26. Believe It or Not, I Follow the Non-killing Principle.
Muhwa hurried after Sun Wukong.
Even someone as sharp as Muhwa couldn’t easily grasp what was happening.
‘A request for help from the Azure Hero Society? This can’t be good.’
When two rival righteous sects ask each other for help, it usually means only one thing.
‘It’s those Unorthodox bastards!’
Muhwa’s head spun.
A sudden ambush on the Azure Hero Society.
‘Could it be the Meteorite Iron?’
If the Unorthodox sects launched a surprise attack targeting the Meteorite Iron, it would make perfect sense.
‘They dare show themselves in Anhui Province?’
Everyone in the Murim knows what happened to Sama Ryeon and how the Martial Artists of the Namgung Clan react at even the mention of the Evil Faction.
Muhwa’s gaze landed on Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong moved with a boldness that made it seem as if he had foreseen this situation all along.
Without even stopping to assess the situation, he dashed straight toward the Azure Hero Society.
Most of the Namgung Clan’s members were occupied with their own tasks, so only a handful could move right now.
Muhwa quickly ordered the available members to prepare, then headed to the Azure Hero Society’s manor with Sun Wukong.
*
The Azure Hero Society’s Manor.
While it couldn’t compare to the scale of the Namgung Clan, it was the most imposing presence in the area.
The countless rooftops and high walls hinted at its power.
It was like Luoyang set ablaze by Dong Zhuo—its might, once overwhelming, now burning and collapsing in an instant.
Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes.
“Damn, there’s a whole bunch of nasty-looking guys here.”
Wujing was panting for breath.
A group stood at the crumbling entrance of the manor.
Muhwa arrived a step behind Sun Wukong and her eyes widened.
“They’re Black Path Faction.”
“Black Path, huh…”
Sun Wukong paused, then nodded.
‘The Blood-Iron Fiend also tried to get the Seven Star Sword fragments from the Black Path Faction.’
There’s a connection to the Black Path.
Whether these people were being used by someone else or were part of the same group, it was still unclear.
Either way, whoever took Sun Wukong’s bait was likely a shadowy figure like the Blood-Iron Fiend.
A middle-aged man standing at the entrance glared at Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong frowned.
“What’s with the look? You got a problem?”
The man’s face flushed red.
“How dare you…”
As the man drew his sword and stepped forward, Muhwa smoothly slipped in beside him.
“He’s the Head of the Black Lotus Military Hall, originally from the Black Path. His temperament and associations make him Black Path through and through.”
Muhwa’s brief explanation made the Head of the Black Lotus Military Hall hesitate, and the Black Path members behind him began to murmur.
It was hard to see in the darkness, but the flickering flames revealed Muhwa’s martial attire and the sword sheath with white stripes on a blue background—clear signs she was from the Namgung Clan.
“Namgung Clan?”
Tension instantly appeared on the faces of the Black Path members.
Muhwa was inwardly shocked as she looked at them.
‘Why are all the leaders of the Anhui Underworld Faction gathered here?’
All the heads of the Anhui Underworld Faction were present.
Black Lotus Military Hall, Black Dragon Sect, Cloud Night Chamber, Ho Family Fortress…
The oldest among them, the Ho Family Head, sneered at Muhwa.
“So the Meteorite Iron of the Azure Hero Society was just a scheme by the Namgung brats? Aren’t you ashamed, calling yourselves a righteous clan?”
Sun Wukong snorted.
“Look at you, not even ashamed to be Black Path. The nerve.”
The Ho Family Head’s eyes turned murderous.
“You’re the one with the filthy hair who crippled Im Bo of the Azure Hero Society, aren’t you?”
“You’re first.”
“What do you mean?”
“The first to die.”
“…!”
The Ho Family Head’s face turned crimson at the insult. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore Sun Wukong, instead watching Muhwa for her reaction.
“We have no intention of fighting the Namgung Clan.”
“The Azure Hero Society is a righteous sect, and it was the Black Path who started this fight, wasn’t it?”
Muhwa’s voice was sharp.
Even if the Azure Hero Society was a rival, they were still under the umbrella of the righteous sects.
And now, they were being attacked by the Black Path.
The Ho Family Head let out a hollow laugh.
“If you want to talk about right and wrong, then the Namgung Clan’s scheming to take business from the Azure Hero Society isn’t exactly righteous either, is it?”
“…”
“We’re not here to take over the Azure Hero Society completely. If they fall, we’re willing to split the business and influence with your clan.”
“So, you’re offering to hand over the Yangha Iron Workshop, Lake City Tower, West River Inn, and West River Escort Agency in exchange for us turning a blind eye to your attack on the Azure Hero Society?”
“We’ll give you all four. We’ll just take the rest.”
Muhwa’s eyebrow twitched.
Those four businesses were the lucrative rights the Namgung Clan had sold off cheaply to the Azure Hero Society during the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.
Each one was a goldmine.
Getting even one back would solve the Namgung Clan’s financial woes.
It was too good a deal.
Which made Muhwa all the more suspicious.
‘All four heads of the Anhui Underworld Faction joined forces just to take the leftovers after giving up those prime businesses?’
They’re attacking a righteous sect.
If word got out that the Black Path had joined forces to attack a righteous sect, no one would stand by.
No matter how they tried to negotiate, the risk was enormous.
And if the reward was so small, what was the point?
‘Could they be after the missing Meteorite Iron?’
But the Meteorite Iron wasn’t something you could just split up.
Knowing the Black Path’s nature, it would make more sense for them to covet the business rights.
The more Muhwa thought about it, the more things didn’t add up.
Black Lotus Military Hall, Black Dragon Sect, Cloud Night Chamber, Ho Family Fortress.
All the heads of the Black Path Faction were standing at the entrance.
It was almost as if… they were gatekeepers, blocking anyone from entering.
Muhwa’s eyes trembled for a moment.
Sun Wukong drove the point home.
“Their target isn’t the Azure Hero Society.”
“…”
“More precisely, whoever’s above them isn’t after the Azure Hero Society.”
Sun Wukong’s gaze shifted to the manor, engulfed in flames beyond the wall.
Muhwa nodded as well.
She sharpened her hearing and focused her senses. Faint screams, groans, the clash of swords, and the spreading waves of Qi could be heard.
“My god, is there really someone who’s unified the Anhui Underworld Faction and now stands above them…?”
Then, she glanced at Sun Wukong again.
He didn’t even look surprised, as if he knew it all along.
‘He said he was waiting for a chance to rescue the Azure Hero Society.’
Could it be that the Meteorite Iron was never the real bait, but just an excuse to lure the Azure Hero Society out?
Was this what he was after all along?
Sun Wukong strode confidently toward the Black Path leaders.
“Stop right there.”
The Ho Family Head shouted. Sun Wukong ignored him and kept walking.
Feeling completely disregarded, the Black Path leaders all reached for their weapons.
They’d all heard that Sun Wukong had crippled Im Bo, one of the Azure Hero Society’s top martial artists.
But these were the heads of the Black Path Faction.
They weren’t the type to be cowed by some strange upstart.
A thick net of Killing Intent filled the air. Sun Wukong walked right through it, muttering as he went. He pointed at the elderly Ho Family Head.
“This isn’t about age order.”
“…”
The Ho Family Head frowned.
“What are you talking about? If you leave now—”
Before he could finish, Sun Wukong’s eyes flashed with Killing Intent.
“I don’t mean you’ll die first because you’re old. I just don’t like you, so you’re first.”
“What kind of nonsense—!”
As the Black Path leaders all drew their swords, Sun Wukong’s figure vanished, appearing before anyone could react.
“Gah!”
The Ho Family Head, startled by the golden wave that appeared right in front of him, tried to draw his sword using a Footwork Technique. But Sun Wukong’s hand was faster. The Ho Family Head’s sword draw was blocked by his fingertips.
Clang! The sword shattered with a crash. The Internal Qi was instantly dispersed, and the sword broke into pieces.
Sun Wukong’s left hand followed, striking the Ho Family Head’s chest. With a crack, his ribs broke and his chest caved in visibly.
As the situation escalated, the other Black Path leaders attacked at once.
The Heads of the Black Lotus Military Hall, Black Dragon Sect, and Cloud Night Chamber all struck with sword, saber, and spear.
Sun Wukong’s body moved with fluid grace.
All their attacks from different angles were rendered useless with a single movement.
The leaders’ faces turned pale.
‘He’s a Martial Master. A real one.’
‘Not all retainers of the Namgung Clan are martial artists, but those who are, are all heavyweights…’
‘Did we just make a huge mistake?’
Their eyes met in midair.
There was no time to discuss. As the fight broke out, Muhwa also drew her sword and charged in.
Clang!
The head of the Cloud Night Chamber tried to counter Muhwa’s attack but was clearly being pushed back.
With the Cloud Night Chamber’s leader occupied, the remaining two couldn’t handle Sun Wukong.
The Head of the Black Lotus Military Hall’s sword broke at the tip, and the Black Dragon Sect’s saber snapped in half.
No steel could withstand the Demonic Power concentrated at Sun Wukong’s fingertips.
The leaders could do nothing but defend or dodge helplessly.
Their subordinates couldn’t step in either, as Muhwa was cutting them down left and right while easily overwhelming the Cloud Night Chamber’s leader.
Wujing was also holding his own, steadily subduing opponents.
“Damn it, let’s attack together!”
The Ho Family Head, his chest shattered, rejoined the fight with a pale face, but it was hopeless.
Sun Wukong laughed, as if enjoying the sight.
It was an oddly cheerful laugh for a battle where blood was flying and bones were breaking.
It was enough to inspire a strange sense of dread in his enemies.
But if there’s one thing the Black Path leaders excel at, it’s using fear—and overcoming it.
They gritted their teeth and attacked Sun Wukong. Swords and sabers slashed at his shoulders, waist, and knees.
“Die!”
Sword energy surged, Internal Qi compressed, and power vibrated through the air.
Three different forces swept in from three sides. Anyone else would have been in mortal danger.
But Sun Wukong didn’t retreat. He simply swept his hand, throwing himself into the oncoming energy.
Voom!
The energy from his fingertips spread up to his wrist, instantly dominating the space.
The two swords and one saber were sucked into a vacuum.
Crash! The three weapons shattered. The Black Dragon Sect’s leader’s wrist was torn apart. The Head of the Black Lotus Military Hall threw away his sword at the last moment, sparing his hand.
The throbbing pain in his hand told him he’d never wield a sword again.
“What the hell is this…!”
“Where did this monster come from?!”
Overwhelmed by fear, they staggered back. The outcome was clear to anyone watching.
Muhwa, who had been toying with the Cloud Night Chamber’s leader, shouted urgently.
“Mr. Sun, don’t kill them all!”
“Why not?”
“We need to know what’s really going on! Who’s controlling the Anhui Underworld Faction!”
Sun Wukong agreed.
They needed to learn more about the connection between the Black Path and the Blood-Iron Fiend, and any other shadowy forces.
And these Black Path leaders were the only clues.
“Who should I spare?”
Muhwa didn’t hesitate.
“The Ho Family Head!”
He was the old man whose ribs Sun Wukong had just shattered, but unfortunately, Sun Wukong didn’t know his name or title.
“Which one’s that?”
“The oldest one!”
“Oh, the one I said would die first. Guess I’ll have to show some respect for elders for once.”
Sun Wukong clicked his tongue in mock regret.
It was a joke, but the Black Path leaders couldn’t relax.
After all, it meant everyone except the Ho Family Head could be killed.
Noticing their fear, Sun Wukong grinned.
“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”
“…”
“Believe it or not, I follow the non-killing principle.”
“…”
In other words, he wouldn’t kill them—
“I’ll just make you wish you were dead.”
Sun Wukong’s eyes gleamed red, and a crimson aura flared around him.