The Demonic Supreme Sword Novel - Chapter 75

Chapter 75
## Chapter 75: You Picked the Wrong Fight (2)

—

“Identify yourself.”

Po Yang threw the question out, though he was well aware of who stood before him. The moment Sima Geon and Cheol Woo appeared, he recognized the butchers who had previously intervened to save the Living Immortal Medical House. However, to maintain his cover, he forced himself to project a mask of cautious confusion.

“That’s none of your concern. Just provide the answers the old man requires.”

Cheol Woo unceremoniously dumped Dong Gwang onto the floor. The force of the impact snapped both of the man’s shoulders, and as he hit the boards, he let out a series of agonizing wails.

“Caught this one lurking outside, so we dragged him in. He was acting incredibly shifty, poking around like a scavenger.”

Cheol Woo gave Dong Gwang a mocking nudge with his boot, a grin on his face, while Sima Geon remained stoic.

“Where is the entertainer known as Golden Flower?”

“Who are you—”

Po Yang didn’t get to finish. The second he began to speak, Cheol Woo’s heavy boot came down hard on Dong Gwang’s knee.

The sound of shattering bone followed, and Dong Gwang’s screams of pure agony echoed through the structural timbers of the leaning Celestial Tower.

“Listen, old man. Don’t waste our time playing the fool. We didn’t come all this way for a chat. And for your information, the Blood Fog Sect has been wiped out in Soheung.”

Po Yang didn’t bother arguing. By the time they reached the Celestial Tower, he had already deduced that the Blood Fog Sect had met a grim end.

*[Han Seol managed to get away, didn’t she?]*

Po Yang sent a silent mental message while keeping his focus locked on Sima Geon’s party.

*[She escaped with Ho Cheop. Try not to fret too much.]*

*[My concern is what happens when she wakes up. Knowing her temper, I’m afraid she’ll try to come back immediately.]*

*[She has better judgment than you’re giving her credit for.]*

Sangcheon’s reply allowed Po Yang to relax his rigid posture slightly.

Though she lacked experience, Han Seol possessed a natural brilliance that would eventually make her a cornerstone of the Hao Clan. Likewise, Ho Cheop, who trained under Sangcheon, was a rising talent. For the sake of the Hao Clan’s future, their survival was the absolute priority.

‘The trail was discovered, but Han Seol and Ho Cheop are safe. At the very least, I can look the Clan Lord in the eye now.’

It had been the right call to send her away the moment the sword qi struck the tower. Even if it required knocking her unconscious to overcome her stubborn refusal to leave.

Observing the shift in Po Yang’s demeanor toward one of relief, Sima Geon realized the man had made his peace with the situation.

“I see you’ve decided to stay silent until the bitter end.”

“It’s Golden Flower you’re after?”

“Correct.”

“You will never find her.”

Cheol Woo’s patience snapped at Po Yang’s flat refusal.

“We’ll see about that. It doesn’t really matter now, anyway.”

Cheol Woo’s massive foot slammed down, crushing the chest of the already broken Dong Gwang.

Dong Gwang’s eyes bulged with a final, bloody surge of pressure. His mouth hung open, his body convulsed briefly, and then his head fell to the side, lifeless.

“Now then,” Cheol Woo said, his eyes turning cold as he looked at Po Yang and Sangcheon. “Let’s have a real conversation.”

—

Han Seol’s eyes snapped open as she regained consciousness.

‘What is this?’

She watched the landscape blur past her at high speed. She suddenly jerked her body upward, causing Ho Cheop—who was sprinting while carrying her—to lose his footing momentarily.

“You’re awake, Deputy Leader?”

“Ho Cheop?”

“Yes.”

“What is going on?”

Han Seol slid off his back and stood her ground.

“Don’t you recall? The Celestial Tower was under siege…”

“I remember the attack. I want to know why I am out here on your back instead of being at the tower where I belong.”

“I was ordered to ensure your safe departure.”

“So the Elder drugged or struck me.”

“He did.”

“Unbelievable!”

Han Seol let out a frustrated breath and started to turn back toward the city.

“I’m going back.”

“I can’t allow that.”

Ho Cheop moved quickly to block her path, shaking his head.

“Move out of my way.”

“You’ll be killed.”

“I don’t care about dying. If you’re a coward, go on without me.”

“This isn’t about being afraid! It’s about logic. Even if we returned right now, we couldn’t change anything. We would just be two more bodies added to the pile.”

Though she knew he was right, Han Seol’s determination didn’t waver.

“Even so, we can’t just flee like this.”

“This isn’t fleeing. It’s following a directive.”

“What directive?”

“I was tasked with two specific duties.”

Ho Cheop looked her directly in the eye, his expression grim.

“First, to get you to safety.”

“I reject that. That’s a personal order that doesn’t serve the clan.”

“The second is to notify the headquarters. Those butchers might have realized we were there, and the main branch needs time to prepare.”

“One person can carry a warning. You go. Tell them. I am going back to the Celestial Tower.”

Han Seol couldn’t live with the thought of abandoning the people at the tower. As she tried to step past him, Ho Cheop blocked her again.

“I won’t let you.”

“Get out of my way!”

“No.”

“If you keep blocking me, I’ll cut you down where you stand.”

Han Seol drew her blade, her face twisted with fury. Ho Cheop didn’t even flinch; instead, he leaned his neck toward her sword.

“Fine. Kill me and then go.”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

Han Seol’s voice rose to a scream. Ho Cheop simply closed his eyes.

“Then strike.”

“You…!”

Han Seol held the sword high, trembling, but she couldn’t bring herself to swing.

While they were locked in their stalemate, a figure watched them from about twenty zhang away, hidden in the shadows.

“What a load of nonsense. Either stab him or keep running,” Noe Jeon whispered to himself, feeling irritable. He had been tailing them stealthily since they left the tower.

“Maybe I should just jump in and break them both.”

He was tempted to stop the boring surveillance and just beat the answers out of them, but he remembered the consequences of a botched mission.

“Ugh, I don’t even want to think about the lecture I’d get.”

Just as Noe Jeon felt a shiver run down his spine, the two stopped arguing and resumed their journey.

“Took them long enough.”

Noe Jeon grinned and began to follow again. In the spot where he had been crouching, he left a small, specific mark that only a member of the Divine Demon Division would recognize.

—

*Kukukukung!*

As those who had escaped the Celestial Tower looked back with heavy hearts, a thunderous roar signaled the final collapse of the building.

“A fitting tomb.”

Cheol Woo, who had provided the final push to bring the ruined structure down, brushed the dust from his clothes.

“I wonder if those fools regret staying silent until the end. Heh, I should have told them before they died that Noe Jeon was already hunting the ones who got away. They were surprisingly fast. Still, I’m impressed anyone could withstand the Bone-Melting Technique for that long.”

Cheol Woo thought back to the two men who had died under torture without revealing a single secret. Despite being enemies, their willpower was admirable.

“So, we’re relying on Noe Jeon now?”

Sima Geon felt a lingering unease. Despite the Bone-Melting Technique, they hadn’t extracted any useful intelligence. The fact that even the low-level operatives were that fanatical made him worry that their mystery opponent was more dangerous than they anticipated.

“Are we leaving now? Everyone is waiting—shouldn’t we give them an update?”

Sima Geon’s face clouded over at Cheol Woo’s question.

“It will only make them worry more.”

“Even so, we have to tell them.”

“You’re right. Let’s head back.”

Sima Geon nodded, and they made their way home.

Using their lightness skills, the two arrived in moments and explained the grim situation to the anxious family.

“So you still don’t know who took Jin or where she is!”

“Not yet. But we will have answers soon.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Sima Hyeon asked, her voice breaking with tears.

“Of course. They likely want Jin because of her unique gifts, so they won’t harm her unnecessarily.”

“You mean the Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian?”

“Yes. No one goes to these lengths just for a random girl. These people definitely know about her constitution.”

“Oh… to be born with such a burden…”

The room fell silent as Sima Hyeon wept.

“At least there’s that. If they value her ability as you say, she should be safe for now.”

While Sima Hyeon found a small bit of comfort in that logic, Gwa Yu and Yong Jung remained grim. They were well aware of the horrific things that happened to people with special constitutions in the world of martial arts.

“We have to get her back before anything happens.”

Sima Geon placed a comforting hand on Sima Hyeon’s shoulder. He then sat by the unconscious Sima Ho, holding his hand for a long time, silently promising to return with Sima Jin before he departed again.

—

In a rugged mountain range about thirty ri southwest of Hangzhou.

Sima Geon and Cheol Woo stood at a three-way fork in the road, soaked to the bone by rain and looking ragged.

“Damn it, a split in the path. We were on the right trail until now, weren’t we?” Cheol Woo asked, looking around nervously.

“Most likely.”

Sima Geon replied, though he sounded uncertain.

The hunt from the Celestial Tower had been easy at first. Noe Jeon’s marks were clear, and while Sima Geon and Cheol Woo weren’t as skilled at tracking as him, they were well-trained enough not to lose the scent. But the storm that began an hour ago had changed everything, washing away the subtle signs Noe Jeon had left behind.

“That idiot Noe Jeon… leaving marks on the ground of all places. He should have known it might rain!” Cheol Woo yelled at the sky, pacing back and forth in frustration.

“Stop complaining and look. If we lose the trail here, we’ll lose hours.”

Sima Geon didn’t even turn his head as he searched. His intensity silenced Cheol Woo.

They spent nearly an hour scouring the area, but found nothing. Still, they couldn’t stop. Every second they spent lost was another second Sima Jin was in danger.

“Blast it!”

Cheol Woo finally roared in anger. Sima Geon just stared up at the sky, which was finally starting to clear.

“We’re burning daylight! Boss, we have to split up. We can’t stay here forever.”

“I agree.”

“A one-in-three shot is better than nothing.”

Sima Geon looked down the narrowest of the three paths.

“I’ll take the left.”

“Fine. I’ll take the right.”

“Noe Jeon is smart; he would have left better marks if he knew it would rain. If you don’t find anything in two hours, come back here.”

“And if I do find something?”

“Keep going. If one of us doesn’t return, the other will assume the right path was found and follow.”

“Understood. Good luck. Damn this rain!”

As Cheol Woo prepared to sprint away, Sima Geon caught his arm.

“Wait.”

“What now?”

“Look over there.”

Sima Geon pointed, and Cheol Woo followed his gaze.

In the distance, framed by a fading rainbow, a lone figure was sprinting toward them.

“That absolute bastard!”

Cheol Woo cursed again, but this time his voice was full of relief and joy.

“Division Leader!”

Noe Jeon, utilizing the elite lightness skills of the Divine Demon Division, reached them in seconds.

“Whew! I knew you’d be stuck here scratching your heads.”

Noe Jeon panted, a smirk on his face, until Cheol Woo grabbed him by the collar.

“You knew? Then why didn’t you come back sooner? Or leave better marks? What the hell were you thinking?”

“Hey, let go!”

Noe Jeon shoved him off, looking annoyed.

“I didn’t plan for a monsoon. If I had doubled back to fix the marks during the storm, I would have lost them entirely.”

Cheol Woo started to yell again, but Sima Geon stepped between them.

“You’re back, which means you found where they’re hiding?”

“Naturally.”

“Where?”

“In Hangzhou.”

“Hangzhou? Is there even a town called that nearby?” Cheol Woo asked, having been too focused on the ground to notice his surroundings.

“They took a mountain route, not the main roads, so it’s hard to tell. Besides, it’s my first time in these parts.”

“We’re strangers here too. I thought we were heading north; I never expected we’d end up near Hangzhou.”

Sima Geon let out a dry, tired laugh.

“Are you certain? They didn’t move while you were coming to get us?”

Noe Jeon gave a confident smirk.

“I’m sure. It’s the Hao Clan.”

“The Hao Clan? The same one we’re thinking of?” Cheol Woo asked, surprised.

“The very same. So…”

As Noe Jeon began to provide more details, Sima Geon cut him off and started walking.

“Show us the way.”