Chapter 202: The Master Weeps, the Disciple Unleashes His Cry (2)

Deung Cheon-so's eyes blazed with a fierce light.

He had sensed danger the moment Dam Ho appeared and tried to aid So Cheonsan, but Sage Hyeon-geom held him fast, preventing him from intervening.

In the end, he was forced to watch helplessly as So Cheonsan perished at Dam Ho's hands.

So Cheonsan was not a man who should have died so wastefully. He was one of the few among the Demonic Cult's warriors capable of causing mass destruction.

For that reason, he had been treated as a precious asset even within the Cult. And such a man had died at Dam Ho's hands without putting up any meaningful resistance. It was a devastating blow for the Demonic Cult.

Even Sage Hyeon-geom, who had been fighting alongside Deung Cheon-so, was profoundly shaken by Dam Ho's arrival.

As the one who had least acknowledged Dam Ho, Sage Hyeon-geom felt the shock all the more keenly.

The opponent he had faced, Deung Cheon-so, was likewise one of the Seven Great Demon Masters. There were minor differences in martial power between them, but they were considered to be on equal footing.

Unlike himself, who had fought Deung Cheon-so to a standstill, Dam Ho had killed So Cheonsan in the blink of an eye.

An observer might well have concluded that Dam Ho possessed martial power far exceeding Sage Hyeon-geom's own.

Sage Hyeon-geom could never accept such a truth. No—he could not bring himself to acknowledge it.

To acknowledge Dam Ho would be to deny his own life, which had been spent refusing to recognize the boy.

Grind!

From some unknown mouth, the sound of gritting teeth emerged. Sage Hyeon-geom and Deung Cheon-so, both realizing their blunder, exchanged a brief glance.

Deung Cheon-so spoke first.

"Shall we continue?"

"The mood is broken. Today I shall let you go, minion of the Demonic Cult."

"Consider yourself lucky. Were it not for the Fist Demon, not a single living soul would remain in the Shouzhou branch by now."

"You have a sharp tongue."

"Who merely has a sharp tongue—time will tell. As for you, your life is about to become quite complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well why I ask."

Deung Cheon-so wore a meaningful smile as he looked at Dam Ho. In that instant, Sage Hyeon-geom's expression twisted violently.

In that brief moment, Deung Cheon-so had seen through the twisted emotions that Sage Hyeon-geom harbored.

"Kuhahaha! Remember—there is no permanent enemy, only permanent interests, Hyeon-geom."

"That will never happen."

"There is no such thing as 'never.' Suspicion breeds demons, as they say. The moment you harbor doubt, a demon grows within your heart. Ahahaha!"

Deung Cheon-so left behind a meaningful laugh and rose into the air. In the next instant, he vanished into the darkness.

Sage Hyeon-geom stared after him with eyes sharp as a blade. All desire to fight had completely vanished. He sheathed his sword and turned away.

The battlefield, which had been a scene of utter devastation, was already entering a phase of restoration. Though many had perished, the Shouzhou branch would survive.

The battle, which had seemed so perilous despite the mobilization of thousands of warriors, had been quelled by a single man. It was a sight too incredible to believe even with one's own eyes.

Above all, what wounded his pride most was that the hero of this feat was Dam Ho.

'How dare a mere cripple…'

Fire kindled in his eyes—the flames of jealousy.

Dam Ho had already entered the detached cottage and was no longer visible. Yet Sage Hyeon-geom could not tear his gaze from the cottage.

***

"You rascal! Ho-ya!"

Sage Hyeon-so embraced Dam Ho tightly. His aged eyes glistened with moisture.

"Master!"

Dam Ho reached out and gently stroked Sage Hyeon-so's back.

The once-composed appearance was nowhere to be found. He was reduced to a gaunt frame, nothing but skin draped over bone. Yet his warmth remained the same.

The embrace that had always held him so gently was unchanged.

Dam Ho closed his eyes.

"You've come. You've truly come."

Sage Hyeon-so's voice resonated in Dam Ho's chest.

The two did not separate for a long while.

When the torrent of emotion had at last subsided, Sage Hyeon-so smiled with an awkward expression. He seemed somewhat embarrassed about having shed tears.

"May I come in as well?"

At that moment, a woman of indeterminate age entered. It was Jong Ri-yeon, who had followed close behind.

Sage Hyeon-so asked, "And who might this lady be?"

"My name is Jong Ri-yeon. I accompanied him here."

"Oh! What a fortunate meeting."

At Sage Hyeon-so's words, Jong Ri-yeon broke into a gentle smile. The old man's voice contained a power that put people at ease.

'So this is his master? The disciple is so terrifying, yet the master is this kind.'

The thought struck her as quite contradictory. She found their unfamiliar dynamic rather endearing. In particular, Sage Hyeon-so's presence stirred something in her heart.

He reminded her of her own master, who had died several years ago.

Just then, Cho Yeon-woon approached.

"Hahaha! Old friend!"

"Yeon-woon."

"Thanks to you, I survived. I truly thought I was finished. Whew!"

At his jovial words, Sage Hyeon-so spoke, "Young Hero Cho protected us."

"Much obliged!"

"What is there to thank between friends? Your master is my master, and my master is your master. Ah, wait—that's not quite right? In any case, it was only natural."

Cho Yeon-woon chattered without pause. He was that excited.

Dam Ho looked at him with a gaze full of trust. And the disciples of the White Sparrow Hall who were nearby watched Dam Ho with awe.

They had heard the name Dam Ho and the title of Fist Demon, but they had never imagined he was such a terrifying person.

The man who had slain So Cheonsan—a figure who had struck fear into every heart—in a single devastating exchange did not seem remotely human.

'That man is Senior Brother's friend?'

'Truly?'

Disbelief shone unmistakably in their eyes.

At this moment, Cho Yeon-woon appeared great to them. Simply because he was Dam Ho's friend.

"Hmph!"

As though savoring his sense of superiority, Cho Yeon-woon's nose rose ever higher. The disciples of the White Sparrow Hall stared at him for a moment with expressions of bemused exasperation.

Sage Hyeon-so held Dam Ho's hand and asked, "How have you been all this time? Everything was buried in the explosion—how did you survive?"

Dam Ho spoke calmly of how he had survived in the Thousand-Layer Demon Jade, and how he had taught himself martial arts alone.

Sage Hyeon-so's eyes reddened quickly, tears welling up.

The life Dam Ho had lived—a life he knew nothing about—was so perilous that it was impossible to believe the boy had survived such a hellish place alone.

Dam Ho's understated words only made the reality feel more vivid. That was why the tears came.

Sage Hyeon-so and the children wept without restraint, while Jong Ri-yeon and Cho Yeon-woon held their breath, listening intently. It was a tale they had never heard before, and the shock it delivered was all the greater for it.

"So…"

Only then did Cho Yeon-woon and Jong Ri-yeon understand how Dam Ho had come to possess such a brutal and destructive temperament.

Anyone who survived alone for twelve years in a place devoid of even a single ray of light would become the same. Honestly, had they been in his position, they might have gone mad long ago.

"That is… how I lived."

"Ah!"

When Dam Ho's long story finally drew to a close, the listeners released the breath they had been holding.

This time, it was Dam Ho who asked, "Why are you here instead of at Mount Hua?"

"After sending you away like that, every day at Mount Hua was hell. No matter how many scriptures I read, my heart was filled with nothing but rage and hatred. I spent countless days destroying myself."

Then one day, he realized it could not go on. So he left Mount Hua without a word and wandered the world.

He met countless people, experienced the human world.

"And then I met these children."

Sage Hyeon-so looked upon the children who sat gathered around him like chicks seeking the warmth of a mother hen.

The children gazed at Dam Ho with eyes full of curiosity and reverence.

Dam Ho looked at each child's face, one by one.

During the years of his absence, the children had filled the void left by his master. He felt not a trace of jealousy. Only gratitude.

The youngest, Ha-yeong, approached Dam Ho.

"Big… brother."

Unafraid, Ha-yeong climbed right onto Dam Ho's knee. At the child's innocent boldness, Dam Ho was momentarily at a loss.

Ha-yeong, seated on Dam Ho's lap, looked up. In those unusually large, dark eyes, Dam Ho's face was reflected.

"Ha-yeong likes big brother."

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Nope."

"Is that so?"

"Not one bit."

Dam Ho gently stroked Ha-yeong's hair. The child giggled happily.

As if that were a signal, the other children crowded around Dam Ho.

"Big brother!"

"Dam Ho, big brother!"

The children clamored to call his name. Their voices rose, and the atmosphere in the hall transformed into one of joyous commotion in an instant.

Cho Yeon-woon exchanged a glance with the disciples of the White Sparrow Hall.

"I suppose we should make ourselves scarce."

"Indeed."

They too possessed a sense of propriety. There was no place for them in this gathering.

They rose from their seats. Jong Ri-yeon stood as well.

Just before stepping outside, she glanced briefly at Dam Ho.

Surrounded by children, Dam Ho's expression remained as cold and distant as ever. But Jong Ri-yeon, who had traveled with him for so long, noticed a subtle difference from his usual demeanor.

'At least with them, he can still retain some shred of humanity.'

She felt a strange sense of relief.

This was their time. Jong Ri-yeon was glad to step outside for their sake.

Jong Ri-yeon's expression stiffened slightly the moment she followed Cho Yeon-woon outside.

A woman stood outside the cottage.

A woman dressed simply in a purple linen garment. Yet despite her plain attire, her beauty was striking.

Cho Yeon-woon greeted her first.

"Miss Hae!"

"Young Hero Cho!"

She dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment. It was Hae So-wol.

Hae So-wol's gaze was fixed upon Jong Ri-yeon.

She was the woman who had appeared alongside Dam Ho. For some reason, it gnawed at her. Jong Ri-yeon felt the same.

A subtle tension flowed between the two women.

It was Jong Ri-yeon who broke the silence first.

"My name is Jong Ri-yeon."

"I am Hae So-wol of the Hainan Sect, Miss Jong."

"A pleasure, Miss Hae."

"You came… with Young Hero Dam?"

"It seems fate had us traveling together to this place."

A faint crack appeared on Hae So-wol's face. The men did not notice, but Jong Ri-yeon did not miss it.

'So she is aware of him.'

Even now, Hae So-wol kept glancing toward the room where Dam Ho was. Jong Ri-yeon's expression hardened slightly.

A strange sense of competition arose within her.

Just then, sensing the awkward atmosphere between them, Cho Yeon-woon intervened with a broad smile.

"Now, now! Rather than standing here, let us move somewhere else. Have a drink, share a story…"

"Is Senior Brother buying the drinks?"

"Of course he is!"

His jest drew agreement from the disciples of the White Sparrow Hall.

In an instant, the atmosphere grew lively. Jong Ri-yeon and Hae So-wol allowed themselves to be swept along with the crowd, walking together. But neither relaxed her stiff expression.

As he led the group forward, Cho Yeon-woon suddenly glanced back.

'Have a happy time, old friend.'

He truly blessed the reunion between Dam Ho and Sage Hyeon-so.

“Eeek!”

The angered Tang Ha-ran struck Jin Ja-gang’s cheek again with her other hand. Jin Ja-gang tried to grab Tang Ha-ran’s hand. Tang Ha-ran twisted her elbow to deflect Jin Ja-gang’s hand and changed trajectory. Tang Ha-ran immediately slapped upward at his cheek. Jin Ja-gang didn’t dodge and defended by pressing down on Tang Ha-ran’s wrist with his elbow.

Tang Ha-ran persistently aimed only for Jin Ja-gang’s cheek while Jin Ja-gang didn’t move his face and blocked only with the Grappling technique. Neither used internal energy so no serious situation occurred, but the situation was gradually heating up.

Thwack! Thwack thwack!

The bones of their hands struck each other and the contacted areas bruised bluish-green. Naturally, Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran gradually came to exchange offense and defense using only palms and fingers rather than bones.

Slap, slap.

Each time their hands touched, stinging sounds rang out. Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran were as if striking each other’s hands. Their hands, backs of hands, and forearms were all dyed red.

Whether striking or being struck, it hurt just the same. Jin Ja-gang now shifted direction toward pushing rather than striking. He pushed wrists with his palm, blocked elbows with his other hand, and pressed down on hands with his forearms.

Tang Ha-ran immediately responded accordingly. She grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s wrist and spun it around to entangle and neutralize both of Jin Ja-gang’s arms at once. Jin Ja-gang sensed Tang Ha-ran’s intention and tried to shake his shoulders to pull his arms free. But Tang Ha-ran held Jin Ja-gang’s arms firmly and wouldn’t let go.

Jin Ja-gang’s both arms were entangled and caught in Tang Ha-ran’s one hand. Tang Ha-ran tried to strike Jin Ja-gang’s cheek with her remaining hand.

Jin Ja-gang pulled both arms forcefully.

Tang Ha-ran slightly lowered her stance and took a horse stance to maintain her center. She didn’t let herself be pulled easily by Jin Ja-gang.

The foundation of martial arts is the center, which lies in the lower body that is the base of the center. Children from martial families train their lower bodies from childhood.

Jin Ja-gang kept his soles on the ground and pushed against Tang Ha-ran’s feet. Tang Ha-ran slightly lifted her feet and twisted sideways to avoid. Jin Ja-gang continuously followed Tang Ha-ran’s feet.

Tap, tap tap.

While avoiding with her feet, Tang Ha-ran stepped on Jin Ja-gang’s instep. Jin Ja-gang bent his leg and put his knee behind Tang Ha-ran’s leg to press against the back of her knee. Tang Ha-ran’s face reddened.

Their legs came into contact. As Jin Ja-gang applied more force to push his knee to collapse Tang Ha-ran’s center, even their thighs pressed together. Tang Ha-ran was flustered.

“Ugh!”

Jin Ja-gang suddenly pushed the arms he had been pulling all along. With their legs entangled, Tang Ha-ran’s upper body fell backward. Tang Ha-ran’s waist bent almost like a bow, but she endured with her waist strength and didn’t fall completely.

Jin Ja-gang pulled his arms while covering and pressing down on Tang Ha-ran’s upper body with his own. They came so close that Jin Ja-gang’s hot breath could be felt directly touching her. Tang Ha-ran’s strength left her body.

Thump!

Tang Ha-ran, who had been forcing herself to endure, fell backward. Jin Ja-gang was in a position holding Tang Ha-ran’s both wrists and pressing down from above.

Tang Ha-ran’s heart pounded wildly.

Tang Ha-ran turned her head in extreme embarrassment.

“I’m stronger than you. But… why do I… lose to you every time?”

While feeling wronged, her voice trembled from shame and humiliation.

“N-now move away! Why does it always turn out like this?”

“I did it on purpose.”

“What?”

Jin Ja-gang looked down at Tang Ha-ran and said.

“It seemed like you were weak at close combat.”

Tang Ha-ran was so dumbfounded that she kicked Jin Ja-gang forcefully with her feet. Jin Ja-gang blocked even that with his knees and lightly retreated from the recoil.

Tang Ha-ran struck the ground and shot up, then shouted.

“I’m not weak at close combat!”

Tang Ha-ran’s face turned red and blue. She was angry but still exasperated.

Did he really not know the reason?

However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t bother to give excuses or answers about that.

“I won’t force you. But even without you, I’ll find a way to enter the Tang Family Great Compound.”

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes gradually began to change into those of a beast.

Eyes filled with madness solely for hunting prey.

To this man, even the Tang family of the world was merely an obstacle to overcome.

When Jin Ja-gang had those eyes that coveted the world, Tang Ha-ran couldn’t help but become serious too.

“If you go, you’ll die.”

“I don’t want to die without knowing my enemy.”

“Tell me just one reason why I should help you.”

This time, Tang Ha-ran faced Jin Ja-gang’s gaze without turning away.

Just one word! If you give me just one word, I’ll follow you even into hellfire.

Did Jin Ja-gang hear the voice Tang Ha-ran was shouting in her heart?

Jin Ja-gang spoke slowly.

“I don’t know much about matters between men and women. But if heaven’s blessing exists and I’m fortunate enough for my revenge to end…”

Jin Ja-gang paused briefly, then met Tang Ha-ran’s eyes and said.

“Then I’ll accept you.”

A surge of emotion.

Tang Ha-ran became so emotional that tears almost burst forth. But she turned her face away and hid her emotions.

“Fine! You’ll definitely die in my family. I don’t need such a promise from someone who’s already no different from a corpse. But…”

Tang Ha-ran glanced at Jin Ja-gang sideways. She pressed her lips tightly shut before speaking.

“If you’re going to die anyway, I should know too. What Mang Ryo and grandfather are thinking.”

***

Jin Ja-gang began mental visualization training as Tang Ha-ran had said.

Not knowing what to start with, he recalled one by one those he had fought in the past.

The first he recalled was Blood Hand Miao Weng. The first master he encountered after leaving the Chaotic Spring Ground. Even now, thinking about it, it was so precarious that he couldn’t understand how he had won.

Jin Ja-gang recalled the image of Blood Hand Miao Weng and projected his own figure in front of him.

Since it was his first time, it didn’t go well, but as Tang Ha-ran had said, when he calmed his breathing and recalled the images, the images gradually became clearer.

He strengthened his mental imagery through Mental Intention Rebirth and activated sensations as if real through Mind Arises from Qi.

Jin Ja-gang had lived eight years in mine shafts making countless imaginations.

Before long, Jin Ja-gang was completely immersed.

Blood Hand’s murderous pupils rushed forward greatly, and Jin Ja-gang had completely returned to the past. However, Blood Hand, who had seemed so large and frightening then, no longer felt scary now.

Jin Ja-gang no longer had the poison of Kunlun Sulphur Jade Poison but he had the poison of Clear Blood Gland Snake, and he was no longer a small ten-year-old child. His height had already become similar to Blood Hand’s.

Blood Hand extended his blood-red hand. Jin Ja-gang unconsciously countered with Grappling. However, just as when he had struck Blood Hand’s back of the hand with a small bone in the past and the small bone had shattered, Jin Ja-gang’s fingers broke and the back of his hand was smashed.

It was just one move.

“Ugh!”

Jin Ja-gang was startled and awakened from his mental imagery. His fingers ached and the bones of his hand backs tingled. It was a strange experience as if they had really been broken.

Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth and challenged again.

After several attempts, he was finally able to avoid Blood Hand’s hand techniques, drill a hole in his forearm with Coiling Dragon Strike to inject poison, and smash Blood Hand’s forearm in ten seconds.

Jin Ja-gang caught his breath briefly, then summoned Blood Hand again to challenge.

After that, no matter how many times he fought, he could continue to win.

When the mental imagery training ended, Jin Ja-gang’s entire body was soaked with sweat. Though his qi and blood churned somewhat, they weren’t severely ruptured or damaged.

Once he began mental imagery training, Jin Ja-gang’s training time was greatly reduced.

So in the remaining time, he wandered around the mountain collecting medicinal herbs. He didn’t cross the line drawn by the Taoist Bok-cheon, but instead roamed around other peaks.

Due to using it in the fight with Myowol, only three drops of Clear Blood Gland Snake poison remained. It was poison that could kill thirty people, but it seemed wasteful to use Clear Blood Gland Snake’s extreme poison even on ordinary martial artists who weren’t masters.

The poison from the journey was already exhausted, so he needed additional poison that could be useful as support.

But in the current season when winter was ending and spring was approaching, it was still difficult to obtain useful poisonous herbs.

Most poisons are contained in roots and fruits, but since it was winter, it was difficult to distinguish roots without digging up the ground, and fruits only come out in autumn.

So Jin Ja-gang mainly searched for colony areas.

While wandering around for a while, Jin Ja-gang smelled a strange scent. It had a peculiar fragrance similar to the aroma from star anise used as spice.

Jin Ja-gang followed the scent and found Illicium (wild star anise) in a somewhat damp, shaded area. This tree, called brush tree, was used to make prayer beads and abacus beads.

If you break branches and plant them around graves, it’s said to ward off ghosts, but actually it’s frequently used because animals and insects don’t approach due to the smell from the branches and leaves. Naturally, the fruits also contain poison, but fruits can only be obtained in autumn.

“Illicium sap can repel insects and animals…”

Jin Ja-gang broke off Illicium branches, peeled the bark, and chewed. A spice-like fragrance spread in his mouth. He felt a very small amount of toxicity, but not enough to affect humans.

But Jin Ja-gang chose the Illicium. He broke off Illicium, peeled away the dry bark, and chewed the inner stem.

***

As Jin Ja-gang continued to wander around the vicinity for several days, Bian Bu muttered as if talking to himself.

“He’s gone crazy again. Gone crazy.”

“Perhaps Poison Dragon is preparing for contingencies even in our Qingcheng? In case someone attacks?”

“Or maybe he’s out there eating grass somewhere.”

Bian Bu sat on the wooden floor and looked at Soso, who was swinging her legs back and forth. Soso had a somewhat dejected expression.

Bian Bu spoke as if scolding.

“Soso. Is it because you can’t make rice for him? You’re not a rice girl, so you don’t need to feel sad about not being able to bring rice.”

Soso looked at Bian Bu and shook her head left and right.

Woon-jeong said.

“That’s right. Poison Dragon isn’t someone who would starve anywhere. He eats grass better than cattle.”

Soso burst into laughter but soon made a sad expression. Her face looked like tears might fall at any moment.

Woon-jeong scratched his head, not knowing what to do. Bian Bu clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Leave them be. They’re all young, so they’re suffering from fever.”

“What? Fever? Is there suddenly an epidemic going around?”

“There’s something that Qingcheng sect Taoists don’t catch, that the master doesn’t need to know about.”

Woon-jeong spoke with a proud expression.

“Well, our internal energy cultivation method is originally rooted in life cultivation, so we don’t get sick.”

Soso ran over and kicked the dice board that Bian Bu and Woon-jeong had been playing with. Dust clouds rose.

“Oh my! Why is this girl doing this? Cough cough.”

“Miss, Miss!”

Soso shook her head vigorously saying no, then ran outside.

“Oh dear, since she can’t speak, we can’t even ask why she’s like this. We’ll have to start over again.”

“Ah! I was winning!”

The next day, Jin Ja-gang woke up before dawn and packed his belongings. Though his belongings were just about one bundle, the meaning was tremendous for his companions.

Bian Bu was stunned.

“You’re going to the Tang family? Are you sane?”

“Yes.”

“How can you go to the Tang family while sane!”

“A marriage proposal came.”

“I know that!”

Bian Bu bit his pipe and puffed vigorously as if exasperated.

“Whether it’s the side sending a marriage proposal to the descendant of a sect they annihilated, or the side going to the enemy’s family because a marriage proposal came… I can’t tell which side is crazy.”

While speaking, Bian Bu flinched and glanced at Tang Ha-ran. The Tang family was proud and sensitive. Speaking such words in front of a Tang family member could result in death without anyone knowing.

But unexpectedly, Tang Ha-ran just stood silently.

Woon-jeong looked at Jin Ja-gang and said.

“I thought Poison Dragon was… truly an amazing person, but I never imagined you’d say you’d go directly to the Tang family.”

“It’s a decision made after long consideration.”

“Are you really sure it’s okay? No, no matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem right…”