Chapter 385 – When the Way is One Foot High, the Devil is One Zhang Tall… (1)

The Namgung Family was situated on the outskirts of Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province.

Behind them, a fairly large mountain stood like a folding screen, and in front flowed a large river. Perfect feng shui with mountains behind and water in front. Moreover, there was only one bridge crossing the river as the passage into the village.

By guarding just the bridge, no enemy could invade – it was a naturally blessed terrain. In the center of it all was the Namgung Family.

The houses surrounding the Namgung Family all belonged to branch families. The entire village was composed of Namgung Family blood relatives.

The atmosphere of the Namgung Family was grave.

Though they said the family had greatly weakened now, they were still the Namgung Family that claimed to be the leader of Anhui Province. The influence they had built up in Anhui Province over hundreds of years was truly extensive.

There wasn't a single military post in Anhui Province unrelated to the Namgung Family, and numerous merchant groups and escort agencies were also established by affiliated disciples in Anhui Province.

Though the Namgung Family had suffered great damage from Dam Ho and gone into seclusion, the external forces associated with them still remained intact, serving as their eyes and ears.

The expression of Namgung Jang-woon, an elder of the Namgung Family, was graver than ever. Around him were positioned the leadership of the Namgung Family and the heads of affiliated sects.

It was Namgung Jang-woon himself who broke the heavy silence that had settled in the hall.

"How could we have been completely unaware of the Demon Cult members penetrating so deep into Anhui Province? Even if the main family was in seclusion, to not notice until it came to this."

"We're sorry. It's all our fault."

"We have no face to show."

The heads of the affiliated sects couldn't lift their heads with devastated expressions.

They had only noticed the Demon Cult's presence after several military posts were annihilated. Even until then, they had been completely unaware that the Demon Cult's forces had entered Anhui Province.

By the time they realized, the Demon Cult's elite forces had already reached near Hefei.

"Detestably, they infiltrated by dispersing their numbers in small groups."

"That's right. They came in disguised as merchants or wandering warriors, so we failed to recognize them. Please kill us."

The heads of affiliated sects banged their heads on the table pleading for death, but it was already too late.

Namgung Jang-woon's expression darkened further.

Though he tried not to show it, as successive disasters continued, darkness inevitably crept into his expression.

After the death of the family head Namgung Cheon, they had also lost Namgung Chang, the strategist of the Martial Alliance who had been the Namgung Family's strongest supporter. Their absence led to a deterioration in the Namgung Family's power.

Especially the death of Namgung Chang was painfully felt.

With Namgung Chang's death, the connection and support from the Martial Alliance was almost completely severed. Though threads still remained, they were so minimal as to be of almost no help.

That's when it happened.

"When have we ever relied on the Martial Alliance's support? We are the Great Namgung Family. We have the power to overcome this level of crisis at any time."

"That's right, elder brother. Don't make such a deathly expression over just this much. The Great Namgung Family won't collapse from this level of turmoil. All our blood relatives are already prepared to fight to the death."

Namgung Gyeong and Namgung Se-hu, direct blood relatives and elders of the Namgung Family, raised their voices. Their faces showed clear signs of righteous indignation. It wasn't just them.

The reaction of most of the Namgung Family's direct lineage was the same as the two men. They were angry that their inner courtyard had been violated.

Their anger was natural. There would be no problem. At least if the Namgung Family had been intact.

Namgung Jang-woon couldn't make any decisions.

The former family head Namgung Cheon had led the entire Namgung Family with truly tremendous presence. With one word from him, the entire Namgung Family would move in perfect unison.

None of the many elders of the Namgung Family could challenge his decisions – his authority, presence, and martial power were that overwhelming. When Namgung Cheon was alive, they just had to believe and follow him unconditionally.

There was nothing to think about, nothing to worry about. Since there was nothing to take responsibility for separately, they just had to swing their swords to their heart's content. Looking back, it was the most comfortable time.

Conversely, with such a powerful presence absent, the adverse effects were too severe. They had to rely on their own judgment and make unwanted decisions. Namgung Jang-woon was suffering such severe mental conflict that he was on the verge of losing all his hair.

It was while Namgung Jang-woon was agonizing like this.

"Uncle!"

Suddenly a quiet voice was heard from the entrance of the great hall. Namgung Jang-woon, who had unconsciously looked toward the entrance, opened his eyes wide.

"Mu-jin!"

"It's the young master."

"Has the young master come out of seclusion?"

Suddenly the people gathered in the great hall began to stir.

The young martial artist who appeared at the entrance of the great hall was emanating sharp energy like a well-forged sword.

Namgung Mu-jin, the young master of the Namgung Family.

Everyone was surprised when he appeared looking perfectly fine.

Namgung Jang-woon unconsciously jumped up from his seat.

"Mu-jin! How are you? Is your body alright?"

"I'm fine now."

At Namgung Mu-jin's answer, Namgung Jang-woon and everyone else made expressions of disbelief.

Among those present, there was no one who didn't know that Namgung Mu-jin had fallen into qi deviation.

The attention and expectations people had for the peerless talent named Namgung Mu-jin were truly enormous. His comprehension was truly terrifying, and he learned all of the Namgung Family's martial arts at a frightening pace. Until he pushed himself too hard learning martial arts and fell into qi deviation.

Because of that, all the trouble began. To treat his qi deviation, they tried to kidnap the Divine Doctor Jong Ri-yeon, which consequently led to a major clash with Dam Ho. The clash led to injuries for the family head Namgung Cheon. And Namgung Cheon died as his wounds worsened.

That was the fact everyone knew. But the appearance of Namgung Mu-jin standing before them now looked more than fine – he was emanating tremendous presence incomparable to before.

Representing everyone, Namgung Jang-woon asked.

"The qi deviation?"

"I overcame it."

"How?"

"Why do you think father passed away?"

"Of course his internal injuries worsened…"

"His internal injuries worsened while trying to treat my qi deviation."

"Mmm!"

Namgung Jang-woon's pupils shook. Even he, Namgung Cheon's closest aide, had been completely unaware of such a fact.

"So father died because of me."

"Don't blame yourself, Mu-jin."

"I don't blame myself. I don't even have the right to blame myself. When my father died because of me, how could I have such a right?"

"The family head's death was all because of the Fist Demon. It's absolutely not your fault."

"We'll discuss that gradually later. That's not urgent now."

Namgung Mu-jin moved and entered the room. Then Namgung Jang-woon hurriedly vacated the grand chair.

From Namgung Mu-jin's entire body emanated presence that overwhelmed his surroundings. Tremendous presence comparable to the late Namgung Cheon.

'Did he really overcome the qi deviation?'

Though lights of doubt appeared briefly on people's faces, they soon understood. Overcoming qi deviation was never easy, but the opponent was Namgung Mu-jin, the Namgung Family's greatest talent. Moreover, if he had Namgung Cheon's help, it would be stranger if he hadn't overcome it.

Namgung Mu-jin sat in the grand chair.

"I heard all the talk. The main family is in critical danger?"

"That's right. Demon Cult members have already infiltrated throughout Anhui Province."

"Then full-scale war isn't far off."

"It's an unavoidable clash. In preparation, we've assembled all of the Namgung Family's forces and affiliated disciples."

At someone's words, Namgung Mu-jin nodded.

From his entire body naturally flowed the presence of an absolute ruler.

"What are the enemy forces?"

"That hasn't been completely identified yet."

"A situation where we can't guarantee victory."

"That's not the case. No matter how many forces they've gathered, they're nothing but a drop in the ocean compared to our main family."

"It's because of such complacency that the Martial Alliance lost their headquarters and our main family fell into decline."

"Mmm!"

At Namgung Mu-jin's ice-cold words, the martial artist who had been speaking passionately shut his lips tight.

Namgung Mu-jin continued with blade-sharp eyes.

"The family head is no longer here, and neither is the Sword King Corps. The current Namgung Family has the worst power in history. We need to coldly observe the current situation."

His voice was quiet, but it was clearly imprinted in the ears of those gathered in the great hall. The excited people regained their composure.

Namgung Mu-jin's gaze turned toward Namgung Jang-woon.

"Did you request help from the Martial Alliance?"

"We already made an urgent request."

"Do you think they'll help?"

"Naturally, if they consider the righteousness of the martial world…"

"They absolutely won't help."

Namgung Mu-jin spoke decisively. At this, Namgung Jang-woon was at a loss for words.

"If I were them, I absolutely wouldn't help either. Unless they planned to use us as bait."

"What does that mean?"

"Wouldn't the Demon Cult's Yueyang headquarters be weakened as forces are drawn to Anhui Province? If I were the Martial Alliance leader, I would never miss this opportunity."

Everyone held their breath at Namgung Mu-jin's words.

Originally called the Namgung Family's greatest genius, Namgung Mu-jin was outstanding in martial arts, but his eye for grasping situations and reading circumstances was even better. Even Namgung Chang, who had been dispatched as a strategist to the Martial Alliance, would defer to him in this regard.

The hall became quiet at Namgung Mu-jin's words. It was such a shocking prediction. The problem was that Namgung Mu-jin's words felt true.

Indeed, after Namgung Chang's death, the connection with the Martial Alliance had weakened, and support was no longer being provided.

A Namgung Family elder couldn't bear the silence and exploded.

"How can the Martial Alliance? When the Namgung Family provided the greatest help when the Martial Alliance was founded."

"Without us, the Martial Alliance couldn't even have been born. We must hold the Martial Alliance accountable for this sin. Absolutely."

"To think the dog we raised to guard the house would betray its master."

The elders competed to denounce the Martial Alliance.

Namgung Mu-jin looked at such elders with pitying eyes. He had seen through such facts even while sitting in the training ground, but the fact that these so-called elders who were supposed to be well-informed about external news couldn't recognize reality like this was just pathetic.

The fact that he had to face the Demon Cult with such people made him feel deflated. But he forced himself to regain composure.

"Quiet!"

"……"

At his single word, the people who had been chattering chaotically shut their mouths like clams.

"Now is not the time to talk about revenge against the Martial Alliance. Overcoming this crisis is the top priority."

"H-how do you mean?"

"If they won't help us, we must make them help us by force."

"So how?"

"Expand the battlefield limited to Anhui Province to all of southern Central Plains."

Namgung Jang-woon blinked his eyes. He couldn't understand Namgung Mu-jin's words for a moment.

The others were the same. They couldn't comprehend what Namgung Mu-jin was saying and were just waiting for his explanation.

Namgung Mu-jin got up from the grand chair and walked to the wall. A map of Anhui Province hung on the wall.

He pointed to Hefei in the center of the Anhui Province map. It was where the Namgung Family was located.

"The fact that the Namgung Family is the leader of Anhui Province is something everyone knows."

"R-right."

"It's true that all righteous sects within Anhui Province are under our family's influence. All of you present here are heads of sects related to our family in one way or another. In other words, those here represent all of Anhui Province's forces."

People made puzzled expressions. What Namgung Mu-jin was saying was something they already knew, but they couldn't understand why he was bringing it up again now.

Thud!

At that moment, Namgung Mu-jin pointed to a location in southern Anhui Province. It was where a massive mountain stood south of the great river that cut through Anhui Province – the Yangtze River.

Those present immediately recognized the mountain's identity.

"Mount Huang?"

"That's right. Where Overlord's Fortress, the headquarters of the Green Forest, is located."

Everyone's pupils shook.

As Namgung Mu-jin said, Mount Huang housed Overlord's Fortress, the main stronghold of the Green Forest. A massive mountain fortress that reigned at the pinnacle of tens of thousands of Green Forest outlaws.

If the Namgung Family represented the orthodox martial world of Anhui Province, Overlord's Fortress symbolized the Green Forest. They could have subjugated it if they wanted, but the Namgung Family would also have had to accept great losses.

For that reason, they had kept postponing subjugation using the Yangtze River crossing the middle of Anhui Province as an excuse. They had been watching each other warily.

Namgung Mu-jin continued.

"We drag Overlord's Fortress into this fight."

"What do you mean?"

"If Overlord's Fortress gets swept into the war, tens of thousands of Green Forest outlaws will move. Though each individual's martial prowess is insignificant like ants, that enormous number can't be ignored. The Demon Cult's attention will inevitably be divided. We strike back using that gap."

"However, if that happens, the Green Forest outlaws' casualties will be… No, more than that, what reason would they have to participate…"

"Overlord's Fortress is next after the Namgung Family falls anyway. They know that fact too. And you're worried about Green Forest outlaw casualties?"

"No, that's…"

The elder who had voiced his opinion blushed at Namgung Mu-jin's rebuke.

Namgung Mu-jin's cold voice continued.

"They're just Green Forest outlaws who live by plundering anyway. There's no reason to care about those completely unnecessary to the world. For us to survive, their sacrifice is absolutely necessary. Worry about atonement after we survive. Right now, focus only on saving our main family."

Tang Gwi-ok, who had entered Tang Ha-ran’s room, asked.

“I hear you’ve been going outside frequently lately?”

“Yes. I felt stuffy.”

Tang Gwi-ok smiled warmly as if she understood the meaning.

“The household has been quite noisy, hasn’t it?”

Tang Ha-ran examined Tang Gwi-ok’s expression but couldn’t tell anything at all. She finally let out a low sigh and nodded.

After Tang Gwi-ok dismissed all the servants, she raised her hand.

Whoosh.

Tang Gwi-ok’s hair and sleeves stood up stiffly for a moment then slowly settled. This was a phenomenon unique to the Tang family’s internal energy cultivation method that actually sank inward rather than outwardly displaying power unless one deliberately wanted to show their strength.

Gentle energy filled the room. An energy barrier was deployed to cut off sounds inside the room from the outside.

Tang Ha-ran noticed subtle signs from Tang Gwi-ok’s actions. Coming in saying she had something to discuss and even deploying an energy barrier to cut off from the outside was sufficiently suspicious.

“By any chance… did the Medical Immortal say something? He told me I was fine.”

Tang Gwi-ok said.

“The child has a very high possibility of being born with a poison-immune constitution.”

Poison-immune constitution!

Tang Ha-ran’s eyes opened wide. Her hand went to her swollen belly.

“This child…”

Just as there are constitutions suitable for martial arts, poison-immune constitution is suitable for poison techniques. From birth, they already possess immunity to all poisons and produce poison blood from their bone marrow.

They would possess from birth a realm that others couldn’t achieve even after cultivating poison techniques their entire lives.

However…

That wasn’t entirely something to celebrate.

A pregnant woman carrying a fetus that would become poison-immune would inevitably face tremendous burden on her body.

“Won’t you extend your hand?”

Tang Gwi-ok extended her hand and grasped Tang Ha-ran’s finger. She held the index finger and rubbed the nail root area with her fingertip.

The nail peeled away thinly, revealing bluish energy.

“As expected, you’re poisoned.”

Tang Ha-ran was shocked. Even though her mind had been elsewhere, she hadn’t known she was poisoned!

“When a pregnant woman is anxious, it affects the fetus too. The child has become sensitive and is spewing poison blood.”

Tang Ha-ran’s expression hardened.

“This summer marks when our family’s fate will greatly change. You’re afraid of what might happen then, aren’t you? That’s why you’re anxious?”

Tang Gwi-ok again took Tang Ha-ran’s hand and stroked it.

“Though older brother told me not to tell you, I cannot do that. A pregnant woman must be healthy to give birth to a healthy child.”

Health wasn’t the problem; it was questionable whether Tang Ha-ran could even survive until then.

“I must somehow keep it alive. It’s his child.”

“I knew you wouldn’t want anything to happen to the child either. I’ll ease your anxiety. If you have anything you want to say to me, go ahead.”

Tang Ha-ran took a deep breath at Tang Gwi-ok’s words.

“Great-aunt. Then let me ask just one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“When I sent a message to him before, why didn’t you stop me?”

Tang Ha-ran had informed Jin Ja-gang that Tang Qing was planning something big using the summer floods.

Tang Gwi-ok smiled slightly.

“Did you send that message asking your son-in-law to stop grandfather’s plan?”

“No.”

She had sent it with the heart telling him to run away, to be careful and avoid danger if possible.

“That’s why I left it alone. So your feelings could be conveyed even a little.”

Tang Gwi-ok paused briefly.

“But unfortunately, letting it go became my mistake. Your son-in-law is rather returning to Sichuan with the rebels of the Poison Sect’s Six Cliques.”

“No!”

Tang Ha-ran unconsciously tried to get up from her seat but sat back down in pain as her belly pulled. As Tang Gwi-ok said, the child seemed to be reacting sensitively.

But she couldn’t stay still.

Tang Gwi-ok calling them rebels meant she had already noticed the rebellion.

Given Tang Qing’s personality, preparations would naturally be thorough.

If Jin Ja-gang came, he would be defeated.

“Please… prevent him from coming here.”

“That’s no longer something I can do.”

“I’ll write and send a letter!”

Tang Gwi-ok shook her head.

“Shaolin Temple’s Stone Vajras are coming toward our family. All the family’s organizations are on high alert, so not even a mouse can come and go without permission. If you do anything even slightly suspicious at such a time, older brother won’t forgive it.”

“Even Shaolin Temple’s Stone Vajras…”

What exactly was Tang Qing planning, and what was happening in the martial world? Tang Ha-ran, who only had access to limited information, was frustrated to death.

“For the time being, no, from now on it will always be complicated and chaotic. But there’s nothing you can do about affairs outside the family. You understand why I’m telling you this, don’t you?”

Tang Ha-ran bit her lip and nodded.

“Older brother is a very dangerous person. He stakes the family’s survival and precariously conducts affairs on a single-log bridge. If he succeeds, we’ll prosper, but if he fails, the family will collapse in an instant.”

Tang Gwi-ok took Tang Ha-ran’s hand and continued.

“But as long as there are people, the family can always recover. That’s why I’m doing my utmost to protect the family bloodline. Do you understand?”

“Yes, great-aunt.”

“From now on, you must cut off concern for outside affairs and focus only on the child. I too will do my utmost, and no matter what sacrifice I must endure, I will protect your child.”

Then a servant reported from outside.

“Family head, the former head asks if there are any problems.”

Tang Gwi-ok smiled bitterly.

“As expected of older brother. He’s very suspicious.”

Tang Gwi-ok soon lifted the energy barrier and said outside.

“Tell him we were just sharing trivial women’s talk.”

Then Tang Gwi-ok made eye contact with Tang Ha-ran and nodded.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang suggested to Yeong-gwi that they change their route.

“Use the main road? Are you in your right mind?”

Until now they had used mountain paths or narrow trails. They thought this was because Yeong-gwi’s lightness techniques were excellent so terrain wasn’t much of a problem, and it would be easier to avoid pursuers.

“If we encounter pursuers, I won’t be able to help in the current situation.”

Mountain paths were slippery with random slopes. While he might manage during brief moments of using movement techniques, if a long fight broke out, Jin Ja-gang would have difficulty displaying his abilities.

But Yeong-gwi couldn’t easily agree with Jin Ja-gang’s thinking. Jin Ja-gang’s suggestion took being discovered by Mount Hua Sect or Zhongnan Sect’s surveillance network as a given.

“If we’re not discovered, there would be no need to fight, but that will be difficult. The place where we met Master was already on a mountain path.”

“I know that… without needing it explained.”

Yeong-gwi immediately changed course to the main road.

Splash!

Water from a puddle splashed greatly from the emotional leap.

Yeong-gwi picked up more speed than before.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

Even without Jin Ja-gang saying so, Yeong-gwi already needed to rest. They had been running for over seven days already. Without rest, with rain continuing to fall and constantly being on edge, Yeong-gwi was also physically exhausted.

Jin Ja-gang looked around for a place to start a fire. Just then, there was an abandoned house slightly off the main road. The roof remained intact to shelter from rain, making it just right for drying wet bodies.

However, Jin Ja-gang stopped before entering the abandoned house and examined the floor.

There were traces of several people having passed through. Inside the abandoned house, there were also signs of a fire having been lit.

Looking at the state of the ashes, it wasn’t very long ago.

“At most two or three days. Seven or more people passed through here.”

“This place won’t do. We need to find somewhere else.”

Yeong-gwi’s lips were trembling. Jin Ja-gang thought it would be difficult for Yeong-gwi to move anyway.

“Since they’ve already passed through, it might actually be safer. Warm yourself by the fire. I’ll look around for about an hour and come back.”

“I’m fine. If they’ve already passed, why are you going out?”

“Just to check, just in case.”

“Alright.”

Jin Ja-gang left the abandoned house.

Yeong-gwi sighed.

When it was time to rest, Jin Ja-gang always lit a fire and stepped away with the excuse of briefly going outside.

The fact that Jin Ja-gang was such a considerate and kind person tormented Yeong-gwi even more.

Yeong-gwi soon took off her clothes to wring out the moisture and even removed her human skin mask before performing breathing exercises.

Soon heat rose from her body and misty steam rose like water vapor.

Whoosh.

Jin Ja-gang adjusted his rain cape and surveyed the area around the abandoned house.

There was too much rain for any traces to remain. Even in Yeong-gwi’s case, stepping on wet ground only barely left traces from her toes. Light traces that would be erased after just half a day of rain.

If masters of that level had passed two days ago, it would be natural not to find traces.

But Jin Ja-gang discovered something in the direction from the abandoned house back to the main road.

Oval-shaped puddles led regularly to the main road.

Jin Ja-gang cleared away the water from the puddles. Deep footprints were stamped into the bottom.

“This is…”

Traces of lightness techniques openly displayed by martial artists from a sect who didn’t need to hide their footprints!

Yun-jeong had told him about such footprints before.

“Shaolin Temple’s lightness technique is called Great Strength Divine Nail. When that lightness technique is used, footprints are stamped like driving nails.”

Jin Ja-gang checked all the puddles.

Nine people.

He had seen eighteen people in Wuhan before, so why were there traces of nine Shaolin monks passing through here?

‘There were two routes to Sichuan: Shaanxi and Chongqing. Then they might have split up along the way.’

Yeong-gwi had run hard to quickly pass through Shaanxi, while the Shaolin martial monks seemed to have traveled at a moderate pace. Thanks to this, they had apparently been able to catch up to within two days’ distance of the Shaolin martial monks.

Jin Ja-gang looked in the direction the martial monks had gone and thought.

‘Zhongnan Mountain is right ahead, but Shaolin Temple is breaking through without avoiding Zhongnan Sect.’

If they followed this route, Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi might be able to travel more easily too.

Jin Ja-gang judged they should rest sufficiently and depart in preparation for any situation.

Right now, there was no telling when a fight might suddenly break out.

When Jin Ja-gang returned to the abandoned house after filling the hour, Yeong-gwi was sitting in front of the campfire wrapped in a straw mat, asleep.

Jin Ja-gang quietly went and sat across from Yeong-gwi.

Outside, rain fell ceaselessly hitting the roof and flowing down, but inside was warm.

Jin Ja-gang looked at the sleeping Yeong-gwi. For the first time in a while, Yeong-gwi showed her real face, though only half revealed while covering her nose and mouth with a face cloth.

Yeong-gwi opened her eyes.

Yeong-gwi’s and Jin Ja-gang’s eyes met.

The campfire reflected in Yeong-gwi’s pupils, blazing like flames of passion. Yeong-gwi’s lips trembled.

“I am…”

But suddenly Yeong-gwi gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut.

Jin Ja-gang said quietly.

“Shaolin monks passed ahead. Let’s fully recover our strength and depart.”

Yeong-gwi kept her eyes closed with a hardened expression and her mouth shut.

Silent stillness enveloped the warm abandoned house for quite a while.