Reed chapter first at Utoon.net
Episode 209: Every Action Has Consequences (3)
‘Bang!’
Sage Hyeon-geom was thrown through the wall. His hair was disheveled, but his eyes shone coldly.
‘Buzz!’
His hand holding the sword was trembling.
A wind blew from beyond the collapsed wall.
‘It’s coming.’
Sage Hyeon-geom swung his sword.
‘Slash!’
In an instant, a bright red plum blossom bloomed before him. It was a plum blossom created by his sword energy.
Blood Plum Blossom Sword.
It was a sword technique he created for his disciple, Myung Gyung. However, the power of his technique was vastly different from when Myung Gyung used it.
‘Boom!’
The Blood Plum Blossom Sword clashed with the Fortress Breaking Fist.
Before the blood plum blossom could fully bloom, it withered, and blood spurted from Dam-ho’s shoulder. Yet, Dam-ho, as if feeling no pain, charged at Sage Hyeon-geom without changing his expression.
Sage Hyeon-geom also charged without backing down.
His iron sword aimed at Dam-ho’s vital points.
‘Clang!’
Dam-ho’s fist collided with the iron sword.
No matter how tough human flesh is, it cannot withstand a metal sword. Even a small sword can wound the fragile human body.
But Dam-ho shattered people’s common sense.
His fist, utilizing the Silver Net Hand, was wrapped in a net of energy. This net protected his fist from Sage Hyeon-geom’s iron sword.
‘Clang! Clang! Clang!’
As the fist and sword clashed, the sound of metal echoed continuously.
The blood plum blossom repeatedly bloomed and withered, and shattered sword energy scattered in all directions.
“Hmph! Not bad.”
Even while swinging his sword fiercely, Sage Hyeon-geom sneered. But inwardly, he was astonished by Dam-ho’s strength.
The Blood Plum Blossom Sword, which he created for his disciple Myung Gyung, was a supreme technique that could dominate the martial world. Yet, Dam-ho was effortlessly neutralizing it.
He now understood why Myung Gyung was defeated by Dam-ho.
Dam-ho’s martial prowess was so powerful that it couldn’t be considered the level of a late-stage master. Even Sage Hyeon-geom felt a shiver down his spine.
He had to admit it, even if he didn’t want to.
Dam-ho was an absolute master. At least, his martial strength was in no way inferior to his own.
‘Buzz!’
Recognizing Dam-ho as a worthy opponent, his energy changed. Along with it, his swordsmanship also transformed.
‘Swish!’
A sharp sound of air being pierced echoed.
‘Clang!’
It seemed like a light strike, but Dam-ho’s body was pushed back. Blood flowed from the wound on the fist that clashed with Sage Hyeon-geom’s sword.
Sage Hyeon-geom lightly held his sword as if holding an egg. But upon closer inspection, there was a slight gap between his hand and the hilt, and the sword was spinning on its own.
The sword, rotating in Sage Hyeon-geom’s hand as if it were a living creature, exuded an unusual atmosphere.
‘Swish!’
Sage Hyeon-geom scattered his sword towards Dam-ho once more.
It wasn’t a special technique or supreme skill. Just a simple horizontal slash. Yet, Dam-ho couldn’t avoid it.
When martial arts reach their peak, even simple techniques can contain countless principles and power.
That was Sage Hyeon-geom’s level.
A level where he wasn’t bound by techniques or forms, where everything he thought became a supreme technique.
A state beyond the unity of sword and mind, known as the unity of mind and form.
One step further, and he would reach the true state of the mind sword. It was the level Sage Hyeon-geom desired so much.
‘Slash!’
Sage Hyeon-geom’s sword flew fiercely.
Everything he thought became a supreme technique, and his inner power was unleashed as he willed.
His movements were as beautiful as a dancing dancer. But the sword intent contained in his movements was truly terrifying.
‘Clang!’
With the sound of metal, Dam-ho’s body was pushed back.
In the brief clash, he had already sustained several wounds. Blood flowed from the sharply cut skin.
The coldness and the eeriness awakened Dam-ho’s spirit.
‘Slash!’
The Explosive Demon Force swirled around his body.
Sage Hyeon-geom’s sword, which was following a sharp trajectory, was slightly twisted by the Explosive Demon Force.
Dam-ho didn’t miss the opportunity and charged in.
‘Boom!’
The Five Finger Crushing Technique exploded, and Sage Hyeon-geom’s body was pushed back.
Dam-ho leaped into the air. The Blood Heaven Kick and the Explosive Demon Kick alternated.
‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’
Loud explosions echoed continuously, and Sage Hyeon-geom was pushed back, leaving deep footprints on the ground.
Anger surged from Dam-ho’s chest.
Sage Hyeon-geom, who was supposed to be the senior brother of his master Sage Hyeon-so.
If his master was so severely injured, Sage Hyeon-geom should have been the first to come running, putting everything else aside.
Yet, he was trying to assert his authority with stubbornness. Despite growing up with all the benefits of a prestigious sect, he refused to look at those in lower positions.
The arrogance and stubbornness of believing he was chosen by the heavens. That elitism ignited the anger buried in Dam-ho’s chest.
‘I will break it.’
He would show clearly what the strength of someone who crawled up from the bottom was, what the resilience of a weed that was always trampled on was.
The Void Wall struck the air.
‘Clang!’
Sage Hyeon-geom’s attack was neutralized.
Cracks spread like spider webs on his sword. For the first time, a look of dismay appeared on Sage Hyeon-geom’s face.
The Void Wall exploded on the sword again. The sword, already at its limit, shattered like glass and scattered in all directions.
He lost his weapon in an instant. But without a trace of fear, Sage Hyeon-geom rushed through the scattering sword fragments.
The Subtle Fragrance Floating, the highest level of lightness skill in the Mount Hua Sect. Just as a subtle fragrance lingers, Sage Hyeon-geom approached Dam-ho in the same manner.
For a martial artist of Sage Hyeon-geom’s level, having no sword was no different from having one.
His hand became the sword.
‘Tap! Tap! Tap!’
Dam-ho’s fist and Sage Hyeon-geom’s hand collided and separated dozens of times.
Sage Hyeon-geom’s bare-handed swordsmanship was perfect. But his hand, substituting for the sword, was not.
“Ugh!”
His hand swelled up.
Unable to endure the pain, Sage Hyeon-geom retreated. At that moment, Dam-ho charged forward.
The fierce eyes gleaming through his disheveled hair deeply pierced Sage Hyeon-geom’s heart.
Sage Hyeon-geom, enduring the pain, once again used his hand to perform sword techniques.
Dam-ho rounded his back. The Golden Beetle, a defensive technique inspired by the round body of a beetle.
Sage Hyeon-geom’s attack was deflected diagonally. In that moment, Sage Hyeon-geom’s chest was wide open. Dam-ho charged in with the Charging Step.
‘Bang!’
The Fortress Breaking Fist exploded.
When Sage Hyeon-geom passed on the Blood Plum Blossom Sword to Myung Gyung, Dam-ho and Sage Hyeon-so combined their efforts to create these techniques.
The Charging Step and Fortress Breaking Fist were the basics that formed the current Solitary Path Style.
“Ugh!”
Sage Hyeon-geom flew back, spitting blood.
Fortunately, he quickly gathered his inner power to protect his chest, avoiding external injuries. Instead, his internal organs were shaken, causing his energy and blood to surge.
Sage Hyeon-geom had no time to calm his energy and blood. Dam-ho charged forward with the Charging Step.
To overcome the inherent limitation of being a cripple, he had practiced running straight towards a rock thousands, tens of thousands of times.
While others learned footwork comfortably, Dam-ho had to risk his life.
That moment, those daily life-risking practices, made Dam-ho who he was now.
His fist contained his master’s tears and Dam-ho’s blood.
‘Bang!’
“Ugh!”
Sage Hyeon-geom staggered back, struck by that fist.
Sage Hyeon-geom’s hair was completely disheveled, making him look like a ghost. When had the always neat Sage Hyeon-geom ever experienced such a disgrace?
Sage Hyeon-geom’s mind was in chaos.
‘Buzz!’
A ringing echoed in his ears, and his mind went blank, unable to think of anything. At that moment, Dam-ho once again used the Fortress Breaking Fist towards Sage Hyeon-geom.
‘Boom!’
Sage Hyeon-geom couldn’t even scream as he rolled on the ground.
“This is… the right of my master and me that you so vehemently denied.”
He poured out all the resentment in his chest.
Dam-ho only used the Fortress Breaking Fist.
He wanted to show through the Fortress Breaking Fist.
That the physical disability of being a cripple was not the limit of Dam-ho as a person.
The world is not led only by perfect beings.
Not everyone can be perfect.
Not everyone is like Sage Hyeon-geom.
Even those not chosen by the world can stand on equal footing with the chosen ones if they grit their teeth.
The scars engraved on Dam-ho’s fist were proof of his struggle and the life he had lived.
‘Crack!’
“Ugh!”
Sage Hyeon-geom flew back, spitting blood.
He was already unconscious, not even twitching.
‘Whoosh!’
Dam-ho used the Charging Step to follow the flying Sage Hyeon-geom.
His fist, as large as a pot lid, was filled with powerful internal energy.
Though it was the same Fortress Breaking Fist, its power was different from before. With this one strike, Sage Hyeon-geom would lose his life.
At the moment when Dam-ho’s Fortress Breaking Fist was about to strike Sage Hyeon-geom’s head.
“No!”
“Master! No!”
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, who were in the vicinity, all stood in front of Sage Hyeon-geom.
It was Dam-ho who had crushed the Sage Hyeon-geom they revered like the sky. There was no way they could block Dam-ho’s strike.
Yet, they stood in the way. To protect Sage Hyeon-geom with their lives. To prevent a greater disaster.
Still, Dam-ho’s fist did not stop.
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect closed their eyes tightly.
‘Boom!’
The heavens and earth shook.
Dust soared high into the sky, and the ground cried out. Following that, a tremendous pressure weighed down on their entire bodies.
They had braced themselves for immense pain, but they didn’t feel anything beyond that.
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect slowly opened their eyes. They saw Dam-ho standing with his fist extended in front of them.
He looked like a fearsome demon, living up to his nickname, the Fist Demon.
His madness and intimidation weighed down on their hearts. But it seemed he wouldn’t take any further action.
“Master, thank you.”
The second-generation disciple Won Cheong mustered the courage to speak to Dam-ho.
His voice became a signal.
“Master, thank you.”
“Thank you for showing mercy.”
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect bowed their heads to Dam-ho. But Dam-ho did not look at them.
His gaze turned to Gong Son-jeong, who was standing with his mouth agape.
Gong Son-jeong was trembling like an aspen tree.
After the Ten-li Reaper So Cheonsan of the Demonic Cult, even Sage Hyeon-geom of the Mount Hua Sect was crushed by Dam-ho.
It was an overwhelmingly unbelievable feat.
Dam-ho didn’t distinguish between demonic and righteous. He just crushed everything that stood in his way.
Today, he realized that for sure.
‘He is not just a demonic person. A conqueror, yes! He is the conqueror of this era.’
One who values strength above all.
It was impossible to bind him with existing order and rules. That made him even more terrifying.
Dam-ho spoke.
“Find them!”
“Yes?”
“Find those who colluded with the Demonic Sect.”
“I will. I will definitely find them.”
Gong Son-jeong shouted with all his might in a rigid posture.
Dam-ho turned around.
‘Rumble!’
At that moment, the wall of the large pavilion behind the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect collapsed like a sandcastle. Only then did the disciples realize.
Dam-ho’s last strike had hit the pavilion behind them, not them.
They felt a chill all over their bodies.
“Master!”
Reed chapter first at Utoon.net