Chapter 327 – As Chaos Begins, Bandits Rampage Everywhere (2)

They wore jet-black martial robes and had large sabers strapped to their waists. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they surrounded the Jang family.

Jang Yu-chil looked at them with a bewildered expression. At that moment, a man who appeared to be the leader walked forward.

A man in his early forties with a goatee and a thin face. His slit eyes made his impression even more sinister.

He looked at Jang Yu-gwan and said:

"So you fled here? Youngster."

"Grr!"

Jang Yu-gwan bit his lips hard. His face clearly showed bewilderment.

Jang Yu-chil asked the reason:

"What is this about, Yu-gwan?"

"I'm sorry, Father. I should have escaped earlier."

"What?"

"They're martial artists from Black Martial Hall. They raided our Golden Sand Sect in the middle of the night. Because of that, our sect leader died and many were killed or injured."

"Golden Sand Sect?"

Jang Yu-chil's pupils shook.

Golden Sand Sect was a sect based here in Guizhou Province. Though not as huge as the Nine Great Sects, it still had sufficient strength and prestige as a mid-tier sect.

They boasted over three hundred disciples, and with disciples like Jang Yu-gwan accepted from other martial halls, they had over two hundred, showing solid strength. The fact that such a Golden Sand Sect had been ambushed by Black Martial Hall and suffered damage to the point where their sect leader died was hard to believe.

Because the strength of Black Martial Hall he knew was similar to or slightly below Golden Sand Sect's level.

The goateed martial artist smiled coldly.

"Golden Sand Sect's Outer Hall Master Jang Yu-gwan. To think you fled to your home, truly disappointing. At your age, was your father the only one you could rely on? Truly fitting for a youngster."

"Kreuk!"

Jang Yu-gwan bit his lips until they bled.

Because he had fled here, even his father and younger brother were now in danger. He hadn't realized this fact when fleeing, but once he did, he understood what a huge mistake he had made.

The goateed man approached Jang Yu-chil.

"I was going to kill every human related to Golden Sand Sect anyway, so this is convenient. I'll kill you and your family right here."

Thick killing intent flowed from his face. Jang Yu-gwan felt his body and mind rapidly shrinking.

'To think Black Martial Hall had hidden such masters.'

Because they were competitors with Golden Sand Sect, Jang Yu-gwan knew Black Martial Hall well. Especially about the masters of Black Martial Hall, he had grasped most of them. But nowhere in his intelligence network was there information about a martial artist like the goateed man.

"From now on, Guizhou belongs to Black Martial Hall."

The goateed man walked toward Jang Yu-gwan. At that moment, Jang Yu-chil blocked Jang Yu-gwan's front.

"No one can kill my son."

A knife was already in his hand. It was a knife used for trimming fish. At best, it was only slightly larger than a kitchen knife.

"Father."

"I'll block them, so hurry and escape with your younger brother."

"No."

"Hurry and run. Will you just die here like dogs to them?"

Jang Yu-chil shouted with a bleeding heart.

Jang Yu-chil had left the martial world long ago. His martial arts weren't proper, and because he had suffered major injuries, his energy circulation wasn't smooth. But still, he couldn't just sit and watch his child be killed.

"Tsk! So pitiful I can't bear to watch."

The goateed man flicked his fingers. Then the martial artists surrounding the Jang family drew their sabers.

Swish!

The blade energy emitted by martial artists trained to the extreme, not third-rate martial artists like Jang Yu-chil, lit up the dark night.

"Kreuk! Father, step back."

This time Jang Yu-gwan blocked Jang Yu-chil's front.

"Yu-gwan."

"It's already too late to flee, Father!"

Jang Yu-gwan also drew his sword.

His pupils looking at the enemy were shaking. The shaking that started in his eyes changed to trembling in his shoulders and affected the hand holding his sword.

His body was shaking like a quaking aspen. Seeing such Jang Yu-gwan, the goateed man smiled coldly.

"I don't know who you learned martial arts from, but your basics are completely lacking."

"Shut up!"

Jang Yu-gwan shouted loudly. His face was flushed bright red.

His foundation was established by Jang Yu-chil in his childhood. As he grew older, he ran away from home and learned martial arts at a Taoist temple in a large village, but the memory of learning martial arts basics from his father still remained a good memory for him.

"Hiyaa!"

Unable to contain his anger, Jang Yu-gwan lunged forward swinging his sword.

Clang!

But his attack was futilely deflected before even reaching the goateed man. A subordinate of the goateed man jumped in to block it.

Zing!

The palm holding the sword tingled. The intense shock nearly made him drop his sword. Jang Yu-gwan tried hard to endure the pain and swung his sword continuously.

Azure Wave Twelve Swords.

It was martial arts he learned at a martial hall after running away from home.

His sword drew curves continuously like rippling waves. But his attacks couldn't break through the martial artists' solid wall. From the start, Jang Yu-gwan was no match for them.

They toyed with Jang Yu-gwan like playing with a mouse. As wounds increased all over Jang Yu-gwan's body, Jang Yu-chil's eyes turned.

"You bastards! Not my son."

He rushed at the martial artists without regard. But to the martial artists, it was a laughable level.

Swish!

One of the martial artists swung his saber at Jang Yu-chil. He intended to cut off his neck in one go.

"Dad!"

"Father!"

Seeing that, Jang Yu-wol and Jang Yu-gwan shouted simultaneously.

Jang Yu-chil, sensing death, tightly closed his eyes.

'Is this the end?'

CRASH!

At that moment, along with a roar, fierce wind blew and made his body sway. But since he didn't feel as much pain as expected, he carefully opened his eyes. Then he saw someone's back blocking his front.

"Ah!"

An exclamation naturally burst from Jang Yu-chil's mouth. Because he remembered that the person blocking his front was Dam Ho.

"Mister!"

Jang Yu-wol also recognized Dam Ho and shouted.

At Dam Ho's feet lay the man who had swung the saber at Jang Yu-chil, now a bloody mess.

As if struck by a giant boulder, his head and right upper body were crushed beyond recognition.

The pupils of the martial artists looking at their comrade shook.

No one knew what had happened or why. Suddenly a roar echoed and their comrade was a bloody mess. They felt as if struck by lightning.

"Who are you?"

The goateed man glared at Dam Ho who had suddenly appeared and killed his subordinate as if to devour him. His face clearly showed bewilderment.

He never expected a martial artist capable of killing his subordinate in one strike would be hiding in such a rural corner.

Dam Ho looked at the goateed man silently. Then the goateed man flinched.

'Wh-what eyes…'

It was like seeing the eyes of a long-starved great tiger. Just meeting eyes made his mind hazy and his soul feel like it was flying away, so the goateed man gritted his teeth.

The goateed man raised his voice to shake off his fear:

"Who are you? How dare you interfere with Black Martial Hall's affairs? You must not fear the consequences."

"Black Martial Hall?"

"That's right. From today, Guizhou belongs to our Black Martial Hall. If you make an enemy of Black Martial Hall, you absolutely won't leave Guizhou alive. It's not too late even now. If you withdraw like this, I won't make an issue of it."

The goateed man hoped Dam Ho would please listen to his words.

He was by no means a merciful person. His heart wasn't soft either. He was a belligerent martial artist who normally heard he had too much fighting spirit, and accordingly had confidence in his martial arts. But at this moment, he was feeling an indescribable uneasy feeling.

His peripheral nerves tingled and his breathing became rough.

Though he hated to admit it, he was scared. Ridiculously so. That's why he shouted louder. Hoping his threat would work.

But unfortunately for him, Dam Ho wasn't someone threats worked on. Dam Ho moved his steps as if he hadn't heard the goateed man's words.

For a moment, the goateed man's pupils shook even more violently. Because he saw Dam Ho's slightly limping foot.

"Could it be?"

Though countless martial artists existed in the world, there weren't many with such distinctive characteristics. Among them, there was only one martial artist radiating such intense presence.

"F-Fist Demon?"

Dam Ho didn't answer. But to the goateed man and his subordinates, it was sufficient answer.

"My god! The Fist Demon?"

"Why is the Fist Demon here?"

The subordinates who had been trying to remain silent visibly wavered.

Rumors about Mount Hua Fist Demon Dam Ho had spread even to Guizhou Province.

Decisive strikes that never forgave once he moved, and powerful martial prowess that even the Demon Cult feared.

An unprecedented demon who, though from Mount Hua Sect of the Nine Great Sects, rather surpassed Mount Hua Sect in fame and skill.

That was Mount Hua Fist Demon Dam Ho.

His cruelty of absolutely never sparing anyone he identified as an enemy was an object of fear to martial world martial artists.

They weren't the only ones surprised.

"The Fist Demon?"

"Ah!"

Even the Jang family was shocked to the point of breathlessness.

The goateed man gritted his teeth and glared at Dam Ho.

"Fist Demon."

The worst enemy he never wanted to meet was before his eyes. He wanted to withdraw like this. But he knew best that he couldn't.

Dam Ho was staring directly at him. At the gaze that seemed to see through his innermost thoughts, the goateed man's pupils shook violently.

Whoosh!

At that moment, tremendous wind pressure covered him. Dam Ho had deployed his charging technique.

The goateed man thought a typhoon that could swallow heaven and earth was covering him.

He retreated backward with all his might. From the beginning, he had no thought of fighting Dam Ho. The goateed man planned to flee without looking back as soon as he avoided Dam Ho's first attack. But Dam Ho's charging speed was twice as fast as his retreating speed.

Eventually, the goateed man sensed he couldn't escape from Dam Ho's hands and instead violently swung the saber in his hand. Instantly, web-like blade energy radiated, creating a barrier before him.

In an instant, a blade membrane spread before him.

Immediately after, Dam Ho struck directly.

CRASH!

"Kek!"

Along with the roar, fresh blood burst from the goateed man's mouth. He was flying backward as if struck by a giant iron hammer.

CRASH!

The goateed man tumbled noisily on the ground.

"Hall Master."

"Hall Master."

His subordinates ran over and supported the goateed man. But the goateed man hung limply without moving anymore. He had died.

"This can't be!"

"Damn it!"

They bit their lips until they bled.

Even in that moment, Dam Ho walked toward them. The overwhelming momentum flowing from his body was pressuring them.

He was an opponent like a wall with whom no conversation worked. They eventually charged with determination to die.

"Let's die together, Fist Demon!"

"Hiyaa!"

Swish!

Sharp blade wind surged toward Dam Ho like a tidal wave.

"Ah!"

At that moment, Jang Yu-gwan unconsciously exclaimed.

CRASH CRASH CRASH!

The blade energy he could never handle was torn apart and burst. And the martial artists swept up in the explosion were flung away, torn like rags.

"……"

Silence suddenly visited his home.

His throat was completely blocked.

"That is… the Fist Demon?"

“Tsk.”

Beom-mong clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Then he suddenly spoke toward Jin Ja-gang.

“Let me say just one thing. Actually, there’s no need for us to fight each other.”

Beom-mong was saying strange things about not needing to fight after fighting so intensely.

Jin Ja-gang frowned and asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Just tell me who you met in Chongqing and what you talked about! If you just tell me that, you and I, you won’t need to make Shaolin your enemy.”

“I despise those who only try to negotiate when they’re at a disadvantage.”

Jin Ja-gang shot out poison needles as if it wasn’t worth listening to anymore. Bulgi also coordinated as if in a joint attack, scattering sword force. Beom-mong wrapped his body in Iron Silk and rushed toward Jin Ja-gang.

“You’re greatly mistaken! This old monk was trying to show mercy out of fondness for you, but you bite me together with the mad dog? I’ll lead you to righteous law first.”

Though his movement technique became somewhat slower, poison needles bounced off Iron Silk, and Soul Seizing Thread didn’t work on his robes either, so he was still threatening.

Beom-mong swung his fist. He stretched his arm fully and struck downward from above. Jin Ja-gang twisted his body to avoid the fist.

Bang! The deck was smashed. Beom-mong continuously swung his left and right fists in large motions. Instantly, strands of sword force came flying. Jin Ja-gang stepped back and tilted his body sideways in an awkward crouch position, simultaneously avoiding Beom-mong’s fist and the sword force strands.

Swish.

A strand of sword force grazed Jin Ja-gang’s thigh, made a hole in the deck floor, and disappeared.

Beom-mong also allowed some sword force strands on his robe hem. Even Iron Silk was useless as two holes were punched through.

Jin Ja-gang struck his thumb and middle finger together to create sparks. He struck Beom-mong’s upper chest with Blazing Twin Flame Palm.

Sizzle. Sparks flew as the robes burned. However, only burn marks appeared – it was impossible to neutralize Beom-mong’s Iron Silk. As if Beom-mong had expected this naturally, he struck down Jin Ja-gang’s forearm with his right arm and drew a circle to push Jin Ja-gang’s arm away. Jin Ja-gang’s chest was fully exposed. Beom-mong stepped forward with his left foot to step on the forward foot position while striking Jin Ja-gang’s abdomen lengthily with his left fist.

Since his left big toe was cut off, he couldn’t properly support the forward foot position’s strength. The power and speed in his fist were delayed. Jin Ja-gang didn’t miss the opportunity and pushed Beom-mong’s fist sideways with his shoulder, while simultaneously wrapping Beom-mong’s arm with Soul Seizing Thread. Though he couldn’t cut Beom-mong’s arm with Soul Seizing Thread, he could tightly bind it. He placed his knee against Beom-mong’s elbow and pulled Soul Seizing Thread forcefully to break the arm.

Crack.

The elbow bent and the sound of joints breaking was heard. Beom-mong hurriedly put strength in his arm and resisted.

“Eeeeee!”

Jin Ja-gang pulled Soul Seizing Thread with all his might. But sword force came flying again.

“Ooooh!”

Beom-mong shouted a battle cry, then used his left foot as pivot to turn his body and swing Jin Ja-gang as if throwing him. Jin Ja-gang’s back became a shield against sword force. Jin Ja-gang quickly rotated his body.

Swish! Sword force scraped the bottom of Jin Ja-gang’s shoe, splitting the sole as it passed.

In the midst of this, Jin Ja-gang entangled even Beom-mong’s left leg with Soul Seizing Thread, then planted his feet on the ground and flipped his waist backward to throw Beom-mong behind. With one arm and leg both entangled in Soul Seizing Thread, Beom-mong couldn’t resist and was thrown completely.

Crack!

Beom-mong’s head was embedded upside down in the deck’s wooden planks. For an ordinary person, their neck would have broken or head would have burst, but due to Iron Head technique, he punched through the deck with his head.

With his head embedded in the deck, Beom-mong spread his legs wide left and right. Sword force strands passed between his legs. Jin Ja-gang kicked toward Beom-mong’s groin. Beom-mong crossed his legs in half-lotus position to receive Jin Ja-gang’s kick.

From an upside-down handstand position, he even repeatedly kicked at Jin Ja-gang with his feet. Blood splattered from his severed toe.

Thud thud! As Jin Ja-gang took hits, he pulled Soul Seizing Thread. With one arm and foot simultaneously bound, it caused inconvenience to Beom-mong’s movements. Beom-mong struck and broke the deck with his unbound arm. He tore out broken wooden planks from the deck with his hands.

Crack crack!

Even in the midst of this, Bulgi who had approached closely continued extending sword force.

Since the two were hopelessly entangled, it wasn’t easy to avoid. Woon-jeong hesitated then shot sound technique toward Bulgi.

“Demon Subduing Ritual Double Tablet Clapping!”

Clap! The sound of double Tablet colliding sharply penetrated Bulgi’s ears. However, since his eardrums were already burst and blocked with blood, Woon-jeong’s sound technique didn’t work properly.

Bulgi looked at Woon-jeong with an unpleasant expression and extended his sword toward Woon-jeong.

Swish swish.

“Ahhh!”

Woon-jeong had already hastily fled backward as soon as Bulgi extended his arm toward him.

Sword force was very powerful sword technique, but it had weaknesses. If an opponent judged that directly confronting sword technique was meaningless and unconditionally ran away abandoning all dignity and pride, sword force’s power became meaningless. This was especially true when meeting those with excellent movement techniques.

No matter how strong the offensive, it was useless if the opponent wouldn’t engage from the start. Since sword force was burning and internal energy continued decreasing, he couldn’t just chase around indefinitely!

Bulgi was greatly enraged but abandoned Woon-jeong and changed direction toward Jin Ja-gang and Beom-mong. He had to deal with the biggest obstacle Beom-mong first and then eliminate the rest.

Beom-mong, still embedded upside down in the floor, pushed his right arm shoulder into the broken hole. He put his right arm below the deck so from above, it wasn’t visible what Beom-mong was doing. With his left arm and left leg bound by Soul Seizing Thread, he intended to attack with his free right arm.

“Hooooop!”

Beom-mong, who had gathered energy, used Hundred Step Divine Fist with his right arm in that position.

Breaking through the deck, fist wind from Hundred Step Divine Fist erupted from below to above.

Crash!

Bulgi gritted his broken molars and confronted the fist wind of Hundred Step Divine Fist with Taiyi Earth Sword imbued with sword force.

He drew left, right, like weaving warp and weft, creating countless grids.

Swish, swish swish swish!

The fist wind of Hundred Step Divine Fist scattered and even wooden pieces of the deck were cut into grids. And Beom-mong’s fist below should likewise be cut to pieces…!

Bulgi’s eyes opened wide.

“Damn it!”

Beom-mong’s right arm was bent further back, below the deck, so it didn’t receive sword force attacks. Only his sleeve was cut and fluttered.

Hundred Step Continuous Fist.

Bulgi had been deceived by the motion to deploy Hundred Step Divine Fist not once but continuously twice.

Golden yellow light appeared around Beom-mong’s eyes.

“Keke keke! Achieve enlightenment!”

But as Beom-mong’s right arm swung, Jin Ja-gang pulled the Soul Seizing Thread entangling Beom-mong. Beom-mong’s body swayed and the direction of Hundred Step Divine Fist changed slightly.

Instead of Bulgi’s front, his entire right lower body was swept by Hundred Step Divine Fist’s wind, twisting his ankle, knee, and hip joint completely.

Crack crack crack.

His entire foot was twisted so his ankle had turned a full circle to face forward.

“Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!”

Even Bulgi couldn’t endure and let out painful screams.

From Beom-mong’s perspective, he had wasted a good opportunity to deal with Bulgi. If it had hit properly, his neck would have been turned around.

Beom-mong frowned but like a veteran martial artist, didn’t hold onto regret long. Rather, he concentrated on Jin Ja-gang while Bulgi was temporarily incapacitated.

Instead, he himself tightly gripped the Soul Seizing Thread wrapped around his body and threw his body below the deck through the hole. When Jin Ja-gang put strength in both legs to resist being dragged along, he kicked Jin Ja-gang’s shin with his right foot while falling. As Jin Ja-gang fell forward, both fell simultaneously into the cargo hold below the deck.

At the moment of falling, Beom-mong pulled Jin Ja-gang’s clothes to press his body close. Then he rammed Jin Ja-gang’s crown with his forehead. Jin Ja-gang didn’t avoid but rather thrust his head forward to bite Beom-mong’s neck.

Beom-mong’s head grazed Jin Ja-gang’s temple, tearing flesh as it passed. At the same time, as Jin Ja-gang bit Beom-mong’s neck, Beom-mong turned his head so their temples collided.

Crack! Jin Ja-gang’s head bounced sideways and his teeth bit empty air. Meanwhile, Jin Ja-gang was using Grappling technique with Needle Connection Point technique with his left hand to break Beom-mong’s right wrist.

Beom-mong pulled his right hand into his sleeve. The sleeve was as hard as iron plate imbued with Iron Silk. Even trying to break Beom-mong’s wrist, it wouldn’t break because of the sleeve obstruction. There had been a reason why Beom-mong rolled up his sleeves every time he used Hundred Step Divine Fist.

Jin Ja-gang gave up on the wrist and grabbed fingers. He tried to grab the middle finger and twist it sideways to break it.

But Shaolin Temple had techniques that could attack opponents even at one-inch distance, where only one finger could fit.

Dragon Coiling Monopoly.

The essence of close-quarters combat unfolding like two dragons intertwined in a dragon dance.

Pop!

An explosive sound rang from Jin Ja-gang’s right knee. Beom-mong’s toes also embedded in his ankle. Beom-mong’s left shoulder wrapped in Iron Silk lifted to strike Jin Ja-gang’s chin upward. He flicked his left middle finger bound by Soul Seizing Thread to strike the lowest rib bone of Jin Ja-gang. He also struck Jin Ja-gang’s lower abdomen bladder with the pointed part protruding forward from the pelvic bone.

Thud thud thud thud!

Jin Ja-gang received more than six impacts in a brief moment. All the struck areas would have cracked or blood vessels inside the skin would have burst.

It was barely the time for one blink. The two hadn’t even fallen to the floor yet.

Finally, Beom-mong tilted his head slightly back. He seemed about to smash heads with Iron Head technique. But at that moment, Jin Ja-gang’s body suddenly trembled.

Beom-mong hesitated for an instant. Jin Ja-gang couldn’t penetrate his protective energy wrapped in Iron Silk. In a state where their bodies were entangled, he couldn’t use Soul Seizing Thread and couldn’t use Golden Thread technique either.

But?

‘Hmm?’

Beom-mong had never hesitated when feeling ominousness. But this time, thinking Jin Ja-gang could do nothing, being momentarily defenseless against this ominousness was a mistake.

Thump!

An explosive sound that burst from his left side erupted to the opposite side. A shock came as if all his internal organs shifted to the opposite side.

Beom-mong didn’t think further and immediately used Thousand Pound Drop to make his body fall faster.

Jin Ja-gang threw one loop of Soul Seizing Thread upward and hooked it on the broken plank of the holed deck.

Spin spin spin.

As Soul Seizing Thread unwrapped from around them, both their bodies spun in reverse. Jin Ja-gang hung in midair holding Soul Seizing Thread, and Beom-mong landed on the cargo hold floor while spinning continuously.

Boom!

Freed from Soul Seizing Thread, Beom-mong lifted a chest stacked in the cargo hold and threw it at Jin Ja-gang hanging in the middle.

Jin Ja-gang leaped down to the floor. The chest grazed Jin Ja-gang’s head and embedded itself after smashing the deck.

Red and blue blood vessels protruded prominently on Beom-mong’s bald head.

Beom-mong shouted in rage.

“You bastard, I know who you met in Chongqing!”

Wudang Inch Force.

One-inch distance fighting. If Shaolin Temple had Dragon Coiling Monopoly, Wudang Sect had Inch Force. But Beom-mong had no leisure to scold further. His left side’s Iron Silk was broken and he suffered internal injury, and a needle was even embedded where his robes were torn.

He had broken Iron Silk with Inch Force while instantly inserting a poison needle with Heaven and Earth Eight Defeats.

Grind grind.

For the first time, Beom-mong ground his teeth with killing intent.

Really a vicious bastard. He had a method to break Iron Silk but saved it until the very end. To use it fatally when most needed!

Thanks to this, Beom-mong suffered serious interference in operating his internal energy to block the Asura poison that had invaded his body.

Then, as one side of the deck was sharply cut away, Bulgi leaped down.

“Don’t think it’s over yet!”

Bulgi landed roughly in the cargo hold on one foot. Then he bared his teeth toward Beom-mong.

Beom-mong also glared at Bulgi and Jin Ja-gang with his face completely scrunched up.

But.

Beom-mong’s expression changed.

So did Jin Ja-gang’s.

Behind Bulgi, who stood on one foot with his other foot twisted, snorting and emitting killing intent strand by strand.

The cargo hold where all sorts of luggage had been neatly stacked.

There, a coffin that had been lying down for unknown reasons and unknown time had silently been stood upright.

Bulgi shouted at Beom-mong and Jin Ja-gang who were giving strange looks.

“What. What!”

Creak…

The lid of the coffin standing right behind Bulgi opened.