Chapter 373

Chapter 373 – In the Storm, It's Not Just a Small Boat That Sways (2)

Dam Ho and Cho Yeon-woon were sitting across from each other on a small pavilion in the guest hall.

"Hehe! Did I keep you waiting long?"

At that moment, Bang Jin-bo came up to the pavilion carrying a lavishly prepared table of food. On the table were various dishes that were hard to eat at Shaolin Temple. They were all made by Bang Jin-bo.

Though they were all vegetable dishes since meat couldn't be prepared, the aroma alone was truly amazing.

"So-cheong also gave me Shaoxing wine. It's at least twenty years old, so the wine fragrance is really amazing. Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo kept bursting into laughter.

Just the fact of being in the same space as Dam Ho made Bang Jin-bo happy.

When the bottle containing Shaoxing wine was opened, a rich wine fragrance spread throughout the pavilion. Even Dam Ho, who rarely changed expression over most things, showed a slightly surprised expression.

Cho Yeon-woon muttered while holding the wine bottle.

"A good gift indeed."

"So-cheong also obtained it with great difficulty. She set aside several bottles and said she'll bring more after the meeting ends."

"Really? To think she'd consider us even while busy. How grateful!"

After Namgung Chang's death, the merchant leaders who had entered Shaolin Temple were holding a separate gathering.

Since Namgung Chang, the main source of pressure who had forced unreasonable donations, was dead, they too had to discuss countermeasures. Therefore, Eun So-cheong couldn't easily excuse herself either.

Cho Yeon-woon filled Dam Ho's wine cup with Shaoxing wine to the brim, then filled his own cup as well.

The two clinked their cups and drank the wine in one gulp. Instantly, Cho Yeon-woon's eyes widened.

"Whoa! This is amazing."

"Good!"

Dam Ho also nodded, agreeing with Cho Yeon-woon's opinion.

The throat sensation and the aroma felt in the mouth were completely different. Though Cho Yeon-woon loved alcohol, he had never once tasted such fine wine.

The two drank two more cups in succession before eating the appetizers. The dishes Bang Jin-bo had prepared paired wonderfully with the Shaoxing wine.

Cho Yeon-woon also offered wine to Bang Jin-bo.

"You have a drink too."

"Me too?"

"Why are you acting innocent now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you secretly sip wine. So stop pretending and take the cup."

"That's just for tasting when making dishes that pair with wine."

"Excuses. So won't you drink?"

"No, I will. Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo smiled and held out his wine cup. Cho Yeon-woon filled Bang Jin-bo's cup with wine as well.

Dam Ho extended his wine cup to Bang Jin-bo. When he first met Bang Jin-bo, he was still just a child. That child had grown up and was now doing his part properly.

Though he hadn't completely shed his childish nature yet, Bang Jin-bo was already no different from an adult. Dam Ho's extended wine cup contained the meaning that he acknowledged Bang Jin-bo as a full-grown adult.

Clink!

Bang Jin-bo lightly tapped his wine cup against Dam Ho and Cho Yeon-woon's cups before bringing it to his lips.

"Kugh!"

An exclamation burst forth involuntarily.

Seeing this, Cho Yeon-woon chuckled.

"See? You haven't just had one or two drinks before."

"Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo just smiled without making excuses. Bang Jin-bo's unchanged appearance made even Dam Ho smile slightly.

Then Cho Yeon-woon put down his wine cup and spoke.

"Well! How have you been getting by?"

He had already heard rumors about Dam Ho's activities. But Cho Yeon-woon wanted to hear directly from Dam Ho.

Dam Ho spoke in a calm voice about what had happened – the clashes with the Demon Cult in Sichuan Province, the death match with Cheon Oh-kyung, the fight with the Tang family, and even the conflict with Wudang Sect.

As Dam Ho's story continued, Cho Yeon-woon and Bang Jin-bo's expressions changed moment by moment. During that short time away from Mount Hua, Dam Ho had experienced countless tremendous events that an ordinary person couldn't experience even once in a lifetime.

'Big brother really is…'

Bang Jin-bo was simply amazed at Dam Ho telling such stories as if they were nothing.

Finally, when Dam Ho's story was completely finished, Cho Yeon-woon closed his eyes tightly.

He wanted to kill Cheon Oh-kyung with his own hands, if no one else. But since Cheon Oh-kyung had died by Dam Ho's hand, such an opportunity would never come.

That fact was regrettable yet also made him grateful to Dam Ho. After all, Dam Ho had taken his revenge for him.

"Thank you! For avenging Master."

"It was something that had to be done."

"Master would be grateful too."

Cho Yeon-woon raised his wine cup. He drank wine in honor of his deceased master. Dam Ho silently watched such Cho Yeon-woon.

Until he left Mount Hua, Cho Yeon-woon had been no different from a cripple. But now Cho Yeon-woon showed no trace of that appearance.

He seemed calmer and more refined than before. In that short time, Cho Yeon-woon had made significant progress.

Dam Ho sensed calm anger from Cho Yeon-woon. Cho Yeon-woon was calmly aging his anger. And his mental cultivation had deepened to the point where he wouldn't express such anger.

His friend had grown to the point where he could be trusted to watch his back. Dam Ho was pleased with this fact.

Then Cho Yeon-woon spoke.

"But you said you turned Wudang Sect upside down now?"

"Yes!"

"My word! It's truly unbelievable. To turn the renowned Wudang Sect upside down. You're my friend, but you really are…"

Cho Yeon-woon shook his head.

Wudang Sect was a place with prestige rivaling Shaolin Temple, called the North Star of the martial world. Why else would Shaolin Temple and Wudang Sect together be called the two great pillars?

It was one of the sects with the longest history in the martial world, and accordingly had many outstanding figures. Such a Wudang Sect had been almost devastated by Dam Ho alone.

It was hard to believe, but he had to believe it. The story came from none other than Dam Ho's mouth.

"Anyway, turning Wudang Sect upside down seems to have been the right thing to do. Though I'm saying this now, they were too complacent. When Mount Hua Sect and others were shedding blood, they preserved their strength intact – that says it all. It's fortunate they came to their senses now because of you."

When Dam Ho was nodding at Cho Yeon-woon's words:

"Um…"

Suddenly a cautious voice was heard from below the pavilion. Cho Yeon-woon recognized him.

"So-cheon!"

"Amitabha! I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but may we join you?"

The one looking up at the pavilion where Dam Ho and others sat was precisely So-cheon, Shaolin's prodigy. Behind him, another young martial artist could be seen standing.

Cho Yeon-woon raised his eyesight to look at the young martial artist. Instantly, his eyes lit up with interest.

"Cheong-un?"

"You recognize me, Yeon-woon. It's good to see you like this."

"How did you come to be here?"

At Cho Yeon-woon's question, the young martial artist called Cheong-un stepped forward.

He was precisely Cheong-un, the senior disciple of Qingcheng Sect. Called the Star of Sichuan, he was a promising prodigy and one of the Nine Martial Dragons.

Cheong-un suddenly bowed to Dam Ho.

"I am Cheong-un of Qingcheng Sect. Thanks to Great Hero Dam, our Qingcheng Sect was able to regain its freedom. I thank Great Hero Dam for his help."

"…"

"If not for Great Hero Dam, our Qingcheng Sect would still be under shameful seclusion. I wanted to convey words of gratitude on behalf of all martial artists of Qingcheng Sect."

Cheong-un's voice trembled involuntarily.

When Qingcheng Sect was forced into seclusion by the Tang family, he had run all the way to the Martial Alliance to request help. But the Martial Alliance and Namgung Chang couldn't readily provide troops to Cheong-un's request.

The Martial Alliance had also suffered great damage after losing their headquarters to the Demon Cult. Since they were staying at Shaolin Temple and their internal situation was chaotic, they couldn't readily decide on support.

While support was being delayed like this, unexpected good news arrived. The unbelievable rumor that the Tang family had suffered great damage from Dam Ho and gone into seclusion. But the rumor was true, and thanks to this, Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect, who had been forced into seclusion, could regain their freedom.

"If it really weren't for Great Hero Dam…"

Cheong-un couldn't continue speaking.

There was once a time when he had been jealous of Dam Ho. But not now. Dam Ho was not someone he could dare compare himself to.

There was once a time when Cheong-un, intoxicated by the prestige of being one of the Nine Martial Dragons, looked down on everything in the world. But only after experiencing his sect's crisis did he realize that Dam Ho was truly a martial artist worthy of respect.

Cheong-un had completely abandoned his contemptuous feelings toward Dam Ho. His eyes looking at Dam Ho were full of respect.

Cho Yeon-woon gestured to such Cheong-un.

"Don't just stand there like that, come up here. So-cheon, you too…"

At his gesture, the two carefully climbed up to the pavilion. Then Bang Jin-bo got up from his seat.

"I need to bring more wine cups and appetizers. I'll be right back, so continue your conversation."

Bang Jin-bo instinctively realized this wasn't where he should be. He could catch up with Dam Ho later, so he made way like this.

Cho Yeon-woon said to the two who were still standing:

"Don't stand there so awkwardly, sit down."

"Amitabha! Thank you."

"Mm!"

So-cheon and Cheong-un carefully sat in front of Dam Ho. Even until then, Dam Ho showed little reaction.

Though they knew he was originally a man of few words, facing Dam Ho's silence directly made their mouths go dry.

"No need to be so tense. He's not refusing to speak because he dislikes you. This friend is originally like that."

"Mm!"

Even at Cho Yeon-woon's words, the two couldn't relax their tension.

'This person is the Fist Demon!'

'Truly living up to his reputation.'

Both vividly remembered the martial prowess Dam Ho had shown at Shaolin Temple's mountain gate. The scene where one person had overwhelmed Shaolin's warrior monks and numerous heroes was that shocking.

Then Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"What's the matter?"

"We wanted to meet and talk with you directly."

"Talk?"

Instantly, a determined light appeared on Cheong-un's face.

"What does Great Hero Dam think about the Martial Alliance?"

"Well!"

"I'll speak first. I think the current Martial Alliance is rotten. They were created only to represent and protect the interests of existing sects."

During his stay here, Cheong-un had visited Nam Cheon-san and Namgung Chang without fail every day to ask for help. But all that came back were ambiguous answers and vague attitudes.

They had continued to delay support with the excuse that Qingcheng Sect was too far away, making it difficult to dispatch the Martial Alliance's forces. The mental anguish Cheong-un experienced during this time was indescribable.

Each day was like hell, and his insides burned black. Still, he endured because he was the weak one.

He endured and endured again. In doing so, he realized how difficult it was for the weak, not the strong, to live in the martial world. How much those without strong backing were neglected.

When Qingcheng Sect was strong, Cheong-un too received respect. But when Qingcheng Sect was forced into seclusion, all that glory disappeared like snow.

Only then did he realize.

All those things he thought he naturally enjoyed because he was outstanding were actually thanks to the great sect called Qingcheng Sect.

Realizing all these facts made him ashamed to death.

Walking around with shoulders full of pride as Sichuan's greatest prodigy, looking down on martial artists from smaller sects as one of the Nine Martial Dragons.

From the beginning, there was nothing he had achieved himself. He was just a lucky person who had joined a good sect.

He couldn't walk around with his face up due to shame.

During that period, Cheong-un went around meeting not high-ranking martial artists of the Martial Alliance or scions of prestigious families, but lower-level martial artists.

Meeting and talking with them, he realized there were very many others who thought the same as him.

The Martial Alliance was merely an organization to preserve the existing order, not an organization for the entire martial world.

As Cheong-un's words continued, deep furrows formed on Dam Ho's brow.

"So what do you want to say?"

"I will follow Great Hero Dam."

At Cheong-un's thunderbolt declaration, Cho Yeon-woon looked at him with a surprised face. He hadn't expected Cheong-un to bring up such a topic.

Most of the Nine Martial Dragons, including Cheong-un, disliked Dam Ho.

They were similar in age and living in the same era. That meant they would constantly be compared to Dam Ho while living in the martial world.

Martial artists with pride reaching the heavens wouldn't meekly accept such comparisons. Especially not the top prodigies of the martial world like the Nine Martial Dragons.

In that regard, Cheong-un's words were definitely shocking.

"This isn't something I thought of impulsively. It's something I've thought about and decided over a long time. Please accept me."

Cheong-un looked straight at Dam Ho. There wasn't a trace of wavering in his eyes.

That's when it happened.

"This humble monk has the same thoughts as Young Hero Cheong-un."

Following Cheong-un, So-cheon also joined in.

At their declaration, Cho Yeon-woon held his breath and looked at Dam Ho.