Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Everyone Must Stand Alone Someday (3)

Dam Ho lay upon the bed. But sleep did not come easily. Come to think of it, he had not properly slept in quite some time.

Though the night-luminescent pearl emitted a faint glow, it was insufficient to illuminate the entire underground cavern. As a result, the distinction between night and day had blurred, the boundary becoming hazy.

Now he could sleep or not as he pleased. Even without sleep, his fatigue receded of its own accord.

In the past, he had been required to sit in the lotus position and circulate his energy. But now, even while resting, his internal energy circulated spontaneously.

He could not remember when this had begun.

In the darkness, the Heavy Heaven Heart Method had found a new path. Studying the Demonic Cult's heart techniques had influenced it as well. The Heavy Heaven Heart Method had since transformed to the point where its original form was unrecognizable.

Whether this was progress or regression, he could not say. But at the very least, a new heart method had been born—one that had not existed before.

Dam Ho gave this new method a name: Dark Soul Heart Energy.

It was born in darkness, and so he named it accordingly.

The internal energy cultivated through the Dark Soul Heart Energy possessed a heavy, dark quality. And even without Dam Ho actively circulating it, it moved of its own accord, accumulating in volume.

Whether sleeping, moving, or even eating, internal energy gathered of its own. Even at this very moment, the Dark Soul Heart Energy was circulating and accumulating energy independently.

Dam Ho lay with his hands folded behind his head, staring vacantly at the ceiling.

The sun had set, and the room was dark. The ceiling was black. But to Dam Ho's eyes, it appeared as bright as midday.

Though both were darkness, the darkness of the underground cavern and the darkness of the outside world were different. The darkness above felt light; the darkness below was endlessly heavy and oppressive. Just like the Dark Soul Heart Energy.

"Master…"

Suddenly, a hoarse voice escaped Dam Ho's lips.

It carried with it the emotion of longing. It was the first time since leaving the underground that he had shown any human sentiment.

Whenever he thought of his Master, a part of his chest ached. He wanted to rush to Mount Hua this very moment. He wanted to see Sage Hyeon-so. But the time had not yet come.

His Master had told him to come to Mount Hua only when he was certain that no storm could shake him.

First, he had to verify whether he possessed the strength to withstand the tempest of the world. Whether he could stand on his own, solely by his own power.

Lost in such thoughts, dawn had broken. Dam Ho had not slept a wink and emerged into the dining hall.

The innkeeper tilted his head.

A guest had emerged from the inner room, but he did not recall receiving anyone matching this description.

"Who are you?"

Only one guest had been received yesterday, and the innkeeper remembered bringing him scissors and a knife.

"Could it be…"

"It is I."

"So it was you! I had no idea you were so handsome."

"Where can I eat?"

"Ah, yes! I have prepared a meal. Please wait a moment."

When Dam Ho sat at a table, the innkeeper hurried to the kitchen. He returned shortly, carrying a tray of food.

"Lamb skewers, wheat flatbread, and lamb stew. It should be quite filling."

The innkeeper set the food on the table and was about to withdraw when Dam Ho stopped him.

"How far is it from here to the Central Plains?"

"You intend to travel alone?"

"That is right."

"It will not be easy."

"Is there some reason I cannot?"

"They say bandits are rampant these days."

"Bandits?"

"Yes! They travel in large gangs, robbing small merchant caravans and lone travelers. The damage has been severe. I advise you not to travel alone. Find companions. Traveling in a group is far safer."

"Understood."

"Think carefully. It is a ten-day journey, and traveling alone will not be without hardship."

"Ten days…"

Dam Ho tapped the table with his finger.

"But if you are determined to travel alone, go to the market. They sell supplies for overnight travel. Let me see, what do you need? A windproof cloak to shelter from sandstorms, dry rations… ah, and you will need a horse."

Dam Ho listened to the innkeeper's rambling and finished his meal.

Turfan was a city of a unique atmosphere. The culture and customs of the Central Plains and the Western Regions had merged to create something entirely their own, and the air was thick with an exotic quality.

Han, Uyghur, and Hui peoples lived together in Turfan, and the city was always bustling with people. Those who gathered around the oasis held frequent markets.

The innkeeper told him that if one searched carefully among the considerable variety of goods, one could find quite useful items. He also provided detailed information about current prices.

Dam Ho committed the innkeeper's words to memory and stepped outside.

Countless people thronged the streets. The clamor of haggling voices filled the air.

A deep furrow appeared between Dam Ho's brows.

In his youth, he had lived in a secluded mountain village. As he grew older, he had been raised in the Mount Hua Sect, a Daoist order. And before coming to this place, he had lived in an underground space devoid of all human contact. The noisy spectacle before him was profoundly alien.

Dam Ho stood frozen in the middle of the street, unable to move.

There was nothing to bind him now, no wall to bar his way. And yet, Dam Ho could not easily take a step.

For the first time in his life, he had been cast alone into the world.

He had no parents, no master.

Now, he must stand on his own strength alone.

He must take a step.

Dam Ho began to move toward the world.

His first destination was the market the innkeeper had described.

A place where countless people laid out their wares and haggled, each raising their voice to obtain what they desired.

"Come, fine silk from the Central Plains!"

"Spices from the Western Regions!"

The merchants' voices pierced his eardrums.

Dam Ho walked among them.

He suppressed the killing intent and softened the force in his eyes. Even so, his gaze remained more intense than that of ordinary people, but the oppressive aura that had weighed upon his surroundings had largely dissipated. Those who passed by him did not feel the dissonance.

Goods he had never seen before filled the stalls. There was fine silk, as the merchants described, and jars of unknown purpose as well.

Some sold exquisitely carved figurines from the Western Regions, and others offered various ornaments.

Dam Ho took in every sight.

After walking for some time, Dam Ho's gaze fell upon a merchant selling garments made of animal hide.

What caught his eye among the displayed clothing was a black robe. It was cut generously, like a wind cloak, with a high collar that rose to the neck.

Dam Ho approached the stall. The merchant brightened.

"Welcome, sir."

"You sell these as well?"

"Indeed, sir. Which one catches your fancy?"

Dam Ho silently picked up the black robe.

"You have excellent taste. It is made from the hide of a great bear. It is not stitched together from smaller pieces but crafted from a single hide, making it exceedingly durable. I doubt any ordinary blade could cut through it."

The merchant's language was embellished, as was typical, but the absence of seams did suggest remarkable strength.

"What is the price?"

"Well…"

A flicker of indecision crossed the merchant's eyes.

The black robe was indeed made from bear hide. It was incredibly durable, but unfortunately, this location was not far from the desert.

No one wished to wear the stifling clothing made from bear hide. That was why it had been offered at a bargain. But seeing Dam Ho's evident approval, greed stirred.

"Ten silver taels…"

Dam Ho met his gaze. In that instant, the merchant froze as though turned to ice.

'What—what kind of eyes…'

Deep, black eyes that seemed to peer into an endless abyss, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Shiver!

An involuntary chill raced up the merchant's spine.

He was terrified.

The merchant hastily changed his price.

"F-five taels will suffice. That is more than enough."

"Will that do?"

"Yes! Of course."

Dam Ho had no interest in haggling. He produced silver taels from his bosom and handed them over.

Dam Ho donned the black fur robe.

It fit as though tailored specifically for his frame. The merchant, momentarily frozen, could not help but exclaim in admiration.

"It suits you wonderfully, sir."

Dam Ho nodded silently.

Even without the merchant's praise, the bear-hide robe suited him perfectly. Though not visible from the outside, the interior was lined with numerous pockets, making it highly practical.

Dam Ho stowed the trade drafts and silver taels in the inner pockets.

Dam Ho also purchased a leather bag from the merchant. Its generous capacity suggested it could hold a considerable amount of supplies.

He wandered through the market, purchasing dry rations and filling his bag. The bag grew noticeably heavy.

He already knew approximate prices from the innkeeper's briefing. Most merchants quoted prices higher than what he knew to be the market rate. But Dam Ho did not bother to haggle.

He felt no need to, and he was not short of funds.

The last place Dam Ho visited was the livestock market at the far edge of the market.

There was no animal that could not be found here.

Chickens, dogs—small creatures of course—but also horses, cattle, and camels. Every animal under heaven seemed to be present.

Upon entering the livestock market, the smell of animal dung assailed his nostrils. Even Dam Ho wrinkled his nose briefly at the pungent odor. But he quickly acclimated and moved deeper.

The horses were located at the far end of the market. There were many breeds.

Some were enormous; others had coats so red they seemed to burn. The merchants each proclaimed their horses to be finest steeds, clamoring for Dam Ho's attention.

But Dam Ho ignored them and walked on in silence. The horses' cries pierced his ears in a chaotic din.

Then, abruptly, Dam Ho stopped.

Before him stood a horse as black as the robe he wore. Unlike the others, it neither reared nor neighed. It simply stood, perfectly still.

Its size was not particularly imposing, yet oddly, none of the other horses would approach it.

Dam Ho stared at the black horse. The horse snorted and approached him.

Flutter!

As the black horse drew near, the other horses scattered in alarm.

The horse fixed Dam Ho with a stare.

Its gaze was decidedly cold. It was impossible to regard it as the eyes of a horse.

A faint smile touched Dam Ho's lips.

He liked the horse's challenging stare.

In that instant, a cold light flickered in Dam Ho's eyes. The black horse flinched and turned its head away.

It was then that a strange voice was heard.

"Hah! It seems the horse has taken a liking to you. I've never seen it do that before."

It was a portly Hui man wearing a small cap on his head. He approached Dam Ho, sweating profusely.

"Good day. I am Deung-won, the owner of this animal. Has it caught your fancy?"

Dam Ho regarded the Hui merchant. The merchant grinned.

"Then you must have! I will sell it to you cheaply."

"…"

"The truth is, that beast is quite a headache. I managed to catch it on the plains, but it refuses to be tamed and will not let anyone ride it. A real problem."

"How much?"

"Oh! A generous man. Very well! Out of kindness, I will accept only five hundred silver taels. That is practically a gift."

Before the Hui merchant had even finished speaking, Dam Ho tossed five trade drafts from his pouch.

"That do it?"

"Hah! You won't even haggle?"

A look of regret crossed the merchant's face.

He had not expected the man to pay so readily and wished he had asked for more.

As he said, the black horse was a headache. Since it refused to be ridden, it was impossible to sell.

Quite a few had wanted to claim ownership of the horse, but none had ever ridden it. Its temperament was that foul.

Yet Dam Ho had agreed to the price without even testing the horse. From the merchant's perspective, this was cause for regret. But he quickly changed his mind.

'If that demon of a horse refuses again, he might demand his money back.'

He spoke to cement the deal.

"I will include the saddle as well. Please, take it away. The horse is yours now."

The Hui merchant hung a saddle over the black horse's back and withdrew.

Dam Ho lightly slapped the horse's neck. The horse whinnied with pleasure.

Dam Ho swung himself onto the horse's back in a single motion. The Hui merchant stepped back, expecting Dam Ho to be thrown. But contrary to his expectations, the black horse was perfectly docile, as though it had found its true master.

"How can this be!"

The Hui merchant's mouth fell open.

Dam Ho patted the black horse's neck and spoke.

"Your name is Dark Demon."

Neighhh!

The black horse cried out, as though it understood.

Thus did the black horse become Dark Demon.