****
Dang Baek eyed Cheol U with cautious scrutiny.
Even with more than thirty men arrayed before him, the man stood there at leisure, exuding no particular aura.
That only troubled him more. It felt like that nonchalance wasn't mere bluffing, but absolute confidence.
'An expert. A tremendous one.'
As the shadow of Gentleman Sword Yeong Ho Jung, Dang Baek had crossed paths with countless masters around the Yeong Ho Family and instinctively sensed that Cheol U was no ordinary foe. But it was far too late to turn back now. Even retreat wouldn't see them sent off kindly.
Dang Baek's gaze shifted to Hwan Su and the others, awaiting his command. No words were needed.
"Attack!"
With a sharp cry, Hwan Su's sword shot toward Cheol U's heart.
Led by Hwan Su, the Black Ox Division's encirclement of Cheol U and Sima Geon erupted into simultaneous assault.
Faced with attacks raining down from every direction, Cheol U let out a scoffing laugh and reached out toward the blade thrusting at his heart.
At Cheol U's suicidal move, Hwan Su felt a flicker of doubt but drove his sword forward with even greater force.
The fiercely advancing blade halted in midair.
"You mad bastard..."
Hwan Su stared in horror at his sword gripped in Cheol U's hand.
It was a masterfully honed blade, sharp enough to cleave anything it merely grazed.
He had never imagined a mere hand of flesh and blood could withstand it.
Clang!
With a piercing metallic ring, the blade snapped clean off in Cheol U's grasp.
Snatching the broken shard, Cheol U lunged his hand toward Hwan Su's face.
'No, not that!'
Hwan Su's eyes bulged wide in terror.
Cheol U's left hand had already clamped his nape.
Attacks flew in from all sides to rescue Hwan Su.
Cheol U ignored the barrage and slammed the broken blade fully into Hwan Su's face.
Hwan Su's body thrashed desperately to escape the iron grip, only to slump limp as the shard punched through the back of his skull.
In that instant, the swords targeting Cheol U swept across his form.
Not a single thread of his clothing was severed by the Black Ox Division's strikes. The Overlord Blood Victory Qi sheathing his body had deflected them all.
The Overlord Blood Victory Qi bequeathed by Master Bultoe lacked the raw offensive might of the Ink Gang Asura Qi that Sima Geon had imparted after his fateful encounter in the Ghost Gate Family. Yet as a protective aura, it excelled beyond any other art—even holding its own against the Ink Gang Asura Qi.
Cheol U gazed pitifully at the Black Ox Division, stumbling back with faces twisted in terror.
"Tsk tsk. You put on quite the show at first glance, but is this all you've got? When a comrade drops dead, shouldn't you swarm like cornered beasts? Pathetic vermin."
Irritably hoisting Hwan Su's limp corpse, Cheol U hurled it at the retreating Black Ox Division.
"Catch. A little gift."
Cheol U casually clenched his fist and unleashed a mighty punch.
The instant the bluish fist aura smashed into Hwan Su's body, it burst apart like fireworks.
Bones and flesh scattered in all directions, turning into deadly projectiles that ravaged the Black Ox Division.
"Arrrgh!"
"Gaaah!"
Screams mingled with the spray of blood, cloaking the bamboo grove in a crimson mist.
An unimaginable display of overwhelming power.
As the Black Ox Division crumbled without daring to resist Cheol U's might, Dang Baek's own ploy—circling left to strike from the rear—spiraled into disaster.
With all focus locked on Cheol U's terrifying presence, Dang Baek committed the fatal error of forgetting Sima Geon.
As Dang Baek slipped toward Cheol U's flank using the poison sect's Dark Mist Step, Sima Geon—watching impassively—lazily extended a foot.
Even left alone, Cheol U wouldn't fall to Dang Baek. Far more likely, Dang Baek would end up as bloody pulp under Cheol U's retaliation.
Curious to verify certain details of the situation, Sima Geon couldn't simply let him die.
"Guhk!"
A strangled cry burst from Dang Baek as he melted into shadow like smoke.
True to form as the Black Ox Division leader, his reaction was swift.
Pain flared, and like lightning, he twisted away while thrusting his sword.
A streak of light blazed toward Sima Geon.
Sima Geon, who had crushed Dang Baek's ankle, smirked in amusement at the quick riposte and flicked a finger.
Clang!
The sword hurtling at Sima Geon's nape clashed with his finger, shrieking with metallic fury.
Shock surged through the blade, up the arm, into the shoulder—rattling Dang Baek's frame.
Unable to bear it, he lost his grip on the sword, staring at Sima Geon in stunned dismay.
Sima Geon seized the blade and plunged it into Dang Baek's instep.
Slow as the motion was, Dang Baek couldn't twitch.
"Gaaaaah!"
A raw scream tore from Dang Baek's throat, pain overwhelming him.
Sima Geon had silenced any outward sound to avoid disturbing his brother's treatment. He waited patiently for the screams to peak and fade before murmuring softly.
"Where are you from? What brought you here?"
"W-Who the hell are you?"
Sima Geon furrowed his brow faintly at the retort and nudged the blade in Dang Baek's foot.
As the instep split open, Dang Baek's jaws gaped wide.
No scream escaped.
Bloodshot eyes glaring, lips clamped white-knuckled, he fixed Sima Geon with venomous hate.
"Who... are you... guk!"
Sima Geon twisted the sword to gag him again, stepping back as he spoke.
"I ask. You answer. What's your target here? The Pure Heart Clinic? Living Immortal Physician Family? Or the pure azure oil?"
Testing each query, Sima Geon caught the flicker in Dang Baek's eyes at "pure azure oil."
"So. The pure azure oil it is."
Dang Baek hung his head in silence.
"Few know I claimed the pure azure oil. Where'd you hear? Water Drag..."
Mid-sentence, Sima Geon chuckled and shook his head, recalling Thousand Kill Hall's ambush en route from Hangzhou to Soochow.
"If alley rats know, calling it secret was a joke to begin with."
"Y-You got the pure azure oil? T-Then you're Sima Geon?"
Dang Baek snapped his head up, voice quavering.
"You even know the name—looks like the intel's wide open. Correct. Sima Geon."
At the name, Dang Baek's face curdled like a spoiled tuber.
'What utter idiocy we've done!'
He rued to his marrow not probing Sima Geon himself—only verifying Thousand Kill Hall's drubbing by the Living Immortal Physician Family retainers.
'Monsters playing butcher, and we scoffed.'
Wealthy enough for pure azure oil, yet running a slaughterhouse? Suspicious on its face.
He'd normally flag it instantly, probe deep. Why gloss over? Baffling, even to him.
"I answered. Your turn. Where from?"
Sima Geon's even tone sent gooseflesh rippling over Dang Baek.
Experience taught: such calm poise terrified more than blustering threats.
"Not talking? Fine, doesn't mat..."
Cold smile twisting to alarm, Sima Geon lunged to clamp Dang Baek's jaw—but too slow.
Dang Baek convulsed wildly, blood oozing from every orifice.
Sensing mortal peril in Sima Geon's vibe, he'd crunched the poison pellet concealed in his mouth.
Deeming death inevitable, Sima Geon whipped around.
"Don't slaughter them all. Spare a few..."
Words died unspoken.
Cheol U sauntered up, every last foe eradicated—no survivors.
"Boss, these were pushovers. Flashy looks, zero bite. Matched Black Heaven Gang threads, had hopes—but gap's insane... What's wrong? Trouble, boss?"
Cheol U halted at Sima Geon's grim look.
"All gone?"
"Obviously. Couldn't hold back—they shattered like glass."
Cheol U shrugged with a grin, spotting Dang Baek sprawled at Sima Geon's feet.
"Croaked?"
"Aye."
"Get anything?"
Sima Geon shook his head limply; Cheol U gaped.
"Boss laid hands and zilch? Guy's got guts."
"Offed himself first. Foolish—missed the poison pill."
Sima Geon sighed in self-rebuke; Cheol U jabbed toward the Pure Heart Clinic with a laugh.
"Eyes glued there, who'd notice? Top dog through, suiciding for secrets. Shame about no puppetmaster. Flies could buzz anytime."
"No more flies. Pure azure oil's gone after tonight. If any persist..."
Sima Geon's cold gaze settled on Dang Baek—bloodied orifices, agonized throes ended in death.
"That's their fate."
"Heh heh! Flies might liven things. Boredom needs kick."
Cheol U snickered; Sima Geon scowled.
"Boredom? Kick? Guzzled blood already—crave more?"
"Not quite."
"I loathe shattering this peace."
"Same here."
Cheol U's awkward chuckle drew Sima Geon's scoff.
"Lip service."
"For real this time."
"Quiet!"
Sima Geon tuned out the excuses.
"Tidy here proper. Corpses everywhere'll spook 'em."
"Here?"
Cheol U startled.
"Gonna bail as is?"
"Nah, but solo on this mess..."
Cheol U scratched his nape, surveying the carnage.
Over half mangled unrecognizable; survivors equally wrecked. Blood soaked earth, staining bamboo crimson.
"Who trashed it so? Moderate would've cleaned easy—less hassle."
"You drilled 'full throttle even on rabbits.'"
Cheol U sulked.
"Full throttle, not butcher-block pulp. Enough—handle it."
Sima Geon glared, wheeling away.
Cheol U gawked at the retreating back, heaving a ground-shaking sigh.
"Haa! When'll this..."
Dejection masked action—his hefty feet already gouging soil.