Chapter 332 – Fear Ruling Over Fear (1)

Cho Gwan was a man in his mid-fifties. Usually, men at that age had deep wrinkles carved into their faces and bore the marks of countless hardships etched into their features. But Cho Gwan was different.

His face was taut without a single wrinkle, boasting resilient muscles. Though his eye corners were filled with fine lines, considering his age, they could hardly be called wrinkles at all.

Cho Gwan could maintain his youth thanks to his powerful internal energy. The Black Elephant Cultivation Method he had mastered was counted among the strongest internal energy techniques even in the demonic path.

The internal energy built through the Black Elephant Cultivation Method was exceptionally profound. Such powerful internal energy slowed aging, and thanks to this, Cho Gwan boasted tremendous stamina and robust vitality despite being in his mid-fifties.

Three naked women lying on his bed proved this fact. All the women's faces were stained with tears.

They were daughters of the White Merchant House's leadership. Outstanding in beauty, they were objects of admiration among the White Merchant House's men. But their fates changed drastically when Black Martial Hall clashed with the White Merchant House that night.

Their fathers had died or been injured, and the remaining family members were all imprisoned. They had to become Cho Gwan's playthings to save their families' lives.

Cho Gwan was the pavilion master of Black Martial Hall and the ruler of Guizhou Province. With powerful competitors like Golden Sand Sect and the White Merchant House fallen, there remained no one to check him in Guizhou Province.

He freely enjoyed the victor's privileges. His face clearly showed satisfaction as he embraced three of the White Merchant House's finest women simultaneously.

"Hehe!"

Cho Gwan let out a vulgar laugh and rose from his bed. It was when he began searching for and putting on clothes.

"P-Pavilion Master!"

A panicked voice came from outside.

"What is it?"

"S-Something big has happened!"

"Something big?"

Cho Gwan frowned and opened the door. Then he saw a subordinate standing outside.

"Are the remnants of the White Merchant House causing trouble? What exactly has happened?"

"That's…"

"Speak quickly. What is it?"

"Right now, chaos has erupted at West Alley."

"West Alley?"

"Yes! The street west of the White Merchant House. The one with the inns."

"I already know that. So what's the problem?"

Cho Gwan's anger finally exploded. His subordinate flinched and carefully spoke:

"A Grim Reaper has appeared there."

"A Grim Reaper?"

"Yes! One of our martial artists clashed with a wandering martial artist, and the damage is severe."

"Severe damage from just one person?"

"Yes, Sir. We shouldn't be sitting here. Our martial artists who are sent to him keep returning as corpses. Over thirty of our martial artists have already been killed by him."

"How dare!"

CRASH!

Cho Gwan's rage reached its peak. He punched the wall with his fist, and a huge hole was torn through the thick wall.

He quickly rushed outside. Black Martial Hall's martial artists were waiting for him. But Cho Gwan's gaze passed over them and fell on a dozen martial artists standing some distance away.

They wore red head coverings and clothes of scarlet wind silk, radiating a particularly murderous atmosphere. At a glance, their uniforms and bearing distinguished them from Black Martial Hall's martial artists.

Cho Gwan spoke to them:

"The situation seems increasingly strange. To be safe, I ask that you come with us."

"Of course."

The leader among the scarlet-robed men answered briefly. This somewhat irritated Cho Gwan, but he suppressed his anger. It was he who needed them now, not the other way around.

Cho Gwan said to his Black Martial Hall martial artists:

"Let's go. I want to see the face of whoever dares interfere with our sect's affairs so fearlessly."

"Yes!"

His subordinates answered powerfully and followed Cho Gwan.

They left the White Merchant House they had occupied last night and headed toward West Alley.

As Cho Gwan approached West Alley, he detected a thick smell of blood. The bloody stench was being carried by the wind.

Cho Gwan's brow furrowed deeply. The thick smell of blood was agitating his mood.

Finally arriving at West Alley, he saw martial artists standing like a screen. They too were Black Martial Hall's martial artists. They stood huddled together like frightened dogs, not moving an inch.

The sight made Cho Gwan's fury explode.

"What are you all doing standing here?"

"Ah!"

"Pavilion Master!"

The martial artists belatedly noticed Cho Gwan's arrival and bowed their heads. But Cho Gwan's anger didn't subside seeing this.

"Didn't I ask? What are you doing here instead of subduing the one who killed our martial artists?"

"Th-that is…"

"Speak now!"

Cho Gwan's anger finally exploded.

His voice mixed with rage echoed loudly through the streets. Even those with weak internal energy had their faces turn pale. Yet they hesitated to answer. The emotion showing on their faces was fear. And their fear wasn't directed at Cho Gwan.

"Get out of my way!"

Finally, Cho Gwan pushed through them and stepped forward. Then West Alley's scene came into full view.

"Mm!"

Suddenly, an indrawn breath escaped Cho Gwan's lips. His face displayed pure bewilderment.

Countless corpses lay scattered on the street that had been hidden behind the martial artists. The street was dyed red with their blood.

At the horrific sight, Cho Gwan's pupils shook.

"What is this?"

Even when subduing Golden Sand Sect or fighting the White Merchant House, so many hadn't died.

Cho Gwan had invested considerable effort into cultivating Black Martial Hall's martial artists, and their strength had become comparable to any prestigious sect in the Central Plains. This was why Cho Gwan dared harbor ambitions of conquering Guizhou Province.

Such carefully cultivated precious forces were being killed by a single individual, not by inter-sect warfare. For Cho Gwan, it was rage worthy of having a thousand flames in his heart.

"Where is that bastard?"

At Cho Gwan's words, his subordinates all raised their fingers pointing in one direction. Cho Gwan's gaze followed where his subordinates pointed.

It was an inn.

More precisely, a window seat at the dining hall on the first floor of the inn. Through the wide-open window, a man was eating.

Clink!

Each time he used his chopsticks, they struck the bowls making sounds. The street was so quiet that these sounds reached Cho Gwan's ears clearly.

Cho Gwan knew he had arrived, yet the man paid no attention and continued eating. Behind the man appeared the innkeeper and inn owner, their faces filled with fear.

They stood like stone statues, only their eyes rolling back and forth between Dam Ho and Cho Gwan.

"This damn bastard…"

The moment Cho Gwan was about to unleash his curse, the man set down his chopsticks as if he had been waiting.

Click!

It was a trivial action, but it caused Cho Gwan's momentum to suddenly cease.

The man turned to look at him. Instantly, Cho Gwan felt goosebumps rising all over his body.

Emotionless, pitch-black eyes. And within them, an ominous flickering.

Cho Gwan had never once seen such eyes before.

The moment the man's eyes met his, Cho Gwan felt something had gone terribly wrong.

This man had no business being here.

Cho Gwan had long harbored ambitions of conquering Guizhou Province. Therefore, he had investigated every martial artist in Guizhou Province without exception, especially focusing on those capable of becoming obstacles or potential threats.

But no investigation had revealed the existence of a martial artist like the one before him.

'Such eyes couldn't possibly belong to an ordinary person.'

Had such a person existed, Cho Gwan would have discovered and either eliminated them first or ensured they caused no problems.

Shiver!

The goosebumps still hadn't subsided. It was proof his body was sensing the threat before his mind.

Only then did Cho Gwan realize. The smell of blood he had detected before entering West Alley came not from his dead subordinates but from this man.

An ordinary person would have retreated by now. But Cho Gwan was an ambitious man aiming for Guizhou's dominance. With so many subordinates watching, he couldn't turn tail and flee so meekly.

Suppressing his fear, he shouted:

"Who are you?"

That moment, the man rose from his seat. And walked out of the inn.

Suddenly, an ominous sound echoed through the street.

Shuffle! Thump! Shuffle! Thump!

Unsettling footsteps that stimulated the heart.

Only then did Cho Gwan and Black Martial Hall's martial artists look at the man's feet.

His distinctive gait, stepping on the ground with his right foot and dragging his left foot, along with the sound it produced, brought one man to their minds.

"Fist Demon?"

"Mount Hua Fist Demon?"

Cho Gwan and Black Martial Hall's martial artists' pupils trembled.

Among countless martial artists in the world, only one possessed such a distinctive characteristic and intense impression.

"Is it really the Fist Demon?"

"Surely not?"

Turmoil arose among Black Martial Hall's martial artists. The murmuring that started in some spread throughout the entire group and soon affected the entire street. All of West Alley was in upheaval.

That's how intense Dam Ho's presence was.

From the moment Dam Ho fully revealed himself, no one on the street could tear their gaze from him.

"Uu!"

"Kuk!"

Involuntary groans burst from Black Martial Hall's martial artists' mouths.

Merely looking at Dam Ho made their eyes feel like they were popping out, their hearts pounding so fiercely they seemed about to burst through their chests. Yet they couldn't look away.

Dam Ho wouldn't permit it.

They wanted to avert their gazes from Dam Ho. But their bodies wouldn't obey.

They were overwhelmed by the momentum Dam Ho emitted.

That moment, Cho Gwan stepped forward.

"You bastard!"

Thanks to the Black Elephant Cultivation Method protecting his spirit, he was less affected than his subordinates. This allowed him to step forward.

Dam Ho's gaze turned toward Cho Gwan. The emboldened Cho Gwan immediately flinched. But he was Black Martial Hall's pavilion master. Though he had lost the momentum, he had no intention of backing down so meekly.

"Are you really the Fist Demon?"

"……"

"If you really are the Fist Demon, you should stay put on Mount Hua. Why are you causing chaos here in Guizhou Province? What grievance do you hold to slaughter our sect members? How can you still call yourself a disciple of the prestigious Mount Hua Sect?"

His voice rang loudly through the street. Only then did Black Martial Hall's martial artists find some stability.

They exchanged looks.

No matter how strong the Fist Demon was, he was alone. And there were hundreds of them.

The absolute numerical advantage brought stability to their hearts.

Even at that moment, Cho Gwan's voice continued:

"I will officially lodge a complaint with Mount Hua about this incident. Or rather, with the Martial Alliance. However, if you retreat now, I'll consider this never happened. So have the magnanimity to withdraw while you can. A brave man also shows courage by acknowledging the times and backing down."

"Are you done talking?"

That moment, Dam Ho finally spoke.

The desolate, emotionless voice devoid of human feeling made Cho Gwan feel all his body hair standing on end.

Cho Gwan realized for the first time how terrifying an emotionless, uncaring voice could be.

Dam Ho was walking toward him. His steps couldn't be stopped by numerical advantage or grandiose speeches.

No negotiation, no threat worked on the man before him.

There remained only one option.

Cho Gwan shouted:

"Everyone attack! He's made of flesh like us. If he takes a sword strike, he dies!"

His evil voice stirred his subordinates' courage.

"Waaaaah!"

"Die!"

Black Martial Hall's martial artists all rushed at Dam Ho simultaneously.

Like a black tidal wave, Black Martial Hall's martial artists in black robes surged forward.

That moment, Dam Ho struck the ground.

BOOM!

The black tidal wave broke apart and shattered.

“Let’s go together.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s suggestion, the merchants were startled.

“No, no. How could we with a great hero…”

“We have business on the other side…”

The merchants waved their hands and adamantly declined.

“To go to the other side, you’d have to cross the river again. Would that be alright?”

“Oh my, of course. No problem at all.”

Jin Ja-gang spoke again.

“You’ve helped us and must be deeply saddened by losing your cargo. I’d like to treat you to some warm soup at least.”

The merchants turned pale and broke out in cold sweat.

It wasn’t even a meal, but specifically mentioning “soup” made them very uncomfortable.

“Well…”

“That is… we’re not really hungry either…”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t press further and nodded.

“I understand. Then we’ll go first. Thank you for helping us.”

“Not at all! Not at all!”

“We should be thanking you!”

The merchants kept bowing their heads.

Jin Ja-gang left the riverbank with Woon-jeong. Woon-jeong looked at Jin Ja-gang and clicked his tongue.

“You know what? Sometimes I think Poison Dragon is really mean.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled silently.

Woon-jeong continued.

“Actually, I thought Poison Dragon would really harm those merchants.”

“Why did you think that?”

“If they stay alive, won’t it be exposed that Poison Dragon is going to Zhejiang? You said you had business with some trading company. What if they all run away?”

It seemed Master Bok-cheon hadn’t given Woon-jeong detailed information.

“If that’s the problem, it’s fine. I’d actually prefer if they spread more rumors.”

Woon-jeong made a puzzled expression.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“We’re not going to Zhejiang.”

“What?”

Woon-jeong stared at Jin Ja-gang blankly, then shouted.

“Then what about So-so!”

* * *

Dongqian Lake, a famous scenic spot in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

With a large mountain as backdrop and round island-shaped peaks rising here and there, it looked more like a river than a lake.

Dongqian Lake was more than four times larger than the famously beautiful West Lake of Hangzhou, making water activities very closely connected to daily life.

The nearby villages were also connected by large and small waterways, with many places having waterways leading directly to Dongqian Lake right behind their houses.

Among them, one extremely luxurious estate.

In the middle of the night, the back gate of that estate opened wide. Several small boats floated in the waterway right in front of the back gate.

Warriors holding torches guarded all directions, and a merchant wearing expensive silk clothes came out through the back gate.

The merchant who seemed to be in charge gestured backward.

Servants came out through the estate’s back gate carrying chests.

The captain of the warriors asked the merchant.

“Where shall we send them?”

The middle-aged merchant answered boldly.

“Split them between Yayu Wang Temple and Tianning Temple. I’ve already sent word, so there should be no problem moving the cargo.”

“Yes.”

The captain of the warriors directed the servants to load the chests onto the boats.

The boats loaded with chests in haste departed along the waterway. The captain of the warriors also boarded the last boat, greeted the merchant, and left together.

The middle-aged merchant watched the boats depart with a displeased expression.

“Damn, why is Poison Dragon targeting us? But it’ll be useless even if he comes. Nothing he’s looking for will be left.”

The boats that left the estate moved quietly for a while.

After passing through waterways connected as complexly as a maze, the captain of the warriors came to the bow. The captain gestured to split the boats in half and sent them to side waterways.

It was the direction where they would split toward Yayu Wang Temple and Tianning Temple.

“Be careful. If problems arise, throw them in the water. I’ll take all responsibility.”

The warriors bowed and rowed away.

But then.

When they had gotten somewhat far from sight, suddenly the boats that had gone in the opposite direction began pushing something into the waterway.

Splash… splash.

“What, what is it?”

The captain of the warriors was surprised and waved his torch left and right while quietly shouting.

“What’s happening!”

Were they already throwing away the chests because something had gone wrong?

But looking closely, it wasn’t chests.

“People?”

Soon someone came out waving their hand, but their huge build showed they weren’t one of their people.

Suddenly, low groaning sounds began coming from his boat as well.

“Gasp!”

“Ugh!”

The captain of the warriors was startled and grabbed the sword at his waist.

Instantly, fine silk flew and wrapped around the captain’s neck.

“Gck!”

He tried to draw his sword to cut it, but silk also wrapped tightly around his body.

At some point, a woman had climbed onto the very top of the cabin. One sleeve fluttered empty as if she was missing an arm, while silk extending from her other arm flew over to wrap around the captain’s body.

Then strangers came out from the cabin and began throwing his subordinates into the water.

Splash splash.

Though the captain struggled, he couldn’t move at all.

“It’s all finished, young master.”

The strangers who had dealt with all the subordinates came out and reported. The captain’s eyes widened.

Wishful Fairy Maiden Dan Ryeong-gyeong tightened the silk with force. The captain’s neck broke.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong threw the captain wrapped in silk outside the boat. The silk wound up and was drawn into her sleeve.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong had a somewhat gaunt face, but was much more dignified and imposing than when she had been in Sichuan.

Soon the Shandong unorthodox sect members who had seized the boats going in the opposite direction returned with their boats turned around.

Beast-Man Gam-chung climbed aboard and placed both hands on his bulging belly while reporting.

“We handled it cleanly. Not a single item was damaged.”

An unorthodox sect member brought a chest onto the boat, broke the lock with an axe, and opened it.

Inside the chest were countless ledgers.

“Well done.”

“Heh heh, I didn’t expect Poison Dragon to request such work. And through Qingcheng Sect’s secret channels at that.”

“It means it’s very important work. Have the ledgers in the chests taken to experts for analysis.”

“We’ll follow your orders.”

Gam-chung bowed his head, and all the other unorthodox sect members on the boat also bowed. Moreover, dozens of unorthodox sect members who had been lying in ambush on both sides of the waterway stood up together and bowed to show respect.

Flutter!

Dan Ryeong-gyeong waved her empty sleeve grandly and commanded.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The Shandong unorthodox sect’s boat that had seized the Ningbo merchant’s ledgers flowed leisurely along the waterway.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong traveled along the Yangtze River.

After walking for several days, Jin Ja-gang discovered a blacksmith shop marked with the Yangtze River Sword Sect emblem in a village on the way to Wuhan.

Jin Ja-gang entered the blacksmith shop and showed the jade token, the sword command he had received from Taoist Haewol.

The blacksmith was startled and respectfully received and confirmed the sword command before returning it.

“You’re an honored person. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to repair a special item.”

Jin Ja-gang showed the blacksmith the Soul Seizing Thread with broken strands.

“Is it possible?”

The blacksmith shook his head.

“While I might manage ordinary swords, it’s difficult to handle such rare artifacts here.”

“Where should I go?”

The blacksmith thought for a moment then answered.

“Go to Wuhan. In Wuhan, there should be places that can repair it.”

Jin Ja-gang thanked the blacksmith and prepared for travel with Woon-jeong in the village.

Woon-jeong coveted the sword command Jin Ja-gang possessed.

“What exactly is that thing? Why is it that just by showing it, they give you clothes, money, and free lodging?”

Jin Ja-gang answered in one sentence.

“There’s no such thing as free in this world.”

It was an ambiguous answer.

“Ah…”

Woon-jeong thought about what it meant and scratched his head.

“No, I mean. Anyway, you don’t pay money so it’s free, right? I wish I had something like that too.”

Yangtze River Sword Sect, like Yangtze River Water Route, was an association of sects based in the Yangtze River region. One could receive conveniences across a considerable area.

“Shall I give you one?”

“Huh? Really?”

“I’m not lying.”

Woon-jeong was happy but soon looked at Jin Ja-gang up and down with suspicious eyes.

“No. There’s no way you’d just give me something like this.”

“Of course there’s a condition.”

“Can I just ask what it is?”

“You have to kill someone.”

Woon-jeong’s mouth fell open.

“Ugh, I was wrong to expect anything. You do plenty of that yourself, Poison Dragon. I’ll just dress as a monk and go to Zhejiang while begging for alms…”

Woon-jeong stopped mid-sentence and hastily shut his mouth.

Jin Ja-gang smiled slightly and said.

“To go to Zhejiang, wouldn’t you need this jade token?”

Woon-jeong became serious.

“No. I’m not going to Zhejiang, you know? Why are you saying that?”

“I see. If you ever need it, just let me know.”

Woon-jeong’s ears perked up.

“No, I won’t be fooled. I’m sure I’d end up taking the blame. And besides, I can’t go to meet someone after killing a person…”

Woon-jeong suddenly looked at Jin Ja-gang and asked casually as if nothing had happened.

“Where did we say we were going again?”

“Wuhan.”

“Ah right. Wuhan has so many cherry blossoms blooming, so we were going to meet the cherry blossoms.”

Jin Ja-gang stopped bothering Woon-jeong and walked forward with a smile.

“Huh? What’s that smile? Hey? Poison Dragon, that smile seems strange. Hey hey? Tell me quickly. What’s that smile about!”

Woon-jeong followed behind him, chattering.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong traveled to Wuhan by land.

Since the task he had asked Dan Ryeong-gyeong to do would take several days anyway, there was no need to hurry.

After about ten days, the two arrived at Mount Sheshan in Wuchang, Wuhan.

Wuchang had Yellow Crane Tower, called one of the three great pavilions of Central Plains. Yellow Crane Tower was famous for its beautiful scenery, facing the Yangtze River to the west and overlooking East Lake to the east.

The pavilion built in an almost circular shape had multiple stories and was extremely large and wide. Moreover, the eaves of each floor curved upward as if soaring to the sky, creating a majesty that overwhelmed all the surrounding buildings.

As Woon-jeong had said, Wuhan’s spring was famous for cherry blossoms. When the wind blew, small cherry blossom petals swirled around Yellow Crane Tower in a flurry.

“Wow.”

Seeing Yellow Crane Tower for the first time, Woon-jeong opened his mouth in blank admiration.

“It’s like a painting. Looking down from up there, poetic inspiration would naturally arise, don’t you think?”

It was widely known that countless scholars had come to Yellow Crane Tower and left poems.

Not only Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong, but countless people were coming and going to Yellow Crane Tower, busily enjoying the surrounding scenery.

“Can I go up there once?”

“Go ahead.”

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

“Places with many people seem inconvenient.”

“That’s a sickness. And usually places with many people are less dangerous.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. With so many eyes watching, who would do anything? Plus, this is Wudang Sect and Zhuge family territory, you know? There are lots of civilians too, so if you cause trouble, it’s perfect for becoming a public enemy.”

“Hmm.”

Though Woon-jeong persuaded him, Jin Ja-gang still didn’t seem to like the crowded Yellow Crane Tower.

“Ah, just trust me and let’s go. Let’s go see it.”

Woon-jeong pushed Jin Ja-gang’s back toward Yellow Crane Tower.