Chapter 76: Those Destined to Meet Will Always Meet Again (1)

Hainan Island was a massive island located at the southernmost point of the Central Plains. It was so vast that hundreds of thousands of people lived within it, with their own distinct culture and order.

The Hainan Sect was the paramount force that reigned supreme over such an island. Though they were too remote from the Central Plains to be counted among the Nine Great Sects, the Hainan Sect's martial power was in no way inferior.

The Hainan Sect rarely sent members beyond the island. But on the rare occasions when one or two martial artists were dispatched, upheaval invariably followed in the Central Plains.

Hae So-wol was the only martial artist the Hainan Sect had sent forth in the current generation. She was that powerful.

When she first entered the world, several martial artists approached her—lured by her dazzling beauty into harboring impure desires. Not one of them returned alive.

For reasons unknown, Hae So-wol had continued northward, battling many martial artists along the way. She won every encounter. As a result, she earned the epithet "Flower Beneath the Sea" and was counted among the Nine Dragons.

Her dazzling beauty, the terrifying martial prowess that placed her among the Nine Dragons, and the formidable backing of the Hainan Sect—all combined to make Hae So-wol the most sought-after bride among the young martial artists of the Central Plains.

Countless young men courted her. But none won her heart.

Hae So-wol was as aloof as her epithet. And cold. Which made her all the more desirable.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon was equally captivated by Hae So-wol's singular allure.

When he heard the rumor that Hae So-wol would be entering Eakyang, he had specifically sent an invitation for precisely this reason.

Having now seen her in person, her beauty surpassed even his wildest expectations. Her plain attire was no impediment whatsoever. She was far more beautiful than any woman clad in the finest silks.

Hae So-wol regarded Sa-ma Gong-cheon with a cool gaze.

From his flustered expression alone, she could gauge his level. Still, as the Young Sect Leader of the Yueyang Sword Gate—one of Hunan's Five Great Sects—she had held some expectation. But his level fell far short of what she had anticipated.

However, she could not dismiss him indefinitely, so Hae So-wol offered a fist salute.

"Pleased to meet you, Young Master Sa-ma. I am Hae So-wol of the Hainan Sect."

"A pleasure, Lady Hae. You are even more beautiful than I had heard."

"Thank you."

"It is an honor to receive you. I have reserved the third floor—shall we go up?"

Hae So-wol nodded.

As she was about to follow Sa-ma Gong-cheon upstairs, her eye caught something.

Everyone in the restaurant was gazing at her in a daze. But there was one exception.

A man eating in silence, his disheveled hair hanging loose—it was Dam Ho.

He paid no heed to Hae So-wol's arrival, quietly consuming the food on his table. It was not that he was pretending not to notice—he truly did not care.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon turned around.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Hae So-wol answered calmly. But Sa-ma Gong-cheon had not missed where her gaze had been moments before.

His eyes narrowed sharply for an instant. But he quickly smiled as though nothing had happened.

"Haha! Let us go up. The food will get cold."

Sa-ma Gong-cheon urged her onward.

Hae So-wol gave Dam Ho no further thought and ascended the stairs.

The world was full of people, and among them there would be some who were not swayed by beauty. She simply assumed Dam Ho was one of them.

The third floor that she ascended to, following Sa-ma Gong-cheon, was entirely empty. They had indeed rented the entire floor, just as he said.

All the other tables had been cleared away, with a single large table positioned in the center.

"Haha! Please, have a seat, Lady Hae."

Hae So-wol nodded and took her seat. The attendants who had been waiting nearby quickly began bringing out dishes.

"I wasn't sure what you preferred, so I ordered everything on the menu. Please select whatever suits your taste."

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"Haha! It is a privilege to host you, Lady Hae. Naturally, I must attend to such details. Please eat—food tastes best when it's still warm."

Sa-ma Gong-cheon picked up his chopsticks first and began to eat.

The West Wind Inn's cuisine was quite excellent. Above all, the view of Dongting Lake from the inn was magnificent.

As the sun set, the boats on Dongting Lake lit their lanterns one by one. It was as though the stars of the night sky had all descended upon the lake.

The enchanting night view and the delicious food—it was an atmosphere in which any woman would find her heart stolen.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon suddenly raised his head and looked at Hae So-wol. She was gazing silently at Dongting Lake. Reflected in the lantern light, she was particularly beautiful.

'Truly beautiful. If I could make her my woman, I would have no regrets.'

As the Young Sect Leader of the Yueyang Sword Gate, Sa-ma Gong-cheon already enjoyed every luxury. What he lacked was a flower to brighten his side.

Hae So-wol was precisely the flower he had so desperately wanted.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon gestured. Jin Yang-su, who had been standing nearby, approached and handed him the wooden box.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon took the box from Jin Yang-su and offered it to Hae So-wol.

"Please accept this, Lady Hae."

"What is this?"

"A modest token of my sincerity."

"Sincerity?"

Hae So-wol frowned slightly. But Sa-ma Gong-cheon, failing to notice her reaction, opened the box.

Inside lay a sword. An ornately decorated scabbard, a hilt studded with red jewels, and golden tassels—every detail was exquisitely crafted.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon smiled with confidence.

"This is a masterwork forged by Gong-ya-ja, the finest craftsman in all of Hunan. When I heard you would be coming, I had it commissioned in advance. Gong-ya-ja crafted it with particular care, so I'm sure it will meet your approval."

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"As I said, it is a token of my sincerity. Hahaha!"

"Young Master Sa-ma."

"Please, speak."

"I did not come here today to receive such gifts. I came only out of respect for the Yueyang Sword Gate's dignity."

Hae So-wol's voice was cold. Sa-ma Gong-cheon's expression stiffened.

"Lady Hae."

"I have no need for such an ornate sword. This sword, worn by my own hands, is enough."

"But…"

"I consider this sufficient discharge of courtesy."

Hae So-wol rose from her seat.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon was overwhelmed by the frosty aura she exuded.

Though the Young Sect Leader of the Yueyang Sword Gate had trained diligently in martial arts since youth, he could not compare to Hae So-wol.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness. But I would ask that you not trouble me further. Then…"

Hae So-wol bowed to Sa-ma Gong-cheon and descended the stairs.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon stood dazed, watching her descend. He only came to his senses after she had completely vanished.

"You damned…"

He looked at the seat where she had sat. The food placed before her was completely untouched. She had not so much as lifted a finger to it.

Her intentions were perfectly clear.

She wanted no entanglement of any kind. She did not even wish to share the same table.

Sa-ma Gong-cheon's shoulders trembled with humiliation.

"Wow!"

Crash!

Sa-ma Gong-cheon flipped the table.

Food flew in all directions, and dishes shattered.

"Calm yourself, Young Sect Leader."

Jin Yang-su tried to restrain him, but Sa-ma Gong-cheon's rampage continued for some time.

The commotion from above was audible, but Hae So-wol paid it no heed.

Having descended to the second floor, she surveyed her surroundings. But most of the diners had already departed, and the floor was quiet.

Through the second floor window, Dongting Lake's beauty was visible. The night view that had enchanted so many poets and scholars stirred even Hae So-wol's heart.

She called to the waiter who was clearing a nearby table.

"Are there any vacant rooms here?"

"Pardon?"

The waiter's eyes went wide.

She was the distinguished guest whom the Young Sect Leader of the Yueyang Sword Gate had gone to great lengths to invite. That she would choose to stay at the West Wind Inn was bewildering.

But the waiter did not forget his duty.

"Shall I arrange a private cottage for your comfort?"

"No. Just a regular guest room."

"But for a guest of your stature, how could we offer such…"

"As long as it has a good view of Dongting Lake, it doesn't matter. Do you have one?"

"Yes, we do."

"Then give me that room."

"Very well."

In the end, the waiter led Hae So-wol to a regular guest room with a fine view of Dongting Lake.

"This is the cleanest of the regular rooms."

"Thank you."

Hae So-wol nodded.

True to the waiter's word, the room was quite clean. Above all, what pleased her was the unobstructed view of Dongting Lake.

The night sea of Hainan was beautiful too, but not as dazzling as this. The shimmering lights reflected upon the water stirred her emotions.

"I'll stay here for a time."

"Understood. I will inform the owner. If there is anything you need, please call at any time."

"I will."

The waiter bowed and left the room.

Alone, Hae So-wol sank onto the bed.

She was exhausted.

Though she had not trained in martial arts nor fought anyone, her entire body felt drained.

Such unproductive meetings were terribly fatiguing. If she had not intended to stay in Eakyang for a while, she would never have agreed to meet Sa-ma Gong-cheon.

"Why did Master send me to such a place?"

Hae So-wol briefly resented the master who had sent her here.

Her journey through the martial world, which she had not wanted, was entirely at the command of her master, Neung Cheon-wol.

She had wished to continue refining her sword on Hainan Island, but Neung Cheon-wol had insisted that to reach higher realms, one must know people—and sent her here.

"Sigh! I have to stay here until the gathering, don't I?"

Hae So-wol sighed softly and rose from the bed.

Though mentally exhausted, this was her first day here. She could not remain cooped up in her room.

She took her beloved sword, Byeok-sang, and went outside.

The cool breeze from the lake gently swept through her three-coiled hair.

Hae So-wol wandered aimlessly along the shore of Dongting Lake. Though the night was deepening, countless people still strolled along the lakeside, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, an expression of surprise crossed her face.

Among the many people passing by Dongting Lake, she had spotted familiar faces. But she could not clearly recall where she had seen them.

After searching her memory for some time, she finally remembered.

"The West Wind Inn."

The man who had been eating without so much as glancing in her direction wore the same attire as this person.

Dam Ho, wearing his distinctive leather robe, stood gazing at Dongting Lake. Beside him was Bang Jin-bo.

Pressed by Bang Jin-bo's insistence, Dam Ho had left the inn and was walking along the lakeshore.

Bang Jin-bo kept exclaiming in wonder at the beautiful night scenery of Dongting Lake.

Suddenly, Dam Ho turned his head. He had sensed a stranger's gaze.

Hae So-wol and Dam Ho's eyes met in midair.

The moment she looked into Dam Ho's eyes, Hae So-wol's pupils dilated uncontrollably.

Within those pitch-black eyes lay nothing but profound darkness—not a single trace of emotion could be found.

Eyes such as Dam Ho's were something Hae So-wol had never seen before.

She felt her palms growing damp.

Her neck muscles stiffened, and cold sweat trickled down her spine. Her body reacted before her mind could.

'Just who is this man…'

Only moments before, Hae So-wol had thought the Central Plains lacked talent. But the instant she saw Dam Ho, she realized how arrogant that thought had been.

"Excuse me…"

Just as she was about to speak to Dam Ho—

Splash!

Suddenly, more than a dozen black figures surged from the water. But that was not all. A merchant and an old woman who had been passing by drew swords and attacked her.

'Ambush?'

The village of Shadow Bureau was silent, devoid of any living souls.

Jin Ja-gang wandered through the houses, gathering clothes, money, and anything else of value he could find.

Most of the houses were ordinary farmhouses. Despite being the Shadow Bureau, there was nothing particularly unusual about their structure. Looking inside the houses revealed nothing special. The household items and furniture were just like those used in any typical farmhouse.

Had Jin Ja-gang not been told this was the Shadow Bureau’s headquarters, he would have thought it was just an ordinary village.

But that in itself seemed strange to him.

Wasn’t the base of professional killers too ordinary? Logically, there should be weapons, hidden weapons, poisons, and other items related to killing.

Rather, the Shadow Bureau warriors who had gathered at the village hall earlier had been carrying weapons on their bodies.

‘They probably don’t carry them on their bodies every day… Perhaps there’s a common armory somewhere?’

Jin Ja-gang searched several suspicious locations but couldn’t find anything easily.

‘If I were a member of the Shadow Bureau…’

Jin Ja-gang went to the center of the village and looked around.

At some distance from the village hall, he spotted a particularly noticeable house. It was a small two-room thatched hut situated on the mountainside, positioned with an excellent view overlooking the entire village.

Jin Ja-gang climbed up to that house.

From the outside, it appeared to be just another modest farmhouse. However, unlike the other houses, the room contained antique tables and hanging scrolls.

‘The sect leader’s quarters?’

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes narrowed.

‘This is it!’

There was a subtle scent in the air.

The distinctive odor of poison.

Indeed, he could see a door leading to another room inside.

A thick padlock secured the door.

Jin Ja-gang briefly considered what to do with the padlock before going out to the yard. On one side, there was an axe used for chopping firewood.

After striking the padlock several times with the axe, it broke, and the door opened.

There was no one left to complain about the noise anyway.

Creeeeak.

When he opened the door, he saw stairs leading underground. Descending the stairs, he found the interior surprisingly bright and spacious. Shelves lined both walls, and materials like dried snakes and poisonous herbs hung from them.

‘As expected!’

This was the Shadow Bureau’s hidden storage.

Jin Ja-gang searched through the storage. If he was lucky, he might find items more useful than clothes or money.

As he had thought, on one shelf, the hidden weapons used by the Shadow Bureau were displayed by type.

The first thing that caught his eye was needles.

Needles were thin and barely visible, making them ideal for throwing or hiding along travel routes. When coated with poison, even a slight prick could cause poisoning, making them highly effective hidden weapons.

The shelf contained bundles of needles of various lengths and thicknesses, organized by type. Jin Ja-gang selected several bundles that fit his hand.

Next to them were small vials.

The vials were small, about the length of two finger joints, and contained concentrated poison. Just opening one and taking a small taste made his tongue tingle and his head spin.

“Snake venom mixed with other poisons.”

After analyzing the poison, Jin Ja-gang read the characters written on the outside of the vial.

“Snake Dizzying Water.”

Snake Dizzying Water was the signature poison that had established the current Shadow Bureau.

About twenty vials of it sat on the shelf. It would be a waste to leave them behind, but carrying all of them would be bulky.

Jin Ja-gang briefly considered how to take them, then realized there was no need to worry.

He could simply drink all the Snake Dizzying Water from the twenty vials. He already knew how to accumulate poison in his body.

After drinking all the Snake Dizzying Water, his stomach felt heavy, and his senses dulled.

“Hmm.”

His body stiffened, and heat rose to his head. The poison was taking effect as the Snake Dizzying Water was digested or absorbed into his body.

Jin Ja-gang closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. He needed to send the precious poison energy to his dantian before wasting any of it.

He allowed the liquid part of the poison to be absorbed in his stomach while directing only the poison energy to his dantian. The poison energy flowed through the short meridian connecting his stomach to his dantian.

Remarkably, this meridian was blocked in ordinary martial artists.

The Embryonic Meridian.

Originally, people are born with certain meridians open, but as they grow, some naturally close.

The Embryonic Meridian is one such meridian. It connects the stomach and the lower dantian during the fetal stage, necessary for absorbing nutrients from the mother through the umbilical cord.

Therefore, the Embryonic Meridian gradually closes during breastfeeding and completely shuts when teeth emerge and solid food is introduced.

Jin Ja-gang’s Embryonic Meridian had also been closed originally.

However, when he drank the Kunlun Sulfur Jade Poison at Sulfur Pool, his stomach couldn’t handle the immense energy, causing the blocked Embryonic Meridian to dissolve, opening a path to his dantian.

Thanks to this, Jin Ja-gang could easily accumulate poison energy in his dantian using the Embryonic Meridian.

Concentrating his mind and guiding the poison energy, the Snake Dizzying Water’s energy slowly moved to his dantian, settling beside the remaining Kunlun Sulfur Jade Poison energy.

It wasn’t a single solid mass but rather several thin strands tangled together like skeins. Several millet-sized bundles stacked together formed a bean-sized mass.

Ordinary martial artists circulate their internal energy through their body multiple times to purify it before storing it in their dantian. It’s like putting various metals in a furnace-after refining, only pure metal remains.

However, for someone like Jin Ja-gang whose meridians were blocked and couldn’t undergo the circulation process, external energy couldn’t be integrated and remained as a foreign substance in his body.

The fact that the energy wasn’t a smooth, unified mass but rather broken strands was evidence that it hadn’t gone through proper cultivation.

Yet, this had advantages for Jin Ja-gang. Each strand represented the minimum unit he could draw upon. He could pull out one strand at a time as needed.

These long, thin strands forming a single skein were called “light layers.”

Drinking one vial of Snake Dizzying Water, potent enough to kill forty or fifty adults, created four light layers.

One light layer could kill about ten people.

However, not all twenty vials were converted into light layers. Jin Ja-gang’s dantian was still too small to accommodate all of it.

Jin Ja-gang quietly counted the light layers created by the Snake Dizzying Water.

‘Sixty light layers.’

The bean-sized mass of poison energy in Jin Ja-gang’s dantian contained only sixty light layers. The rest of the Snake Dizzying Water’s energy had been expelled or digested.

Still, he had acquired poison capable of killing six hundred people.

“Phew.”

After accumulating the Snake Dizzying Water’s energy, Jin Ja-gang took a deep breath to complete the process.

“If I had known this, I should have been more sparing with the poison I obtained at Sulfur Pool.”

Kunlun Sulfur Jade Poison was the most powerful poison Jin Ja-gang had ever experienced. However, at that time, he had used it recklessly to survive. He had even scattered it everywhere to kill the pursuit team from the Extreme Poison Sect.

The amount he used then could have killed a thousand people. At that time, he lacked knowledge and didn’t understand the concept of light layers.

But thanks to that, the Extreme Poison Sect and their pursuit team were thrown into chaos. They died, but Jin Ja-gang survived and was here now. No matter how precious the Kunlun Sulfur Jade Poison was, it wasn’t more precious than Jin Ja-gang’s life.

“Still, I should be more careful not to waste it excessively.”

Fortunately, with his dantian now filled with Snake Dizzying Water, he wouldn’t need to chew morning glory seeds again for a while. His jaw still ached from chewing those hard seeds so much.

Jin Ja-gang continued exploring the storage.

There was also poison powder. Small bamboo tubes containing poison powder were placed alongside antidotes.

He tasted the powder with his fingertip. It was sweet. It instantly dissolved in his saliva and went down his throat.

“Ugh!”

Even though he had just tasted a small amount, after a while, he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his stomach.

“This is quite a potent poison too.”

Jin Ja-gang picked up the bamboo tube containing the powder and checked it.

“Abundant Sediment.”

The name meant “leisurely sediment.” Due to Jin Ja-gang’s physical characteristics, the effect came quickly, but in reality, it was a special poison with a very delayed effect.

It seemed better to keep this one in powder form rather than consuming it. Powdered poisons like this could be useful in many situations.

Jin Ja-gang took about ten bamboo tubes of Abundant Sediment along with the antidotes.

He then looked around more and picked up several other useful poisons. There were quite a few special poisons that could be used in various situations rather than for their lethality, such as those that induced diarrhea or vomiting.

“This should be enough poison.”

He also examined other hidden weapons besides needles, but many were unfamiliar and would be difficult for him to use.

Jin Ja-gang carefully concealed everything he had gathered on his body. He rolled up his outer garment and wrapped leather straps around both forearms. He inserted needles into them so he could draw them out whenever needed.

He also wrapped a belt around his waist and pushed the Abundant Sediment inside the belt. It was completely invisible from the outside.

He swung his arms and legs to test for any discomfort and found none. He had never been particularly attached to equipment before, but it felt quite reassuring.

There were other minor medicines for external and internal injuries, but they didn’t interest Jin Ja-gang. With his good recovery ability, he didn’t need to carry such things.

“Well then.”

After gathering everything he needed, Jin Ja-gang left the basement and set fire to the house.

All the poisons and weapons still remaining in the storage were dangerous items. There was no need for such things to be out in the world.

The fire quickly blazed up.

Looking back, he could see the village hall was already burning fiercely. The fire was spreading to nearby areas as well.

The acrid smell of burning houses and bodies filled the air.

Jin Ja-gang gazed at the flames for a moment before preparing to leave the village.

His work here was done.

But just as he was about to take a step-

“…!”

The hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end.

‘What is this?’

An indescribably strange feeling came over him.

‘Killing intent? Or a warning?’

It was killing intent, but somehow different.

‘Someone is watching me!’

Though not certain, that was the feeling he had.

But Jin Ja-gang didn’t turn his head to check. He continued walking as if nothing was wrong.

Limp, limp.

Walking slowly, he headed toward a tree where he could hide without being noticed.

As soon as he got behind the tree, he concealed himself.

His heart was racing wildly.

Jin Ja-gang remained hidden, all his senses on high alert.

But there was no further sensation.

Still, Jin Ja-gang didn’t move. He remained hidden quietly for almost two hours.

Yet even after that, there was no unusual feeling.

‘Did I imagine it?’

There were no living people left in the Shadow Bureau. He had checked everyone. He had verified and killed them all.

So why had he felt that strange sensation?

An eerie uneasiness rose within him.

This was definitely not a good sign.

If he was mistaken, there was a problem with Jin Ja-gang’s senses, and if it was real, it was likely someone of unimaginable skill.

Jin Ja-gang’s patience was several times stronger than that of ordinary people. If no one stopped him, he could endure in his current state for more than a day.

But he couldn’t stay hidden forever. The fire that had started in the village hall continued to spread.

Several houses were already burning, so the fire would be visible from nearby villages. Soon, people would gather. If he remained here, he would inevitably be discovered.

Nevertheless, Jin Ja-gang didn’t move. He suppressed the urge to get up and leave.

Hoping that his current feeling was mistaken.

* * *

Mang Ryo stuck out his tongue.

He had been circling near the Shadow Bureau for days, waiting for Jin Ja-gang to act.

Then, seeing smoke suddenly rising, he rushed over to find that the Shadow Bureau had already been annihilated, and Jin Ja-gang was leisurely preparing to leave!

How had Jin Ja-gang managed to massacre the entire Shadow Bureau in such a short time?

He couldn’t help but be amazed.

In fact, Guai Song was probably among the most skilled masters Jin Ja-gang had ever faced.

Yet he had even killed Guai Song…

Mang Ryo was surprised, but also excited.

He was so pleased that he was almost giddy. Jin Ja-gang had grown far beyond what Mang Ryo had expected.

Thinking about tearing apart such a well-grown Jin Ja-gang, anticipating that moment, filled him with such pleasure that he momentarily, unconsciously emitted killing intent.

But Jin Ja-gang had noticed that brief moment of killing intent and had hidden himself.

He had detected that small mistake!

That was already an hour ago.

Yet Jin Ja-gang still hadn’t moved from his hiding spot.

‘You’re still as stubborn as ever, aren’t you!’