Chapter 92

92. The Method of the Death House

Just as there are various reasons for wanting to kill someone, there are also diverse methods to do so.

One can use poison, set traps, launch a covert attack, or engage in a fair fight.

The Death House preferred the most popular method.

Perhaps this was due to the taste of its head, Third Young Master Shim Youngchun.

Shim Youngchun liked to beat people to death in broad daylight, especially in bustling areas.

Aren't you afraid of the law?

Such things only apply to ordinary people.

Thugs and gangsters who kill someone get dragged to the authorities, but those who wield power in the martial world are exceptions.

In reality, when they kill someone, they are praised as 'brave.'

Of course, if the person they killed has significant connections—like being the blood relative of a city lord—then even the brave one has to run away.

The assassins of the Death House, influenced by such a Shim Youngchun, enjoyed public killings.

The number of assassins deployed varied according to the opponent's martial prowess, but the method was similar.

They would provoke and then kill.

This was why the Death House assassin, Seven Kill Ma Cheonwoo, started a fight at the Dragon Joy Pavilion.

"What are you, a punk?"

In response to Pung Yeoncho's question, Ma Cheonwoo smirked and replied,

"I'm a customer. This punk. The wine is terrible, and the women are all half-dead. It completely ruined my mood. Go and get your boss quickly."

One of the courtesans, who had been watching, interjected,

"That's a lie. He drank all the wine, and when he got Xiao Xiang to sit beside him and massage him, he suddenly went crazy. I feel so sorry for our Xiao Xiang. She can't be dead, right?"

"You bitch, how dare you talk back? Remember, you're next."

Pung Yeoncho was speechless at the man's threat.

No matter how much of a brothel it was, one shouldn't act so arrogantly and cause trouble.

"You bastard, if you came to a brothel, you should enjoy yourself properly, not act like a madman!"

Ma Cheonwoo chuckled and stomped on the courtesan's head.

"Ugh! Why are you suddenly so worked up? Are you her pillar of support? Huh? Is that it?"

"Damn! You madman!"

Enraged by the continued taunting, Pung Yeoncho lunged at the man like a hawk.

Seizing the opportunity, Ma Cheonwoo drew his saber and struck with the force of a single blow.

Swish.

Startled, Pung Yeoncho quickly rolled to the side to avoid the attack.

However, the man's saber was so fast that it left a long gash on his waist.

The burning sensation indicated that the skin had been cut.

Confused by the unexpected situation, Pung Yeoncho couldn't hide his perplexed expression.

He couldn't understand why the man would use such a vicious killing move from the start.

'Why, when there's no grudge?'

Pung Yeoncho, who had risen to his feet, quickly drew his saber and glared at the drunkard.

Seeing the failure of the ambush, Ma Cheonwoo intensified his momentum.

Now that Pung Yeoncho was fully prepared, he intended to respond calmly.

The two maintained a suitable distance and slowly moved to the center of the hall.

Suddenly, Pung Yeoncho's eyes sparkled.

'That guy said he drank all the wine, right?'

But now, the man's eyes were not clouded by alcohol but by a murderous intent.

He must have either sobered up or pretended to be drunk.

Judging by his stance, he was more skilled than the guards he had faced before.

'This could be the last time I see my family,' he thought, and his heart sank.

'I'm sorry. I have to die.'

With his mind made up, Pung Yeoncho slowly lowered his saber.

It was the initial stance of the Dragon Ascending technique.

Ma Cheonwoo stared at Pung Yeoncho with a strange look.

Generally, lowering the tip of the saber means 'switching from offense to defense.'

Unless one is skilled in the techniques of the Chosang School, that's what it means.

If the opponent is scared and cowers, it's like a set table.

He naturally twisted his upper body to hide his left hand from view.

Three steel needles were attached to his fingers, ready to use his technique, the Three Needle Kill.

While playfully twirling his saber, Ma Cheonwoo suddenly flicked his left hand.

Papapap.

At the same time, he raised his saber above his head and lunged forward.

Who said lowering the tip of the saber means defense!

Pung Yeoncho, gathering his inner energy with the White Jade Formula, took a step forward.

The saber danced in a zigzag pattern, flying through the air.

Ting.

With a faint sound, the steel needles were deflected.

Ma Cheonwoo, who had been about to strike with the force of a mountain, quickly turned his saber.

To deflect the incoming qi that was piercing his throat.

Crack.

The sound of the saber blade being crushed echoed in his ears.

But there was no time to be surprised.

Pung Yeoncho's saber, which had gracefully changed direction in mid-air, was now falling on his head.

"......"

Before he could even scream,

Ma Cheonwoo's body split into two from the top of his head to his navel.

Thud. Thud.

Red blood gushed out like a river.

Pung Yeoncho, looking down at the man with a bitter expression, slowly turned around.

The laborers, who had been watching from a distance, hurriedly came to clean up.

Pung Yeoncho, who was walking towards the guards' quarters, stopped.

Not because he saw Tack Gomyeong running towards him in a hurry,

But because his left shoulder suddenly tingled.

Now that he felt the pain in various parts of his body, it seemed he had been quite tense.

The man was indeed strong.

He was alive only because of the White Jade Formula and the Nine Heavens Technique.

As he exhaled in relief, his vision blurred.

"Brother!"

Hearing Tack Gomyeong's cry, Pung Yeoncho slowly fell to the ground.

I have to get home...

***

Kaifeng.

Thousand Fragrance Inn.

Late at night, two men were sitting face to face in the innermost room of the Death House.

The head of the Death House, Third Young Master Shim Youngchun, and Six Kill Gong Jin-dan.

Both looked grim.

"Did you say Ma Cheonwoo is dead?"

"Yes."

Gong Jin-dan dared not raise his head.

There had been no deaths during missions in the past three years, and now that record was broken.

"Ha! You're telling me that Seven Kill was killed by a crippled guy from the Dragon Ascension Hall?"

"......"

Gong Jin-dan's head bowed even lower.

"Is that guy an elder of the Seven Sects? No. The Dragon Ascension Hall doesn't have such a high-level expert. Maybe if it was the Dragon Ascension Swordsman Yan Wubai, but the rest are just average. And you're saying he's not even a Yan? So he's a wandering swordsman? Seven Kill was defeated by such a guy? Damn! Do you think that makes sense?"

Bang.

Unable to contain his anger, Shim Youngchun slammed the table.

Gong Jin-dan, who had flinched, spoke in a meek voice.

"Still, it wasn't a complete failure. Seven Kill was hit by the poisonous needle and fell..."

"Such a useless guy! How can you call that a report! How are you going to clean my face? Can't you see that the reputation of the Death House has hit rock bottom!"

"Please forgive me."

Gong Jin-dan bowed so low that his forehead touched his chest.

Indeed, this incident had shaken Third Young Master's position at the Thousand Fragrance Inn.

Staring at Gong Jin-dan's head, Shim Youngchun said,

"Finish it yourself."

"Yes, sir!"

Gong Jin-dan answered without hesitation.

Even though Seven Kill was poisoned and would die anyway, he couldn't disobey Third Young Master's order.

***

Pung Yeoncho couldn't return home that night.

He stayed at the Dragon Joy Pavilion because he was too disoriented to go home.

Tack Gomyeong sent a laborer to Pung Yeoncho's house to inform them of the situation and stayed by his side.

Although a doctor visited around midnight, Pung Yeoncho's condition continued to worsen.

The next morning.

Tack Gomyeong, who had been dozing off by Pung Yeoncho's bedside, suddenly woke up to a faint sound.

"Ugh, Gomyeong..."

"Yes, brother!"

"My wife must be waiting for me..."

"Don't worry about that. Your wife came by last night."

"......"

A sigh escaped Pung Yeoncho's lips as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Ha! Did I do something foolish..."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a bad feeling. I might have done something terrible to my family, who were living well without me."

"Come on! Don't talk like that. Your weakness is all because of the poison."

"Poison?"

"Didn't you know? A poisonous needle was found in your shoulder. The doctor said he would look for a cure, so don't worry too much. If all else fails, we can go to the Tang family..."

"Don't mention the Tang family."

Would the notorious Tang family come to the aid of a brothel guard?

"Still, why would a guy who came to the brothel use such an assassin? I've never seen a poisonous needle before. He doesn't seem like an ordinary guy."

Indeed, even in the martial world, poisonous needles were not something one encountered easily. It was natural for Tack Gomyeong to be suspicious.

"Who was he? That guy."

"I don't know yet. Everyone said he was a new customer. Brother, do you have any idea who it might be? Someone who has a grudge against you?"

"Many."

Tack Gomyeong chuckled at Pung Yeoncho's immediate answer.

The more he thought about it, the more foolish the question seemed.

Enemies weren't just a few. It could be the families of those who died from the fake medicine his sworn brother sold, or the work of a merchant official who recognized him.

"Ha! I wish I could see my brothers one last time before I die."

"Don't talk like that."

Despite his words, Tack Gomyeong thought he should send someone to Oubong Mountain immediately.

It might be his sworn brother's last wish.

Looking at Pung Yeoncho's dark complexion, it seemed he could die at any moment.

***

Luoyang.

Wujin Inn.

Around noon.

Yeon Jikha, who had woken up late, slowly sat up, as if a snail was crawling.

"Ah! I'm so hungry. I can't lie here any longer."

"Ha ha ha. I was wondering how long you would keep lying there, and now you've finally gotten up?"

"I had a restless night."

"Ah, yes, you were late to get up yesterday and the day before too."

"Old Shim, have you heard of the Six Senses?"

Yeon Jikha looked at Shim Tong, the Nine Heavens Old Man, with an unusually serious face.