SERIES: Return Of The Divine Thief
CHAPTER: 27
Muryang flicked the red blood from his sword into the air.
Then, keeping his eyes fixed on the slowly approaching Yu Geon, he glanced at Baekun nearby.
Through the mask, Baekun’s eyes met his.
A brief moment of eye contact.
But it was enough.
Baekun gave a minuscule nod, as if to say he understood.
The initial plan was for Muryang to tie up Yu Geon while Baekun eliminated all three of the Yu family’s sons, after which he would rejoin Muryang for a pincer attack.
But the situation had changed.
The eldest son, Yu Hosang, had walked right to his own death, leaving only two.
Muryang’s gaze said it all.
‘Kill the other two, and don’t come to me. Help Jo Yangtae and Heuk Cheolsan clean up the battlefield.’
Muryang trusted his senior brother.
At first, he had thought him a halfwit who was only strong, but seeing the skill with which he had tracked the distribution route of the counterfeit medicine, Muryang knew his training had not been in vain.
He was a man more than capable of living up to the name of the Divine Thief’s disciple.
‘It wasn’t that my senior brother was weak. It was just that his opponents were strong.’
Muryang’s gaze returned to Yu Geon.
The aura of the approaching man was undeniably powerful.
It might not compare to his prime when he had risen to the rank of an Elder in the Demonic Cult in Muryang’s past life, but his internal energy was certainly stronger than Muryang’s at present.
If they were to clash head-on, power against power, his chances of victory were slim.
‘But it doesn’t matter.’
Muryang tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
In his past life, trapped in the Demonic Cult’s inescapable net and hunted for days and nights, he had crossed swords with Yu Geon more than dozens of times.
The angle at which the man extended his sword, the rhythm of his breathing, and even the unconscious habits that emerged in moments of crisis.
Muryang remembered every agonizing detail about him.
Above all, he remembered the most fatal move the man kept hidden.
‘A body that bends at bizarre angles.’
That strange demonic art, where he twisted his joints like a boneless mollusk, allowing him to thrust his sword from angles that should have been impossible.
In his past life, Muryang had been ignorant of that secret and had to give up an arm for it.
‘I paid a hefty tuition fee, so I’d better make use of it this time.’
It wouldn’t be easy.
But knowing all of the man’s cards, it was a fight he could not lose.
With eyes full of conviction, Muryang glared at the approaching old snake.
“Come.”
At Muryang’s provocation, Yu Geon wasted no more words.
His form slid forward, like a leaf carried on the wind.
It seemed slow, but in the blink of an eye, he was already right in front of Muryang.
Swoosh—
Yu Geon’s sword silently thrust toward Muryang’s neck.
It was an ordinary-looking thrust, devoid of even a hint of killing intent.
But Muryang knew.
He knew of the three variations hidden behind that bland strike.
‘High, low, and then high again.’
Although Muryang had fought Yu Geon more than a decade from this point in time, his habits were nearly identical.
‘Habits are usually formed from a young age.’
There was a high probability that Yu Geon himself didn't even know he had such a habit.
It might have been different if he had trained within the Demonic Cult, but after becoming the family head, there would have been no one to correct his martial arts.
Instead of raising his sword to block, Muryang leaned his upper body back and took half a step away.
In that instant, the tip of Yu Geon’s sword, which had been cutting through the air, split like a serpent’s tongue, lunging for Muryang’s collarbone and thigh almost simultaneously.
Clang-clang!
Muryang’s sword, Yuyeong, moved as if dancing, striking away the swift blades.
Sparks flew, and the air between the two men tore.
“Hoh.”
A strange light flickered in Yu Geon’s eyes. The attack he had just used was a signature technique of the Yu family’s martial art, the Flowing Water Sword.
Though it was a superficial technique, it was a move that could trip up even a seasoned master.
He had started strong, trying to reclaim the momentum lost with Yu Hosang’s death, but to think the boy had dismantled it as if he had seen it coming.
“Quite impressive for a coincidence.”
Yu Geon casually rotated his wrist.
With just that simple motion, the sword energy emanating from his blade hummed and vibrated.
As if signaling he was done holding back, he began to unleash his sword like a tempest.
Shushushuk!
Yu Geon’s sword was like rain pouring from all directions.
In an instant, his surroundings were covered in a silver glint, and Muryang seemed to be trapped in the center of the downpour of sword strikes.
The difference in internal energy was clear.
Every time their swords clashed, a heavy shock traveled up Muryang’s arm, making his hand tingle.
‘His internal energy alone is incredible. Just how many elixirs has he consumed?’
If Muryang hadn’t fully absorbed the Dokhwaryeon, he might have been crushed by the sheer force of that energy.
But Muryang did not break.
No, he was swimming leisurely through the rain of blades.
‘Three, two, one.’
The moment Yu Geon slashed his sword diagonally upward, Muryang didn't dodge. Instead, he dove right into Yu Geon’s embrace.
“?!”
Yu Geon’s pupils dilated.
From a common-sense perspective, that spot was the most dangerous kill zone in the sword’s trajectory.
But in reality, it was the only opening, a moment where Yu Geon paused his breathing to transition to the next form.
Clang!
Muryang’s sword broke through Yu Geon’s attack and thrust toward his chin.
Startled, Yu Geon threw his head back.
The cold blade sliced off a few strands of his beard as it passed.
It was a close call.
The two separated and faced each other again.
Yu Geon’s expression was now stiff, unlike before.
‘Is this brat reading my sword path?’
Once could be a coincidence.
But twice could not.
Reading an opponent’s sword path.
That was usually only possible in two cases.
One, when you were at least one level higher than your opponent, allowing you to see their movements with perfect clarity.
The other, when you had an innate sense for it, or had developed an eye for the flow of the sword by crossing the line between life and death countless times.
‘He’s not on a higher level than me. And at his age, he can’t have experienced countless life-or-death battles.’
That left only one conclusion.
‘It’s innate. The bastard was born with an eye for reading the flow of battle.’
A deep killing intent surfaced in Yu Geon’s eyes.
What if this brat lived and grew stronger?
He would undoubtedly become a major nuisance to them in the future.
“A man who must be killed.”
Yu Geon muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on his sword.
“But I am curious. Who in the world are you?”
Yu Geon asked, his voice a low growl.
Instead of answering, Muryang readjusted his grip on his sword and smiled coldly.
“Why do you need to know my name? So you can go to the underworld and tattle to King Yama, ‘I lost to a guy like this’?”
“You bastard!”
“That’s it. Put on a little more of a show for me. Who knows? If I’m moved, I might even tell you my family name.”
“You insolent whelp! Will you not shut that mouth!”
Muryang enjoyed seeing Yu Geon’s reaction.
‘His face may be younger, but his personality is the same.’
In his past life, he had been able to prolong his life in the inescapable net because this man had fallen for his provocations.
Though his face was younger, seeing him fly into a rage just like back then made Muryang feel as if he had truly returned to his past.
While Muryang was enjoying his trip down memory lane, Yu Geon was burning with frustration.
Defeating this brat should have been a given.
But Yu Geon’s plan had been to end it overwhelmingly and instantly, and things had gone awry.
His pride wounded, Yu Geon gathered the internal energy throughout his body and charged again.
This time, he intended to crush Muryang not with technique, but with overwhelming power.
Just as Yu Geon was preparing his opening stance.
“Young Master!”
“Second Young Master!”
Desperate screams, mingled with panicked shouts, erupted from among the Yu family warriors.
Yu Geon reflexively turned his head.
And he saw it.
Amidst the chaotic melee, a man in a white jade mask was plunging a sword into his second son’s neck.
‘He’s doing well.’
Just as Muryang had expected, Baekun was performing his role perfectly.
He wasn’t just severing the Yu family’s bloodline.
Baekun’s form was like a white wind sweeping across the battlefield.
Whenever he saw Jo Yangtae’s or Heuk Cheolsan’s men pushed into a corner, he would appear without fail, deflecting the enemy’s blade and slitting their throat.
It was perfect skirmishing, minimizing allied casualties while maximizing the enemy’s confusion.
In the wake of Baekun’s path, only the groans of the Yu family warriors remained.
In that fleeting moment, Baekun, flicking the blood from his sword, looked up at Muryang.
From behind the white jade mask, his unwavering gaze locked onto Muryang.
Though not a single word was exchanged, Muryang could read the meaning in that gaze perfectly.
‘Don’t worry about this side. I’ll handle the small fry, you just focus on taking that old snake’s head.’
And
‘Don’t you dare die.’
While Muryang and Baekun exchanged that brief glance, Yu Geon was so dumbfounded that he was at a loss for words.
“……!”
First his eldest son, Yu Hosang, and now his second.
Witnessing the bloodline meant to secure the family’s future and pave a flowery path for ‘that person’ being severed before his very eyes, Yu Geon’s rationality snapped.
“YOU BAAASTAAAARDS—!”
It was the moment he roared like a beast and tried to turn his body.
Muryang did not miss that momentary opening.
His form became a streak of light, diving into Yu Geon’s embrace.
Yu Geon sensed the killing intent too late and hastily twisted his body, but it was already over.
Slice!
“Keuk!”
Muryang’s sword sliced a long gash across Yu Geon’s side.
It wasn’t a fatal wound, but crimson blood soaked his silk clothes.
Pain. And humiliation.
Clutching his wound, Yu Geon glared at Muryang with eyes blazing with fury.
If he delayed any longer, his youngest son would also be in danger.
And above all else, he had to tear this insolent brat who had trampled on his pride to pieces as quickly as possible.
That was the only thought that filled Yu Geon’s mind.
“Fine… If it’s come to this.”
The sound of Yu Geon grinding his teeth could be heard.
He no longer bothered to mimic the sword arts of the righteous factions.
Creeaak…
Grriiind…
A faint sound began to emanate from his entire body, as if his bones were twisting.
Others might not have noticed, but Muryang certainly did.
The energy radiating from his body transformed from the clear aura of the righteous path into something black and viscous.
It was the demonic arts.
The demonic arts passed down through the Yu family were so strange, they would surely be condemned if revealed.
But it didn't matter.
‘Dead men tell no tales, after all.’
All he had to do was kill every last one of them to silence them.
Even if rumors were to spread, he could quash them with the reputation and wealth he had accumulated over the years.
If it came to that, he could simply abandon the Yu family and start anew somewhere else.
Now that he had established trade routes all the way to Hebei, recovering his fortune would only be a matter of time.
Yu Geon's eyes turned bloodshot.
“I will kill you. I will make you beg for death in agony.”
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