Chapter 155

Mang Ryo’s rude manner of speaking made Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s gaze turn sharp.

Mang Ryo continued speaking in an understanding tone.

“Ah, what I meant was a joke about why you’re putting on airs when you can’t even attack someone showing their back. Well, enough of that talk, let’s do this. This is something even children can understand – it’s simple.”

Mang Ryo pointed at the fallen Jin Ja-gang.

“I’ll borrow Baek Li-gwon for a while, so you can take care of this fellow. And when the time comes, we can each retrieve what we’ve entrusted to the other. How about it? Isn’t it quite simple?”

“What?”

Zhuge Ming interjected.

“What kind of scheme is this!”

“Ah, don’t get excited. The formation commander also has work to do.”

Mang Ryo requested of Zhuge Ming.

“Please convey this to the Sword Pavilion Master. If he chases after me or bothers me in any way, it will be difficult to guarantee the safety of this cute fellow.”

Zhuge Ming asked with an attitude ready to charge at any moment.

“Do you know what happens when you dare to show disrespect to the Sword Pavilion Master?”

“Oh my, you’re saying dangerous things. When did I show disrespect? Rather, I’m trying to save the Sword Pavilion Master’s adopted son from Shandong Enchanting Flower. Would you be able to save him if I left him here? If he dies, you’ll have to take full responsibility, won’t you?”

Though his words were crude, they weren’t wrong. Of course, one couldn’t expect courtesy in speech from someone who called Baek Li-gwon a bastard.

“You’re acting like a complete bat.”

“Bats can do anything to survive.”

Mang Ryo smiled slyly.

“Well then, it seems things are roughly settled.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong blocked Mang Ryo.

“I don’t think things are settled.”

“They’ll have to be settled. If you block me one more time, I’ll throw this fellow to the Zhuge family without delay. Then I’ll have no choice either.”

The implication that he could join forces with the Zhuge family to attack Dan Ryeong-gyeong was left unsaid.

Mang Ryo alternately glanced at Baek Li-gwon and Jin Ja-gang.

“I don’t have time. If either one dies, everything I’ve said becomes invalid.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong looked at Mang Ryo with displeasure, then moved aside to let him pass.

Mang Ryo nodded his head in greeting.

“Thank you.”

Mang Ryo slung Baek Li-gwon over his shoulder, held his crutch in one hand, and instantly left the scene.

The gazes of Zhuge Ming and Dan Ryeong-gyeong turned toward Jin Ja-gang lying collapsed in the middle.

However, Zhuge Ming quickly abandoned his greed.

Jin Ja-gang’s breathing was so faint that he seemed ready to die at the slightest touch.

In this situation, if he carelessly took Jin Ja-gang and the man died, he would bear all responsibility for what happened afterward. He didn’t have enough loyalty to the Baek Li family to take such a risk.

Whether the evil faction took him and he died or not, from that point on it wasn’t his concern.

“I’ll withdraw this time. However…”

Zhuge Ming looked at Jin Ja-gang. Even with his body in that state, his eyes were still alive. He was sickeningly tenacious.

Zhuge Ming said to Jin Ja-gang.

“You have received our family’s death warrant. Even if you’re lucky enough to live today, as long as you breathe, we’ll meet again. The Nine Palace Eight Trigram Formation deployed by the Zhuge family’s true blood is incomparable to what you experienced from the vassal family.”

Jin Ja-gang wanted to retort but no voice came out.

Soon Zhuge Ming withdrew and left.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong had an uncomfortable expression. She hadn’t obtained what she wanted and had only gained trouble.

Bian Bu came running breathlessly. He had been watching from afar and rushed over as soon as the situation seemed settled.

Bian Bu saw Jin Ja-gang’s condition and sat down in shock as if crying out in surprise. Jin Ja-gang was in such a terrible state that it was miraculous he was alive, and his pupils moved to look at him.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong turned and said.

“Treat him. I need to take the child.”

“Yes, yes!”

Bian Bu applied medicine to Jin Ja-gang’s body and tore clothes to bind him as an emergency measure.

Even during this, Jin Ja-gang kept his eyes open for a long time before finally being able to fall asleep as the pain somewhat subsided.

* * *

Five days later.

Jin Ja-gang had been moved to some location and was receiving treatment.

His entire body was wrapped in bandages with only his eyes exposed.

Bian Bu entered and lit incense good for internal injuries in the room.

“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d come out of there alive.”

Jin Ja-gang answered in a small voice.

“I… didn’t think so either.”

“The Zhuge family’s Nine Palace Eight Trigram Formation isn’t a feng shui formation but a military formation used in war adapted into a martial arts formation, so I thought you had absolutely no chance.”

Bian Bu came and examined Jin Ja-gang’s bandages, then unwrapped them and cleaned his wounds. Due to burns, pus was flowing and blood continued to seep, so even though he changed bandages frequently, they kept getting soaked.

“Of course, your use of poison and setting fire to the village to advantageously secure the battlefield was very clever, but… what is this? Why did you do such a reckless thing… sigh.”

“I did it to survive.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. Do you think I don’t know you did it to save the villagers?”

“In the end… I survived too, didn’t I?”

“Is this surviving? The doctor said it would have been dangerous if the Lord hadn’t intervened. If infection sets in and fever starts, it could become uncontrollable, so prepare yourself mentally.”

Jin Ja-gang remembered. While being transported by cart, Dan Ryeong-gyeong had continuously infused true energy into Jin Ja-gang’s body. Thanks to this, his wounds didn’t worsen and he could endure until the doctor could treat him.

Bian Bu thickly applied ointment to Jin Ja-gang’s wounds and wrapped them again with clean cotton cloth.

“How does anyone fight so crudely? I’m going to end up pouring out all the universal cure-all medicine I painstakingly made, tsk tsk.”

“I’m sorry to be indebted to you. I’ll definitely repay this kindness.”

“Forget it. No one who says such things has ever repaid kindness. Rather than saying it, don’t speak and repay with money later.”

After Bian Bu finished changing the bandages and was catching his breath, Dan Ryeong-gyeong entered.

“How is he?”

“Thanks to you, I seem to be alive. Thank you.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong sat lightly on the edge of the bed where Jin Ja-gang lay.

“You were too reckless.”

“Setting the fire was the method with the highest chance of my survival.”

“Not the fire, but the young hero’s methods.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t know what she meant and couldn’t answer.

“Are you referring to the burn wounds?”

“Ah, first I should apologize for that. To calm the young hero’s condition, I examined your body without permission.”

“It’s fine.”

“Then I’ll speak. The internal energy cultivation method the young hero uses is very wrong.”

Jin Ja-gang hadn’t thought it was good either. A method that destroyed and consumed his own body couldn’t be good.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong continued in a calm tone.

“Half your qi and blood channels are blocked and half are severely injured, torn and ruptured everywhere. If my guess is correct, that would be… probably Mad Acupoint Piercing. An internal energy operation method used by assassins.”

“Ah, so that technique was called Mad Acupoint Piercing.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong spoke bitterly as if Jin Ja-gang’s nonchalance was absurd.

“Those who learn Mad Acupoint Piercing don’t live beyond three years and die spewing blood from every orifice in their body. In the young hero’s case, your right side that you’re using will end up that way.”

“Three years… longer than I thought. I understand.”

“You’re not talking about someone else. This is about the young hero.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Dan Ryeong-gyeong with calm eyes.

“If I don’t use Mad Acupoint Piercing, will I live more than three years?”

“There’s no law saying you can’t live three years.”

“Didn’t you promise Mang Ryo? That you’d release me if he brought Baek Li-gwon.”

“The young hero looked down on me then and still does now. Though I may be foolish and dull, I’m not someone who moves at others’ commands. I also hate being used by others most of all.”

“I have no intention of blaming you or interfering with you. Whenever something happens… I’ll just do my best to survive in my own way.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong still spoke calmly.

“That Mang Ryo fellow is faithless and sinister. I despise such people. While you’re with me, the young hero doesn’t need to worry about that person.”

“I won’t impose for long.”

“Saying you’ll impose is also disrespectful to me. If you say such things again next time, I’ll strip the young hero’s bottom and spank you.”

That was somehow a chilling statement even for Jin Ja-gang. Getting spanked at his age!

With such a gap in martial arts and his body in this condition, if Dan Ryeong-gyeong made up her mind to do so, he would have no choice but to suffer it.

Jin Ja-gang said with a stern face.

“I will have my revenge.”

“…”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong smiled quietly.

“Hmph, that’s truly something a vengeful spirit would say.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong stood up and said.

“Since the topic came up, let me say something. I once told the young hero about revenge.”

“You told me to stop my revenge.”

“Do you have no intention of withdrawing those words even now?”

“Yes.”

“Even though you won’t be able to have a sound body even if your wounds heal?”

“My body wasn’t sound before either.”

“The situation has already changed greatly from before.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong erased her smile and spoke seriously.

“It’s only been five days since you clashed with the Zhuge family at Lan Family Village, but stories about the young hero are already circulating among the gossips of the Central Plains. That you single-handedly broke through the Zhuge family’s Nine Palace Eight Trigram Formation.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong paused briefly before continuing.

“Do you know what that means? The young hero’s sphere of activity will move from the frontier Yunnan martial world to the center of the jianghu martial world. You’ll encounter human groups dozens, hundreds of times more complex than what you’ve experienced in Yunnan so far.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t feel it was real. It felt like words unrelated to himself.

“Until now, I’ve lived fighting against those stronger than me. What would be different from before?”

“Now it won’t just be simple enemies, but all sorts of people will cling to you. Those who suggest working together, those who want to borrow the young hero’s fame, those who want to use you, those who want to watch out of curiosity…”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong waited a moment before continuing.

“But worst of all is that the young hero has become too big a figure compared to your actual abilities.”

“…”

“Those who approach the young hero will turn the moment they realize you’re weaker than they thought. It’s their nature to devour those with higher fame but weaker strength than themselves.”

Jin Ja-gang chuckled.

“I become prey?”

“That depends on the young hero.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong looked quietly at Jin Ja-gang before speaking.

“There’s a saying: ‘The benevolent tiger hides its claws, the divine dragon conceals its scales.’ Those who see far know how to wait for the right time and hide their talents.”

Jin Ja-gang realized why Dan Ryeong-gyeong had been speaking at length.

“You still have something you haven’t said. If you have something to say, you can say it directly without beating around the bush anymore.”

“Are you not yet ready to accept the dark path?”

Jin Ja-gang was stunned. He suddenly felt his situation viscerally.

He had fought the Zhuge family, called a prestigious orthodox family, and also fought a disciple of the Baek Li family.

Having even gained the nickname Snake Scorpion Poison King, who would now see Jin Ja-gang as orthodox?

But Jin Ja-gang couldn’t immediately answer Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s question. He couldn’t accept it yet.

“There’s plenty of time, so think about it gradually.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong nodded in greeting and left the room.

Bian Bu politely saw Dan Ryeong-gyeong off and came to Jin Ja-gang’s side.

“Hmm. This is the first time I’ve seen the Lord put so much effort into someone. It seems you’ve caught her fancy. Don’t keep being difficult and just say you’ll become part of the group.”

Jin Ja-gang found it absurd.

“A group?”

“If we help each other and live together, we’re a group. What’s the big deal? It’s better than grandly talking about some great alliance. Ah, of course I’m against you joining.”

When Jin Ja-gang looked at him as if asking what he meant, Bian Bu grinned.

“Ah, who knows what you might mix into the food just for one nagging comment? How could I live in such anxiety?”

Of course, he wasn’t being serious but was just joking around.

“Well, rest a bit. I need to go take care of business too.”

After Bian Bu left, Jin Ja-gang was alone in the room.

Only then did the groans he had been holding back flow out.

“Ugh…”

His whole body was sore and painful. There wasn’t a single bone fragment or muscle fiber that didn’t hurt. The large wound cut across his chest was so painful that it felt numb, as if it wasn’t his own flesh.

But what troubled Jin Ja-gang more than physical pain was none other than Mang Ryo’s existence.

‘Mang Ryo!’