Chapter 269 – Being a Friend Means Being Cold (1)

Dam Ho and Jong Ri-yeon looked at each other at the foot of Mount Hua.

"I'll be going now."

"How unromantic."

Jong Ri-yeon pouted her lips.

There was only one reason she stayed at Mount Hua. It was because Dam Ho was here.

He was a man feared by everyone in the world.

People said his ferocity pierced the heavens, and his heartlessness was counted among the first in the world. That was the Dam Ho the world knew. But Jong Ri-yeon knew.

That Dam Ho was also a person with flowing blood, and that warmth existed in one corner of his cold heart. He simply didn't show his inner feelings.

Jong Ri-yeon handed Dam Ho a wooden box.

"What's this?"

"It's the Life-Saving Poison Pill. Use it in emergencies."

"Thank you."

Dam Ho took the box and put it in his breast.

He had already experienced the efficacy of the Life-Saving Poison Pill. Thanks to it, he had saved Cho Yeon-woon, and it had also greatly helped himself.

"Still, you need to be careful."

"I will."

"Make sure to come back. I'll be waiting here."

"I will."

"How unromantic."

Thud!

Jong Ri-yeon lightly bumped her head against Dam Ho's chest. She stayed that way for a while.

Tears were welling in Jong Ri-yeon's eyes. She stood still, waiting for the tears to disappear.

After a long time, when Jong Ri-yeon raised her head again, she was smiling.

"Have a good journey. I'll go back up now."

"…"

"Jin-bo is preparing a special dish. If you're late, others will eat it all."

Dam Ho nodded at Jong Ri-yeon's random words. Jong Ri-yeon looked at Dam Ho's face for a moment, then went up the mountain.

Dam Ho stood in place for a moment, watching Jong Ri-yeon's retreating figure. He only moved after Jong Ri-yeon's figure had completely disappeared.

As he left the mountain gate, he saw Eum Yu-kyung waiting for him. Eum Yu-kyung was riding a horse provided by Mount Hua Sect.

Eum Yu-kyung asked with a puzzled expression.

"What about your horse? Are you going to walk?"

Dam Ho shook his head and whistled.

The deep, resonant whistle echoed across Mount Hua. After a moment, something burst out of the bushes with fierce momentum.

A black horse without a single mixed hair, it was Black Ghost.

Black Ghost happily rubbed its large face against Dam Ho's chest and snorted.

For the past three years, Dam Ho had let Black Ghost roam freely on Mount Hua. Black Ghost had enjoyed freedom, galloping freely across Mount Hua and the nearby plains. Then when Dam Ho whistled, it would come running like this to meet him.

Dam Ho whispered in Black Ghost's ear.

"Let's go, to the martial world."

Snort!

Black Ghost neighed powerfully as if it understood. Dam Ho waited for Black Ghost's excitement to subside before putting on the saddle.

After tightening the saddle straps one last time, Dam Ho mounted, and Black Ghost sprang forward as if it had been waiting. At this sight, Eum Yu-kyung was startled and rode her horse.

Shortly after the two disappeared, two people emerged from the bushes. They were Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong.

They had stayed here for the past few days, closely monitoring Mount Hua's movements. Though they said they were monitoring movements, they didn't dare climb Mount Hua, so they had just been hiding here watching the mountain gate.

"Fist Demon… right?"

"Yes! Definitely."

"Hmm!"

"What should we do?"

Jo Won-myeong asked, but Moon Su-gyeol couldn't easily answer.

Moon Su-gyeol's face was full of anguish.

'What should I do?'

Though Moon Su-gyeol prided himself on being colder than anyone normally, the opponent was such a big figure that he had no idea how to respond.

After thinking for a long time, he finally made a decision.

"Leave the surveillance of this place to Team 3, and we'll pursue Fist Demon with our team members."

"Is that alright?"

"Though I hate to admit it, Fist Demon is one of the central pillars of the world. He's moving after three years of being quiet. It can't be for an ordinary reason. So we'll monitor Fist Demon's movements."

"Understood."

Jo Won-myeong agreed without further words. Because Moon Su-gyeol's words sounded reasonable.

Having to track a big figure like Fist Demon, his lips were already dry and his insides burning. That's how tremendous Dam Ho's presence was.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong moved. Dark Cloud Team 2 followed behind them.

***

Dam Ho and Eum Yu-kyung who left Mount Hua headed north.

The first day, they arrived at a place called Pucheng, located north of Huayin County.

They unpacked at a small inn in Pucheng. After renting two rooms, they gathered in the dining room.

The two faced each other.

Though Eum Yu-kyung had been at Mount Hua for quite a while, there were almost no occasions to directly face each other alone like this.

Dam Ho was a man of few words. The same was true for Eum Yu-kyung. Even on the way here, the two hardly conversed. So this was practically the first time they were actually talking.

Dam Ho was the first to speak.

"The fate of the martial world is at stake?"

"Yul-cheon said so."

"…"

"Yul-cheon isn't someone who would speak nonsense. Nor someone who would rashly ask others for help."

"Where is Geom Yul-cheon?"

"He sent his last letter from Dujiangyan. The letter said to come with you."

"Dujiangyan, so it's indeed Sichuan Province?"

"That's right."

Dam Ho frowned at the unexpected answer.

Sichuan Province was a special place in many ways. It had Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect belonging to the Nine Great Sects, and Sichuan Tang Family, one of the Five Great Families.

Though not just one or two but three of the world's top sects existed there, the internal situation of Sichuan Province wasn't well known to the outside. This was due to Sichuan Province's unique geography.

Often called the Sichuan Basin, the interior of Sichuan Province consisted of vast plains. Enormous amounts of grain poured out every year from the fertile plains.

Based on the enormous amounts of grain harvested every year, Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect, and Tang Family achieved perfect financial independence. Thanks to this, they became sects counted among the best in the world, but conversely, they had extremely little exchange with sects outside Sichuan Province.

This was due to the treacherous mountain ranges surrounding the basin. The mountain ranges surrounding the Sichuan Basin like a jar were so treacherous they made travel with other provinces difficult.

The official roads that could be safely used to enter and exit Sichuan Province were extremely narrow and treacherous, causing isolation from the outside. Because of this, unlike other provinces, Sichuan Province built and developed its own unique world.

The term "Sichuan Martial World" didn't come from nowhere. Sichuan Province's martial system was extremely closed, so people outside couldn't accurately know the system. Given these circumstances, not many people were well-versed in Sichuan Province's internal affairs.

"Are you sure he went to Sichuan Province?"

"It should be right. The handwriting in the letter was definitely his."

"What about Shin Mu-wol and Myeong-cheon?"

"News of them has also been completely cut off. I think we'll have to meet Yul-cheon to know the details."

"…"

"For now, meeting Yul-cheon is the top priority."

"Is the Demon Cult's headquarters in Sichuan Province?"

"It might be, or it might not be."

"Explain in detail."

"The Divine Cult's headquarters isn't in one place. Because of the memory of having the headquarters raided during the First Great War between Righteousness and Evil, the Divine Cult periodically moves its headquarters. What I know is just the very old location, I don't know where the headquarters is now."

"Is that possible?"

Dam Ho showed a doubtful expression for the first time.

A sect's headquarters wasn't something that could be easily moved. Even for Mount Hua Sect, the Upper Palace served as the symbolic building equivalent to the Demon Cult's headquarters.

The headquarters was a sect's symbol. Moving such a headquarters periodically was no ordinary task.

Eum Yu-kyung answered.

"It's not an easy task. But it was unavoidable for safety. At that time, the Divine Cult was in a position to avoid the martial world's pursuit."

The whole world was an enemy.

All the sects in the Central Plains were tracking the Demon Cult with wide open eyes. To survive, the Demon Cult had no choice but to change. Moving the headquarters frequently was their daily life.

If it was true that they moved the headquarters frequently, finding it now would be difficult. If even Eum Yu-kyung, who had been the Holy Maiden of the Demon Cult, didn't know, then no one in the world could find out.

Dam Ho remained silent for a moment. Eum Yu-kyung also closed her mouth. Thus time passed without conversation for quite a while.

Dam Ho was lost in his own thoughts, as was Eum Yu-kyung in hers.

The one who broke the long silence was Dam Ho.

"What's the reason the Demon Cult has been quiet for the past three years?"

"There was an incident within the Divine Cult."

"An incident?"

"I don't know the details either. It was kept very secret. But it's clear that the incident was shocking enough for the Divine Cult to temporarily halt activities in the martial world."

"So in the end, there's nothing you know for sure."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not blaming you."

"I know. Still, I'm sorry."

Eum Yu-kyung bit her lip firmly.

She was the Holy Maiden of the Divine Cult. Though she wasn't receiving proper treatment now and was rather being pursued, she still had pride as the Holy Maiden. Breaking all that pride to ask Dam Ho for help was by no means easy.

If it hadn't been related to Geom Yul-cheon, she would never have sought Dam Ho. She too was a fragile woman in the face of love.

That's when Eum Yu-kyung thanked Dam Ho.

"Thank you."

"…"

"For trusting me and helping me."

"It's not because of you."

"Then?"

"It's because the time has come."

"Time?"

A look of doubt appeared on Eum Yu-kyung's face.

Dam Ho stared at Eum Yu-kyung for a moment, then turned his gaze outside. It was already getting dark.

Dam Ho thought the current world was like a landscape where darkness had fallen. Darkness that made it difficult to even distinguish friend from foe had encroached, making it hard to see even a step ahead.

The only things he could trust were his own instincts and martial power.

The enemies he had to face weren't just the Demon Cult.

The Heavenly Evil Sect.

An unknown evil cult group with everything veiled in curtains. They too were Dam Ho's enemies. And their strength was by no means inferior to the Demon Cult's. Perhaps they were even stronger. To face such enemies, Dam Ho also had to become stronger.

The three years at Mount Hua weren't just time for Immortal Hyeon-so and Mount Hua Sect disciples. During that time, Dam Ho had honed himself more exquisitely.

Even Dam Ho didn't know exactly what level his realm had reached. He just vaguely thought he had become stronger than before.

That's when Eum Yu-kyung came.

When he no longer felt the need to stay at Mount Hua, Eum Yu-kyung came, and that became Dam Ho's reason to go out.

Eum Yu-kyung didn't know Dam Ho's thoughts. Dam Ho had almost no expression, like a carved stone statue, making it impossible to know his inner thoughts. But there was one thing for certain.

'If he's on your side, he's the most reliable man in the world.'

Except for Geom Yul-cheon, Dam Ho was the first man to give her such a sense of security. If she had met Dam Ho before Geom Yul-cheon… perhaps she might have fallen for Dam Ho.

Eum Yu-kyung asked.

"Are we going straight to Dujiangyan?"

"There's a place I need to visit first."

"Where?"

"Shao Hua Mountain."

[TL Note- Shao Hua Mountain also means Little Mount Hua, but it's different from Mount Hua. It's also called Xiaohuashan.]

Dam Ho's gaze turned beyond the darkness.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong called Jin Ja-gang aside to a quiet place.

In an inner room of Supreme Pure Palace, Dan Ryeong-gyeong said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Mang Ryo. That fellow helped us.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong told him about how Mang Ryo and Demon Monk Nun Myowol had helped kill Thunder Brand Sword Ye Jin-gyeong and annihilate the Sword Hero Squad and White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion.

Jin Ja-gang listened quietly.

It wasn’t that he was unaware that Mang Ryo kept interfering. It wasn’t surprising.

“He called us burdens. He said the more burdens the better and that he would keep us alive.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong continued.

“That Mang Ryo is going back and forth between sides, doing unpredictable actions. He’s helping you stand out, and on the other hand, he’s enjoying helping your growth.”

“He’s also the one who planted Mad Blood Heavenly Cultivation in me.”

Jin Ja-gang clenched and unclenched his left fist, which felt dull due to the turbid energy, as he spoke.

“He thinks he ruined all the plans he was making because of me.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong, with her extensive experience in the martial world, quickly understood.

“Right now he’s pulling you up to a cliff’s edge. When you climb to the highest cliff, then he’ll push you down.”

A moment of silence flowed.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong advised in a lowered voice.

“I don’t know how high a place he’s thinking of. But be careful. When you think you’ve succeeded, don’t forget to look behind you. You must never forget to be vigilant about him. His obsession, which led him to try assassinating even the Martial Alliance Leader, is no longer that of an ordinary person.”

Jin Ja-gang gritted his molars tightly.

Even though he didn’t want to recall it deliberately, Shin Yung’s voice came to mind.

“A world without what I cherished… it’s nothing but darkness.”

When Jin Ja-gang had nothing left to lose or be taken from him, he feared nothing. Though he had set out for revenge, he couldn’t even guarantee he could complete his vengeance to the end. So he had to survive by attacking as if throwing away his life at every moment.

But now it was different. Jin Ja-gang had something to lose.

If Mang Ryo ultimately tried to take everything from Jin Ja-gang, he would surely target Tang Ha-ran and their child in the end.

In that regard, Tang Ha-ran returning to the Tang family was currently the best choice.

Jin Ja-gang spoke as if making a vow to himself.

“I won’t forget. Until my revenge ends, until I send him to hell, I won’t stop.”

And until he could think Tang Ha-ran and their child were safe.

Now Jin Ja-gang was perhaps approaching a position where he had to fight to protect something.

* * *

The Martial Alliance warriors spent the night with wide-open eyes maintaining their siege.

Zhuge Ming was also puzzled.

“It’s hard to understand. When our side is shaken is the best opportunity.”

Since he had scattered an enormous amount of poison powder, there was a possibility he had used it all up. Even so, abandoning the advantage of darkness was incomprehensible.

The sky was already growing dimly bright. Soon the sun would begin to rise.

“Hour of the Tiger. It seems it won’t be today after all.”

Even without the sun rising, it seemed unlikely they would attempt escape when everything was clearly visible in all directions.

The sect leaders also showed intentions to relax their tension and return.

“Let’s get some rest until morning.”

Everyone returned to the barracks to practice breathing exercises or take short naps.

But Baek Li-jung remained.

Zhuge Ming looked at Baek Li-jung from the side. Baek Li-jung had been staring at Qingcheng Mountain from night until now without moving a single step.

Considering his grudge against Poison Dragon, such behavior wasn’t strange. A master of Baek Li-jung’s level could go without sleep for days, and breathing exercises were possible while standing in place.

However, there were some points that seemed strange. His eyes were too sharp. Moreover, he had eaten half a roe deer that warriors had caught in the evening and a geun of rations that should have been shared among ten warriors, all by himself.

Yet his face still looked gaunt.

Zhuge Ming suggested rest.

“Pavilion Master should also rest a bit.”

Baek Li-jung shook his head. Then he suddenly turned his head slightly and pointed somewhere in the mountains with his finger.

“There. There seems to be a small commotion.”

Zhuge Ming enhanced his vision but couldn’t see up to the mountainside.

Zhuge Ming glanced sideways at Baek Li-jung. Was he such a master with this much difference from himself?

After watching for a long time, he finally saw people moving.

“Isn’t that… where Poison Dragon went up earlier? It’s where poison powder remains, so it should be an area our family’s warriors are monitoring.”

Not long after, word came that they had discovered a suspicious person.

About a dozen warriors who had inhaled poison powder had died. Even the warriors lucky enough to survive were suffering from aftereffects. Therefore, warriors from small and medium sects were reluctant to go there.

But someone had appeared there.

Warriors brought someone over.

Thud, thud.

Not the sound of human footsteps, but the sound of a hard walking stick.

Zhuge Ming’s expression changed upon seeing him.

“Mang Ryo?”

Mang Ryo coughed up blood! The Zhuge family warriors who had brought Mang Ryo flinched and stepped back.

Mang Ryo wiped the blood with his sleeve and smiled.

“This is really toxic. Even though I was sufficiently careful, I became dizzy just from inhaling a little.”

Zhuge Ming frowned.

“How absurd. After attacking the Alliance Leader and becoming a fugitive, you brazenly appear here? Is today some special day? Only those whose guts have fallen out of their bellies keep appearing.”

Mang Ryo just smiled.

But Baek Li-jung paid no attention to that and asked coldly.

“Why did you come down from above?”

Mang Ryo answered naturally.

“I was so curious about how Poison Dragon broke through the siege that I couldn’t stand it. I found where he came up and came down to see. But I almost died. I don’t know what kind of poison it was. Fortunately, the effect was weakened because grain powder was mixed in, but if it had been the original solution…”

It was no wonder that Baek Li-jung had knelt because of that poison.

“Did you also orchestrate Thunder Brand Sword’s death?”

“It’s not my fault that someone who deserved to die died.”

“How could Thunder Brand Sword and White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion have been killed by Evil Sect riffraff?”

Baek Li-jung looked at Mang Ryo expressionlessly. Deep murderous intent gleamed in his eyes. Mang Ryo flinched and spat out blood once more.

“That’s too much. I got rid of a troublesome fellow for you.”

“My son is not a troublesome fellow.”

Killing intent began to burn hotly in Baek Li-jung’s expressionless face. Mang Ryo smiled slyly and provoked Baek Li-jung’s temper.

“Your son fell for a woman and went to his death himself. What do you want me to do about it?”

Zhuge Ming shouted sharply.

“What kind of nonsensical rambling are you doing in this situation!”

“Does stating facts become rambling? Then shall I tell you one more fact?”

Mang Ryo spoke mockingly.

“They’ll be coming down soon.”

Zhuge Ming immediately intervened, worried that Baek Li-jung might ruin things due to murderous intent.

“By what means? The sun is about to rise.”

“I don’t know. My instincts are just telling me that, so I’m passing it on.”

“We can’t move people based on your instincts.”

“Trust me. It’s quite accurate.”

Zhuge Ming wanted to ask more, but Baek Li-jung cut him off.

“Are you done talking?”

“Hey now, isn’t that the tone of someone trying to kill me?”

“Your instincts are accurate indeed. You know well what you’re about to die from.”

Baek Li-jung slowly raised his hand. Without even gripping the sword handle, the sword came up with it, sliding out of its sheath.

The Baek Li family’s treasured sword Heavenly Vermillion Blade glowed yellow while revealing a sharp aura. Warriors stepped back at the extraordinary atmosphere.

Yet Mang Ryo just kept grinning. He didn’t seem to have any intention of avoiding Baek Li-jung’s sword.

“No. According to my instincts, I don’t think I’ll die yet.”

Zhuge Ming stopped Baek Li-jung.

“Wait. This fellow seems to be hiding something.”

Baek Li-jung said curtly.

“There’s nothing. Except for saying they’re coming down soon, everything else is lies.”

“But we must capture him alive and escort him to the main alliance. We need to find out who was behind the attempt to assassinate the Alliance Leader…”

“I guarantee it. If we don’t kill him now, he’ll become very troublesome.”

“I’ll press his vital points and keep him under surveillance.”

Mang Ryo grinned again and said.

“Since when did Zhuge family people become stupid? If you press my vital points now, you’ll die within a moment from the poison.”

Zhuge Ming frowned and glared at Mang Ryo. At the sudden commotion, sect leaders began coming out of their barracks one by one.

Mang Ryo greeted them with a smile and raised his voice to ask.

“Do you know why I deliberately came to this dangerous place where I might die?”

Mang Ryo pointed at Qingcheng Mountain with his hand.

“This is the best place to watch from. To appreciate his skills.”

Mang Ryo looked at Baek Li-jung.

“So put that sword down a bit…”

“Do I look like someone who sheathes a sword once drawn?”

Baek Li-jung swung his sword then immediately drew it back.

Screech!

The back of a nearby cargo cart was cut and the cargo section tilted and crashed to the ground.

Baek Li-jung grabbed Mang Ryo’s nape and kicked his feet.

Crack!

Mang Ryo’s two legs, both prosthetic legs, immediately broke off. Baek Li-jung struck both shoulders while holding Mang Ryo’s nape.

Pop.

His arms dislocated and hung loose.

“Kugh.”

Mang Ryo gritted his teeth and endured the pain. But he didn’t resist. The murderous intent had already disappeared.

Baek Li-jung threw the helpless Mang Ryo into the back section of the collapsed cargo cart.

Bang!

Mang Ryo was completely embedded in the back of the diagonally tilted cargo cart. With his arms dislocated and both prosthetic legs broken, he became unable to move by himself.

Though Mang Ryo was sweating profusely from tremendous pain, he still kept laughing.

“Kekeke! Indestructible Heavenly Sword has become much weaker too. If this puts you at ease, I’ll gladly accept it. Quite a comfortable seat, isn’t it?”

Baek Li-jung had no interest in Mang Ryo’s jokes. He looked down at Mang Ryo with contemptuous eyes for a moment, then turned his head.

Baek Li-jung, who had been watching Qingcheng Mountain’s peak, said.

“They’re coming.”

Zhuge Ming and the sect leaders looked at Qingcheng Mountain. They couldn’t see yet.

But if Baek Li-jung saw it, it wouldn’t be a lie. Soon they would appear somewhere in the siege.

However, the Evil Sect members appeared faster than expected. It wasn’t because they had gotten closer, but because they were coming out to a clearly visible place.

“Those crazy bastards.”

The sect leaders cursed.

Weren’t the Evil Sect members boldly coming down the stairs!

Despite the basic principle of dispersing as much as possible when fleeing, they had violated that basic rule. Of course, escaping at dawn just before sunrise instead of in the dark of night was already beyond common sense.

But now they could tell whose mind such actions had come from.

Zhuge Ming looked around at the sect leaders and said.

“Someone needs to take charge of that fellow.”

If Jin Ja-gang entered the formation and scattered poison powder, operating the formation would become difficult. Of course, Zhuge Ming didn’t know that Jin Ja-gang had no antidotes, so it was a judgment based on that. In fact, because of the Evil Sect members, Jin Ja-gang couldn’t use poison powder.

“I think it would be right for me to take charge.”

Baek Li-jung stepped forward. Baek Li-jung narrowed his eyes and watched the Evil Sect members’ movements.

“That bastard keeps making people uncomfortable. He’s rather annoying.”

“If you step forward personally, then…”

Baek Li-jung began walking toward Qingcheng Mountain’s gate.

Zhuge Ming confirmed the command system once more and deployed all remaining forces into the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation. The Sichuan sect leaders were no exception. Zhuge Ming’s cousin Zhuge Son-gi led the Sichuan sect leaders to join the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation.