Chapter 527 The Seven

 Chapter 527

The Seven Demons of Shanyin were originally active in the northern region of Shanyin.

"They were originally wandering vagabonds of the north who, spurred on by a certain incident, banded together and began to move as one".

They were not just any run-of-the-mill assassins; their martial arts skills were so formidable that it would be a mistake to think of them as mere rootless assassins.Many people sought them out and requested their services, so there was no shortage of money. However, they were not rich either.

As a result, they were always thirsty for wealth.

Their first assignment to carry out an assassination was purely coincidental.

At first, they refused.

Their beliefs dictated that even as vagrants they could not stoop to such despicable methods.

But a single assassination changed their minds completely.

The money they earned on a single contract was something they could never achieve in a regular job.

With just one commission, they could loaf around and live comfortably for several months.

Once you get a taste for this kind of lifestyle, it is hard to shake it off.

It was no different for the Seven Demons of Shanyin.

After discovering the easy way to earn gold, they naturally drifted into the path of assassination.

At first, they were very cautious about accepting contracts.  However, as their successful assassinations grew in number, so did their arrogance. They began to take on riskier jobs, which eventually led to their downfall.

They crossed a line by targeting someone they shouldn't have, and because of this, they were expelled from the Shanxi Province, condemned to wander aimlessly.

While surviving on the occasional commissions that came in as they roamed the world, the Kangho Great War broke out.

The Seven Demons of Shanyin saw this as a golden opportunity and hurried to Poyang Lake.

As they expected, the place was flooded with requests.

Not only from the Gold Heavenly Hall and Silver Lotus Hall, but even those who didn't think they had anything to do with Kangho secretly placed requests.

They took advantage of the chaos in Kangho to eliminate rivals or those in possession of secret martial arts treasures.

It would be natural for a respectable assassin not to accept such trivial contracts.

In the short term, they may avoid exposure due to the chaos of the world, but when the truth is revealed in the future, their very existence could be in danger.

The martial arts sects, especially the great, distinguished families, detested those who inflicted harm on ordinary people. They might not be able to pay attention to it amidst the Kangho Great War, but it was clear as day what their reaction would be once they found out that the assassins were taking lives indiscriminately after the situation had somewhat calmed down.

However, this was irrelevant to the Seven Demons of Shanyin.

Their plan was to leave Lake Poyang as soon as the Kangho Great War was over and head far away to Yunnan Province.

"Hahaha! We should rake it in when we can!"

"Exactly, exactly!"

"Let's scrape it all together. There's plenty of contracts."

The Seven Demons of Shanyin rented an entire brothel and indulged in wild pleasures.

One of the men had prostitutes on each arm.

"Ho ho!"

"Have another drink, sir."

With their seductive voices and flirtatious demeanor, the prostitutes bewitched these rustic brutes from Shanyin.

"Excellent!"

"Pour me another."

The Seven Demons of Shanyin tossed the silver coins they held, making a loud fuss.

Taking another's life and scattering the ill-gotten silver among the prostitutes was their way of amusement.

A few silver coins were thrown towards the prostitutes.

To them, the value of a person's life was merely that much.

Lee Gui, who was burying his face in a prostitute's bosom, lifted his head to look at Daegwi.

"By the way, Brother! What's our next contract?"

"It's from the Silver Merchant Guild. They want us to kill the leader of a rival guild."

"Hehe! Shouldn't be too hard. Let's wrap it up quickly."

"For now, we ought to enjoy ourselves tonight. Isn't that right?"

At Daegwi's words, the rest of the Six Demons howled in agreement.

"Woohoo!"

"Right on, Brother!"

"Hehehe!"

They discarded the liquor table to the side and began to lust after the prostitutes. The prostitutes did not reject the Seven Demons of Shanyin.

Instead, they enticingly welcomed their advances.

The room heated up with their intensity.

Daegwi too began to knead the bosom of the prostitute sitting next to him like dough.

The musky scent emanating from the prostitute's body was intoxicating.

"Cough!"

"Choke!"

Suddenly, a soft moaning sound erupted.

At first, Daegwi didn't think much of it.

He assumed one of his brothers had coughed in their haste to enjoy the prostitutes. However, the moans continued.

"Choke!"

"Cough!"

Only then did Daegwi feel that something was amiss and looked up.

"Ah!"

Daegwi let out a scream involuntarily.

There were unfamiliar figures in the room, which should have housed only the Seven Demons of Shanyin and the prostitutes.

Seven martial artists in black martial arts attire, their faces hidden behind black masks.

All of the Seven Demons of Shanyin, excluding Daegwi, were overpowered by them.

"What, what's going on?"

Daegwi looked at them in disbelief.

Swish!

At that moment, a cold blade rested against his throat.

He couldn't resist.

Instinctively, he realized that the intruders were his own kind. But there was a huge qualitative difference.

Even if they had been preoccupied with the prostitutes, it didn't make sense that he hadn't noticed until so many of them had entered the room.

Only assassins like themselves were capable of such a feat. But only those who had reached a level far superior to their own.

The prostitutes, who had been jovially mingling with them until a moment ago, had all lost consciousness. Even the ones cradled in Daegwi's arms were unconscious.

Daegwi hadn't noticed when they had fallen unconscious.

"Who, who are you? What grudge do you hold against us for doing this?"

Daegwi, their leader, mustered the courage to ask cautiously. Then the warrior who held a blade to his throat responded.

"Seven Demons of Shanyin!"

It was a voice bone-chillingly cold.

Just hearing it was terrifying enough to make one wet their pants.

"Yes? Yes!"

"From now on, you'll be under our supervision."

"What?"

"The Hundred Wraith Union will supervise the Seven Demons of Shanyin."

"Are, are you from the Hundred Wraith Union? Why would the Hundred Wraith Union want us?"

"Because our Lord wishes it."

"The Lord? Surely not the Lord of the Hundred Wraith Union..."

"Enough. No more questions will be tolerated. From now on, you will cease all activity and wait for our command."

The martial artist speaking coldly was one of the Black Shadow Assassins. He was there on Pyo Wol's orders to find the Seven Demons of Shanyin.

"But we have our own circumstances..."

Pff!

At that moment, the blade penetrated Daegwi's throat.

Daegwi's eyes widened in disbelief. He had not expected his opponent to resort to violence without so much as a dialogue.

Daegwi tried to say something, his lips moving slightly. But his voice did not escape his lips. He was dead before he could utter a word.

The member of the Black Shadow Assassins who had killed Daegwi in a flash looked at Lee Gwi.

The moment Lee Gwi caught his icy gaze, he prostrated himself.

"I, I will obey your command unconditionally."

"From now on, it's the Six Demons of Shanyin, not seven. And you're in charge of the Six Demons of Shanyin."

"Understood. I will do as instructed."

"Cease all activity and wait for the Lord's command. If I hear you moving without permission, I'll personally cut off all your breaths.

"I, we swear never to go against the will of the Hundred Wraith Union."

"Swear not to the Hundred Wraith Union, but to the Supreme one."

"Eh? Ah, understood. We, the Seven Demons of Shanyin, no, Six demons swear our loyalty to the Supreme leader."

Lee Gwi pressed his forehead to the floor as he spoke.

Thump!

Suddenly, a Black Shadow Assassin martial artist threw a scroll at his forehead.

"What is this?"

"Seal it with your blood."

"Excuse me?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?"

"No, no. I'll seal it."

Hastily, Lee Gwi unrolled the scroll.

His eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw what was inside.

The scroll was filled with countless names.

[Master of Sea Hawk Pavilion, Oh Seok-gyeong.

Master of White Moon Guild, Lee Si Chang.

 Master of Five Tone Gate, Nam Doo-hwan.

Thousand Suns.......]

There were dozens of names, along with red signatures that appeared to be written in blood.

To any common martial artist, the names on the scroll might mean nothing, but Lee Gwi was different.

'They are all masters of the Assasination Guilds.'

He felt goosebumps all over his body.

It was more than just the Hundred Wraith Union trying to subjugate its rivals. He sensed it.

Making such an extensive list of blood signatures was a clear indication of intending strong control.

'Why the master of the Hundred Wraith Union? Could it be... to unify all the Assassination Guilds?'

Lee Gwi's face turned deathly pale as his mind reached this conclusion.

This was beyond his wildest imagination.

Just then, the voice of the Black Shadow Assassins' martial artist echoed again.

"Seal it quickly."

"Yes, should I do it here?"

In a rush, Lee Gwi inscribed his name and signed on an empty spot.

The martial artist of the Black Shadow Assassins rolled up the scroll and put it away. Then he spoke

"Stay put. Don't take any jobs, don't stir up any trouble. If you act out of turn, we will come for you again."

"There will never be such an occasion."

Lee Gwi and the other five demons bowed deeply. But there was no response from the other side, even after a considerable time had passed.

Lee Gwi cautiously lifted his head.

"Gasp!"

He was startled once again.

The martial artists of the Black Shadow Assassins, who had filled the room a few moments ago, had disappeared without a trace.

Just like their appearance, their disappearance was sudden.

This made him feel creeped out again.

"Ha-have they gone, elder brother?"

Lee Gwi's brothers lifted their heads.

Their faces were filled with fear.

It was an experience they had never had before.

"What on earth is happening? Why would the Hundred Wraith Union want to...”

"Damn it! Looks like we're in big trouble. It looks like the Hundred Wraith Union is trying to unite all the assassination guilds.

"I-Is that even possible? We may be nobodies, but the other Assassin guilds won't give in easily.”

"Dozens have already bent their knees. None of them were any less powerful than us. You fools!"

"Then what should we do?"

"What can we do? If we don't want to die, we have to follow their orders."

"So we're really going to obey the Hundred Wraith Union?"

"We have to. Damn it! The good days are gone."

Bang!

Lee Gwi violently slapped down on the table.

The liquor and food on the table scattered and littered the floor, but he didn't notice.

He couldn't even imagine breaking free from the Hundred Wraith Union.

Despite their ignorance, they knew some things.

The intelligence network and organizational structure of the Hundred Wraith Union was far too dense and meticulous for them to even guess.

Lee Gwi mumbled in despair.

"Who exactly is the master of the Hundred Wraith Union to attempt such a monumental feat?"

＊＊＊

Pyo Wol stared at the wall with his arms crossed.

Attached to the wall was a large white paper, filled with numerous names.

Just then.

Suddenly, a Black Shadow Assassin martial artist walked in and added one more name to the sheet.

Six Demons of Shanyin.

It meant that they had just subjugated them.

Sal-no carefully approached Pyo Wol and spoke.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly."

It wasn't just the Black Shadow Assassins, but also Thunder Eye, Blood Rain, Death Shadow, and Hong Ye-seol who were working to suppress the assassin guilds.

They were dispersed throughout the Poyang Lake region, tracking down all the assassination guilds they had identified so far.

None could match them.

They were at the apex of the underworld.

If the Black Shadow Assassins found it troublesome, the Ten Blood Assassins, including Hong Ye-seol and Thunder Eye, stepped in.

Those who received their visit swore allegiance without exception.

It was happening at a terrifyingly fast pace.

Pyo Wol asked Sal-no.

"How much longer?"

"We have about three-tenths left."