Chapter 406

Chapter 406 – The Meeting of Myth and Legend (3)

No one knew Yong Hwa-seol's actual age precisely. Her age when she first emerged in the martial world wasn't precise either. Her active period in the martial world was already decades ago. Considering this, her age couldn't be small. But nowhere in her appearance could traces of the years be found.

She only appeared middle-aged in atmosphere, but her fine face had not a single blemish or wrinkle. It was clear that she was suppressing even aging with powerful internal energy.

Having revealed her identity, Yong Hwa-seol no longer hid her aura. Her aura was heavier than any martial artist Dam Ho had ever met.

If it were a martial artist whose center wasn't firmly established, just being exposed to her aura would be crushed by tremendous weight and have their breath blocked.

But Dam Ho wasn't an ordinary martial artist. Though he might have been surprised by Yong Hwa-seol's identity, he wasn't crushed by the weight.

Dam Ho's eyes had sunk so deeply that even Yong Hwa-seol, who had lived through countless years, found them difficult to see through.

'The cultivation of this young child is truly remarkable.'

Yong Hwa-seol couldn't help but admire inwardly.

Dam Ho was silently looking at Yong Hwa-seol. That gaze was rather burdensome.

The two people silently looked at each other for a while. Even the air seemed to sink suffocatingly in their silence.

The first to speak was precisely Yong Hwa-seol.

"I apologize for visiting so suddenly like this. I've unintentionally involved you in troublesome matters."

"……"

"I wanted to see you. You who are called the greatest master of the martial world since the Four Divine Emperors."

Yong Hwa-seol's voice was very quiet and pleasant to hear. Yet it contained the dignity of an absolute ruler. Normally one would be crushed by such atmosphere and dignity, but Dam Ho was different.

He suddenly asked.

"Where is Yi Gwan?"

Momentarily, a dark light flashed across Yong Hwa-seol's face. But she calmly recovered her original expression.

"Do you know him?"

"Where is Yi Gwan?"

"I also don't know his whereabouts."

At Yong Hwa-seol's calm answer, Dam Ho's gaze sank even deeper. From such reaction from Dam Ho, Yong Hwa-seol realized that he didn't believe her words.

A bitter light appeared on Yong Hwa-seol's face.

"It may be hard to believe, but my words are true. I'm also desperately searching for him, wandering around, but haven't found him yet."

"……"

"Whether you believe it or not, my words are true."

"Then why did you come looking for me?"

"To confirm you. Rumors heard through several intermediaries are usually exaggerated. So I had to see and confirm with my own eyes."

Yong Hwa-seol's eyes sparkled. In her eyes that shone like a girl's were contained the experience of one who had lived and ruled through long years, and the power to see through the world.

Dam Ho silently looked at Yong Hwa-seol. His gaze was deep like the ocean and heavy like Mount Tai. Burdensome enough even for the great Yong Hwa-seol.

'What a pity.'

She let out an inner sigh.

He was someone irreplaceable in the world.

To possess such tremendous martial prowess at such a young age was unprecedented. Even the great Four Divine Emperors hadn't possessed this level of martial prowess when they were Dam Ho's age. If only he were given a little more time, he would grow into a martial artist unparalleled in ancient and modern times.

'If only time were given.'

Unfortunately, not much time was given not only to Dam Ho but to the entire world.

Her gaze turned to Dam Ho's left leg. Instantly Dam Ho's eyebrows twitched. Because her gaze was irritating.

"If you're going to keep stealing glances like that, I'll pluck out those eyeballs."

"I'm sorry. I'm just doing this because I feel sorry. If you were more perfect, if only that leg were fine… then there would have been at least a slim possibility of stopping him."

"You're saying there isn't now?"

"I'm not belittling you. But with that leg… with that imperfect body, you absolutely cannot defeat him. Without being perfect, there's not even a slim possibility."

Yong Hwa-seol's voice was full of regret.

Until she came here, she had thought Dam Ho would become the hope of the martial world. But the moment she directly saw Dam Ho's physical condition, she realized how distant such a thought was.

Through hardship he had turned weakness into strength and was overwhelming other martial artists with overwhelming might, but that only worked against ordinary martial artists. It wouldn't work against him.

The one she knew was the most perfect martial artist in the world.

One who had already achieved ultimate completion.

To face him, there couldn't be even the slightest gap. Only by being completely flawless could one glimpse even a slim possibility.

"I'm sorry. To come all this way and say such things. But if you could understand my desperate heart just a little, I'd be grateful."

"What should I understand?"

"That's…"

"You come here on your own, spout nonsense, and want me to understand? Even bullshit would be high-level if it's to that degree."

At Dam Ho's unexpected harsh words, Yong Hwa-seol's mouth fell open.

Throughout her martial world activities, no one had ever dared say such things to her. Even before obtaining the great epithet of Four Divine Emperors, she had been a master at the pinnacle of the martial world, and everyone had been busy reading her mood. Therefore, the intensity of shock she felt was truly tremendous.

At that moment, wind blew.

His pitch-black robe fluttered following his body, revealing his left leg.

"What's wrong with this leg? Because I limp a little, because I'm not perfect, I can't be an opponent? Have you ever really fought for your life?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Have you ever fought a fight where you stake everything, where victory and defeat are decided by a single breath, where flesh is torn and bones are broken?"

"……"

"Did you always fight by weighing conditions – fighting conditions must be perfect, you must have martial superiority, your body must be perfect? That's why you spout such leisurely words."

Dam Ho's voice was rough. For Dam Ho, who rarely showed emotional disturbance, this was an unusual reaction.

A fierce light appeared in Dam Ho's pupils.

"I've never fought like that. The opponent is unbearably strong? So what should I do about it? Should I hide and train martial arts until I become stronger? If I win, I survive, and if I lose, I just disappear into the back alleys of history."

Yong Hwa-seol was overwhelmed by Dam Ho's atmosphere.

Though she had met countless martial artists, Dam Ho was the first to stimulate people's hearts so uneasily.

From Dam Ho's conversation, she realized the reason.

'This child truly thinks his own life doesn't matter at all.'

Generally, it seems like martial artists who have reached high levels wouldn't be attached to life, but actually it's different. Because they had achieved much, they also had much regret left behind. Social status, wealth, fame, and countless other things hold them back. To throw all of that away like grass and stake one's life completely in battle? It wasn't easy. Actually, Yong Hwa-seol herself took great pride in the epithet Queen Mother of the West and was carefully mindful of her conduct because of it.

Yong Hwa-seol quietly sighed and stood up.

"Sigh! I'm sorry. I came here for nothing."

"……"

"Yes! I judged alone and worried needlessly. I set standards by my own criteria and tried to fit you exactly to them, so I have nothing to say even if you scold me. But I really want to say just this last thing. He is like ink, contaminating everything around him black. The one who lowers himself endlessly from the lowest place – if you ever meet such a person, be extremely careful."

"……"

"I can't tell you more than that due to restrictions, which is just regrettable. Please be careful, and careful again. Perhaps you might be the martial world's last hope."

Instantly Yong Hwa-seol's form floated up into the air.

Her form that rose into the air like a feather instantly crossed through the air and disappeared from sight.

It was the legendary lightness skill of Walking on Air and Void Treading.

"Ugh!"

"Ah!"

Right after Yong Hwa-seol disappeared, people everywhere let out groans and woke up. As the subject that had been controlling their minds disappeared, they regained consciousness.

"Brother?"

As soon as Bang Jin-bo regained consciousness, he approached Dam Ho. His face was full of doubt.

"Why was I collapsed?"

"Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

Bang Jin-bo looked puzzled. From such appearance of Bang Jin-bo, Dam Ho realized that his memory from just before had completely disappeared.

Yong Hwa-seol hadn't simply knocked out the opponent with Word Command but had even erased their memories.

Though the shell had human form, the essence was something that transcended human limits.

Dam Ho felt the blood throughout his body turn cold.

'Four Divine Emperors!'

That name was binding him.

Like fate.

It was when Dam Ho was recalling his conversation with Yong Hwa-seol once more.

"There they are."

"They killed our sect's missionaries."

Demon Cult martial artists were running from the opposite side of the inn on the main road. Seeing the believers dead near the inn, their eyes blazed with fire.

Their anger was being transmitted through the air.

"Brother!"

Bang Jin-bo looked up at Dam Ho. At that moment, Dam Ho began moving toward them.

With that leg that Yong Hwa-seol had called imperfect, Dam Ho headed toward his enemies. And he brought death to his enemies.

***

"Anqing."

At Nam Hyeon-so's words, Yo Sa-ran raised her head to look at him. Her gaze was demanding further explanation from Nam Hyeon-so.

"Fist Demon is in Anqing."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes! All the Demon Cult martial artists who had controlled Anqing were completely annihilated. Currently in Anhui Province, there's no group or sect that can kill everyone in opposition to our sect. If there is, it's only one person – Fist Demon."

"Hmm!"

At Nam Hyeon-so's assertion, Yo Sa-ran let out a quiet groan.

She had joined at Nam Hyeon-so's call just two days ago. During this time, Nam Hyeon-so had been sending people to track Dam Ho's whereabouts.

Yo Sa-ran hoped as much as possible that Nam Hyeon-so wouldn't find Dam Ho's traces. But contrary to her wishes, Nam Hyeon-so finally found traces of Dam Ho. It was frightening persistence.

Yo Sa-ran asked.

"So what are you thinking of doing?"

"I'll spread a dragnet."

"A dragnet? Not a frontal confrontation?"

"Facing him in frontal confrontation would be truly foolish. To deal with someone like him, you must bind him with the tightest net in the world and then slowly strangle his breath."

"Hmm!"

"I'll handle strangling his breath, so Commander Yo just needs to step forward at the crucial moment."

"I'll do that."

Eventually Yo Sa-ran nodded with an expression of having no choice. At this, Nam Hyeon-so smiled with satisfaction.

He knew Yo Sa-ran was reluctant. But the debt Yo Sa-ran owed him was gripping her ankle.

For merely saving the life of one young girl, the price was excessively large. It was tremendous luck for Nam Hyeon-so.

Nam Hyeon-so immediately assembled his subordinates.

"From now we begin hunting Fist Demon. His route?"

"It's presumed he took a Yangtze River ferry from Anqing. If he maintains his current route, he'll pass near Qianshan before long."

"What martial sects are near Qianshan?"

"There are two small sects like Heavenly Mansion Gate and Hidden Blood Gate. Both converted to our side early on."

"Good! Use them as the vanguard."

"But they're not enough to stop Fist Demon."

"Even if they can't stop him, they can buy time. That's their role."

A bloody smile appeared on Nam Hyeon-so's lips.

Since annihilating the Namgung Family, numerous sects in Anhui Province had converted to the Demon Cult. Most were small sects whose names were unfamiliar.

They weren't large in scale and didn't have many disciples, but from the Demon Cult's perspective, they were perfect to use.

Nam Hyeon-so pointed to a spot on the map.

"Drive him to here. And put an end to it. Until then, tighten the net and drain his strength."

"Understood."

"And him?"

"He's already arrived."

"Tell him to start hunting once he's prepared."

"Yes sir!"

The subordinate withdrew with his answer.

Intense fighting spirit was emanating from Nam Hyeon-so's body.

Yo Sa-ran addressed such Nam Hyeon-so.

"Him?"

"This is hunting the great Fist Demon. I thought we'd need a skilled hunter, so I invited him."

"Hunter? Don't tell me?"

"Hehe! When I said it was hunting the great Fist Demon, he readily agreed."

"Amazing! To bring him. But can you handle it?"

"Handle what?"

"Aren't you disobeying Black Wing Death King's orders? Can you handle the consequences?"

"Hmph! I'm not afraid of him."

Nam Hyeon-so snorted.

Yo Sa-ran said nothing more to him. Because she thought he wouldn't listen no matter what she said anyway.

"By the way, about Fist Demon?"

Thinking that she would soon meet the Divine Cult's greatest and strongest enemy made her whole body tremble.

Though it was said his nature had calmed considerably compared to before, her essence was Blood Wheel Witch, one of the Divine Cult's Four Great Military Commanders.

For the Divine Cult's sake, Fist Demon had to be eliminated.

The time to encounter him wasn't far off.

At the end of the dragnet, she would meet Dam Ho.