Chapter 421

Chapter 421 – Receiving Guests with Utmost Sincerity (3)

"Heh! Really amazing. They said you were called Mount Hua Great Chef, and it's truly impressive."

"Ah! That's…"

"Isn't there more?"

"Here it is."

"Thank you!"

When Bang Jin-bo served the food, Nok Su-bing smiled brightly. Namgung Seon-hwi was captivated by such a smile from Nok Su-bing.

Nok Su-bing naturally joined Dam Ho's group as if she had been traveling with them from the beginning.

With the addition of Nok Su-bing to the Namgung brothers, the amount of food Bang Jin-bo had to prepare increased accordingly. Still, Bang Jin-bo cooked without showing any sign of displeasure.

"It's really delicious. I've never tasted anything like this."

Nok Su-bing busily moved her chopsticks while continuously exclaiming in admiration. Bang Jin-bo looked at such Nok Su-bing with a curious expression.

While it was true that women of the martial world expressed emotions clearly, a woman with emotions as rich as Nok Su-bing was also a first for him. Moreover, when a woman as beautiful as Nok Su-bing who possessed strong martial power also had rich emotions, her charm truly exploded.

Namgung Seon-hwi's inability to come to his senses while looking at Nok Su-bing was proof of this. However, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo didn't feel much emotional change despite Nok Su-bing's charm.

Dam Ho had no emotional changes from the beginning, and Bang Jin-bo's heart was filled only with Eun So-cheong, leaving no room for anyone else to squeeze in. Therefore, no matter how charming Nok Su-bing was, they just let it pass, but the still young Namgung Seon-hwi was almost unable to come to his senses.

"Thank you for the meal."

Finally finishing her meal, Nok Su-bing put down her bowl. Her bowl was completely empty. And a happy smile appeared on her face. Her bright appearance looked no different from any ordinary girl.

'Who could possibly imagine that this woman is Phantom Fairy, one of the Four Death Stars?'

Bang Jin-bo thought this while collecting the bowls and chopsticks. Then Namgung Yeong-hwi beside him quickly said:

"Brother, I'll do the dishes."

"Will you?"

"Yes! Please leave it to me."

Namgung Yeong-hwi answered energetically.

He was following Bang Jin-bo like a real older brother. His bright appearance didn't look at all like a child who had lost his family.

Bang Jin-bo thought such Namgung Yeong-hwi was childish. That's why he felt even more sorry for him and his heart went out to him.

Namgung Yeong-hwi took the dishes and ran to the nearby stream. Namgung Yeong-hwi was even humming.

Suddenly Bang Jin-bo's gaze turned toward a large rock by the stream. Dam Ho was sitting on the rock that stood tall like a fortress. A black blood-wind cloak covered the rock.

It was clothing that branch leader Seo Il-myeong of the Hao Sect had given Dam Ho as a gift to ingratiate himself. Inside the black blood-wind cloak was black martial clothing made of quality leather, similar to the leather clothes Dam Ho had obtained when he first entered the martial world.

Dam Ho sat on the rock, indifferently watching Namgung Yeong-hwi doing dishes. Anyone could see he had drawn a clear line with the Namgung brothers.

Bang Jin-bo felt slight regret at Dam Ho's appearance.

"It would be good if brother also showed even a little affection to those children."

On one side, Namgung Seon-hwi was already practicing swordsmanship. Just moments before, he seemed to have his attention completely captured by Nok Su-bing, but befitting a young master of a prestigious family, he seemed to have quickly recovered his reason.

Namgung Seon-hwi didn't forget his mission to revive the Namgung Family. He quickly shook off thoughts about Nok Su-bing and devoted himself only to his sword.

The place they were at was by a stream near an unnamed mountain.

For Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo, sleeping outdoors was as natural as daily routine. The Namgung brothers had also become quite accustomed to it, unlike at first. And Nok Su-bing, as a female knight of the martial world, didn't find sleeping outdoors burdensome either.

The sun had already disappeared beyond the western mountains, and pitch-black darkness had arrived. Except near the campfire, dense darkness that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead engulfed the surroundings.

In that darkness, the group chatted leisurely.

Nok Su-bing seemed to have many curiosities. She continuously asked Bang Jin-bo questions, and Bang Jin-bo answered wholeheartedly. And Namgung Seon-hwi's gaze was fixed on Nok Su-bing.

After watching this scene for a while, Namgung Yeong-hwi quietly slipped away from the campfire. The place he headed to was precisely the large rock where Dam Ho was sitting.

Dam Ho was still sitting on the rock in exactly the same posture as at first. Namgung Yeong-hwi thought Dam Ho's appearance resembled the rock.

His stubbornly pressed lips, eyes that seemed like they would never be shaken by anything, and his iron-wall-like atmosphere were like a great rock that had firmly endured a thousand years.

Though much time had passed since the Namgung brothers joined Dam Ho, this was the first time Namgung Yeong-hwi had approached Dam Ho alone like this.

"Um…"

Just as Namgung Yeong-hwi was carefully opening his mouth, Dam Ho, who had been motionless like a rock, turned his head to look at Namgung Yeong-hwi.

Namgung Yeong-hwi flinched for a moment. But he didn't avoid Dam Ho's gaze. It was the first time he showed such resolve while traveling together.

Until now, Namgung Yeong-hwi had always shown only childish or innocent appearances. But the look in Namgung Yeong-hwi's eyes as he looked at Dam Ho now seemed far from such things.

Namgung Yeong-hwi opened his small lips.

"May I sit beside you?"

When Dam Ho silently nodded, Namgung Yeong-hwi struggled to climb up the large rock. And he sat beside Dam Ho.

"Ah!"

An exclamation burst from Namgung Yeong-hwi's mouth.

Because a scenery that could only be seen from the rock Dam Ho sat on spread before his eyes. Beyond the pitch-black darkness, faintly shining lights were visible. It was probably a village beyond the mountain. And when he raised his head, he could see a sea of stars illuminating the dark sky.

Namgung Yeong-hwi lost himself in that fantastic sight.

At that moment, Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"If you have the courage to take just one step, the world looks different."

At words containing much meaning, Namgung Yeong-hwi looked at Dam Ho. Namgung Yeong-hwi's eyes were shaking.

"Did you… know?"

Dam Ho silently nodded. Then Namgung Yeong-hwi bowed his head deeply.

After staying like that for a long time, Namgung Yeong-hwi looked at Namgung Seon-hwi sitting by the distant campfire.

Even when everyone else was resting, Namgung Seon-hwi couldn't rest properly due to the excessive burden of having to revive the Namgung Family.

"What supports brother now is his sense of mission to revive the Namgung Family again and his sense of responsibility to protect me. Without those, brother would collapse."

"So you're going to keep killing yourself?"

"……"

At Dam Ho's words, Namgung Yeong-hwi bit his lips hard. His conflicted appearance was completely different from how he had only appeared innocent until now.

Dam Ho knew. The fact that Namgung Yeong-hwi was killing himself because of his brother Namgung Seon-hwi.

Namgung Seon-hwi might be more outstanding in immediate talent. Indeed, Namgung Yeong-hwi's physical strength and talent were inferior to his. But Namgung Yeong-hwi had an outstanding mind.

Having a mind outstanding enough to contain all of the Namgung Family's vast martial studies wasn't an ordinary brilliant mind. It wouldn't be insufficient to call him a genius. Such a person might be able to find ways to compensate for his lacking talent.

Indeed, that was the case. Namgung Yeong-hwi had found a method.

Nevertheless, Namgung Yeong-hwi only showed an innocent appearance. All of this was because of his brother Namgung Seon-hwi.

The moment Namgung Yeong-hwi distinguished himself, one of the two great pillars supporting Namgung Seon-hwi would collapse.

"What's important is your heart and will. Your brother has nothing to do with it."

"Brother will collapse."

"If you distrust your brother so much, why do you travel together?"

"That's…"

"Don't look down on the heart of one who stands in front. You may not know how it looks to your eyes, but he's your brother who has blocked all kinds of hardships at the forefront to protect you."

"……"

"You need to trust your brother a little more. The conversation should be with your brother, not me."

With those words, Dam Ho firmly closed his lips.

He had already said enough. Accepting it was Namgung Yeong-hwi's responsibility.

Those with outstanding minds often have the habit of thinking about everything only by their own standards. Because their minds are too outstanding, they can make estimates with just one calculation, and so they easily develop the habit of setting limits through presumption.

Namgung Yeong-hwi was the same. He was judging his brother Namgung Seon-hwi by his own standards. It was like trial and error that geniuses commonly experience.

No matter how much someone beside them told them, it was useless.

They had to realize it themselves.

Dam Ho no longer paid attention to Namgung Yeong-hwi. Instead, his gaze turned toward Nok Su-bing sitting by the campfire.

She who had been excitedly conversing with Bang Jin-bo for a while seemed to sense Dam Ho's gaze and turned her head. When their eyes met, she waved her hand widely.

Her brightly smiling expression looked even more prominent in the firelight.

Dam Ho silently looked at her.

***

A carriage was entering Yueyang.

Except for being pulled by four horses, it was an ordinary carriage that didn't catch the eye. However, the moment the carriage entered Yueyang, countless masters secretly followed.

They cleared all obstacles that could interfere with the carriage's path. Obstacles like people, horses, and carts were silently cleared, opening a smooth road.

The carriage raced through it. Thanks to this, it took only half an hour from entering Yueyang to reaching the Demon Cult's main base.

In front of the main gate, people waiting to enter were lined up in a long queue. The identity verification was so thorough that many people who waited from dawn still couldn't enter by evening.

Even the passage they could enter was only a small side gate next to the huge main gate. Only a very few could pass through the main gate, and those in line weren't given such qualifications. Even though none of those here weren't local influential people, and many from powerful families were mixed in. But not one person showed a bored expression and waited in line for their turn.

The Demon Cult's influence in Yueyang was that tremendous. So much that no one dared challenge it.

That's when it happened.

Creaaak!

Suddenly the main gate opened with a heavy sound. People's gazes turned toward the main gate all at once.

"What?"

"Did the main gate open? Who's coming that…"

Thud thud thud!

At that moment, with rough hoofbeats, a four-horse carriage instantly passed through the main gate and disappeared.

The people standing at the main gate blinked their eyes. It had happened so instantly that they couldn't even confirm who was in the carriage.

As soon as the carriage entered, the huge main gate closed tightly as if it had never opened.

The carriage that passed through the main gate raced straight to the Military Department without any inspection. In front of the Military Department, many people including Sang Han-cheon were waiting outside.

Finally the carriage stopped and the door opened. A woman in a red veil revealed herself. Though there were faint wrinkles around her eyes, they couldn't hide her beauty.

Following the beautiful woman, a shabby old man got out. However, most people including Sang Han-cheon focused their gazes on the beautiful woman and paid little attention to the old man.

Sang Han-cheon stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Welcome, Demon Mother."

"Military Advisor!"

"This is your first time at the Yueyang main base. Welcome."

"Thank you. As expected of the Military Advisor. To prepare such a main base in such a short period."

The woman in the red veil showed an expression of admiration and removed her veil. Then her dazzlingly beautiful true appearance was revealed.

She was precisely Dan Un-hyang, the Demon Cult's Demon Mother. Finally she had arrived at the Yueyang main base after a long journey.

Sang Han-cheon inwardly admired her beauty while speaking with an unshaken expression.

"How could this be my achievement alone? It's the result of everyone's aspirations moving together."

"No. Everyone knows the Military Advisor's achievements."

"More than that, how are your injuries? I heard you were severely hurt by the Fist Demon."

"Blood Elder took good care of me, so I've recovered."

Dan Un-hyang glanced back slightly. Only then did Sang Han-cheon's gaze turn toward the old man behind her.

Wrinkles covering his entire face making it impossible to guess his age, and age spots bloomed everywhere. His eyes buried in wrinkles were full of discharge, and the two hands revealed between the shabby robe covering his whole body were full of wrinkles reminiscent of old tree bark.

Sang Han-cheon's brow furrowed slightly.

'Blood Elder!'

It was Blood Elder, Dan Un-hyang's close associate.

He was the one who led Middle Heaven, the Demon Cult's missionary organization, and was also Dan Un-hyang's greatest supporter. Because he existed, even when Dan Un-hyang gave up the path of Holy Maiden and became Demon Mother, her support base within the Demon Cult didn't waver.

Blood Elder was certainly a loyal retainer of the Demon Cult and Dan Un-hyang's reliable supporter. Nevertheless, Sang Han-cheon's gaze looking at Blood Elder wasn't very favorable.

'An old monster whose insides can't be known.'

Sang Han-cheon himself was also called a monster by others. To practically lead the massive organization called the Demon Cult in place of the Cult Leader, he needed to be thoroughly calculating.

He had to thoroughly hide his inner thoughts and read others' minds.

Through long training, Sang Han-cheon could develop such habits. Thanks to this, he became able to not reveal his emotions and naturally read opponents' thoughts.

No one in the world, not just the Demon Cult, could avoid his eyes that saw through essence. Except for just two people.

The first was Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol, and the second was surprisingly Blood Elder.

Blood Elder had built an even stronger wall around his heart than Sang Han-cheon. Therefore, even the great Sang Han-cheon couldn't see through his inner thoughts. Moreover, Middle Heaven led by Blood Elder was beyond his command.

Sang Han-cheon didn't trust Blood Elder whose inner thoughts he couldn't read. But since Dan Un-hyang's trust was so firm, he could only watch.

When eyes met with Sang Han-cheon, Blood Elder slightly bowed his head. It was a courteous and respectful gesture, but even that wasn't pleasing. However, Sang Han-cheon looked at Dan Un-hyang with a deliberately calm expression.

"I was just thinking that the Cult Leader has been waiting after hearing you were coming. My subordinates will escort you."

"Aren't you coming with us, Military Advisor?"

"I have work to do here."

"Work?"

"Yes! I'm planning to receive guests, so there's much to prepare."

Sang Han-cheon's voice was colder than ever. ​