Reaper of the Drifting Moon

Golden Gates was originally a simple sect located in the Geumcheon area.

However, when Chengdu became a land without its owner because of the collapse of the Tang Family, their base was boldly moved.

Together with the support of the Qingcheng sect, they were able to successfully settle in Chengdu. After that, they were called out terribly, and they became the most reliable companions of the Qingcheng sect.

Yeo Sanwi, the sect leader of the Golden Gate, was a martial artist in his mid to late fifties. Even though he was walking downhill after his heyday as a warrior, his eyes were still harsh.

He welcomed the masters of the Qingcheng sect who suddenly came, and willingly gave up his dormitory for them.

Yeo Sanwi treated the disciples of the Qingcheng sect with the utmost respect.

It is inevitable that the Golden Gates would not have grown as it is now if the Qingcheng sect did not take care of it.

“If there is anything lacking, please tell me at any time. I will do everything I can.”

“I will always be grateful for the help of sect leader Yeo. When I return to the main mountain, I will definitely tell our sect leader about this.”

“Heh heh! There’s no need for that…”

Yeo Sanwi liked Cheong-yeob’s words. Cheong-yeob was the most likely talent for the next sect leader. If he strengthened his relationship with him, it would have been beneficial to the Golden Gates, but if not, then there was also nothing to lose.

Although the Qingcheng sect and the Emei sect were fighting fiercely, Yeo Sanwi was certain that the Qingcheng sect would win. This is because the power of the Qingcheng sect was superior.

After talking with Cheong-yeob for half an hour, Yeo Sanwi retreated.

Cheong-yeob, who had finally found his freedom, sighed softly.

Yeo Sanwi is all good, but talking so much was a problem. Because of that, after talking with him, it felt like all of his energy was drained.

“Namu Amida Butsu!”

At that time, Cheongsan suddenly entered his residence. Cheong-yeob shook his head and calmed himself down.

“Are you here?”

“Yes!”

“What are the movements of the Emei sect?”

“They’re staying in the Hundred Flower Room and not moving.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I have some of my disciples waiting near the Hundred Flower Room just in case. If there is any strange movement, I will contact you right away.”

“Good job.”

“As a disciple of the Qingcheng sect, of course I should do it.”

Cheong-yeob smiled at Cheongsan’s answer.

Although they were from the same sect, the dispositions of the great disciples were all different.

If Cheong-yeob was careful, his immediate disciple, Qingming, was quick tempered. While Cheongsan had a meticulous personality. Thanks to this, he was able to believe and entrust this kind of work to them,

The task that Cheong-yeob entrusted to Cheongsan was to monitor the movement of the Emei sect.

Fortunately, the clash between the two sides just ended with provocation.

If the balance of the two sides had been disrupted and a sword fighting had occurred, half of the disciples of the Qingcheng sect here would have lost their lives.

Emei sect’s Jeonghwa also took a step back because an unexpected fight was burdensome.

“Huh! I don’t know how the situation got to this point.”

“True….”

Cheong-yeob and Cheongsan sighed at the same time.

Although the Qingcheng sect was aiming for the hegemony of Sichuan Province, the Emei sect was a burdensome existence.

Their intention was to avoid head-on collisions as much as possible.

However, this was the policy of the inquisitor, so there was nothing he could do about it.

“We have to find out the beast that killed the young master of the Thunder Clan. Only then can we understand the truth of the situation and respond appropriately.”

“Of course. That’s why I want to contact Haomun.”

“Haomun?”

“Yes. They probably know what’s going on at the bottom the best. They must know who had access to the Thunder Clan that day.”

“Well, their attention is indeed spread like a spider’s web here in Sichuan.”

“I’m a bit reluctant to use them, but there’s nothing we can do about it. To save time at a time like this, we have no choice but to use them.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“I won’t let you down.”

“Okay.”

Cheong-yeob nodded his head. Cheongsan was the priest he trusted the most.

Qingming, the strongest force, was far from easy to deal with. If he had brought him in, he would have only been a hindrance.

‘More sects than I thought were involved, the Golden Gate and White Clan’

Hell, he don’t know what kind of trouble it will be if he don’t catch the assassin.”

* * *

Pyo-wol slept right where the bed faced the wall.

His senses have now become more sensitive and it is possible for him to detect in advance if there are any beings hiding their presence or approaching.

However, he couldn’t break the habit of sleeping with his back against the wall to protect himself for a long time.

Even if his martial arts become stronger now, even if the senses become sharper, such a habit will never be erased.

Pyo-wol squatted like a shrimp and slept with his back against the wall.

His breathing was so quiet and long, no one would be able to notice the change as he inhaled and exhaled not until they concentrated all their nerves.

While he was sleeping, Pyo-wol was instinctively practicing the Turtle Breathing Technique. After reaching the highest level of the Turtle Breathing Technique, he can naturally use it even when he sleeps.

Because of that, it was almost impossible to detect Pyo-wol’s presence or breathing from the outside.

A puzzled expression appeared on Maun’s face.

It was two o’clock before he was ordered to watch Pyo-wol from Daoshi Goh.

Shortly after receiving the order, he and three of his colleagues came to the guesthouse where Pyo-wol was staying.

Jang Muryang designated Pyo-wol as a first-class surveillance target.

The first-class surveillance target in the Black Cloud Corps was a generic term for dangerous people among the strong masters.

At least four members were attached to the first-class surveillance target and they took turns monitoring them. It was Maun who was in charge of everything.

Maun was so capable that it could be said that he specialized in this kind of work.

Not only is he excellent at monitoring, tracking, and hiding, but he is born with the ability to understand the opponent’s trends, psychological state, and nemesis.

So whenever this kind of thing happened, Jang Muryang entrusted the task to Maun. And Maun never disappointed Jang Muryang.

The place where Maun took place was boldly in the room right next to Pyo-wol. While the rest of his members were waiting in the guest house or on the other side of the road.

They were not as good at stealth as Maun, so there was a high chance of getting caught. So intead, they were observing the movements of Pyo-wol through the window of the guest house.

‘I’ve definitely checked that he was inside—’’

Maun’s eyes narrowed.

He put his ear close to the wall of the guest room and tried to listen to Pyo-wol’s breathing. But no matter how hard he tried to raise his hearing, I couldn’t hear Pyo-wol’s breathing.

‘Does this make sense?’

Maun carefully opened the window and looked into the other side of the room. His eyes met with those who were watching from the other side.

Maun asked if Pyo-wol had ever gone out in sign language they learned in advance. Those on the other side of the guest house replied that there was no movement.

‘Then I’m sure he’s still inside.’

Maun sensed that he had met the most difficult enemy of a lifetime.

“Shit!”

Unknowingly, he let out a sound and covered his mouth with both hands in surprise.

He quickly put his ear back to the wall in the room where Pyo-wol was sleeping. But there was no sign of any sign in the room.

‘What the hell? Is he really really inside or not?’

The only way left was to drill a hole in the wall and see it for himself. But that method was more likely to be caught.

Eventually, Maun had to spend the night leaning his ear against the wall.

It was such a boring time.

There was not even a minute left before dawn.

The movement of those targets on top-of-the-line monitoring were to be reported.

‘Well, I wonder if there’s anything to report…’

Maun looked at the comrades who were watching from the other side. Then he nodded with a look that his colleagues knew.

One of them sneaked out of the guest house.

Jong Pyeong was the youngest among those monitoring Pyo-wol.

Jongpyeong recurred as much as Maun, but he was still young and did not have much experience. For that reason, he mainly acted as a liaison between the two sides.

‘They should go to Captain as much as possible.’

It was never easy to keep a top-level target under surveillance all day.

The four had to take turns monitoring organically.

As long as Jong Pyeong is away, the burden on the rest of the people increases. Because of that, Jong Pyeong ran through the streets of Chengdu at dawn with all his might.

The inexperienced Jong Pyeong did not know. The fact that someone is secretly following him. Even if he had a lot of experience, it was impossible to notice the existence of the pursuer.

It was Pyo-wol who was secretly pursuing him.

The moment Jong Pyeong began to move, Pyo-wol also moved.

In the room next door, Maun was watching with his nerves on his nerves, but he couldn’t sense his movements. Pyo-wol escaped silently like a snake, assimilated with the darkness and followed Jong Pyeong.

Jong Pyeong, unaware of this fact, eagerly ran to the guesthouse where the Black Cloud Corps were staying.

The guest house was too small to accommodate the three hundred and fifty men of the Black Cloud Corps. Still, the reason why the Black Cloud Corps is renting the guesthouse’s annex was that not all of the members have joined yet.

Of the three hundred fifty members of the Black Cloud Corps, only about fifty had entered Chengdu. The rest of the personnel will arrive near the vicinity of Chengdu within a few days and wait.

Jong Pyeong visited Yang Woo-jeong. Yang Woo-jeong was very good looking and was playing the role of Vice Captain of the Black Cloud Corps.

Jong Pyeong knelt down on one knee and reported to Yang Woo-jeong.

“The primary watch has been motionless all night. Soon the sun will come up, so we’re going to change our method from remote surveillance to close surveillance.”

“I see. You have it hard.”

“It’s okay.”

“Captain seems to be quite concerned about him. So, remain vigilant at all times and keep an eye on him.”

“I will tell them that.”

“Go.”

“Yes!”

Jong Pyeong bowed his head to Yang Woo-jeong and stepped back.

Yang Woo-jeong looked at Jongpyeong’s back and returned to his residence.

A map lay on his desk.

It was a map of the Qingcheng sect which Yang Woo-jeong made himself.

When he went to negotiate with the Qingcheng sect, he grasped and memorized the location of the Qingcheng sect and the arrangement of the warriors. After that, as soon as he returned to the guest house, he transferred what he had remembered to the map.

If negotiations with the Qingcheng sect went well, this map would have been of no use.

However, the negotiations with the Qingcheng sect broke down, and they joined hands with the Emei sect, so this map will be useful.

“These three gates at the beginning of Mt. Qingcheng is a problem, and the Black Cloud Corps can’t use their powers at these gates. In order to effectively use the two hundred cavalry members, we need to bring them down the mountain.”

He devised a plan supposing an all-out war with the Qingcheng sect.

Yang Woo-jeong, who looked at the map for a long time, frowned.

He suddenly put his hand in his arms and swung it towards the ceiling.

Poverbuck!

Three throwing knives pierced the ceiling and hit the roof.

Yang Woo-jung looked at the throwing knives to the ceiling. However, no strange traces were found anywhere.

Yang Woo-jeong pulled up his internal energy and looked closely at every corner. But nothing was found.

He muttered as he retrieved the weapons stuck from the roof.

“Am I being overly sensitive? I felt someone staring. Maybe I’m mistaken because I’m on edge.”

Yang Woo-jeong went down. He then stared at the map again, and began to devise a strategy.

That was then.

Pyo-wol slowly appeared from a corner of the ceiling.

The gaze that Yang Woo-jeong felt was not an illusion.

Pyo-wol looked at the map from the same point of view right above Yang Woo-jeong’s head. Yang Woo-jeong did not manage to feel Pyo-wol’s gaze because the time he spent looking at the map was getting too long.

Yang Woo-jeong hit the ceiling with his knives, but did not notice the presence of Pyo-wol, who was now hiding right in front of him. Even when Pyo-wol was right in front of him, Yang Woo-jeong failed to detect him.

His eyes weren’t wrong. It’s just that Pyo-wol’s stealth and assimilation skills were so good.

Pyo-wol never left, and even looked directly into Yang Woo-jeong’s eyes. Still, Yang Woo-jeong did not notice Pyo-wol’s existence at all.

Yang Woo-jeong went ahead with the plan, unaware that Pyo-wol was still watching.

“I did it.”

After some time had passed, Pyo-wol escaped.

Pyo-wol, who decided that there was nothing more to gain from Yang Woo-jeong, immediately returned to the guest house where he was staying.

In the guest house, Maun and his companions were still monitoring his room. However, they did not notice that Pyo-wol had returned from going out.

Pyo-wol organized his thoughts based on the information he had gathered overnight.

“The total number of men is three hundred and fifty, of which two hundred are cavalry. As cavalry, they are particularly good at fighting in an open place.”

The biggest benefit he got after spying on them was finding out that the Black Cloud Corps was on the same side as the Emei sect.

The fact that a prestigious sect, the Emei sect, chose to ally themselves with a group of rogues such as the Black Cloud Corps, meant that they were in a predicament.

Pyo-wol thought things were going to be fun.

It wasn’t his direct intention, but various circumstances intertwined, creating a situation that could not be predicted even one inch ahead.

Although this situation would not be desirable for sects such as the Qingcheng sect and the Emei sect, this kind of chaotic situation that could create various variables was very advantageous for the assassin Pyo-wol.

The atmosphere he wanted was ripening.

Now just throw the embers and they will explode on their own.

Editor’s Notes

Enjoy~