Chapter 106

Reaper of the Drifting Moon

September 20, 2022 • 17 min read • 8342 views

Light Novel: Volume 5 Episode 6
Manhwa: N/A

“Damn it…”

Hong Yushin felt a throbbing pain in his head.

In front of him lay the bodies of seven members of the Seven Stars, lined up in a row. Their bodies had been collected and handled by Hao clan members overnight.

Exactly seven. Not a single one was spared, all of them were killed by Pyo-wol.

“I never expected that all seven would fall in just one night.”

The Seven Stars is a group recognized in Hunan Province.

There is a reason why in the midst of numerous factions, such a group with only seven members has such prominence and reputation.

This was because the group’s leader, Sa Hyo-kyung, possessed formidable martial arts skills and exceptional judgment.

But, such an individual was defeated without as much as putting up a fight. This could only mean that Pyo-wol’s martial arts prowess was that exceptional.

“Even if that guy is good, there should still be a limit. What is this…”

The history of Jianghu has proven it so far.

Those who are too exceptional always bring winds of change to Jianghu.

Whether they want to or not.

Pyo-wol was in a similar situation as well.

“I need to know more about that guy.”

Hong Yushin, who had organized his thoughts, gestured to the Hao clan warriors who were waiting. Immediately, the warriors rushed forward and carried away the bodies of the Seven Star warriors.

The Hao clan warriors who took away the dead bodies were no ordinary warriors.

They were more akin to scholars than warriors.

Scholars who have mastered martial arts.

From now on, they would thoroughly analyze and uncover the martial arts used by Pyo-wol through the bodies of the Seven Star members.

While there was no direct way to ascertain Pyo-wol’s exact martial arts, even figuring out the main techniques and weapons he used through the wounds would be a significant achievement.

In this way, the Hao clan could still accumulate information on those who could pose a threat to Jianghu.

“We need to gather as much information as possible while that guy is still in Sichuan. It will be too late once he leaves.”

Hong Yushin’s gaze turned cold.

Having personally met and experience Pyo-wol’s power, he knew how strong Pyo-wol was.

In a direct confrontation, Pyo-wol may be inferior to the warriors of the Two Factions, Three Sects, Three Clans, and Three Manors.

However, Pyo-wol is an assassin.

Although he had acquired powerful martial arts skills, he still did not abandon his identity as an assassin.

That meant he could strike at any time.

And, he had no guilt nor shame in doing so.

If a master like Pyo-wol made up his mind to launch a sneak attack, even the top masters of Jianghu would be in danger.

In a sense, Pyo-wol was more lethal than any other warrior in Jianghu.

Pyo-wol represented an entirely new type of threat that had not existed before.

That’s why Hong Yushin was paying close attention to Pyo-wol.

Hong Yushin asked his subordinate who was by his side,

“Where is he now?”

“He’s in a workshop.”

“Workshop?”

“It’s a workshop run by a Tang Family’s descendant.”

“Do you have any information about their relationship?”

“We are currently investigating how they developed such a strong bond.”

“Don’t miss anything about him. We may not be able to control him, but the more information we can gather, the higher the price we can sell it for.”

“Understood.”

After replying, the subordinate withdrew.

Hong Yushin, who was left alone, sighed.

“Hoo…”

* * *

Tang Sochu turned to Pyo-wol and asked,

“So, you’re saying that a person who calls himself the Wind Saint took Shin-woo in order to protect him? Do you think his words are true, brother?”

“It didn’t seem like a lie.”

“Hoo!”

Tang Sochu heaved a deep sigh.

Last night, the city of Chengdu was turned upside down again.

A third of the slum was burnt down because of the fire Yo Sulyeong had set. This has caused the entire city to be swept into great chaos and confusion.

Thousands of people have lost their homes and are left wandering the streets.

The public sentiment, which was barely stabilized, turned grim again, and the atmosphere on the streets became more serious than ever.

All of this was due to what the Seven Stars had done. And the reason they did this to the city was to capture Nam Shin-woo.

“What kind of secret did that kid have to make him the target of such big shots? And to top it off, the Wind Saint–”

“You know about the Wind Saint?”

“How can I not know? He is an absolute powerhouse who stands shoulder to shoulder with the sect leaders of the Two Factions, Three Great Sects, Three Clans, and Three Manors. Even children know about this.”

“Tell me more.”

What appeared on Pyo-wol’s face was more than just curiosity.

He knew very little about Jianghu.

His knowledge was limited to Sichuan Province, and even that was fragmented.

He was so focused on revenge that he didn’t have much interest in overall information about Jianghu, but now things had to change.

“I don’t know much either. Just the things that everyone else knows.”

“Just tell me what you know.”

“Where should I start? Oh! The Two Factions and Three Sects are undoubtedly the strongest factions in Jianghu. Both are relatively new factions, recently established within the last 100 years, but the achievements left by their founding leaders are so remarkable that they are considered as the top factions in Jianghu.”

“So, what are their names?”

“The Frenzied Warrior Sect¹ and Celestial Martial Sect.² The Frenzied Warrior Sect was established by Master Lee Gwak who ended the Great Heavenly Blood War,³ while the Celestial Martial Sect was founded by Master Jang Cheonhwa who destroyed the Celestial Demon Union. The Frenzied Warrior Sect managed to become one of the top factions in Jianghu thanks to the influence of Master Lee Gwak, while the Celestial Martial Sect did so by gathering numerous individuals with its immense wealth.”

The current sect leader of the Frenzied Warrior Sect is Lee Gwak’s son, Lee Cheon, while the leader of the Celestial Martial Sect is still Jang Cheonhwa.

The Frenzied Warrior Sect is made up of purely martial artists, while the Celestial Martial Sect is a combination of aristocrats and martial artists.

In terms of martial prowess alone, the Frenzied Warrior Sect is considered significantly stronger, but if wealth and influence were taken into consideration, the Celestial Martial Sect was no less inferior.

Following the Two Factions were the Three Sects, which consisted of traditional factions such as the Shaolin Temple, Wudang Sect, and the Mount Hua Sect.

After being in seclusion for a long time, they opened their doors and jumped back into the affairs of Jianghu again, starting from the Great Heavenly Blood War.

Since they made great contributions during the Great Heavenly Blood War, they became widely known for their strong traditional martial arts.

The Three Clans referred to the following factions: the Dragon Sky Valley,⁴ Martial Sword Alliance,⁵ and the Heavenly Guardian Association.⁶

Prior to the Great Heavenly Blood War, there was a formidable group of powers ruling Jianghu. They were known as the Ten Clans since they were ten factions. However, later on, only three of them managed to survive and came to be known as the Three Clans.

The Three Manors, as the name suggests, are three manor estates. They emerged after the Great Heavenly Blood War and have amassed tremendous power despite their relatively short history.

Those who belonged to this set of factions include the following: the New Moon Manor,⁷ Spirit Sword Manor,⁸ and Rain Sword Mountain Manor.⁹

These eleven sects could be said to be the main pillars of the current Jianghu.

While the Frenzied Warrior Sect and Celestial Martial Sect possess the most outstanding strength, the other sects also possess formidable power and influence.

In this way, the eleven sects maintained a delicate balance of power, ensuring the peace of the Jianghu.

“The sect leaders of these eleven sects can be considered the rulers of Jianghu. But, there are also individuals who, despite lacking the support of a sect, are not in any way inferior to the sect leaders of those eleven factions in terms of personal martial prowess alone. They are called the Eight Constellations¹⁰ and Three Saints.¹¹ I don’t know much about the Eight Constellations, so you should ask someone else.”

“What about the Three Saints?”

“They are the warriors known to excel in their own field. Those three are the War Saint Yeombul,¹² the Sword Saint Han Yucheon,¹³ and the Wind Saint.¹⁴”

“Given everything you said, then that means there are about at least 20 or more individuals like the Wind Saint.”

The sect leaders of the eleven factions, the eight members of the eight constellations, and the three members of the Three Saints.

There were twenty-two individuals in total.

It is often said that the number of experts in Jianghu is as numerous as the grains of sand, and if the number of unknown martial artists were to be included, there will be much more than that.

For the first time, Pyo-wol realized how vast Jianghu was.

He realized that he was like a frog in a well, content with seeking revenge and settling in Sichuan.

‘Now I’m starting to come to my senses.’

His meeting with the Wind Saint awakened his sense of urgency.

Jianghu was by no means a safe place.

Today, he had survived, but tomorrow he could become a cold corpse like the martial artists of the Seven Stars.

‘I need to become stronger.’

In order to survive in this hellish place, he needed to be stronger and more tenacious.

Pyo-wol stood up and said,

“I will find that kid, Shin-woo.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Why?”

“My emotions temporarily got the better of me, but he’s a child I couldn’t keep for long. It would be better for the Wind Saint to protect the child. For the child’s sake.”

Tang Sochu was more emotional than he expected.

He then apologized.

“I’m sorry! I caused you trouble, brother!”

“Thanks to you, I also realized something good.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Yeah. It was a good experience.”

Pyo-wol nodded, but his eyes were icy.

The loss of Nam Shin-woo to the Wind Saint was a great shock to Pyo-wol.

‘I won’t let anything be taken away from me next time.’

The feeling of having something taken away from him was dirtier than he had expected.

Whether it is tangible or intangible, it didn’t matter.

After finishing his revenge, his heart had loosened and relaxed a little, but now, it had tightened again.

Pyo-wol said goodbye to Tang Sochu and went outside.

He might have left the workshop, which was scorching hot, but he didn’t feel refreshed at all.

The memories of the previous day still made him uneasy. A day has already passed, but the memories of being blocked by the Wind Saint continued to haunt him.

Others may call it a useless obsession, but for Pyo-wol, it was a matter of survival.

Pyo-wol did not let even the smallest things pass by him. He had to solve even the smallest problems in order for him to have peace of mind.

This was because the environment he was exposed to for the longest time required him to. That was the only way he could have survived back then.

‘Now that everything is out in the open, I need my own hideout.’

While staying in an inn was convenient, his every move becomes exposed.

Even now, he could feel the gaze of the members of the Hao clan and other warriors on him from afar.

Since Pyo-wol’s whereabouts are exposed, many warriors could naturally track his movements.

Even now, his route was being relayed to the Hao clan in real-time.

He couldn’t do anything in a situation like this.

He had to hide himself for now.

To do that, he would need to find a new hiding place.

To secure a hiding place, a significant amount of money was required. Acquiring money was not difficult.

If he chooses to oppress the sects and upper families in Chengdu, they would undoubtedly give him gold.

But that was not the way Pyo-wol does things.

Furthermore, if he receives money from them, the flow of money would be tracked.

He needed funds that others wouldn’t know about.

After thinking for a moment, Pyo-wol left Chengdu and walked forward without hesitation.

He walked for three days and three nights.

Pyo-wol had a clear destination he must reach.

The problem was that he didn’t know the exact way to his destination.

He had been to that place once, and it was in a situation where he could not see the outside scenery because he was loaded in a wagon.

It was like searching for an oasis in the desert without a map.

The only thing he could trust was his own senses.

Pyo-wol moved forward, sniffing the moisture and scent in the air.

Quite some time had passed, but he still vividly remembered that time.

The heightened senses that blossomed in the underground cave made it possible.

Pyo-wol followed the faint traces like a hunting dog chasing its prey. After three days had passed, he finally arrive at his desired destination.

A small manor surrounded by tall walls.

There were three words written on the old signboard.

Clear Wind Manor.

As the place had been abandoned for a long time, there were no signs of activity or presence in the area.

Crreeak!

Rusty hinges screamed as Pyo-wol opened the door and entered.

The appearance inside the Clear Wind Manor was even more desolate.

Traces of people looting were evident as they knew it was an abandoned place.

Doors and furniture were broken, and anything that could be of value had been completely taken or disappeared.

Pyo-wol looked around the Clear Wind Manor with a slight frown.

The Clear Wind Manor was one of the bases of the Blood Shadow Group.

After Pyo-wol and the children came out of the underground cave, the first place they arrived at was the Clear Wind Manor.

He could still remember this place vividly because this was where he took a bath and ate proper food for the first time.

After the Blood Shadow Group was annihilated by the Emei sect, the Clear Wind Manor was abandoned.

When no one came to manage and visit the place for a long time, the people who lived nearby were the first to notice that it was abandoned and so, they stole all the things that could be sold for money.

Although the manor’s appearance had changed a lot, Pyo-wol was certain that this was the place where he had stayed before.

Pyo-wol remembered that he stayed in this manor for a few days before being deployed to kill Woo Gunsang.

Pyo-wol proceeded to the largest building in the Clear Wind Manor, which was the Great Moon Hall.

The Great Moon Hall was the residence of Gu Juyang, the captain of the Blood Shadow Group.

The Great Moon Hall had also been thoroughly looted. Not a single piece of furniture or any valuable items remained.

Pyo-wol paid no attention to the missing possessions.

He didn’t expect anything to be left behind.

Pyo-wol observed Gu Juyang’s residence.

It had been thoroughly destroyed, as people specifically targeted this place during their pillaging. As it is the largest building, many believed that precious items would be found there.

It was the same with Pyo-wol.

But the items Pyo-wol considered valuable were different from other people.

Pyo-wol lay down Gu Juyang’s broken bed and looked up at the ceiling.

He put himself in Gu Juyang’s shoes and pondered,

“If I were Gu Juyang, where would I hide my most precious object?”

Somewhere within arm’s reach.

A place that people won’t easily think of even though it’s in plain sight.

Suddenly, Pyo-wol’s eyes caught a different pattern on the ceiling.

Pyo-wol reached out to the ceiling and touched the section with a different pattern. As he did, a cover fell off, revealing an empty space.

Pyo-wol hung from the ceiling and searched through the empty space.

Then, he felt an object in his hand.

Pyo-wol landed on the floor holding the object in his hand.

What he held in his hand was a booklet wrapped in wax paper.

Pyo-wol carefully unfolded the wax paper, revealing a yellow booklet.

The untitled booklet smelled of old paper.

Pyo-wol carefully opened the booklet.

Pararak!

A smile appeared on Pyo-wol’s lips as he turned the booklet.

‘I knew it.’

Last Edited: June 28, 2023

SoundlessWind21’s Note:

Frenzied Warrior Sect. Raws: 광무문(狂武門). Previously translated as Insane Martial Arts, Gwangmumun.
- 狂 insane, mad; violent; wild
- 武 military; martial, warlike
- 門 gate, door, entrance, opening
Celestial Martial Sect. Raws: 천무장(天武莊). It could also be translated as Sky Martial Manor. Previously translated as Celestial Martial Sect and Celestial Martial Sect.
- 天 tiān – sky, heaven; god, celestial
- 武 wǔ – military; martial, warlike
- 莊 zhuāng – village, hamlet; villa; surname
Great Heavenly Blood War. Raws: 마천대전(魔天大戦). Previously translated as Wars of Demons and Heavens.
- 魔 mó – devil / magic
- 天 tiān – sky, heaven; god, celestial
- 大 dà, dài, tài – big, great, vast, large, high
- 戦 zhàn – to fight / fight / war / battle

Dragon Sky Valley. Raws: 용천곡(龍天谷). Previously translated as Dragon Sky Valley.
- 龍 lóng – dragon
- 天 tiān – day / sky / heaven
- 谷 gǔ – valley
Martial Sword Alliance. Raws: 무검련(武劍聯). Previously translated as Military Sword, Martial Sword Alliance.
- 武 wǔ – military; martial, warlike
- 劍 jiàn – sword, dagger, saber
- 聯 lián – connect, join; associate, ally
Heavenly Guardian Association. Raws: 수천회(守天會). Previously translated as Tiancang Defense.
- 守 shǒu, shòu – defend, protect, guard, conserve
- 天 tiān – sky, heaven; god, celestial
- 會 huì, kuài, guì – to assemble, meet together; a meeting; an organisation
New Moon Manor. Raws: 신월장(新月荘).
- 新月 xīnyuè – new moon / crescent
- 荘 zhuāng – farmstead / village / manor / place of business / banker

Spirit Sword Manor. Raws: 귀검장(鬼剣荘).
- 鬼 guǐ – disembodied spirit; ghost; devil
- 剣 jiàn – double-edged sword
- 荘 zhuāng – farmstead / village / manor / place of business / banker
Rain Sword Mountain Manor. Raws: 우검산장(雨剣山荘).
- 雨 yǔ – rain
- 剣 jiàn – double-edged sword
- 山 shān – mountain, hill
- 荘 zhuāng – farmstead / village / manor / place of business / banker
Eight Constellations. Raws: 팔성좌(八星座).
- 八 bā – eight
- 星座 xīngzuò – constellation / astrological sign
Three Saints. Raws: 삼존(三尊).
- 三 sān – three / 3
- 尊 zūn – senior / of a senior generation / to honor / to respect / honorific / classifier for cannons and statues / ancient wine vessel
War Saint. Raws: 무존(武尊)
- 武 wǔ – martial / military
- 尊 zūn – senior / of a senior generation / to honor / to respect / honorific / classifier for cannons and statues / ancient wine vessel
Sword Saint. Raws: 검존(創尊).
- chuāng – a wound / cut / injury / trauma
- 尊 zūn – senior / of a senior generation / to honor / to respect / honorific / classifier for cannons and statues / ancient wine vessel
Wind Saint. Raws: 풍존(風拿).
- 風 fēng – wind / news / style / custom / manner
- 拿 ná – to hold / to seize / to catch / to apprehend / to take

Basically, the power structure in Jianghu are the following:

11 SECTS
Two Factions 이강(二强)	1. Frenzied Warrior Sect	광무문(狂武門)
Two Factions 이강(二强)	2. Celestial Martial Sect	천무장(天武莊)
Three Sects 삼문(三門)	3. Shaolin Temple	소림사
	4. Wudang Sect	무당파
	5. Mount Hua Sect	화산파였다
Three Clans 삼패(三覇)	6. Dragon Sky Valley	용천곡(龍天谷).
	7. Martial Sword Alliance	무검련(武剣職)
	8. Heavenly Guardian Association	수천회(守天會)
Three Manor 삼장(三荘)	9. New Moon Manor	신월장(新月荘)
	10. Spirit Sword Manor	귀검장(鬼剣荘)
	11. Rain Sword Mountain Manor	우검산장(雨剣山荘)

OTHER STRONG INDIVIDUALS ON PAR WITH THE 11 SECT LEADERS
Three Saints 삼존(三尊)	War Saint, Yeombul	무존(武尊) 염불의
	Sword Saint, Han Yucheon	검존(創尊) 한유천
	Wind Saint	풍존(風尊)
Eight Constellations 팔성좌(八星座)	N/A	N/A