Chapter 104

Chapter 104: Dragons and Tigers Gather at the Lake (1)

The incident in which Dam Ho had slaughtered the Namgung Family's warriors was not made known to the world.

The only witnesses were Cho Yeon-woon and a handful of others. They did not wish for the disaster caused by Dam Ho to become public knowledge, and so they kept their silence.

The matter was thus swept under the rug, but the embers of unrest still remained.

This was none other than the annihilation of the Golden Sword Squad, an elite force the Namgung Family had painstakingly cultivated. It was not something the Namgung Family could simply let go.

"Uncle, we cannot let this stand."

Namgung-su argued vehemently.

His broken arm was set in a splint and wrapped in white cloth. Perhaps it was because of this, but he cut a rather wretched figure.

Namgung Chang regarded Namgung-su and let out a quiet sigh.

His sideburns had turned completely white. The white hair that had not been visible the day before now covered his temples.

"The honor of the Namgung Family has been trampled into the dirt. If we let him go unpunished, people will surely mock us."

Namgung-su spoke with fervor. His eyes were entirely bloodshot. Namgung Chang understood his nephew's reaction.

Having raced down the path of success without a care in the world, he had experienced his first setback. The wound to his pride made him furious.

Namgung Chang, on the other hand, had grown more cautious.

He had personally witnessed Dam Ho's unbelievable martial prowess. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have imagined that a martial artist like Dam Ho could exist.

Dam Ho possessed something beyond what the rumors suggested.

His terror was known only to those who had confronted him directly. He possessed something primal that made people afraid.

It could never be conveyed through words or writing.

His presence evoked a single word from the depths of hazy memory.

'The Four Divine Emperors. Could he be connected to them?'

But he quickly shook his head.

They had vanished from the world over thirty years ago. To think that someone connected to them had re-emerged was far too great a leap.

"Uncle!"

Namgung-su's voice broke his reverie.

Namgung Chang raised his head to look at Namgung-su. He saw his nephew's face, teeth clenched tight.

Namgung Chang finally opened his mouth.

"We must endure."

"The reputation of the Namgung Family has been dragged through the mud. How can we endure that?"

"We must endure nonetheless."

"Uncle!"

"The revenge of a gentleman, even if it takes ten years, is never too late. For now, we must endure unconditionally."

"How can we endure?"

"Su."

Namgung Chang's voice carried weight. At this, Namgung-su flinched. Namgung Chang looked him straight in the eye and spoke.

"Do you think my heart is at ease? I am more wretched than you. The Golden Sword Squad—those children were like my own nephews. How could I forget their deaths? And yet I endure. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"The establishment of the Martial Alliance is an irreversible current of the times. It is a fait accompli. Countless sects will participate in the Martial Alliance. And they will compete for control. We will do the same."

"But that has nothing to do with this…"

"It has everything to do with this. What if it becomes known outside that we lost the Golden Sword Squad to a single man called Dam Ho?"

"……"

"Have you imagined it?"

"What do you mean?"

"They will judge that the main family has grown weak and treat us with contempt. If it were only one or two sects, it would not matter. But if it is the entire Murim, what then?"

Namgung-su could give no answer. Namgung Chang stared at him.

"We must endure. Until the main family secures control of the Martial Alliance. Revenge can come after that."

"Guh!"

"Did you not see it for yourself? No ordinary fighting force can inflict damage on him. At the very least, we would need the Sword King Squad to have any hope of dealing with him."

"That… much?"

Namgung-su's eyes wavered violently.

The Sword King Squad was the ultimate organization created to protect the Namgung Family.

The previous patriarch of the Namgung Family, Namgung Seon-wol, had judged that the existing organizational structure was insufficient to protect the clan.

He had secretly selected prodigies and trained them using special methods. The Namgung Family had poured countless precious elixirs and secret manuals into their development.

Decades of time and effort had been invested to create the Sword King Squad. They served the Namgung Family generation after generation, appearing only in times of dire crisis.

The last time they had shown themselves was over thirty years ago—during the calamity of the Demonic Cult.

At that time, they had slaughtered over a thousand elite warriors of the Demonic Cult who had breached the Namgung Family's walls, displaying their immense power to the world. Though their individual identities remained unknown behind red masks, the fact that they were the Sword King Squad became widely known.

Once the Demonic Cult's invasion ended, they vanished as though they had never existed, returning to their daily lives to continue guarding the Namgung Family.

Only the patriarch knew the identities of the Sword King Squad's members. And only the patriarch held the authority to mobilize them.

To say the Sword King Squad was moving meant that both the Namgung Family and the Murim were in a state of dire crisis.

No matter how important a position Namgung Chang and Namgung-su held within the Namgung Family, they could not mobilize the squad at will.

Namgung-su clenched his teeth.

This much was now clear.

Dam Ho was a powerhouse of such magnitude that the Sword King Squad would need to be deployed.

He was qualitatively different from the up-and-coming prodigies who paraded through the world proclaiming their own greatness.

Once he clearly recognized the difference between himself and his opponent, his blood cooled and reason returned.

"I… understand. I will endure."

"Yes! For now, we must endure. Until we secure control of the Martial Alliance."

"I will do so."

"Never forget today's humiliation."

"I will never forget it."

"Good. That is all I need. You may go."

"Yes!"

Namgung-su answered and exited.

Left alone, Namgung Chang suddenly stared at his own palm. Even now, the mere thought of Dam Ho made his palm moist with sweat and his heart pound fiercely.

Dam Ho had engraved an indelible fear upon his heart. For some time to come, Namgung Chang's body would continue to react in this manner whenever the name Dam Ho crossed his mind.

"Can I truly overcome this?"

Namgung Chang shook his head.

He had tried to appear strong before Namgung-su, but the one most consumed by fear was none other than himself.

The mere thought of the name Dam Ho made his eyelids twitch uncontrollably, and his hands and feet trembled like an aspen.

"Damn it!"

***

A young Taoist, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, was walking along a road. The pleasant breeze gently rustled the sleeves of his finest silk robe.

With a confident smile and a leisurely gait, he strolled slowly, admiring the scenery around him.

At his waist hung an ordinary iron sword, which clinked with each step he took.

"How pleasant."

The young Taoist murmured as he surveyed the surrounding landscape.

It was a mountain too high to be called a mere hill, yet too small to be a renowned peak. Though he did not even know its name, the scenery was remarkably beautiful.

"This mountain looks as though Mount Hua has been scaled down."

Indeed, the rugged crags and sharply extending ridges evoked the image of Mount Hua.

The young Taoist stood still for a long while, savoring the beautiful vista.

There was no need to hurry. No need to rush.

His Master had told him to experience the world firsthand.

He had said that simply seeing and experiencing many things would cause his attainment to advance by leaps and bounds.

Just as his Master had said, the young Taoist had seen and experienced much. Thanks to this, his schedule had fallen slightly behind, but he was not concerned.

If he wished, he could deploy his lightness technique and reach his destination well within the allotted time.

While the young Taoist was still admiring the mountain scenery—

"What ho! A Taoist of leisure, to be sure. Strolling about so freely in times like these."

Suddenly, with a booming voice, a group of men emerged from the undergrowth.

Every one of them was a rough-looking man, and in their hands they carried weapons such as swords and axes.

The young Taoist tilted his head.

"Bandits?"

"What ho! Such a fine word as 'greenwood' exists, and yet you say bandits?"

"Greenwood? Then you are definitely bandits."

The rough-looking Greenwood bandit snorted at the young Taoist's response.

"Young Taoist, you seem to have no fear."

"Heh heh! Is it not always the case that a young pup does not know the terror of the tiger?"

"Those who know nothing of the world are always the most fearless. Heh heh!"

The Greenwood bandits laughed and chattered among themselves. Their attitude made it clear the young Taoist was not even worth noticing.

The rough-looking bandit leader, Jang Gwang, stepped forward.

"Hey there, young Taoist. We happen to be hungry, so how about you show us some charity?"

"I would like to oblige, but I have nothing to give."

The young Taoist shrugged his shoulders. Jang Gwang grinned.

"Then how about handing over that iron sword of yours?"

"That would be difficult. It was a gift from my Master, you see."

"Well now! No wealth, and you cannot part with the sword. What are we to do then?"

"Is there not a simple solution?"

"And what would that be, young Taoist?"

"Just let me go on my way."

"That puts us in a bind. If we do that, our reputation will be ruined. And if our reputation falls, those who pass through this mountain will treat us with contempt. Naturally, business will decline."

At Jang Gwang's words, the young Taoist's brow furrowed slightly.

"Then what would you suggest?"

"We would need to take even a Taoist's life to maintain our reputation, wouldn't you say?"

"You would take my life to maintain your reputation?"

"Do understand. That is our business policy."

"You won't regret this?"

The young Taoist's question seemed to linger with an unusual resonance.

Jang Gwang's expression soured for a moment. But he quickly grinned and gave his orders to his men.

"I think this Taoist needs a lesson. Teach him a lesson."

"Yes!"

The Greenwood bandits answered and advanced toward the young Taoist.

They swaggered forward, looking like a motley crew. But the young Taoist had noticed that appearances were deceiving.

Their steady gait, their long, even breathing. The posture and aura with which they held their weapons.

'These are no ordinary bandits.'

The young Taoist shook his head slightly. But his expression held no worry.

"Yaaah!"

With a battle cry, the bandit rushed toward the young Taoist.

Swoosh!

Sword wind and fist wind converged upon the young Taoist.

In that instant, the young Taoist lightly tapped the ground. The iron sword was already in his hand.

Swoosh-swoosh!

The young Taoist lightly thrust his sword.

In that instant, plum blossoms bloomed upon a nameless hill.

"Aaaargh!"

"Ugh!"

The bandits, who had charged with such vigor, screamed and collapsed. Where they rolled upon the ground, plum blossoms made of blood had bloomed upon their chests.

There existed countless martial arts in the world, but only the Mount Hua Sect possessed an art that could paint such vivid plum blossoms. The Taoist's sect membership was proven.

Though it appeared to be executed lightly, its power was more than sufficient to kill.

"D-damn it! So you really are a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect."

Having instantly lost his subordinates, Jang Gwang stumbled backward.

At this, the young Taoist's eyes took on a peculiar gleam.

"So you knew I was a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect, and yet you attacked me?"

"Guh!"

"Who was it? Who gave you the order? Why did you attack me?"

"I don't know the reason. I was simply told to confirm, and I follow orders."

"Hmm!"

The young Taoist appeared to be deep in thought, and Jang Gwang seized the opportunity to lunge at him.

"Die!"

The large saber in his hand traced a sharp arc.

His target was the young Taoist's chest.

Pfft!

In that instant, a flower of blood bloomed in midair.

"Guh!"

Jang Gwang's eyes went wide. The young Taoist's iron sword was buried in his chest.

"Wh-what is this?"

"Blood Plum Blossom Sword."

The young Taoist murmured as he withdrew the blade from Jang Gwang's chest. Jang Gwang's body collapsed lifelessly.

The young Taoist gazed down at Jang Gwang's corpse for a moment, then shook his head.

"My Master's sword art is all well and good, but the killing intent is far too thick."

The Blood Plum Blossom Sword was an art that, once deployed, always demanded blood.

The young Taoist was the sole successor of the Blood Plum Blossom Sword.

In the Mount Hua Sect, he was called Myeong-gyeong.

Myeong-gyeong, staring at the carnage he had wrought, departed after a brief pause.

Some time after he had vanished, a man wearing a tiger-skin garment crawled out from the undergrowth.

He gazed in the direction Myeong-gyeong had gone and murmured.

"A Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect, wielding such a terrifying killing sword. So that is why the Sub-Chief ordered me to observe."

The man in the tiger-skin garment shook his head from side to side.

His name was Gwak Geo-cheol, Vice Sub-Chief of the Black Water Stronghold, one of the Eighteen Greenwood Strongholds.