The road to Hubei was peaceful.

‘Looks like I won’t have to step in.’

We encountered bandits a few times, but of course they posed no threat.

Before I could even intervene, Ji Cheon Wu and Dang Hwa Ryeong took care of them.

‘This should be about the right spot.’

We had already reached the vicinity of Mudang Mountain. I remained vigilant for the next few days.

Because an incident was about to occur soon.

‘Baek Ryong Jang is in Wuhan.’

The eldest son of the Baek Ryong Jang leader hires bounty hunters here to travel to Wuhan.

‘If we miss this, it’s over. It was only possible to track this far because it happened not long after the Hwa Hap meeting ended.’

As the son of the Baek Ryong Jang leader, he had a splendid appearance.

I scanned the area outside the inn like a hawk. Before departing for this place, I had sent a letter to the eldest son of the Baek Ryong Jang leader.

‘Saying let’s become acquainted.’

And we agreed to meet at the largest inn in the village right below Mudang Mountain. But what situation would unfold…

‘The rule of wuxia novels – if they’re handsome, they’re not an extra!’

I picked up a dumpling in front of me and ate it. While doing so, I didn’t miss a single sound around me.

Shin So-gyeong was also seen picking up and eating a dumpling.

“The dumplings are really delicious.”

She whispered with a satisfied expression.

“This isn’t so bad either. It feels peaceful.”

Hearing Shin So-gyeong’s words, I felt guilty.

Shin So-gyeong thought we were enjoying some wandering after the Hwa Hap ended, but in reality that wasn’t the case.

‘I’m sorry, Lady Shin… We’re not wandering.’

The jianghu journeys I undertake always have numerous trials awaiting.

Shin So-gyeong asked Dang Hwa Ryeong.

“Come to think of it, how did you and Lady Nam Gung know each other?”

Shin So-gyeong had now forgiven Dang Hwa Ryeong’s rudeness.

‘She’s even talking to him now.’

I recalled what Shin So-gyeong had said.

“Although he was rude to Lady Nam Gung, since she forgave him, I can’t press the issue further.”

In response to Shin So-gyeong’s question, Dang Hwa Ryeong replied.

“I visited the Nam Gung Clan when I was young. And at that time, I got beat up by Rin.”

At his words, Shin So-gyeong’s eyes sparkled.

“Lady Nam Gung was formidable even as a child.”

I corrected Dang Hwa Ryeong’s statement.

“You didn’t get beat up, it was a duel.”

Dang Hwa Ryeong laughed.

“Well, I was like that back then. Arrogant without knowing the height of the sky.”

Shin So-gyeong agreed with his words.

“It seems some of your childhood self still remains. Considering what you did to Lady Nam Gung then.”

I pondered for a moment.

‘Maybe she’s actually still angry?’

Shin So-gyeong now turned to Ji Cheon Wu and asked.

“How was life in the Heavenly Demon Cult?”

“It was fun. Lots of strong people and strange things.”

“Strange things? I heard the Heavenly Demon Cult has mysterious demonic manuals…”

“It’s not something to be spoken of to outsiders.”

I was newly reminded that Ji Cheon Wu was a person of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

“Thanks to life there, my senses developed to an eerie degree.”

Saying that, Ji Cheon Wu stared at one spot. I also looked in the direction of his gaze.

Ji Cheon Wu was looking at a man.

A man in plain white martial arts attire.

He seemed anxious, glancing around his surroundings. And beside him was a middle-aged man with a huge build.

They appeared quite ominous at a glance.

‘I thought this was a joke…’

[The Young Master seems to be the real deal. Someone with that level of martial arts skill is rare.]

That’s when it happened.

The middle-aged man started dragging away the man in white.

‘This is strange?’

My eyes met Ji Cheon Wu’s.

Ji Cheon Wu was seen nodding. No further conversation was needed between us.

[This is the timeline separator]

Baek Jin-wi couldn’t understand why the situation was unfolding this way.

The bodyguard with him, Jang Jeon-sang, was someone his father had specially hired.

He was also someone Baek Jin-wi had trusted and followed like an elder brother for nearly 10 years.

‘This is the first time something like this has happened…’

But Jang Jeon-sang’s behavior had become strange recently. Not only did he not follow the originally planned route, he muttered about needing to meet someone else while leading Baek Jin-wi.

‘As if he’s lost his mind.’

But Baek Jin-wi pretended not to notice.

His father and he deeply trusted Jang Jeon-sang and didn’t bring any other bodyguards besides him.

‘I had planned to meet Lady Nam Gung and become acquainted with her…’

The Nam Gung Clan and Baek Ryong Jang had maintained a close relationship until now.

Baek Jin-wi had not deeply mastered any martial arts besides self-defense techniques.

There was no way for him to subdue Jang Jeon-sang, one of the top martial artists in Hubei Province.

“This is for the best.”

Jang Jeon-sang said that as he moved his feet. In the opposite direction of their destination, Wuhan.

“Going this way won’t lead to Sichuan?”

“Yes, Young Master. But this is the only way for you to survive. So why did you make such a useless appointment?”

Baek Jin-wi couldn’t understand at all.

“What threat are you talking about? Did you forget I was supposed to meet Lady Nam Gung?”

At that moment, Jang Jeon-sang’s eyes turned red.

“Young Master, if you don’t want to die, it’s best you stay quiet.”

“Wha-what?”

“It means you made things difficult.”

Saying that, Jang Jeon-sang emanated killing intent. He drew his sword.

“Damn, if only I didn’t have to take you alive, I’d cut off your head.”

Baek Jin-wi’s face turned deathly pale.

“Do you know how hard it was for me to cater to your whims for 10 years?”

“Wh-what does that mean?”

“If you weren’t the son of the Baek Ryong Jang leader, I would have cut up that pretty face of yours.”

Jang Jeon-sang sighed.

Except for his outstanding talent and looks, Baek Jin-wi was truly good for nothing.

‘If I hand this guy over to them, I’ll be free.’

Protecting Baek Jin-wi had been 10 years.

It was no exaggeration to say Jang Jeon-sang had endured until now in order to hand over Baek Jin-wi to the Blood Cult.

‘Once we put the Solitude inside this guy’s body, it’ll all be over.’

But there was a chance Baek Jin-wi’s body wouldn’t be able to handle the Solitude.

‘Useless bastard.’

It was laughable that due to not training martial arts, his body might not endure it.

They had to go to the Blood Divine Doctor near Sichuan. Only then could they safely implant the Solitude in his body.

Originally, Jang Jeon-sang had no intention of revealing his identity until things were settled.

If only Baek Jin-wi hadn’t uselessly tried to meet Nam Gung Rin, that would have been the case.

Jang Jeon-sang surveyed the surroundings.

He was looking for the people he was supposed to meet.

That’s when it happened.

“Who are you looking for so intently?”

Jang Jeon-sang’s eyes went wide.

‘A master!’

He didn’t sense their presence at all until they got close to him.

He turned around.

A youth in black martial arts attire and a kind-looking woman stood there.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘This unexpected fact has been discovered.’

It was something I hadn’t seen in Heavenly Demon’s Descendant.

That Baek Jin-wi’s bodyguard had betrayed him.

“Who are you bastards?”

Jang Jeon-sang glared at me and Ji Cheon Wu with fierce eyes.

Ignoring him, I opened my mouth to speak to Baek Jin-wi.

“I came to find you directly since you didn’t show up at the agreed upon location.”

“Co-could it be…?”

Baek Jin-wi’s face flushed with relief.

Ji Cheon Wu seemed displeased by my answer, furrowing his brows.

“What’s your relationship?”

“Um, acquaintances who agreed to meet by letter?”

Ji Cheon Wu’s chilly gaze turned to Baek Jin-wi. He was seen stepping back and hiccuping.

‘At this rate, he’ll get beaten by Ji Cheon Wu instead of Jang Jeon-sang.’

Jang Jeon-sang shouted while glaring at me and Ji Cheon Wu.

“Could it be Nam Gung Rin?”

At his words, I nodded half-heartedly.

“Hand over the young master quietly.”

“I am the young master’s bodyguard. What authority do you have to say that?”

Oh, so you’re going to be like this?

Baek Jin-wi’s face turned pale as a sheet. Held captive by Jang Jeon-sang, he couldn’t deny it, but his gaze pleaded with me to save him.

Baek Jin-wi barely managed to open his mouth.

“Elder brother Jang, please don’t do this.”

Sighing, I was about to say something to Jang Jeon-sang.

But Ji Cheon Wu moved faster than that.

Ji Cheon Wu charged towards Jang Jeon-sang at rapid speed.

With fantastical sleight of hand, he grabbed Jang Jeon-sang’s wrist.

[How clean!]

Even Knife Uncle would admire that skill.

“You’re noisy. Are you fighting with words?”

Hearing Ji Cheon Wu’s line, my mouth fell open.

“Yo-you bastard, who are you!”

Ji Cheon Wu lifted one corner of his mouth.

“What’s the point of knowing?”

“What?”

“I don’t even want to deal with a mutt that bites its master…”

“Are you playing word games with me?”

“I’m the Black Reaper who’s come to kill you. Is that good enough?”

“You bastard!”

Jang Jeon-sang quickly swung the sword in his hand.

Faint sword energy condensed on his blade.

Clang!

The sword Jang Jeon-sang brandished was blocked by Ji Cheon Wu’s sword. Jang Jeon-sang’s face turned ashen.

In contrast, Ji Cheon Wu’s expression was relaxed. One clash was enough to know the difference in skill.

“So you want to do this.”

With those words, Ji Cheon Wu’s body began moving at an uncannily fast speed.

Attack, attack, attack.

No defense whatsoever. An extreme fight that didn’t even give the opponent a chance to attack him.

The rapidly whirling sword strikes were stunning even to me.

‘This is the protagonist of Heavenly Demon’s Descendant!’

Now I truly realized it.

The Ji Cheon Wu in front of me was in fact the protagonist inside Heavenly Demon’s Descendant.

Thump, my heart raced.

Jang Jeon-sang couldn’t block Ji Cheon Wu’s sword for long and collapsed.