Chapter 428 – Breaking Through the Death Line… (3)

"Huff! Huff!"

Cho Yeon-woon gasped roughly as he deployed his lightness skill. On his back, So Cheon was carried.

So Cheon was covered in blood and had lost consciousness. Not far from Sacred Heart Hall, Cho Yeon-woon had been able to rescue So Cheon.

When he found him, So Cheon was seriously injured from fierce battle with Heavenly Kill Divine Whip Yoon Gwang. Cho Yeon-woon desperately shook off Yoon Gwang and rescued So Cheon to escape.

"How is So Cheon?"

Hae So-wol, who was deploying lightness skill beside Cho Yeon-woon, asked with a worried face.

"Not good."

Cho Yeon-woon shook his head.

He could feel So Cheon's faint breathing from behind.

The breathing that continued thinly as if it might stop at any moment was precarious. If Hae So-wol hadn't been injecting internal energy from beside him, So Cheon would have already stopped breathing.

Hae So-wol followed beside Cho Yeon-woon while looking at him with fresh eyes.

She already knew Cho Yeon-woon was strong. Cho Yeon-woon had proven his strength by defeating Thunder Lightning Martial Guest Nam Hak. But the martial prowess he displayed against Swift Wind Divine Fist Yi Seon-chang was on a different dimension from before.

Now treating Cho Yeon-woon on the same level as the Nine Martial Dragons would be tantamount to an insult to him. Against Yi Seon-chang, one of the Seven Great Demons, he had displayed almost equal martial force. In addition, in the process of rescuing So Cheon, he had displayed tremendous martial prowess against Heavenly Kill Divine Whip Yoon Gwang too.

It was no different from him alone facing two of the Seven Great Demons. Of course Hae So-wol had helped, but even so, it was no different from achieving tremendous results alone.

The two people raced through Ak-yang's complex maze-like back alleys at frightening speed. How long had they run like this?

"Here, brother."

"This way."

Suddenly two people revealed themselves from one side of the alley.

It was Eun So-cheong and Cheong-un. They gestured to Cho Yeon-woon and Hae So-wol.

"Are you okay?"

Tears were welling up in Eun So-cheong's eyes as she looked at Cho Yeon-woon.

What greeted her when she came outside through the secret passage under the well was precisely Cheong-un and martial artists from Hao Sect.

Cho Yeon-woon had found the secret passage under the well thanks to Hao Sect. They had provided information and Thunder Bombs to Cho Yeon-woon through their connection with Dam Ho. Thanks to this, Cho Yeon-woon could secure the secret passage.

Only after meeting Cheong-un and the Hao Sect members could Eun So-cheong know how hard Cho Yeon-woon had struggled. If not for him, she and many martial artists who participated in the suicide squad would have all lost their lives.

Cho Yeon-woon patted Eun So-cheong's head while carrying So Cheon on his back.

"I'm fine. More importantly, what about the escape route?"

"It's prepared, but we must hurry. If they notice and pursue, even that will be dangerous."

Cheong-un stepped forward.

The one who had suffered the most mentally after leaving the suicide squad was precisely Cheong-un. After consulting with Cho Yeon-woon, he had worried greatly to secure a safe escape route.

Because he was there, Cho Yeon-woon could focus on rescuing the suicide squad.

"Hand So Cheon over here."

Cheong-un received So Cheon and administered a secret elixir of Qingcheng Sect. Then So Cheon's complexion became much more comfortable. The urgent fire was extinguished for now.

Only then could Cho Yeon-woon and Hae So-wol breathe sighs of relief and have leisure to look around.

The number of suicide squad martial artists rescued with Hao Sect's help was only about twenty people in total. The remaining martial artists were still left in the Demon Cult's main base fighting desperately. It was unknown how many of them had survived.

There might still be many alive, or they might have been completely annihilated. To grasp the exact situation, they would have to return to the Demon Cult's main base again. Though he wanted to go back, Cho Yeon-woon couldn't do so.

Not only was the risk burden too great to go back, but it could endanger the other people he had barely rescued. Regardless of others, Eun So-cheong had to be protected safely without fail.

'I can only leave the rest to heavenly fortune…'

Cho Yeon-woon turned around praying that they would safely escape. A harsh aura flowed on his face.

"They'll definitely send pursuit forces. We must escape Ak-yang before they follow."

"Understood. Please lead us."

At Cheong-un's words, Cho Yeon-woon hesitated.

Though he had stepped forward unable to watch everyone be annihilated, he had never thought about leading all these people.

Looking around, twenty suicide squad martial artists were looking at him with earnest eyes. Their faces were full of anxiety and fear.

Their expressions and attitudes had changed to the complete opposite of when they boldly departed from Mount Song. Faced with the threat before them, they desperately needed someone to rely on.

The someone they wanted was precisely Cho Yeon-woon.

"Being able to survive even this much is thanks to Great Hero Cho. Please lead us, Great Hero Cho."

Hae So-wol's words were decisive.

"Understood. Though my strength is meager, I'll take the lead, so please help me greatly."

"Just give orders. We'll jump into the fires of hell."

"That's not necessary, let's move quickly first. We don't have much time."

At Cho Yeon-woon's words, everyone began moving in unison. Everyone was exhausted and injured, but no one said a word about hardship. Because they too already knew the seriousness of the situation.

Cho Yeon-woon bowed to the Hao Sect disciples who had helped until now.

"Then please take care of yourselves. When they know we've escaped, the Demon Cult will definitely try to find accomplices."

"Haha! Don't worry. No matter how persistent they are, they're not as good as us. Don't worry about us and hurry to escape Yueyang. If we waste time like this, even the barely secured escape route might be blocked."

"Understood. Then…"

Cho Yeon-woon left the Hao Sect members behind and moved with the suicide squad. Under his command, the suicide squad moved in unison and escaped.

The Hao Sect leader watching this scene unconsciously muttered:

"Drunken Cloud Dragon, truly a star of turbulent times."

Though it's a cruel saying, heroes are not born in peaceful times.

They only reveal their true form when the world is chaotic and soaked in blood. Incomplete beings who can only find meaning of existence in turbulent times – the Hao Sect leader thought Cho Yeon-woon was also one of such people.

"Now, let's move too. We'll completely erase all traces and escape this place."

"Yes!"

The Hao Sect members began moving with vigorous answers.

***

Dam Ho indifferently looked at Nok Su-bing's face as she slept as if unconscious.

It had been a day since he had conversed with the unknown being through Nok Su-bing. As soon as the conversation ended, Nok Su-bing had fallen asleep as if fainting, and when she woke up the next day, she couldn't remember what had happened the night before at all.

Other memories were fine, but only the night's memories were cleanly deleted as if cut out with scissors. Something that couldn't happen by common human sense had occurred.

The one who used Nok Su-bing as a messenger was precisely her master.

'The Nameless One.'

The old man who revealed himself as one without a name.

Dam Ho thought the Nameless One might be the same person as the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Evil Cult. Because he couldn't think of anyone else who possessed dark arts that could use a living person as a messenger from thousands of li away.

The Nameless One was using living people like puppets. To him, the value of living people was nothing more or less than tools to be used.

Though Dam Ho had often been called a merciless human, not once had he thought humans were toys that could be used and discarded at any time.

It could simply be thought of as the amusement of a cold-blooded person without blood or tears, but Dam Ho felt there was something more than that.

It was when Dam Ho's gaze was sinking deeper into contemplation.

"Brother, what are you thinking about so deeply?"

A familiar voice broke his reverie. When he raised his head, Bang Jin-bo was looking at him.

"Nothing."

"Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo let out his characteristic laugh.

It had already been several years since he was with Dam Ho. Probably no one in the world experienced and knew Dam Ho as much as Bang Jin-bo did. That Dam Ho's gaze had sunk so deeply was evidence that he had many thoughts. Though he couldn't know what he was thinking about.

Bang Jin-bo felt good just being with Dam Ho. Though everyone in the world called him a bloodthirsty murderer, to him Dam Ho was a person like the most reliable barrier.

"Brother… ah, no."

Bang Jin-bo was about to ask something then quickly shook his head. Then Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"Speak!"

"I was just curious."

"……"

"If this blood chaos ends, how will you live, brother?"

Bang Jin-bo's face showed genuine curiosity.

Though they had been together for years, Dam Ho had never once told him what kind of life he wanted to live. So he was curious. What life this iron-blooded man dreamed of after retiring from the martial world.

Dam Ho was silent for a while. After time passed, what came from his mouth was not an answer but a question.

"How do you want to live?"

"Me… I'm thinking of maybe running an inn. If it's too big it'll be burdensome, and if too small it'll be boring. Just a moderate size where not too many people come. But if too few come it might fail, so just on a moderate path selling moderately…"

A gentle smile had appeared on Bang Jin-bo's lips.

Though he had mighty martial arts and fame enough to be called the Mount Hua Great Chef, he was dreaming a modest dream.

He had no thought of doing something about the world with his martial arts, and only thought about how he could feed people good healthy food cheaply. And if the opportunity came, he wanted to devote himself more to cooking and organize his enlightenment into a book.

"With your skills, you could run a big inn and become a famous person or wealthy man counted among the best in Central Plains. Isn't it a waste?"

"Not at all."

Bang Jin-bo shook his head immediately.

As Dam Ho said, with his current skills he could receive all kinds of treatment and accumulate tremendous wealth. But such a life wasn't what Bang Jin-bo wanted.

He wanted to serve healthy food to as many people as possible, not just himself alone, and if capable, raise many disciples. Though it was far future business.

At Bang Jin-bo's firm answer, Dam Ho's gaze sank even deeper.

This young boy in front of him had always been like this.

Even when he lost his father and was left alone in the world, he hadn't lost his warm gaze toward the world. That's why he thought he shone.

Through countless years of hardship, the light of his beliefs hadn't dimmed at all. Rather, it was shining more dazzlingly. That light was getting stronger as time passed.

It was brightness existing in a realm Dam Ho could never possess even if he raced his entire lifetime. That's why he might want to protect it from going out. Dam Ho's thought was that at least one such being should exist in the world.

Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam Ho with brightly shining eyes.

"What about you, brother? How do you want to live?"

"Well!"

"Don't be like that, please tell me."

Today Bang Jin-bo particularly pestered Dam Ho.

His will to hear Dam Ho's answer no matter what was visible.

Dam Ho suddenly looked at his own fist.

Calluses protruded like nails. When clenched tightly, his fist that reminded one of a blunt spear was no different from a completed weapon by itself.

He had stained these two fists with the blood of countless people. Hundreds, perhaps over a thousand.

His life, his soul was already stained red with others' blood. For such a subject to crave a peaceful life was also deceiving himself.

Through conversation with Bang Jin-bo, Dam Ho clearly realized such feelings of his own.

He wasn't someone who would settle somewhere just because the blood chaos ended.

The place he would return to was neither Mount Hua Sect nor remote mountain valleys with few people.

"Somewhere… I'll wander looking for places to fight."

"Brother?"

"Do you think I could live a normal life now?"

"That's…"

Bang Jin-bo couldn't say anything.

Dam Ho was no longer looking at Bang Jin-bo. His gaze was toward the sleeping Nok Su-bing. No, he was looking at that someone who had peeped at him through Nok Su-bing.

Dam Ho was intuiting it.

That he was standing at the end of the path he was walking.

He didn't know if the path would continue after that, or if it would be cut off so he couldn't go further, but it didn't matter. As long as strength remained, he would walk to that place.

Whether he was the Nameless One, or the Heavenly Evil Cult Leader, or some other being didn't matter.

Because by his existence, there was still reason for him to live. ​

Even though they had no relation to Hundred Flowers Valley of Yunnan, they couldn’t help but bow their heads together in the current solemn ritual.

In the midst of that…

Someone had quietly slipped in.

Behind Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran, he prostrated continuously offering hundreds of bows and reciting prayers.

“In the twenty-ninth year of the reign, in the seventh month of the Imjin year… the Sim family of the Central Plains dares to report to the deceased of distant Yunnan’s Hundred Flowers Valley… mumble mumble… this year too as the year changes… kindness is boundlessly vast without end… thus and so offering clear wine and the enemy’s head, I earnestly pray that the deeply harbored resentment be resolved…”

It was Sim Hak.

He bowed so earnestly that from the side he looked like a child who had lost his father.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon was already watching what Sim Hak was doing, but left him alone until Jin Ja-gang finished his bowing.

However, as soon as the bowing ended, he grabbed Sim Hak’s nape and immediately dragged him out.

“Save me! Save me! I know nothing and was only dragged here by that Mang Ryo fellow!”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon said coldly.

“For someone who claims to know nothing, I saw earlier that you know quite a lot about this matter. When reciting prayers, you also seemed to know Poison Dragon’s past well.”

“No! You listened to all my rambling? Why were you listening to that?”

Bian Bu looked at Sim Hak and tilted his head before speaking.

“Cover that torn mouth. I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere.”

Sim Hak covered his cheek with his hand and pleaded while crying.

“If you know me, please spare me. I’m just a nobody like a foolish old man with no relation to martial world affairs. I still don’t even know why I have to be here.”

“Ah, now that you’re covering it, I remember. Aren’t you the accountant who used to work at Yeongpa Trading Company?”

“That’s right! I’m just a lowly person from merchant origins living at rock bottom. So killing me would only dirty the hands of the Taoist master and great heroes.”

Bian Bu said.

“Right, right. I wondered why it seemed familiar. I once wrote a talisman for you. You haggled so much over the price that I got angry and drew the talisman with toilet water.”

Sim Hak’s face contorted servilely.

“That, that’s why the talisman smelled.”

“I told you to keep it under your pillow. Do you still have it? It’s an efficacious talisman. Exactly ten coins’ worth of efficacious.”

“My wife threw it away because it smelled. Don’t be upset, and since you know my face, please spare me. I’ll make sure to provide very good compensation later…”

“But why did I write that talisman? I think I wrote it for something to go well.”

As Bian Bu scratched his chin pretending to try to remember, Sim Hak’s expression hardened.

“Right, right, I remember now. You were entering some family as a strategist… so I wrote the talisman for things to go well…?”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon coldly spat out.

“You entered as strategist for the Baek Li family.”

Bian Bu grinned wickedly. He had deliberately pretended not to know while knowing, to scratch at Sim Hak’s nerves.

“That’s right. Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s most trusted confidant is that fellow, Sim Hak.”

Im Yi-yeon said.

“If he’s Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s confidant, he must have been greatly involved in this matter too. It would be better not to let him live.”

Sim Hak smacked his lips then let out a deep sigh.

“Whew.”

Suddenly Sim Hak’s servile expression changed. Sim Hak glared at Jin Ja-gang and the others with cold eyes. It was enough to startle Bian Bu.

Sim Hak laughed bitterly.

Then he suddenly grabbed his torn mouth and struggled.

“Argh! It hurts! Because of that damned bastard, I can’t even smile freely, damn it!”

Sim Hak held his torn cheek and spat bloody saliva toward dead Mang Ryo’s head.

“I didn’t like you from the start, and now because of you I’m going to die a dog’s death in an unexpected place!”

Sim Hak groaned but gritted his teeth and said.

“You think you can stop it? You can’t! Now you’ll really see the world turned upside down.”

Bian Bu clicked his tongue.

“Yeah. Sure. But you’re going to die today. So you should have paid properly for the talisman. Then I wouldn’t have remembered you, you fool.”

Sim Hak suddenly grabbed his belt and pulled. Bian Bu hobbled over on his crutch and stabbed Sim Hak’s chest with a dagger without hesitation.

“AAAAAH! Argh! AAAAAH!”

Sim Hak screamed wildly and shed tears.

WHOOOOSH!

Dark red smoke began rising from Sim Hak’s body. It seemed he had a signal flare device in his clothes.

“Damn!”

It was already too late to stop the smoke.

Angry Bian Bu repeatedly stabbed with the dagger.

“Argh!”

Sim Hak gritted his bloody teeth.

“You… you… bad bastards. You’ll all die soon too.”

Sim Hak soon grabbed Bian Bu’s arm and fell forward to die. But smoke was still pouring from his body.

Bian Bu took out the bamboo tube emitting smoke and buried it in the soil.

“Looks like he contacted his associates.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon looked at Jin Ja-gang.

“What do you plan to do?”

“We have to go.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Ha-ran.

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely protect this child until you return.”

Jin Ja-gang nodded.

Im Yi-yeon had internal injuries so couldn’t move together with them.

Instead Son Bi stepped forward. Bian Bu tried to dissuade her.

“This is dangerous work that even Master Haewol failed at. Will it be alright?”

Im Yi-yeon said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Before leaving, I have something I briefly want to say.”

“Please speak.”

“You must have heard that we were attacked while coming to the Tang Family Main House.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know why?”

Actually, that was what he was curious about. Why were Im Yi-yeon and Son Bi coming to the Tang Family Main House?

“We were coming to find you. Poison Dragon.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t answer. He didn’t ask why.

Son Bi blushed with embarrassment.

Im Yi-yeon looked at Tang Ha-ran, then slightly bowed as if greeting with her eyes.

“I feel sorry toward your wife.”

Tang Ha-ran answered coldly.

“If you felt sorry, you shouldn’t have come here.”

Tang Ha-ran had already figured out why Im Yi-yeon and Son Bi had come.

Im Yi-yeon sighed.

“After the inn incident, I thought a lot. Must I force my disciple to walk the same path as me? No, even if not that… even if she maintains chastity for life like me, I wanted to at least let her have a child with the person she holds in her heart.”

Tang Ha-ran said curtly.

“That’s impossible. Tang family women don’t lend their husbands to others.”

Son Bi rushed over in panic and grabbed Tang Ha-ran’s hand. Then she looked into Tang Ha-ran’s eyes and shook her head.

It wasn’t like that.

She was sorry. She shouldn’t have come here.

Though she couldn’t speak, she was saying that with her expression.

Tang Ha-ran said.

“Lady Son. Whatever expression you make, once you’ve already come here, excuses are meaningless.”

Tang Ha-ran pushed away Son Bi’s hand and looked at everyone. Of course, that included Yeong-gwi as well.

“Listen well, everyone. My husband is too big a person for one woman to hold. I won’t try to monopolize him. But the Tang family is his in-laws and I am his wife – that won’t change. Do you understand?”

Im Yi-yeon’s eyebrows trembled slightly.

“Does that mean… I may understand it as permission?”

“I’m not giving permission. The choice is for my husband to make.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Jin Ja-gang.

In the past, Jin Ja-gang might have been embarrassed. But after Tang Ha-ran had given him the topic of lack, Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts had deepened. That lacking beings were drawn to each other was not Jin Ja-gang’s fault. And it might also be Jin Ja-gang’s responsibility.

Tang Ha-ran said to Jin Ja-gang.

“Your karma is your responsibility.”

Jin Ja-gang quietly nodded.

Son Bi’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Wow…”

Woon-jeong, who had been watching, muttered.

“I didn’t know even Ice Phoenix Lady Son was trying to kill Poison Dragon friend.”

Everyone looked at Woon-jeong wondering what nonsense he was talking.

Woon-jeong said.

“Didn’t you know? All the ladies who tried to kill Poison Dragon friend fell for Poison Dragon friend… Recently Lady Yeong-gwi also…”

Yeong-gwi’s face turned red. Son Bi and Yeong-gwi’s eyes met each other. Yeong-gwi unconsciously bit her lips. Complex emotions crossed.

So-so kicked Woon-jeong’s bottom with a thump.

Bian Bu teased.

“Poison Dragon aside, someone appeared who wants to kill Taoist Woon-jeong too?”

So-so’s face reddened as she glared at Bian Bu fuming.

Bian Bu subtly asked Taoist Master Bok-cheon.

“Don’t Qingcheng Sect Taoists marry?”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon stroked his beard and said.

“Marriage isn’t strictly forbidden. However, if one is distracted during cultivation, we deal with it severely with strict beatings.”

Woon-jeong’s face stiffened.

“Master!”

Bian Bu laughed heartily. Taoist Master Bok-cheon also couldn’t suppress his laughter and held a slight smile on his stern face.

Tang Ha-ran grabbed Jin Ja-gang.

“And.”

Tang Ha-ran said with a smile.

“Whatever happened at the inn… I’ll listen carefully when you return, okay? So you must finish your work well and come back, okay?”

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t speak – he really couldn’t.

Bian Bu watched this and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Look at him already being tightly controlled. How does he think he can manage three wives and four concubines…”

Tang Ha-ran glared at Bian Bu. Bian Bu pretended to look elsewhere.

“Come on, hurry up and go. Hurry!”

Finally Jin Ja-gang departed.

But Jin Ja-gang wasn’t alone. Right beside him were Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Son Bi. Not only that, but Qingcheng Sect and Poison Gate Four Cliques would join in turn, and most importantly, Emei Sect would also provide strong support.

It wasn’t long after Jin Ja-gang and the others departed.

Tang Ha-ran made a slight groaning sound.

“Ugh.”

Water flowed down her ankle.

Her water had broken right on time.

So-so quickly supported her.

Im Yi-yeon also held Tang Ha-ran from the other side.

“Hurry inside!”

Bian Bu hobbled in first on his crutch.

“I’ll go ahead and tell them to prepare!”

There was no need – a servant soon appeared.

“By the family head’s orders, we’ve prepared for childbirth. I’ll guide you.”

“Let’s hurry, hurry.”

Bian Bu urged. But while following the servant, Im Yi-yeon’s eyes changed. Im Yi-yeon said in a low voice.

“Something’s strange.”

“What do you mean?”

Woon-jeong also stopped walking and looked around with wide eyes.

“Something about the atmosphere is strange. It’s hard to express in words, but it seems different from when we came out earlier…? The path is different too…”

They felt the atmosphere had become too quiet somewhere.

CLANG!

Im Yi-yeon’s sword pointed at the servant’s neck.

“Where are you taking us?”

The servant looked back. Even with the sword touching her neck, she wasn’t afraid.

The servant took out a seal that was like the family head’s symbol.

“Nothing has happened yet. Trust the family head and follow. I’ll escort you to a safe place.”

“A safe place?”

Bian Bu’s eyes widened.

“Something seems about to happen. It would be better to call Poison Dragon back. If it’s now, we could catch up quickly!”

But Tang Ha-ran grabbed Bian Bu’s sleeve.

“No, don’t do that. We mustn’t confuse him now.”

Tang Ha-ran bit her teeth tightly due to labor pains. But even so, she spoke in a dignified voice.

“From now on, this is something I must handle.”