Chapter 340 – When Heart Reaches Its Peak, Heaven Moves (3)

When Dam Ho straightened and looked up, Jin Gung-ja had already vanished. Left in his wake was a masterless sword and a severed arm gripping its handle. Fresh blood still dripped from the arm severed at the forearm.

Anyone, even a three-year-old child, could tell that the arm belonged to Jin Gung-ja. Dam Ho silently gazed at his arm.

Though Dam Ho defeated Jin Gung-ja and severed his arm, his expression wasn't bright. Jin Gung-ja was a master from the previous generation of Mount Hua Sect. Dam Ho himself didn't regard him highly, but his master Hyeon-so was different.

Jin Gung-ja held the position of shifu to Hyeon-so. When the two faced each other, it was obvious what spiritual suffering Master Hyeon-so would endure.

Dam Ho didn't want such a situation to arise. So he couldn't help but feel regretful that he couldn't kill Jin Gung-ja now.

Dam Ho shook his head slightly and turned around. Then he saw the Azure Sky Escort porters who had barely survived. Fewer than half the original personnel had survived. The survivors too all bore wounds large and small.

"Krek!"

Nam Woo-saeng, who had been knocked down by Jin Gung-ja, forced his body to rise.

Though suffering severe injuries where even breathing was painful, he forced himself up and walked toward Dam Ho.

"Haah, haah! Thank you, Great Hero Dam."

"……"

So much blood had Nam Woo-saeng lost that his face was pale as death, and his eyes were filled with tears.

He wasn't crying from his own wounds. He wept for the Azure Sky Escort brothers who had died meaninglessly that day.

Their deaths pained his heart more than his own injuries. Yet he endured the pain.

He wasn't an ordinary person but the head escort of Azure Sky Escort Agency. He bore responsibility for organizing the situation and had to prioritize the greater good under all circumstances.

Expressing gratitude to Dam Ho came first, and cleaning up the scene came second.

After thanking Dam Ho, Nam Woo-saeng approached the surviving escorts.

"Krek! Head Escort…"

"Waaaaah!"

The survivors burst into tears the moment they saw Nam Woo-saeng's face.

Sorrow at losing comrades they had worked alongside overshadowed joy at survival.

Nam Woo-saeng consoled them.

"It's alright. It's alright."

But hot tears streamed endlessly from his own eyes too.

After weeping for a while, Nam Woo-saeng wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and spoke:

"Now let's collect the bodies. We have a long way to go."

"B-but Head Escort!"

"How can we?"

The escorting porters and hired workers looked at Nam Woo-saeng with resentful gazes. They resented that he spoke of transporting cargo before their sorrow had even faded.

But Nam Woo-saeng was resolute.

"Didn't you know this might happen? We are martial artists who staked our lives on transporting cargo. Even if comrades die, we have the responsibility to transport cargo to where our clients desire. Moreover, the cargo we transport goes to Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance. Weeping can be done after transport is complete."

"Krekek!"

"Head Escort!"

The escorts gritted their teeth and suppressed their tears.

Not that Nam Woo-saeng wasn't sad. But he knew that only successfully transporting the cargo would prevent his comrades' deaths from being in vain.

"Let's move."

At Nam Woo-saeng's words, the escorts began collecting their comrades' bodies and cargo.

"Krek!"

"Uuh! I'm sorry."

The moment they saw their dead comrades' faces, tears burst forth. Their faces quickly became drenched with tears.

Weeping, they gathered their comrades' bodies and loaded them onto a large cart. Seeing their comrades loaded like cargo caused fresh tears to flow.

Some escorts collected scattered cargo. Though some had disappeared into the river, considerable amounts still lay on the deck.

They transferred the cargo to an intact cart.

Dam Ho silently watched all of this. Their sorrow reached him through the air.

Suddenly Dam Ho's gaze turned to the opposite side. Where uncollected bodies still lay. He was there.

'Jo Su-gwang.'

The young escort porter who had asked Dam Ho to remember his name. He still lay on the ground uncollected.

Dam Ho lifted Jo Su-gwang in his arms.

He was heavy.

Dam Ho carefully placed Jo Su-gwang on the cart. At Dam Ho's action, the escorts' eyes reddened.

They knew how much Jo Su-gwang had respected Dam Ho.

"Still, you're lucky. To have someone you so admired accompany you to the end."

"Go well, Su-gwang."

The escorts who had been close to Jo Su-gwang in life each said a word. Dam Ho thought Jo Su-gwang's path wouldn't be lonely.

Finally, all bodies and cargo were collected. But their horses fell far short. Many had been swept away in the river or killed during the assault.

Especially, there was no horse to pull the cart carrying the bodies. The cart was so large that one or two horses couldn't budge it.

While the escorts wore confused expressions, Dam Ho brought over Black Ghost. Dam Ho removed all other horses and had Black Ghost take their place.

"I ask this of you."

At Dam Ho's words, Black Ghost snorted and exerted strength. The enormous cart, which hadn't moved an inch, began moving smoothly.

Dam Ho walked silently beside Black Ghost.

***

"The greatest problem is insufficient funds."

"Mm!"

"So many people have joined suddenly, causing many unexpected problems. But the greatest problem is that far too much capital is required for the personnel."

The middle-aged monk earnestly speaking was Gwang-in, who oversaw Shaolin Temple's finances.

In the vast main hall where Gwang-in spoke, both Shaolin Temple's and the Martial Alliance's leadership had gathered.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely heavy. There was no helping it. Since the Martial Alliance's martial artists joined Shaolin, unexpected problems had been surfacing.

First, with so many people joining suddenly, lodging problems arose. With ten to twenty people crammed into single rooms, martial artists poured out complaints.

If everyone received rooms fairly, it would be one matter. But only lower-tier martial artists received such arrangements.

Second was the food problem.

Shaolin Temple fundamentally prohibited meat consumption. Shaolin's monks were accustomed to not eating meat. Ordinary martial artists were different. They weren't accustomed to the austere vegetarian life. They secretly brought meat in and cooked it. But to the meat-prohibiting Shaolin monks, this was unforgivable.

Due to such circumstances, conflicts arose between ordinary martial artists and Shaolin monks. Unforeseen problems caused Shaolin's leadership and Martial Alliance's leadership to convene.

They barely reached agreement to permit meat consumption only at a simple restaurant set up outside Shaolin Temple, temporarily settling the problem. But problems weren't limited to meat.

With two groups having entirely different living environments meeting without preparation, numerous problems surfaced. Resolving such problems required enormous expenditure. Consequently, Shaolin's previously solid treasury began to empty rapidly.

The Martial Alliance had also hastily retreated with little cargo. In reality, the massive Martial Alliance appeared to be living off Shaolin Temple's support.

There was much needed but insufficient funds. Money to purchase weapons, grain to fill storehouses, all were insufficient. Though Shaolin's lay affiliates provided support, it wasn't enough.

This wasn't a problem that could be resolved through belt-tightening or modest assistance. Consequently, discontent was emerging even among Shaolin's monks.

Being the one managing Shaolin's vast storehouses, Gwang-in's sense of crisis was greater than anyone's.

Nam Cheon-san and Namgung Chang wore troubled expressions.

Though they held positions as Martial Alliance Leader and Military Advisor, such positions proved useless at times like these.

When the Martial Alliance was thriving, they couldn't have imagined having to worry about such problems. Shaolin's storehouses had always been full of treasure and grain. Now that it had fallen, little remained in their hands.

Gwang-cheon, Shaolin's abbot, spoke:

"Amitabha Buddha! Continuing like this, we'll collapse among ourselves before opposing the Demon Cult. We must establish countermeasures immediately."

"Indeed. The longer time passes like this, the more disadvantageous our position becomes."

Shaolin's monks spoke earnestly.

Watching them, Nam Cheon-san's expression darkened noticeably. He glanced at Namgung Chang.

Though personally opposed to Namgung Chang, Nam Cheon-san acknowledged his ability. It was thanks to Namgung Chang that the Martial Alliance could build its strength.

He hoped Namgung Chang would provide answers this time too. And Namgung Chang didn't disappoint his expectations.

"Shaolin Temple is martial world's final sanctuary. If this place falls, the martial world will suffer irreparable damage. No single sect or family can oppose the Demon Cult alone."

"Everyone already knows that fact, do they not? Don't dance around the subject. Speak directly, Military Advisor."

One of Shaolin's monks spoke with undisguised dissatisfaction.

Despite the irritation, Namgung Chang's expression remained unchanged as he continued:

"Therefore, I intend to request greater support of military forces and funds from each sect."

"Do you truly think they will agree?"

"As I mentioned, they have no choice. The Martial Alliance has already fallen. If Shaolin and what remains of the Martial Alliance collapse further, no protective barrier will exist to shield them."

"Yet not all sects regard the Martial Alliance's actions favorably."

"I understand. But they too have no choice."

"Mm!"

"Especially larger sects have much to protect. They will prefer to see the Martial Alliance bleed on their behalf rather than shed blood themselves."

"Amitabha Buddha!"

At Namgung Chang's blunt words, Shaolin's monks closed their eyes and recited sacred verses. No matter their shared thoughts, hearing such unfiltered speech was difficult.

After all, Shaolin had provided support precisely to avoid stepping forward directly.

Gwang-cheon spoke:

"Amitabha Buddha! In cases like Wudang Sect, Kongtong Sect, Qingcheng Sect, or Emei Sect, Military Advisor Namgung's words mean obtaining support won't be difficult. Though distances separate us, they've long shared our intentions. The problem is Mount Hua Sect."

Instantly, Namgung Chang's complexion stiffened completely.

Mount Hua Sect was his achilles heel.

Everyone with even slight knowledge of martial world affairs knew that he had failed to support the badly damaged Mount Hua three years ago due to personal feelings.

Especially, his irredeemable hatred for Mount Hua's Fist Demon Dam Ho was legendary. The damage Dam Ho inflicted on the Namgung Family had been tremendous. It had severely broken the Namgung Family's spirit.

"Amitabha Buddha! Now is a time when we need even one more supreme master. If the Fist Demon were to join us, it would truly be reassuring."

"Indeed. Though he has a brutal personality, he still ranks among martial world's top supreme masters. If we could persuade him to join, it would surely be an enormous help."

"The Demon Cult itself fears this martial artist. Did he not crush the Tang Clan's and Demon Cult's schemes in Sichuan Province? With persuasion, he could become tremendous strength."

Shaolin's monks murmured among themselves. Namgung Chang and the Martial Alliance personnel's expressions visibly stiffened.

Gwang-cheon's gaze turned toward Namgung Chang.

"Military Advisor!"

"Yes, Abbot."

"What do you think of our suggestions?"

"Most reasonable words indeed. I naturally agree."

"You mean we must recruit Mount Hua Sect and the Fist Demon?"

"Yes. I will draw them in by whatever means necessary."

Namgung Chang answered with deliberate composure. But he couldn't help his eye corners trembling.

His fingernails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists so hard.

'Fist Demon!'

That despicable name tormented him even here at Shaolin.

It’s an obvious word game – surely Baek Li-jung wouldn’t recommend himself. If he recommends someone else, they’ll say he’s pushing that person, and if he nominates himself, they’ll curse him saying they expected as much.

Sensing Namgung family’s intentions, Hwangbo family and Zhuge family immediately objected.

“Where are you causing trouble!”

“Hey! These people!”

Wudang Sect also sided with Namgung family.

“No, let’s hear it once. If it’s someone Hero Baek Li recommends, we’ll also seriously consider it. If you can’t speak, then you must have other schemes, right?”

Then Baek Li-jung stood up with a thud, pressing his hand on the table.

“There’s nothing I can’t say.”

“Hero Baek Li!”

Baek Li-jung smiled slightly and said.

“But isn’t it too early to talk about such things? Come to think of it, it’s almost dinner time. Let’s eat first. People shouldn’t live skipping meals.”

To suggest eating in the middle of such an important discussion…!

But this wasn’t the first time. It was already several times. Whenever there were difficult questions, he would slip away using meals as an excuse.

The expressions of Namgung family and Wudang Sect elders crumpled.

Those belonging to Baek Li-jung’s opposition got up angrily.

“Ah, if meals are so important, then you should eat.”

“But let’s see how long you can run away using food as an excuse. We’ll be watching.”

“Next time we’ll have to pack lunch boxes and wait for several days. Then we can at least hear a different answer.”

All the opposition forces left the great hall.

The sect elders on Baek Li-jung’s side clicked their tongues and cursed those who left.

But Baek Li-jung turned his head as if neither side mattered.

“What a nice smell. Is tonight’s dinner pheasant?”

Zhuge family’s elder admired.

“Sword Pavilion Lord’s realm seems to have deepened even further than before. We can’t smell anything at all.”

Baek Li-jung smiled with a face somewhat more gaunt than when the meeting started a couple of hours earlier.

“It’s all about having a full stomach. If you think you can eat anything to survive, there’s nothing you can’t do, right?”

Though the analogy was somewhat strange, the elders nodded with smiles to please Baek Li-jung.

“Well, that’s true.”

“Then we should also eat heartily without skipping meals like the Sword Pavilion Lord to build up our stomach strength. Hehe.”

The corners of Baek Li-jung’s lips, who had been laughing, twisted slightly. Something didn’t please him.

For others it was a late dinner after lunch, but from Baek Li-jung’s perspective, it had been a very long time… he had been starving continuously since Master Woo-am.

* * *

Tang Qing welcomed Mang Ryo like meeting an old friend.

“Come in! Come in!”

“You’ve been well.”

In the secluded room, a feast prepared only for Mang Ryo was ready. There was enough food for twenty people. Thanks to this, the distance between Mang Ryo and Tang Qing was separated by a long table.

“My, I’m impressed.”

Tang Qing clapped his hands while stretching his mouth torn to his ears in a long smile.

“You’re truly a person who does what you say. A righteous person rare to see in times like these.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I never thought you’d actually execute the plan to split Taoist Haewol and Baek Li-jung. And going even further, you turned Taoist Haewol into an enemy?”

Tang Qing laughed delightedly.

“Hehehe! Hehehe! I haven’t felt this exhilarated in a long time! It was truly amazing.”

Tang Qing raised his hand to point at the liquor placed in front of Mang Ryo.

“I’ve prepared Sichuan’s finest liquors – Five Grain Liquid, Crystal Palace, and Sword South Spring Wine all for you, so drink as you please! The food too – five cooks made it solely for you!”

But Mang Ryo didn’t eat or drink anything and just stared at Tang Qing. Tang Qing was puzzled.

“Why?”

Mang Ryo’s eyes were cold.

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes? Is there some problem?”

Mang Ryo said.

“I kept my promise, but didn’t King of Hell keep his promise?”

“Hmm?”

Tang Qing’s eyes narrowed.

“I attacked the Martial Alliance Leader alone to keep my promise and nearly died being branded a public enemy of the martial world. But… King of Hell treated our promise like an old shoe?”

Tang Qing’s small eyes smiled.

“Ah, you mean Poison Dragon?”

“Ah, Poison Dragon?”

Mang Ryo took out the King of Hell plaque from his chest, placed it on the table, then picked up the wine bottle in front of him. Then he threw the wine bottle directly at Tang Qing.

Crash!

Unexpectedly, Tang Qing didn’t block it. The wine bottle hit Tang Qing’s head, broke, and wine poured out.

Mang Ryo said coldly.

“My condition was for the Tang family to take in Poison Dragon. But instead of taking him in, you mobilized the Six Poison Cliques to try to kill him?”

Tang Qing’s head and front were completely soaked with wine.

If someone had been watching, they might have rushed to kill Mang Ryo.

But Tang Qing didn’t get angry and laughed.

“Look here. I told you. This is precious wine.”

Tang Qing stuck out his long tongue and licked the wine on his face. Mang Ryo snorted.

“Hmph. Seeing you leave me alone, the King of Hell Tablet must still be valid.”

“It’s valid. I’m not someone who takes promises lightly once made.”

“Then why did you try to kill Poison Dragon?”

“My promise with you was precisely to bind our Ha-ran with Poison Dragon. With Ha-ran conceiving Poison Dragon’s child, our deal was essentially finished.”

“The Tang family takes in sons-in-law. But if Poison Dragon isn’t accepted and is still wandering outside, that’s not keeping the promise.”

“There was some misunderstanding there.”

Tang Qing’s eyes became serious. But because of his torn mouth, his expression still seemed to be smiling.

“We’re facing a great undertaking we’ve been preparing for over several decades. We fought a great battle with medicine sects and corrupted officials over a long period to ruin water management projects. The time and cost spent developing extreme poisons was also considerable.”

“That’s not my concern.”

“No, this is important. If we’re not just going to bring him in and assign him some Soul Seizing Hall.”

Gasp.

Mang Ryo felt his and Tang Qing’s perspectives were different. Tang Qing was talking about one ‘possibility’ now.

“Though there are many excellent people in our family, there’s no clear successor right now. But bringing in Poison Dragon at this point… that would cause great internal chaos. Instead of the great undertaking, we’d just fight over succession and everything would end. At the very least, would the Six Poison Cliques accept and acknowledge him?”

“Surely not…”

“You see…”

What came from Tang Qing’s mouth next was enough to surprise Mang Ryo.

“I’ve already decided to bring him in. And it’s in progress now. Of course, if he dies, there’s nothing we can do. His luck ends there. But if he survives until after this great undertaking ends and survives the Six Poison Cliques’ pursuit to the end.”

Mang Ryo’s eyes flickered.

“Surely not…”

“He becomes the master of the Six Poison Cliques.”

Mang Ryo got goosebumps.

Tang Qing laughed madly.

“Hehehe! Hehehe! I’m going to make him the master of poison sects!”

Mang Ryo’s shoulders trembled with excitement.

“King of Hell, now I understand. You’re planning to replace even the Six Poison Cliques while you’re at it.”

“When the great undertaking ends and a new world comes, all traces of the old era must disappear! Power is better when concentrated, and things like the Six Cliques are no longer needed. Tang family! Only Tang family will become the sole power of the martial world!”

The Six Poison Cliques were the power that had controlled poison sects until now.

Tang Qing thought even that was unnecessary and planned to integrate it into one.

“So far so good. To the point where I don’t even need to help from behind. Poison Dragon is really doing better than I expected.”

Jin Ja-gang had already subdued Leper Mound and Funeral Parlor among the Six Poison Cliques. If Jin Ja-gang became the head of poison sects, at least those two couldn’t oppose him.

“I’ve never seen such a person in my life. Honestly, if my ideals and his ideals aligned, I could pass my position to him right now. Even if that would be strangling my own neck.”

“Mmm.”

Mang Ryo found himself getting excited without realizing it.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of such things. But there was a difference between him thinking and making various plans for it to happen, and King of Hell Tang Qing, the supreme head of poison sects, already making up his mind.

Of course, King of Hell would drive Jin Ja-gang even more harshly than Mang Ryo.

That was the way of a lion raising a successor.

“But.”

Tang Qing hardened his expression and narrowed his eyes.

“A serious problem has arisen.”

“A serious problem? Is there a problem that the great King of Hell calls serious?”

“There is. The most dangerous ones in the martial world have latched on. More dangerous than even Poison Dragon. Maybe our entire poison sects could be blown away before the great undertaking.”

“I’m curious… what would that be?”

“Shaolin Temple!”

Mang Ryo’s eyebrows shot up.

Tang Qing said.

“The Breaking Sect has awakened. You know what that means, right?”

“My, I heard there was trouble at Shaolin Temple…!”

“The Breaking Sect has suppressed the Embracing Sect and begun coming to the forefront. Soon there will be a huge bloodbath in the martial world. But that’s not the only problem.”

Tang Qing continued with a frowning face.

“Somehow catching the scent, a former Diamond Monk interfered in Funeral Parlor’s business. Zhongnan Sect’s mad dog Benevolent Hero Bulgi and Funeral Parlor’s death god Yeong Hyeon-sa! And even the merciless enforcer Beom-mong all met Poison Dragon on one ship and had a big fight.”

Mang Ryo’s lips tore sideways like Tang Qing’s as he smiled. Tang Qing also smiled with a frowning face.

“Even in the midst of that, Poison Dragon survived again? While all the others died. Hehehe! What a wonderful guy! The more I see him, the more I like him to death.”

Mang Ryo had to make quite an effort not to show his excited feelings outwardly.

“If the Breaking Sect has stepped forward, what happens to the great undertaking?”

“We can’t stop now. The great undertaking proceeds as planned.”

“Is there nothing for me to help with?”

“None. You’re doing very well even now. Cherry Blossom Corps was a very good idea. The more rioters increase, the more the martial world’s attention becomes blurred and the more work Shaolin Temple has. You’re sufficiently fulfilling your role.”

“To think I’m already becoming useless. It’s regrettable.”

“How could that be? You still have work remaining.”

Tang Qing looked at Mang Ryo and said meaningfully.

“Once you start something, you must see it through to the end.”

Mang Ryo understood the meaning of Tang Qing’s words.

Taoist Haewol.

“That’s not my job.”

“It would be best if Baek Li-jung did it. But we can’t let him do it.”

Tang Qing’s eyes became serious.

“If Indestructible Heavenly Sword devours Taoist Haewol and grows bigger, then we can’t catch him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just know this. We must not hand Taoist Haewol over to him.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Qing pointed to the roasted whole piglet placed in front of Mang Ryo.

“Split it open.”

Mang Ryo lifted the piglet with crispy roasted skin and tore it in half. A small lacquered box emerged from inside.

“This is…”

“Three Great Fatal Poisons. What you wanted, right?”

Mang Ryo’s eyes opened wide.

Three Great Fatal Poisons that surpassed the Eight Great Extreme Poisons. Absolute poison that could kill even great immortals.

It had finally come into Mang Ryo’s hands.

“Remember.”

Tang Qing said.

“Summer is not far away now.”