By Zephyria 
“Who goes there!”
Even if one tried to hold their breath, there was no way martial artists with sensitive senses would fail to notice a violently fluctuating energy.
Eventually, Il-gwang shouted fiercely and whipped around toward them. Simultaneously, Peng Do-hwan unleashed the murderous intent he had been suppressing and leaped from his spot. He flew like a launched arrow, slamming his greatsword down toward Il-gwang’s head in a single motion.
Kwang—!
“Where is Seong Mu-yeon!”
Peng Do-hwan roared fiercely.
“That idiot!”
Witnessing the scene, Baek Ryeo-il spat out a curse and leaped down.
In his excitement, Peng Do-hwan had charged blindly into a position where dozens of enemies were stationed. The Black Shadow Unit were not the type to stand idly by while their superior was being attacked right before their eyes.
The sound of the Black Shadow Unit drawing their weapons all at once as they spotted the enemy who had dropped from the sky struck the eardrums. Just as they were about to swarm Peng Do-hwan, Baek Ryeo-il’s sword strike slammed into the ground at their feet. The Black Shadow Unit recoiled under the subsequent barrage of fierce attacks.
With that single attack, the Black Shadow Unit realized that their opponent was a Master who had reached a realm far higher than their own, and they stopped approaching. Baek Ryeo-il, seemingly intending only to warn them, simply stared at them in silence.
Seong Mu-yeon had instinctively tried to follow Peng Do-hwan when he leaped, but he ended up watching the situation unfold because Gang Woong held him back. It was for the best. There was no need for him to step forward.
“Answer me! Where is Seong Mu-yeon!”
Regardless of the surrounding situation, nothing entered the eyes of the enraged Peng Do-hwan. His gaze was fixed solely on Il-gwang.
“Urgh…”
A strained groan escaped through Il-gwang’s teeth. He had instinctively drawn his sword to block the sudden, fierce attack, but Il-gwang’s sword was far too thin and weak to withstand Peng Do-hwan’s greatsword.
Because he had forced his inner force upward too violently, he suffered internal injuries, and a streak of fresh blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.
After sliding his greatsword, Peng Do-hwan swung it again with infused inner force, and Il-gwang, unable to withstand that monstrous strength, was pushed back several steps.
“Unit Leader!”
The Black Shadow Unit rushed forward to support the retreating Il-gwang, but he waved them off.
Roughly wiping the blood from his mouth, he immediately pointed his sword at Peng Do-hwan. Then, he glanced at Baek Ryeo-il, who was facing off against the Black Shadow Unit alongside him.
“You lot… your faces are not welcome here.”
Il-gwang twisted the corner of his mouth into a smirk. However, Seong Mu-yeon could read the tension hidden behind that smile.
Baek Ryeo-il and Peng Do-hwan.
The two were the cream of the crop among hidden dragons, expected to lead the future of the Martial world.
In particular, Il-gwang had the experience of being miserably crushed during his first encounter with Baek Ryeo-il. Baek Ryeo-il’s martial arts had improved even further since then, while Il-gwang appeared to have remained stagnant, having made no significant progress. Even if they fought again, the result was as clear as day.
“Hmph!”
With a short snort, Peng Do-hwan swung his heavy greatsword as lightly as if it were a tree branch, pointing it directly at Il-gwang.
“If you just hand over Seong Mu-yeon, I’ll let you go without pain.”
‘Now is not the time for this.’
Watching the scene from atop the main beam, Seong Mu-yeon was restless. Peng Do-hwan seemed to have forgotten his original purpose of finding Yak Seon.
‘…’
As Peng Do-hwan openly mentioned his name, Seong Mu-yeon looked at Baek Ryeo-il’s reaction. In that moment, their eyes met, and Seong Mu-yeon hurriedly averted his gaze.
“Trespassing into someone else’s territory, swinging a sword at the owner without warning, and now demanding the superior be handed over? Do you orthodox sect bastards know nothing of etiquette?”
‘Il-gwang, why are you picking a fight too…’
Seong Mu-yeon pressed his hand to his forehead.
It was a predictable outcome the moment two groups, who were like cats and dogs and could never mix, faced each other.
“No, wait. You, were you called Il-gwang? I need to hear what you were doing here first.”
Seong Mu-yeon was slightly surprised by that statement. It was because, for once, Baek Ryeo-il was trying to grasp the situation calmly instead of fighting alongside Peng Do-hwan.
Considering his personality, he was the type to run wild even more than Peng Do-hwan, not less.
“What does that matter, Heartless Sword! That man is Seong Mu-yeon’s confidant! You were also toyed with by Seong Mu-yeon’s hand, so do you not wish to find him and take revenge? That man must know where he is.”
Peng Do-hwan countered. His fierce rage suddenly subsided, and he continued while staring meaningfully at Baek Ryeo-il.
“Or perhaps, you have no reason to find him.”
Peng Do-hwan still suspected him and was merely waiting for an opportunity to catch him. Baek Ryeo-il’s face contorted as if he found it absurd.
“Still with those futile delusions… There must be a reason why Demonic Cult bastards, who should be stuck in Xinjiang, came here. If these guys happen to know something related to Yak Seon’s whereabouts…”
“I don’t want to hear it! If you are truly innocent, do not stop me! If you continue to interfere, I will consider you an accomplice of those wretched scum.”
Peng Do-hwan abruptly cut him off before Baek Ryeo-il could finish his answer.
“I will give you two choices. Will you hand over Seong Mu-yeon and die without pain, or will you be subjected to horrific torture for days and nights until your life ends, eventually confessing before you die?”
“Do you think I would make such a choice? I don’t know where this confidence comes from. You think just four of you—two below, two above—can handle us?”
Of course they could.
Baek Ryeo-il alone would be enough. Il-gwang knew this fact but put on a brave front. Naturally, he had no idea where Seong Mu-yeon was, but he didn’t let that show.
“Black Shadow Unit! Show these rude bastards the terror of the Demonic Cult!”
“As you command!”
“As you command!”
“So you’ve chosen to drink the penalty wine. How foolish!”
Peng Do-hwan burst into a manic laugh and swung his greatsword at the charging Black Shadow Unit. Thus, the fight broke out once more.
‘…Oh boy.’
Seong Mu-yeon clicked his tongue inwardly. In a situation where they had to find Yak Seon as quickly as possible, they were wasting time fighting the wrong people.
Perhaps due to Gyo Hong’s visit, it felt as though Peng Do-hwan was getting excited more easily than usual, and the intensity of it had increased.
Meanwhile, Baek Ryeo-il seemed strangely calm. His attitude, as if he didn’t care where Seong Mu-yeon was and that it had nothing to do with him, almost made Seong Mu-yeon feel slighted.
‘Have you completely forgotten about me now?’
The image of Baek Ryeo-il flirting with a woman flashed before his eyes.
Despite having hoped that Baek Ryeo-il would find another interesting object of interest and lose interest in him, now that it had actually happened, a heavy sense of displeasure settled in a corner of his chest.
However, regardless of how he felt, the way Baek Ryeo-il swung his sword was always strikingly efficient and lethal, making it impossible to look away.
His sword, devoid of emotion and not running wild with boiling blood as it had at the campsite, created a different kind of atmosphere.
“We should head down as well, Young Master.”
Seong Mu-yeon, who had been following Baek Ryeo-il’s movements with his mouth slightly agape, snapped back to his senses at Gang Woong’s voice. He had almost drooled.
Since their position had already been discovered by the enemies, and some members of the Black Shadow Unit who had been pushed to the rear in the chaos were occasionally attempting attacks in this direction, there was no longer any point in hiding.
Of course, due to the overwhelming presence of Baek Ryeo-il and Peng Do-hwan, not many people turned their attention this way, but since he was relying on a single beam with his feet exposed, it would be far more dangerous if attacks were concentrated on him.
As Seong Mu-yeon nodded and leaned forward to jump down, Gang Woong held him back.
“Please wait. We will not join that fight.”
Gang Woong continued, dodging a flying Sword Energy.
“The underground door is still open. We must check if the abducted people are there before the door closes. Two people should be enough for that side, so please cover me, Young Master.”
Gang Woong laid out the plan calmly, as if he were used to such situations. It seemed Gang Woong’s role was to handle the detailed parts that Baek Ryeo-il missed from a relatively safe rear position whenever Baek Ryeo-il caused a commotion.
“Then I will go down first. Please block anyone who might approach through the underground passage.”
After finishing his words, Gang Woong stared at him with a strange look for a moment. Seong Mu-yeon avoided his eyes, feeling inexplicably guilty.
He had heard that Gang Woong had accidentally witnessed him confronting the gang of thugs, but it felt unfamiliar to have Gang Woong naturally treat him as a martial artist and request cover.
To him, he had always been an object of protection. A sick and frail Young Master. That was his role.
He couldn’t forget the expression of confusion on Gang Woong’s face when he witnessed his true self. Whether intentional or not, he was a coward who had deceived and duped countless people.
And that had continued until now.