Chapter 399 – The Age of Blood Chaos Begins (3)

Rustling sounds came from the darkness. But the owner of the sounds did not easily reveal themselves.

Someone was definitely inside the thicket. Bang Jin-bo, who was beside Dam Ho, tilted his head for a moment then stepped forward.

"Brother, just a moment."

He went straight toward the thicket.

"It's okay! We won't harm you."

Bang Jin-bo's voice was extremely gentle. He kept looking at the thicket with a smile. He waited with patience.

After a while, the thicket shook and someone revealed themselves. They were boys with shabby appearances who seemed to have suffered greatly.

The one who seemed to be the older brother looked about thirteen or fourteen years old, and the one who seemed to be the younger brother looked just over ten years old.

The boy who seemed to be the older brother was glaring at Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo with wary eyes while hiding his younger brother behind his back.

Bang Jin-bo tilted his head slightly at the hostility contained in their eyes. But seeing their shabby appearance, he thought they might be like this because they had suffered a lot.

"Who are you?"

Even at Bang Jin-bo's question, the brothers kept their mouths tightly shut and didn't answer. The older brother was still wary of Bang Jin-bo and Dam Ho. But the younger brother's eyes were fixed on the food Bang Jin-bo had just made.

Gulp!

The sound of swallowing dry saliva echoed like thunder. Then the younger brother blushed and hid behind his older brother's back.

Bang Jin-bo smiled gently.

"Ah, you must be hungry. There's still food left, would you like to eat some?"

"We're not beggars."

"Yes!"

The older and younger brothers simultaneously gave different answers.

"You?"

The older brother turned his head to glare at his younger brother. Then the younger brother's head shrank. But his gaze was still fixed on the food.

"I'm hungry, brother!"

"You?"

"We've already been starving for two days. I'm really hungry, brother!"

At the younger brother's words, the older brother's eyebrows that had been raised high drooped down.

Growl!

Hungry sounds were also echoing from his stomach.

"It's okay! Since there's food left, I'll share some with you. Come here!"

Bang Jin-bo spoke in a roundabout way so as not to hurt the brothers' pride and led them to the spot. The brothers reluctantly followed him.

Bang Jin-bo served the brothers a bowl each of the remaining food. Then the younger brother ate hurriedly, and the older brother, though still with some suspicious eyes, ate little by little. But that was only for a moment – soon the older brother's eyes opened wide and he began eating hurriedly like his younger brother.

Having starved for so long, the bottom of the bowls was revealed in an instant. Bang Jin-bo scraped the pot clean and gave all the remaining food to the brothers.

Once the greasy food entered their stomachs, even the reason they had barely maintained flew away completely. They no longer minded Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo and focused only on eating.

"You'll get indigestion. Eat slowly."

Bang Jin-bo looked at the brothers with a worried face. But the brothers paid no attention and concentrated only on the food.

Bang Jin-bo shook his head and glanced at Dam Ho. At that moment, Dam Ho was looking at the boys indifferently with his mouth firmly shut.

Dam Ho waited for the boys to finish eating before opening his mouth.

"Namgung Family?"

"……"

Instantly the boys' faces hardened like ice. Their pupils were shaking as if an earthquake had occurred.

The older brother quickly hid his younger brother behind his back and drew the sword he wore at his waist.

"Demon Cult? To think you've tracked us all the way here, truly persistent."

Killing intent bloomed on the older brother's face. But the killing intent of an immature martial artist couldn't frighten even Bang Jin-bo, let alone Dam Ho.

His hands and feet were trembling, and his face was full of fear. He still couldn't shed his greenhorn appearance. Yet his desperate attempt to hide his younger brother behind his back was worthy of high praise.

Bang Jin-bo made a puzzled expression.

"Why the Namgung Family?"

"Disgusting. To make such a disgusting expression after annihilating the main family. You didn't poison the food we ate, did you?"

"The Namgung Family was annihilated?"

"Why pretend not to know when you know everything? After indiscriminately massacring not only those who learned martial arts, but also women and children who hadn't learned martial arts."

Before he knew it, teardrops were welling up in the older brother's eyes. Bang Jin-bo became even more flustered at this.

Having been at Overlord's Stronghold on Mount Huang, he had no idea about the Namgung Family's situation. Since he had thought the Namgung Family could hold out to some extent, his surprise was all the greater.

Dam Ho's eyes sank deeply. He too hadn't known the Namgung Family had already been annihilated.

The older brother threatened Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo with his sword.

"We brothers would rather take our own lives than be humiliated by the Demon Cult."

"We're not from the Demon Cult."

"Don't lie. Do you think we'd believe such lies?"

"It's true though."

Bang Jin-bo made an aggrieved expression.

The older brother's posture holding the sword was somehow clumsy. Though he had clearly learned martial arts, he had the appearance of a young child who hadn't experienced real combat yet.

He could have subdued them easily if he wanted, but Bang Jin-bo didn't do so. He couldn't use martial arts against children who were already scared enough.

He tried to persuade the children through dialogue somehow. But the children were so wary that his words didn't get through.

Then Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"My name is Dam Ho."

"……"

Instantly the air in the area turned cold.

The older brother blinked his eyes. Because he thought he had heard an auditory hallucination.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"I'm the one who killed Namgung Chang at the Martial Alliance."

"Re-really?"

"I also killed Namgung Su and the Sword King Unit with my own hands."

"This enemy!"

"But I'm not from the Demon Cult."

At Dam Ho's answer, the older brother's body trembled violently. Bang Jin-bo clutched his head with his hands at the sight of the two.

'What on earth is brother doing……'

Everything was a mess. He couldn't imagine how to resolve this situation.

"I'll kill you. The Namgung Family collapsed because of you. If only you hadn't existed……"

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone did. They said the family head and main forces all died because of you, greatly weakening the main family's power. That's why we were annihilated by the Demon Cult."

"You're mistaken."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"The Namgung Family was annihilated purely because the Namgung Family was weak."

"Don't lie. The Namgung Family is strong! We're the overlords of Anhui Province. If only our forces hadn't been weakened because of you, we would never have collapsed so futilely."

"There are many hypotheticals. If this hadn't happened, if that had happened…… Such things have no meaning."

"Grr!"

The older brother gritted his teeth.

"So are you aggrieved?"

Dam Ho's indifferent words left great wounds in the brothers' hearts. Tears immediately welled up in their eyes.

"The young family head, the elders, the senior brothers – they're all dead. Everyone's dead. Then who should I resent?"

"Your weak self."

"Grr!"

"Don't act spoiled. Being a martial artist from a martial family means you can face life and death at any time regardless of age."

"Th-that's……"

"If you're weak, you get trampled and collapse, and if you're strong, you enjoy everything. The Namgung Family is no different. All those benefits you enjoyed at the Namgung Family were things the Namgung Family stole by trampling other sects. Yet you alone pretend to be a victim, pretend to be weak."

It was rare for Dam Ho to speak at such length. But his words ruthlessly stabbed the brothers' hearts like daggers.

The older brother was at a loss for words, and the younger brother blinked his large eyes, unable to take his gaze off Dam Ho's face.

Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam Ho with fresh eyes. For Dam Ho's personality, speaking to this extent was considerable consideration.

Finally, the tears that had been welling in the older brother's eyes flowed down.

He hated Dam Ho. He resented him.

Whenever two or more family members gathered, they cursed and reviled Dam Ho. They said the impregnable Namgung Family was shaking because of him.

The older brother thought so too. That's why he disliked and hated Dam Ho. But when he actually heard Dam Ho's story, he felt his worldview being shaken to its roots.

The older brother gritted his teeth. The younger brother grasped his brother's hand tightly and looked up at him.

"Brother?"

"It's okay! It'll be fine. Whatever happens, I'll protect you."

"Yes!"

The younger brother nodded vigorously.

The older brother put more strength in his eyes as he looked at Dam Ho.

"Will you kill me?"

His tone had changed. He seemed somewhat deflated.

"Why do you think I'd kill you?"

"Because the Namgung Family and you are mortal enemies."

"The Namgung Family might think so, but to me, the Namgung Family isn't that significant a place."

"Ugh!"

The older brother's face contorted at Dam Ho's answer. But he couldn't refute it. Because that was actually the case.

The family head had returned after being severely wounded by Dam Ho and died, and numerous forces including the Sword King Unit had been shattered and collapsed.

At least it was certain that the Namgung Family posed no great threat to Dam Ho. Especially now that the Namgung Family had been annihilated by the Demon Cult.

The Demon Cult that had taken over the Namgung Family was truly vicious. They were desperately trying to find and kill every last survivor of the Namgung Family.

Fleeing to this place while avoiding them was practically a miracle. And encountering Dam Ho in the vast Anhui Province was some kind of trick of fate.

His father had been one of the elders of the Namgung Family. He was the pavilion master responsible for the Namgung Family's library pavilion. The library pavilion was where all of the Namgung Family's martial books were collected.

Just before the Namgung Family collapsed, his father had helped him and his younger brother escape and said:

―You must protect Yeong-hwi. No matter what happens. Promise me.

The older brother looked at his younger brother.

His younger brother's name was Namgung Yeong-hwi.

Since childhood, he had been physically weak to the extent that he couldn't learn even a single form of the Namgung Family's martial arts. In contrast, he as the older brother had considerable talent in martial arts and could learn to a certain extent.

But he knew his talent had limits. He was just a little better than others, but wasn't material to take responsibility for the Namgung Family's revival. Knowing this fact made the reality of being chased by the Demon Cult all the more painful and frightening.

'Can I really protect Yeong-hwi to the end? No, I mustn't have weak thoughts. I must protect him. Even if I have to sacrifice my soul.'

He looked at Dam Ho.

A monster-like man sitting with darkness at his back.

Because of that one person, the great Namgung Family of the world had been shaken, and because of that, they were easily conquered by the Demon Cult. From his position, he was no different from an enemy. But now he needed him.

"My name is Namgung Seon-hwi."

"So?"

"Please protect us."

At the older brother Namgung Seon-hwi's words, Dam Ho stared at him intently. Namgung Seon-hwi's face turned as red as if it would burst at any moment.

Dam Ho's gaze was something even martial world supreme masters found difficult to receive head-on. There was no way Namgung Seon-hwi, who was still just a young boy, could meet Dam Ho's gaze.

Just looking at Dam Ho's indifferent eyes made Namgung Seon-hwi feel like his heart would stop and his eyeballs would burst out. Still, Namgung Seon-hwi didn't avoid Dam Ho's gaze.

"Yeong-hwi is the Namgung Family's last hope. He must be protected."

"Why should I?"

"Don't you owe a debt to the Namgung Family?"

"A debt?"

"Yes!"

"Do you really think so?"

"……"

Namgung Seon-hwi bit his lips hard.

He knew it was unreasonable. But at this moment, Dam Ho was the only one he could rely on. So he decided to be even more shameless.

"I think so. You have a debt. If not, then you can abandon us."

Dam Ho didn't answer. His gaze turned to Namgung Yeong-hwi hiding behind Namgung Seon-hwi's back.

It was still a frightened face. On one hand, there was also unhideable curiosity toward Dam Ho.

It was when Dam Ho had been looking at Namgung Yeong-hwi's eyes for a long time.

"This way."

"Their tracks lead here."

"I see a light over there."

Suddenly noisy voices came from the direction the brothers had appeared from.

Namgung Seon-hwi's complexion changed completely.

"It's the Demon Cult. They've tracked us here. We must flee quickly."

More than ten Demon Cult martial artists had been mobilized to track the brothers. Considering the brothers' martial arts level, it was excessive force. The Demon Cult was that determined to completely eliminate even the last seeds of the Namgung Family.

At that moment, Dam Ho stood up.

His gaze was still fixed on Namgung Yeong-hwi.

"You."

"Yes?"

"You resemble my master."

"I do?"

Namgung Yeong-hwi's eyes widened.

Dam Ho moved his steps toward the darkness from which voices could be heard. Namgung Yeong-hwi stared blankly at Dam Ho's retreating figure.

Dam Ho's eyes were rippling in the darkness.

Namgung Yeong-hwi had the makings of a scholar-warrior. His eyes that resembled Taoist Hyeon-so proved that fact.

He could well imagine what was contained in that small head.

Clatter clatter!

Seeing the firelight, the Demon Cult masters were rushing over.

Like moths rushing into fiercely burning flames. And Dam Ho became the massive blaze that would consume them.

BOOM!

Crack!

At the sound of the great hall door being torn open, the warriors guarding outside the great hall all tensed up simultaneously.

Someone’s coming out!

The martial artists immediately took out horn flutes and blew them.

Hoooot! Hoooot!

Everyone had their full attention focused on the great hall. The moment the horn sounds rang out, the entire inner courtyard stirred.

In an instant, people rushed to gather in front of the great hall.

Not only the three Poison Sect Cliques but all the leaders of Tang family organizations assembled instantly.

Tension appeared on everyone’s faces.

It wasn’t that they didn’t know who would come out, but they didn’t know what would come out.

Moreover, on one side, nearly a hundred scholars in academic robes had also come. Wearing caps and holding abacuses, they all stared at the broken great hall door with fierce eyes, creating an atmosphere quite different from the others.

These were Tang Qing’s direct subordinates who had previously fought with Jin Ja-gang.

Tang Gwi-ok also arrived soon. Soul Seizing Hall Master Tang Sang-yul accompanied Tang Gwi-ok.

Tang Sang-yul’s eyes were cold as he looked at the scholars in academic robes.

“Hmph.”

Tang Sang-yul raised his hand.

Countless warriors climbed onto the walls surrounding the great hall. They held nets, spears, and bows.

The eyes of the three Poison Sect Clique leaders Tap Tak-yeon, Ro-gwan, and Yuk Ha-seon glanced at their surroundings and the walls. There were no Tang family members around them. Despite the space not being very wide, they were kept far away. If things went wrong, those nets and spears would pour down on them.

The nets and spears might aim elsewhere too. The warriors on the walls were also looking toward the scholars in academic robes who stood isolated on one side like themselves.

As if wanting to be heard, Tap Tak-yeon spoke somewhat loudly.

“The Tang family’s situation is quite complex.”

Several Tang family members showed displeased expressions, but the scholars in academic robes paid no attention. They only stared at the great hall’s sealed door.

Amid the strange tension, the great hall door that had been quiet briefly began being torn open again.

Rip! Crack!

The planks were being torn.

Strangely, though it was clearly a violent scene, it didn’t feel violent. It looked as natural as drawing back curtains.

Everyone held their breath.

Tension reached its peak.

Depending on what came out, a massacre could occur in front of the great hall.

The target would change depending on whether Tang Qing or Jin Ja-gang emerged.

Or something that had lost reason might come out and slaughter without distinguishing friend from foe.

Come out!

Everyone waited with the same mindset, prepared to act.

Not even the sound of crickets could be heard.

And then.

A pale human figure walked out through the broken great hall door.

“Ah!”

It was unclear who screamed first. But even if it hadn’t been them, someone else would have made the same cry.

Jin Ja-gang…

Had appeared.

Jin Ja-gang wore not a single thread. The only thing remaining was the Soul Seizing Thread ring on his wrist. But he showed no shame or shrinking.

Rather, he stood confidently and surveyed the people waiting outside the great hall.

None of the wounds he had suffered before being trapped in the great hall remained.

His entire skin was pale like a sickly patient but transparent and clean. There wasn’t a single scar.

His bone structure had also changed. It was subtle, but some masters could tell.

Anyone could see his nearly perfect skeletal structure was harmoniously matched with his muscles and bones.

Whatever had happened, they could tell without being told.

Inside the great hall, Jin Ja-gang had undergone bone and marrow transformation!

Most of all, the evidence was that all his hair had fallen out and already grown back about two inches.

Even before bone and marrow transformation, Jin Ja-gang was someone who had defeated Yeong Hyeon-sa, Piercing Ghost, and Benevolent Hero Bulgi among the Poison Sect’s six cliques, as well as Demon Exterminating Monk Mu-gak.

If such a Jin Ja-gang had undergone bone and marrow transformation, how much stronger had he become!

Gulp.

The martial artists swallowed dry saliva.

In life, there’s rarely a chance to see someone appear stronger after undergoing bone and marrow transformation before one’s eyes. Everyone looked at Jin Ja-gang with awe.

But the scholars in academic robes made a sudden move.

Step, they began approaching Jin Ja-gang, taking steps forward. It could never be called goodwill. These were people raised solely for King of Hell Tang Qing. Their intention in going toward Jin Ja-gang was clear.

One of Tang Sang-yul’s eyebrows rose. Tang Sang-yul muttered as if grinding his teeth.

“These bastards…”

Acting without the family head’s orders was hard to tolerate. It might be different if King of Hell Tang Qing were present!

But Tang Gwi-ok restrained Tang Sang-yul.

“Leave them be.”

It was an order that seemed to somewhat anticipate what would happen next. Tang Sang-yul immediately bowed his head and withdrew without objection.

The scholars in academic robes surrounded Jin Ja-gang in a semicircle with about ten steps distance.

Their eyes glaring at Jin Ja-gang were ominous. The scholars bared their teeth and rapidly raised their internal energy.

All the scholars’ robes greatly inflated.

Whooom!

Hot air swirled.

Veins bulged on the scholars’ foreheads. Facing Jin Ja-gang, they felt tremendous pressure. On top of that, the momentum Jin Ja-gang emitted heavily pressed down on their shoulders.

The scholars had already fought Jin Ja-gang once before. They were familiar with Jin Ja-gang’s abilities. Nevertheless, they couldn’t dare meet the eyes of Jin Ja-gang who looked down with an indifferent expression. Jin Ja-gang’s gaze held an aura that was difficult to approach.

Jin Ja-gang had undergone bone and marrow transformation both physically and mentally.

By bringing down King of Hell Tang Qing, he had opened the eyes of a ruler, not just a martial artist.

The dignity of a ruler was overlaid on top of the killing intent he possessed as an asura.

Now the aura Jin Ja-gang emitted was not simple killing intent but supreme intimidation.

Jin Ja-gang looked at them quietly, then reached back.

Swish.

Soul Seizing Thread moved. Tang Qing was dragged and grasped in Jin Ja-gang’s hand.

Jin Ja-gang grabbed Tang Qing’s nape and threw him forward.

Tang Qing was not dead but in a very weakened state, sprawled like luggage before the scholars.

Anger appeared on the scholars’ faces.

Jin Ja-gang’s mouth opened.

“Kneel.”

Just one word.

At just that one word, the scholars nearly had their legs give out.

The scholars endured with all their might.

The intimidation emanating from Jin Ja-gang became even heavier.

Tick tick tick! Tick tick tick tick!

The abacus beads rattled and shook wildly.

The scholars were startled. That wasn’t an action they had done voluntarily.

Tremble tremble tremble.

Their own hands were shaking. Despite decades of training to obey only Tang Qing!

The scholars bit their molars. To counter Jin Ja-gang’s momentum, they raised even thicker killing intent.

Sensing the murderous intent, anger slowly appeared in Jin Ja-gang’s brow.

Jin Ja-gang spoke once more.

Kneel.

The single word, not loud, rang in the scholars’ ears like thunder from clear skies. Several with insufficient internal energy swayed.

Tang Qing, who was no different from the scholars’ leader, had been defeated by Jin Ja-gang. So the time had come for the scholars too to choose submission to the new ruler Jin Ja-gang.

Thud.

Thirty percent finally couldn’t endure and knelt down.

But seventy percent still remained.

“Yahhh!”

One with strong will initiated action. Holding an iron abacus upside down, he leaped toward Jin Ja-gang.

There was one target to attack and dozens of attackers. The most optimal method was to leap up and attack from all directions. That way at least thirty or forty people could act simultaneously. Even if counterattacked, falling corpses could dull the enemy’s movements.

The rest rushed at Jin Ja-gang stepping on the stairs. The front rows crouched low, the back rows ran upright.

Seventy shadows covered Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang grasped Soul Seizing Thread with his left palm and swept it. His palm was cut and blood formed. After one or two drops of blood came out, clear liquid the color of red jade flowed out, and around it, greenish turbid liquid wrapped in thin string form.

Asura Blood infused with internal energy flowed quickly along Soul Seizing Thread’s string.

Jin Ja-gang grasped the rings of Dark Thread and White Thread and threw them into the air.

Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art, Seven Light Emperor’s extreme.

Seven dikes built up inside Jin Ja-gang held full internal energy and swirled.

Dark Thread and White Thread rampaged in the air as if alive. Like whips, like waves, cutting and slashing everything, embroidering without obstruction.

Not only were limbs severed, but Soul Seizing Thread cut marks across the scholars’ faces and bodies.

Soul Seizing Thread’s momentum was so fierce that the scholars who had leaped into the air were almost suspended in midair.

Red extinction flowers bloomed all over the scholars’ bodies.

Then bubble! Foam began boiling from wounds marked by Soul Seizing Thread.

Wounds that were merely thin lines began festering and opening in an instant. Blood foam bubbled and boiled from the opened wounds. Once started, the blood foam flowed down without stopping.

As wounds melted, the opened areas widened more and more. Internal organs spilled out.

This happened even from mere scratches and cuts, not to mention severed limbs. The severed areas boiled entirely and tremendous blood foam poured out.

The worst poison was born as King of Hell’s Soul Extinction was added to the existing Asura Blood.

A·su·ra·World·De·stroy·ing·Soul

Aaahhh!

Aaargh!

Soundless screams echoed.

Jin Ja-gang swept his arm wide to retrieve Soul Seizing Thread. Only then did the scholars suspended in midair begin falling.

Thud thud thud thud!

Already half of them had become blood foam and could no longer be considered human forms.

In an instant, Jin Ja-gang’s front was filled with boiling blood and flesh.

However, the scholars who had knelt beforehand were unharmed.

They were the only ones to survive the slaughter.

The kneeling scholars trembled.

Jin Ja-gang stepped on the blood foam and came down the stairs, passing by the kneeling scholars.

No one could block Jin Ja-gang’s way, nor could they move easily.

The first to move was… none other than Yeong-gwi.

Yeong-gwi blocked Jin Ja-gang’s path and gritted her teeth.

Yeong-gwi had a desperate expression.

If not now… if not now!

Yeong-gwi rushed forward regardless and stabbed a dagger into Jin Ja-gang’s belly.

Stab!

Yeong-gwi didn’t relax her strength and pushed the dagger harder. The dagger was driven in up to the handle.

Ah!

The onlookers were surprised and opened their eyes wide.

But Jin Ja-gang only frowned slightly and said nothing.

Jin Ja-gang grasped Yeong-gwi’s hands with both hands. Yeong-gwi’s hands, eyebrows, and lips were trembling.

Jin Ja-gang held Yeong-gwi’s hands and pulled out the dagger. Blood spurted out. But Asura Blood didn’t flow out. He had no intention of killing Yeong-gwi.

Jin Ja-gang held Yeong-gwi’s hand gripping the dagger and stabbed it into his own chest. Though it was Yeong-gwi who had just tried to kill Jin Ja-gang, she was the one surprised and tried to let go. Jin Ja-gang didn’t let her hands go.

Thunk!

The dagger embedded deeply in his right chest.

Yeong-gwi bit her lips and shook her head.

Only then did Jin Ja-gang let go of Yeong-gwi’s hands. Yeong-gwi collapsed on the spot.

What Yeong-gwi wanted was three acts of revenge.

But one still remained. No, Jin Ja-gang had deliberately left one.

Tears flowed from Yeong-gwi’s face as she sat collapsed looking at Jin Ja-gang.

Once the tears started pouring, they couldn’t easily stop. Her legs lost strength.

But Yeong-gwi forced herself to stand.

With trembling hands, she removed the long robe she was wearing and draped it over Jin Ja-gang.

Then she stepped aside, knelt on one knee, and bowed her head.

Jin Ja-gang turned his head to look at the Poison Sect warriors blocking his path.

The Poison Sect warriors hesitated then moved aside and knelt.

Jin Ja-gang looked briefly at the three Poison Sect Cliques and Tang Gwi-ok, then moved forward.

All doors on the path Jin Ja-gang took opened wide.