A single candle, hanging alone on the wall, illuminated the dim room.

The room, seemingly an underground stone chamber, was small, and with all sides blocked, the air was stale.

On the floor beyond the candlelight, a person lay with long black hair spread out.

Iron shackles were fastened to both hands and ankles.

"Umm..."

The person lying down tossed and turned with a groan, then opened their eyes at the heavy clanking sound of metal.

A faint light was visible.

Frowning for a moment and looking around, she realized she was lying in a small stone chamber and shot up.

"Hmph!"

Chareuk!

Confirming that her hands and arms were bound by iron chains, she stared at the iron door beyond the candle.

Pushing back the black hair that had fallen in front of her face, Son Ae-hwa's face was revealed.

She looked around with very flustered eyes and then sat on the floor.

'What happened?'

It was when she was having a meal in Kaifeng. She had been drinking tea and eating when she suddenly fell asleep.

And when she opened her eyes, she was here.

Gulp!

Swallowing her dry saliva, she stared intently at the iron door.

She could see several finger-thick holes drilled into the bottom of the iron door.

She shouted loudly.

"Hey! Why am I here! Who are you! Open the door!"

As if hearing her shout, footsteps were heard a short while later, and the door opened halfway.

Pat!

In that instant, Son Ae-hwa lunged towards the door. Her hands reached out towards the flickering shadow in front of the door.

But the owner of the shadow was a greater master than she had thought.

He avoided Son Ae-hwa's hands and thrust his fist into her abdomen.

Thwack!

"Keok!"

Son Ae-hwa, her eyes wide from the powerful blow, flew into the room and hit the wall.

Thump!

Son Ae-hwa, who had fallen to the floor, staggered to her feet. In the meantime, a man who appeared to be in his late twenties entered the room.

A sword dangled from the man's waist, and a cold smile hung on his lips.

Other warriors came in behind him, placed a chair and a table, and then left.

Thump!

As the door closed, the young man sat down in the chair. There was only one chair, so while the young man could sit, Son Ae-hwa had to either stand or sit on the floor.

The young man drew his sword, placed it on the table, and crossed his arms.

"If you kill me and leave this room, no one will stop you, Miss Son."

Son Ae-hwa's eyes widened. It was because of the words "Miss Son."

'He knows me. The Demonic Cult?'

Son Ae-hwa felt a cold energy brush her back, and her hair stood on end.

"Who are you?"

"More importantly, hurry up, grab the sword, and stab me. Where did the spirit you showed just now go?"

"Just get to the point."

As Son Ae-hwa asked, leaning against the wall as if she had given up resisting, the young man made a disappointed face and sheathed his sword again.

"If you had attacked, I would have had a reason to kill you... What a shame."

If Son Ae-hwa had grabbed the sword, the young man would have twisted her neck.

The young man, as if disappointed that he couldn't, licked his lips and observed Son Ae-hwa.

"This is the Martial Alliance."

"What!"

"The place you are in is the first floor of the prison."

Seeing the startled Son Ae-hwa, the young man raised his hand, pointed upwards, and spoke again.

"The upper floor is the torture chamber. Depending on what you do, you might go, or you might not. Personally, I'd like it if you came up. I heard that the Flower Ghosts of the Demonic Cult hide hidden weapons in their wombs. They say there's a poison pouch, so if you sleep with a Flower Ghost, you die instantly, right? I want to check if that's true or not. I want to cut it out and see."

"You crazy bastard. Do you think that makes sense?"

"We'll know when we check."

At the young man's smile, Son Ae-hwa trembled her shoulders as if she had goosebumps.

Just then, with the sound of the door opening, a middle-aged man with a benevolent face in a blue silk robe entered.

"Don't scare her like that. Do you think she'll really believe you'll torture her like that?"

"I'm sorry."

The young man hurriedly stood up and bowed his head.

The middle-aged man, receiving Son Ae-hwa's gaze, sat down in the chair and said to the young man.

"Go and bring tea. Two cups."

"Yes."

As the young man answered and went out, the middle-aged man silently observed Son Ae-hwa.

Son Ae-hwa, wary of the middle-aged man, had countless thoughts.

"Why did the Martial Alliance capture me? How did you know I was a Flower Ghost? Why, for heaven's sake?"

"Jin Sa-wol."

As Jin Sa-wol's name came out of the middle-aged man's mouth, Son Ae-hwa's expression hardened and she closed her mouth.

A short while later, the young man came in, placed a teapot and teacups, and went out.

The middle-aged man poured tea into both cups and then pushed one forward.

"Drink."

Although the middle-aged man spoke, Son Ae-hwa did not move.

The middle-aged man smiled, drank his tea, and then said.

"There is no poison. Poison is only used by ruffians who cannot protect themselves."

"Who are you?"

"Zhuge Qing."

"The Three-Brained..."

Son Ae-hwa observed Zhuge Qing's face and instinctively realized that the situation was serious.

Zhuge Qing crossed his arms and said.

"That friend, Jin Sa-wol, is not one to make mistakes, but he left Miss Son alone. He's a very tricky and quick-witted friend, so I couldn't lay a hand on him, but since Miss Son was alone, I acted rudely."

"If you know you were rude, please release me."

"I cannot do that."

At Zhuge Qing's words, Son Ae-hwa showed a cold killing intent.

"If I die or get hurt, you won't be safe either."

"That sounds like something from the Demonic Cult. Hahaha!"

"It's true. The Innkeeper is a fearsome person."

"The Martial Alliance is also a fearsome place."

At Zhuge Qing's words, Son Ae-hwa closed her mouth.

Zhuge Qing wet his throat with tea and then got to the point.

"It's a fact known to everyone in the alliance that the relationship between the Alliance Leader and the Innkeeper of the Gangnam Grand Inn is good. But I don't like it. Isn't that friend, Jin Sa-wol, from the Demonic Cult? We can't have someone from the Demonic Cult by the Alliance Leader's side."

"The Innkeeper has left the Demonic Cult. He killed their extermination squad and has settled his past with the Demonic Cult. On top of that, I know he helped the Alliance Leader, so are you saying you're going to abandon him like this? He's no different from Han Xin."

"He who touches pitch shall be defiled. If the Alliance Leader continues to build a friendship with a Demonic Cult member, will the martial artists look upon it favorably?"

At Zhuge Qing's words, Son Ae-hwa gritted her teeth.

"There is nothing you can find out through my mouth."

Hearing Son Ae-hwa's words, Zhuge Qing finished his tea and stood up.

"The Demonic Cult is the Demonic Cult. It does not change. If you tell me everything about Jin Sa-wol in detail, you will leave this room safely. I don't mind if you become my spy."

Son Ae-hwa did not react to Zhuge Qing's words.

Zhuge Qing left the room without any lingering attachment and then closed the door.

From beyond the door, Zhuge Qing's voice echoed.

"Do not give her a single sip of water for five days."

"Yes."

The young man's answer was heard.

Son Ae-hwa, who was standing in the room, clenched her fists.

Thump!

As the entrance to the basement closed, the masked person took off their mask.

Chalrang!

Her long black hair fluttered in the wind.

The face revealed in the moonlight was Dam-ji's.

Behind her, dozens of Flower Ghosts stood in formation.

"Go to the Heart Killing Pavilion. If anyone walks out of there, kill them."

Whoosh! Whoosh!

As soon as her words ended, the surrounding Flower Ghosts all disappeared into the darkness.

Dam-ji turned her body, left through the back gate, and then headed for the deepest part of Sinryeong Valley.

The basement led to the Heart Killing Pavilion, and Seo Mun-ok was there.

The damp moisture and the smell of moss reminded him of his childhood memories. If the scent of blood were added to this, it would be perfect.

Cheon Woo-rin was a flower in a greenhouse.

But Seo Mun-ok was not a flower at all. She was a master who had gained martial world experience at the Flower Pavilion since she was young.

Naturally, he had to be careful with his internal energy management. Because he didn't know what would happen in the future, he had to save thirty percent.

Since he had to move while conserving his stamina, his breathing was also long.

Jeobeok! Jeobeok!

As he went down the stairs, a passage wide enough for two adults to barely walk appeared.

The ceiling was high, seeming to be about one zhang. Luminous pearls that emitted a faint light were visible here and there, and a bright light was flowing out from the end of the passage far away.

The distance was about thirty to forty zhang.

Seuk! Seuk!

From far away, a black shadow appeared, blocking the light.

Papat!

They instantly ran towards Jin Sa-wol like madmen. The tips of the half-moon sabers in their hands touched the wall.

Saaaaak!

The sound of them running while scraping the wall tickled Jin Sa-wol's ears.

Jin Sa-wol took out the dagger, Night Flower, from his bosom and held it in his hand. It wasn't polite to just stand there and wait when they were running at him like that.

Hook! Papat!

Jin Sa-wol's figure seemed to disappear with black smoke, and in an instant, he stabbed the neck of the man at the very front.

Thwack!

The man with the half-moon saber, seeing Jin Sa-wol appear in front of him, opened his eyes wide.

"When..."

"Move."

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol pushed the man in front and moved his dagger towards the man in the red martial arts uniform behind him.

Two half-moon sabers cut through the empty air and flew to cut his head, but Jin Sa-wol's hand was faster.

Per-thwack!

After stabbing the neck twice in a row, he pushed the opponent away.

Then he stabbed the forehead of the man standing behind and lightly jumped up to stab the neck of the opponent behind him as well.

Per-per-thwack! Thwack!

After stabbing eight men, he lightly blocked the half-moon sabers of nine men with his dagger and then stabbed the opponent's chest five times with Night Flower.

Immediately after, he turned around the falling opponent and stabbed the eyes of the tenth man standing behind.

"Kraaak!"

A loud scream echoed as if it would collapse the passage.

Listening to the sound, Jin Sa-wol, who had pulled out his dagger, cut the man's neck and passed by.

Thump!

As the last, tenth man fell at his feet, Jin Sa-wol looked at the half-moon sabers held in their hands.

"Blood Curtain?"

Those who used such half-moon sabers were Mun-gang's subordinates. But he hadn't thought he would be here.

Seuk!

With a cool sensation, a hand dug into his right side.

There was no sound at all.

It was a hand with a stealth that surpassed all of Jin Sa-wol's senses.

The moment Jin Sa-wol felt the cold sensation on his flesh, he quickly rotated and moved forward by half a zhang.

Chachang! Papat!

A dozen streaks of light wrapped around the passage like a spider's web, and sparks and dust rose.

"She's above a faction leader."

To be able to deceive his eyes and ears in this narrow passage, she had to be a Flower Ghost who surpassed a faction leader.

As that thought came to him, he thought of Seo Mun-ok.

Did she come in person?

'That can't be.'

Jin Sa-wol embedded Night Flower into the right wall.

Puk!

It was Night Flower, which lightly pierced the stone wall.

Jin Sa-wol put his internal energy into the dagger and then swiped it forward.

Papat! Hwing!

A silver light cut through the center of the wall, flew for three zhang, and then disappeared.

A strong wind blew with dust.

Seureuk!

Something sharp pierced his back.

At the tip of an all-black hand was a sharp dagger.

The black dagger was so dull it seemed to absorb even light.

Jin Sa-wol's hand went down below his waist and then threw Night Flower behind him.

Thwack!

Night Flower, which had crossed the empty air, flew for three zhang. In that instant, Jin Sa-wol's figure appeared and he grabbed Night Flower again.

Immediately after, dozens of sparks rose around the passage and it vibrated greatly.

As he continuously unfolded the Hundred Ghost Killing Sword, the sword energies remained and cut the passage like a spider's web.

But he could not see the opponent's figure. It seemed she had disappeared in the meantime.

"She's above."

As Jin Sa-wol's eyes turned upwards, a lightning bolt flashed with a 'pit!'.

Immediately after, the wriggling shadow on the ceiling landed five zhang away.

A black, round lump slowly turned into a person.

It was a sight he had seen from Jo-rim.

A dagger suddenly protruded, piercing the neck of the masked person who had just become a person.

The masked person's eyes widened.

(End of Chapter)