Chapter 67

Chapter 67: The Blood Star Shines and All Hold Their Breath (2)

The one who had been sent tumbling across the floor and slammed into the wall was none other than Jang Hak-gyeong.

Blood streamed from his eyes, ears, and mouth.

"Uuugh!"

His lips quivered as though he were trying to speak, but instead of words, blood mixed with fragments of viscera trickled down his chin.

It had been a single blow.

Dam Ho's fist, arcing through the air in a graceful curve, had reduced Jang Hak-gyeong to utter helplessness. As though a battering ram had struck a fortress wall, Jang Hak-gyeong's body had shattered in the same manner.

"…!"

In that instant, a suffocating silence descended upon the hall.

It was a scene none had anticipated. No one had imagined that such reckless violence would be committed before so many witnesses—not Jo Gyeong-ui, not even Lee Sin-pung, the master of Hongam Mountain Villa.

"Y-you madman!"

Those were the words that spilled from Mo Jung-hyeon's lips. They spoke for everyone present.

Jo Gyeong-ui pointed a trembling finger at Dam Ho.

"You—you—?"

"What?"

"Do you have any idea what you've just done? How dare you commit murder in Hongam Mountain Villa!"

"And so?"

"Can you bear the consequences of this?"

"Why should I concern myself with consequences?"

"Do you not possess a single thought in that head of yours? You—!"

"I'll tell you what. I don't think about consequences. When the situation calls for killing, I think only of killing. How to kill most efficiently. And how to kill most quickly."

Dam Ho's chilling voice burrowed into the ears of everyone surrounding the guest quarters. As though he were whispering directly into their ears, the sound made their bodies shudder.

Dam Ho's gaze settled on Mo Jung-hyeon.

"I will shatter every one of your lying teeth and rip out your tongue."

"Don't talk nonsense."

"Stop me if you can."

Dam Ho walked toward Mo Jung-hyeon. Unlike before, his gait was slightly uneven—he dragged one leg and planted the other.

Everyone saw it. But not one of them mocked him. The scene he had just demonstrated was far too shocking.

"Nngh! Stay away!"

At the sight of Dam Ho approaching with his limping stride, Mo Jung-hyeon recoiled in horror. Gone was the imposing demeanor of Unyang Martial Academy's chief instructor.

His face was drained of color, and his body shook without restraint. In his eyes, Dam Ho was no longer human.

He turned to the Unyang Martial Academy martial artists who had followed Jo Gyeong-ui and screamed.

"St-stop him! Stop that man!"

The Unyang Martial artists looked to Jo Gyeong-ui.

Jo Gyeong-ui's expression was twisted with fury. He had not anticipated that Dam Ho would be so reckless.

Dam Ho was far stronger and more ruthless than he had imagined. Even now, Dam Ho was closing in on Mo Jung-hyeon. The time had come to make a decision.

"Stop him!"

At Jo Gyeong-ui's command, the Unyang Martial Academy martial artists charged at Dam Ho. And Jo Gyeong-ui moved as well.

*Shing!*

In his hand was the Azure Moon Sword.

The treasure blade that Lee Sin-pung had wielded in his youth—said to cut through anything, to sever any life—flew toward Dam Ho.

With the Azure Moon Sword in hand, his courage redoubled. Though momentarily suppressed by Dam Ho's presence, Jo Gyeong-ui believed in the Azure Moon Sword and in his own martial arts, honed over more than a decade.

*'There's nothing to fear. He's only human.'*

*Swish!*

The Azure Moon Sword streaked toward Dam Ho's neck. The thought of uncovering the truth had long since vanished. The only thought dominating his mind was that Dam Ho must die.

The Unyang Martial Academy martial artists attacked Dam Ho. The martial arts that had built the modern Unyang Martial Academy unfolded in their hands.

*Whoooosh!*

A wave of sword energy surged toward Dam Ho. These were flawless techniques, the likes of which they could not display even in routine practice—worthy of lavish praise if demonstrated during training.

But their opponent was Dam Ho.

*BOOM!*

The instant a fearsome light blazed in Dam Ho's eyes, a thunderous roar erupted. Simultaneously, the martial artists who had attacked Dam Ho were flung in every direction like scraps of meat.

Before they could even process what had happened, Dam Ho's hand was already reaching for the Azure Moon Sword.

"You madman!"

Jo Gyeong-ui cried out in triumph and channeled his power into the Azure Moon Sword. He intended to sever Dam Ho's wrist then and there.

*Clang!*

But the Azure Moon Sword could advance no further. It had been caught in Dam Ho's hand.

The blade that could not be stopped by anything—held fast in Dam Ho's grip. Using the Five Finger Rock-Breaking Technique, no direct impact reached Dam Ho's hand, but Jo Gyeong-ui could not possibly know this.

Jo Gyeong-ui felt as though his heart would burst from his mouth.

"H-how—?"

Dam Ho did not answer. With his other hand, he struck the blade of the Azure Moon Sword.

It was the Fortress Breaking Strike.

*CLANG!*

With a sharp metallic ring, the Azure Moon Sword snapped in two. The broken blade spun through the air with terrifying speed.

Jo Gyeong-ui stared blankly. The sight was so shocking it did not feel real.

Dam Ho extended his hand. The broken fragment of the Azure Moon Sword was already in his grasp.

*Thud!*

Dam Ho drove the broken blade into Jo Gyeong-ui's forehead. Jo Gyeong-ui's body toppled backward like a felled tree.

"S-Senior Brother!"

At the unbelievable sight, Mo Jung-hyeon screamed.

In that instant, Dam Ho vaulted over Jo Gyeong-ui's collapsing body and surged toward him.

The black leather robe billowing, the tangled black hair, and the black eyes glinting between—this was precisely how the Reaper would appear, if such a being existed.

"D-don't come!"

Mo Jung-hyeon unleashed his martial art at Dam Ho.

Iron Cannon Chain—a technique in which he concentrated all his power into a single strike, as though launching a cannonball of iron.

*BOOM!*

Dam Ho's Fortress Breaking Strike collided with the Iron Cannon Chain.

*CRACK!*

"AAAARGH!"

In that instant, Mo Jung-hyeon's right arm, which had met Dam Ho's fist, was completely destroyed.

Agape in agony, Mo Jung-hyeon's mouth hung open. In the next moment, Dam Ho's fist struck his mouth. Every one of his teeth shattered.

Mo Jung-hyeon's face was instantly painted crimson with blood. But the pain was not yet over.

Dam Ho's rough hand forced its way through his lips, seized his tongue, and tore it out.

*Rrrip!*

Mo Jung-hyeon could not even scream. He tumbled to the floor, blood gushing from his mouth like a fountain where his tongue had been torn out by the roots.

Mo Jung-hyeon curled into a fetal position, his body quivering violently. Dam Ho looked down at him with indifference.

Dam Ho's breathing had not even quickened. His composure was terror itself.

Mo Jung-hyeon reached out, trying to grasp Dam Ho. But his hand merely flailed in empty air before falling lifelessly to the ground.

"Uuugh!"

Mo Jung-hyeon drew one final, shuddering breath. It was the last action he would ever take.

Dam Ho tossed Mo Jung-hyeon's severed tongue to the ground.

"Gasp!"

Muffled groans erupted from all around.

Only now did they recall Dam Ho's words. He had said he would shatter every one of his lying teeth and rip out his tongue. And just as he had said, Mo Jung-hyeon had lost every tooth and had his tongue torn out before dying.

The entire sequence of events had occurred so swiftly that no one could react. That included Lee Sin-pung, the master of Hongam Mountain Villa.

Before he could even decide on a course of action, the events had unfolded, and before his very eyes, Jo Gyeong-ui—who had just been gifted the Azure Moon Sword—lay dead.

He should have punished Dam Ho and restored his authority. But Lee Sin-pung could not bring himself to step forward.

It was as though a great beast stood before him. Those pitch-black eyes blazed with killing intent, and those white teeth were sharp enough to tear out his throat.

Dam Ho's dark pupils turned toward Lee Sin-pung.

"Hmm!"

Lee Sin-pung grimaced.

His breath had been knocked from him.

Though he was a veteran of the martial world, he had never seen a gaze as murderous as Dam Ho's. It felt as though, if provoked even slightly, the creature would bare its fearsome fangs and charge.

Dam Ho stared at Lee Sin-pung unblinkingly. Lee Sin-pung had to respond in some fashion.

Having gathered his thoughts, Lee Sin-pung finally spoke.

"To think you would cause such a disturbance in Hongam Mountain Villa. Your audacity knows no bounds."

His voice carried a heavy weight—the will of the master of Hongam Mountain Villa to maintain his dignity.

An ordinary martial artist would have been cowed by Lee Sin-pung's imposing presence. But Dam Ho was no ordinary martial artist.

He did not so much as blink as he regarded Lee Sin-pung. At this, Lee Sin-pung's expression shifted slightly.

"Regardless of the reason, murder within Hongam Mountain Villa is an unforgivable offense. If you surrender peacefully, I promise a fair investigation."

"A fair investigation, you say?"

"I stake my name, Lee Sin-pung, on this promise. No matter who you are or where you come from, you will suffer no injustice."

Lee Sin-pung's words, at first hearing, sounded entirely reasonable. His standing in Gansu Province was formidable, and with his guarantee, no one would easily object.

Lee Sin-pung believed Dam Ho would accept his proposal. Though his martial arts appeared strong, the martial world was not a simple realm governed by martial prowess alone.

Lee Sin-pung had hundreds of martial artists at Hongam Mountain Villa, and over a thousand who had attended the birthday celebration. There was no reason to fear Dam Ho. He believed Dam Ho would comply.

"Nonsense!"

But the answer he received from Dam Ho far exceeded his expectations.

"What did you say?"

"Didn't you hear? I said nonsense."

"How dare you!"

Rage suffused Lee Sin-pung's face. Though called a great hero, Dam Ho's words were impossible to endure.

"You seem to be intoxicated by your modest martial prowess, but your arts will not work on me. You would do well to surrender peacefully."

The martial artists of Hongam Mountain Villa arrayed themselves behind Lee Sin-pung. Though they numbered only thirty, they radiated a murderous aura. These were the Blood Flower Corps—men who served directly under the Sect Master.

Their mission was to hunt down and punish anyone who harmed Hongam Mountain Villa, to the very ends of the earth. They possessed formidable martial arts and extraordinary loyalty to Lee Sin-pung. Given the order, they would charge at Dam Ho without hesitation.

With the Blood Flower Corps at his back, a satisfied smile settled on Lee Sin-pung's face. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back and regarded Dam Ho.

"The choice is yours."

"…?"

"I would hate for you to make a choice you'll regret. I say this in earnest."

"Is today your birthday?"

"What?"

"If you wish to enter your coffin on the day you were born, I will grant that wish."

In that instant, a dreadful silence fell upon the hall.