Chapter 387

Due to the incessant rain, the ground was full of puddles, and occasionally mountains collapsed with piles of earth blocking the roads. Streams and rivers had already overflowed, completely submerging the low-lying rice fields and farmland.

Damage from the rainy season was already everywhere.

Jin Ja-gang, carried on Yeong-gwi’s back, said.

“It’s too late.”

Yeong-gwi got angry.

“I’m already doing my best!”

“By the time we arrive in Sichuan, more than half the rainy season will have passed. I don’t know how much time we’ll have to stop King of Hell.”

“Our purpose is to replace the Tang family’s head, not to stop King of Hell’s conspiracy.”

“We need to crush King of Hell’s conspiracy to reveal the identities of those who joined hands with him.”

“That’s fortunate at least. You’re not acting like a great hero saying countless people will die.”

“That’s included too.”

Yeong-gwi shuddered.

“Then we should hope the Shaolin monks succeed in striking King of Hell.”

“I said that won’t do.”

Yeong-gwi’s words became faster in her anger.

“According to you, there are eighteen Shaolin monks. Just eighteen people sent to strike the Tang Family Main House. They’re not even traveling fast. They’re going at their own pace as if it doesn’t matter whether King of Hell knows or not. Don’t you know what that means?”

“We’ve already had this same conversation thirteen times.”

“You’ve also just said it won’t do without any countermeasures thirteen times.”

Jin Ja-gang closed his mouth and fell into thought. They kept having the same conversation like a hamster wheel. And after that, long periods of silence usually followed.

“It seems we need to slow down.”

Jin Ja-gang said.

Yeong-gwi also noticed something strange and stopped. Jin Ja-gang got down from Yeong-gwi’s back.

They had encountered corpses killed by Shaolin monks several times.

But this time was different.

A massive aura of death could be felt from the entire road ahead.

The two heightened their nerves and moved forward.

Corpses were scattered on both sides of the road.

Limbs and intestines washed by rainwater floated in deeply dug puddles. Banners symbolizing organizations were broken and stuck here and there.

Yeong-gwi’s expression became serious.

Looking at the banners, they were all from Shaanxi’s martial sects. At least ten sects’ martial artists seemed to have gathered here.

And all were dead.

Just the corpses visible to the eye numbered fifty to sixty. Considering the bodies hidden in the bushes or further ahead, the number would easily exceed hundreds.

It wasn’t just small and medium sect martial artists; Mount Hua Sect and Mount Zhongnan Sect martial artists were also visible.

For such a group of martial artists to be massacred in one place…

Yeong-gwi bit her lip and looked ahead.

Someone was standing in the middle of the road, getting rained on.

Whoosh…

The cap on his head was dented and his hair was disheveled and hanging long.

It was a Mount Zhongnan martial artist.

Whoooosh…

Even though Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi had approached close by, the martial artist still showed his back, standing motionless in the rain.

When Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi stopped at about ten paces distance, only then did the martial artist turn around.

It was Gi-san of Mount Zhongnan Sect.

His eyes were sunken and his lips were pale. His pupils were unfocused and blank as if his soul had left him.

Gi-san asked in a hoarse, subdued voice, stumbling over his words.

“Who are… you people?”

It sounded like a voice that hadn’t spoken for a very long time.

Jin Ja-gang asked.

“How long have you been standing here?”

“Me? Ah…”

Only then did Gi-san look around his surroundings.

“Ah… that’s right. I was spared to collect these friends’ corpses. Right. I had forgotten…”

Looking at the corpses, they seemed to have been dead for at least a full day.

Gi-san had been standing in this spot continuously since then.

Gi-san’s body was stiff and he moved with difficulty as he turned to look at Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi.

“But… who are you people?”

Yeong-gwi signaled not to answer, but Jin Ja-gang answered straightforwardly.

“I am Jin Ja-gang.”

“Jin Ja-gang? Ah… Poison Dragon…”

The sunken-eyed Gi-san muttered something and grasped his sword hilt.

“Right. Poison Dragon… they said Poison Dragon would pass through. You harmed our Mount Zhongnan disciples and Brother Benevolent Hero Bulgi.”

“That’s right.”

“Then I can’t just… let you pass.”

Gi-san drew his sword.

Clang!

The sword was broken in the middle. However, sharp sword energy extended about a zhang from the broken part. The sword energy was so sharp that raindrops would be cut in half when they hit it.

It was hard to believe this was the martial prowess of someone who had been standing in the rain with his mind gone for a full day.

However, this was also proof of how fierce a battle he had fought before losing his mind. His body was broken but his fighting spirit was raised to the extreme.

Even with his mind gone, he was still moving according to his duty.

But trying to fight with such a body was nothing more than saying he wanted to die.

Yeong-gwi advised Jin Ja-gang.

“Poison Dragon. That person isn’t normal right now. There’s no need to fight. Don’t create resentment.”

But hearing those words, Gi-san shook his head.

“No… no. As long as I’m guarding, Poison Dragon cannot pass this place… If you want to pass, you must get past me. Do you… understand?”

Jin Ja-gang nodded.

“Poison Dragon!”

Yeong-gwi tried to stop him, but Jin Ja-gang looked at Yeong-gwi briefly then stepped forward.

Gi-san also approached toward Jin Ja-gang.

“Mount Zhongnan disciples… do not retreat.”

Though his legs were stiff and he staggered, he maintained his balance with reflexes trained over many years and swung his sword energy.

The sword energy was sharp, but the sword wasn’t fast.

Jin Ja-gang could easily avoid Gi-san’s sword even in the rain. Gi-san stumbled and fell on his own.

Splash!

Gi-san knelt and raised his head. Jin Ja-gang placed his finger on Gi-san’s forehead. Gi-san muttered.

“Mount Zhongnan disciples do not yield to threats.”

Jin Ja-gang said.

“I will collect the corpses for you.”

“Ah…”

A faint smile appeared at the corners of Gi-san’s mouth.

Jin Ja-gang released his energy.

Thud!

Gi-san’s head shook greatly as blood flowed from his eyes, nose, and mouth. Gi-san’s body fell to the side.

Jin Ja-gang immediately picked up Gi-san’s corpse and moved it to the roadside. Then he began gathering the other corpses in one place.

Yeong-gwi watched Jin Ja-gang quietly then rubbed her forehead.

Jin Ja-gang really intended to gather and collect over a hundred corpses in one place.

Little by little, she began to understand Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts.

Yeong-gwi silently helped Jin Ja-gang move the corpses together.

* * *

Sichuan.

The nine who came from Shaanxi met with the nine who crossed over from Chongqing.

Finally, eighteen Shaolin monks had entered Sichuan’s capital.

“Namo Amitabha, Sichuan is quiet.”

Despite the pouring rain from the rainy season befitting a capital, countless people were coming and going. At first glance, calling it quiet didn’t seem fitting.

However, originally Sichuan was considered like an iron wall to martial artists from other regions. The three powers of Sichuan – Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect, and Tang Family Main House – were positioned everywhere. From the moment they set foot in Sichuan until they left, the watchful eyes of Sichuan’s three powers followed everywhere.

But now they couldn’t feel the gazes pouring from all directions like before.

Beom-hae said.

“Among Sichuan’s three powers, Emei Sect has secluded themselves and Qingcheng Sect has disbanded. The absence of the two sects is significant.”

The monk standing beside Beom-hae asked.

“Shall we go to the Tang Family Main House?”

“Let’s go.”

The Shaolin monks headed directly to the Tang Family Main House without any hesitation.

The Tang Family Main House stood tall like a massive fortress.

Hundreds of houses and dozens of halls gathered together gave an even stronger sense of exclusion. Moreover, it was very quiet. Misty clouds formed by rainwater hitting and bouncing off the halls’ roofs made the Tang Family Main House’s atmosphere extremely desolate.

Normally, people should be busily coming and going at the Tang Family Main House, but there wasn’t a single person moving about.

Instead, with the outer courtyard gates wide open, one scholar holding a rain shield waited in front.

The scholar bowed his head politely toward the Shaolin monks.

“King of Hell is waiting.”

But Beom-hae didn’t move.

“Tell King of Hell to come out.”

The scholar repeated the same words with his head bowed.

“King of Hell is waiting.”

Beom-hae took out and unfolded the personal letter Tang Qing had sent.

“We did not come to exchange friendship. We came to take King of Hell’s head in exchange for accepting his surrender!”

It was talk that would shock anyone from the Tang family to hear. Yet the scholar still didn’t raise his head.

“King of Hell is waiting.”

Beom-hae’s eyes narrowed. The momentum of the Shaolin monks standing behind Beom-hae became menacing.

“If he doesn’t come out, the Tang family will pay the price.”

Only then did the scholar raise his head. But his expression wasn’t one of agreement. The scholar backed away and entered the outer courtyard.

Without leaving any word that he understood, would inform them, or any hint at all.

Then.

Creeeeak.

The outer courtyard gates began to close.

Bang! Bang! Click!

Sounds of locking the gates and even setting the crossbar could be heard.

One of the Shaolin monks said.

“King of Hell apparently has no intention of surrendering. He seems unwilling to meekly offer his neck.”

Another monk said.

“Or he wants to maintain his pride even while surrendering.”

Beom-hae answered.

“Master already predicted King of Hell’s behavior and commanded us. If King of Hell doesn’t comply obediently, sweep away the Tang family.”

“It seems the time has come.”

Beom-hae nodded and raised his hand to point at the tightly closed gates.

“Open them.”

Two monks stepped forward and went to the gates.

They were solid gates made of thick wood with tough lacquer coating, bound with iron bands and fixed with studs. They looked like they could only be broken by a battering ram. But the two monks clenched both fists, placed them at their waists, gathered their internal energy with all their might, then simultaneously struck the gates.

Bang! Bang!

The wood split and cracked. The iron bands dented deeply. The studs broke and flew off.

Crash!

It took less than fifteen minutes for the outer gates to be destroyed by the two monks’ punches.

Creak… creak…

The large gates were half-destroyed and barely hanging on their hinges, swaying.

“Great compassion and transformation, Bodhisattva breaking and subduing. Namo Amitabha Guanyin Bodhisattva.”

Beom-hae said with an angry face.

“Clear the path and bring King of Hell’s head. I will not tolerate retreat. Today, King of Hell will confess all his sins before Buddha and fall into hell’s flames!”

Beom-gon stepped forward first, took a deep breath, and unleashed a lion’s roar.

ROOOOOAR!

Like a trumpet sound announcing war, a tremendous lion’s roar shook the Tang Family Main House.

Dozens of Tang family martial artists revealed themselves beyond the broken gates. Twenty archers climbed onto the walls and aimed their bowstrings at the Shaolin monks. Those carrying hidden weapons also waited nearby. They put their hands in their sleeves, ready to strike.

Beom-hae’s mouth twisted as killing intent flowed out.

“Go!”

And the Shaolin monks pushed through the broken gates and entered the Tang Family Main House.