Reaper of The Drifting Moon Chapter 259

Reaper of The Drifting Moon  Chapter 259

Without a sound, Pyo-Wol raised his head above the water's surface.

His hand gripped the ship's hull.

The people on board the ship had yet to learn of Pyo-Wol's presence.

Pyo-Wol clutched his chest with one hand, blood oozing from a slightly torn muscle.

He had pulled back his body as far as possible before the sword struck him, minimizing the contact area with the blade.

He could have avoided it entirely, but Ji Gang-pyo would have become suspicious.

Pyo-Wol had to accept some damage on his end to avoid arousing suspicion.

Pyo-Wol concentrated his inner strength on the wounded area, and the bleeding gradually stopped.

Unaware of Pyo-Wol's presence, the ship glided smoothly over the water like a cicada clinging to a tree.

Pyo-Wol let go of all his strength and let himself be carried by the current, maintaining a sense of calm even in the turbulent water flow, thanks to his mastery of water techniques in the underground cave.

Pyo-Wol held onto the hull and looked around at the scenery.

He had been on the river for more than a day. They were already quite far from Runan. He didn't know how long they would travel by boat, but Pyo-Wol didn't feel anxious.

He remembered the conversation the sailors had on the ship.

"They called the goods on the ship 'mahwadan(magic pill).'"

It was a name he had never heard before.

The name had an ominous feeling to it.

Everything that exists tends to follow its name.

Pyo-Wol didn't know what mahwadan(magic pill) was, but it was undoubtedly hazardous.

Although Jangju Seol Kang-yeon was in conflict with the Jin family and had ambitions, he still presented himself as part of an orthodox faction.

If Jangju Seol Kang-Yeon had been a member of the Mad or Sado faction, the Shaolin Temple would not have tried to deal with things so smoothly. They would have either intervened in the conflict or sent troops to retaliate.

Although he presented himself as a member of an orthodox faction, the head of the Snow Sword Manor was secretly working on creating such dangerous items.

If this fact were to be leaked to the outside, it could have potentially led to severe consequences.

Pyo-Wol didn't think that Jangju Seol Kang-Yeon would make such a foolish choice. The Seol Kang-Yeon, he understood, was a person with a lot of greed but not silly enough to destroy everything he had with one mistake. If he were that kind of person, he would not have been able to protect and develop the Snow Sword manor until now.

"As expected, it must be related to Lee-Yul."

Pyo-Wol didn't know the true identity of the Baek Do-gyeong he saw in Bi Ji, but he felt a similar energy and atmosphere to Lee-Yul.

Often, people who do the same type of work have similar atmospheres.

Pyo-Wol thought it was better that way.

After all, everything he had done was aimed at Lee-Yul.

He was different from any person that Pyo-Wol knew.

It wasn't just a matter of martial arts or appearance,

He differed significantly from others in temperament, gaze, and way of thinking.

He was just as alien as Pyo-Wol.

Such a person couldn't just fall from the sky.

The people on this ship will guide Pyo-Wol to meet with Lee-Yul.

Pyo-Wol closed his eyes, thinking so.

The ship sailed for a full day and arrived at an unnamed island.

The island's location, surrounded by canyons, was so delicate that it could not be known until it was entered.

The island was incredibly vast, almost unbelievable to have emerged from the middle of a canyon.

Thump!

"Lord! Have you returned?"

"Mm!"

The leader of the islanders nodded his head and got off the boat.

"How's the Master?"

"He is not the kind of person who would suffer harm wherever he goes,"

"That's true."

One of his subordinates smiled and nodded his head.

The leader pointed to the boat and said, "There are some goods on board, so everyone please unload them. They're valuable items that you'll use later, so keep them safe."

"I don't understand why we make these things in Salmak. They're useless in the human body."

"Hmm! Why would we make them for our own use? It's a valuable item that makes even low-class bastards use three or four times as much power in an instant, so I'm sure there's something important to use in the future."

"Well, that may be true, but..."

Despite the leader's response, the middle-aged man's expression remained unsatisfied.

"This is something that the Master made with great effort. He must have had a reason for making it, so take good care of it."

"Understood."

The middle-aged man nodded and gestured to his subordinates. Then the islanders who had come to greet them climbed aboard the boat and lowered a box containing the mahwadan(magic pill).

"Yes, my lord," the middle-aged man replied politely to the headman's words.

His attitude towards the headman, Mok Han-Seong, was not just polite but one of utmost respect. He was the person whom the middle-aged man respected most in the world, and he was ready to follow him even to the ends of the earth. Everyone present felt the same way.

They were known as the Ghost Warriors.

The middle-aged man was the commander of the Ghost Warriors, named Jong-ri-Gu.

Jong-ri-Gu followed Mok Han-seong into the inner sanctum of the island.

***

The last box was unloaded from the ship.

The ghost warrior who had brought down all the boxes checked his surroundings once again. Though he knew that the area was surrounded by a canyon and that no one could approach, he never let his guard down.(상자를 모두 내린 귀무대는 다시 한번 주위를 점검했다. 협곡으로 둘러싸여 누구도 접근할 수 없다는 사실은 알고 있지만, 경계를 절대 게을리하지 않는 것이다.)

Unlike the typical ghost warriors, the appearance of this one was both dignified and disciplined.

One of the ghost warriors shouted, "Once all the cargo is unloaded, activate the Ten-Mile Illusion Formation."

"Understood!"

Immediately after the response, a thick mist began to surround the island.

The mist, like a fog, quickly engulfed the island.

In an instant, the island disappeared into the mist.

After a long time had passed

Suddenly, one of the Ghost Warriors emerged from the fog. He checked the area around the pier and muttered, 'Nothing seems out of place.'"

The Ghost Warrior disappeared into the fog, and Pyo-wol emerged from the water.

It was good that he waited and didn't come out too soon. If he had acted rashly, he would have been caught immediately.

Pyo-Wol approached the direction of the mist.

He had never heard of the Technique called the "Ten-Mile Illusion Formation." before. However, judging from the name alone, it is a type of Technique that confuses human senses and induces illusions.

Although he hadn't directly experienced the Ten-Mile Illusion Formation, he had often experienced similar techniques in the underground cave.

Pyo Wol closed his eyes and used his inner energy to block his hearing completely.

One of the principles behind the Technique is to plant false information into the human eyes and ears.

The human brain processes information through the eyes, and the illusion technique disrupts sight to make it perceive false information.

In addition, the hearing sense also played a significant role. Sounds have the power to make people imagine things. Therefore, an optical illusion continuously emits specific sound waves that give people false imaginations. (여금 상상하게 만드는 힘이 있었다. 때문에 환상진은 잘못된 상상을 하게끔 특정한 음파를 지속해서 발산한다.)

For those who are unaware of this fact, if they fall into this kind of illusion, they are likely to suffer from ten or even dozens of illusions.

As they become absorbed in these delusions, they may fall into traps or snares and risk losing their lives or revealing their whereabouts.

The Ten-Mile Illusion Formation technique stayed consistent with this principle.

This was also the reason why Pyo-wol blocked his eyes and ears.

It was to prevent the spread of false information at the source.

For ordinary people, limited sight and hearing greatly affected their movement, but for Pyo-Wol, it was irrelevant.

Living in the darkness for a long time, Pyo-Wol's senses had developed to an extraordinary degree of sensitivity.

Especially in the darkness, Pyo-Wol's senses were truly remarkable.

Pyo-Wol walked without hesitation, despite being covered in moisture that clung to his body like spider webs.

It was a sticky feeling that would make an ordinary person shudder.

The mist not only showed illusions but also served as a veil, hiding traps and mechanisms throughout. If one wasn't careful, they would trigger the traps and mechanisms, and the people inside would quickly notice.

Pyo-Wol was careful not to touch any of the mechanisms and traps. After a while, the sensation of the mist against his skin became fainter, and he cautiously opened his eyes. Suddenly, he saw a completely different landscape.

A flat plain that appeared to have been recently leveled, surrounded by about ten huts. Pyo-Wol realized this was a temporary dwelling place, hastily constructed to be easily abandoned at any time.

It was clear that the huts were not built by professional workers but rather by the people who lived there. Outside the huts, a group of warriors was sitting on the ground. They appeared carefree at first glance, but they did not neglect their surroundings as they conversed.

Even though the Ten-Mile Illusion Formation technique unfolded before them, they still didn't completely trust it.

Pyo-Wol lay on the ground, avoiding their gaze.

"These must be elite soldiers," he thought to himself.

Pyo-Wol recognized the scent emanating from the group of soldiers. They were the Black Cloud Troops soldiers, led by Jang Muryang and Heo Ran-ju.

The Black Cloud Troops soldiers were not just a simple group of mercenaries; their discipline was similar to that of a military unit.

The individuals sitting in front of the huts emitted a similar scent to that of the Black Cloud Troops warriors. The only difference was that they were a smaller group, but they gave off a much more dangerous feeling.

Pyo-Wol observed them closely, his body concealed.

They never let their guard down, even while conversing.

Typically, when exposed to a familiar environment for a long period, one's guard would gradually decrease. However, they showed no signs of such behavior.

Despite being as perfect as humans could be, everyone has their flaws, and humans can only maintain their tension for so long.

The moment when the tension snapped was inevitable, but Pyo-Wol was an owner of extraordinary patience who could wait until that moment.

No one came close to him in this kind of patience battle.

Pyo-Wol waited for the vigilance of the warriors to scatter while he was completely still using the "Quiescent Technique" ("귀식대법").

Finally, Pyo-Wol stood up from his seat as he released the Quiescent Technique. The island, covered in darkness, created the optimal environment for him to operate.

The night was a stage for Pyo-Wol.

Pyo-Wol moved without a sound.

All of the huts around the plain were open.

Pyo-Wol climbed up to the closest hut roof. Like a stray cat, Pyo-Wol landed on the roof silently and looked inside through the cracks in the wood.

Inside the hut, there were four beds made of intertwined wood. So, if you assume that four people stayed in each hut, there were nearly 40 people on this island.

The scenery inside the hut was desolate.

There were only makeshift beds, and no other objects existed. It was clear that this place was a temporary dwelling.

The men inside the hut hardly spoke to each other.

Some of them were working on their internal energy, while others were reading secret manuals.

There was no sign of impatience or boredom in their actions. It was a familiar sight to them, a lifestyle they were accustomed to.

Pyo-Wol checked the other huts as well. They showed a similar interior to the first hut he had encountered.

Although they were living their daily lives, they never appeared to be disorganized. In particular, some of them emitted intense energy that even Pyo-Wol couldn't ignore.

Their energy was so intense that if someone other than Pyo-Wol had been hiding nearby, they would have been discovered immediately.

"Where did these people come from?"

Pyo-Wol had met warriors from renowned sects such as the Mudangpa(무당파) and Shaolin Temple, so he knew their energy and atmosphere well.

However, their energy was clearly different from that of those sects.

It felt like watching a wild and untamed creature, even more fierce and brutal than the Black Cloud Troops.

"Why haven't these people been reported to the Kangho yet?"

Through the Kangho journey, Pyo-Wol had access to a lot of information about the Kangho. He may not have known much about small sects, but he was aware of the general trends of larger sects. However, he had never heard any mention of these Warriors in the information he had obtained.

It was difficult for them to emit such a strong aura with just martial arts skills.

Those who had tasted a lot of blood and were familiar with it were the ones who mainly cultivated this kind of martial art. If they had killed a lot of people, it would have naturally been known to the martial world.

However, the fact that it was not known to the martial world meant that they had acted secretly to avoid drawing attention or operated in a place where people's attention did not reach.

And then it happened.

Shiak!

Suddenly, a flash of light flickered above Pyo-Wol' 's head.

INDEX