Chapter 222

Chapter 222 – Leaving No Lingering Attachments (1)

Jin Mu-yeong's body was buried upside down on the ground. Everyone expected the horrific sight of Jin Mu-yeong's shattered head. Dam Ho's strike had been that overwhelming.

But contrary to everyone's expectations, Jin Mu-yeong's head was neither shattered nor had he stopped breathing. This was because his head had collided with someone's chest rather than the ground.

"Cough!"

The man sprawled on the ground, coughing roughly and spitting blood, was none other than Cho Yeon-woon. He had caught Jin Mu-yeong's head with his chest at the moment it was about to hit the ground.

Thanks to this, Jin Mu-yeong's head was saved from being smashed, but Cho Yeon-woon had also received a great shock to his chest, causing his internal organs to be severely shaken.

Dam Ho's eyes wavered for the first time.

"Why?"

"Kheuk! He… is absolutely necessary on this battlefield."

"Yeon-woon!"

"Pl…ease. If he dies, the Wudang Sect will withdraw from this war. Then the Murim Alliance will be at an absolute disadvantage. So for the sake of the martial world, Mu-yeong must not be killed."

He had taken the impact that Jin Mu-yeong would have received. Even in the pain that felt like his entire body was being torn apart, Cho Yeon-woon desperately tried to dissuade Dam Ho.

It wasn't for Jin Mu-yeong's sake. It was solely for the sake of the martial world. Cho Yeon-woon's actions made everyone solemn. It also dispelled the madness that had been dominating the scene.

Many felt ashamed at Cho Yeon-woon's actions and lowered their heads. Even Nine Martial Dragons did so.

"Yeon-woon."

"Cough! Please."

Even as he coughed up blood again, Cho Yeon-woon looked at Dam Ho earnestly. Without another word, Dam Ho stepped back.

Cho Yeon-woon was the only person who could be called a friend to him. When everyone else looked at him with fearful eyes, only Cho Yeon-woon approached him without hesitation.

Now that friend was begging him, even at the cost of his own life. No matter how cold-blooded Dam Ho was said to be, he couldn't refuse such a request from a friend.

Instead, Dam Ho's gaze turned to Jin Mu-yeong.

Jin Mu-yeong, who had barely saved his life due to Cho Yeon-woon's intervention, lowered his head, not daring to meet Dam Ho's eyes. His shoulders were trembling.

It was unclear whether it was due to anger or shame. Although it would have been understandable to mock Jin Mu-yeong, no one among those present dared to do so.

It wasn't that Jin Mu-yeong was weak. It was that Dam Ho was too strong.

Only then did people recall the fact that Dam Ho had instantly killed So Cheon-san, one of the Seven Great Demons.

'That guy isn't human.'

'Mo…nster.'

In their eyes as they looked at Dam Ho, there was undisguisable fear.

People naturally feel fear towards unknown entities. If it's unclear whether the unknown entity is an enemy or an ally, the fear grows even greater.

That was the psychological state of the crowd present here now. It was impossible to distinguish whether the unknown entity called Dam Ho was an enemy or an ally. He acted on his own whims, and if he didn't feel like it, he would attack even those on the same side without hesitation.

How could one trust and fight alongside such a person?

If he were truly on their side, he would be more reliable than anyone, but could Dam Ho really be considered on their side? The warriors thought not. The reason they couldn't say anything was due to their fear of Dam Ho.

Dam Ho sensed the emotional currents stirring at the base of the crowd. He turned around without saying anything more. There was no reason for him to stay here.

The martial artists were surprised and quickly made way. A path opened before Dam Ho.

Dam Ho walked between them. Soon, his figure disappeared.

"Phew!"

"Haa!"

Only then did suppressed groans burst out from here and there.

Dam Ho returned to the annex.

"You're back?"

Jong Ri-yeon greeted him with a bright smile. She was still unaware of what had happened at the great martial arts arena.

"Where's Master?"

"The detoxification is progressing smoothly. At this rate, he might wake up faster than expected."

"Can he move?"

"Why?"

"We're leaving SakShouzhou."

"Did something happen?"

"…"

"If we use a carriage, there shouldn't be any problem with moving."

"Then let's do that."

"Really?"

Jong Ri-yeon's eyes widened.

"Yes!"

"Where are we going?"

"Far away… to a place where Master can be treated in peace."

Dam Ho's gaze turned to Sage Hyeon-so.

The face of Sage Hyeon-so, who had fallen into a coma, looked peaceful. Dam Ho looked at Sage Hyeon-so's face for a long time.

***

The events that occurred at the great martial arts arena that day gradually spread throughout the entire Shouzhou branch. Although the martial artists belonging to large sects tried to cover up their shortcomings, not everyone's lips were sealed.

It became known that Nam Hak had disrespected the wandering warriors, and as a result, he had clashed with Cho Yeon-woon. Many criticized Nam Hak.

If Nam Hak had defeated Cho Yeon-woon, the situation might have been different. But with his defeat to Cho Yeon-woon, his reputation plummeted.

Cho Yeon-woon, who had always been rated lower than Nine Martial Dragons despite being called the Drunken Dragon, was re-evaluated after this incident. People now assessed that Cho Yeon-woon might have martial prowess equal to or even surpassing that of Nine Martial Dragons.

Given the nature of martial artists who like to rank people, Cho Yeon-woon should have originally pushed Nam Hak aside and entered alongside Nine Martial Dragons. However, the reason martial artists didn't do so was because Nine Martial Dragons' reputation had hit rock bottom.

Jin Mu-yeong, who had been implicitly called Nine Martial Dragons's right-hand man, was crushed by Dam Ho, and the fact that Nam Hak had disrespected the wandering warriors became known, causing Nine Martial Dragons to be unable to hold his head up.

Of course, it would be forgotten after some time, but at the current point, the public's view of Nine Martial Dragons was not very favorable.

Those who were particularly troubled by this incident were the leaders of the Murim Alliance. This was because rumors had spread widely that the Murim Alliance was discriminating against wandering warriors and martial artists from small sects compared to those from large sects.

At a time when victory was uncertain even if all the forces of the martial world were united, such rumors were fatal. Because of this, the leaders gathered and decided to treat wandering warriors and martial artists from small sects the same as those from the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Clans.

It was an inevitable decision for the Murim Alliance.

Now, the existence of Dam Ho had become a great burden even to the Murim Alliance. It wasn't just because he had crushed Jin Mu-yeong. His presence had grown so large that they couldn't help but be wary of him.

They didn't know when such a situation might occur again. If it did, it would be difficult to manage, and the face of the Murim Alliance would once again be dragged through the mud.

Although Dam Ho's martial prowess was valuable, it was too burdensome to simply embrace him. Thus, Dam Ho became a hot potato.

A group of people visited the annex.

The branch leader Gong Son-jung was there, as well as a familiar-looking Taoist priest. There were also martial artists with extraordinary auras.

"It's… been a while."

The one who struggled to speak first was someone Dam Ho knew well.

It was Sage Cheong-he, an elder of the Wudang Sect.

In his eyes as he looked at Dam Ho, there was an indescribable complex emotion.

Jin Mu-yeong, the pride of Wudang and their greatest talent in a hundred years, had been mercilessly crushed by Dam Ho.

Sage Cheong-he and the Wudang Sect were angry at Jin Mu-yeong's defeat. But after hearing all the circumstances, they felt more shame than anger.

It was revealed that none other than Wudang's promising talent had tried to forcibly expel Dam Ho by inciting the warriors.

Other masters of the Wudang Sect thought it could happen, but Sage Cheong-he's thoughts were different. He already felt indebted to Dam Ho, and now with the situation turning out like this, only desolation filled his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't understand Jin Mu-yeong's feelings. But not like this.

If they wanted to drive Dam Ho out, they should have demanded it fair and square. Not by inciting the warriors.

A mix of emotions crossed Sage Cheong-he's eyes.

He wanted to apologize if he could. But he couldn't. He wasn't just an individual, but an elder of the Wudang Sect. He had to think of the honor of the Wudang Sect first.

The other elders, except for him, were angry at Dam Ho. For them, the honor of the Wudang Sect was more important than the truth of the incident.

They were protesting that they couldn't work with Dam Ho. They said that as long as he was here, they couldn't dispatch high-level martial artists from the Wudang Sect to Shouzhou.

"Sigh!"

His sigh carried that much meaning. But he couldn't just keep sighing forever.

He got to the point.

"As you probably know, the atmosphere in the Shouzhou branch isn't good."

"So?"

"Please… leave this place."

At Sage Cheong-he's words, Dam Ho's eyes narrowed. Avoiding Dam Ho's eyes, Sage Cheong-he continued.

"If you don't leave, the Wudang Sect will withdraw its forces from the Murim Alliance."

"…"

"I'm sorry."

As Sage Cheong-he's voice trembled, it was then.

"You'll withdraw the Wudang Sect's forces? Go ahead."

Along with an icy cold voice, the door opened. And someone strode in.

"Sage Hyeon…geom?"

The complexions of the leaders, including Sage Cheong-he, changed completely.

The one who entered the room was none other than Sage Hyeon-geom of the Mount Hua Sect. His title as the First Sword of Mount Hua was by no means inferior to the weight of the Wudang Sect.

Gong Son-jung spoke while watching Sage Hyeon-geom's reaction.

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you threatening to withdraw the Wudang Sect's forces if Cheon Gyeong doesn't leave now? Go ahead. Mount Hua Sect will fill that place instead."

"Hy, Sage Hyeon-geom?"

Gong Son-jung's face turned pale blue.

Sage Hyeon-geom was the representative martial artist of Mount Hua. His reputation and weight were by no means inferior to the Wudang Sect and Sage Cheong-he.

When Sage Hyeon-geom unexpectedly took a strong stance, it wasn't just Gong Son-jung who was troubled. Sage Cheong-he couldn't help but be perplexed as well.

In reality, it wasn't an easy task for the Wudang Sect to withdraw its forces from the Murim Alliance because of Dam Ho. If they did so, it was clear that the Wudang Sect would face criticism from the martial world.

Yet, they made such a threat because the Wudang Sect had no place to back down.

Sage Hyeon-geom glared at Sage Cheong-he.

"I'm disappointed, Cheong-he. Threatening to withdraw the Wudang Sect's forces for such a reason?"

"Amitabha Buddha!"

"You did the same thing back then when the Demonic Cult invaded. You made all sorts of excuses and stepped back. That's how you were able to preserve your full strength."

"That's…"

Sage Cheong-he's words were cut off by Sage Hyeon-geom's harsh criticism. Sage Hyeon-geom's words had struck at the sore spot of the Wudang Sect.

Back then, the Wudang Sect had taken a step back in the war against the Demonic Cult. The Mount Hua Sect had filled that place, and as a result, the Mount Hua Sect was driven to the brink of extinction.

Of course, there were hidden circumstances behind it, but that didn't erase the guilt of the Wudang Sect.

"The cowardly Wudang Sect should step aside. The Mount Hua Sect will fight to the death against the Demonic Cult this time as well."

"Sage Hyeon-geom, please calm down."

"Do I look calm? Persecuting someone for such an unreasonable reason."

The faces of Sage Cheong-he and the leaders showed clear signs of bewilderment. As far as they knew, Dam Ho and the Mount Hua Sect were strangers, if not worse than strangers. So they thought they would never step forward. Sage Hyeon-geom's eyes as he looked at Dam Ho were full of warmth, not hostility.

Those who didn't know about what had happened between Dam Ho and Sage Hyeon-geom couldn't help but be confused.

"I've heard the story too. Aren't you ashamed? A talent from the prestigious Wudang Sect inciting the warriors in such a manner."

"That matter…"

"Shut up, what are you going to do? Are you still going to threaten to withdraw the Wudang Sect?"

Sage Hyeon-geom's eyes shone brightly.

Sage Hyeon-geom's eyes, which had transcended the wall, were so clear and pure that even Sage Cheong-he found it hard to bear. Sage Cheong-he guessed that Sage Hyeon-geom had experienced an enlightenment.

'Has Sage Hyeon-geom transcended the wall?'

As Sage Cheong-he was also one of the top masters in the Wudang Sect, he could recognize Sage Hyeon-geom's achievement.

The current Sage Hyeon-geom was different from yesterday's Sage Hyeon-geom. Even Sage Cheong-he couldn't guarantee victory without risking his life. Confronting such a Sage Hyeon-geom and the Mount Hua Sect was burdensome even for the Wudang Sect and Sage Cheong-he.

It was when Sage Cheong-he was in such a difficult situation.

"It's fine."

Dam Ho's voice echoed in the room.

Everyone's gaze naturally turned to Dam Ho. Among them was Sage Hyeon-geom's gaze.

"What do you mean? It's fine?"

"I'll leave this place."

"What are you saying? If it's because of their threats, there's no need for that."

"Do you think I care about their threats?"

"Then?"

Dam Ho stood up from his seat.

"It's just that this is not my battlefield."