Chapter 197: Chaos Is a Swamp That Draws Everything In (1)

"Whew! We have finally arrived."

Cho Yeon-woon gazed at the distant main gate of the Shouzhou branch and released a sigh of relief. The disciples of Baekjeon Pavilion who had followed him felt the same.

"That was an exhausting journey."

"Now we can finally catch our breath."

Their faces were lined with fatigue.

Under normal circumstances, they would have exchanged lighthearted banter. But now they were too drained for even casual jokes.

'Jo Ja-gyeong.'

All of it was due to the battle with the Cheoncheon Group. In particular, the confrontation with its leader, Jo Ja-gyeong, had pushed Cho Yeon-woon to his absolute limit.

The result had been mutual destruction.

There was no victor, only two defeated. In that battle, both Cho Yeon-woon and Jo Ja-gyeong had sustained serious injuries. The fight between the Cheoncheon Group and the Baekjeon Pavilion disciples had been no different.

The sense of emptiness and exhaustion that came from having tested one another to their limits was no laughing matter. The journey here had been more grueling than any road they had traveled.

"Young Hero Cho!"

Upon entering the Shouzhou branch, Hae So-wol was the first to greet Cho Yeon-woon and the Baekjeon Pavilion disciples.

"Miss Hae!"

Cho Yeon-woon's face brightened. Even in this place, seeing a familiar face from a shared connection brought him joy.

Hae So-wol regarded the bedraggled appearance of Cho Yeon-woon and his disciples with a compassionate gaze.

"Your journey must not have been easy."

"You can say that again. And you, Miss Hae—your own trials appear to have been considerable."

At Cho Yeon-woon's words, Hae So-wol's expression turned bitter.

The Demonic Cult's elite, led by Go San-woong the Great Power Tyrant Demon, had inflicted devastating damage upon the Shouzhou branch. Countless had been killed or wounded, plunging the branch into a gloomy atmosphere resembling a house of mourning.

Among the dead were many martial artists of the Haenam Sect, which weighed heavily upon Hae So-wol's heart.

Cho Yeon-woon sensed that oppressive atmosphere as well.

"Ha ha! The mood here is far too grim. At this rate, how can we possibly mount an effective defense against the Demonic Cult's assault?"

He forced a cheerful laugh. But no one responded, and he quickly found himself wearing an awkward expression. At that moment, something caught his eye.

"Who is that?"

Hae So-wol followed his gaze. There, she recognized a familiar figure.

"That is Taoist Un-gyeong of the Mount Hua Sect."

"Taoist Un-gyeong, you say…"

"He is his senior brother."

"Ah!"

"His master is staying nearby. The Mount Hua Sect intends to bring him along."

"I see."

"Yes."

"Hmm."

Cho Yeon-woon rubbed his chin.

Dam Ho's fame had already resounded throughout the world. Though he had been designated a public enemy, the benefits of recruiting him far outweighed the disadvantages.

Even if the Mount Hua Sect, which had previously turned its back on Dam Ho, had now changed its mind, it was not entirely incomprehensible.

Un-gyeong was seen bowing to someone. Cho Yeon-woon wanted to see who the first-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect was bowing to, but unfortunately, Un-gyeong's back blocked the view.

At that moment, Hae So-wol offered a faint smile.

"Shall we go inside? I will arrange quarters for you."

"Yes!"

As he answered, Cho Yeon-woon looked around.

Perhaps because of the enormous number of casualties, the air within the Shouzhou branch felt unusually cold.

His nose tingled. The scent of blood—still lingering from the many who had perished—stimulated his senses.

"Damn it."

"You will have to grow accustomed to it. This is only the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"Their forces are continuing to converge at Mount Heng. The moment their full strength has gathered, a major assault will come."

"Could we not strike first?"

"It is not as simple as that."

"Why?"

"If you stay here, you will understand."

Her words carried many implications.

Hae So-wol offered a bitter smile and walked on.

***

"Thank you, Miss Jong."

Martial artists with gaunt, pale faces bowed to Jong Ri-yeon in gratitude. They were the martial artists who had been abandoned by the Golden Guard and left behind in the village.

Though their faces were drained of all color, a measure of vitality was slowly returning.

The same was true for the villagers. Those who had teetered between life and death from poisoning now had a flush of color in their cheeks.

"Ha!"

Only then did Jong Ri-yeon release a sigh of relief.

After her desperate efforts through the night, Jong Ri-yeon had finally succeeded in creating a medicine to detoxify the villagers. But unable to guarantee its effectiveness, she had maintained her vigil, watching their condition the entire time. Her exhaustion had reached its peak.

As her legs gave way and she slumped into a chair—

"You have worked hard."

A familiar voice came from behind.

Turning, Jong Ri-yeon saw Dam Ho. The sight of him—covered in blood and in disarray—made her heart drop.

"Your injuries…"

"Nothing serious."

Dam Ho answered as though it were nothing. At his nonchalant manner, Jong Ri-yeon shook her head briefly.

She rose and approached him. Standing before him, the scent of blood struck her powerfully.

The metallic aroma was so intense that she furrowed her brow. But only for an instant—she immediately began to staunch his wounds.

Dam Ho watched her in silence. When she had finished treating the last wound and straightened up, she looked at him.

"That should do it. You should…"

Jong Ri-yeon could not finish her sentence. She toppled backward. Dam Ho caught her waist and steadied her.

Jong Ri-yeon had collapsed from extreme exhaustion. Dam Ho lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.

He laid her gently on the soft mattress. Im Yi-cheong's son approached.

"Is she all right?"

"She will be."

"Thank goodness."

Only then did relief appear on the boy's face.

Im Yi-cheong followed and bowed to Dam Ho.

"I cannot thank you enough. If it had not been for the Divine Physician, all the people of our village would have perished. I do not know how to repay such a debt."

Im Yi-cheong was overcome with gratitude.

Had it not been for Jong Ri-yeon, the villagers would have been massacred. He knew well the tremendous effort she had made to save them.

"She did it of her own volition. Thank her yourself when she wakes."

"I will do so."

Im Yi-cheong bowed repeatedly and withdrew.

After he left, the Golden Guard martial artists came. Having regained their health with Jong Ri-yeon's help, they offered their gratitude just as Im Yi-cheong had.

But within their minds, a maelstrom of emotions churned.

Captain Yu Jin-mun and their comrades had abandoned them and fled, yet it was the stranger Jong Ri-yeon who had saved their lives.

Since joining the Golden Guard, their pride had been sky-high. They believed they had been chosen to uphold the justice of the Murim. But now their hearts wavered.

They could no longer tell what was just and what was the right path for the Murim. And so their expressions remained dark.

Only after the Golden Guard martial artists had departed did Dam Ho sink to the floor. Though he had shown no sign of it, his physical condition was dire.

The external wounds were severe, but far worse was the internal injury. He had not yet fully expelled Sa Woo-yeon's poison.

Dam Ho sat cross-legged and began circulating the Dark Soul Heart Method. Lost to the passage of time, he sank into a meditative trance of energy circulation.

While Dam Ho's energy circulation reached its peak, Jong Ri-yeon opened her eyes.

She lay on the bed, blinking. She had no idea how she had come to be lying here. But the moment she saw Dam Ho meditating beside her, a smile spread across her face.

His body was still crusted with blood, giving him the appearance of a fearsome demon. And yet, strangely, she felt no fear.

Jong Ri-yeon unconsciously reached out toward him, then froze. She realized he was circulating his energy.

Disturbing someone during energy circulation could lead to deviation—a potentially fatal complication. For this reason, it was an unwritten law of the Murim that one never allowed anyone but a trusted person to witness their meditation.

'Does he trust me that much? This man…'

When that thought reached her, her feelings became complicated. But she did not dislike it.

At that moment, as if sensing her, Dam Ho opened his eyes. Their gazes met head-on.

Startled, Jong Ri-yeon could not speak and simply blinked. Her hand was still extended toward him.

"You… you're awake."

"……"

"The weather is nice, isn't it?"

It was raining outside.

"……"

Jong Ri-yeon, robbed of words, shut her eyes tightly. Her face was as red as a ripe persimmon.

Dam Ho rose in silence.

His body still ached as though pierced by hundreds of needles simultaneously. But such pain was familiar to him.

He asked.

"How are you?"

"I slept well and feel fine."

"Then let us move."

Dam Ho walked out. Jong Ri-yeon stared after him with an incredulous expression.

"That fool."

She shook her head and rose from the bed.

Though she had said she was fine, her body was heavy. She managed to drag her feet forward with considerable effort.

Outside, Dam Ho was already making preparations to depart.

Jong Ri-yeon would have liked to stay a few days longer, but she knew that was impossible.

Even this remote mountain village had been reached by the Demonic Cult's venomous hand. No other place could be safe.

The great war between the orthodox and demonic paths was plunging the world into ever greater chaos. She had to reach Shouzhou, where Sage Hyeon-so was, before it was too late.

Though Jong Ri-yeon had detoxified the villagers, those who had been poisoned were still too weak to move. Most of the villagers were too occupied caring for the afflicted to notice that Dam Ho and Jong Ri-yeon were leaving.

Only Im Yi-cheong and his son noticed and came to see them off. The two departed the village under their farewell.

Jong Ri-yeon turned to look back. Im Yi-cheong's son was waving vigorously. Jong Ri-yeong waved in return, then spurred her horse and followed after Dam Ho.

The black steed, long confined to the stable, ran freely as though venting its pent-up energy. Dam Ho sat astride it, lost in thought.

'Is Master safe?'

What concerned him most was not the justice or order of the Murim, but his Master, Sage Hyeon-so. As long as Sage Hyeon-so was safe, nothing else mattered.

The gaze that followed Dam Ho was Jong Ri-yeon's, and it was deeply complicated.

"Ahhh…"

A sigh escaped her lips, carrying feelings as complex as the look in her eyes.

Somehow, she had ended up traveling with Dam Ho, and the moment to part ways had slipped past her. Now, the thought of separating from him and acting alone was beyond imagining.

'It cannot be helped. Since it has come to this, I have no choice but to see it through to the end.'

At some point, her gaze became resolute.

The black steed carrying Dam Ho had already drawn far ahead.

Jong Ri-yeon kicked her horse's flank and called out.

"Wait for me!"

Her voice scattered in the wind.

Mang Ryo wiped the blood off the King of Hell Plaque with a clean cloth and said.

“Since we’re going to use poison on hidden weapons anyway, I’d like you to bring proper ones. The woman who was hit by hidden weapons last time escaped across one river and three mountains while poisoned. And she’s still alive. Do you think that makes sense?”

The old craftsman groaned while sitting collapsed and answered.

“Ugh… The hidden weapons from before were coated with considerable extreme poison. Even if she saved her life because she was a master with deep internal energy, the side effects would have been severe at the level of deadly poison.”

Mang Ryo frowned slightly. In Yunnan, they didn’t distinguish between extreme poison and deadly poison. However, in the Tang family that used poison in detail, it was customary to distinguish and speak according to effects or conditions.

Extreme poison is poison that causes death, and deadly poison refers to poison with extremely severe toxicity.

Even extreme poison might not be deadly poison, and even deadly poison might not be extreme poison. However, it meant that the poison used before had the effects of both extreme poison and deadly poison.

But Mang Ryo snorted.

“But I heard she beat up Dancing Buddha and chased her away while poisoned with that ‘deadly poison’? That can’t be called deadly poison then.”

“Poison depends on a person’s constitution…”

Mang Ryo waved his hand irritably.

“Enough, so bring extreme poison. Bring the kind that absolutely kills when hit. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Such poison doesn’t exist. Especially if they’re masters at the level of deploying protective energy, their internal energy is pure and refined, so it’s very difficult for them to be in serious situations…”

To poison such masters to death, one had to completely understand their constitution and use poison custom-made for that specific master.

But Mang Ryo ignored the old craftsman’s words.

“I understand, so bring extreme poison.”

The old craftsman looked at Mang Ryo with an incredulous expression despite his painful condition with blood flowing from his head.

“I said it doesn’t exist, but if you keep telling me to bring it, what am I supposed to do?”

“It’s not like it really doesn’t exist. If poison doesn’t work just because someone has deep internal energy, are they all bodies immune to ten thousand poisons? Everyone in the world knows about the Tang family’s Eight Great Extreme Poisons, so what nonsense are you spouting? Are the Eight Great Extreme Poisons not extreme poisons but just deadly poisons? Then why did you name them extreme poisons? That can’t be right.”

“That’s not something I can obtain. How could I get the Eight Great Extreme Poisons…”

The words ‘How could I hand them over to someone like you’ were about to follow but stopped.

“I don’t care about responsibility, just bring them unconditionally.”

The old craftsman was about to argue that it was impossible when suddenly Mang Ryo scolded him.

“Because of people like you who say it can’t be done when it can, plans keep going awry. That’s why simple matters become complicated and drag on. Then who will take responsibility? Huh?”

“What do you mean by that…”

“How nice it would have been if Shandong Enchanting Flower had died at Laozhai Mountain. If I had cleanly handed over the corpse to Indestructible Heavenly Sword, both my face and the Zhuge family’s would have been saved, and I wouldn’t have needed to become enemies with the Zhuge family. Dancing Buddha wouldn’t have thrown a tantrum, so Emei Sect wouldn’t have lost face either. Then Qingcheng Sect wouldn’t have needed to intervene, so there would have been no reason for relations between Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect to sour.”

The old craftsman’s face crumpled.

“Are you saying that’s all my fault?”

“Oh my, friend. Do you think that’s all there is?”

Mang Ryo sighed deeply as if pitying him.

“Because of you, the thousand-year ancient city of Thirty-Six Peaks, Eight Great Caves, Seventy-Two Caverns, and One Hundred Eight Famous Scenes will soon be reduced to ashes. Oh dear… Not knowing that all this is because of one person, how will you bear all that resentment and karma?”

The old craftsman’s mouth fell open.

What kind of nonsense is this!

Mount Qingcheng is called Qingcheng Mountain because peaks with green vegetation growing year-round are surrounded like a castle. The thousand-year ancient city is a metaphorical term for Mount Qingcheng.

“Moreover…”

Mang Ryo took out a small medicine bottle and rolled it in his hand.

The old craftsman recognized that medicine bottle. It was the bottle containing the antidote for the poison from Mang Ryo’s prosthetic leg.

But hadn’t Tang Ha-ran recently taken the antidote and headed to Mount Qingcheng?

“Huh…?”

The old craftsman unconsciously pointed at the medicine bottle Mang Ryo was holding.

“If the antidote is there, then what the young lady took…”

Mang Ryo spun the medicine bottle in his hand and answered carelessly.

“I don’t know, I just put in whatever I saw and sent it with her. I think it was some kind of snake poison? The name wasn’t written on it, really. People who use poison are all the same. Why don’t they write names on bottles? It’s confusing.”

The old craftsman became even more flustered. If it wasn’t an antidote but poison that was used and Dan Ryeong-gyeong suffered great harm, what would happen to Tang Ha-ran!

“Then the young lady’s safety…”

Mang Ryo smiled slyly.

“This friend still hasn’t come to his senses. Now she should be called young lady, not young master. She said she’d be offended if addressed wrongly.”

The old craftsman’s face became even more wrinkled than before.

What kind of nonsense is this now!

Young lady refers to a maiden of marriageable age or a newly married woman. The Tang family clearly has the tradition of live-in sons-in-law, so what does getting married mean?

No, leaving aside the issue of marriage, Tang Ha-ran went with poison. She would be treated as going to kill Dan Ryeong-gyeong. Wouldn’t it be fortunate if she returned alive!

“If, if, if Enchanting Flower dies…”

“It’s good if she dies… it’s also good if she doesn’t die… Actually, it would be a bit troublesome if she doesn’t die. But she probably won’t die.”

If Dan Ryeong-gyeong doesn’t die, Tang Ha-ran becomes more dangerous.

The old craftsman stared blankly at Mang Ryo with wide eyes when Mang Ryo clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk, I told you. When you try to save a few coins, things become this complicated. That’s why simple matters that could be resolved become complicated and drag on. So this time, don’t make mistakes and bring proper poison weapons. Because of you, I had to throw one of the Tang family’s beautiful young ladies as bait.”

The old craftsman couldn’t say anything. Somehow he felt like he was hearing things he shouldn’t hear.

“Now I have to visit Emei Sect and discuss together what to do about the thousand-year ancient city…”

The old craftsman found it increasingly uncomfortable to listen.

“If Emei Sect doesn’t listen, we’ll have to eliminate them together, so I’ll have to meet Indestructible Heavenly Sword and deceive him. This is a bit dangerous… I’ve deceived Indestructible Heavenly Sword several times before. Hehehe!”

When Mang Ryo laughed, the old craftsman got goosebumps.

Dangerous!

“Wait, I have to meet the Martial Arts Alliance Leader too, right? What did the King of Hell say about the Martial Arts Alliance Leader…” When the King of Hell was mentioned, it was no longer a story he could handle.

The old craftsman prostrated himself. Blood and sweat flowed from his forehead.

“I’ll bring it! As the authority of the King of Hell Plaque commands. I’ll do my very best.”

Mang Ryo grinned, showing his teeth.

“Smart.”

If he had endured after hearing all his words, Mang Ryo would have mercilessly killed the old craftsman. Someone who doesn’t listen to his words but knows many secrets is useless.

Mang Ryo wiped the old craftsman’s face with a cloth and whispered softly in his ear.

“But I don’t need your best. Prepare the best one in the Tang Family Great Compound in the name of the Tang family. Good enough to assassinate even the Three Martial Venerables. If this fails, the Tang family’s existence might be shaken this time.”

The Three Martial Venerables!

This refers to the leaders who lead the three strongest forces in the current martial world.

It’s also a term for the current leaders of the orthodox faction, evil faction, and demonic path.

Of course, anyone would question whether poison capable of killing them all at once exists in the world.

The old craftsman trembled as he glanced at Mang Ryo.

He couldn’t even imagine what kind of scheme was being plotted.

But he didn’t need to know.

“Good thinking. A sword shouldn’t be curious about who it cuts. It just needs to cut whoever the master tells it to.”

Mang Ryo smiled and patted the old craftsman’s cleaned cheek.

“Go on.”

* * *

Mount Qingcheng.

The winter sun set quickly, and the dusky sunset also disappeared in an instant.

However, moonrise began and brilliant red energy briefly swirled once more in the clear navy blue sky.

A Taoist with a neatly tied topknot and simple but neat Taoist robes without wrinkles.

Anyone would call him the epitome of a Taoist.

Though over sixty years old, his face still had no wrinkles, his complexion was reddish like sunset, and his beard flowing down to his neck was half black and stiff.

However, unusually, he had a red blindfold tightly tied, completely covering his eyes.

This was Dark Venerable Master, the sect leader of Qingcheng Sect.

Dark Venerable Master was facing toward the moonrise within the grounds of Mount Qingcheng.

Taoist Bok-cheon came and stood beside him without a sound.

Dark Venerable Master raised his hand and pointed at the moonrise.

“Though I cannot see, I can feel it. This night’s moon where warmth and coldness coexist. It emanates a different energy from the morning sunrise when darkness retreats and dawn arrives.”

Dark Venerable Master was facing the moonrise, but Taoist Bok-cheon was looking at Dark Venerable Master.

“Senior Brother Sect Leader.”

His tone suggested he had something to say.

“Yes. I heard the story.”

Dark Venerable Master gave a hollow laugh.

“I heard that a young lady sent by the Tang family proposed to Poison Dragon, and what she brought as a proposal gift was poison. Has it been analyzed what kind of poison it was?”

Taoist Bok-cheon quietly nodded.

“It was crude poison containing cobra venom.”

Cobra venom is snake poison that causes paralysis and bleeding. Ordinary bleeding poison isn’t dangerous just from ingesting it, but it could be fatal to Dan Ryeong-gyeong who has continuous internal bleeding.

However, the important thing wasn’t the mention of cobra venom but the words that followed.

Crude poison.

“Yes… That child has also become pitiful.”

It wasn’t even great poison but crude poison.

What could be the reason for sending crude poison to a Tang family child, telling her it was an antidote?

She was abandoned.

Left to writhe and die like an earthworm attached to a fishing hook. Waiting for a bigger fish to bite.

Where could that be?

Why specifically Poison Dragon and Mount Qingcheng?

“Then what is that child doing?”

“I told her to enter the main mountain, but she firmly refused. She’s probably with Poison Dragon by now. It seems there’s someone they both know in common.”

Dark Venerable Master looked toward the moon that had instantly crossed the mountain ridge with a bitter expression.

“It’s quiet.”

His face showed he felt the moonrise had ended.

Taoist Bok-cheon said.

“It’s the calm before the storm. It seems a fierce storm will approach soon.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s not a storm that can be taken lightly. We can’t know where or how it will come.”

Taoist Bok-cheon also looked up at the moon following Dark Venerable Master. Dark halos began to form around the moon that had been emitting such brilliant radiance just moments before.

“I…”

Dark Venerable Master said in a low voice.

“Have no face to show. To my junior brothers and the disciples of the main mountain as well.”

“It’s not Senior Brother Sect Leader’s fault. The Heavenly Venerable also said to govern people’s hearts, not to have no heart like inanimate objects.”

To Taoist Bok-cheon’s somewhat reproaching tone, Dark Venerable Master smiled slightly.

“If it weren’t for junior brother, we wouldn’t be able to protect Qingcheng’s spiritual energy.”

Dark Venerable Master continued.

“Recently, I had a conversation with the Divine Nun of Emei Sect. She said this: The world has changed and Emei Sect has decided to step toward the new world.”

Taoist Bok-cheon sneered.

“Is there any reason to listen to the words of turncoats? Even if they say such things, haven’t their actual actions been not following the Martial Arts Alliance for a long time?”

“Not everyone sees the world the same way. Buddha nature is not one, and even if eighteen thousand different hearts are all different, if only the heart pursuing goodness is the same, that itself is liberation.”

“Enough. I won’t deal with Emei Sect in the future either.”

“That too would be the goodness junior brother pursues.”

“Enough of such talk. Senior Brother Sect Leader should also decide now. I came to urge you.”

Dark Venerable Master quietly raised his head following the moon and only listened to Taoist Bok-cheon’s words.

“It’s time to untie what was tied by yourself.”

Dark Venerable Master’s head stopped.

Taoist Bok-cheon said.

“Before even the chance to regret disappears.”