Reed chapter first at Utoon.net

Chapter 210: The Wind Constantly Shakes the Trees (1)

Translator: Ash

Read it on Utoon.net only!

Sage Hyeon-so lay unconscious. His entire body was densely covered with silver needles.

“It’s done.”

Jong Ri-yeon muttered as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

The great technique was successful. Sage Hyeon-so had fallen into a state of light sleep, and his metabolism had noticeably slowed. This should buy enough time for treatment.

“Good job, Jong Ri-yeon.”

Hae So-wol, who had been watching everything, finally spoke.

While Jong Ri-yeon was performing the great technique, Hae So-wol had been standing guard. She knew well how much effort Jong Ri-yeon had put into it.

“We’ve only bought time for treatment. If we make a mistake, it’s still dangerous.”

“If it’s you, Jong Ri-yeon, I’m sure you can treat him.”

“I’ll do my best. If we can’t save him, that person’s anger will pierce the heavens.”

“Then the world will face disaster.”

“Indeed!”

The two women nodded simultaneously.

Aside from Sage Hyeon-so, they were the ones who understood Dam-ho the best in the world. They could clearly foresee Dam-ho’s actions afterward.

In that sense, the two women felt a strange sense of kinship with each other.

At that moment, Dam-ho opened the door and entered.

“How is it?”

“We succeeded in inducing a state of light sleep.”

“Really?”

Dam-ho looked at Sage Hyeon-so.

Sage Hyeon-so’s brow was deeply furrowed, as if he were having a bad dream. Seeing him like that pained Dam-ho.

“Can Master hear me?”

“No one knows. He might be able to, or he might not. We’ll only know when he wakes up.”

“Is that so?”

Dam-ho’s eyes hardened at Jong Ri-yeon’s answer.

Dam-ho sat in front of Sage Hyeon-so.

“Master.”

Of course, there was no answer from Sage Hyeon-so. But Dam-ho continued to speak.

“You must wake up. If you don’t wake up… I will never forgive.”

Dam-ho’s voice was very low and quiet, but the meaning behind it was heavy.

Hae So-wol shuddered. Her face was full of tension.

At that moment, Jong Ri-yeon grabbed Dam-ho’s hand.

When Dam-ho looked at her, Jong Ri-yeon smiled.

“Calm down. You don’t doubt me, do you?”

“……”

“I am Jong Ri-yeon, the divine doctor. No matter how long it takes, I will definitely cure Sage Hyeon-so. I promise on my name. Do you still not believe me?”

“I believe you.”

“Good! Blessed are those who believe.”

Jong Ri-yeon laughed playfully.

Dam-ho stared at Jong Ri-yeon’s face. Jong Ri-yeon’s face turned slightly red, but she did not avoid Dam-ho’s gaze.

Hae So-wol quietly watched the two and shook her head. She knew well what the subtle light in Jong Ri-yeon’s eyes meant.

She was a warrior. One of the nine strongest in the latter stages, and she had a desire to reach the pinnacle as a swordsman.

To her, Dam-ho was an ideal as a warrior and a huge wall she wanted to overcome someday. She couldn’t treat Dam-ho with pure feelings like Jong Ri-yeon.

Hae So-wol quietly got up and went outside. Her face was full of mixed emotions.

After a long time, Dam-ho also got up. When he went outside, the children, including Ha-young, gathered around.

“Brother!”

“Big brother!”

The children’s faces were full of anxiety.

Dam-ho looked at each of their faces. They were children whom Sage Hyeon-so loved dearly.

“Master will be fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes! He’s just very tired and sleeping deeply. So don’t worry and wait.”

“Okay.”

“Hayoung will also wait quietly for Grandpa to wake up.”

The children nodded with bright eyes. Dam-ho patted each of their heads and went outside.

The long night was ending, but the darkness in Dam-ho’s heart did not lift.

At that moment, someone came running quickly.

“Hey!”

The man shouting at Dam-ho was Cho Yeon-woon. His face was full of urgency.

“I found out.”

“……”

“I found out the identity of the man you killed.”

He held a portrait of the man Dam-ho had killed.

Dam-ho’s eyes lit up.

“Who is it?”

“His name is Jo Yeon-sang. He is the deputy leader of Dragon Sword House, a sect based in the nearby Xing County.. He volunteered to come to Shouzhou.”

Cho Yeon-woon revealed what he had found out to Dam-ho.

“Dragon Sword House?”

“Yes! It’s a small sect, but it’s quite reputable in the Xing County area. That’s why the Murim Alliance accepted them.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I confirmed it several times.”

Xing County was only a few hundred li from Shouzhou.

Dam-ho walked towards the stable. Cho Yeon-woon hurriedly stopped him.

“Friend. Are you planning to go to Xing County right away?”

“……”

“You don’t have to go. The Shouzhou branch will send an investigation team soon. Leave it to them, and they’ll find out the truth.”

If Dam-ho went, there would surely be a bloodbath.

Cho Yeon-woon, knowing this better than anyone, tried desperately to stop him. But he couldn’t stop Dam-ho.

Dam-ho mounted Black Ghost and left the Shouzhou branch. With Black Ghost, he could reach Xing County in half a day.

Cho Yeon-woon also hurriedly mounted his horse and followed Dam-ho.

Dam-ho arrived at Dragon Sword House three hours later.

Dam-ho’s face hardened as he arrived at Dragon Sword House. Cho Yeon-woon, who arrived later, had a similar expression.

“This can’t be!”

Dragon Sword House was on fire. The huge flames were engulfing the entire sect.

“Fetch more water.”

“What a mess! Hurry up. If we’re not careful, the whole village will burn.”

The villagers were pouring water with buckets to put out the fire, but it was not enough.

“What is this?”

While Cho Yeon-woon muttered in disbelief, Dam-ho walked towards the burning Dragon Sword House.

“Hey!”

By the time Cho Yeon-woon came to his senses and called out, Dam-ho had already disappeared into the raging flames.

The fierce flames that seemed to engulf everything couldn’t harm Dam-ho. The powerful energy emanating from Dam-ho’s body pushed the flames away.

Dam-ho walked through the burning Dragon Sword House. He saw corpses engulfed in flames everywhere.

Dam-ho knelt on one knee and examined a burning corpse.

The flames reflected in Dam-ho’s eyes, making them glow red.

“Silencing witnesses.”

A cold voice flowed from Dam-ho’s mouth.

The corpse had clear wounds from a sword or blade.

Someone had killed them and set the fire to destroy the evidence.

There were no survivors in Dragon Sword House.

Jo Yeon-sang’s family, who had led the group that attacked the Shouzhou branch, had long been cold corpses. Jo Yeon-sang had desperately wanted to protect his family, but his wish had been shattered by others.

Someone had attacked this place before Dam-ho and destroyed all the evidence. Finding evidence linking Dragon Sword House to the attackers in these fierce flames was impossible.

Dam-ho stood up.

There was no reason to stay here any longer. He went outside. Cho Yeon-woon, who had been waiting anxiously, hurriedly approached.

“Are you okay? The Demonic Cult is truly a place that shouldn’t exist. They kill their own allies to cover their tracks.”

“Are you sure it’s the Demonic Cult?”

“Isn’t the evidence clear?”

“Is it?”

“It’s definitely the Demonic Cult! Jo Yeon-sang even called himself a Demonic Cultist.”

Cho Yeon-woon answered confidently.

Dam-ho turned to look at the burning Dragon Sword House.

“Those who believe in the Demonic Cult never call themselves Demonic Cultists.”

“What?”

“They call themselves followers of the Divine Cult.”

***

About a hundred li east of Shouzhou, there was a small hill. On the hillside, there was an abandoned shrine dedicated to Guan Yu, a general of the Shu Han*.

(T/N- *A reference to The Three Kingdoms Era)

In the past, there was a village below the hill. The villagers used to hold rituals at the shrine and pray for Guan Yu’s protection. But one day, the village was swept away by war and disappeared without a trace, and the shrine was abandoned and forgotten.

Inside the shrine, there was a statue of Guan Yu. The huge statue, about three jang* high, was worn by the passage of time, barely maintaining its shape. But its imposing presence was still formidable.

(T/N*- 1 Jang= 3.03m)

A man wearing a golden mask that covered his entire face was sitting on top of the statue.

The man in the golden mask exuded an overwhelming aura.

At that moment, a group of people entered the shrine.

After briefly surveying the interior, they knelt on one knee when they saw the man in the golden mask.

“Il Yeomra greets the Forbidden Demon Envoy.”

“The Blood Ghosts greet the Forbidden Demon Envoy.”

Their loud voices echoed inside the shrine.

The Forbidden Demon Envoy looked at Il Yeomra and the Blood Ghosts.

“How did it go?”

“We have removed all our connections.”

“Did you leave any traces?”

“Of course not.”

“Hmm!”

The Forbidden Demon Envoy leaped down from the statue. He landed softly and walked towards Il Yeomra and the Blood Ghosts with his hands behind his back.

A calm voice flowed from behind the golden mask.

“What about him?”

“He headed to Xing County.”

“As expected.”

“I didn’t think he would find Dragon Sword House. If we had been a little slower, he would have found the connection. He’s truly remarkable.”

“Indeed. If he weren’t, we wouldn’t have had to run away with our tails between our legs.”

“Run away…”

“Huh! Isn’t it true? We retreated after being defeated by the Fist Demon in the Murim Alliance.”

“That was a strategic retreat.”

“Don’t get too worked up. I’m just saying.”

The Forbidden Demon Envoy chuckled. His tone was soft, but there was a strong sense of killing intent.

The Forbidden Demon Envoy had never known failure in his life. The first person to make him taste defeat was Dam-ho.

He still vividly remembered the moment when his mask was shattered by Dam-ho. If it had been a little deeper, his head would have been crushed.

“He must not leave Shouzhou. He must clash with the Demonic Cult.”

“Of course. That’s why we moved the hidden agents we’ve kept secret until now. He will fight the Demonic Cult without hesitation. He’s running wild now, but he will eventually fall, covered in blood.”

“Don’t underestimate him.”

“What?”

“He may seem reckless like a boar, but he’s extremely cunning. If you show even a moment of weakness, he will surely exploit it.”

“Surely not…”

“It’s not surely. His actions so far prove it. Be extremely cautious.”

“I understand. I will keep that in mind.”

Il Yeomra bowed his head.

The Forbidden Demon Envoy turned to look at the statue of Guan Yu.

“The time for the Heavenly Evil to spread its wings is near.”

At that moment.

“Forbidden Demon Envoy.”

A familiar figure suddenly ran into the shrine. It was Ilyeomra.

“What is it?”

“We have a pursuer.”

“A pursuer?”

“It’s him.”

“Really?”

As the Forbidden Demon Envoy’s eyes filled with killing intent.

Bang!

A black shadow broke through the wall of the shrine.

Reed chapter first at Utoon.net