Chapter 387

Chapter 387 – When the Way is One Foot High, the Devil is One Zhang Tall… (3)

Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo, who had left Mount Song where Shaolin Temple was located, rode their horses without rest. They took rest on horseback and even ate simple rations on horseback. But no matter how much Black Ghost was a legendary steed unmatched in the world, as a living creature, it inevitably had to get tired.

The horse Bang Jin-bo was riding was even worse. With its tongue hanging out long, it looked like it could collapse at any moment.

In the end, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo had no choice but to decide to rest briefly. The place they decided to rest was a small clearing by a riverbank.

"Whew!"

Only after dismounting did Bang Jin-bo let out a sigh of relief. His entire body was soaked with sweat.

Even for a martial arts master like Bang Jin-bo, spending an entire day on horseback was extremely arduous work. He was trembling all over as if he had caught a body-wide cold.

On the other hand, Dam Ho looked no different from when he first mounted Black Ghost. Bang Jin-bo couldn't help but admire Dam Ho's appearance inwardly.

People commonly think that riding a horse doesn't take much effort, but it was actually very strenuous work.

Bang Jin-bo dismounted and briefly practiced breathing regulation. Then the fatigue accumulated in his body instantly disappeared.

"Brother, please wait a moment."

Bang Jin-bo immediately began preparing a meal.

Dam Ho nodded and silently looked at the river where darkness had fallen. The countless small lights visible on the water's surface were fireflies. The sight of innumerable fireflies flying across the water's surface like brushstrokes was even fantastical. But Dam Ho's mind was filled entirely with thoughts of Hwang Hye-ryeong.

Though she was still safe, who knew how the situation might change as time passed. His heart was urgent, but Dam Ho's reason remained cold.

Being impatient wouldn't change the situation. Rather, only when his reason stayed cold could he judge coolly and devise countermeasures.

Dam Ho mentally mapped out the shortest route to Anhui Province where Hwang Hye-ryeong was. After revising it several times, he calculated the optimal route.

Meanwhile, Bang Jin-bo was busily making food.

He took out dried meat and grain flour to boil, adding flavor with spices he had prepared in advance. In an instant, a decent porridge was made. Bang Jin-bo ladled a bowl of porridge and offered it to Dam Ho.

"Brother, please eat."

"Thank you."

"Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo sat beside Dam Ho with his characteristic smile.

Though he didn't know what dangers awaited in Anhui Province, Bang Jin-bo wasn't afraid. Because he was going with Dam Ho.

Hwang Hye-ryeong, Dam Ho's sister, also had deep ties with him. When he stayed at Overlord's Stronghold, they had become close and gotten along without reserve, so she was like a real older sister. Rescuing her was definitely not someone else's business.

Dam Ho silently moved his spoon.

The porridge Bang Jin-bo made was truly delicious. It was puzzling how he could create such taste with just a few types of grain flour and dried meat. But since it was food made by Bang Jin-bo, Dam Ho thought it was natural.

Originally, people who have reached the level of masters in anything don't blame their materials. People who can draw out the best effects with simple materials that others can't understand. Dam Ho thought Bang Jin-bo was one of such people.

It was when Dam Ho had half-emptied the hwagwa Bang Jin-bo gave him. Suddenly Dam Ho put down his spoon and looked at the riverbank shrouded in darkness.

"Why? Brother."

Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam Ho with a puzzled expression.

At that moment, Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"Come out!"

Only then did Bang Jin-bo also sense the unusual atmosphere and look toward where Dam Ho's gaze was directed. He concentrated his inner power to heighten his eyesight, but all he could see was complete darkness. However, Bang Jin-bo didn't give up and continued staring into the darkness.

That's when it happened.

Something stirred and rose from within the darkness.

"Wha, what?"

Bang Jin-bo was startled and took a defensive stance.

"This old man surprised you. Sorry."

The being that rose from the darkness spoke.

He soon parted the bushes and revealed himself.

When Bang Jin-bo saw his appearance in the campfire light, he unconsciously muttered.

"A, a beggar?"

"That's right! An old, sick beggar. Won't you offer this old man a bowl of porridge? I'm so hungry."

The one who fully revealed himself was indeed an old beggar.

His gray hair was full of grime and greasy, and his tattered clothes were covered with stitching marks from countless repairs. What was unusual was the bamboo staff in his hand.

The surface of the bamboo staff was polished smooth from countless years of use. But even more unusual was that the bamboo staff was covered with mysterious patterns whose meaning was unknown.

"Hmm! The porridge smells so good. Won't you please give charity of one bowl to this old beggar? I'm so hungry."

When the old beggar opened his mouth, only a few remaining teeth were visible. Even those looked rotten and ready to fall out at any moment.

Bang Jin-bo unconsciously looked at Dam Ho beside him.

Dam Ho was silently looking at the old beggar. Though his gaze stained with darkness should have been eerie, the old beggar still looked cheerfully at the porridge boiling over the campfire.

When Dam Ho's answer didn't come no matter how long he waited, the old beggar briefly frowned.

"My, what stingy hearts people have. You won't give it for free? Fine! Then how about this?"

What the old beggar took out from his waist was a fairly large gourd bottle. When he shook the gourd bottle, a sloshing sound was heard.

"This is liquor more precious than this old man's life. Wouldn't this be enough?"

"Sit!"

Only then did Dam Ho's mouth open.

The old beggar grinned and sat across from Dam Ho, twitching his nose.

"Hmm! The aroma is excellent. The smell was so good that I parted the pitch-black darkness and came here. Please ladle some out."

He held out the gourd he wore at his waist to Bang Jin-bo. His appearance of demanding food was like a child, so Bang Jin-bo smiled and ladled the hwagwa full.

The old beggar ate a spoonful of hwagwa with a happy expression.

"Mmm! My thinking wasn't wrong after all. This is really excellent."

He went ahead and opened the bottle cork. Then fragrant liquor aroma spread in all directions.

'Wow!'

The moment he smelled the liquor aroma, Bang Jin-bo couldn't help but admire it. The liquor aroma was excellent beyond his expectations.

He had naturally thought cheap rice wine would be in it, but it seemed to contain fine liquor.

The old beggar took a sip of liquor and handed the bottle to Dam Ho. Dam Ho silently received the bottle and took a sip.

When the liquor entered his mouth, Dam Ho was also slightly surprised. Both the aroma and taste were the finest he had ever experienced. For something this good, it must have been made with the finest ingredients and aged for several years.

Dam Ho also handed the bottle to Bang Jin-bo, whose eyes were sparkling on one side.

"Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo smiled awkwardly and took a sip. Instantly his eyes changed.

"Wow! This is really excellent."

"Hehe! Good, right? It's bamboo liquor. I made it myself."

"Yourself?"

"Yes! Making liquor is this old man's only hobby."

The old beggar suddenly lifted his clothes that were no better than rags. Then more than ten small gourd bottles hanging in clusters inside were visible.

Bang Jin-bo's eyes widened greatly.

"Don't tell me all of those?"

"Hehe! This old man's blood-like liquor. I specially brought them out to drink during this journey in the martial world."

"Do you really mean all of those contain liquor?"

"You, young man! Have you lived being deceived all your life?"

"I'm sorry."

When Bang Jin-bo quickly apologized, the old beggar chuckled.

"No, rather, did you make this porridge?"

"Yes!"

"Your skill is quite good. It's the best porridge this old beggar has tasted in his lifetime."

"Th, thank you."

"With good liquor and excellent side dishes, this old man doesn't envy the immortals. Kah!"

The old beggar continuously ate porridge while letting out exclamations. Such an appearance of the beggar made viewers smile naturally.

When someone called his own cooking the best, there was no reason to dislike it. Bang Jin-bo remained wary of the old beggar but couldn't erase his pleased smile.

"Excellent!"

The old beggar quickly finished a bowl of porridge.

"Shall I give you another bowl?"

"Hehe! Good!"

The old beggar didn't refuse.

Slurp!

He completely drained the bowl at once. Bang Jin-bo stared blankly at such behavior of the beggar, then quickly turned his gaze to Dam Ho.

Dam Ho was eating hwagwa without even glancing at the old beggar. Little by little, slowly.

He was treating the old beggar as if he didn't exist. The old beggar also seemed to notice Dam Ho's attitude belatedly and frowned.

"My, the young friend is cold as ice. It's late, but let's introduce ourselves. I am…"

"Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar, right."

"How did you know that?"

The old beggar was surprised and gaped. That appearance was exactly like a fish brought up on land.

Bang Jin-bo was surprised, wondering if the old beggar had such an appearance.

The old beggar's, Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar's expression became serious.

"How did you know that?"

"Chu Gyeol-gae."

"Did that guy already tell you?"

"After drinking a few cups, he talked."

"That damn guy. To spill the sect's greatest secret being distracted by a few drinks."

Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar grumbled.

Though he said that, he didn't seem to care at all.

His eyes changed.

"Right! Let me formally introduce myself. I am Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar, Supreme Elder of the Beggar Sect."

"……"

Dam Ho was silent. At this, Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar made an awkward expression.

Normally in such situations, the junior should introduce himself, but Dam Ho just stared and seemed to have no intention of saying his name.

"Ahem!"

Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar just coughed unnecessarily. Still, since Dam Ho seemed to have no intention of speaking, he opened his mouth first.

"When a senior of the martial world reveals his name, it seems proper etiquette for a junior to also reveal his name."

"Since when do beggars seek etiquette?"

"Well, that's true but…"

"You already know and came looking."

"……"

"Isn't that right?"

At Dam Ho's words, Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar seemed at a loss for words and briefly made an awkward expression. But that was only for a moment, soon he laughed good-naturedly.

"Hahaha! This is really too much for me. Sorry! I apologize."

"……"

"But don't misunderstand. I didn't come with other thoughts, but because I was truly curious. Coming out to the martial world after a long time, your reputation was resounding most loudly. So I wanted to see. The appearance of a junior at the peak of the current martial world."

The good-natured appearance from just before completely disappeared, and the aura of an absolute master rose heavily, overwhelming the surroundings.

Bang Jin-bo watched such changes in Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar while holding his breath.

'This person is a Supreme Elder of the Beggar Sect?'

Though much weakened now, the Beggar Sect was once called one of the Nine Sects and One Gang. The Nine Sects naturally meant the Nine Great Sects, and One Gang referred to the Beggar Sect. It had tremendous power and strength comparable to the Nine Great Sects.

Though its power had greatly diminished due to the aftermath of the first Righteous-Demon Great War, making it hard to find its former majesty, there still existed no sect or person in the martial world who could ignore the Beggar Sect.

Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar was the Supreme Elder of such a Beggar Sect.

Knowing the tremendous weight that the word "Supreme" carried, Bang Jin-bo could only look at Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar while holding his breath.

Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar looked at Dam Ho while emanating tremendous dignity. For an ordinary person, it would have been impossible to even lift their head, crushed by his dignity. But this level of intimidation couldn't affect Dam Ho.

Dam Ho stared straight at Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar. Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar slightly frowned at the pitch-black, deep pupils that showed no emotion at all.

He wasn't accustomed to such eyes.

Most people looked at him with respect and admiration when he revealed his status, they couldn't stare at him like looking at a cow or chicken. No one in the martial world could.

But Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar smiled.

"Haha! It's embarrassing being stared at like that. It's just like that. So don't worry too much about it. Since we already know each other, what need is there for introductions? Let's just drink."

Bang Jin-bo blinked his eyes as if finding such Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar amazing.

Until now, those who had dealt with Dam Ho invariably either reddened their faces with humiliation or became mentally intimidated and couldn't lift their heads. This was the first time for a reaction like Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar's. That's why it felt more amazing.

'Indeed, not just anyone becomes a Supreme Elder of the Beggar Sect.'

Bang Jin-bo newly realized how wide the world was.

The world was wide and there were as many extraordinary people as grains of sand. Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar was also one of such people. The only difference was that among them, he belonged to a very outstanding category.

Forbidden Demon Divine Beggar abruptly stopped laughing.

"I have something to tell you."

He stood up from his seat.