"

"Eh…?"

"Do you know where the guy named Geum Wang-su is?"

"We… We do not know…"

When Zhuge Yeon shook her head in a daze, Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

During the ten days it took to come down to Hunan from that manor, they could not find any trace of Geum Wang-su.

Grit!

Dan Woo-hyun gnashed his teeth as he looked at Gwon Mu-jin.

Contrary to his words, 'The person visible over there looks like Zhuge Un, so if we save him, wouldn't we be able to find out the location of Geum Wang-su?', they seemed to know nothing, let alone his location.

He had wasted time for nothing.

"Let's go."

"I-I'm coming!"

Dan Woo-hyun's anger did not easily subside.

Thanks to that, Gwon Mu-jin felt like he was walking on a blade.