Chapter 277 – Thinking the Well Is the Entire World (2)

Tang Yu-hon's body, which had been flailing with his head buried in the ground, collapsed completely. And it no longer moved.

The martial artists of the Tang Sect widened their eyes. Their faces were filled with expressions of disbelief.

To them, Tang Yu-hon was akin to a deity. His death was equivalent to the collapse of their faith.

Dam Ho slowly straightened his back.

What had ended Tang Yu-hon's life was none other than the Earth-Heaven Strike.

A faster, more powerful version of the Earth-Heaven Strike.

"You, you killed the Group Leader?"

"Urgh!"

The Tang Sect martial artists, regaining their senses, let out roars of rage.

"What’s going on?"

"What happened?"

Martial artists from the Tang Sect belatedly rushed out from Yellow Dragon Fortress.

"How dare you!"

"Kill him!"

Seeing Tang Yu-hon's corpse, they charged at Dam Ho without hesitation. Nearby martial artists shouted in alarm, a bit too late.

"N-no!"

But their cries were already too late.

BOOM!

Once again, the devilish roar erupted.

A wave of air surged like a tidal wave in all directions, and three or four Tang Sect martial artists fell, reduced to bloody pulp.

Watching this scene, Eum Yu-kyung closed her eyes.

"Argh!"

"Ah, a demon!"

The desperate screams of the Tang Sect martial artists pierced her ears.

The sound of life fading away echoed incessantly, tormenting her.

BANG! BANG!

The sound of Dam Ho moving, the sound of death descending, continuously shook the air.

The screams of people piled up, and the air trembled. Then, suddenly, silence descended.

"…"

A world dominated by stillness.

A suffocating silence tormented Eum Yu-kyung.

"Phew!"

Finally, Eum Yu-kyung let out a sigh and opened her eyes. What met her gaze was the horrific scene before her.

Among the Tang Sect martial artists, not a single one had survived. The blood they shed stained the ground red. That flowing blood had already reached the spot where she stood, soaking it.

"Ahh!"

"How can this be!"

The Ga siblings, who had narrowly escaped the bloodbath and barely survived, were trembling uncontrollably. Their faces were filled with sheer terror.

Especially Ga Hye-so, whose skirt hem was soaked wet. Unable to overcome her fear, she had wet herself.

Ga Hye-so couldn’t even look at Dam Ho and kept her eyes lowered. Ga Cheol-ak was no different.

‘The, the Poison Dragon Group was annihilated…’

What kind of group was the Poison Dragon Group?

They were a formidable force even within the Tang Sect. All martial artists and sects in Sichuan Province feared the Poison Dragon Group, and they indeed possessed such power.

Yet, that Poison Dragon Group had been annihilated before their eyes. And by a single martial artist at that.

The poisons and hidden weapons that the Tang Sect prided themselves on had no effect on the man before them. Hidden weapons either burned up or were deflected before they could even reach his body, and poisons had no impact on him whatsoever.

He was, without a doubt, the natural enemy of the Tang Sect.

That’s when it happened.

"Urgh! You demonic fiend."

One of the Poison Dragon Group martial artists, barely clinging to life, cursed at Dam Ho. His condition was utterly pitiful.

His chest was caved in, and his abdomen, pierced through, had his intestines spilling out. It was a fatal wound with no chance of recovery. The only reason he was still breathing was due to his intense hatred toward Dam Ho.

He was dying. Yet, even so, he cursed Dam Ho.

"Heaven will never forgive you. Heaven will…"

"If even you do not fear heaven, why should I?"

"…"

At that, the martial artist’s words were cut off abruptly.

The slaughter committed by the Poison Dragon Group at Yellow Dragon Fortress was of a kind that could never be forgiven.

They had lulled Yellow Dragon Fortress into a false sense of security by leaving room for negotiation, only to launch a surprise attack. The use of poison played a significant role in this. As a result, Yellow Dragon Fortress collapsed miserably without much resistance.

Poison has no eyes. It does not discriminate. Many people at Yellow Dragon Fortress lost their lives to poison. Among them were numerous children and women.

If the martial world were to learn of this, it would surely be condemned.

The martial artist wanted to make some excuse. He forced his lips to move several times. But in the end, his voice never left his mouth. His breath had ceased.

Dam Ho looked at the martial artist’s corpse with an indifferent gaze.

Even after killing so many people just moments ago, his breathing hadn’t become the slightest bit ragged, making his demeanor almost surreal.

"Phew!"

Eum Yu-kyung let out a sigh and shook her head.

It was a tragedy that unfolded in the blink of an eye. There was no room for Eum Yu-kyung to intervene.

She spoke to the Ga siblings, who were still sitting on the ground in a daze.

"The Tang Sect will pursue you. Hurry and escape Sichuan Province with the survivors."

"Ah…"

"Hurry."

Only after Eum Yu-kyung emphasized her words once more did the Ga siblings stagger to their feet.

Yellow Dragon Fortress was still burning. But there were many survivors inside. They needed to be saved. They had to be rescued and escape this place.

The Tang Sect was not a group that forgot grudges. No matter how small the grievance, they never failed to exact revenge.

Since the Poison Dragon Group had been annihilated, they would undoubtedly come after them.

The two entered Yellow Dragon Fortress, gathered the remaining survivors, and came back out.

By the time they emerged, Dam Ho and Eum Yu-kyung were nowhere to be seen. They had already left.

"Let’s hurry and leave this place."

The survivors of Yellow Dragon Fortress abandoned the home they had lived in their entire lives.

Dam Ho and Eum Yu-kyung left the area where Yellow Dragon Fortress stood and headed west.

Eum Yu-kyung glanced at Dam Ho.

"The Tang Sect won’t stay quiet."

"Probably not."

"They are a group that never forgets a grudge."

"I know."

At Dam Ho’s calm reply, Eum Yu-kyung let out a deep sigh.

"Ha!"

If this matter hadn’t been related to Geom Yul-cheon, she wouldn’t have sighed so heavily.

She was about to say something more when Dam Ho spoke.

"Anyway, it’s something I had to confront at some point."

"What do you mean?"

A look of doubt appeared on Eum Yu-kyung’s face. But instead of answering, Dam Ho simply stared ahead.

‘The Tang Sect.’

He recalled a very old memory.

There had been a time, long ago, when he was connected to the Tang Sect.

Back then, he had let it pass without much thought, but not now.

***

Tang Family

A member of the Five Great Families and known as the most insular group in the world. The village where they reside is called Tang Family Valley.

A place where only those with the surname Tang live. Outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission, and it is rumored to be one of the most terrifying places in the world.

Their influence spans the entirety of Sichuan Province, and even two of the Nine Great Sects, the Qincheng Sect and the Emei Sect, find them troublesome and avoid conflict whenever possible.

On the surface, Tang Family Valley looks like an ordinary rural village. The houses are unremarkable, giving no hint that it is home to one of the Five Great Families.

In the deepest part of Tang Family Valley stands a particularly large mansion. Unlike the other houses, this mansion encompasses a vast training ground and is the residence of the Tang Sect’s patriarch.

In a large room overlooking the training ground, a martial artist in his early fifties sat. His jet-black hair without a single strand of white, strikingly dark eyes, and skin as pale as a woman’s made him particularly striking.

Before him was a brazier with a kettle of boiling water on it.

Beside the small brazier were various tea utensils.

As the water boiled, the kettle emitted a misty vapor. The martial artist poured the water from the iron kettle into a bowl. Then he waited for the water to cool.

Once the water reached the right temperature, he poured it into a teapot where tea leaves had already been placed.

Trickle!

When the desired tea fragrance finally emerged, the martial artist poured the tea into a small teacup.

Though the process could have been tedious, a smile remained on the martial artist’s face throughout.

Tea ceremony and painting were his favorite hobbies, and during the time he indulged in these hobbies, he did not wish to be disturbed by anyone. However, his wish was ruthlessly shattered by a sudden voice.

"Patriarch! It’s Chu-wun."

In an instant, the eyebrows of the martial artist, addressed as the Patriarch, twitched. But he quickly regained his composure and spoke.

"Come in."

"Yes!"

With the reply, a sturdy man in his mid-forties hurriedly entered. His face was filled with urgency.

"Patriarch, right now…"

"Sit down."

"But… Understood."

The man, who was about to say something, quickly sat across from the martial artist upon seeing his expression. The martial artist handed him a small teacup.

"Take it!"

"Yes!"

"It’s Mengding Sweet Dew. It’s the first harvest of the year, so the flavor is exceptional. Drinking it will calm your mind."

"Ah, understood."

With his reply, the man brought the tea to his lips. Watching him, the martial artist also drank his tea.

Slurp!

For a moment, the room was filled only with the sound of the two men sipping tea.

In this peculiar atmosphere, the two drank their tea. Finally, when the small teacups were emptied, the martial artist spoke.

"So, what is it?"

"The Poison Dragon Group has been annihilated."

"The Poison Dragon Group?"

The martial artist briefly furrowed his brow. For the first time, a faint trace of anger appeared in his otherwise emotionless eyes.

"Didn’t the Poison Dragon Group head to Yellow Dragon Fortress?"

"That’s correct."

"Did Yellow Dragon Fortress have the capability to annihilate the Poison Dragon Group?"

"Absolutely not."

"I think so too. Yu-hon, the leader of the Poison Dragon Group, isn’t someone who would be taken down so easily."

The martial artist referred to Tang Yu-hon as if he were a child. Even so, the sturdy man showed no sign of discontent.

The martial artist before him was Tang Sa-il. And Tang Sa-il was the Patriarch of the Tang Sect.

He was over eighty years old this year. Yet, he appeared to be only in his fifties, with not a single white hair in his black locks.

His formidable internal energy that suppressed aging and his cold-hearted nature that never revealed his true intentions instilled fear even among the Tang Sect’s martial artists.

Unlike other families where the patriarch typically passed on the position to a successor upon aging, Tang Sa-il still remained the Patriarch of the Tang Sect, dominating the entire family.

His powerful presence completely controlled the Tang Sect.

Even at the tragic news of the Poison Dragon Group’s annihilation, Tang Sa-il showed almost no change in emotion. His demeanor even instilled fear in Tang Chu-wun, an elder of the Tang Sect.

After a moment of contemplation, Tang Sa-il finally spoke.

"Who is the culprit?"

"We don’t know yet. We are tracking them, so it will be revealed soon."

"Send out the Soulless Wolves."

"What?"

Tang Chu-wun’s eyes shook violently. That’s how shocking Tang Sa-il’s words were.

"Th-that’s too soon…"

"Are you questioning my words?"

"Gasp! N-no, it’s not that. I will release the Soulless Wolves."

Tang Chu-wun hurriedly replied and bowed his head.

"Good! That’s all."

Tang Sa-il gestured with his hand. Tang Chu-wun stood up and left the room.

Left alone, Tang Sa-il muttered to himself.

"Yes! Things have been too smooth until now."

His gaze deepened further. A flicker of conflict appeared on his face but soon vanished.

That’s when it happened.

Bang!

The door opened, and a group of children rushed in.

"Grandpa!"

"Great-Grandfather!"

Children, only about five or six years old, fearlessly clung to Tang Sa-il.

In an instant, a bright smile spread across Tang Sa-il’s face.

"You little rascals!"

The children were his great-grandchildren. Even Tang Sa-il, who was cold to everyone in the family, melted before the innocence of his great-grandchildren.

"Hohoho!"

While the Evil Sect members and Qingcheng Sect’s masked figures were still confused, some quick-witted Zhuge family warriors already understood the situation. The Zhuge family warriors began glancing around nervously.

And one or two of them immediately started fleeing. Since the Evil Sect members didn’t need to block Zhuge family warriors who weren’t attacking them anyway, they just left them alone.

This left Baek Li-jung with no choice. While being interfered with by the Evil Sect, he couldn’t chase down and kill all the Zhuge family warriors.

Mang Ryo urged Baek Li-jung.

“You’d better choose quickly. If it gets any later, I won’t be able to help either. Besides, it seems the Martial Alliance has dispatched more masters, so who knows when they’ll arrive.”

Baek Li-jung gritted his teeth and spoke to Mang Ryo in an ominous tone.

“If even one escapes, you die by my hand.”

He had no choice but to accept Mang Ryo’s proposal.

Mang Ryo grinned wickedly.

“Don’t worry. Handling troublesome work is my specialty.”

Mang Ryo said to Myowol.

“Then please…”

Myowol leaped forward with her Non-Killing Sword, looking very displeased.

Bian Bu shouted urgently.

“We must stop the Demonic Nun! The Zhuge family warriors need to escape for us to live!”

Hearing this, the Zhuge family warriors all began running away at once.

One of the Qingcheng Sect masked figures blocked Myowol’s path.

“You’re in the way!”

Myowol swung her Non-Killing Sword forcefully, striking the Qingcheng Sect masked figure.

Bang!

Though the Qingcheng Sect masked figure defended with his sword, he was pushed back several steps by the difference in internal energy. Even among Mount Emei, Myowol was a master among masters, and when she poured out her internal energy without holding back, it wasn’t easy to withstand.

The pushed-back Qingcheng Sect masked figure shouted.

“Mount Emei agreed to withdraw and stay out of this, so why is the nun still here!”

Myowol snorted.

“I don’t know why you Taoist fools like meddling in others’ affairs so much.”

Myowol ignored the Qingcheng Sect masked figure and tried to chase the Zhuge family warriors.

But then.

“Strange Horse Cavalry Charge Twin Gourd Clap!”

Clap!

Myowol staggered slightly at the sharp sound attack that pierced her ears. Myowol’s eyes blazed upward. A small-bodied masked figure caught her eye.

“You! That little demon from before!”

Woon-jeong flinched and shrank back.

Dense killing intent swirled in Myowol’s eyes. Myowol glared at Woon-jeong as if she would devour him. She was conflicted. She badly wanted to kill Woon-jeong before chasing the Zhuge family warriors.

A thin smile formed at the corner of Myowol’s mouth. She had decided to kill Woon-jeong.

Frightened by the killing intent directed at him, Woon-jeong clapped his gourds again.

Clap!

Myowol’s body moved sideways, leaving afterimages. Myowol’s expression was confident. She hadn’t been affected by the sound attack.

Strange Horse Cavalry Charge Twin Gourd Clap was different from Bell Fragrance Sound Command in that it focused on a specific point, so it was difficult to cause damage if the sound wasn’t transmitted accurately.

“Ah, ahhh.”

Woon-jeong hurriedly clapped his twin gourds several times, but Myowol used Mount Emei’s footwork to dodge here and there. Her blurry afterimage seemed to gradually approach Woon-jeong.

Then Myowol pulled her shoulder back while twisting her head to the side.

Whizz!

A needle passed over Myowol’s cheek. Myowol’s hair by her ear swayed. The trajectory where the needle passed smelled fishy. Myowol glared to the side with wide eyes.

Jin Ja-gang pointed to his own left eye and then pointed at Myowol again. It seemed like he was asking who had made Myowol’s eye like that.

Crack crack crack.

Myowol ground her teeth to pieces.

“You bastard! You devil-spawn who should fall into the Hell of No Interval! Until I cut off your head today, I will not take refuge in Buddha!”

Wrapped in killing intent, Myowol forgot that she was supposed to chase the Zhuge family warriors. Only Jin Ja-gang was visible before her eyes. Myowol rushed toward Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang’s provocation had succeeded. Jin Ja-gang knew that he had to protect the Zhuge family warriors so they could escape to make the fight advantageous.

Having confirmed that Dan Ryeong-gyeong and Elder Bok-cheon alone would have difficulty stopping Baek Li-jung, he intended to draw in Myowol to make the fight as complicated as possible.

Jin Ja-gang retreated backward to lure Myowol.

Meanwhile, Elder Bok-cheon shouted to Woon-jeong.

“You go protect the Zhuge family warriors and Evil Sect members!”

“Y-yes!”

Woon-jeong ran toward where Soso was.

Meanwhile, seeing Myowol chasing Jin Ja-gang, Mang Ryo shook his head. He had barely managed to persuade her to come this far, only for her to ruin things at the last moment.

“Tsk.”

Mang Ryo kicked off a wooden pillar and leaped up into the trees to chase the Zhuge family warriors. With his prosthetic legs broken, flying through tree branches was faster than walking on the ground.

Two Qingcheng Sect masked figures climbed trees from both sides and leaped up together. Both simultaneously extended their palms toward Mang Ryo.

One was the powerful Great Thunder Palm and the other was the dense Scattered Decline Palm.

Mang Ryo twisted his body in mid-air, drove his prosthetic leg into a thick tree trunk, and activated Mad Blood Heavenly Cultivation. He put both hands into his bosom then drew them out to meet each palm.

Thud!

His left palm, which met the heavy internal energy of Great Thunder Palm, received a shock that seemed like it would burst. If his body had taken it, his internal organs would have been crushed.

Scattered Decline Palm, on the other hand, had the power to scatter and weaken internal energy. His right palm felt chilly and his hand seemed to lose strength.

Having been hit simultaneously by two opposing palm forces, Mang Ryo couldn’t be unharmed. Blood flowed from the corner of Mang Ryo’s mouth. However, it was the two Qingcheng Sect masked figures who screamed and withdrew their arms.

“Ahhh!”

Both simultaneously clutched their hands and leaped down to the ground.

The palms of both Qingcheng Sect masked figures had countless holes punched through them. Not only was blood gushing out, but the flesh was rotting and the skin was turning black and melting.

The two masked figures hurriedly blocked the poison with internal energy and pressed vital points. The poison raced up from their palms to their wrists in an instant, turning blood vessels black and making them look like spider webs.

“Hehe.”

Mang Ryo wore green leather gloves with small poisoned spikes densely embedded in the palms.

It was Mang Ryo’s Poison Sect ultimate technique, Death Poison Palm. Jin Ja-gang’s maternal grandfather Son Wi-hak had also died from Mang Ryo’s Death Poison Palm.

Because it was a cruel and despicable method, he couldn’t use this martial art when he was in the Martial Alliance pretending to be from an orthodox sect.

Even so, the fact that he could simultaneously receive two Qingcheng Sect palm techniques was thanks to the Red Shadow Pill.

“Now that I’ve shed the troublesome pretense of being from an orthodox sect, there are benefits like this too?”

Mang Ryo pulled out his prosthetic leg embedded in the tree trunk and chased the Zhuge family warriors.

The remaining Qingcheng Sect masked figure couldn’t chase Mang Ryo because he was freeing the Zhuge family warriors who had been subdued by pressing their vital points. The two Qingcheng Sect masked figures who could no longer use their hands had no choice but to follow Mang Ryo. The Evil Sect members also moved to block Mang Ryo.

Blood vessels were bulging all over Baek Li-jung’s forehead. He was in a very bad mood. He didn’t like how the situation was developing at all.

The Zhuge family warriors would have been taken care of by the Evil Sect anyway in a little while. Whether they were there or not didn’t matter in the first place.

But because Mang Ryo had appeared and stirred things up, everything became a mess. It even seemed unlikely that they could properly catch the fleeing Zhuge family warriors.

“Hmm.”

Despite being in the middle of a fight, Baek Li-jung closed his eyes. He was trying to organize his thoughts. Even Elder Bok-cheon was amazed by Baek Li-jung’s boldness.

However, they couldn’t just leave him alone. Dan Ryeong-gyeong gripped her blade and raised her internal energy as she asked.

“You, what was the meaning of what the Venerable said before he died?”

Baek Li-jung remained silent with his eyes closed, not answering.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong pressed again demandingly.

“When did you become strong enough to surpass a first-rate master? How did you become as strong as a One Who Cannot Be Matched by Three!”

Baek Li-jung finally opened his mouth.

“Do you want to know?”

Baek Li-jung’s voice was strange. It was hoarse and cracked, not the thick and weighty voice from just before.

“Yes. I want to know!”

Flash!

Baek Li-jung opened his eyes.

“Go to Woo-am and he’ll tell you.”

Reddish energy gathered around his eyes and blue blood vessels protruded on his jaw and face. Chilling, sticky killing intent poured out. Whirlpools rose from beneath his feet as he tried to unleash his internal energy to the fullest.

But then something whooshed past in front of Baek Li-jung. Sharp weapon energy poured toward Baek Li-jung. Baek Li-jung made a fist and struck the mass with the back of his hand. The mass hurriedly raised its arm to block with its shoulder.

Bang!

The mass that was hit by Baek Li-jung rolled on the ground and sprang up.

It was Jin Ja-gang. Following behind, Myowol burst in and attacked Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang dodged the Non-Killing Sword while continuously throwing projectiles. Some of them also flew toward Baek Li-jung.

Baek Li-jung had already returned to his original face and knocked away the projectiles Jin Ja-gang threw with his Heavenly Vermillion Blade.

“Insolent brat…”

Jin Ja-gang’s intention was obvious. He was trying to tie down both Baek Li-jung and Myowol simultaneously.

Elder Bok-cheon read Jin Ja-gang’s intention and picked up an ownerless sword to join the attack.

He unfolded the Seventy-Two Wave Sword at the slowest possible speed, creating space for Dan Ryeong-gyeong to join in. Dan Ryeong-gyeong also joined in and deployed blade techniques. Dan Ryeong-gyeong also had some skill with blade techniques, so when she put her mind to it, blade energy extended a foot.

Baek Li-jung deployed Falling Star Thirteen Swords, one of the Baek Li family’s three supreme techniques, their hereditary sword method. Two sword energies and one blade energy intertwined. Baek Li-jung struck away Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s blade and swept aside Elder Bok-cheon’s sword.

Once again, Jin Ja-gang threw projectiles from behind. Flying Needle Twelve Points drew arcs as they flew. Baek Li-jung used the internal energy of Heavenly Blade Divine Sword to throw palm wind without even turning around, scattering the projectiles. Rather than being threatening, it was an attack that deliberately drew large arcs to be annoying.

Jin Ja-gang was caught on the side by Myowol while throwing projectiles at Baek Li-jung.

Myowol kicked Jin Ja-gang’s leg to make him fall. Then she raised her Non-Killing Sword.

Seeing this, Elder Bok-cheon pressed his sword blade against Baek Li-jung’s sword and used the Taoist technique Thunder Command.

Clang!

A strong vibration arose from Elder Bok-cheon’s sword blade, causing Baek Li-jung’s sword to bounce away. Baek Li-jung’s sword deflected toward Myowol. Baek Li-jung timely withdrew his sword energy so Myowol wasn’t hurt, but Myowol was startled.

“What are you doing!”

Then Jin Ja-gang tried to stab a poison needle into Myowol’s instep from the ground. Myowol didn’t see this scene because she was protesting to Baek Li-jung. He couldn’t let Myowol get hurt. Baek Li-jung shot finger wind under Myowol’s leg. Jin Ja-gang abandoned the poison needle and rolled away to dodge.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong aimed for Baek Li-jung’s back and drew her blade vertically. Myowol kicked off the ground and leaped over Baek Li-jung while extending her fist toward Dan Ryeong-gyeong with White Ape Fist.

Since Dan Ryeong-gyeong had one arm, she had no way to block if sword techniques followed the White Ape Fist. She struck the ground with her blade and leaped up to counter the White Ape Fist with Chain Kicks.

Pop pop pop!

Their fists and feet crossed several times.

Jin Ja-gang leaped in front of Baek Li-jung and swung his sickle. Baek Li-jung struck the sickle hard with his Heavenly Vermillion Blade and swept it away.

Clang!

Jin Ja-gang’s sickle broke completely. Baek Li-jung raised his fist to strike Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang struck Baek Li-jung’s forearm with Dragon-Seizing Technique. But his fingers couldn’t penetrate. The tips of Jin Ja-gang’s fingernails cracked.

He couldn’t break through the counter-force generated by Baek Li-jung’s internal energy. Baek Li-jung headbutted Jin Ja-gang’s head with his forehead.

Thud!

Blood flowed from Jin Ja-gang’s crown down his face. Though Jin Ja-gang staggered, he had already wrapped his Soul Seizing Thread around Baek Li-jung’s arm. Jin Ja-gang pulled the Soul Seizing Thread with all his might. Baek Li-jung quickly swept his sleeve to blow away the Soul Seizing Thread and raised his Heavenly Vermillion Blade.

An instant.

“Get down!”

Elder Bok-cheon shouted and swung his sword.