Chapter 320 – Human Greed Never Has an End (2)

Dam Ho's indifferent gaze turned toward Tang Sa-il.

"Why did you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you join hands with the Demon Cult?"

For a moment, Tang Sa-il's eyebrows twitched. He never expected Dam Ho to come at him so directly. But he soon composed his expression and continued speaking.

"Isn't it natural? Because of ambition."

"Ambition?"

"Our wings were broken long ago. By the very same prestigious orthodox sects. They gave us the false honor of being the Three Lords of Sichuan and put shackles on us."

"……"

"The Three Lords of Sichuan sounds nice. But isn't it really the martial world's intention for us to be satisfied living in Sichuan? For us, it was a heavenly punishment and an inescapable prohibition."

The Tang Clan, which used poison and hidden weapons, was an object of fear to everyone. So the martial world limited the Tang Clan's sphere of activity to Sichuan.

With the false honor of being the Three Lords of Sichuan.

The Tang Clan had long dreamed of leaving Sichuan and becoming the hegemon of the world. But with their power limited to Sichuan Province alone, they could never scheme for the world.

"That's when they extended their hand."

"So you're saying you joined hands with the Demon Cult?"

"We're just using each other out of necessity. They needed our poison, and we needed their secrets."

Tang Sa-il continued speaking without hesitation.

Though Tang Sa-il usually showed almost no emotion, this moment was different.

The strangely heated air was heating up even his cool heart. But Tang Sa-il himself wasn't aware of this fact as he glared at Dam Ho.

A man wearing completely torn black clothes.

That man, who seemed to have no healthy spots anywhere, was heating up the air in the area.

Hundreds of martial artists were surrounding Dam Ho. They were qualitatively different from the martial artists Dam Ho had faced until now.

Dam Ho's gaze sank deeply.

At some point, his skin began to hurt as if being poked with an awl, and his eyes stung. The poison energy emitted by the Tang Clan's martial artists was spreading through the air.

"Kek!"

"Heup!"

The crowds who had gathered to see Dam Ho suddenly clutched their throats and collapsed. They were instantly poisoned.

People who belatedly realized the situation screamed and fled in all directions.

"Uwaaak!"

"Save me!"

But before they could even take three or four steps, they collapsed one by one. Blood was flowing from their seven orifices.

Tang Sa-il didn't even glance at the dying people.

They should have thought again before coming to this place. It was a place where the Tang Clan of the world was exercising its power. If they thought they could safely watch from such a place like watching someone else's house on fire, they were mistaken.

The Tang Clan was not such a generous group.

Above all, Tang Sa-il didn't want to reveal to the world yet that the Tang Clan had joined hands with the Demon Cult.

Dam Ho looked at the Tang Clan martial artists visible behind Tang Sa-il. Several of them particularly caught his eye.

Five martial artists with faces that looked especially emotionless. Their eyes were hollow like those of the dead.

It was a typical characteristic of soul-lost people.

Tang Sa-il said:

"You've probably faced Soul-less Warriors before?"

"……"

"But the Soul-less Warriors you faced were half-baked ones who couldn't even display half their true power. These are truly worthy of being called real Soul-less Warriors."

Tang Sa-il's voice was full of pride.

The Soul-less Warriors were the true reason he had joined hands with the Demon Cult.

The madness that Tang Sa-il had been suppressing well until now appeared on his face. When madness was added to his glass-bead-like pupils, it became indescribably eerie.

That's when it happened.

CRASH!

A gust of wind swept toward Tang Sa-il. Dam Ho had charged without warning.

Following his charging technique, Explosive Star Strike was deployed. But Tang Sa-il quickly threw his body backward as if he had already expected it, avoiding Dam Ho's attack.

"Hmph! I've already figured out your methods."

During this time, Tang Sa-il had closely analyzed Dam Ho's tracks and discovered his attack patterns.

When Dam Ho was most frightening was precisely during his first attack.

Generally, martial artists who had gained some reputation valued others' opinions and restrained themselves from attacking first if possible, but Dam Ho had no such thing.

He preferred first strikes without caring about martial world reputation. Many people were caught helpless because they never expected a master like Dam Ho to attack out of nowhere.

"But I'm different."

Even while conversing, Tang Sa-il had been continuously monitoring Dam Ho's movements. So the moment he felt strange signs, he threw his body backward without hesitation.

But there was something he hadn't expected.

Whirrr!

A strange attractive force occurred from Dam Ho's body and grabbed his ankle.

"What?"

CRASH!

At that moment, Dam Ho's fist struck Tang Sa-il. He barely concentrated power in both palms to block Dam Ho's fist, but couldn't completely deflect the impact.

"Kreuk!"

A frustrated groan flowed from Tang Sa-il's mouth. His neatly tied hair was completely disheveled and fluttered messily.

At that moment, Dam Ho's consecutive attacks came rushing in.

With Dam Ho's attacks continuing without a word, Tang Sa-il had to move without even a moment to breathe.

"How dare!"

"Attack!"

If the Tang Clan martial artists hadn't intervened at the right time, Tang Sa-il would have suffered greater hardship.

The Soul-less Warriors attacked Dam Ho first.

Since Soul-less Warriors had no reason, they had no emotion called fear. They blocked Dam Ho's attacks with their bodies.

CRASH!

With a roar, their bodies swayed. But no wounds were visible anywhere on their bodies.

A subtle green energy was already surrounding their bodies. It was Body Protection Poison Shield.

Tang Sa-il, who had barely caught his breath, uttered a voice filled with killing intent:

"Hunt the Fist Demon."

The Tang Clan martial artists all moved simultaneously.

Rustle!

The sound of clothes brushing against the ground echoed eerily.

Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

It was a formation method passed down like a legend within the Tang Clan.

The Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation was literally a formation combining a thousand poisons. The number of martial artists participating in the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation was about four hundred. Each of them possessed two or three different poisons and knew how to use them freely.

When four hundred people each deployed two or three poisons, it became over a thousand, and these poisons would dramatically increase in potency through mutual generation and harmony, creating entirely new poisons.

No human could endure the dozens of absolute poisons newly formed through harmony with over a thousand poisons. No matter how terrifying poison techniques a martial artist had learned.

The Tang Clan martial artists deploying the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation were the same. They were poison users, not poison people whose entire blood was made of poison. That's why the formation was important.

The air currents that arose when deploying the formation could protect their bodies from poison temporarily. But those who deviated from the rules would have their entire bodies melt away due to the poison they themselves had deployed. That's why Soul-less Warriors made from soul-lost people were important.

Soul-less Warriors were poison people whose blood was made of poison. Not only could they move freely within the terrifying poison energy of the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation, but they could absorb the surrounding poison energy to display even more terrifying power.

That was the reason Tang Sa-il had joined hands with the Demon Cult. The Demon Cult had applied the method of making soul-lost people to Soul-less Warriors.

With the Soul-less Warriors joining, the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation became complete. No human could survive before the terrifying poison energy of the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

"Melt him down without leaving even a bone fragment."

Tang Sa-il muttered while looking at the battlefield.

His eyes were completely dyed green.

Swoosh!

A thousand poisons were scattered. Hazy green smoke confused the vision.

The poisons that had been floating randomly in the air began to sweep toward Dam Ho like blades according to the rules of the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

Hiss!

Dam Ho tore cloth to cover his mouth, nose, and ears. And he closed his eyes.

He didn't know how much the cloth would block the poison energy, but it would be better than being completely defenseless.

Tssss!

The sound of poisonous wind like blades echoed eerily. Even with his ears covered by cloth, the sound pierced sharply.

The atmosphere in the area rippled as if thousands or tens of thousands of bees were flapping their wings simultaneously.

Dam Ho's black clothes, which had already been like rags, slowly melted away in the poisonous wind.

The problem didn't end there.

Swoosh!

The Soul-less Warriors all attacked simultaneously. Every time they threw punches and swung feet, terrifying poison energy arose and covered Dam Ho.

Dam Ho deployed Explosive Star Strike toward the Soul-less Warriors in the lead.

CRASH!

With a roar, the Soul-less Warrior's body swayed.

It was a strike powerful enough to pierce even a large castle wall in one go. But the Soul-less Warrior only staggered and suffered no damage whatsoever.

This was impossible with a Soul-less Warrior's power alone. Dam Ho, who had already faced Soul-less Warriors, knew this fact best.

Dam Ho's eyes narrowed.

Tang Clan martial artists were placing their hands on the back of the Soul-less Warrior struck by Explosive Star Strike.

Power transmission through the body.

An advanced technique of transmitting each other's internal energy was being deployed.

Only then could Dam Ho understand the true nature of the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

An advanced combined formation where poison techniques and power transmission through the body harmonized. It was an unknown formation Dam Ho had never experienced even once.

Swoosh!

Soul-less Warriors rushed in with the wind-like blades. The Tang Clan martial artists added their internal energy to them.

In an instant, a green barrier was created around Dam Ho.

It was a space completely cut off from the outside. Tremendous pressure was being applied to Dam Ho trapped inside.

Seeing this, Tang Sa-il smiled.

"People call you the Fist Demon and fear you, so you must have rampaged madly without knowing how high the sky is. But that too ends today. The Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation is definitely not a formation an individual can handle."

The Tang Clan had conceived the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation a very long time ago.

When the Demon Cult first revealed itself to the world, the Tang Clan had also clashed with them. The damage the Tang Clan suffered then was indescribably enormous.

Especially the damage inflicted by Cho Gwak, the Demon Cult's leader at the time called the Destruction Emperor Divine Demon, nearly led the Tang Clan to near annihilation.

The Tang Clan realized then how far an individual could become strong. And they felt fear at the fact that the castle they had built over hundreds of years could crumble like sand grains by just one person. That's how the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation was created.

However, the formation created with the Demon Cult's leader in mind couldn't be completed for hundreds of years. It was because they couldn't create poison people capable of withstanding the terrifying power of the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

The completion of such a Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation was paradoxically because they received help from the Demon Cult. Though the Tang Clan's predecessors had so tried to check and defeat the Demon Cult, later generations joined hands with the Demon Cult and completed the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

If this fact became known, they would receive condemnation from the martial world, but Tang Sa-il was calm. If he could just kill Dam Ho here today and perfectly control Sichuan Province, he wouldn't fear anyone.

Sichuan Province's closed terrain was like a natural fortress, and even if the Martial Alliance was mobilized, they would have no choice but to retreat after suffering many losses. Moreover, it was impossible for the Martial Alliance, busy with the war against the Demon Cult, to pay attention to distant Sichuan Province.

CRASH CRASH CRASH!

A poisonous typhoon swept around Dam Ho as the center. Soul-less Warriors approached riding the wind. They attacked Dam Ho with full power.

CRASH! CRASH!

Roars burst forth and fierce winds swept in all directions.

Dam Ho's body was flung this way and that way.

No matter how profound his power was, with his single body he couldn't match the power transmission through the body deployed by over four hundred martial artists.

BANG!

Dam Ho's Single Yang Strike hit a Soul-less Warrior's head. His body, which bounced away from the strong impact, was caught by Tang Clan martial artists behind him. And they injected internal energy through power transmission through the body.

The Soul-less Warrior who had momentarily lost consciousness quickly regained his senses and counterattacked.

CRASH!

Dam Ho's body was flung backward.

Other Soul-less Warriors' attacks poured down indiscriminately on top of that.

A typhoon infused with poison energy pressed down on his entire body, and Soul-less Warriors deployed wave attacks. Plus the Tang Clan martial artists supporting the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation.

Dam Ho's appearance was as precarious as a candle before a typhoon. Blood was flowing from his nose and mouth. Yet he didn't retreat and was facing the Thousand Poison Soul Annihilation Formation head-on. His appearance was even tragic.

"Today, this place is your grave, Fist Demon."

Then Dam Ho kicked the ground. His body shooting forward like a battering ram.

It was the moment when Tang Sa-il was about to say "not a chance" with a face full of ridicule.

CRASH!

With a thunderous sound, the body of the Soul-less Warrior in the lead was flung away. Tang Clan martial artists tried to inject internal energy against such a Soul-less Warrior's back.

Swoosh!

At that moment, Dam Ho leaped over the Soul-less Warrior's body and covered the Tang Clan martial artists.

A typhoon-like poison wind pressed down on his entire body, and his body's meridians were about to melt from the terrifying poison energy. Still, Dam Ho didn't stop.

The moment he stopped would be death. He had to move.

If he had even the strength to exhale one breath.

Dam Ho's eyes flickered white.

CRASH!

“Stupid leper bastards.”

At the curse words Tang Qing spat out, the leper assassin who had come wearing a mask looked up at Tang Qing. The leper assassin’s eyes were tinged with rebelliousness.

Tang Qing gritted his teeth and said.

“If you look at me with those eyes one more time, I’ll pluck them out and throw them to the dogs. How dare a mere messenger glare at me?”

The leper assassin bit his teeth tightly and lowered his head.

“I gave sufficient warning that you shouldn’t underestimate Poison Dragon. How did Thousand-Faced Tiger handle things so poorly!”

Tang Qing was so angry that even his voice trembled.

The leper assassin bit his teeth and said as if spitting through his teeth.

“Ghost Piercer went out personally but couldn’t return. Our Leper Mound did our best.”

Ghost Piercer was Leper Mound’s second-in-command, whom Tang Qing had also met. By losing Ghost Piercer, Leper Mound had essentially lost half their strength.

“Not yet.”

“Pardon?”

“Leper Mound’s most powerful sword still remains. Leper Mound’s leader, Thousand Faces Common Blade Roh Gwan!”

Telling the leader to step forward was equivalent to telling them to stake everything Leper Mound had.

“But if that happens…”

Leper Mound’s status would fall. Poison Dragon and the leader would be treated as equals. If the leader even failed, Leper Mound would face the worst situation.

Dissolution.

They would certainly have all their profitable businesses stolen by other poison sects and be torn apart and absorbed.

The leper assassin knelt and presented the box he had brought.

When he opened the box’s lid, it revealed neatly arranged round-shaped gold ingots called gold yuan treasures.

“According to the rules of the Six Poison Cliques, we return the reward money and pay ten times the compensation.”

“Hmph.”

Tang Qing kicked the box as if he didn’t want to see it.

The heavy box slid sideways until it reached someone’s feet.

An old man with hunched shoulders and waist kicked up the box with his toes. The box flew up and rested on the old man’s shoulder. The old man caught the box with his bandaged hands.

Despite the box’s considerable weight, the old man’s shoulder wasn’t pressed down at all.

The old man said to the leper assassin.

“Tsk tsk. Leper Mound’s reputation has been overshadowed by a single youngster. Then let our Funeral Parlor take charge of this matter.”

Funeral Parlor! Like Leper Mound, it was one of the poison sect factions belonging to the Six Poison Cliques.

Since Funeral Parlor had stepped forward instead, Leper Mound’s role was over. The leper assassin bowed to the old man and Tang Qing, then retreated backward.

Tang Qing clicked his tongue and said.

“Yeong Hyeon-sa. Have you thought of a way to kill him?”

Funeral Parlor’s master Yeong Hyeon-sa, who uniquely had both hands wrapped in bandages, chuckled and asked back.

“Does killing one person require a method?”

Tang Qing’s narrow forehead wrinkled as frown lines appeared.

“This time you must be even more careful. He’s certainly become much stronger than before.”

“Death doesn’t discriminate between high and low and is equal to all. Even the world’s greatest master cannot avoid death when it comes.”

Funeral Parlor was the name of death.

It was a place created by those who live for the dead.

Yeong Hyeon-sa said seriously.

“I’ll prepare a paulownia coffin well mixed with pine resin and oil for him. I’ll wrap him in shroud cloth made of thorny vines, put him in the coffin alive, and tie the coffin ropes. I’ll lower him to the bottom of a deep swamp from which he can’t escape even in death, making him wander even the path to the underworld. I’ll make sure he cannot enter nirvana and that the troubles and sufferings of this world follow him forever even in the afterlife.”

It was a curse-filled statement that sent chills down one’s spine. However, Tang Qing knew this was like a resolution ritual for Yeong Hyeon-sa.

Tang Qing finally relaxed his expression as if somewhat relieved.

“Pray for his soul’s rest. May it be the worst rest.”

Yeong Hyeon-sa replied with a stoic expression.

“King of Hell, please wait. I’ll bring my finest obituary.”

* * *

There are roughly three routes to get to Zhejiang.

Taking the well-maintained official road up to Henan and down to Zhejiang.

Going straight through Huguang Province.

Going by water along the Yangtze River.

However, Henan Province had the danger of Shaolin Temple, and Huguang Province required passing through Jiangxi where the Martial Alliance headquarters was located.

Jin Ja-gang chose the waterway.

For Jin Ja-gang, who wasn’t familiar with water, being on ship was dangerous, and the route was obvious, making it dangerous. However, due to the ship’s characteristic of having narrow movable space, if he encountered enemies, Jin Ja-gang, who used poison, could have an advantage.

Jin Ja-gang contacted Qingcheng Sect. He needed to report the progress of recent events and receive help.

Qingcheng Sect came to the Yangtze River ferry where Jin Ja-gang was waiting.

It had been a while since Master Bok-cheon and Woon-jeong came together. Since both were living as wanderers, they carried packs on their backs and held walking sticks.

As soon as Woon-jeong saw Jin Ja-gang, his eyes reddened with anger.

“Poison Dragon. Why on earth did you do such a thing?”

Jin Ja-gang quietly looked at Woon-jeong who was angry before even greeting.

“Zhongnan Sect is a sect respected by many people. But, but why did you horribly kill an innocent Zhongnan disciple?”

Seeing that Master Bokcheon wasn’t stopping Woon-jeong, he seemed curious too.

“Let’s move locations.”

Jin Ja-gang led the two to a tea house with almost no customers.

Jin Ja-gang briefly considered how much he should tell the two about Taoist Haewol. Since Taoist Haewol was supposed to be recuperating within the alliance, he couldn’t carelessly reveal it.

Probably even within Yangtze River Sword Gate, only Namgung Won and the Wudang and Mount Heng martial artists he had met recently knew of Taoist Haewol’s movements.

“Poison Dragon!”

Master Bok-cheon stopped Woon-jeong and said.

“Tell us exactly as it is, but if it’s difficult to speak about, don’t say it at all. Did you do it?”

“Yes.”

Jin Ja-gang chose his words and asked.

“How much do you know about Taoist Haewol, Master?”

Master Bok-cheon frowned and thought before answering.

“Honestly speaking… as you know, the relationship between Indestructible Heavenly Sword, who received Taoist Haewol’s favor, and my senior brother Woo-am wasn’t good. We didn’t even join the Martial Alliance. You can say we know almost nothing.”

“Then have you heard about forces with evil intentions trying to control the martial world?”

“Such forces have always existed throughout martial world history and have been there at any time. Even if there are those plotting somewhere now, it’s not a big deal.”

Qingcheng Sect, with its strong Taoist character pursuing non-action and naturalness, wasn’t much help to Jin Ja-gang.

With the mindset of “what does it matter this way or that way,” they didn’t mind leaving their main mountain and wandering.

Woon-jeong pestered Master Bok-cheon.

“But Master, I’m curious. Why did Poison Dragon do such a thing?”

Master Bokcheon looked at Jin Ja-gang silently.

Jin Ja-gang had no choice but to answer.

“Brother Pyo betrayed me.”

“If I betray Poison Dragon, would you kill me the same way?”

Woon-jeong’s voice had thorns. He seemed truly angry.

Jin Ja-gang acknowledged.

“Probably.”

Woon-jeong’s cheeks and forehead turned red. As Woon-jeong was about to get angry, Master Bok-cheon struck Woon-jeong’s head with his staff.

Thwack! Thwack!

“Crazy fool. Say something that makes sense. Just don’t betray anyone. What shame does a betrayer have to get angry?”

“But… but! It’s disappointing… between us…”

Jin Ja-gang quietly looked at Woon-jeong, who looked like he was about to cry.

So-min had said the same thing.

That it was disappointing.

Now he could emotionally understand what kind of feeling that was.

Jin Ja-gang called Woon-jeong.

“Taoist Woon-jeong.”

“What?”

Woon-jeong looked with a sulky expression, then his eyes widened seeing Jin Ja-gang’s unexpectedly gentle expression.

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Huh? That means…”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“If Taoist Woon-jeong betrays me, I promise to send you off with as little pain as possible.”

“…What?”

Woon-jeong was flustered.

“That doesn’t seem like the answer I wanted!”

Master Bok-cheon patted Woon-jeong’s head and laughed.

“That’s the best treatment for a Poison Dragon. You fool, don’t expect too much from one walking the path of Asura. When an Asura’s teeth become dull, that’s the day they die.”

Woon-jeong pouted.

“But…”

Master Bok-cheon ignored Woon-jeong and looked at Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang asked.

“How did the request I made go?”

“It went well. But will it really work? It’s too dangerous.”

“This is the best opportunity. If it’s Wishful Fairy, I can trust her.”

“I’m not worried about that side. I’m worried about your safety.”

“It’s always been like that. Don’t worry too much.”

“Hmm.”

“Are you hesitant because Wishful Fairy is from the unorthodox sect?”

“No. Wishful Fairy is… a victim who lost her family due to Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s false accusations. If you want to spread your will in the martial world, it would be good to walk the path you think is right rather than following what others call orthodox or unorthodox.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Woon-jeong, who was listening from the side, pouted and said to Master Bok-cheon.

“Master also can’t practice what you preach, yet you say that to others.”

“This brat?”

Thwack!

“I said the right thing, so why are you hitting me!”

“Originally, medicine that’s good for the body tastes bitter.”

Woon-jeong was confused.

“Then Master’s mouth should be bitter, so why does my head hurt?”

Master Bok-cheon glared and scolded.

“If you don’t shut that mouth, next time I’ll give you the punishment of silence for two weeks.”

Woon-jeong immediately shut his mouth.

Master Bok-cheon grabbed Woon-jeong’s head and pushed him toward Jin Ja-gang.

“Take this fellow. He can take care of himself, so having even one person to watch your back will be helpful.”

“Will that be alright?”

“He’ll be better than you on water. If necessary, he knows how to cross waterways with water-walking techniques.”

Woon-jeong’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Master Bok-cheon.

“You’re telling me to follow Poison Dragon? Then can I meet So-so?”

Woon-jeong grinned at the thought of meeting So-so.

“Tsk tsk. This fellow needs some discipline. Look at that state.”

Woon-jeong was carefree, having no idea what would happen ahead.

Master Bok-cheon clicked his tongue and said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Anyway, I heard you’ve also formed relationships with Yangtze River Sword Sect. There must have been reasons. You have many allies. Use everything you can. Be especially careful and return safely.”

Come to think of it, Jin Ja-gang had gained unexpectedly many allies.

Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect, Yangtze River Sword Sect, and Shandong Unorthodox Sects.

It was something he couldn’t have imagined before. He had doubted whether he could even finish his revenge. He thought he might fight and fight again until dying miserably somewhere alone.

But somehow he had come this far.

The enemy forces were still powerful and mysterious, but Jin Ja-gang had also become stronger and grown even more.

“I will never retreat. And…”

Jin Ja-gang thought of Taoist Haewol. Taoist Haewol had already gone to a point of no return and could never come back.

But Jin Ja-gang had those waiting for him.

“I will definitely return alive.”