Chapter 267 – When Ice Melts, Water Naturally Flows (2)

The place Dam Ho and Myung Kyung headed to was a clearing located in a very secluded area. This place, which once had a large hall, now had nothing but ruins.

Dam Ho and Myung Kyung stood firmly on the ruins facing each other. Behind Myung Kyung stood Woon Kyung and Sage Hyeon-so. They watched Dam Ho and Myung Kyung with very tense gazes.

Shing!

Myung Kyung drew his sword.

It was an ordinary blue steel sword. But from the moment it was held in Myung Kyung's hand, the blue steel sword emitted an extraordinary aura.

Pat!

Without warning, Myung Kyung rushed toward Dam Ho. It was Dark Fragrance Float, Mount Hua Sect's supreme footwork technique.

Like fragrance spreading in darkness, Myung Kyung approached Dam Ho silently and swung his sword.

Swoosh!

The sword flew like lightning, shortening space. It was an ordinary move of the Horizontal Small Sky Sword. But the momentum contained within was extraordinary. Even Dam Ho couldn't dare underestimate it and deflected the blade with his wrist, changing its trajectory.

Swish!

Myung Kyung's foot swept the ground. The deflected sword targeted Dam Ho's chest again.

Dam Ho continuously deflected his sword with his wrist. But the more he deflected, the faster Myung Kyung's sword returned to attack Dam Ho.

The speed at which Myung Kyung swung his sword gradually increased until it became almost invisible to the eye.

Watching this, Sage Hyeon-so muttered.

"Returning Severing Wheel."

That was the name of the technique Myung Kyung was using.

Though it had a name, it had no special form or pattern. It was a technique that relied on maximized senses and instinct to penetrate the enemy's weak points.

Swish!

Myung Kyung's sword elegantly cut through the air.

Then an intense sword strike burst forth.

"Crushing Sword Rain."

The rain of swords that crushes everything.

If Dam Ho hadn't unleashed the Wave-Breaking Kick, he would have suffered a fatal wound.

[TL Note- Wave Breaking Kick was previously translated as Castle/Fortress Breaking Kick.]

Myung Kyung's sword was clearly different from before.

If his sword before was elegant yet chilling, now his sword was direct and intense.

Swish swish swish!

His sword continuously flew targeting Dam Ho's vital points. There wasn't a trace of mercy in his sword. It persistently targeted only places that would definitely take a life if struck.

If it had been any warrior other than Dam Ho, they would have long been flustered and their movements disrupted. That's how terrifying Myung Kyung's sword was.

Nine Plum Blossom Swords.

That was the name of the sword technique he was using.

It was a martial art that didn't exist in Mount Hua's previous history. Because it was created by Myung Kyung and Sage Hyeon-so working together.

Originally, the sword technique Myung Kyung had learned was a supreme technique called Blood Plum Blossom Sword. This sword technique created by Sage Hyeon-geom had deadly power but had the disadvantage of lacking harmony between offense and defense. Because of this, he had been defeated by Dam Ho before without much resistance.

Nine Plum Blossom Swords was a sword technique created to complement the Blood Plum Blossom Sword. It reduced thirty-six moves to just nine, and made the connection between each move organic, enabling numerous combinations.

Completing a single martial art was not easy even for a great master. Naturally, it would have been impossible for Myung Kyung alone. Not without Sage Hyeon-so's help.

After Sage Hyeon-so returned to Mount Hua, Myung Kyung visited his residence daily to discuss martial arts.

Sage Hyeon-so had created the Solitary Flow Style with Dam Ho. Though he couldn't properly demonstrate techniques with his body, the knowledge in his head was more than enough to pierce the heavens.

He worked with Myung Kyung to find the problems with the Blood Plum Blossom Sword and improve them one by one. The improved Blood Plum Blossom Sword became the Nine Plum Blossom Swords.

Though it was called Nine Plum Blossom Swords, the sword technique Myung Kyung was using consisted of moves that had nothing to do with plum blossoms.

Moves like Blood Chaos Wind, Beheading Blood Demon, and Sword Sea Overflow were unleashed in succession.

Myung Kyung's sword brought a blood wind and created a sea of swords.

It was like a storm raging. The storm Myung Kyung created seemed about to tear Dam Ho's body to pieces. But Myung Kyung didn't feel assured.

His opponent was Dam Ho.

The man the world called Fist Demon.

He thrust his fist toward the storm Myung Kyung had created.

Bang!

The storm that had been raging so fiercely disappeared without a trace from a single strike. Myung Kyung's rigid face was fully exposed.

Pat!

Dam Ho unleashed the Charging Step.

Dam Ho's form shortening space in a straight line. Even before his body reached, terrifying pressure came first, pressing down on Myung Kyung's entire body.

'Here he comes.'

Myung Kyung bit his lip hard and unleashed the Sword Reaches Heaven move from the Nine Plum Blossom Swords.

A splendid sword curtain spread before him.

Clang!

Dam Ho's Wave-Breaking Kick struck the sword curtain. The meticulous sword curtain shattered like glass.

If it had been the old Myung Kyung, he would have been flustered and fallen apart. But the current Myung Kyung was different from before.

The moment the Sword Reaches Heaven move shattered, he was already connecting and unleashing another move. It was truly a dazzling response. But Dam Ho was merciless.

Bang!

Once again his strike burst forth.

Unable to withstand the impact, Myung Kyung retreated. His hair was completely disheveled, and blood traces appeared at his mouth. He had suffered internal injuries.

Swoosh!

Once again Dam Ho's body rushed in a straight line.

Another Charging Step.

Myung Kyung gritted his teeth.

The power of Dam Ho's Charging Step was truly terrifying. He had realized during countless fights over the past three years. That once pushed back by the Charging Step, he could never recover the lost initiative.

Whether it ended in success or failure, he had to face it head-on.

"Hyah!"

Myung Kyung shouted and swung his sword with all his might. Against this, Dam Ho unleashed the Charging Kick.

Bang!

An explosion rang out.

Myung Kyung staggered backward.

Dam Ho rushed in and grabbed Myung Kyung's collar. He was about to unleash the Earth-Shattering Strike. At that moment, Myung Kyung grabbed Dam Ho's wrist and rotated his body while thrusting his sword.

Threatened by the sword, Dam Ho let go of Myung Kyung's collar. But he didn't retreat. Rather, he dug deeper into Myung Kyung's embrace.

A whip-like punch, the Single Yang Strike was unleashed.

Thud!

"Kugh!"

Myung Kyung twisted his face and retreated. His right shoulder, struck by the Single Yang Strike, quickly swelled up. Myung Kyung had no choice but to switch his sword to his left hand.

That's when it happened… "Move three steps to the right and unleash Snow Sky Wind."

Sage Hyeon-so's voice dug into Myung Kyung's ears. Myung Kyung followed Sage Hyeon-so's words without any doubt.

Moving three steps to the right, he miraculously escaped Dam Ho's fist. Then the Snow Sky Wind move was unleashed.

The sword tip stabbed the air countless times. From Dam Ho's perspective facing head-on, it gave the illusion of snowflakes fluttering. That's why the move was called Snow Sky Wind.

Sage Hyeon-so's voice continued.

"Returning Severing Wheel again."

Myung Kyung's sword flew toward Dam Ho drawing a strange trajectory.

Clang!

The moment Dam Ho deflected the sword, Sage Hyeon-so's voice rang out.

"Unleash Beheading Blood Demon."

Myung Kyung followed Sage Hyeon-so's voice without a trace of doubt.

It was a situation of two against one. But Dam Ho didn't say a word.

They had been fighting like this for a long time.

Dam Ho was an insurmountable wall. Not just for Myung Kyung but for Sage Hyeon-so too, Dam Ho's existence was too enormous. To overcome him, Myung Kyung and Sage Hyeon-so worked together.

With the broad-sighted Sage Hyeon-so joining, the Nine Plum Blossom Swords Myung Kyung unleashed became even more exquisite. Sage Hyeon-so guided Myung Kyung with his broad vision, and Myung Kyung followed his words exactly.

The Nine Plum Blossom Swords Myung Kyung unleashed gained power. A sea of swords descended on Dam Ho.

At that moment, fierce energy swirled around Dam Ho's entire body. The Violent Demon Energy was unleashed. With the Violent Demon Energy wrapped around his entire body, Dam Ho charged straight at the Nine Plum Blossom Swords.

Boom!

A sound like a beast's scream echoed across Mount Hua. The area shook as if an earthquake had occurred, and a fierce wind swept through.

In the strong wind, Sage Hyeon-so and Woon Kyung couldn't properly open their eyes.

"Kugh!"

A stifled groan flowed from the dust. The moment he heard the groan, Sage Hyeon-so sensed Myung Kyung had been defeated.

"Lost again."

He let out a sigh.

As the dust cleared, the scene was fully revealed. Myung Kyung, whom he had guided, was kneeling. Using his sword as support, he was coughing continuously with his head bowed. Each time, fresh blood soaked his chest.

With just enough internal injuries to not die, Myung Kyung was gasping, and Dam Ho stood before him like a stone statue.

Sage Hyeon-so shook his head. Three years of deep thought and challenge had once again turned to bubbles.

Sage Hyeon-so sighed.

"Sigh! Not even a single victory."

"Don't be too disheartened, Senior Uncle. Isn't it already great progress to make Dam Ho give his all like this? That alone is tremendous progress."

Woon Kyung beside him comforted Sage Hyeon-so. But it wasn't any comfort to Sage Hyeon-so and Myung Kyung.

Woon Kyung's eyes shone.

It was because Dam Ho existed that they could come this far.

Because he willingly became their opponent, everyone could charge desperately.

Woon Kyung muttered.

'Thank you.'

A large mountain facing Mount Hua across a deep valley. It was called Three Lords Mountain because its appearance facing Mount Hua's main peak looked like three old men.

Three Lords Mountain had such rough and treacherous terrain that even those who had learned martial arts avoided climbing it. Even Taoist priests familiar with Mount Hua avoided coming here.

A man climbed to the peak of Three Lords Mountain. It was Dam Ho.

Dam Ho easily climbed the rough mountain path that even wild beasts avoided. His limping leg was no problem for him.

He had climbed here almost daily for the past three years. Though he spent much time at True Warrior Palace because of his master, this place was virtually his real residence.

Dam Ho looked around the mountain peak. The terrain here had always been very rough and treacherous. But now it was flat. The only thing protruding was a massive rock in the center.

All the numerous footprints on the mountain peak were Dam Ho's.

This was Dam Ho's training ground. Dam Ho spent most of his time here except when sparring with Mount Hua Sect disciples. The ground, already hard, had been compacted under Dam Ho's feet to become as solid as blue stone.

Dam Ho blankly looked at the mountain peak. Darkness had fallen on the peak, and a large moon had risen to shine brightly.

Thud!

Dam Ho stepped forward powerfully. Under the brightly shining full moon, the Charging Step was unleashed.

Starting with the Charging Step, Dam Ho unleashed the Solitary Flow Style.

The sight of Dam Ho continuously unleashing moves like the Wave-Breaking Kick, Five Finger Dark Breaking Energy, and Earth-Shattering Strike was even desperate.

As if a life-and-death enemy was before his eyes, he unleashed the Solitary Flow Style with all his might.

Rumble!

The atmosphere in the area shook, and the peak of Three Lords Mountain rumbled. Dam Ho forgot everything and unleashed the Solitary Flow Style.

All his movements formed a single line. Moves like the Single Yang Strike, Charging Kick, and Single Void Wall seemed to merge into one before returning to the Charging Step.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Dam Ho's footprints were stamped on the mountain peak. Thus the ground was compacted again and hardened.

Though Mount Hua Sect had numerous supreme techniques, Dam Ho had only one – the Solitary Flow Style. Though he started with Sage Hyeon-so, by now it had become a martial art unique to Dam Ho alone.

Each time Dam Ho thrust his fist, the air exploded. It was like dozens of thunderbolts exploding in succession.

Woon Kyung thought Myung Kyung had drawn out some of Dam Ho's full power. But that was Woon Kyung's miscalculation.

Dam Ho's full power was not just that much.

Bang bang bang!

In the time it took to take a single breath, twenty-four consecutive strikes rained down on the massive rock at the mountain peak.

Rumble!

The massive rock crumbled into sand. Each grain of sand was ground so fine it was almost invisible.

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River.

It was the final chapter of the Solitary Flow Style.

Zhuge Ming frowned.

“What is his intention?”

But Baek Li-jung pondered something thoughtfully, then muttered.

“Is he making a gamble?”

Baek Li-jung said without smiling.

“Now that I think about it, what that bastard Mang Ryo said was not wrong at all. He said that fellow keeps doing things outside of common sense. That must be his survival method.”

Zhuge Ming also recalled Jin Ja-gang’s actions up to this point. It was sufficiently understandable behavior.

“Then we’ll respond with common sense from our side. There’s no need to go crazy along with a madman.”

Baek Li-jung, Zhuge Ming, and the sect leaders of Sichuan waited for Jin Ja-gang in the barracks.

With a lingering doubt about whether he would really appear so brazenly.

But he really did appear.

Limp, limp.

As if nothing was wrong.

Even though warriors were surrounding him with heightened vigilance and weapons raised.

Jin Ja-gang was walking into the barracks where the sect leaders were gathered, limping on his foot.

And his clothing was even strange. It was high-quality silk unsuitable for battle. Combined with his white skin appearance, he gave off the feeling of a high official’s son.

Coming into the middle of enemy territory in such a state was truly astounding.

The sect leaders clicked their tongues at Jin Ja-gang’s audacity.

“What a complete madman.”

However, that madman had destroyed the Yunnan poison sects, broken through the Zhuge family’s Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation, and killed Young Phoenix, Silent Dragon, and Swift Dragon.

That’s why his bravado didn’t seem like entirely groundless behavior.

Limp, limp.

The closer Jin Ja-gang approached, the more the sect leaders became tense. They had no idea what tricks he was hiding.

Jin Ja-gang stopped about twenty steps in front of Baek Li-jung and the others.

Warriors surrounded Jin Ja-gang’s rear to prevent his escape.

But Jin Ja-gang showed no fear and remained calm.

Enraged by this sight, Baek Li-jung unconsciously emitted killing intent.

Hiss.

The sect leaders flinched. Chilling killing intent spread around them. The killing intent emanating from Baek Li-jung’s body was engulfing the surroundings.

Baek Li-jung asked.

“Have you come to find your death?”

Jin Ja-gang stared directly at Baek Li-jung.

“Someday…”

Jin Ja-gang paused briefly, then continued.

“I said it before, didn’t I? I came to pay my respects.”

Blood vessels bulged at Baek Li-jung’s temples.

In his dim memories, he began to remember the words left by a ten-year-old boy.

The public trial day at Hundred Flowers Valley.

The bold child had said:

“I’ve realized how foolish it is to hope for others’ help. I’ll definitely come to pay my respects and thank you.”

That ten-year-old child had grown up, killed his adopted son, and appeared before him.

And now he says:

“Didn’t you answer that you would wait for me, Martial Alliance Mediator Hero Baek Li? Surely you haven’t forgotten me?”

“I remember.”

Baek Li-jung’s killing intent soared to the heavens and his eyes began to turn bloodshot. Emitting terrifying killing intent, Baek Li-jung stepped forward and spread both arms.

He was so angry that he gritted his teeth until his gums burst and blood beaded between his teeth.

“I’ll praise you. You came without forgetting the promise from ten years ago. So what do you plan to do?”

Jin Ja-gang slowly bowed his head to Baek Li-jung.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve survived without dying until now.”

It was a respectful attitude and tone without a hint of sarcasm.

Rather, Baek Li-jung spoke sarcastically with a sharp tone.

“Good. If you’ve received, you must pay. That’s the principle of the martial world. What will you offer as payment? Your head?”

“How could that be?”

Jin Ja-gang raised his head and said.

“Contrary to my thoughts, I was able to stand here with the help of countless people. In the end, one doesn’t live in this world alone.”

Baek Li-jung’s cracked and dried lip curled up in a smile.

“Then I’ll have to catch and kill them all one by one. I won’t be bored for a while.”

Swoosh!

Jin Ja-gang drew sickles from behind his waist.

“Isn’t there something to do before that?”

The sect leaders flinched.

“Surely not…?”

Even Zhuge Ming and the sect leaders had been thinking that surely Jin Ja-gang hadn’t come to fight. They thought that no matter how crazy he was, he wouldn’t start a fight in the middle of hundreds of masters and ordinary warriors waiting!

But as if mocking that thought, Jin Ja-gang raised his internal energy.

Whirlwinds surged from Jin Ja-gang’s feet to the crown of his head all at once, and internal energy inflated his clothes. A chilling aura emanated from the sickles in both hands.

“He’s really going to!”

“That crazy bastard!”

At that moment, Jin Ja-gang kicked the ground and rushed at Baek Li-jung. Jin Ja-gang instantly reached Baek Li-jung and swung his sickle.

Swoosh!

The sickle grazed past Baek Li-jung’s nose. Though Jin Ja-gang gave his best effort, he missed. Baek Li-jung was glaring at Jin Ja-gang with his head slightly tilted back. With just a slight movement, he had avoided Jin Ja-gang’s first attack.

Baek Li-jung said coldly.

“Your lightness technique is terrible, your moves are rough. The only thing worth noting is your killing intent?”

Jin Ja-gang lay flat on the ground and circled the floor while stabbing at Baek Li-jung’s ankle with his sickle. Baek Li-jung raised his foot and stepped on the sickle.

Bang!

The sickle trampled under his sole shattered and Jin Ja-gang staggered. Jin Ja-gang stabbed the ground with his other sickle and turned his body to kick Baek Li-jung’s knee hollow with his foot.

Thud.

Even while being hit, Baek Li-jung stood firm. Jin Ja-gang continuously kicked one of Baek Li-jung’s legs.

Thud! Thud thud!

Baek Li-jung merely looked down at Jin Ja-gang while enduring with internal energy using Thousand Catty Drop. When Baek Li-jung lifted his foot, Jin Ja-gang instantly turned his body to lie down and spun like a top.

Click.

Soul Seizing Thread separated from Jin Ja-gang’s hand. The separated Soul Seizing Thread wrapped around Baek Li-jung’s raised foot. Even for Baek Li-jung, Soul Seizing Thread wasn’t something easily visible. However, before the Soul Seizing Thread could fully wrap around, Baek Li-jung trampled Jin Ja-gang’s chest with his raised foot. Jin Ja-gang twisted his body while turning the Soul Seizing Thread. Baek Li-jung’s foot passed right next to Jin Ja-gang’s ribs and embedded in the ground.

Baek Li-jung put force into his foot embedded up to the ankle and kicked Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang took the hit to his chest and flew two zhang away, tumbling.

Baek Li-jung didn’t immediately pursue.

There were no less than four needles embedded in Baek Li-jung’s calf and knee. When Baek Li-jung put force into his leg, the needles were pushed out and fell. Even poison liquid was pushed out from where they had been embedded and dripped.

“Shallow.”

Baek Li-jung had instantly contracted his leg muscles to prevent the needles from penetrating deeply into his energy channels.

Jin Ja-gang immediately got up and pulled the Soul Seizing Thread. Baek Li-jung pulled out his leg and leaped high to avoid the Soul Seizing Thread. Jin Ja-gang rushed at Baek Li-jung again while throwing poison needles.

Without even drawing his sword, Baek Li-jung knocked most of the poison needles to the ground just by waving his sleeve. However, one of them pierced through his sleeve. It grazed past Baek Li-jung’s hair.

“Sharp Needle technique. The Tang family needs to learn a lesson.”

Jin Ja-gang continued attacking by changing directions and throwing poison needles at Baek Li-jung. Baek Li-jung concentrated internal energy in his right hand and extended it backward, then moved to thrust forward but hesitated.

Thunder Splitting…

Because Jin Ja-gang cleverly changed positions, the sect leaders ended up like a folding screen behind Jin Ja-gang.

Baek Li-jung realized Jin Ja-gang’s intention. For Baek Li-jung to use his full strength, the nearby sect leaders and warriors were actually in the way. But even if he used such cunning tricks, couldn’t Baek Li-jung deal with Jin Ja-gang?

Baek Li-jung’s body became blurred for a moment.

There was a big difference from Jin Ja-gang’s lightness technique. Baek Li-jung’s body instantly penetrated Jin Ja-gang’s blind spots several times, pressuring him. Jin Ja-gang slashed his sickle horizontally while retreating and tried to lay Soul Seizing Thread on the ground. However, Baek Li-jung didn’t let Jin Ja-gang go and stayed right in front of him the entire time.

No matter how much Jin Ja-gang retreated, Baek Li-jung’s face and angry eyes were right in front of his nose.

Jin Ja-gang drew in a breath. At that moment, Baek Li-jung kicked Jin Ja-gang’s abdomen with his knee.

Reading the moment of inhalation and attacking precisely, Jin Ja-gang’s breath was completely cut off. Baek Li-jung grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s head and lifted him up.

“Kugh!”

Feeling pain as if his head would split, Jin Ja-gang dropped his sickles and Soul Seizing Thread. Instead, he gathered internal energy in both hands and struck both sides of Baek Li-jung’s temples. It was a double palm strike using all four dikes.

Baek Li-jung also raised his internal energy with Heavenly Blade Divine Sword and raised his left hand to block. He blocked Jin Ja-gang’s right hand with his elbow and met Jin Ja-gang’s left hand with his palm.

As the palms filled with internal energy collided, a metallic scraping sound came from the palms.

Clang clang! Clang!

Jin Ja-gang’s hand trembled violently. Jin Ja-gang’s eyes suddenly widened.

Baek Li-jung felt something strange from Jin Ja-gang’s expression.

“Hmm?”

Baek Li-jung squinted very slightly.

He realized the reason for Jin Ja-gang’s changed expression.

There was no doubt that he had sensed the phenomenon that occurred when Baek Li-jung’s Heavenly Blade Divine Sword and his own Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art collided.

If that was the case, it wasn’t unreasonable for Jin Ja-gang to feel something strange.

Jin Ja-gang kicked Baek Li-jung’s chest and pulled out his head, throwing his body backward. He rolled on the ground while grabbing his sickles and Soul Seizing Thread.

The sect leaders wondered why Baek Li-jung wasn’t pursuing Jin Ja-gang. But surprisingly, Baek Li-jung staggered.

Then he even knelt on one knee!

“Pavilion Master!”

At the sect leaders’ outcry, Baek Li-jung shook his head and raised his hand to show he was fine.

Then he got up and examined his left arm. There was a needle embedded in his elbow that wasn’t visible. The flesh around where the needle hit had turned black.

It was a terrible poison. It was poison that even Baek Li-jung was seeing for the first time.

Jin Ja-gang asked.

“Did it go in properly deep this time?”

Baek Li-jung glared at Jin Ja-gang without answering. Jin Ja-gang spoke again.

“Different yet the same, same yet different.”

Heavenly Blade Divine Sword and Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art were different yet the same, and the Heavenly Blade Divine Sword of his disciple Silent Dragon and Baek Li-jung’s Heavenly Blade Divine Sword were same yet different.

Jin Ja-gang had heard the secret history related to Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art from Fire Cult’s Enlightened Teacher Yelu Huan. And he had just confirmed that Baek Li-jung had learned internal energy of the same origin.

But something was strange.

Jin Ja-gang asked with puzzled eyes.

“I felt seven or more whirlpools. Why do you know the latter half? No, why does it feel different from what I know?”

Baek Li-jung’s eyes glittered with killing intent. Further conversation was dangerous. Revenge for his adopted son was one thing, but he had to kill him now to eliminate future troubles.

Until just now, Baek Li-jung had tried not to kill Jin Ja-gang in one blow. Baek Li-jung had things to confirm, and Jin Ja-gang had things to confirm too.

However, now that he knew Jin Ja-gang had received everything from Yelu Huan, there was no need for that anymore.

Baek Li-jung silently gathered his internal energy again.

Sensing that Baek Li-jung would use his full strength, Jin Ja-gang no longer held any attachment.

“Today is just for greetings.”

“I decide that.”

Just as Baek Li-jung was about to rush out, Jin Ja-gang leaped among the sect leaders and scattered a large amount of poison powder from his sleeve.

“Poison!”

“It’s poison!”

Everyone around had just seen that he possessed poison strong enough to make even Baek Li-jung kneel. The sect leaders and warriors were terrified and retreated.