Chapter 468

Chapter 468 – When Plum Blossoms Bloom, Guests Arrive (3)

Everyone went together to where the screams had burst out. It was a large cave entrance.

There, two martial artists lay prostrate on the ground groaning. The martial artists' condition vomiting dark red blood looked truly serious.

"Th-those?"

Go Il-won, befitting a master who'd reached a realm, recognized the martial artists' condition at a glance. Serious internal injuries. If left like this, internal injuries could worsen and they might die.

But Cho Yeon-woon and Blue Sky Alliance's leadership didn't look particularly worried. The reason was soon revealed. A young woman walked over gracefully caring for the martial artists' wounds.

She performed acupuncture all over the martial artists' bodies, then took out two pills from her bosom putting one each in the martial artists' mouths. Then the martial artists' faces that had turned deathly pale instantly regained color. And when she retrieved the silver needles, they sprang up as if they'd never sustained internal injuries.

A scene hard to believe even seeing with one's own eyes.

The internal injuries they'd sustained were serious enough that even the most skilled physicians couldn't easily treat them. Yet she treated such internal injuries with simply acupuncture and a single pill. It was a miracle-like occurrence hard for Go Il-won to understand with his common sense.

"Who on earth is that woman?"

"The Divine Physician."

Cho Yeon-woon answered calmly.

"Divine Physician?"

"Young Lady Jong Ri-yeon, the Divine Physician."

Instantly the woman turned around as if hearing Cho Yeon-woon's voice. The woman who appeared ordinary at a glance but possessed refined beauty was precisely Jong Ri-yeon.

Jong Ri-yeon brightened seeing Taoist Hyeon-so and Myeong-gyeong.

"When did you arrive?"

"Just came. Hehe!"

"You should have contacted us first. Then I'd have gone out to meet you."

"Why bother."

"Still."

"You seem prettier. Ho must be treating you well."

"Oh! Treating me well? Hardly."

Jong Ri-yeon sighed. Because even that appearance looked pretty, Taoist Hyeon-so smiled kindly.

Meanwhile Go Il-won was surprised enough to stop breathing.

"Goodness! The Divine Physician."

He too had heard rumors about Jong Ri-yeon. The legendary Divine Physician's reputation that she could save even critically ill patients as long as breath remained, and could heal any internal injury.

He'd heard stories that Mount Hua recovered its former prosperity rapidly thanks to her help, but frankly it was hard to believe easily. But seeing her skill directly with his eyes today, he had no choice but to believe.

Then the martial artists who'd sustained internal injuries approached Jong Ri-yeon.

"We always cause trouble. Thanks to you we lived."

"Not at all. This happened because of that person. I should be the sorry one."

"No. Please don't say such things. Thanks to this, we realized our limits and could break through walls."

The martial artist waved his hands.

Go Il-won recognized the martial artist.

"Wait, aren't you Young Hero Yang Cheon-hwa of Golden Arrow Gate?"

"Ah, you're Zhongnan Sect's Sect Leader Go. My greetings are late. Golden Arrow Gate's Yang Cheon-hwa greets you."

"Ha! You were here too?"

Go Il-won shook his head.

Yang Cheon-hwa had been a member of the suicide squad that raided the Demon Cult's headquarters. He was also one of the final surviving seventeen, and a rising star the martial world looked to. Though he didn't belong to the Nine Dragons, he'd heard his talent and understanding were exceptionally outstanding. But the common opinion was expecting further growth was difficult due to his sect's inherent limitations.

Go Il-won had seen Yang Cheon-hwa once before. He'd heard Yang Cheon-hwa's talent was outstanding but judged his limits were clear. Because Golden Arrow Gate's ultimate techniques couldn't support his excellent talent.

However, the aura and achievement Yang Cheon-hwa now showed far exceeded Go Il-won's expectations.

Cho Yeon-woon asked Yang Cheon-hwa.

"Ho?"

"Oh! Don't even mention it."

"Same as always, I see."

"Please tell him to go easier. I'm really going to die at this rate, Alliance Leader."

When Yang Cheon-hwa made a fed-up expression, Cho Yeon-woon chuckled. Because he could imagine.

After patting Yang Cheon-hwa's shoulder a couple times, Cho Yeon-woon moved steps toward the cave.

"I'm here. Your master came too, so come out now."

Kuuuu!

A rough wind surged out from inside the cave. Instantly Go Il-won felt every hair on his body stand on end and unconsciously drew his sword.

Myeong-gyeong grasped his hand holding the sword saying.

"Sheathe your sword."

"B-but…"

"It's fine."

Myeong-gyeong smiled. But Go Il-won couldn't.

A terrifyingly ominous feeling dominated his entire body. Even at this moment, the discomfort and discordance he felt was intensely indescribable. Since such feelings were a first in his life, Go Il-won couldn't grasp how to react.

Someone was coming out from inside the cave. That something giving him terrible threat.

A moment later when he emerged through the darkness, Go Il-won nearly swung his sword.

Deep eyes and tightly pressed lips showed through disheveled hair like a lion's mane. Though his build wasn't large for a martial artist, from him felt intense energy and atmosphere like a volcano about to erupt.

Go Il-won recognized his identity almost instinctively.

"Mount… Hua Fist Demon Dam Ho."

Among countless martial artists under heaven, only Dam Ho alone was a martial artist who made observers feel crisis like this.

The unprecedented demon the prestigious Mount Hua Sect released to the world.

Rumors circulated that the reason Shaanxi Province could still remain safe despite the Demon Cult's storm winds was precisely because of Dam Ho.

That the Demon Cult couldn't touch Shaanxi Province at least because they feared Dam Ho. Some said it was absurd talk, others dismissed it as groundless rumor, but those involved in the martial world at least didn't think it entirely false.

That much, Dam Ho's presence and position in the martial world was special.

Dam Ho's gaze went toward Taoist Hyeon-so.

"Master."

"It's been a while. Have you been well?"

"Yes!"

Taoist Hyeon-so looked at Dam Ho with warm eyes.

Then Cho Yeon-woon approached grabbing Dam Ho's arm pulling him.

"Stop beating up our people and come here. Since Master came too, rest a bit today."

"…"

"You know that recently not a single person passed the Iron Blood Hell Training Hall because of you, right? Give them some breathing room too."

The cave Dam Ho came from was the Iron Blood Hell Training Hall's final checkpoint. Originally elaborately designed mechanisms existed there, but one day Dam Ho made it his dwelling.

That meant passing the Iron Blood Hell Training Hall meant passing the checkpoint called Dam Ho. After that, countless masters challenged. But not a single person passed the checkpoint called Dam Ho.

Many people without exception sustained internal injuries or large and small wounds. The one who treated them each time was Divine Physician Jong Ri-yeon.

Watching such two people, someone said like a joke.

"Tch! The man outside beats them up, and the woman inside treats them? Can't even hate it."

Many agreed with his opinion. But no one expressed complaints.

Because the existence called Dam Ho existed, they couldn't relax vigilance even for a moment, and thanks to that, the fact their skills grew frighteningly was true.

Taoist Hyeon-so said to Dam Ho.

"Shall we walk for a bit?"

"Yes!"

Only then did Dam Ho barely nod answering.

Taoist Hyeon-so looked at Cho Yeon-woon saying.

"Then have a talk with Sect Leader Go. I'll spend time alone with Ho for a while."

"Please spend a very long time."

"Hehe!"

At Cho Yeon-woon's words, Taoist Hyeon-so chuckled.

Outside he was called Azure Dragon Divine Hero, inside he was revered as Blue Sky Alliance's Alliance Leader, but to Taoist Hyeon-so he was always affectionate Cho Yeon-woon.

Dam Ho moved steps with Taoist Hyeon-so shoulder to shoulder.

He still didn't speak. Rather seemed more taciturn than a year ago. Taoist Hyeon-so found such disciple reliable yet regretful.

Others designated him with ominous words like Fist Demon or Demon Immortal, but to Taoist Hyeon-so he was his only disciple. Though what he'd taught was little and he'd grown this much on his own, still to him he was a treasure that couldn't be exchanged for anything.

He wished he'd talk more like other people and enjoy freedom, but the weight of life pressing his disciple's shoulders was too heavy. Therefore he just felt regretful that he became increasingly silent.

"How's your body?"

"Good."

"Fortunate. But I don't see San-wol. Did he go out?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, I took a new disciple this time."

Only then did Dam Ho turn his head looking at Taoist Hyeon-so. Because it was such unexpected words.

"A disciple?"

"He fortunately had potential as Scholar Taoist. I took him as disciple before he got other ideas."

"Fortunate."

"He'll become your fellow disciple too, so please treat him well when you meet later."

"I will."

"Thank you."

"It's fortunate you finally have a proper disciple, even if late."

"You're a proper disciple too. Though your master was inadequate, teaching you nothing while you grew alone. So don't say such things. Whatever others say, you're my disciple and my greatest pride. I'm just sorry for always putting big burdens on you."

"Not at all."

At Dam Ho's calm answer, Taoist Hyeon-so made an apologetic expression.

With that conversation ended, the two just walked silently.

Without needing to express in words, master and disciple knew each other's hearts well. The disciple respected the master, and the master sincerely cherished and thought of the disciple. Though their dispositions were polar opposites.

Suddenly Taoist Hyeon-so raised his head looking at the sky.

Before he knew it, darkness had fallen and stars shone in the sky. Starlight from the sky shone in Taoist Hyeon-so's eyes. Dam Ho watched that appearance silently.

It was quite a while later when Taoist Hyeon-so opened his mouth.

"Phew! Heavenly energy is too unstable. How can it shake so uneasily? The great turmoil under heaven definitely had bad influence on heavenly energy. Too many died, so all under heaven is full of resentment, naturally heavenly energy shakes."

His voice clearly contained anxious feelings.

Since naturally becoming able to read heavenly energy at some point, this was the first time he'd been this anxious. Though he couldn't pinpoint and say for certain, the heavenly energy he saw wasn't normal. Now seeing the sky felt frightening.

When Taoist Hyeon-so's shoulders trembled finely, Dam Ho opened his mouth.

"It'll be fine."

"Ho!"

"It'll be fine, Master."

"Right!"

Feeling himself finding stability at Dam Ho's single calm word, Taoist Hyeon-so thought he lacked qualifications as master. At times like this, it felt like master and disciple were reversed.

"I showed an unseemly sight. Sorry."

"Not at all."

"With heavenly energy so unstable, my heart is also anxious. Something is definitely wrong but I can't know the reason clearly, so I can't easily find peace of mind."

The anxious feelings Taoist Hyeon-so felt weren't from just a day or two. Since the great disaster occurred a year ago, he occasionally suffered from inexplicable anxiety. So he deliberately came all the way here following Zhongnan Sect's Sect Leader Go Il-won. Though shameless to say, seeing his disciple Dam Ho eased his sharply tensed nerves somewhat.

"You probably guessed it too, but we decided to cooperate with Zhongnan Sect. Zhongnan Sect's Sect Leader Go said the Demon Cult started moving again. As the great disaster somewhat gets managed, the Demon Cult drives the world into hell again. When on earth will this vicious cycle's chain break?"

"Master!"

"Right, when are you thinking of going out to the world?"

"…"

Dam Ho didn't answer. When Taoist Hyeon-so tried asking again, Dam Ho's gaze went down the mountain.

"What's wrong?"

Tuwung!

Something discordant feeling was felt.

The moment Dam Ho's eyes narrowed, Little Mount Hua's air changed. And martial artists at Little Mount Hua became busy.

"Down there."

"Move!"

Blue Sky Alliance was moving.