Chapter 63

Chapter 63: To Covet Another's Possessions, One Must Stake What One Holds Dear (1)

Gu Yoo-myung, the Steward of Hongam Mountain Villa, ascended the platform. The crowd fixed him with expectant gazes.

Gu Yoo-myung smiled as he regarded the assembled guests for a moment. Countless people awaited the opening of his lips with bated breath.

He bore the responsibility of fulfilling their expectations.

At last, he spoke.

"On behalf of our Sect Master, the great hero Lee Sin-pung, I first wish to express my deepest gratitude to all the honored guests—male and female alike—who have graced us with their presence to celebrate his sixtieth birthday."

The crowd held their breath and gazed at Gu Yoo-myung. Anticipation was written across every face.

"Now, I present our Sect Master, the great hero Lee Sin-pung."

The instant Gu Yoo-myung finished speaking, a small door at the base of the platform opened, and Lee Sin-pung appeared.

Though he had reached his sixtieth year, in appearance he did not look older than fifty. He stood tall at six chi, his complexion ruddy, and his large, prominent features spoke of a generous and magnanimous nature.

The moment Lee Sin-pung showed himself before the crowd for the first time, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the hall.

"Waaah! It's Great Hero Lee Sin-pung!"

"We wish you a happy birthday, Great Hero Lee Sin-pung!"

"Congratulations!"

Lee Sin-pung smiled and offered the crowd a fist-and-palm salute.

"Ha ha ha! My thanks. I know how busy all of you must be, day and night, and yet you have come to celebrate this old man's birthday. I am deeply grateful."

"Great Hero Lee is not merely the master of Hongam Mountain Villa. As the spiritual pillar of Gansu Province, we simply had to come pay our respects."

"Indeed!"

People competed to be the first to offer birthday wishes, each straining to expose their face to Lee Sin-pung for even a moment longer.

Lee Sin-pung was not a man one could easily meet. Thus, the competition among those who sought to engrave their faces in his memory was fierce indeed.

One might expect such competition to weary him, yet Lee Sin-pung maintained his unchanging smile throughout. This only deepened the crowd's favorable impression of him.

Lee Sin-pung ascended the platform amidst the fervent welcome of the people.

"I am sincerely grateful to all who have come here today. This old man, who has done nothing of note, has now reached his sixtieth year. Please do not curse me for living too long, and I ask only that you enjoy this gathering with a glad heart."

"Ha ha ha!"

Laughter erupted simultaneously from the crowd.

Someone raised a brimming cup.

"We toast to Great Hero Lee Sin-pung's birthday!"

"Congratulations!"

"May you enjoy eternal youth and vitality!"

People raised their cups one after another, echoing the sentiments. Lee Sin-pung raised his cup as well.

"My thanks. Ha ha ha!"

He drained his cup in a single draught. In response, the multitude gathered below drained theirs in unison.

The spectacle was magnificent, enough to set hearts racing. Excitement reached its peak, and people laughed and talked as they reveled in Lee Sin-pung's birthday celebration.

Lee Sin-pung exchanged warm greetings with the honored guests seated on the platform. Among them was the Southern Scholar from the Tongtong Sect, as well as the Black and White Twin Ghosts.

As Lee Sin-pung conversed with them, he gazed down at the crowd below. More than a thousand people had gathered solely to celebrate his birthday—a vivid testament to his own prestige and that of Hongam Mountain Villa.

The smile on Lee Sin-pung's face never faded.

Dam Ho observed Lee Sin-pung from below. He could feel the composure and magnanimity of a man who possessed everything. Lee Sin-pung's presence pervaded the entire hall like water seeping into cotton—subtly yet completely.

It was not merely because he was the master of Hongam Mountain Villa. His bearing was genuinely exceptional.

Behind the platform where Lee Sin-pung sat, Dam Ho spotted faces he had not seen before. They appeared to be on very intimate terms with Lee Sin-pung.

At that moment, a martial artist near Dam Ho let out an exclamation.

"Hah! Are those not the Three Friends of the Bamboo Grove? Even those heavy-bottomed gentlemen have come to celebrate Great Hero Lee's birthday."

"The Three Friends of the Bamboo Grove? Aren't they the recluses of the martial world?"

The Three Friends of the Bamboo Grove were martial artists who had been active during the same era as Lee Sin-pung. They had fought alongside Lee Sin-pung and earned great merit, but for reasons unknown, they had retired into seclusion in the bamboo groves, just as Lee Sin-pung had done.

The eldest of the Three Friends, An Soo-cheon, was a man in his mid-to-late fifties with a refined appearance. He stroked his elegantly grown mustache and continuously waved his folding fan, giving him an air of transcendent elegance.

The second brother, Jo Gun-wol, wore a bamboo hat with a woman's veil—a distinctive choice. The eyes visible through the veil glinted with a fierce sharpness.

Beside Jo Gun-wol stood the third brother, Hwang Cheol-san. Hwang Cheol-san was a giant of seven chi, a massive man who carried an enormous broadsword on his back. Despite being past fifty, he possessed the vigor of a man half his age, projecting an overwhelming sense of intimidation upon all who beheld him.

The Three Friends of the Bamboo Grove appeared to be on very close terms with Lee Sin-pung. Occasionally they whispered among themselves, their faces alight with smiles.

Dam Ho observed them for a moment before turning his gaze away. Noticing an empty seat, he sat down. Servants had laid out food, but it was largely untouched.

Dam Ho found the affair tedious. Countless people laughed and chattered, yet not a single place among them existed for him. It was as though he alone sat stranded in a space severed from the world.

While Dam Ho was lost in his own thoughts, the sixtieth birthday celebration proceeded in grand fashion. Musicians played to stoke the festive spirit, and the acrobatic troupe performed various feats that drew cheers from the crowd.

When the revelry reached its zenith, Lee Sin-pung stepped forward. Everyone regarded him with eager anticipation.

"Since so many have gathered to celebrate this old man's sixtieth birthday, would it not be a pity to let the time pass without something memorable?"

"Indeed, Great Hero Lee."

"Since we have gathered like this, let us enjoy ourselves in earnest."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I shall pose a question. The first person to answer correctly shall receive one of Hongam Mountain Villa's treasures."

"A treasure?"

The crowd began to buzz with excitement.

Though they did not know what Lee Sin-pung meant by "treasure," if it was something Hongam Mountain Villa valued highly, it was no ordinary object.

Unable to contain themselves, the people called out:

"What is the question?"

"A formation."

"A formation?"

"Our Steward Gu is a master of formations. The formations he deploys are truly second to none in the martial world. From this moment, Steward Gu will deploy the Ten-Fold Labyrinth Formation."

"The Ten-Fold Labyrinth Formation?"

Bewildered expressions appeared on the listeners' faces.

"That is correct. Whoever is the first to escape the Labyrinth Formation that Steward Gu deploys will receive the Azure Moon Sword—one of our villa's treasures."

"The Azure Moon Sword? Surely you don't mean—"

"That is correct. It is a precious sword I used in my youth. Though I have not used it in over twenty years, it remains razor-sharp and quite serviceable."

"Waah! Incredible!"

A tremendous cheer erupted from the crowd.

In his youth, Lee Sin-pung had built his reputation wielding the Azure Moon Sword. The Twelve Lunar Severances he performed with the Azure Moon Sword were renowned throughout the martial world as a peerless art.

In Lee Sin-pung's youth, hundreds of demonic cultivators had perished by the Azure Moon Sword. It was a treasure recognized throughout the martial world. Possessing such a legendary blade would enable one to wield power beyond one's natural abilities.

For martial artists who practiced the sword, it was the ultimate gift.

"I shall accept the challenge!"

"Let me be the first! Open the Labyrinth Formation at once!"

People clamored to be the first to enter the formation.

Lee Sin-pung nodded to Gu Yoo-myung. Gu Yoo-myung smiled and descended from the platform. Below it lay a considerable quantity of iron stakes.

Gu Yoo-myung began driving the iron stakes into the open ground beneath the platform one by one. Though there appeared to be a certain logic to their arrangement, the martial artists could not discern the principle behind it.

At last, when Gu Yoo-myung drove the final stake into the ground, a dramatic transformation occurred.

*Hssssss!*

A thick fog rolled in, and the Labyrinth Formation took shape.

Gu Yoo-myung smiled and spoke.

"This is the Ten-Fold Labyrinth Formation. It possesses no lethal power whatsoever, but once inside, one's senses become disoriented, making it difficult to find direction. The formation's duration is approximately two double-hours. I pray that someone will emerge successfully."

No sooner had Gu Yoo-myung finished speaking than the most hot-headed martial artists charged into the mist.

"Tiger Sword Guest, Great Hero Jang Mun-ik, has entered the Ten-Fold Labyrinth Formation!"

"Young Hero Oh Jin-pung has gone in as well!"

With each martial artist who entered the formation, the crowd's cheers grew louder.

The festive atmosphere reached its peak, and the people chanted Lee Sin-pung's name in adulation. Favorability toward Lee Sin-pung soared to its height, and the crowd buzzed with curiosity over who would be the first to emerge from the Ten-Fold Labyrinth Formation.

A tremendous heat baked the air within the hall.

Even Dam Ho felt the intense warmth. But he paid it no mind, his gaze fixed upon Lee Sin-pung.

A satisfied smile rested on Lee Sin-pung's lips.

Dam Ho rose from his seat.

Whatever happened here was no concern of his. He had no desire to perform like a clown before these people over a mere piece of metal.

Dam Ho left the martial grounds and made his way to the stable where the Black Stallion stood.

*Neigh!*

When Dam Ho approached, the Black Stallion whinnied joyfully. It had been trapped in the stable throughout Lee Sin-pung's birthday celebration.

Dam Ho patted the stallion on the neck.

"Endure a little longer. Soon you'll be able to run to your heart's content."

After today, Lee Sin-pung's celebration would be over, and Bang Jin-bo would have no further reason to remain.

As if understanding, the Black Stallion pressed its great head against Dam Ho's shoulder. Dam Ho silently stroked its back.

Suddenly, Dam Ho raised his head and looked at his own hand. He had felt a strange sensation in his fingertips.

There was nothing wrong with his hand. Dam Ho examined the Black Stallion's back more closely. Wounds that had not been visible the day before now appeared—red, inflamed patches where the skin had been stripped away. In some places, blood that had not yet dried clung to the fur.

Dam Ho's eyes turned cold.

*Neigh!*

The Black Stallion snorted hot breath from its nostrils. Dam Ho gazed silently into its eyes. Though it was a beast incapable of speech, its eyes told a great deal.

Dam Ho surveyed the interior of the stable. He saw a whip and a saddle. Blood stained the whip. There was no need for further investigation.

"Wait just a little longer."

Dam Ho patted the stallion's cheek and turned away.

He headed for the storehouse where the stable hands worked. When he opened the door, two stable hands stared at him in surprise.

"What?"

"Who are you?"

At Dam Ho's abrupt words, the stable hands exchanged bewildered expressions.

Dam Ho's gaze changed. In that instant, the stable hands' faces drained of color. They could not possibly withstand the weight of Dam Ho's eyes. Their bodies trembled like aspens, and moans of anguish escaped their lips. The stable hands wet themselves without realizing it—hot liquid seeping through their trousers.

"Who did it? Who struck the horse with the whip?"

"The horse?"

"The black horse in the stable."

"That—well—"

The stable hands looked at each other's faces.