Chapter 358

Like the profound mental cultivation methods of long-established orthodox sects, Mount Hua Sect’s internal energy cultivation also had considerable resistance to poison.

Especially Ham-geun had learned the internal energy method called Purple Cloud Divine Art Moon. It was an internal energy method created based on Purple Cloud Divine Art, rivaling Purple Cloud Divine Art itself.

If it wasn’t being caught unaware but preparing with internal energy fully raised, he thought he could withstand any poison.

But this poison was different. How could it emanate such a fragrant flower scent while containing such terrible aura of death!

He began to feel he wouldn’t be able to withstand drinking this poison. It was as if facing a much stronger master with the master’s blade at his throat.

‘It’s just my imagination!’

But even having such feelings was influenced by this poison.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“You don’t need to force yourself. Shaolin Temple has been watching nearby. Now that everyone who should gather has gathered, they’ll appear soon. Then you’ll naturally learn about the personal letter.”

Those words stimulated Ham-geun even more.

And he also knew Shaolin Temple was coming. Rather, knowing the letter’s contents before that was important.

“Do you think I’m ridiculous?”

Grind.

Ham-geun gritted his teeth and raised his internal energy to the maximum.

Preparing to take poison, spiritual light appeared in his eyes and purple aura began forming.

It was a strangely pressured situation. Ham-geun himself had confidently stepped forward, but somehow the atmosphere had become like he was receiving death penalty poison.

Even with internal energy raised, Ham-geun couldn’t easily pick up the wine cup and hesitated.

But then, So-min took unexpected action.

She grabbed and drank the wine cup in front of Ham-geun.

Ham-geun was startled and snatched the cup away. But it was already too late.

“What are you doing!”

When Ham-geun grabbed So-min’s chin, So-min swallowed the poison she had held in her mouth and said.

“Master needs to find Senior Brother Mun-pyeong. I’ll take care of things like this instead.”

“How can you trust that guy’s words!”

So-min said with a resolute expression.

“Poison Dragon will keep his promise.”

Ham-geun’s face instantly became haggard.

“Why… why do you trust such a guy’s words…”

This time even Namgung Geol couldn’t mock him. Though he could have ridiculed asking how foolish the master was for the disciple to step forward, he couldn’t. A disciple risking her life for her master’s dignity wasn’t a laughing matter.

An Ryeong asked Jin Ja-gang.

“My goodness… it’s not really Asura Blood, is it?”

Drip.

Fresh blood flowed from So-min’s nose.

That alone made Jin Ja-gang’s answer unnecessary.

Ham-geun shouted at Jin Ja-gang.

“Give me the antidote!”

But So-min shook her head. So-min knew better that there was no antidote.

So-min looked at Jin Ja-gang and said.

“Keep your promise.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at So-min quietly, then nodded slightly. Then he immediately handed Tang Qing’s personal letter to So-min.

Those in the inn couldn’t help but admire the scene.

They hadn’t thought he would really give it as he said.

So-min gave the personal letter to Ham-geun and immediately sat cross-legged. Red flowers were already beginning to bloom on her nape.

Red Annihilation Flowers!

Ham-geun’s eyes reddened. Ham-geun gripped the personal letter tightly, then gritted his teeth and opened it.

The other martial artists also wanted to see Tang Qing’s personal letter but couldn’t. This was the result So-min had obtained by risking her life.

Ham-geun’s facial muscles trembled as he read through the personal letter.

The others guessed the personal letter contained unusual contents. Ham-geun rolled up and folded the personal letter, then laughed loudly.

Ha ha ha ha!

Ham-geun threw the personal letter toward Jin Ja-gang with a disgusted expression as if throwing away something dirty.

Meanwhile, So-min couldn’t even maintain her cross-legged position properly and collapsed.

Thud.

“Ugh!”

Blood flowed from her mouth. So-min raised her head. Blood was slowly beginning to fill her eyes too. So-min looked at Jin Ja-gang with bloodshot eyes.

Longing and desperation.

Indescribably complex emotions were contained in her two eyes.

Jin Ja-gang met So-min’s gaze and said.

“Brother Pyo deceived and obstructed me.”

“That’s… just that isn’t reason enough for brother to die.”

“Brother Pyo was ashamed.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s words, So-min couldn’t say more.

Pyo Sang-guk had always confided about orthodox sect chivalry. He lived with the phrase “as a disciple of Zhongnan Sect” always on his lips. If such a person had done vile things, he would certainly have suffered severe guilt.

“He blamed himself for having to do such things for Zhongnan Sect’s sake. But Brother Pyo didn’t regret it until the moment he died.”

Amazingly, all the martial artists in the inn empathized with the contradictory statement that he blamed himself but didn’t regret it.

It was something any martial artist belonging to a sect could relate to. While growing up learning to live for justice and chivalry, sometimes you must betray your own chivalry for your sect’s sake.

Such discord was a problem that tormented righteous heroes throughout their lives.

So-min knew Pyo Sang-guk better than anyone because she had worked with him for a long time.

So So-min shed tears of blood.

“Then… whose fault is Brother Pyo’s death? Tell me, Poison Dragon. Who killed Brother Pyo?”

The inn became solemn at So-min’s tearful question.

But they were also curious about Jin Ja-gang’s answer.

Jin Ja-gang answered slowly.

“I killed Brother Pyo. All responsibility lies with me.”

So-min screamed.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

It was a wail that pained the hearts of all listeners.

Sword Empress Im Yi-eon said.

“Child, don’t cry. Poison Dragon gave the highest treatment to his death. That’s why he used Asura Blood.”

With Jin Ja-gang’s skills, he could have killed a Zhongnan Sect disciple who couldn’t even enter the Three Dragons Four Phoenixes without leaving traces. But he deliberately left traces by using Asura Blood.

It was Jin Ja-gang’s way of showing respect.

So-min looked at Jin Ja-gang while crying.

“I hate you.”

So-min barely got out those words, then vomited blood and fainted.

Ham-geun held So-min and placed his hands on her vital points, adding internal energy. Red Annihilation Flowers continued blooming on So-min’s cheeks and nape.

Ham-geun looked down at So-min silently and muttered like talking to himself.

“This inadequate master will lose two disciples.”

Eventually Ham-geun slowly walked toward leaving the inn. His business here was now finished.

An Ryeong spoke to Jin Ja-gang in a low voice.

“That Mount Hua Sect lady called So-min trusted you. Do you know why?”

An Ryeong looked back at Jin Ja-gang with tear-filled eyes.

“That lady liked you. Until the end, she believed you would keep your promise.”

Jin Ja-gang tried to maintain an expressionless face but his heart ached.

He had thought such days would come someday, but it was more difficult than expected.

Just as much as when he killed Pyo Sang-guk.

Son Bi was also watching Jin Ja-gang. She read the shadow cast over Jin Ja-gang’s expressionless face. She saw his slightly trembling eyebrows. A man who couldn’t be as cold as he appeared outwardly… no, a man who was cold but actually had a warm heart.

Toward Son Bi who was unconsciously looking at Jin Ja-gang for a long time, Im Yi-eon spoke quietly but infinitely coldly.

“Give up on those feelings.”

Son Bi tried to hide her confusion.

“I thought if Poison Dragon were as cold-blooded as rumors say, I could briefly connect you two. But seeing now, he still has a tender heart left. That will only be a hindrance to each other in the end.”

For the first time, Son Bi protested Im Yi-eon’s words with her expression. She bit her lower lip hard and looked straight at Im Yi-eon.

Im Yi-eon spoke firmly with emphasis.

“Think about who Poison Dragon is dealing with. On top of that, he’s trying to shoulder even others’ deaths. There’s nothing better about it than carrying straw into a fire.”

Even though Im Yi-eon spoke quietly, everyone who should hear heard it. It was words Im Yi-eon said to Son Bi and simultaneously to Poison Dragon.

Yuk Ha-seon responded to Im Yi-eon’s words.

“How can you try to cut off affection between men and women so decisively? Without affection between men and women, without affection between spouses, no one here could exist.”

Im Yi-eon shot back.

“It’s possible to bear children even without affection between men and women. Even if affection connects, a brief time is enough. Constantly talking about affection is an excuse only lazy people make.”

Yuk Ha-seon shook her head as if they couldn’t communicate.

But…

Those in the inn soon realized Ham-geun still hadn’t gone outside.

Ham-geun stood at the doorway holding So-min, stopped. He was glaring outside with a frowning face.

Ham-geun finally said after a while.

“Move aside.”

A voice came from outside.

“Go back inside.”

A stiff but clear-toned voice.

“My disciple is dying. Step aside.”

Ham-geun spoke once more. But there seemed to be no movement from outside.

“Patron Ham cannot leave, so please return inside the inn.”

“What?”

Namgung Geol realized the identity of those outside.

“It’s Shaolin Temple.”

Ham-geun tried not to retreat. But from outside, they pushed in regardless of Ham-geun.

Ham-geun, who had been holding out, suddenly saw someone and his face turned pale as he retreated.

Thud thud thud thud.

Shaolin Temple’s Arhat monks poured in. Twenty entered and stood in two rows stretching long from the door.

And through the middle, a small palanquin entered.

In the palanquin carried by two Arhat monks lay a small, frail-looking old monk as if crumpled. His limbs were twisted and his neck turned sideways, seeming unable to turn his head by his own strength.

But the moment they saw that old monk, Im Yi-eon and Namgung Geol’s expressions changed simultaneously.

The old monk spoke while tremblingly moving his fingers to barely roll prayer beads between his thumb and forefinger.

“Namo Amitabha Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. It’s been a long time. Disaster Sword Guest, Sword Empress. And there… bundjng Phoenix and Ice Phoenix? And I don’t see what kind of friend Poison Dragon is, so come this way where I can see you.”

Jin Ja-gang followed the old monk’s words without complaint. He went to the side where the old monk’s head was turned and faced the old monk.

Clearly a dying old monk who couldn’t even move his fingers properly. But when Jin Ja-gang stood before the old monk, he felt tremendous pressure. He felt like his body was being completely dissected by those barely open eyes.

Jin Ja-gang controlled his mind and greeted.

“Welcome. I was waiting.”

But suddenly the old monk’s wrinkled lips moved as his face grotesquely contorted.

Then a roar burst from his mouth.

“WHO DARES CAUSE TROUBLE IN HENAN, IT WAS YOU! DO YOU WANT TO DIE!”

ROAAAAR!

Jin Ja-gang’s hair all flew backward.

The entire inn shook and bowls on tables rattled. Even railings poorly nailed down creaked.

“…”

Jin Ja-gang’s eardrums were completely numb and he couldn’t speak for a moment. Hair all over his body stood on end and tingled.

The feeling was bizarre, and sure enough, there was a hidden aspect.

Demon Exterminating Monk Mu-gak.

Though he hadn’t been active for a long period, in his youth during his active years, he was a Shaolin Temple absolute master with a record of sending over three thousand demons to paradise.