Chapter 136: What is Emptied is Filled in Turn (2)

Huangshan was one of the most renowned mountains in the Central Plains.

There was a saying that even if one combined all Five Great Mountains—Taishan, Huashan, Hengshan, Hengshan, and Songshan—they could not rival the scenery of Huangshan.

For more than half the year, clouds shrouded its peaks, earning it the name Cloud Mountain. It was so mystical that it seemed as though an immortal might descend at any moment to walk upon the clouds.

Ranked among the top ten most treacherous peaks in the world, and foremost among all mountains in beauty, Huangshan was home to the Overlord's Banner, the headquarters of the Eighteen Greenwood Strongholds.

To control the heart of Huangshan was to rule the pinnacle of the Greenwood.

It was an unspoken law passed down through the ages.

The current master of the Overlord's Banner was the Overlord, Hwang Gyeong-mun.

The most perfect martial artist the Greenwood had ever produced. The ruler who stood at the apex of tens of thousands of Greenwood warriors. That was Hwang Gyeong-mun.

Hwang Gyeong-mun stood seven chi tall, with a robust frame. Though over sixty years of age, he possessed muscles as firm as a young man's, and bore the indomitable bearing befitting the ruler of tens of thousands.

His residence occupied the highest point of the Overlord's Banner. With the windows thrown open, the sea of clouds that blanketed Huangshan spread out before him in a single glance.

"What a spectacle!"

Hwang Gyeong-mun let out a sigh of wonder at the endless ocean of clouds.

Though he had seen this view countless times since becoming master of the Overlord's Banner, each time it felt fresh and new.

Especially at sunset, when the clouds turned crimson, the scene was nothing short of magnificent. It was Hwang Gyeong-mun's favorite sight.

After gazing at the sea of clouds for some time, Hwang Gyeong-mun suddenly shook his head.

"Still, I wonder if that wild child is doing well."

His only daughter, who had descended the mountain without permission.

He had assigned Muk Il-gwang as her bodyguard, so there was not much to worry about, but he could not help but feel concerned.

"She should have seen enough of the world and come back by now. A girl with no fear… Tch!"

Though he held the power of life and death over tens of thousands of Greenwood warriors and was called by the fearsome title of Overlord, he was, in the end, a man made of flesh and blood. He was helpless before the bonds of kinship.

Whenever he thought of Hwang Hye-ryeong, a smile rose to his face unbidden. She was the daughter he had gained late in life, and she was his reason for living.

"A suitable match should appear soon…"

As he murmured, a voice came from outside.

"Brother."

It was his trusted confidant, Yoon Chung.

"Enter."

Hwang Gyeong-mun instantly resumed the majesty of the supreme ruler.

Yoon Chung opened the door and entered.

He had been with Hwang Gyeong-mun for thirty years. Though not quite at Hwang Gyeong-mun's level, he was a seasoned warrior of the Greenwood.

He was both an excellent ally and a worthy counterbalance to Hwang Gyeong-mun. With him at his side, Hwang Gyeong-mun had been able to lead the Greenwood with a sense of balance.

Upon seeing Yoon Chung, Hwang Gyeong-mun smiled.

"What is it, Chung?"

Though they were Chief Banner Master and Vice Chief Banner Master in official capacity, in private they were sworn brothers who trusted each other absolutely. There were no barriers between them.

"The Black Water Banner Master, along with five other Banner Masters, has requested an audience, Brother."

"The Black Water Banner? Is that fellow at it again?"

"Yes. It is Jo Yun-san."

"Hmph! So he intends to go through with it after all."

Hwang Gyeong-mun furrowed his brow.

The Black Water Banner was one of the most powerful of the Eighteen Greenwood Strongholds. Naturally, they had to be sensitive to its movements.

He had long known of Jo Yun-san's great ambition. And he acknowledged his ability as well.

Jo Yun-san had risen from the very bottom to the seat of Black Water Banner Master. His tenacity and drive were worthy of recognition.

"So, how close are they?"

"Four or five days' journey, I would estimate."

"And their pretext?"

"The Demonic Cult."

"Apt. A well-chosen justification."

"They propose finding a way to counter the Demonic Cult. There is no grounds to refuse."

"He is indeed a clever fellow, is he not?"

"It is almost a pity."

"Yes!"

Hwang Gyeong-mun nodded.

His eyes gleamed sharply. From his entire being emanated the heavy, overwhelming presence of a supreme ruler.

"Jo Yun-san… If only he were not so obstinate, I would have named him successor long ago."

"What shall we do?"

"They seek a way to counter the Demonic Cult. What can we do? Let them in."

"Understood. I will make the necessary preparations."

"Just in case, have the Dragon-Rising Banner mobilized as well."

"Yes. Please do not worry."

Yoon Chung bowed and withdrew.

Alone once more, Hwang Gyeong-mun turned his gaze back to the sea of clouds.

The sun was setting.

The entire world was turning red.

"How beautiful. Whatever burns at its end is beautiful."

***

Crackle! Crackle!

Around the blazing campfire sat Dam Ho, Bang Jin-bo, Hwang Hye-ryeong, and Muk Il-gwang.

Satisfaction was plain on the faces of both Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang.

The roasted carp and porridge Bang Jin-bo had produced were nothing short of bliss itself. The carp's flesh melted on the tongue, and the freshly made porridge brought a deep sense of fullness.

Moreover, much of their depleted vitality had been restored.

"You are truly remarkable, young brother. Thanks to you, I feel much better."

"It was nothing."

Bang Jin-bo rubbed his nose with his finger, yet still wore a pleased smile.

In truth, the reason he had gone to such lengths—fishing for carp—was to help restore the vitality of Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang.

Carp had long been known as a restorative food, and to that, he had added the secret techniques of his father, Bang Woo-gwang.

"Hehe!"

He was pleased to receive the praise. But what pleased him even more was the sight of their vitality returning.

'Nutritional restoration is the path I must walk.'

Bang Jin-bo clenched his fist.

Though young in years, Bang Jin-bo had set his sights on a goal and was steadily walking his own path.

Dam Ho respected Bang Jin-bo for quietly forging ahead in this manner. Bang Jin-bo was fully deserving of that respect.

Dam Ho gazed quietly at the burning campfire. The flickering flames cast deep shadows across his face.

At that moment,

"Big… Brother."

Hwang Hye-ryeong called to Dam Ho.

Dam Ho raised his head and looked at her. Hwang Hye-ryeong asked cautiously.

"May I ask you just one thing?"

"Speak."

"Why are you helping us? May I know the reason?"

"…"

"No matter how I think about it, there is no reason for you to help us. The danger is too great."

Her voice carried a note of apology.

Dam Ho looked at her intently.

His gaze was as detached as ever. Though such a look might have been intimidating, Hwang Hye-ryeong did not avert her eyes.

"And why do you call me 'Big Brother'?"

"Well… Because for some reason, you don't feel like a stranger…"

"I feel the same."

"Yes!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong bowed her head as she answered.

It was not the most generous of replies, yet for some reason she understood. Strangely enough…

"It is late. We have a long journey ahead tomorrow. Go to sleep."

"Yes!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong answered in a small voice.

Her full stomach was already making her drowsy. The moment she lay down, she fell into a deep sleep.

Dam Ho watched her quietly.

Bang Jin-bo tilted his head. He had instinctively sensed that Dam Ho was behaving differently from usual. But what exactly was different, even he was not certain.

Dam Ho turned his gaze to Muk Il-gwang. Muk Il-gwang immediately straightened his back. The mere sight of Dam Ho's gaze was enough to put him on edge.

"Tell me."

"W-what shall I tell you?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything you know."

At Dam Ho's low voice, Muk Il-gwang felt every fine hair on his body bristle to its roots.

A massive beast crouched before him, its breathing rough with killing intent and hostility.

The foul stench that typically followed the act of devouring prey seemed to cling to Dam Ho's breath. It made the chill even more piercing, and he did not dare to move carelessly.

"The current state of the Greenwood is…"

Muk Il-gwang began babbling everything he knew in a frenzied torrent.

His words were disjointed and unorganized. So great was the pressure he was under.

Until now, Muk Il-gwang had never imagined he could feel such pressure from another person.

Though he revered Hwang Gyeong-mun, the ruler of the Greenwood, even he had never made Muk Il-gwang feel this way.

In terms of martial arts, who was stronger was uncertain, but in the presence that crushed the spirit, Dam Ho was far superior.

He wore the skin of a man, but whether he should be regarded as one was a question.

Muk Il-gwang did not even know what he was saying; he simply kept talking. Dam Ho sat with his arms crossed, listening.

Most of the account was rambling and lacked any coherence, but Dam Ho sifted through it for useful information.

After a considerable time, Muk Il-gwang finally fell silent. His entire body was drenched in sweat.

Dam Ho spoke.

"Rest now."

"Thank you, Brother!"

Muk Il-gwang shouted louder than he had intended.

"…"

"May I… call you Brother?"

Muk Il-gwang's voice dwindled to a mosquito's hum by the end.

Dam Ho looked at him intently. In that instant, Muk Il-gwang felt a cold trickle of sweat run down his spine.

He had been born with a fearsome countenance. His mother had fainted on the spot when she first saw him as a newborn.

As he grew, his appearance only became more intimidating. He radiated such an aura of menace that no one dared meet his gaze.

Yet before Dam Ho, he was as meek as a thousand-tailed kitten. Anyone who knew even a little of his character would be astonished.

Dam Ho rose and said.

"Call me what you will."

Interpreting this as permission, Muk Il-gwang's face brightened.

"Thank you, Brother."

He rose and bowed. At the sight of Muk Il-gwang's earnest demeanor, Bang Jin-bo let out a snort of laughter.

Dam Ho walked toward the river. The day was warm, and he wished to wash his face.

Dam Ho plunged his head into the river.

The cold water against his face brought his senses sharply into focus.

Dam Ho sat by the riverbank, gazing at the darkened surface of the water. With no light to break the blackness, his eyes grew as deep as the river itself.

'Jo Yun-san… So he was no simple bandit?'

A smile graced his lips.

Jo Yun-san was an ambitious man of considerable magnitude.

He was never the sort to be content as a mere bandit.

Though he had carried out countless robberies and killings as a bandit, those were merely means to an end.

His ultimate goal was to become the Chief Banner Master of the Greenwood and stand at the apex of its tens of thousands.

Even now, he was faithfully pursuing that objective.

Through sheer force of will, he had risen to become the Black Water Banner Master and brought many Greenwood strongholds under his influence.

Had he been a complete stranger, Dam Ho might have admired his tenacity and fiery drive.

'Yes! He needs to be at least that much.'

Dam Ho smiled.

In the pitch-black darkness, his teeth gleamed an exceptional white.

Jin Ja-gang had made full use of the time given to him.

The internal energy operation that he had to use hastily before had become very familiar, and preparations for hidden weapons and poison were mostly complete. He had continuously trained in Capturing Dragon Strike, Moon-Severing Sickle Blade, and Flying Thread Twelve Branches. He had also constantly practiced methods of throwing hidden weapons without using internal energy.

For Jin Ja-gang, who had no special martial arts, these were almost the only lifelines he could entrust his life to in moments of crisis.

Twenty days had passed this way, approaching nearly a month.

That time was very precious for Jin Ja-gang, who had been running without rest, allowing him to recharge himself.

And it was also the time Jin Ja-gang had been waiting for.

Jin Ja-gang looked at the sky and gauged the direction of the clouds.

He checked the wind.

As winter approached, the days had become very dry and the wind had grown fiercer as it changed direction.

‘Good.’

Now Jin Ja-gang was ready to move at any time.

However, Jin Ja-gang still couldn’t shake his puzzled thoughts about the Zhuge family.

‘There’s been too little movement.’

Even though they must clearly know that Jin Ja-gang was deliberately wasting time, the opponents weren’t responding at all. He couldn’t even sense the slightest impatience.

So Jin Ja-gang felt that something was going wrong.

This wasn’t simply because someone with longer patience than Jin Ja-gang was holding out.

There was some other reason.

Thanks to this, he had gained the necessary time, but his mood was very unpleasant.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang left the inn with light traveling gear. It was an outfit meant to be ready to leave at any time and to appear that way to his opponents.

He toured the market appropriately and ate lunch. Lan Family Village was not a large village. Having wandered around the village for an entire month, there was hardly anywhere he hadn’t been. Of course, this was also in preparation for when this place became a battlefield.

But today, on his way back, he saw someone who hadn’t been there before. A fortune teller had spread his mat under a tree by the roadside.

‘Nothing Under Heaven Is Unknown!’

‘Divine Calculation Fortune Telling!

The rat-whiskered fortune teller had posted a sign on the wall behind him with the grandiose meaning that there was nothing under heaven he didn’t know. Of course, this was more a common saying used by fortune tellers than something that was actually true.

Jin Ja-gang had been wandering around the village for an entire month. The fact that a change had occurred that hadn’t been there before meant the situation had changed.

When Jin Ja-gang’s eyes met those of the fortune teller old man, the old man’s gaze changed slightly.

Jin Ja-gang went to the fortune teller without hesitation.

“Do you want your fortune told? The fee is two coins.”

“I’d like you to tell me what my fortune will be like in the future.”

The old man picked up and shook his divination tube. He muttered while seeming to calculate the six lines by counting on his fingers.

“Causeless wind and rain hasten the end of spring. The peach blossoms and plum blossoms on the branch tips all fall…”

Then he drew out several bamboo sticks and laid them out in front.

The thin bamboo sticks that had been in the divination tube had characters written vertically on them. Jin Ja-gang read the phrases written one line per bamboo stick.

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes widened when he saw the phrases.

‘In Recent Days (近日) Zhuge Advances Army (諸葛進軍)’

‘Nine Palace Eight Trigram Formation (九宮八卦陣)’

Here, “advancing army” didn’t mean troops moving. In formation terminology, the character “army” (軍) is used to mean deploying a formation.

In other words, it meant that in the near future, the Zhuge family would come to Lan Family Village and deploy the Nine Palace Eight Trigram Formation.

Jin Ja-gang had expected the Zhuge family might move, but he hadn’t thought they could deploy the formation itself toward Lan Family Village.

‘Is that possible?’

Formations were generally known to be deployed fixed in one place.

However, if it was the Zhuge family, known as masters of formations, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to deploy formations beyond common sense.

Meanwhile, the old man continued babbling useless words.

“If one’s sincerity in wanting to know is extreme, anyone can predict and achieve! This is divine mystery and the principle of heaven…”

Regardless of what the old man was muttering with his mouth, what was written on the bamboo sticks was the real information the old man wanted to convey.

‘The Zhuge family’s warriors are deploying formations in the southern forest. To catch me.’

However, Jin Ja-gang’s doubts still didn’t disappear.

Jin Ja-gang quietly asked.

“Was it your group that warned me to be careful of Blue Forest before?”

Then the old man became noticeably flustered. His expression showed he had never thought such a thing would be asked so directly.

*Hey! There’s a reason I’m speaking so carefully and secretly like this, isn’t there? This guy really has no sense!*

That’s what his expression said.

But Jin Ja-gang ignored the old man’s expression and continued speaking.

“Wishful Fairy…”

When Jin Ja-gang uttered three characters to ask if Wishful Fairy Maiden Dan Ryeong-gyeong had sent him, the fortune teller old man’s face turned pale and he looked around before quickly nodding.

However, he did give a quiet answer.

“The Lord sent me here.”

By Lord, he probably meant Wishful Command Lord, Dan Ryeong-gyeong.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“Please convey my thanks for the message, and there are many watching eyes. Please be careful.”

Sweat beaded on the old man’s forehead.

*This clueless b*st*rd! You know there are many watching eyes!*

The old man slyly wiped away sweat while hurriedly beginning to pack his things.

“Huh! I must have revealed too many heavenly secrets. The weather is clear but my bones are already chilled to the core.”

Jin Ja-gang handed the old man several coins as payment. The old man took the coins and hurriedly left.

Jin Ja-gang quietly watched the old man’s retreating figure.

Suddenly, he could feel that the air surrounding him had changed.

* * *

The fortune teller old man, Bian Bu (蝙卜), hurried away with quick steps.

The old man was someone who played the role of a bat, picking up information and delivering rumors. Since he mainly worked as a fortune teller, colleagues had given him the character “divination” (卜) instead of “bat” (蝠).

Bian Bu was greatly flustered after hearing Jin Ja-gang’s words.

“Damn it, the Lord was right. The Zhuge family b*st*rds are everywhere.”

He wanted to quickly escape from Lan Family Village, which was full of spies.

Several surveillance eyes had already followed him.

Bian Bu quickened his pace even more.

However, when Bian Bu hurriedly turned into an alley to avoid people’s eyes, two men were already waiting ahead. A farmer holding a pitchfork and a laborer carrying water buckets on an A-frame.

They looked ordinary but weren’t an ordinary combination.

Bian Bu immediately turned around. He tried to go back out the way he came, but two more people appeared from behind, blocking the path.

A peddler and an idler.

Bian Bu flew into a rage.

“What are you people to be blocking a perfectly good road in broad daylight! I have urgent business, so won’t you get out of the way!”

However, the four surrounding Bian Bu from front and back mocked him.

“We know everything, so stop the useless tricks.”

“Who sent you here?”

The peddler threw a short dagger up and caught it while threatening.

“It would be good to speak obediently while we’re being nice. We’re not people with much time either, so we could become quite violent.”

Bian Bu stepped on the wall and jumped up. At the same time, he put his hand in his sleeve and pulled it out. Several bamboo sticks were wedged between his fingers.

Bian Bu swung his hand in mid-air.

Swish!

Bamboo sticks flew in all directions.

The three people surrounding Bian Bu from front and back each swung their weapons to knock away the bamboo sticks.

Ting! Ting ting!

A shadow fell over Bian Bu’s head. The man dressed as a laborer carrying water buckets had jumped up stepping on the wall at the same time as Bian Bu’s movement.

The warrior disguised as a laborer swung the water buckets from above to below, striking Bian Bu’s head hard. Bian Bu hastily crossed his arms to block the water buckets.

Bang!

The water buckets made of woven wooden boards shattered into pieces and water poured out.

“Kheuk!”

Bian Bu fell straight down to the ground. Even while falling and twisting his body as he landed on his arms, he tried to get up. The peddler slid across the ground approaching and stabbed at Bian Bu.

Bian Bu heard the wind sound and hastily bounced up, but the dagger pierced his shoulder. Bian Bu pulled out a bamboo stick and swung it once more.

The peddler lay flat on the ground and hastily retreated backward. Bian Bu pulled out the dagger stuck in his shoulder.

“As long as his mouth remains, cut the tendons in his ankles so he can’t run away.”

At the idler’s command, the farmer took action. He swung the sharp three-pronged pitchfork downward. Bian Bu grabbed the flag on his back and crouched down.

The pitchfork caught on the flagpole tied to his back.

Clang!

A metallic sound rang out. The flag with “Nothing Under Heaven Is Unknown” written on it looked like bamboo but was an iron rod with an iron core inside.

Bian Bu struck the ground with the flag behind his back and flipped backward like a swallow. The pitchfork continuously followed, scraping the ground.

Bian Bu, who had been continuously flipping, hit the wall with his back. There was nowhere left to run.

The farmer hooked Bian Bu’s leg with the pitchfork. Caught behind the knee by the pitchfork, Bian Bu fell. The farmer stepped on Bian Bu’s calf and slashed his heel with the pitchfork. The tendon in his heel was cut and blood spurted.

“Aaaaah!”

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll cut the other one too.”

The farmer stepped on the other leg and held the pitchfork against it.

Bian Bu gritted his teeth and held back his scream.

“Ugh, ughhh.”

“Who sent you?”

“…”

For something a farmer said, the tone was somewhat strange. The farmer turned around and shook his head to show it wasn’t him who had spoken.

“I asked.”

To the side.

The heads of all five people, including Bian Bu, turned.

Jin Ja-gang was standing at the entrance to the alley.

The expressions of the farmer, idler, and others became unpleasant when they saw Jin Ja-gang.

The idler swaggered and waved his hand.

“You look like a scholar, so get lost before you see something ugly. This guy ran off with our money, so we’re trying to collect it.”

The idler’s manner of speaking was really like a back-alley thug. However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t move at all.

“I asked who sent you.”

“Who sent us? What nonsense are you spouting…”

Jin Ja-gang shifted his gaze to look at the man dressed as a peddler. The peddler flinched and slyly avoided eye contact.

“I saw you at the restaurant yesterday. I remember the soup of the fatty intestine noodles tasted good.”

The peddler pretended not to know and frowned.

“I’m seeing you for the first time today! What nonsense!”

The idler interjected.

“Hey, there seems to be some misunderstanding…”

Jin Ja-gang nodded.

“If there’s a misunderstanding, I’ll listen.”

The idler burst out angrily.

“Why should I explain such things to you one by one! If you don’t get lost…”

“What will you do if I don’t?”

Jin Ja-gang took a big step forward.

At that moment, the idler was startled and stepped back. Whether he got goosebumps, the idler’s exposed forearms had become bumpy like goose flesh.

Even after being startled and retreating, the idler made an expression of regret. He had inadvertently revealed that he knew about Jin Ja-gang.

“Do you know me? You look frightened.”

“Who’s frightened! I don’t know you!”

But his voice trembled.

Then Jin Ja-gang walked into the alley with both hands casually hanging down.

“Rumors seem to have the convenient aspect of being accompanied by misunderstandings. They have the power to make people think that way even if I’m really not that kind of person.”

The four warriors tensed and gripped their weapons tightly as Jin Ja-gang approached closer and closer. This made Jin Ja-gang’s suspicions gradually turn into certainty.

“Massacred hundreds of civilians and melted hundreds of masters with poison… That was the rumor, probably.”

Limp, limp.

The eyes of the four warriors turned to Jin Ja-gang’s leg as he walked with a limp. The limping was the biggest characteristic of the person they had been watching.

“D-don’t come closer!”

But Jin Ja-gang paid no attention and walked toward them.

Limp, limp.

“I destroyed the Extreme Poison Sect and burned down Stone Forest Gang too. I remember burning Shadow Bureau with my own hands. I heard Poison Valley met the same fate.”

Jin Ja-gang’s tone was very subtle. Whether he had done Poison Valley or not was ambiguous. But that wasn’t very important. In any case, it was true that Jin Ja-gang was involved.

“And recently, I remember a young lady named Zhuge Yan came looking for me too. Of course, she died.”

The four warriors naturally knew this too. That Zhuge Yan had died. Zhuge Yan was one of the Three Dragons and Four Phoenix and was naturally counted as a master among the rising generation.

“Some of it wasn’t my doing, but everyone says I did it all anyway. So I learned that I’m called Snake Scorpion Poison King.”

When the words “Snake Scorpion Poison King” came from Jin Ja-gang’s mouth, the four warriors gritted their teeth. The fact that their opponent had revealed his identity completely contained many meanings. It seemed hopeless to pretend not to know and run away.

Jin Ja-gang briefly stopped in place.

Then he said.

“I’ve explained everything I know.”

“What trick is this!”

“Since you said you don’t know me, I explained everything I know about myself.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled eerily with a murderous expression.

“Now, if I say I won’t get lost, what will you do?”