Chapter 2

"Everyone, gather here."

Halfway up the hill at dusk, the sheep grazing leisurely gathered at Turan's single command.

They moved in perfect unison without any barking sheepdog guiding the way or shepherd's staff poking their sides.

It was the result of magical power at work.

According to what he had learned over the past eight years, magic had three main characteristics.

First, when you strongly desire something, it is accomplished using magic power as payment.

Second, directly speaking what you want makes it easier and consumes less magic power.

And third, the more difficult the desired wish, the more power it consumes – or becomes impossible altogether.

The condition of 'difficulty' here wasn't very clear.

Sometimes it was surprisingly generous, granting things that seemed too easy, and sometimes it was stingy, refusing seemingly simple requests.

It was the same when fighting the leopard masu a few days ago.

Even a command to stop, which was far simpler than instant death, barely worked on it.

Yet he could easily control over a hundred ordinary sheep simultaneously.

In contrast, imbuing the sling stone with enough power and speed to crush its head, and ensuring it would hit, was laughably simple.

Calculating the amount of power consumed then, Turan could have made hundreds of such attacks…

Lost in thought while herding all the sheep into the barn, he caught the faint smell of blood from far away.

Like when he detected Labus's death a few days ago.

But according to his keen sense of smell, it wasn't human blood. Not sheep or leopard either…

'Wolf?'

The blood smell seemed just like that of the wolf he had killed and butchered about a year ago.

As expected, shortly after, he saw Keorn walking with the setting sun at his back, carrying a dead wolf on his shoulder.

"Good evening, Turan. Would it be alright if I stayed at your house tonight? I thought I'd pay with this wolf."

A wolf was quite good game.

The hide could be sold to the villagers, and while the meat wasn't as good as livestock, it wasn't bad either.

In fact, it was more than enough payment for one night's lodging.

Turan nodded.

"There shouldn't be many wolves around here – how far did you go?"

Thanks to Turan attacking wolf packs whenever he spotted them during his patrols over the past few years, carnivores had been practically extinct in this area for a long time.

Besides, the Hisaril hills were such a desolate place that not many animals lived here to begin with.

"Found it while looking around near the Sky Mountains."

The Sky Mountains referred to the mountain range that stretched up to the sky, literally as its name suggested, even further west from the Hisaril hills at the western edge of the world.

Some called it the Great Wall, as it truly resembled an insurmountable barrier that humans could never cross.

"It must take days just to reach the foothills…"

"Half a day was enough with my pace."

Turan wasn't particularly surprised since he could do the same if he wanted to.

He just raised his internal guard, thinking this magician wasn't just a braggart after all.

Shortly after, the two sat around a bonfire lit in front of the house, enjoying wolf meat stew for dinner.

Keorn whistled while looking up at the sky.

"The stars are really bright here."

"Mother told me these hills are among the highest lands in the world. Except for the Sky Mountains in the west, that is."

"What place could be high compared to those? Visiting there today made me marvel anew. Even nobles probably couldn't cross them easily."

"I heard nobles have godlike powers – couldn't they easily cross mountain ranges?"

"Not all of them. The heads of great houses might be truly godlike, but…"

Keorn boasted about once seeing the head of House Arabion crush a small hill with just a gesture.

"Oh…"

Turan suddenly felt embarrassed hearing this.

He sometimes fantasized that since his power was stronger than expected, maybe it was on par with nobles.

Now hearing this, his abilities were truly insignificant compared to real nobles.

"But don't you get lonely living alone in a place like this?"

"Well, yes. But I'm used to it now."

"Why not bring a wife from the village?"

"What woman would want to spend her life herding sheep in a place like this?"

"I think quite a few girls would like to live with a handsome young man like you?"

Turan smiled awkwardly at Keorn's teasing.

When he was young, there were some girls in the village who followed him around saying they liked him, but after his mother died and he fought with the village, all contact was cut off.

They must have realized the reality too.

That marrying Turan meant living like an exile in these desolate hills for life.

"Well, don't think too much about it. Who knows? Maybe some passing girl will become your destiny."

Of course, considering Keorn was the only traveler to visit in 18 years, it was an unlikely story.

After exchanging a few more idle conversations, both men silently watched the bonfire for a while.

Turan was the first to break the silence.

"Why are you doing all this?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't know what the village chief promised, but with your skills, you could earn more money much more easily."

In any village, if you stayed and declared you would protect the place, demanding wealth and women in return, who would dare refuse?

It would be hundreds of times easier and simpler than spending all day in the dust and staying at a shepherd's house just to catch one masu.

Someone who could catch a wolf from the Sky Mountains in half a day clearly had sufficient ability…

Moreover, it wasn't like the villagers deserved such kindness.

He was staying at Turan's house because the village charged excessive lodging fees to begin with.

If Turan were in Keorn's situation, he would have destroyed all the village buildings, taken the money, and left.

"They're pitiful people."

"In what way?"

"Living day by day in fear at the frontier without a magician's protection."

The old knight sat across from Turan and explained in a fatherly tone.

While the area around Hisaril hills was relatively peaceful due to its desolation, countless masu roamed the mountains and fields of the fertile lands below, preying on people.

As one who inherited divine power, a magician's pride was in protecting powerless commoners from masu, and though he no longer served a house, he couldn't just ignore it.

This was quite different from what Turan had heard from his mother.

Hadn't she said nobles were oppressors and exploiters, and knights were merely laborers working under them…?

Perhaps reading his puzzled expression, the old knight grinned and offered him a cup of sheep's milk.

"Well, not everyone thinks like me. There are as many thoughts as there are people in the world."

* * *

The next morning, Turan was lost in thought while cleaning the barn with a simple gesture.

He was thinking about last night's conversation.

'Pride…'

Turan had received quite a shock from that conversation.

To think that knights weren't just slaves submitting to noble power, but could be beings who found fulfillment in protecting commoners?

Learning this fact didn't make him want to go beg some noble to employ him, but it did open his mind a little.

At least to the extent that living under nobles might not be so bad if there were people like that…

'By the way, how should I tell him the masu is already dead.'

Originally he had planned to let him wander around and leave, but he didn't want to let a good person like Keorn waste time in such a desolate place.

The problem was that several days had passed since he had thrown the masu's corpse into a deep valley.

Not only would it be a chore to find and bring back that rotting corpse, but it would clearly show traces of Turan's magic.

Needless to say, if anyone were looking for a magician in this area, Turan would be the most suspicious person.

Sighing and waving his hand, all the sheep's droppings and urine in the barn flew to the back yard.

Once that dried in the hill's arid climate, it would make good fuel for the fireplace.

After finishing the cleaning, he had some time left.

'Should I go look for the elder…'

If he had gone far like yesterday it would be impossible to find him, but he had said he would patrol more around the hills today, so it should be possible to check.

Turan lightly concentrated his mind and chanted while floating above the roof.

"Human search."

With the spell, Turan's perception expanded rapidly.

His vision, which could only see about a hundred meters, instantly expanded to the point where he could distinguish grass growing kilometers away, and his sense of smell and hearing amplified even more, catching the rustling of insect legs nearby and faint formic acid smells.

But these amplified senses blocked out all unnecessary information, focusing only on finding 'humans.'

'Where… huh?'

While looking around and listening, Turan suddenly turned his head at a voice.

His enhanced vision showed Keorn.

Bleeding from his forehead and shoulder, panting…

Opposite him, the leopard masu that Turan had killed days ago was roaring with its half-rotted body.

* * *

'Who would do such a thing…'

Keorn gritted his teeth looking at the dead masu's revenant.

Most living beings instinctively crave life at the moment of death, and magic, the key to omnipotence, forcibly revives the broken body to fulfill its master's will – this is called a revenant.

Because of this, after killing magicians and masu, it was rule to either absorb or disperse the magic contained in their corpses.

But whoever killed this leopard masu either didn't know this rule or intentionally ignored it.

If it had been a masu, it would have instinctively eaten its killed enemy to absorb the magic, so it must have been a magician.

Judging by the hole in its head, someone skilled in projectile spells.

[■■■■–!!]

The roar from its rotting vocal cords echoed countless times in the air like a dead man's cry.

Considering what it was, that wasn't entirely wrong.

"Take this!"

With a shout, arrows of light shot from Keorn's hand.

Though powerful enough to easily pierce steel armor, the arrows helplessly scattered upon contact with the shadows covering the leopard's body.

It meant the magic enveloping its body was far superior to Keorn's arrow spell.

After neutralizing one attack like this, the leopard, as if to counter magic with magic, melted into the ground and instantly materialized from Keorn's shadow behind him.

Though he hurriedly raised both arms to defend, hot blood spurted from his forearm caught by sharp claws.

This was mild thanks to his body being tempered by magic – for an ordinary person, it would have been enough to tear off their arm and torso.

'This… isn't something a knight can handle. At least a lower noble would be needed-'

Though revenants become several times stronger through resurrection due to grudges, if even Keorn, an experienced knight, could barely face it, it must have been a powerful masu in life too.

Who on earth killed such a creature and abandoned it?

What was their intention?

[Grrrr-]

The revenant, thinking its prey was caught, approached Keorn while growling leisurely.

The old knight sensed death and gritted his teeth while preparing a final counterattack.

When it pounced, if he could channel all his magic power directly into it with his hand, there might be a sliver of hope…

Making such grave preparations proved unnecessary as a flash of light flew in from far away.

So fast it broke the sound barrier, making it impossible to detect through hearing-

A round stone shattered the revenant's rotting head to pieces.

Chapter 2: Spring Comes to Mount Hua (Part 2)

The spring air on Mount Hua, with its blade-sharp terrain, was fragrant with the scent of plum blossoms carried on the wind. At this moment, the plum trees across Mount Hua were bursting into full bloom.

Dam Ho walked through the perfumed air. It seemed as though plum petals drifted down to rest upon him with every step.

He paused for a moment and looked around.

Plum blossoms filled his vision in every direction. Each tree displayed its own magnificent form, blossoms heavy upon the branches.

Dam Ho extended his hand. As if by magic, a plum petal drifted on the wind and settled into his palm. He gazed at the petal for a long while.

In spring, the plum blossoms on Mount Hua reached their peak. It was for this reason that people associated plum blossoms with the Mount Hua Sect. Perhaps because of this, many of the sect's martial arts bore names connected to the plum.

Plum Blossom Fist and the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword were the most notable examples.

Because of this, a prejudice had formed that Mount Hua's martial arts were light and flashy. In truth, a considerable portion of the sect's techniques were exactly that.

The wind blew again, scattering the petal from his palm. Dam Ho reached out to catch it, but the petal slipped through his fingers like water.

Dam Ho clenched his fist.

The martial arts of Mount Hua were like that petal to him—seemingly within reach, yet impossible to grasp.

Shaking his head, Dam Ho resumed walking.

After some time, he arrived at Peace Palace.

Peace Palace occupied the widest flatland on Mount Hua, a place of relative calm amid the mountain's blade-like geography.

Modeled after the Thirty-Six Heavens of the celestial realm, Peace Palace was vast in scale. All major affairs of the Mount Hua Sect were conducted here, and this was where the sect's disciples trained their martial arts.

On the training grounds, many were engaged in practice. They varied widely in appearance and age.

The youngest appeared to be around twelve, while the eldest seemed to be in their mid-twenties.

"Ha! Ha!"

Their faces were slick with sweat as they continuously shouted with exertion.

The outer disciples performing Crouching Tiger Fist—the most fundamental of Mount Hua's martial arts—were the ones training. And barking orders at them was a single figure.

"When you strike, you must channel your power with certainty. Like a crouching tiger springing forward, utilize every muscle in your body to its fullest!"

"Yes!"

At his thunderous roar, the disciples answered in unison.

"Transition from Crouching Tiger Exits Cave to Great Tiger Enters World!"

"Yes!"

As they answered, the outer disciples' movements shifted. Like a tiger emerging from its cave and leaping into the world, their technique exuded a fierce, savage momentum.

Dam Ho stopped for a time and watched them train.

The instructor leading the outer disciples was Jin-gyeong, a First Generation Disciple of the Mount Hua Sect and a renowned master of Plum Blossom Fist.

Under normal circumstances he was a pleasant man, but when teaching martial arts he became a cold-blooded figure without mercy or sentiment—which was why the outer disciples called him the "Venomous Heart Asura," a title they did not appreciate.

In the midst of instructing the outer disciples, Jin-gyeong suddenly waved in Dam Ho's direction.

"Junior Brother Cheong-gyeong."

The fierce aura the man had radiated moments ago vanished without a trace, replaced by a kindly smile. Dam Ho shook his head slightly.

Cheong-gyeong—that was the Taoist name he had been given by the Mount Hua Sect.

It had been three years since he received the name, but he still was not accustomed to it. It felt like wearing someone else's clothes—uncomfortable and ill-fitting.

But Dam Ho concealed his feelings and approached Jin-gyeong.

"What brings you here? Have you come to visit this Senior Brother?"

"I was on my way to Spirit Treasure Palace."

"Spirit Treasure Palace?"

A gleam of interest flickered in Jin-gyeong's eyes.

Spirit Treasure Palace was where the Mount Hua Sect's martial arts texts were preserved. It was one of the sect's most important sites, guarded with strict vigilance, and access was limited to those who met rigorous qualifications.

Outer disciples were naturally forbidden entry, and among Main Mountain Disciples, only First Generation Disciples and above were permitted.

Though Dam Ho was the youngest of Jin-gyeong's generation, he was nonetheless a First Generation Disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. He was, therefore, allowed entry. But in truth, Spirit Treasure Palace did not contain many useful martial arts texts. Most of its holdings were Taoist scriptures.

The true supreme arts of the Mount Hua Sect could not be learned from books. The experience and enlightenment that could not be conveyed through a few lines of writing could only be passed down through direct instruction.

The reason the Mount Hua Sect—one of the Nine Great Sects, once at the height of its glory—had declined so drastically was that it had lost, in one catastrophic blow, all the senior masters capable of transmitting such knowledge.

The Mount Hua Sect of today was slowly recovering its former stature, but it still fell far short of its golden age. There was a severe shortage of masters who could provide proper instruction.

Above all, the one who had taken Dam Ho as a disciple—Sage Hyeon-so—for some reason did not practice martial arts. He was the only Scholar Taoist in all of Mount Hua.

When he had announced his intention to take Dam Ho as a disciple, everyone had opposed him—for precisely this reason.

What the Mount Hua Sect needed now were powerful martial artists. A Scholar Taoist who studied scriptures and texts could hardly be expected to pass down proper martial arts.

Moreover, the other Elders had no energy to spare for Sage Hyeon-so's disciple. And Dam Ho, besides, carried a fatal flaw that made learning martial arts all but impossible.

Sage Hyeon-so had defied all opposition and accepted Dam Ho as his disciple. Thanks to Sage Hyeon-so's seniority as an Elder, Dam Ho had become a Main Mountain Disciple—but paradoxically, this also became a major obstacle to receiving martial arts instruction. The Elders who had opposed his acceptance were reluctant to teach him.

"You work hard indeed. If you keep at it, someday you will surely surpass your limits."

Jin-gyeong's gaze unconsciously drifted toward Dam Ho's left leg.

A fatal flaw for a martial artist. Every disciple of the Mount Hua Sect knew this truth.

Though his words were kind, Jin-gyeong did not truly believe Dam Ho could overcome his limitation. Mount Hua's martial arts were simply not gentle enough for a cripple to master.

Dam Ho read the pity in Jin-gyeong's eyes. But he merely bowed his head, as though nothing were amiss.

"I shall be going to Spirit Treasure Palace now."

"Very well. Take care."

Dam Ho passed Jin-gyeong and headed toward the rear of Peace Palace.

"That cripple is a First Generation Disciple of the Mount Hua Sect?"

"With a body like that, can he even properly execute a single technique?"

The outer disciples muttered among themselves as they watched his retreating figure.

"Who among you dares to chatter during training?!"

At Jin-gyeong's thunderous roar, the outer disciples clamped their mouths shut like clams. But their words had already reached Dam Ho's ears.

Still, Dam Ho did not stop walking. He had heard such things countless times before and was accustomed to such stares. His heart was not so weak as to be shaken by something so petty.

Passing beyond Peace Palace, he arrived at Spirit Treasure Palace.

Though it appeared unremarkable from the outside, the entrance to Spirit Treasure Palace was fitted with a subtle mechanism. Unless the guards who protected it disengaged the mechanism, no one could approach.

The Palace Master was Sage Hyeon-mu, Sage Hyeon-so's senior brother and one of the Mount Hua Sect's Elders. The guards protecting Spirit Treasure Palace were First and Second Generation Disciples who had received Sage Hyeon-mu's instruction.

Jong-gyeong, a First Generation Disciple, recognized Dam Ho.

"You are here again today."

"Senior Brother."

"You wish to enter Spirit Treasure Palace?"

"Yes!"

"You are quite dedicated. Go ahead."

"Thank you."

Dam Ho bowed and entered Spirit Treasure Palace. Jong-gyeong personally disengaged the mechanism.

Inside, shelves lined with texts stretched in orderly rows. Not only were the Mount Hua Sect's martial arts recorded here, but a wide variety of other texts as well.

Though Spirit Treasure Palace was completely sealed from the outside world, a faint light entered from somewhere, making it possible to read without difficulty.

Dam Ho's fingers traced along the spines of the texts on the shelves. Though Spirit Treasure Palace was said to contain every martial arts text of the Mount Hua Sect, the collection was smaller than one might expect. A great calamity decades ago had destroyed a significant portion.

He had visited this place countless times over the years. So much so that he could identify which text was shelved where with his eyes closed.

Tap!

His finger caught on an old, worn volume. Without hesitation, Dam Ho pulled it from the shelf.

Bamboo Leaf Technique.

That was what was written on the weathered cover.

The Bamboo Leaf Technique was one of the most fundamental hand techniques of the Mount Hua Sect, alongside Crouching Tiger Fist and Six Harmonies Fist. It was therefore typically taught to outer disciples. It was not a technique a First Generation Disciple like Dam Ho was expected to learn. Yet Dam Ho could not tear his eyes from the text.

The Bamboo Leaf Technique consisted of three major forms.

Bamboo Leaf Sky Break.

Flying Leaf Thousand Miles.

Leaf Piercing Sun.

Despite their grandiose names, each form was simple and efficient.

Dam Ho kept his eyes fixed on the text and, with his free hand, began to trace the movements of the Bamboo Leaf Technique.

Shhhk!

A continuous sequence of thrusting, sweeping, flicking, and pulling movements flowed without pause. The air in Spirit Treasure Palace rippled with Dam Ho's motion.

Dam Ho executed the Bamboo Leaf Technique freely even within the narrow confines of the shelving. After completing the forms from beginning to end, he returned his gaze to the text and fell into thought.

'The Bamboo Leaf Technique is certainly swift. But because it lacks weight, it cannot produce real power until one reaches a certain level of mastery.'

Of course, upon reaching true mastery, the Bamboo Leaf Technique could deliver a blow as devastating as a sledgehammer. It was said that in the old days, there were Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect who could split a massive boulder in two using nothing but the Bamboo Leaf Technique.

But those were tales of the past. The current disciples of the Mount Hua Sect regarded the Bamboo Leaf Technique as nothing more than a passing exercise and never bothered to master it deeply.

Had Dam Ho's legs been normal, he would not have fixated on the Bamboo Leaf Technique either. It was one of the few Mount Hua techniques that required no separate footwork.

For Dam Ho, who could not learn proper kicking or stepping techniques, it was the optimal martial art.

With fierce intensity, Dam Ho delved into the forms and principles he had already engraved upon his mind. Even in the dim light, his eyes blazed with a fierce, cold fire.

Even this—that was how much his gaze had mellowed. When he had first come to Mount Hua, his eyes had been filled with nothing but venom. His malice had been so potent that even the Elders of the Mount Hua Sect had shaken their heads in dismay.

Five years had passed, and in that time Dam Ho had grown older. His eyes had become incomparably calmer than before. And so people believed he had softened.

But that was their mistake. Dam Ho had never softened. He had merely developed enough patience to conceal the look in his eyes.

Dam Ho felt the beast that slumbered within him.

A creature of limitless ferocity and cruelty shared his breath, waiting for the day Dam Ho would unleash it.

Dam Ho suppressed the beast within and pulled out another text.

Crouching Tiger Fist.

This was the fist technique that the outer disciples in Peace Palace's training grounds were currently practicing. One of the fundamental martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect, it shared the Bamboo Leaf Technique's simplicity of form and tremendous power.

Dam Ho held the text in one hand and executed Crouching Tiger Fist with the other.

Wham!

Even without channeling internal energy, his punch split the air with a sharp report.

It was a fast, concise strike with considerable weight behind it.

Crouching Tiger Fist was one of the martial arts that had existed since the very founding of the Mount Hua Sect. When the sect had first established itself on Mount Hua in the distant past, Crouching Tiger Fist had already been there, accompanying the sect through its entire history.

But as the centuries passed, supreme techniques far surpassing Crouching Tiger Fist had been created in such numbers that they could not be counted.

In the end, like the Bamboo Leaf Technique, Crouching Tiger Fist had fallen to the status of a basic exercise practiced only by outer disciples. Everyone regarded it as nothing more than a stepping stone to higher martial arts and never bothered to master it deeply. Not even the Elders of the Mount Hua Sect.

But Dam Ho delved into Crouching Tiger Fist with relentless persistence. The deeper his understanding grew, the more a single question nagged at him.

'The Carefree Heart Method is not a suitable inner energy technique for Crouching Tiger Fist.'

The Carefree Heart Method was the foundational inner energy technique practiced alongside the Bamboo Leaf Technique, Crouching Tiger Fist, and Six Harmonies Fist. Outer disciples first learned the Carefree Heart Method before they could begin studying Crouching Tiger Fist and the others.

The Carefree Heart Method was indeed an excellent inner energy technique. It was quite stable and easily accommodated higher-level heart methods.

Because of this, it was suitable for disciples with limited attainment or beginners—but it did not harmonize well with Crouching Tiger Fist or the Bamboo Leaf Technique.

'Why is that?'

Everyone learned the Carefree Heart Method first, and then naturally progressed to the Bamboo Leaf Technique and Crouching Tiger Fist. But Dam Ho harbored a doubt.

The question that had begun nagging at him some time ago had been growing ever larger, like a rolling snowball.

Dam Ho lost himself in Crouching Tiger Fist, forgetting the passage of time.

Though countless questions filled his mind, his hands moved with razor-sharp precision as he executed the technique.

Dam Ho's time flowed on in that way, endlessly.

The poison of the five-colored centipede was so potent that Jin Ja-gang showed symptoms of poisoning just from the toxic vapors in the air, even before being bitten.

Hiss.

Suddenly, the five-colored centipede began crawling toward Jin Ja-gang.

Its countless legs—there seemed to be at least a hundred—moved busily.

Jin Ja-gang felt his skin crawl, but he couldn’t move. The dazzling, colorful light from the centipede made it even more terrifying.

He thought he would be bitten by the centipede. He also thought that if bitten, he would end up like his mother.

He wanted to stomp on it and kill it, but his limbs wouldn’t move. Whether from the poisonous vapors or not, his vision was starting to darken.

In an instant, the centipede crawled up Jin Ja-gang’s arm and reached his neck.

Chomp!

An excruciating pain spread from his neck. It felt like needles piercing through from his neck to the tips of his hair and down to his toes.

‘Aaaaargh!’

The poison was so strong that his throat constricted, and he couldn’t even scream.

When the centipede passed near his mouth, his lips tingled. There wasn’t much Jin Ja-gang could do in this situation. He opened his mouth as wide as he could.

Then he bit down hard on the centipede’s body.

Crunch!

Whether his teeth broke or the centipede’s shell cracked, he couldn’t tell, but a sticky fluid splattered. He could feel the centipede thrashing wildly.

The area beneath his left eye and around his cheekbone grew hot. It seemed the centipede had bitten him again.

But perhaps his senses were numbed, as he didn’t feel pain as intense as before.

Jin Ja-gang bit the centipede again with equal determination.

Crunch!

Both Jin Ja-gang and the centipede fought desperately.

As his consciousness grew hazy, it became difficult to recognize what he was biting in his mouth, what was sliding down his throat, or how many times the centipede had bitten him.

However, he knew for certain that this centipede was what had reduced his mother to that state.

‘You vile centipede! Die! Dieeeee! Save my mother!’

Crunch! Snap! Crack!

Jin Ja-gang continued to bite the centipede until he completely lost consciousness, and the centipede continued to bite Jin Ja-gang until its head and poison-soaked front legs were gone.

Thud.

Jin Ja-gang’s legs gave way, and as he fell backward, he hit the back of his head against the wall. With a crackle, dried herbs hanging on the wall came tumbling down.

It was stone mint that had been harvested a few days ago and hung to dry. Stone mint was an herb made by drying the entire perilla plant, roots and all, and was effective against centipede bites.

Originally, this place, Hundred Flower Valley, was a small sect that cultivated various medicinal herbs and made elixirs from them. Growing up surrounded by numerous herbs, Jin Ja-gang knew a fair amount about them.

With his numb body, Jin Ja-gang crawled and chewed on the dried stone mint that had fallen to the floor.

Crunch, crunch.

However, a few strands of stone mint were unlikely to be effective against the powerful poison of the five-colored centipede. As his chewing slowed, Jin Ja-gang’s consciousness gradually faded.

At that moment, an old man burst through the door.

“Ja-gang!”

It was Son Wi-hak, the elder of Hundred Flower Valley and Jin Ja-gang’s maternal grandfather.

Son Wi-hak, with no time to grieve over his daughter’s horrific death, quickly lifted his grandson, Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang’s face was just as dreadful as his daughter’s. His face was swollen, and black blood was streaming down.

Son Wi-hak already knew that Hundred Flower Valley had been devastated. Someone had released a large number of venomous centipedes with deadly poison.

Seeing dried stone mint fragments stuck to Jin Ja-gang’s lips, Son Wi-hak felt a pang in his heart.

How desperately this child must have wanted to live, to chew on stone mint even in such a state.

“What kind of monsters would commit such an atrocity that would enrage both heaven and earth!”

As Son Wi-hak held Jin Ja-gang and swallowed his tears, surprisingly, Jin Ja-gang let out a groan.

“Ugh…”

“Ja-gang!”

How a child not yet ten years old could still be alive after being bitten by a venomous centipede was beyond understanding, but what mattered to him was that his grandson was still alive.

Son Wi-hak quickly took out a small box from his robes.

When he opened the box, a refreshing fragrance filled the room.

To the eye, it was an unimpressive reddish pill, but this was the Flower Essence Heart Pill, a miraculous elixir made by boiling nearly a thousand types of herbs, the pride of Hundred Flower Valley.

Son Wi-hak put the Flower Essence Heart Pill in his own mouth to dissolve it, then transferred the dissolved medicine into Jin Ja-gang’s mouth. The melted elixir barely trickled down Jin Ja-gang’s swollen throat.

Son Wi-hak channeled his internal energy and placed his hand on Jin Ja-gang’s vital acupoint. He was trying to guide the essence of the Flower Essence Heart Pill and expel the poison.

But at that moment, the door was torn off, and an old man’s voice was heard.

“Hehe, what a waste of a precious Flower Essence Heart Pill, going into the stomach of a useless child.”

The old man who spoke was standing outside the room holding the torn door. He had his hair in a topknot and wore a black robe. Despite his genial tone, his eyebrows were raised, and his sharp eyes gave him a fierce expression.

Son Wi-hak recognized the old man.

“Mang-ryo!”

He was the Grand Elder of the Extreme Poison Sect, one of the Five Great Poison Sects of Yunnan.

“You should have listened to me earlier. Your stubbornness has only led to the deaths of innocent family members. How will you bear this burden? Tsk, tsk.”

Son Wi-hak’s eyes blazed with anger.

“You commit this massacre and then speak such nonsense!”

“What a frustrating person. If you provoke anger, you must pay the price. Did you think you could get away with it?”

“Price? What price are you talking about?”

“I made a polite request that you bring the members of Hundred Flower Valley under the banner of my Extreme Poison Sect, promising to treat you generously… and you flatly refused. My pride was greatly wounded.”

Son Wi-hak glared at Mang-ryo and spoke slowly.

“Our Hundred Flower Valley may be small, but it is a medicinal sect with a three-hundred-year history. How could we ever submit to the likes of the Extreme Poison Sect, which uses poison to kill?”

Mang-ryo spoke as if admonishing him.

“People must first survive. After everyone is dead, what use is this talk of medicinal sects or poison sects? What’s the point of it all?”

“You scoundrel! If life is just about eating and surviving, how is that different from the life of a beast? Hundred Flower Valley will never submit to a poison sect!”

“My, how frustrating. Even herbs can become poison if used excessively, and even poisonous plants can become medicine if used properly. Medicinal sects and poison sects ultimately come from the same root… Since we’re all from Yunnan, we should help each other. Why do you keep pushing us away?”

“You villain, Mang-ryo…!”

Suddenly, Mang-ryo shook his head.

“Well, if that’s your final decision, so be it. And let me give you some advice—stop your futile efforts. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to save your grandson’s life anyway.”

In truth, Son Wi-hak had been deliberately prolonging the conversation while trying to infuse Jin Ja-gang’s body with internal energy to save him.

But strangely, his internal energy wasn’t being absorbed at all, causing him frustration.

Yet Mang-ryo spoke as if this were perfectly normal.

Why?

When Son Wi-hak looked at Mang-ryo with puzzled eyes, Mang-ryo clicked his tongue and answered.

“Tsk, tsk. I specially placed a precious five-colored centipede in the room of your daughter and grandson.”

Son Wi-hak felt a chill run through him.

Five-colored centipede!

It was a legendary venomous creature so rare that even the Tang family, known as the foremost poison sect in the martial world, possessed only two.

If that was the case, even the Flower Essence Heart Pill wouldn’t be enough to save him. To expel the poison of something as potent as a five-colored centipede would require immense internal energy. Only a top-tier master in the martial world could help Jin Ja-gang.

With Son Wi-hak’s current level of internal energy, it was impossible.

Son Wi-hak felt his strength drain from his spine in despair.

Of all things, a five-colored centipede.

If it had just been an ordinary venomous centipede, he might have been able to save him somehow…

“Now, if you understand, please come outside.”

Mang-ryo urged.

All Son Wi-hak could do now was carry Jin Ja-gang and trudge outside.

In the yard, Mang-ryo and disciples of the Extreme Poison Sect stood surrounding them. As Son Wi-hak surveyed from the porch, he saw the corpses of Hundred Flower Valley members who had died spewing black blood all around the village.

The Extreme Poison Sect disciples were dragging the survivors of Hundred Flower Valley out of their homes, but there were fewer than ten of them.

Son Wi-hak felt despair.

‘Today is the day the three-hundred-year history of Hundred Flower Valley comes to an end!’

He had heard that the martial world had been unstable recently, but he never imagined it would affect Hundred Flower Valley, nestled deep in the mountains.

Moreover, it was a mystery how the Extreme Poison Sect had breached the defensive formation at the entrance of Hundred Flower Valley without making a sound.

The defensive formation that had never allowed external intrusion in the three-hundred-year history of Hundred Flower Valley…

The temperature of Jin Ja-gang, cradled in his arms, was growing colder.

Son Wi-hak shed tears of anguish as he looked at Jin Ja-gang’s swollen face.

The devastating feeling of watching his grandson die without being able to save him was beyond words.

“I’m sorry, Ja-gang…”

At this point, he had essentially given up resistance.

But suddenly, Jin Ja-gang, as if understanding Son Wi-hak’s words, shook his head with difficulty, his face black and swollen!

“Ugh…”

Surprised, Son Wi-hak whispered in Jin Ja-gang’s ear.

“Ja-gang… can you hear me?”

Jin Ja-gang nodded faintly.

In that moment, Son Wi-hak felt as if struck by lightning, his mind suddenly clear.

‘He’s still alive?’

It wasn’t just any venomous centipede but a five-colored centipede. It had been quite some time since he was bitten. He should have been dead by now.

Yet Jin Ja-gang was still alive.

Could it be that the Flower Essence Heart Pill had a greater effect than expected?

Whatever the case, if he was still conscious enough to understand what was being said, there might be a chance for survival.

Son Wi-hak felt a surge of emotion.

‘Even Ja-gang, bitten by a five-colored centipede, hasn’t given up, yet I, an adult, gave up first…’

His only remaining blood relative.

This child must be saved.

Son Wi-hak gritted his teeth and slowly descended into the yard.

However, while concealing his true intentions, he maintained an outward appearance of resignation and helplessness.

Seeing Son Wi-hak appearing to have given up, Mang-ryo smiled viciously.

“You’ve made a wise decision. You need to be there to take care of the remaining family members.”

Mang-ryo turned his head to direct the disciples of the Extreme Poison Sect.

In that instant, Son Wi-hak summoned all his strength to channel his energy. Mang-ryo’s moment of distraction was his only chance.

Son Wi-hak leaped as soon as he stepped into the yard. While holding Jin Ja-gang, he repeatedly kicked at Mang-ryo.

His simple plan was to push Mang-ryo back and escape. However, instead of retreating, Mang-ryo deflected Son Wi-hak’s shin with his right hand.

Tap tap tap!

The energy in Mang-ryo’s hand made Son Wi-hak’s shin feel like it was about to break.

Son Wi-hak’s attack was instantly nullified.

Mang-ryo struck Son Wi-hak with the door he was holding in his left hand.

Crash!

The door that hit Son Wi-hak’s head, shoulders, and back shattered, and Son Wi-hak fell.

Mang-ryo raised his foot.

Even in his dazed state, Son Wi-hak tried to protect Jin Ja-gang by embracing him.

Thud.

Mang-ryo stomped next to Son Wi-hak’s head, creating a depression in the ground.

Son Wi-hak felt a chill run down his spine. Mang-ryo’s martial prowess was beyond what he had expected.

“My friend, it seems you don’t take me seriously when I speak kindly. Must you force me to be cruel to be satisfied?”

At that moment, Jin Ja-gang wriggled out of Son Wi-hak’s arms and crawled to grasp Mang-ryo’s foot.

It looked as if he was begging for his life.

“Hehe, look at this little one. About to die, yet struggling to the end to survive. His attachment to life is greater than his grandfather’s.”

Mang-ryo’s face showed clear mockery.

But suddenly, Mang-ryo’s smiling face darkened.

“Ugh!”

Mang-ryo quickly shook his foot to detach Jin Ja-gang.

Mang-ryo’s face instantly turned dark. There was a black insect fragment embedded in his left instep.

It was the body of a centipede larger than an ordinary one.

None other than the tail part of the five-colored centipede.

Since the poison of the five-colored centipede is concentrated in its head and tail, Mang-ryo was terrified.

Why was a fragment of the five-colored centipede embedded in his instep!

“You little…!”

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

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