Chapter 173: Chapter 8. Even the Fierce Wind Cannot Wash Away the Scent of Blood (2)

Jong Ri-yeon's pupils trembled.

Before her eyes, Dam Ho lay unconscious. His body was tattered and ruined, like a rag torn to shreds.

The most critical injury was to his chest.

The broken sword blade was still lodged in his chest. The blade that had pierced through his lung protruded from his back—if she pulled it out carelessly, the massive hemorrhage would be impossible to stop, and he would die.

Even Jong Ri-yeon, known as the Divine Physician, feared to touch such a severe wound. But she couldn't leave it like this forever.

No matter how superhuman Dam Ho's stamina and his body, trained beyond human limits, might be, if left untreated, death was inevitable.

"Sigh! There's no other choice."

Having steeled her resolve, Jong Ri-yeon drew a deep breath.

She and Dam Ho were currently in a remote cave in an unnamed hill in northern Anhui Province.

Fearing pursuit by the Namgung Family, they couldn't visit any villages or populated areas. Obtaining the medicinal herbs needed for Dam Ho's treatment was an impossible dream.

Jong Ri-yeon produced a wooden box containing silver needles from her robe. It was all she had left in her possession.

She had to save Dam Ho's life with a single silver needle. Even if she couldn't cure him completely, she had to at least keep him alive.

"I must save him. Hang in there, Jong Ri-yeon!"

Jong Ri-yeon encouraged herself as she looked at Dam Ho.

His face was deathly pale, devoid of all color. Even though he was unconscious, his lips remained tightly sealed.

"He'll be all right. He's strong."

Muttering this, Jong Ri-yeon gripped the sword blade embedded in Dam Ho's chest with her small, white hands. Then she pulled with all her might.

SHLICK!

As the smooth blade was drawn out, a massive amount of blood geysered upward.

Jong Ri-yeon hastily discarded the blade and began stanching the wound.

She first pressed the pressure points. For most wounds, pressing the pressure points alone would stop the bleeding. But Dam Ho's wound was too large and deep for that to work easily.

Jong Ri-yeon's white hands were covered in blood.

Dam Ho's face, already deathly pale, turned even whiter. If he lost any more blood, his life could not be guaranteed.

"I have to stop the bleeding quickly!"

Desperately searching for a solution, Jong Ri-yeon suddenly tore off her outer robe.

RIP!

She shredded the robe into strips and packed them into Dam Ho's wound. The gushing blood slowed slightly.

Seizing that moment, Jong Ri-yeon began stitching the wound. First, she sutured the punctured lung, then the wounds on his chest and back.

Without a moment to rest, Jong Ri-yeon began inserting silver needles throughout Dam Ho's entire body.

Life and Death Soul Suspension Needle.

The same acupuncture technique she had used to save Gwak Yeon.

Deploying the Life and Death Soul Suspension Needle was a great risk even for Jong Ri-yeon. It was a technique she had created to save Gwak Yeon, not one suited for Dam Ho.

Nevertheless, Jong Ri-yeon had no choice.

Normally, she would have administered prepared medicinal herbs and deployed the technique three times in succession. But she had neither the time nor the herbs.

Jong Ri-yeon carefully deployed the Life and Death Soul Suspension Needle.

Silver needles were packed densely throughout Dam Ho's body, without a single gap. Dark blood slowly seeped from where the needles were inserted.

Jong Ri-yeon, who had been gazing down at Dam Ho, went outside. When she returned some time later, her hands were full of plantain leaves.

Jong Ri-yeon crushed the plantain leaves with a stone to extract their juice.

"Phew!"

After wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, Jong Ri-yeon carefully removed the silver needles from Dam Ho's body.

Even then, Dam Ho did not stir.

Jong Ri-yeon smeared the crushed plantain generously over Dam Ho's wounds.

Plantain had been renowned since ancient times for its ability to stanch blood and disinfect wounds. Whether it would work on Dam Ho, who was on the verge of death, was uncertain, but with nothing else available, this was the only option.

"Haah!"

When she finally finished applying the plantain, Jong Ri-yeon leaned against the cave wall with a sigh. Her strength had been completely depleted, and she could barely sit upright.

Leaning against the wall, Jong Ri-yeon gazed down at Dam Ho.

"I've done everything I can. The rest depends on his will and the will of heaven."

She closed her eyes, praying that Dam Ho would survive.

In her dream, she met Hwa-no.

Hwa-no was smiling at her.

"Are you well?"

Jong Ri-yeon asked, but Hwa-no only smiled in response instead of answering.

"You look well. Here I am, suffering terribly."

Jong Ri-yeon grumbled petulantly.

She knew.

That she was dreaming.

That the clear image of Hwa-no was not real.

After their master died, leaving her alone in the world, Hwa-no had cared for her like his own daughter. Thanks to him, she had been able to practice medicine without worry.

"I'm sorry. And thank you."

Hwa-no nodded with an expression that said he understood everything.

Jong Ri-yeon reached out to touch Hwa-no. But like a phantom, Hwa-no's image scattered, and her hand passed through empty air.

"Hwa-no!"

Jong Ri-yeon called out loudly and opened her eyes.

Her beautiful face was streaked with tears.

"Sob!"

Even after waking from the dream, she wept for some time. Strangely, emotions surged within her, impossible to contain. The thought that she was now alone made her feel even more desolate.

While she wept, a large hand suddenly appeared and wiped away her tears.

"Ah!"

Surprised, she raised her head. Dam Ho was looking at her.

His face was so pale without a drop of blood that it looked grotesque, but even that sight was welcome to Jong Ri-yeon.

She threw her arms around him without thinking. Dam Ho's face twisted in pain, but he didn't let out a single groan.

He had only just regained consciousness. It was a miraculous result of his body, trained to the extreme, the Dark Soul Heart Method, and Jong Ri-yeon's timely treatment all coming together.

"I'm sorry."

Realizing her mistake, Jong Ri-yeon hastily pulled away from Dam Ho. Her face was flushed entirely red with embarrassment and shame.

"I owe you my life."

"No. I'm the one who owes you. This is nothing."

Jong Ri-yeon shook her head quickly.

Dam Ho gazed at Jong Ri-yeon's face. Though wounded and exhausted, his eyes burned with intense light. Jong Ri-yeon couldn't meet that gaze.

Dam Ho looked away from Jong Ri-yeon. Instead, he surveyed his own condition.

Aside from the external wounds, the energy meridians and heart meridian that served as channels for his internal power were damaged. In this state, he couldn't circulate his internal power normally.

'It's a mess.'

No, simply calling it a mess was insufficient. It was the absolute worst condition he had ever been in since he began training in martial arts.

If not for Jong Ri-yeon's acupuncture, even breathing would have been impossible.

"Where are they?"

"They?"

"The Namgung Family. They'll surely send a tracking party."

"I don't know. I just let the horse run where it would."

"Is the Dark Steed outside?"

"Yes! It should still be there."

At Jong Ri-yeon's answer, Dam Ho's eyes gleamed.

Dam Ho tried to rise. In that instant, a devastating pain crashed over him like a tsunami.

'Kugh!'

Dam Ho bit his lip hard. He had only applied a little force, yet it felt as though his entire body was being torn apart.

"You mustn't overdo it. You can't move yet."

"If I don't move, I'll die."

If he stayed here, the Namgung Family warriors would come. In his current state, he absolutely couldn't face them.

Despite Jong Ri-yeon's objections, Dam Ho rose to his feet.

His legs shook like aspen trees, and cold sweat poured ceaselessly from his entire body. Even so, Dam Ho gritted his teeth and stood.

"Really?"

Jong Ri-yeon stared at him in disbelief.

It was an inexplicable recovery power and superhuman will that defied all common sense.

Dam Ho leaned against the wall and managed to take a step.

NEIGH!

When they emerged from the cave, the Dark Steed that had been waiting pressed its cheek against Dam Ho's face in greeting.

Dam Ho silently patted the Dark Steed's neck.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Somewhere we can shake off their pursuit."

Dam Ho managed to climb onto the Dark Steed's back. He pushed himself too hard, and the wound reopened, revealing fresh bloodstains.

Seeing this, Jong Ri-yeon sighed.

"I'm coming with you."

"It will be dangerous."

"I know."

But she couldn't leave Dam Ho, the patient who needed help, alone. She climbed onto the Dark Steed's back as well.

Jong Ri-yeon embraced Dam Ho from behind around his waist and said:

"Go."

Dam Ho nodded and lightly kicked the Dark Steed's belly. The Dark Steed shot forward with terrifying speed.

Dam Ho's eyes burned fiercely.

'I will become stronger.'

Perhaps since coming into the world, he had felt bored. He had not met a single worthy opponent.

But now he knew for certain. The world was vast, and true powerhouses had yet to reveal themselves.

He had found a reason to grow stronger. And so, he would become stronger.

About an hour after Dam Ho and Jong Ri-yeon departed, a group appeared at the cave entrance.

"This is the place. Their trail leads here."

The man at the head of the group, with his sharp hawk-like eyes, pointed at the cave and said. The leader, who appeared to be a warrior, drew the sword at his waist.

"Everyone be careful. The opponent is the Fist Demon."

"Yes!"

They were the tracking party sent by the Namgung Family. They had followed the faint trail all the way here.

The tracking party cautiously entered the cave.

They knew Dam Ho had sustained fatal injuries that should have left him unable to move, but the tension was still overwhelming.

The extreme tension dried their mouths. But the cave they entered was empty.

The hawk-eyed man examined the traces left on the floor.

"They haven't been gone long. There's still warmth."

"Is it his trail?"

"Yes. The footprints and fabric matches."

"Damn it!"

The leader struck the innocent wall with a blow.

THUD!

His fist was buried in the wall up to the wrist.

The leader's eyes were bloodshot red.

They had been tracking non-stop, only to find that Dam Ho had already left. The sense of futility was overwhelming.

"We absolutely must not give him time to recover."

A state of emergency had been declared in the Namgung Family.

The Sword King Unit, called the Namgung Family's last bastard, had been annihilated, and the patriarch Namgung Cheon himself had returned in critical condition.

Namgung Cheon's condition was so wretched that it was impossible to predict when he might fully recover. As things stood, the mere fact that he was alive was a miracle.

The Namgung Family's fighting strength had been reduced by more than half.

All of this had been caused by a single person: Dam Ho. It was truly an unprecedented crisis.

If they let Dam Ho escape like this, not only would the Namgung Family's prestige plummet, but the consequences would be endless.

That was why Namgung Cheon, before losing consciousness, had ordered them to track down and eliminate Dam Ho at all costs.

The leader hurriedly spoke to another warrior.

"We cannot let him get away. You are to seek assistance from the Beggars' Sect and the Haoh Sect to track his trail."

"Understood."

"The rest of us will continue tracking him."

"By your command!"

Both the one giving the order and those receiving it had faces filled with desperation.

They were afraid.

If they let Dam Ho escape, and if he made a full recovery, the Namgung Family would face its worst possible enemy.

That outcome had to be prevented at all costs.

"We must kill him."

The leader's voice trembled with unease.

“Hyaaah!”

Jeon Woong barely shook off Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent and attacked with sword light. Jin Ja-gang raised his sickles and crossed them to block the sword.

Clang!

Because his internal energy wasn’t properly applied, the blade of the sickle snapped off. Jin Ja-gang drove the broken end of the sickle into Jeon Woong’s chest.

Jeon Woong was still the leader of a sect. He used footwork to turn his body and dodge, then rammed Jin Ja-gang’s side with his shoulder and back.

Thud.

Jin Ja-gang, who had nearly exhausted his second Mad Blood Heaven technique, moved slowly and couldn’t defend, losing his center.

Jeon Woong hooked Jin Ja-gang’s leg while striking Jin Ja-gang’s temple with the bottom part of his sword handle. Jin Ja-gang barely turned his head to dodge, but the handle scraped his forehead and tore it.

Blood splattered and obscured Jin Ja-gang’s vision. Jeon Woong kicked up at Jin Ja-gang’s jaw with his knee.

Even in the midst of this, Jin Ja-gang didn’t close his eyes and tilted his head. The knee hit near his cheekbone instead of his jaw.

Crack!

His head spun around. Jin Ja-gang turned his head and body together while rolling on the ground and getting up.

As Jin Ja-gang staggered while rising, Jeon Woong tried to stab with his sword. Jin Ja-gang threw the broken sickle and pointed at Jeon Woong with his empty fingers.

Jeon Woong flinched and stopped charging. He didn’t know what Jin Ja-gang might do.

Jin Ja-gang did nothing. Even so, Jeon Woong was extremely tense. This was because of the countless achievements Jin Ja-gang had accumulated to earn the nickname Poison Dragon.

However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t have the strength to attack Jeon Woong. This was because consecutive use of Mad Blood Heaven technique had strained his body. To use a third Mad Blood Heaven technique, Jin Ja-gang needed some recovery time.

At that moment.

“Take the Dengryeo Warming Pill.”

It was Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s voice transmission.

The Dengryeo Warming Pills made with Guizhou Medicine Gate’s secret transmission were effective for injuries caused by internal energy. They would probably help Jin Ja-gang’s current condition too.

Jin Ja-gang put one Dengryeo Warming Pill in his mouth. The pill seemed to melt somewhat stickily, then quickly mixed with saliva and went down his throat.

Jin Ja-gang realized that the pain he felt from his ruptured qi and blood was considerably reduced. The hesitation caused by pain also largely disappeared.

Meanwhile, Jeon Woong’s eyes rolled back when he saw Jin Ja-gang taking medicine.

Jeon Woong’s whole body was burning hot and he felt like his internal organs would burst – he couldn’t bear it.

“Give me the antidote too!”

Jin Ja-gang still couldn’t raise Mad Blood Heaven technique, but fortunately he didn’t need to. Jeon Woong was already poisoned by the Clear Blood Gland Snake’s poison and wasn’t in good condition.

Jin Ja-gang ran around and stalled for time. Jeon Woong, who had been chasing Jin Ja-gang, staggered more frequently. His whole body turned red-hot and his eyes gradually spread apart. Especially, a bright red spot appeared right in the center of his forehead, showing his condition was serious.

Jin Ja-gang stopped running away and instead turned his body to rush toward Jeon Woong. Jeon Woong couldn’t react quickly. Jin Ja-gang avoided Jeon Woong’s belated sword swing by rolling down and slashed his belly with the sickle.

Blood and intestines didn’t pour out in a stream, but the skin was cut and the swollen intestines protruded. Steam rose from the blood flowing around.

“Hot! It’s hot!”

Jeon Woong screamed. People commonly call fresh blood “hot blood,” but this wasn’t just hot – the blood was boiling and steaming!

“Ugh… ugh.”

Jeon Woong was holding his thickly swollen intestines when he somehow found strength and raised his body. Then he ran not toward Jin Ja-gang but toward Soso.

“Uaaaah! I’ll kill you!”

This was a situation Jin Ja-gang hadn’t predicted at all.

Jin Ja-gang drew a dagger. Without time to regulate his breathing, he immediately accepted one breath of internal energy and raised Mad Blood Heaven technique once more. The qi and blood that had barely calmed down burst again and the pain became extreme.

“Kugh.”

A groan escaped from Jin Ja-gang’s mouth too. Though internal energy was running wild and spinning, his hands trembled. No matter how much he borrowed the power of the Dengryeo Warming Pills, using Mad Blood Heaven technique consecutively like this put tremendous strain on his body.

But Jin Ja-gang gripped the dagger tightly and prepared to throw it.

Jeon Woong was running toward Soso. But Jeon Woong’s staggering steps actually hindered his target. He couldn’t aim properly.

His internal energy was out of control and jumping around in all directions. The more his internal energy swelled, the more severe his body’s trembling became.

“Urgh…!”

Tremble tremble tremble tremble.

Not just his hands but his arms and whole body shook. It was like a cart wheel with its axle loose, rattling and shaking.

But he had to hit the target. If he didn’t hit it in one try, Soso would die.

Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth and tried to use Flying Thread Twelve Branches, but blood vessels in one eye burst severely and his vision was covered in red.

In his other eye, he could see Soso trembling with fear. Jeon Woong was roughly strangling Soso’s neck. Soso’s face was gradually turning white.

‘No!’

Jin Ja-gang tried his best to make the most of his single opportunity, but it didn’t go well. His worry about failing interfered with his concentration even more.

Then Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s voice transmission came again.

“A multitude of immortals lead the way, axes follow behind, dragon banners and phoenix carriages flutter in the great sky, and all gather at the Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform.”

Jin Ja-gang’s already complicated mind became even more confused by Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s voice transmission.

However, Dan Ryeong-gyeong wouldn’t disturb Jin Ja-gang with meaningless words. Since Dan Ryeong-gyeong even knew that Jin Ja-gang was using Mad Blood Heaven technique, there must be meaning in these words.

“When a multitude of immortals lead and axe-bearers follow behind, dragon banners flutter in the high sky while the carriages of heavenly emperors and heavenly lords ring their bells as they gather one after another at the Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform, the venue for the banquet hosted by the Heavenly Venerable.”

‘Immortals lead and axes follow behind!’

The operation of internal energy is generally accomplished through mental intention. So a multitude of immortals means unified thought without confusion – concentration.

‘Do the axes behind mean destructive internal energy?’

But then the meaning didn’t fit.

This didn’t simply mean axes. Fu-yue (axes) generally refers to ceremonial implements used in high officials’ processions.

Also, the interpretation of the character luan had several meanings originally. Luan meant the legendary luan bird, or the bells attached to the carriages and horse reins of heavenly emperors and heavenly lords – that is, heavenly beings.

So luan-lu meant carriages ridden by heavenly beings.

The final Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform meant a precious seat made of jade.

It was the place where the Heavenly Venerable called together the heavenly beings.

So ultimately, numerous splendid processions gathered at the one unique place where the Heavenly Venerable resided.

If Dan Ryeong-gyeong had simply told him the characters, Jin Ja-gang would never have understood the hidden meaning in these words. But Dan Ryeong-gyeong helped Jin Ja-gang’s understanding by adding explanations of the characters beforehand.

‘The front is chaotic, but what follows behind is the true preciousness, and only those precious ones can ascend to the Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform!’

Jin Ja-gang observed the wheel of internal energy spinning within his body. At first glance, it looked like wild horses mixed with poison energy running rampant.

‘There’s a precious carriage behind that?’

Jin Ja-gang thoroughly searched his own internal energy. It wasn’t clearly visible. He had never trained like this in the first place. It wasn’t easy.

Jin Ja-gang still didn’t give up and concentrated his mind to the utmost. He recalled the times when pain reached its extreme, when the rotation created by the wheel of internal energy reached its peak, when he felt his body and soul separating.

To recall that feeling, he rotated his internal energy to a degree his body could barely endure.

Whirrrr!

The wheel inside his body grew larger and larger until it nearly reached the point of destroying his physical body.

Pop pop pop!

His qi and blood couldn’t endure and burst in various places. His head kept turning white as if firecrackers were exploding, and his consciousness flickered.

‘I can’t lose consciousness!’

Jin Ja-gang endured to the end while his body shook from the shock.

At one moment, like before, his body’s sensations floated away and separated.

‘Ah!’

Jin Ja-gang quickly examined his body as if looking at someone else’s body.

‘I can see it!’

He could see small crystals revealing themselves in various places throughout his body’s meridians.

They were very beautiful and transparent crystals. They resembled quartz and also resembled the shape of uncut, angular jade.

‘This is…’

These crystals were the hidden carriages of heavenly beings. The suction force created by the tremendous rotational power of internal energy was causing the pure internal energies hidden in his meridians to reveal themselves.

Pure internal energy crystals that had been embedded and solidified in various places throughout Jin Ja-gang’s meridians for a long time.

Hidden power worthy of being called heavenly beings.

When Jin Ja-gang became aware of the internal energy crystals, the internal energy crystals also became conscious of Jin Ja-gang. Very small, sparkling particles began to fall away one by one due to the wheel’s suction force.

Though small in size, each particle possessed considerable power. Each particle was a heavenly emperor and heavenly lord. Every time a particle fell away, Jin Ja-gang felt an even greater upheaval than the spinning wheel shaking his body.

It was like thunder and lightning roaring.

Rumble rumble! Crash!

Because they had been hidden for so long, the shock when they fell away was tremendous. If his qi and blood hadn’t been protected by the Dengryeo Warming Pills, he would certainly have suffered serious internal injuries.

With thunder and lightning, hundreds and thousands of particles fell away and began attaching to the wheel. Though the wheel was much larger in size, the wheel instantly submitted to the particles.

‘Luan-lu… the true and noble beings’ carriages that had been following behind the splendid ceremonial procession!’

The wheel contained even greater power than before, yet became surprisingly quiet in an instant.

The speed became faster and the power it contained became mighty, but it didn’t shake his body like before. It just spun quietly. Jin Ja-gang’s body stopped trembling.

The heavenly emperor and heavenly lord internal energy crystals that had gathered from all directions completely took control of the wheel.

But what came next was the problem.

He had succeeded in drawing out the luan-lu, but he had to move it to the Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform.

Where was that place?

A person has three dantians. The place where humans connect with the universe is the Baihui point. However, the Jade Brahma Seven Treasure Layered Platform was the place where the Heavenly Venerable hosted banquets – one level lower than where the Heavenly Venerable resided.

‘Middle dantian!’

Near the heart.

Unlike the lower dantian, the heart wasn’t severely blocked.

Jin Ja-gang naturally guided the wheel to the heart inside his chest. The wheel escorted the heavenly beings toward the middle dantian.

Tremendous power settled in the middle dantian. He could instantly spread power to all four limbs and hundred bones. Some power was also applied to his completely blocked qi and blood.

Jin Ja-gang sent half a breath of internal energy to his right hand holding the dagger according to the Flying Thread Twelve Branches method.

Whoosh.

With a very refreshing and clear feeling, a bright light appeared on the dagger. Clear sword energy emanated.

Jin Ja-gang threw the dagger with completely steady movements.

The dagger that left Jin Ja-gang’s hand glided through the air, drawing six arcs. Flying while swaying on air currents, the dagger reached its intended target without any obstruction.

And reaching its target, it simply pierced through the barrier and entered, completing its task.

The dagger stopped exactly where Jin Ja-gang wanted.

Right inside Jeon Woong’s head.

The dagger penetrated Jeon Woong’s head and was completely housed inside Jeon Woong’s skull. Even the tip of the handle didn’t protrude outside.

This all happened in the blink of an eye.

Jeon Woong’s eyes, which had been strangling Soso’s neck, filled with blood. Still in the posture of strangling her neck, blood began dripping from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

“Ah-eo-eo-eo-eo!”

Soso shook off Jeon Woong’s hands and ran away. Jeon Woong fell forward and died with his head buried in the ground.