The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan-Chapter 424: Corpses, Looters (3)

Corpses, Looters (3)

Yeom Gwang and his subordinates have been entrenched in this mountain stronghold for over three years.

They know the nearby terrain thoroughly.

If one takes a wrong path from the Crouching Dragon Basin side, they will be mauled to death by dangerous beasts called Snake Blind Hounds.

The black hate wearing Evil Cultists did not kill the Three Wheel Fort bandits first, but they showed no mercy either.

As long as Yi-gang is with them, it would be hard to seek their mercy.

Knowing this, Yeom Gwang guided the way with utmost sincerity.

“There is a narrow path here. We can go through it.”

Just in case, he had prepared an escape route.

It was a dense thicket, but after cutting branches with a sickle, a path passable by people appeared.

Yi-gang and his group entered through there.

Meanwhile, Yeom Gwang thought several times about fleeing.

But cruelly, Ha-jun stood at the very rear of the path.

His glaring eyes suggested he wouldn’t let anyone escape.

‘Damn it…’

Yeom Gwang walked closely beside Yi-gang.

Then he gradually started a conversation.

“By the way, could you tell me your honorable name, young hero?”

He subtly asked about Yi-gang’s identity.

But Yi-gang smiled faintly and did not answer.

“Just guide the way properly.”

Yi-gang and his party’s attire was unusual.

If they were martial artists of a prestigious sect, they would surely wear attire matching their affiliation.

Even those from unorthodox sects did this.

But these men wore simple black light armor emphasizing practicality.

And it looked dirty as if they had passed through many battlefields.

‘I can’t even guess what kind of guys they are…’

If Yeom Gwang were truly the leader of Three Wheel Fort.

If he were a Transcendent master as he boasted, he would have found some clue.

But in fact, Yeom Gwang was not even originally a bandit.

He was once a merchant captured by the Three Wheel Fort.

He was quite clever and quick-witted, and looked like a bandit, so he was favored.

He had been stuck in the mountain stronghold for about two years when the Three Wheel Fort was annihilated.

This happened after the elite forces of the Green Forest were swallowed by the Crouching Dragon Basin’s barrier.

It was none other than the imperial army who annihilated Three Wheel Fort.

Yeom Gwang escaped together with those who served the Three Wheel Fort bandits.

And here, he pretended to be the leader of Three Wheel Fort, disguising his identity.

That was Yeom Gwang’s big secret.

Inflating himself to gain recognition was his survival strategy.

“The Evil Cultists will pursue the young hero… no, us.”

“They are dangerous. They use not only martial arts but also strange sorcery…”

“I know.”

No matter how seriously Yeom Gwang spoke, Yi-gang replied lightly.

It seemed he did not take the advice seriously.

For Yeom Gwang, who risked his life for Yi-gang, it was frustrating.

“Our Three Wheel Fort will help the young hero, but we are burdened helping those hit by arrows… Please be sure to stop the Evil Cultists.”

Even as he took a step back.

“Our Three Wheel Fort does not forget loyalty. When we return to the Central Plains, we will contact the alliance and reward you.”

He did not forget to boast.

Yi-gang looked at him quietly and made a strange expression.

“Yeom Gwang.”

“As far as I know, the leader of Three Wheel Fort was a man named Jeong Doo-young.”

Yeom Gwang felt his heart drop.

He never thought Yi-gang would know the name of the lowest-ranked Three Wheel Fort Leader among the Thirty-Six Forts Of Green Forest.

“The deputy leader’s name wasn’t Yeom Gwang either. Did you fall from the sky or rise from the earth?”

Yeom Gwang trembled.

“H-How could you know that…”

“One must know well about enemies and allies. The Green Forest Alliance was once an enemy and later an ally. I have learned important information.”

Was the blue spark flashing in Yi-gang’s eyes just Yeom Gwang’s illusion?

Woof!

At that moment, barking sounds came from all around.

The bandits began to tremble in fear. The Evil Cultists were tracking them with Snake Blind Hounds.

As expected.

Though the path was secret, an Evil Cultist wearing a black cap appeared ahead.

Looking back, there were also black-capped followers there.

Five Evil Cultists in front and five behind.

A huge green hunting dog bared its teeth and growled.

The scale and immediacy of the pursuit were greater than expected.

At this level, the Three Wheel Fort would be unable to resist and be wiped out.

“Hmm, is it you guys?”

Those with red tassels on their black caps were the leaders among the warriors.

Yeom Gwang had once seen that man alone fight three top masters.

“Are you from the Evil Cult?”

Yi-gang asked.

The leader’s face under the black cap frowned.

That was the answer.

“So they really are from the Evil Cult. The world has changed terribly.”

“You guys dare to roam openly in broad daylight. Where on earth did you crawl out from hiding?”

“Heretic, do you want to die?”

“Heretic? Haha.”

Yi-gang laughed heartily at the word ‘heretic.’

“Good, I wanted to know how you guys came to control the world like this.”

In fact, the Evil Cultists were not chasing the fleeing Yi-gang.

It would be more accurate to say Yi-gang had lured the Evil Cultists.

“What have you done in these four years?”

The expression of the Evil Cultist with a red tassel changed.

“Could it be… you guys…”

The fact that Yi-gang and his group might have escaped from inside the barrier.

Could the event their master, the Cardinal, warned them to be wary of, have actually happened?

The black-capped man shouted like lightning.

“Three Wheel Fort!”

Yeom Gwang glanced around nervously and was startled.

“Subdue them! We will spare your lives!”

Yeom Gwang was flustered by the sudden flare-up.

He was in a dilemma. He dared not resist Yi-gang.

But he could not ignore the order either.

In the three years since coming here, the fear of the Evil Cultists was deeply engraved.

“What do I do!”

A moment of choice came for Yeom Gwang.

He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.

Then he raised a finger and shouted.

“The jar held by that guy on the right, you must break it!”

He was speaking to Yi-gang.

Yi-gang smiled slightly and nodded.

“A wise choice.”

Yi-gang was definitely looking at Yeom Gwang.

But the sword White Fang, tied behind him, was drawn.

Clang!

“Aah!”

Helplessly, the jar held by the man with the black hat was pierced.

Its owner also fell with a hole in his chest.

Inside the broken jar were multicolored centipedes.

They writhed desperately and even bit the already fallen corpse.

“You bastard…!”

As the man in the black hat shouted, the attack began.

The Snake Blind Hounds charged as if waiting, and the men in black hats each grabbed weapons and attacked.

Yeom Gwang was on the verge of tears.

But it was water spilled. Yeom Gwang did his best to survive.

“That guy opening a fan without running over, he uses sorcery!”

One of the black-hat men took out a fan.

The one who answered was Dam Hyun behind.

“Yeah, I thought so from the start.”

He was a mysteriously shaped bell.

He struck the Star Mist Alarm Bell once, making it ring.

Ding—

Only a clear bell sound echoed.

But at that moment, the flames on the black-hat man’s fan vanished.

Not only that, the black-hat man coughed blood and collapsed.

Then Yi-gang stepped forward.

When he drew the Meteorite Sword, a blue madness flashed in his eyes.

At that moment, Yeom Gwang recalled a person.

The young swordsman who defeated Green Forest Tyrant King Gal Sa-hyeok and proudly entered the Twelve Supreme Masters at a young age.

The eldest son of the Baek Family and a brilliant disciple of Azure Forest.

That young supreme master said to have died during the Demon Cult’s great invasion of the Central Plains…

“B-Blue-Eyed Sword Immortal?”

At least for one who lived off Green Forest, he could only mutter that title.

A Sword Immortal.

Doesn’t that noble title seem a bit mismatched?

If bloodshed like this happens everywhere…

It didn’t take long for Yi-gang to cut down all the Snake Blind Hounds and subdue the Evil Cultists.

They captured one Evil Cultist alive.

He was a leader with a red tassel on his black cap.

However, they failed to interrogate him.

“Ugh.”

He might have hidden poison in his mouth or ruptured his own blood vessels.

There was no chance to stop his suicide.

Yi-gang clicked his tongue regretfully.

Then he looked at the writhing clustered centipedes.

“The Evil Cultists communicate with those. It’s called a centipede jar…”

“It’s a sorcery technique I’ve never seen before.”

“Yes, if the jar is broken, the communication will probably be cut off.”

Dam Hyun curiously caught one centipede and stuffed it into a crystal bottle in his bundle.

“Take good care. If they catch trace of it…”

“How could they find it if it’s sealed?”

He quickly wrote a talisman and attached it to the bottle containing the centipede.

Seeing this mysterious act, Yeom Gwang realized they were disciples of Azure Forest.

Yi-gang turned to him and asked.

“What happened to Azure Forest?”

“They are probably still resisting the Evil Cult. The former Senior Grand Secretary and King Gye-yeong Joo Won-jae, who oppose the current imperial court, are also said to be holding out there.” Ꞧᴀɴ𝔬ꞖÊṣ

Hearing that, Yi-gang felt relieved.

The world had not entirely fallen into the Evil Cult’s grasp.

Then… would the Baek Family be safe?

“There won’t be any pursuit for a while. The one with the red tassel was a fairly high-ranking official managing this western area.”

That terrifying Evil Cultist was now bleeding from his eyes, nose, and mouth, dying.

Yeom Gwang felt great relief that his choice was right.

“Burn the traces and head straight to Xi’an.”

Yi-gang gave the order to depart.

There were no injured or exhausted.

The fact that Yi-gang’s group escaped the barrier was thus concealed.

And Xi’an.

The capital of Shaanxi Province and one of the most prosperous cities.

Xi’an was a huge city bustling with people and goods.

And there was a family considered the dominant house there.

It was the Baek Family.

Since the Immortal Sword Baek Seong-cheon was active as the world’s best, the Baek Family had its golden age.

Two of the Twelve Supreme Masters came from the Baek Family.

The patriarch became the leader of the Martial Alliance, and his son became the youngest Absolute master.

However, the family did not enjoy that prime for long.

The elite forces of the family, including those two, suddenly disappeared.

Even without them, the Baek Family was not weak, but four and a half years was a long time.

Whooosh—

A chilling wind swept through the shattered main gate.

The bustling crowds were gone, and the tall, splendid pavilions were half-collapsed.

The Baek Family, that mighty clan, was annihilated.

Inside, black-hatted warriors were rummaging through the ruins.

They came and went through the elders’ hall with a gaping roof, their shoes muddy.

Even deep into the inner chambers where only blood relatives could enter.

They dug the ground and tore down walls.

Black-hatted men with red tassels were giving work orders.

Among them, one with a golden tassel on his black cap seemed to be in charge.

He growled orders to his subordinates.

“This is the order from Mang-hon. There must be traces.”

About half a year after the Baek Family was wiped out.

Recently, Cardinal Mang-hon gave a special order.

It was an order to find a specific item.

The black-hatted men ransacked the annihilated Baek Family.

Until Yi-gang and his group finally arrived in Xi’an from that Kunlun.