Chapter 121: The Threads of Fate Are Tangled in Ways Beyond Prediction (3)

The first thing Dam Ho did upon waking that morning was seek out the stable where the Dark Stallion was kept.

The Dark Stallion whinnied in greeting. Dam Ho lightly slapped the horse's neck. Through his hand, he could feel the creature's contentment.

"Good."

Dam Ho closed his eyes as well. Nearly three months had passed since he and the Dark Stallion had come together. In that time, the bond between them had grown ever stronger.

After spending a long while with the Dark Stallion, Dam Ho returned to the first-floor restaurant of the inn. There, Bang Jin-bo was chatting away with the inn's cook. The cook's name was Jong Mun-yeon, the husband of the inn's proprietress and the man in charge of the kitchen. As one would expect of someone who had served as cook for many years, Jong Mun-yeon possessed an extensive knowledge of all matters related to cuisine. Though this was his first meeting with Bang Jin-bo, he had been courteous, engaging him in much conversation and even teaching him personally. Bang Jin-bo had been so caught up in the joy of cooking that he had stayed up through the entire night.

Despite this, not a trace of fatigue showed on Bang Jin-bo's face; he was simply smiling, so thoroughly absorbed was he in the pleasures of cooking.

"Hyung!"

Bang Jin-bo's face lit up at the sight of Dam Ho.

"Good."

"You must be hungry?"

"Mmm."

"Hehe! Cook Jong made mapo tofu. The taste is absolutely divine."

"Is that so."

"Take a seat. I'll bring it right out."

"Mmm."

Dam Ho made his way to a table by the window. Since it was still early, the restaurant was quite empty. Only five or six people occupied the tables, all eating in silence. Thanks to this, Dam Ho was able to enjoy his tea in peace.

But his tranquility did not last long.

"Block this side off."

"We must capture the demoness."

The clamor of voices from outside grew louder as a group of men burst into the inn. They wore Daoist robes and caps—Daoists, every one of them. They surveyed the interior of the inn with menacing auras.

At the sudden appearance of the Daoists, Jong Mun-yeon stepped forward. As a man who had lived here for a long time, he knew exactly what manner of people these Daoists were.

"What brings the Daoists of the Nine Palaces Gate here?"

"We are searching for the demoness who attacked our sect."

The oldest-looking of the Daoists stepped forward. His Daoist name was Iron Crown. He was the martial brother of Sage Iron Sun and the head of the Nine Palaces Gate's Nine Great Elders.

"What? A demoness?"

"Last night, our sect leader was ambushed by a demoness and gravely injured."

"What!"

Jong Mun-yeon's eyes widened. The sect leader of the Nine Palaces Gate—Sage Iron Sun—was a Daoist among Daoists, respected throughout the entire region.

"We have received intelligence that the demoness who attacked the sect leader stayed at this very place."

"Oh! How can that be…"

Jong Mun-yeon's face went white as a sheet. If they spoke of a woman who had stayed here last night, there was only one possibility.

"Where? Where is the room where the demoness was staying?"

"In the—the detached cottage out back."

At Jong Mun-yeon's reply, the eyes of Iron Crown Sage glinted fiercely.

"Until the demoness is caught, not a single person inside this inn shall leave."

"Yes!"

Several of the Daoists answered and moved to block the main entrance. A murderous aura emanated from their bodies.

This was no ordinary place—this was the very headquarters of the Nine Palaces Gate, and their sect leader had been ambushed and gravely injured. It was an humiliation from which the Nine Palaces Gate could never recover. They had to capture and punish the one who had assaulted their Grandmaster. Only then could they begin to restore their damaged honor.

Iron Crown Sage led the Daoists into the detached cottage. But it was empty. No trace of human presence—it seemed no one had entered at all the previous night.

"De… demoness!"

Iron Crown Sage ground his teeth.

"Seal all roads leading out of Shouzhou. Not even an ant is to escape!"

"Yes!"

Several Daoists answered and rushed outside. Iron Crown Sage returned to the first-floor restaurant. All those who had stayed at the inn the previous night had been herded there—the Nine Palaces Gate's Daoists had rousted every last one of them.

Sleepy and bewildered, the faces of those who had been dragged out were full of discontent. But none dared voice their complaints openly. They had heard the gist of what was going on. This was a major incident—the sect leader of the Nine Palaces Gate had been attacked. A misstep could earn them the enmity not just of the Nine Palaces Gate, but of every righteous sect in the region.

The Nine Palaces Gate's Daoists surrounded the gathered crowd. Most were too intimidated by the Daoists' pressure to say a word.

Iron Crown Sage finally opened his mouth.

"You must have heard the general outline. We are searching for the culprit who attacked our sect leader. I expect your full cooperation."

"But we know nothing about her."

A diminutive merchant spoke up, sounding aggrieved. But Iron Crown Sage's response was frigid.

"That is for us to determine. All you need to do is tell us what you know."

"That, that is…"

"Do you understand?"

"I… understand."

The merchant shrank back, his spirit broken.

"Start with you. Tell me what you know about her."

"All I know is that she arrived here suddenly last evening. She dealt with several ruffians who tried to get close to her, and then dined alone."

"Did anyone else speak with her?"

The merchant shook his head.

"No. She didn't say a word after that. And after she finished eating, I didn't see her again."

"Is that the truth?"

"Yes."

Iron Crown Sage questioned several more people after that, but their answers were identical to the merchant's.

"Grrr!"

Finding nothing useful, Iron Crown Sage's expression soured. His gaze suddenly fell upon Dam Ho, who sat in a corner of the restaurant. While everyone else wore anxious expressions under the Nine Palaces Gate's oppressive aura, Dam Ho alone continued eating as though nothing were happening.

"You there!"

Iron Crown Sage strode toward Dam Ho. But Dam Ho did not so much as glance up, continuing to eat as if he had not heard a word.

"Did you not hear me?"

Iron Crown Sage bellowed in anger.

Only then did Dam Ho set down his chopsticks and look up at Iron Crown Sage.

"Ngh!"

The moment their eyes met, a chill ran through Iron Crown Sage's spine. It was as though his neck had been laid bare before a predator. His hand moved instinctively to the sword at his waist.

"What is the matter, Elder?"

The other Nine Palaces Gate Daoists rushed over and surrounded Dam Ho at the sight of their elder's reaction. But Dam Ho himself simply stared back at Iron Crown Sage with a look of complete indifference.

"What?"

"Grr! Did you not hear what I said? If you know anything about the demoness, speak!"

"Don't know."

"What did you say?"

"I said I don't know. So I have nothing to say."

"You!"

Iron Crown Sage's face twisted in fury. The younger Daoists were the first to erupt.

"How insolent! You dare ignore the Elder's words?"

"Insolent?"

Dam Ho's gaze shifted to the young Daoist who had spoken. The young man staggered backward in alarm. The instant he met Dam Ho's eyes, he saw a vision of his own death. A damp chill crept up his spine.

'What is this?'

The young Daoist shuddered. He could not tell whether what he had just seen was real or not. But the goosebumps were undeniably genuine.

Dam Ho rose to his feet.

In that instant, Iron Crown Sage and the Daoists felt as though a massive black shadow had materialized before them, barring their way.

'How can this be!'

Iron Crown Sage and the young Daoists finally realized that the man before them was no ordinary martial artist. Disheveled black hair and a long black robe as dark as the abyss. And deep, fathomless dark eyes.

He vaguely recalled hearing a story about such a martial artist. But he could not quite place it.

Dam Ho took a step toward them.

When they saw his slightly limping left leg, a scream tore from their throats.

"F-Fist Demon?"

A legendary name that shook all of Murim. Dam Ho's reputation had spread far and wide even in Hubei Province. For a sect like the Nine Palaces Gate, the Fist Demon was a figure to be guarded against above all others. It was well known that the Fist Demon acted solely on his own inclinations, without distinction between the righteous and the demonic. The codes of justice and morality held no sway over him.

Iron Crown Sage's face went rigid.

"Are you the great hero Dam Ho, the Fist Demon?"

"And if I am?"

"Mmm!"

Iron Crown Sage was momentarily at a loss for words. Every rumor he had heard about the man before him was more terrifying than the last. What was certain was that not a single sect or martial artist who had opposed him had survived unscathed.

Iron Crown Sage glanced sidelong at his disciples. Their faces were pale as ghosts, like lambs who had encountered a tiger. He could not help but sigh. But he could not blame them entirely—he himself felt the pressure of Dam Ho's overwhelming presence. The presence of an absolute master like Dam Ho was not something ordinary martial artists could endure.

When Dam Ho had been quiet, they had not noticed it, but now that his identity was revealed, his immense presence was suffocating. Still, they could not simply retreat without saying a word.

"We did not know that the great hero Dam Ho was staying here. I apologize for the inconvenience, but we are desperate for any information regarding the demoness. If you happen to know anything, might you share it with us?"

"I told you. I don't know."

"Truly?"

"Would I have any reason to lie to you?"

"Then what brings you to Shouzhou?"

"Just passing through."

"Where is your destination?"

Dam Ho did not answer. Iron Crown Sage's interrogating tone irritated him.

Iron Crown Sage asked once more.

"Where are you headed?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"To clear up any misunderstandings between us. It's not such a difficult request, is it?"

"Amusing."

"What did you just say?"

"Want me to repeat it? I said it's amusing."

"How dare you!"

"Looking for a fight?"

Dam Ho stared directly at Iron Crown Sage. The elder could not withstand his gaze and quietly looked away.

"Mmm!"

"If you want to catch the culprit, get moving. Stop harassing innocent people."

"Grr!"

Dam Ho's caustic words twisted Iron Crown Sage's face into a grimace. The younger Daoists bristled but did not dare act rashly.

Iron Cup Sage cupped his fist in salute toward Dam Ho.

"As the great hero Dam Ho says, we shall get moving. And one last word from an old man's heart—I sincerely hope you had no involvement with that demoness. That is my honest wish."

"How kind of you!"

"Then, may fortune favor your path."

Iron Cup Sage cupped his fist, turned on his heel, and departed. As he did so, he ground his teeth until they could have shattered.

Jin Ja-gang did not return immediately.

Mr. Jang’s condition was critical, but not to the point of immediate death. However, if he returned without any preparation, Jin Ja-gang would be helplessly defeated, and if Jin Ja-gang was defeated, Mr. Jang, who had no one to care for him, would surely die.

For both of them to survive, even if time was somewhat delayed, sufficient preparation was necessary.

He never even considered the option of fleeing without returning to Mr. Jang’s house. Mr. Jang was Jin Ja-gang’s benefactor and had gotten involved because of Jin Ja-gang. If he abandoned him and left, Jin Ja-gang would be giving up on being human.

The first thing Jin Ja-gang did was to replenish the poison he had used because of Dan Ryeong-gyeong.

Pinellia could be found anywhere along the roadside.

Jin Ja-gang dug up pinellia, lightly brushed off the soil, and chewed the roots. While replenishing poison, he thought about the Parting Hand Arrow Shot technique that Dan Ryeong-gyeong had taught him. There must be a reason why Dan Ryeong-gyeong had taught it to him.

The problem was that Jin Ja-gang couldn’t properly execute it.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong probably didn’t know that Jin Ja-gang’s left side meridians were blocked, causing problems with operating internal energy.

Therefore, Jin Ja-gang had to find the hidden meaning in Parting Hand Arrow Shot.

The motion of lowering the body, then raising the fingertips diagonally to thrust with the thumb.

There was nothing particularly remarkable about the motion itself. It was a single-move technique that was not linear but soft and graceful.

‘I should start internal energy from the Yintang point of the left foot’s second toe, but my left meridians are blocked. I have to start from the right foot…’

He had to do the opposite of what Dan Ryeong-gyeong had taught him to be able to operate internal energy at all. Moreover, another problem was that every time he used internal energy, he felt unbearable pain. The pain was extreme, and the speed at which internal energy circulated was several times faster than before, making it difficult to control.

Jin Ja-gang drew energy through his Baihui point and circulated it within his body. The initially weak energy began to transform into internal energy as it circulated through the meridians.

Because the meridians were wide open, the movement of energy became dramatically faster.

Originally, martial artists accept natural energy through breathing and accumulate internal energy in their dantian. However, Jin Ja-gang had unintentionally learned to accept energy through the Baihui point at the crown of his head.

The upper dantian. This was considered the supreme method for accepting natural energy most quickly and smoothly. It had several times higher purity than energy accepted through nasal breathing via breathing techniques.

So the handful of internal energy that Jin Ja-gang created had much stronger power than what Jin Ja-gang actually perceived.

When this grew through continuous circulation, it was inevitably difficult to handle.

The internal energy instantly escaped Jin Ja-gang’s control. He failed to catch the tail of the internal energy that was stretching out like a long tail and send it to the intended meridian.

“Kugh!”

Pain came without fail.

Internal energy began flowing fiercely through the meridians. A wheel formed in Jin Ja-gang’s right side. Each time the wheel rotated, cracks appeared in the weak meridians.

In just a moment, there were dozens of rotations.

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t bear the pain and fell to his knees. He put both hands on the ground, half-prostrated, and swallowed the screams that were about to burst out. If he couldn’t endure this pain, he couldn’t use internal energy, and if he couldn’t use internal energy, he couldn’t execute Parting Hand Arrow Shot either.

‘Endure it!’

Jin Ja-gang didn’t discharge the internal energy outward but endured it.

Sweat fell from his face like rain.

The uncontrolled internal energy caused ruptures starting from the weakened meridians.

Thud thud thud.

“Kreuuk…”

Still, he gritted his teeth and endured.

This time, he planned to endure to the limit of what he could bear.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

In the time it took to breathe a few times, the wheel spun hundreds, thousands of times. The meridians screamed in agony.

Pain like rubbing salt on raw flesh.

No matter how strong Jin Ja-gang’s endurance for pain was, it wasn’t easy to bear.

But he endured it.

Hoping this pain would become familiar.

So that he could use it whenever needed.

‘Uaaaah—!’

Jin Ja-gang screamed internally while enduring and enduring again.

But at some point, he felt as if his body was floating, and pain and consciousness separated.

The pain remained the same, but it seemed as if a thin wall had formed between himself and the self that felt pain. It was a strange experience of feeling pain while watching his own pain from beyond the thin wall.

During this, Jin Ja-gang witnessed a strange sight.

The appearance of ants crawling on the ground came clearly into his right eye.

Drip… drop.

When the sweat that had formed on Jin Ja-gang’s cheek and gathered at his chin fell in a droplet, the ants marching in a line scattered in panic to avoid the sweat droplet. Soil particles were gradually moistened by the sweat droplet, and the wet moisture spread out radially. Dozens of ants circled in confusion avoiding the sweat droplet while finding their formation, and he could see all six legs and two antennae of each moving ant.

It was a mystical experience where everything visible was being perceived.

‘Is it because of internal energy…’

Masters use internal energy to employ enhanced vision. They can see things as clearly as day even at night, and can see a much wider range in detail than ordinary people.

The internal energy spinning wildly like a wheel was giving vitality to Jin Ja-gang’s entire body, producing the same effect as intentionally drawing up internal energy.

The appearance of the internal energy that had been spinning too fast to catch was clearly felt moment by moment.

The pathways of meridians through which internal energy passed and the identity of the rupturing meridians were perceived as clearly as if seen with the eyes.

That’s how Jin Ja-gang came to know.

Why his meridians had been blocked.

It was because of the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill that Son Wi-hak had fed Jin Ja-gang.

The spiritual power of the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill made from boiling a thousand types of medicinal herbs had combined with the poison energy of the Five Colors Five Merits and blocked his meridians. Like lava flowing from a volcano that had hardened black.

But when his meridians were forcibly opened recently, those hardened substances had broken and remained as residue in the meridians, and as the internal energy wheel began spinning fiercely, they were spinning together.

It was like sharp broken pottery shards circulating inside his body.

Because of this, the meridians suffered even more severe wounds, and his body was being destroyed even faster.

‘At this rate, my body will be destroyed.’

The pain was extreme, but because his consciousness was detached from the pain, Jin Ja-gang could think relatively calmly.

Jin Ja-gang concentrated his mind even more to observe internally.

Not only a way to stop the internal energy wheel spinning rapidly, but also a way to handle it… Suddenly, he realized that when part of the energy spinning like a wheel passed through the meridians toward his dantian, his dantian kept feeling pulled.

Poison energy extracted from pinellia was accumulated in his dantian.

‘Could it be?’

Jin Ja-gang opened his dantian.

Due to the force of internal energy rotating in his right side, poison energy was instantly sucked out.

But surprisingly, some of the residue began sticking to that poison energy.

The spiritual essence of the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill combined with the Five Colors Five Merits poison began clumping together using the pinellia poison energy as a core and spinning together. The mass gradually grew larger.

Kwadrdrdrdr!

His body trembled from the impact of the rapidly growing wheel.

Jin Ja-gang concentrated on the movement of internal energy. Although it was moving at tremendous speed, because the mass had grown larger, he could more easily perceive the tail end of the internal energy.

He caught the tail end of the internal energy. Once he grasped the reins, the internal energy finally began to obey.

Jin Ja-gang quickly moved the internal energy according to the formula of Parting Hand Arrow Shot.

Yintang, Neiting, Sanli, Dubi!

Internal energy flowed rapidly through the designated meridians.

His right shoulder felt stiff as if it would dislocate. This was because the fiercely moving internal energy had suddenly stopped.

Jin Ja-gang blocked the internal energy for a moment as Dan Ryeong-gyeong had said, then released it.

The moment he extended his thumb, internal energy explosively burst out.

Swoosh!

A sharp sound of cutting through air rang in the void. The old tree standing in the direction his thumb was pointing vibrated dully.

Thong!

Tree branches swayed here and there.

Jin Ja-gang stared blankly at the old tree, then raised his body. His limbs were trembling so much that he fell several times without realizing it and got up again.

He limped toward the old tree.

He felt around with his hands to check where the sound had come from. The bark was cracked and the inside was deeply gouged as if struck with a pointed hammer.

The gouged mark even had pinellia poison seeping out, giving off a fishy toxic fragrance.

He was dumbfounded.

‘Finger wind…’

Jin Ja-gang had just shot out finger wind.

Moreover, it was a poison finger mixed with poison, hitting a tree that was a good six or seven steps away.

“Urgh.”

As soon as he came to his senses, pain striking his right side found him.

Even the thumbnail of the thumb that had shot the finger force was half broken and gone. Blood dripped steadily.

But his mood was incredibly refreshing.

Jin Ja-gang sat down and composed himself.

He reflected on the series of events that had just occurred.

In Jin Ja-gang’s right side, there was still plenty of residue created by the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill and Five Colors Five Merits poison sticking together. This meant that the energy of the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill and Five Colors Five Merits remained exactly as when he had consumed them nine years ago.

As far as Jin Ja-gang knew, the spiritual power of the Flower Essence Pure Heart Pill had roughly the level of sixty years’ worth of internal energy. That power was latent intact inside Jin Ja-gang.

It was power he could use by taking the poison energy accumulated in his dantian as a seed.

The more poison energy used as a core, the more powerful the finger wind’s destructive force would naturally become.

“New power…”

Having new power meant gaining various options for dealing with situations.

The methods of revenge could also change dramatically.

Although it was only his right side, and each use would bring terrible pain along with accelerated bodily destruction, it was a power of ruin…

After briefly catching his breath and resting, Jin Ja-gang looked up at the sky.

A power that would destroy himself the more he used it.

Was this encouragement sent down by heaven?

Or was it a demand sent by those waiting for him in hell?

* * *

Zhuge Yan looked at the house in front of her.

A low wall and a closed gate.

It was an ordinary house that could be entered anytime if one had the mind to.

“You’re saying that evil faction assassin is here?”

“Yes, Miss.”

The warriors accompanying Zhuge Yan answered from beside her.

“We confirmed that he left the house this morning.”

“Thoroughly check what’s inside and who’s alive.”

“Yes.”

The Zhuge family warriors who were about to enter through the main gate stopped walking.

“What’s this smell?”

The closer they got to the gate, the more severely rotten it smelled.

Zhuge Yan frowned and muttered.

“Could it be poison?”

“Since they said he handles poison, it probably is.”

“But why does it give off such a severely rotten smell? Isn’t poison something that should be used secretly? Can this be called proper poison usage when it makes people alert like this?”

It wasn’t subtly wafting or anything like that, but smelled so terribly that one would automatically cover their nose just by getting close. If several corpses were rotting on the road in summer, this is exactly how it would smell.

“It’s too severe.”

“I’ll check.”

One warrior covered his nose and mouth with cloth, drew up internal energy, and slowly pushed the gate.

Creak.

“The gate is open.”

At that moment, something fell with a thud onto the head of the warrior who opened the gate.

The warrior was startled and stepped back. It seemed like objects placed on top of the gate had fallen, but looking closely, they were rotten leaves.

“Ugh! The smell!”

The warrior frowned and vigorously brushed off his body. The rotten smell was coming from the wet fallen leaves. The other warriors stepped away from the warrior who had been hit by the leaves.

“What is this?”

Zhuge Yan looked on incredulously.

“It’s not even a mechanism or trap…”

The warrior who had been covered with wet fallen leaves and had the rotten smell stick to his body was tense, but seemed to have no particular problems.

“It doesn’t seem to be poison either.”

“I thought he was someone great since he’s called Snake Scorpion Poison King, but he seems to just be someone with bizarre hobbies.”

Elite masters from orthodox factions who had systematically learned martial arts from childhood generally tended to look down on those who used poison. Originally, if one’s martial arts were high, there was no need to use poison, and if one’s martial arts were low and they used poison, no matter how well they used poison, it couldn’t compare to orthodox martial arts.

“Well, shall we take a look at that fellow’s hideout?”

The stern-looking martial artist standing behind Zhuge Yan, who had been following her, spoke up.

“Approaching like this is not right.”

Zhuge Yan replied in an annoyed tone.

“Shin Yung. You worry too much. We came after he left precisely because we needed to confirm whether that person is really Snake Scorpion Poison King.”

Shin Yung was also in his early twenties like Zhuge Yan, and as someone from a vassal family of the Zhuge family, he had assisted only Zhuge Yan since childhood.

Vassal families attach someone of similar age as a shadow to accompany the main family’s martial artists from childhood. Shin Yung had already been with Zhuge Yan for more than ten years and had accumulated martial world experience together. To Zhuge Yan, he was her most trusted confidant and a reliable presence with whom she had spent a long time.

“If confirmation is needed, we can do it by meeting directly.”

“Why go to such trouble?”

“That is the way of the orthodox faction.”

“Don’t make such stuffy remarks. You know me, yet you’re still nagging?”

Zhuge Yan giggled and laughed.