“Get out of the way!”

“Before we kill you too!”

The residents, who had been smiling brightly at Cha Seol just a moment ago, had long since disappeared.

Now, only the anger of the martial artists who had regained their freedom after 10 years existed.

“My name is Gu Jucheol! If you don’t want to die!”

As Gu Jucheol’s red revolutionary sword cut across the floor of the basement, a long line was created.

“Don’t cross this line.”

At that, a ferocious momentum spewed out, and the martial artists who had been rushing in like angry beasts stopped in their tracks.

Bloodshot eyes and rough breathing.

The anger that heated the atmosphere could be felt on the skin.

“Gu Jucheol…?”

The young martial artists didn't recognize Gu Jucheol, but they realized that he possessed unusual martial arts and couldn't rashly step forward.

“Ghost-Faced Revolutionary Sword!”

At that moment, a middle-aged man, who was the oldest among the residents, frowned as if he had recognized Gu Jucheol. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“Could it be… that you are the Ghost-Faced Revolutionary Sword, one of the Seven Evils?”

“Yes. I am indeed the Ghost-Faced Revolutionary Sword, Gu Jucheol.”

“Why is one of the Seven Evils…”

Fear, along with anger, appeared on the faces of the residents who had learned Gu Jucheol’s identity.

Although they could not be called martial artists of the same era.

There were almost no martial artists who did not know about the Righteous-Heretic Great War.

The martial artists, who had witnessed a living legend and history in front of their eyes, hesitated to cross the line.

As a strange standoff between Gu Jucheol and the villagers was formed, the hesitating middle-aged man withdrew his sword and then cupped his fists in a salute.

“I greet Great Master Gu. My name is Chae Binso. Although I possess a sword technique that is nothing to boast of compared to the Great Master, I was also once called one of the Five New Swords of Henan.”

Chae Binso’s gaze went past Gu Jucheol and landed on Cha Seol.

At the same time, hatred, anger, and sadness were felt in his eyes.

“I had a woman I had promised to marry. I was also guaranteed a bright future. But… when I opened my eyes, my original life was gone, and only an old body remained.”

“…”

No one, including Gu Jucheol, could refute Chae Binso’s words.

The lost 10 years of life.

How could that be compensated?

Gu Jucheol lowered the sword he was holding with a sorrowful expression.

“It’s not that I don’t understand your hatred. But isn’t it too harsh to ask this child to pay for the crime?”

“Harsh? Great Master Gu. The lives of the thirty people here add up to a whopping 300 years. 300 years of life… were sacrificed just to protect that little wench!”

“That’s right!”

“This is bullshit!”

“Damn wench!”

The sharp criticism and hateful gazes of the residents toward her.

There was no way a girl in her early teens could withstand it.

Cha Seol couldn't meet their gazes and lowered her head, her body trembling as she shed tears.

“Stop!”

At Gu Jucheol’s shout, the residents who were pouring out criticism shut their mouths.

“So… what do you want? What do you want to do with an innocent girl?”

“We will take care of our own business, so please don’t mind and step aside, Great Master Gu.”

“What if I can’t?”

“Then we will strongly question the Martial Alliance about this matter. The crime of bewitching people with an unauthorized and wicked sorcery… the crime of trampling on their lives.”

Chae Binso glared coldly at Cha Seol.

“She will have to rot in the Martial Alliance’s prison for the rest of her life.”

The moment Chae Binso’s words ended.

“Nooo—!!”

A desperate scream of an old woman, as if being torn apart, was heard from somewhere.

Those with weak mental strength grabbed their heads and staggered.

“The witch…!”

Cha Yong, who seemed to have been retaliated against by the residents who had come to their senses, appeared, staggering with a battered body.

Unable to walk properly, Cha Yong, who was coming down the stairs, rolled down them.

At that, Jin Sohyun unfolded the Shadowless Divine Step and caught Cha Yong, who was about to fall headfirst, in his arms.

“No… you can’t…”

Cha Yong, who had escaped from Jin Sohyun’s arms, struggling, fell flat on the floor.

And then she begged.

“It’s all my fault. I did everything wrong… so please forgive Seol. I beg you.”

“This witch! There is no forgiveness! You too… and that wicked wench… will all be thrown into the Martial Alliance’s prison and will never see the light of day for the rest of your lives.”

Chae Binso said, his hand holding the sword hilt trembling.

“Consider it a mercy that I am not killing you here and now.”

“You can kill me. You can mock me as much as you want, tear me to shreds, and throw me to the beasts as food. So… just Seol… just don’t touch Seol.”

“Shut up! You witch!”

A young martial artist who couldn't stand it anymore slapped Cha Yong’s cheek.

Starting with that, the martial artists who could no longer hold back their anger rushed in as if to beat Cha Yong.

As their eyes were turning to madness, Cha Seol ran over and covered Cha Yong with her own body.

At that, Chae Binso shouted again.

“Get out of the way!”

He reached out his hand to grab Cha Seol’s hair.

“Stop it.”

Jin Sohyun’s hand snatched Chae Binso’s wrist.

“You… don’t interfere in our business.”

“It’s not that I don’t understand your position, but please… stop.”

“Let go of this!”

Chae Binso raised his internal energy and tried to shake off Jin Sohyun.

But the captured wrist didn't budge.

Rather, Chae Binso’s body staggered from the rebound of the force.

‘What kind of strength is this!’

“This bastard! What do you know!”

At that moment, as another resident’s angry blade was headed for Jin Sohyun, a pure white blade touched his Adam’s apple.

“Keuk!”

Cheon Yerang, who was standing next to Jin Sohyun, stared at the residents approaching him with emotionless eyes.

As the residents couldn't readily approach due to the strong momentum that was subtly rising, Gu Jucheol opened his mouth with a deep sigh.

“Everyone, stop it.”

The voice was low, but the power contained in it was by no means low.

A killing intent that made the skin tingle.

The killing intent that Gu Jucheol, who was called one of the Seven Evils, had started to emit with determination was enough to plunge the martial artists gathered in one place into fear.

But that was also for a moment.

Gu Jucheol withdrew his killing intent and threw the sword he was holding to the ground.

“The Demon-Subduing Ghost, Cha Yong.”

“…?”

“That is the title and name of the old woman who has fallen before you.”

The martial artists looked at each other.

Naturally, no one recognized Cha Yong.

“There will be no one here who remembers Cha Yong. Do you know why?”

“Do we need to know?”

As Chae Binso asked with a voice full of hostility, Gu Jucheol sneered.

“You should know. If you are martial artists who have learned martial arts under the name of the righteous path, you should remember.”

“The name of such a witch…!”

“Gu Yong.”

Thud— Thud—

“Yes, Great Master Gu.”

Everyone’s gaze was focused on the stairs of the basement.

And there, Gu Yong came down the stairs and introduced himself.

“My name is Gu Yong. I am a beggar of the Beggars' Sect.”

“A Beggars' Sect member…”

At the appearance of the Beggars' Sect, a sense of tension appeared on the faces of the martial artists.

Even if others didn't, the Beggars' Sect was one of the pillars of the Nine Sects One Gang.

Gu Yong, who had come down the stairs, stood next to Cha Yong and said.

“The Demon-Subduing Ghost, Cha Yong. This person is a hero of the Righteous-Heretic Great War. If she had not been there, the one who would have won the Righteous-Heretic Great War might not have been the Martial Alliance… but the Ming Cult.”

“You mean that witch is a hero of the Righteous-Heretic Great War?”

“That’s right. Nevertheless, the reason you don’t remember her name and title is because the Beggars' Sect erased her name.”

“Erased?”

“At that time, the righteous martial world had defined the Soul Seduction Art as a wicked art and had named it a forbidden technique. But to extract information from the captured prisoners of the Ming Cult, the alliance decided to use the forbidden art, the Soul Seduction Art, and the Great Master Cha here obtained the information of the Ming Cult with her Soul Seduction Art.”

The secret, which was unknown to the world and was only known by the high-ranking executives of the Beggars' Sect, was revealed, and the faces of the residents were distorted with shock.

“Do you understand?”

Gu Jucheol, after catching his breath, continued.

“This old woman you are trying to kill is the hidden hero of the Righteous-Heretic Great War. And as the price for that, she had to lose her one and only daughter and son-in-law.”

A hero who had saved the Martial Alliance from a crisis.

Nevertheless, she could not leave her name.

And a tragic woman who had eventually lost her daughter and son-in-law.

“I won’t force you to forgive. If someone has to bear your anger…”

Gu Jucheol spread his two arms and said.

“I will bear it.”

***

“The list has been organized. The Beggars' Sect and the Martial Alliance will take responsibility and compensate them as much as possible.”

The thirty residents, including Chae Binso, left Nakhyang.

Gu Yong, who had written down all their names, looked at the weakly sitting Cha Yong with pity.

Cha Yong barely opened her mouth.

“…Thank you.”

“Not at all. Rather, I am sorry that I can finally repay the Demon-Subduing Ghost.”

“No… it was my choice to ask to have my name erased… and not to wish for compensation… so I can’t blame the Beggars' Sect.”

Cha Yong gently stroked the head of the sleeping Cha Seol.

The consumption of mental strength was very great for Cha Seol, who had been subjected to the hatred of dozens of people in one body, in addition to forcibly unfolding the Great Luo Soul Capturing Art.

“I’m sorry, Great Master Gu.”

“It’s fine. I am also indebted to you.”

Cha Yong, who was sitting with a face full of complex emotions, struggled to get up.

Jin Sohyun supported Cha Yong, who was staggering and unable to stand properly.

“Thank you.”

“Not at all. Can you walk?”

“If you help me. Could you help me to the basement?”

“Of course.”

Cha Yong went down to the basement with Jin Sohyun and Gu Jucheol, excluding Cheon Yerang who was taking care of Cha Seol.

There, Gu Yong, who had come down in advance, was pounding a purple flower and making juice.

“Ah, you’ve come? I’ve prepared it as you said.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Cha Yong poured the purple juice made by Gu Yong into a cup and then mixed it with water and poured it into Gyugeum’s mouth.

“What is this?”

As Jin Sohyun pointed to the purple flower and asked, Cha Yong smiled lightly and said.

“It’s a plant called Purple Snow Grass that only grows near Nakhyang Village. It’s a type of hallucinogenic grass that makes you see hallucinations when you eat it.”

“I see.”

“So that’s why you built a village here. To maintain the Soul Seduction Art on dozens of people.”

As Gu Yong said in admiration, Cha Yong nodded her head with a bitter expression.

“That’s right.”

The reason Cha Yong had built a village in Nakhyang was not simply because it was a remote place that was hard to find.

The Purple Snow Grass that only grew near Nakhyang Village.

It was to control dozens of people using this.

And now.

Gyugeum, who had inhaled the water mixed with Purple Snow Grass, opened his eyes.

“Gyugeum. Do you remember me.”

“Yes… my friend…”

“From now on, these people are also your close friends. And there are no secrets between us. So from now on, you will answer the questions we ask without a single lie or concealment. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

At Cha Yong’s gesture, Gu Yong nodded his head and carefully approached.

“I am Gu Yong. And we are very old friends.”

“Gu Yong…”

Just as Cha Yong had done, Gu Yong introduced himself as a friend and asked the first question.

“Gyugeum. Where is the Hao Sect Master?”

The question that was asked first because it was the most important.

At Gu Yong’s question, Gyugeum, who had been blinking his eyes for a while, slowly opened his mouth.

“The Sect Master is…”

***

A group of martial artists who were walking along a forest path under the bright moonlight stopped in their tracks.

The place where their gazes landed was an estate built a short distance from the city.

The estate was brightly lit with torches placed here and there, even though it was late at night.

“According to the last news from the Hao Sect, the late-stage prospects of the righteous martial world are there.”

At the words of the man who was leading the men in black from the rear, the man who was walking leisurely at the very back stopped in his tracks.

He was greeting the late autumn wind that was blowing coolly.

“Pyo Ung.”

At his call, which he had not heard in a long time, the leader of the men in black sneered.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been called by my name by you.”

“You are the leader of this mission, so you lead.”

“…I will.”

The man called Pyo Ung turned his back and stared at the estate.

“Prepare for the hunt.”

At his command, the men in black drew their swords from their waists.

A sword with a black blade, coated with charcoal and ink.

The night hunters, holding the black swords that had even swallowed the moonlight, moved silently toward the estate.

Late at night.

A black wave shimmered under the moon.