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Chapter 213: Men Navigating Troubled Times (1)

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‘It’s cold.’

Myung Cheon rubbed his shoulders with his arms. The chill that climbed up his spine made his shoulders and neck shiver. The air was heavy and cold.

The moment Geom Yul-cheon appeared, Dam-ho’s eyes changed, and the temperature in the room dropped rapidly. It felt as if the flow of air had stopped, making it hard to breathe, and an immense pressure weighed down on his shoulders and chest. The tension was like a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

Thud! Thud!

Geom Yul-cheon’s footsteps broke the silence and echoed powerfully. While Dam-ho had an irregular stride, Geom Yul-cheon walked with a steady, powerful gait, exuding the aura of a conqueror.

Dam-ho’s eyes began to shine ominously at Geom Yul-cheon’s appearance. The look in his eyes was so fierce that Myung Cheon’s previously calm demeanor hardened.

‘As expected, this person is…’

Terrifying.

It wasn’t just because his martial arts were strong. Dam-ho had something primal that shook a person’s soul from its core. Few could maintain proper thought and composure when facing him directly.

Geom Yul-cheon was one of those few, and the only man Myung Cheon trusted and relied on.

A warrior known as “Unyielding.”

No hardship or adversity had ever made him kneel. His legs were as sturdy as if they could support the sky, and his chest was as broad as if it could embrace the entire world.

Geom Yul-cheon was fully revealing his presence. It was the first time he had ever opened up his aura like this, indicating how much he was aware of Dam-ho.

Dam-ho was the same. The internal energy he had built up with his dark martial arts was wildly fluctuating, stimulated by Geom Yul-cheon’s aura.

Finally, the two stood face to face.

The first to speak was Geom Yul-cheon.

“It’s been a while.”

“Were we ever close enough to greet each other?”

“We’re not complete strangers either.”

“What do you want?”

“I wanted to meet you.”

“Why?”

“Because I had a reason to meet you.”

Most people would have been terrified by Dam-ho’s aura, but Geom Yul-cheon’s expression remained calm.

However, Geom Yul-cheon was somewhat tense, not because he feared Dam-ho, but because he was worried the conversation might break down.

“I know you don’t trust me. But I hope you’ll listen to me for a moment. If you still can’t accept it after hearing me out, it won’t be too late to fight then.”

“……”

“Please.”

Words that seemed unlikely to come from Geom Yul-cheon’s mouth.

Dam-ho stared into Geom Yul-cheon’s eyes. There was no servility or calculation in his gaze.

Others might not notice, but Dam-ho could clearly feel it.

Dam-ho nodded.

“Speak!”

“Thank you!”

“Don’t thank me. I’m just willing to listen. Whatever judgment I make afterward is my decision.”

Despite Dam-ho’s cold response, Geom Yul-cheon smiled. He knew Dam-ho’s personality well enough to realize that getting this much concession was already a significant achievement.

“Since you dislike beating around the bush, I’ll get straight to the point. There’s a dark current flowing in the martial world. This current is instigating a clash between the martial world and the Divine Cult. The attack on your master was also a scheme by this dark current.”

“Dark current?”

“Yes! We’ve been tracking this dark current for a long time. Recently, we’ve gotten closer to its true nature.”

Geom Yul-cheon’s voice was plain yet weighty. His straightforward manner of speaking was enough to instill trust in the listener.

“Heavenly Evil, that’s the name of the dark current we’ve approached.”

“Heavenly Evil?”

“To be precise, it’s the Heavenly Evil Sect. A heretical sect that swept through the martial world before the Divine Cult. They are instigating the clash between the Divine Cult and the martial world.”

“……”

“The Golden Lion you met in Anyang was also a member of the Heavenly Evil Sect. He appeared at a critical moment, providing the catalyst for the formation of the Murim. Without him, the formation of the Murim would have been significantly delayed. We tracked the Golden Lion afterward. He was truly elusive, making it difficult to track him. But Shin Mu-wol persistently pursued him and eventually found him not far from here.”

“We managed to subdue the Golden Lion. However, he was so tenacious that he burst his own heart meridian to commit suicide. We found this in his possession.”

Geom Yul-cheon took out a neatly folded note from his bosom and sent it flying to Dam-ho. The note flew slowly like a fluttering butterfly, a skill that could only be shown with immense internal energy. But Dam-ho caught the note effortlessly without showing any surprise.

“By causing a clash between the Murim and the Divine Cult, extend the conflict in Shouzhou into a prolonged war.

—Tian Zhu”

This was the content written inside the note.

Dam-ho’s brow furrowed deeply. The content was simple, but the implications were heavy.

“They chose to kill your master to provoke you because they judged your master to be your reverse scale.”

“……”

“If you clash with the Divine Cult, the war will inevitably become prolonged. The longer the war, the greater the damage to both the Divine Cult and the Murim, eventually exhausting all their energy. That’s what they want.”

“How can I believe this note is real?”

“You were already suspicious, weren’t you? That’s why you sought out the Hao Clan. Don’t trust me, trust your instincts. Haven’t you lived your life that way?”

Geom Yul-cheon’s words hit the mark.

He wasn’t servile, nor was he trying to persuade Dam-ho. He was simply stating what he knew. Yet, his words penetrated Dam-ho’s ears deeply.

“They are the root cause of all this. They are provoking the Murim on one side and inciting the Divine Cult on the other. As long as they exist, the two forces will have no choice but to fight until they exhaust all their strength.”

“Where is the main base of the Heavenly Evil Sect?”

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be here talking leisurely with you. No one knows the main base of the Heavenly Evil Sect. Not even its members, nor its scale. Sometimes I feel like I’m chasing a ghost that doesn’t exist.”

“They exist, but their presence can’t be confirmed?”

“It’s frustrating. That’s why we can’t reveal their true identity to anyone or get help. You are the first person to know about their existence besides us.”

There was no wavering in Geom Yul-cheon’s gaze as he looked at Dam-ho. His eyes were like a tiger’s, occasionally emitting a blue light.

For an ordinary person, just facing that gaze would be terrifying enough to wet their pants.

Dam-ho stared straight into those eyes. His eerie gaze was just as intimidating as Geom Yul-cheon’s.

The ones who were tense were Myung Cheon and Yano.

‘I thought Yulcheon was the only unparalleled warrior moving this era, but Geom Yul-cheon is just as formidable. The martial world will be moved by these two in the future.’

It was a great shock to Myung Cheon. It made him think about the will of heaven once again.

‘Heaven is truly fickle. It sent Yulcheon to this land, and now it sends Geom Yul-cheon.’

Myung Cheon quietly shook his head and looked at the two.

Dam-ho asked.

“So what do you want from me? Do you want me to fight alongside you?”

“No! I know better than anyone that you’re not someone who would join hands with others.”

“……”

“There’s probably no one in this world who understands you better than I do.”

“Ridiculous. No one understands me.”

“No, I understand. Do you know why?”

“……”

“Because you and I are remarkably alike. The only difference is that when the greatest crisis in life came, no one reached out to you, but I had these people. If it weren’t for them, I would have become a loner like you.”

Geom Yul-cheon’s gaze turned to Myung Cheon. His eyes were full of trust.

To trust someone completely, to give them your full trust, was not easy. It was possible because they had spent a long time together and shown each other everything.

For Myung Cheon, Eum Yu-gyeong, and Shin Mu-wol, Geom Yul-cheon was willing to risk his life. The same was true for them.

Because they were willing to risk their lives for each other, their bond was incredibly strong, and that emotion was fully reflected in their eyes.

“Just like I trust these people, I trust you too. As I said, you and I are remarkably alike.”

“Ha!”

Dam-ho’s lips twisted. His eyes grew even darker with eerie energy.

The already tense air became even heavier. Myung Cheon and Yano could barely breathe.

“Enough nonsense. If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll smash your face.”

“……”

“If you want something, say it clearly. Don’t pretend to understand me.”

“I don’t want anything from you. Tracking the Heavenly Evil Sect is my responsibility. I don’t intend to burden you with it.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“Because you need to know. Knowing and not knowing makes a world of difference.”

Geom Yul-cheon’s eyes grew intense as he looked at Dam-ho. His gaze became as domineering as his words.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. By mentioning the Heavenly Evil Sect, you have become aware of the term. That’s enough.”

“So you met me just to say that?”

“Yes. Whatever judgment you make after hearing my words is up to you. But remember this one thing. I’m not your enemy. If you don’t believe me, you can kill me right here, and I won’t resist.”

“Master!”

“Lord!”

Myung Cheon and Yano shouted in surprise at Geom Yul-cheon’s words.

Dam-ho stared at Geom Yul-cheon. Geom Yul-cheon did not avoid his gaze.

After a long time, Dam-ho spoke.

“Heavenly Evil Sect?”

“Yes.”

“If they really attacked my master, I’ll kill them all with my own hands.”

“That would be great for me. It means I’ll have a reliable ally. But you won’t have to do it. They owe me a debt too.”

“Debt?”

“Do you think I move just for the greater good? I’m not that broad-minded. I believe blood debts must be repaid with blood.”

Geom Yul-cheon’s voice was filled with a thick killing intent.

It wasn’t his nature to speak at length. He had spoken this much only because it was Dam-ho.

Dam-ho asked.

“What is your relationship with the Divine Cult?”

“A place I was involved with a long time ago.”

“So you have no relationship with them now?”

“The leader probably doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Then it doesn’t matter if I destroy the Divine Cult?”

“Of course. But…”

“But?”

“The Divine Cult is not an easy place. The power they have shown to the world is only a part of it.”

“I don’t care.”

“Then neither do I.”

Dam-ho read the sincerity in Geom Yul-cheon’s words.

There might be things he hadn’t said, but at least there were no lies in what he had said.

After staring at Geom Yul-cheon for a long time, Dam-ho turned around. The suffocating pressure that had been weighing down the surroundings disappeared as if it had been washed away.

Only then could Myung Cheon and Yano breathe a sigh of relief.

As Dam-ho left the house, Geom Yul-cheon let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew!”

He had achieved the best possible outcome among the many he had considered. That alone was a significant gain.

Although he hadn’t said it, he had been quite tense. Dam-ho’s aura was beyond his imagination.

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Reed chapter first at Utoon.net