Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 214
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Chapter 214. Men Navigating Troubled Times (2)
Read it only at Utoon.net
“Are you okay, Senior Brother?”
Myung Cheon approached and asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Phew! Why did you recklessly reveal yourself like that? I thought you were going to clash with him.”
“I had no choice. Still, it’s fortunate that we achieved the best result we wanted.”
“Do you mean revealing the existence of the Heavenly Evil Cult?”
[T/N- Heavenly Evil Sect changed to Heavenly Evil Cult]
“That’s right.”
Geom Yul-cheon nodded.
He looked in the direction where Dam-ho had disappeared.
“His existence was unexpected by anyone. Neither the Divine Cult, the Central Plains, the Heavenly Evil Cult, nor even I… He is truly a perfect exception. Depending on what choice he makes, the direction of the Central Plains will change.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to fully bring him to our side?”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“…”
“He is an uncontrollable beast. Because of that, he has an unpredictability that makes it impossible to know where he will go. That is his greatest strength and power. And that unpredictable nature will be the greatest help to us.”
“Sometimes I think Senior Brother should be the strategist, not me. I understand what you mean.”
“You are our strategist. Without you, we would be nothing more than a disorderly crowd.”
“Hey! Don’t say things you don’t mean. I’m not a child anymore.”
“Who would treat our youngest like a child? Haha!”
Geom Yul-cheon burst into laughter.
The tension that had built up from dealing with Dam-ho was relieved with a single burst of laughter. Seeing Geom Yul-cheon like that, Myung Cheon smiled broadly.
Geom Yul-cheon reached out his large hand and ruffled Myung Cheon’s hair. Still, Myung Cheon didn’t erase his smile, seemingly in a good mood.
But soon, the two returned to their usual expressions.
It was Myung Cheon who spoke first.
“Was that note earlier real?”
“What?”
“The note you gave to Fist Demon.”
“It’s real. I got it from Forbidden Demon Envoy.”
“You finally caught him.”
“I caught him. But the problem is that he was more tenacious than expected and took his own life when cornered.”
Geom Yul-cheon showed a regretful expression.
If they had captured Forbidden Demon Envoy, they could have learned many facts. But Forbidden Demon Envoy took his own life, and everything returned to square one.
It was regrettable that they had to track the Heavenly Evil Cult from the beginning again. However, Myung Cheon’s thoughts seemed a little different.
“Perhaps it’s for the best.”
“What is?”
“If they know Forbidden Demon Envoy is dead, they will also be on alert.”
“Then won’t they hide more discreetly?”
“That could be the case. But given their nature that we’ve understood so far, that won’t happen. They will try to intervene in the current Murim situation in some way. Filling the void of someone like Forbidden Demon Envoy is never easy.”
“Really?”
“We need to change our approach. Until now, we’ve been chasing them, but now we need to make them come to us.”
“How?”
Geom Yul-cheon’s voice lowered.
Myung Cheon smiled and continued speaking. Geom Yul-cheon listened intently to his voice.
***
‘Geom Yul-cheon.’
Dam-ho’s mind was complicated as he returned to the Shouzhou branch.
The intense lingering impression Geom Yul-cheon had left in his heart still hadn’t disappeared. Geom Yul-cheon’s presence was that strong.
Normally, Dam-ho would never have listened to Geom Yul-cheon’s words. But as Geom Yul-cheon said, he had strong doubts about his master being attacked and the severed connection with Forbidden Demon Envoy, so he accepted that there was some truth to Geom Yul-cheon’s words.
Dam-ho was ferocious but not stupid. If he were stupid, he wouldn’t have been able to become the current Independent Moving Stream.
Although he received help from Sage Hyeon-so, it was solely Dam-ho’s power that created the current Independent Moving Stream.
Dam-ho slowly recalled his memories.
When he didn’t know about the existence of the Heavenly Evil Cult, he didn’t realize it, but once he became aware, there were many strange things.
‘Hwa-no.’
The old man who claimed to be his protector after receiving a life-saving favor from Jong Ri-yeon. Jong Ri-yeon said she only saved him and didn’t know his true identity.
Hwa-no also mentioned the Heavenly Evil before he died. He had forgotten about it, but listening to Geom Yul-cheon’s words brought back those memories.
If Hwano spoke the truth, Geom Yul-cheon’s words weren’t entirely far-fetched.
‘Heavenly Evil Cult.’
Dam-ho’s eyes deepened further.
He had to deal not only with the Magyo but also with the Heavenly Evil Cult.
This imposed restrictions on his actions.
While dealing with the Magyo, he always had to keep the Heavenly Evil Cult in mind. He couldn’t help but be more cautious.
Perhaps Geom Yul-cheon had calculated that far. Dam-ho couldn’t be forcibly tamed. In that case, he could only hope that Dam-ho would think for himself and exercise restraint.
‘This time, I’ll dance on the stage you’ve set, Geom Yul-cheon.’
Just as Geom Yul-cheon was conscious of Dam-ho, Dam-ho was also conscious of Geom Yul-cheon. He was the only one who made Dam-ho’s blood boil.
For now, they had joined hands for the same goal, but he didn’t believe the alliance could last forever.
It was when Dam-ho organized his thoughts and entered the Shouzhou branch.
In the distance, Cho Yeon-woon was seen having a serious conversation with someone. It was a female martial artist with a face that looked very cute at first glance.
The woman had a striking appearance with her light green outfit, neatly tied-up hair, and a face that still retained a youthful charm.
The woman was speaking earnestly about something, and Cho Yeon-woon was nodding repeatedly. After hearing all the conversation, Cho Yeon-woon clasped his hands in a respectful gesture to the woman and then turned around, spotting Dam-ho.
“Ah!”
Cho Yeon-woon brightened up and ran towards Dam-ho.
The woman who had been talking with Cho Yeon-woon until now looked disappointed as she watched him run towards Dam-ho without looking back. But soon, she went inside the pavilion.
“What happened? I heard you went out to the city.”
“There was an incident.”
“What kind of incident?”
“Where is Master?”
“Right now, Miss Jong Ri is taking care of him. I was discussing with the leader of Secret Burial Faction to establish a security system.”
“Secret Burial Faction?”
“The lady I just met, Miss Dan Hwaran, is the leader of Secret Burial Faction. It’s a secret organization created to protect important figures of the Murim Alliance. Considering the gravity of the situation, the Murim Alliance decided to dispatch Secret Burial Faction.”
“Is Secret Burial Faction trustworthy?”
Dam-ho’s words carried a lot of meaning. Cho Yeon-woon knew this well.
“Secret Burial Faction is an organization directly under the Murim Alliance. It’s natural not to trust them. But you can trust Miss Dan.”
“Do you trust her?”
“Although she is currently the leader of Secret Burial Faction, she once studied at Hundred Battles Sect. She was sent there to gain experience from her sect, Gentle Sword Sect. So I know her better than anyone else. She is trustworthy. I’d stake my life on it.”
At Cho Yeon-woon’s words, Dam-ho nodded. Only then did Cho Yeon-woon smile.
The two walked side by side.
Dam-ho and Cho Yeon-woon. At first glance, they seemed like an unlikely pair, but surprisingly, their presence together was accepted without a sense of incongruity by others.
Cho Yeon-woon was one of the few people who interacted with Dam-ho without hesitation. He was also the only person worthy of being called a friend. Because of this, there were quite a few people with power who approached Cho Yeon-woon.
It was difficult to approach Dam-ho directly, so they tried to approach him indirectly through Cho Yeon-woon. However, Cho Yeon-woon blocked all those who approached in that way. Because of this, he faced quite a bit of criticism, but he never showed it to Dam-ho.
When the two entered the annex, the first scene they saw was Jong Ri-yeon dozing off while boiling herbal medicine in the front yard.
“Miss Jong Ri has been through a lot. She hasn’t left Master Hyeon-so’s side for a moment.”
She had stayed up for two whole nights. Naturally, her body couldn’t withstand it.
Dam-ho picked up Jong Ri-yeon. Yet, she didn’t wake up from her sleep. She had expended so much mental energy over the two days that she had nearly fainted.
“Mm!”
Jong Ri-yeon smiled while being held in Dam-ho’s arms. Dam-ho silently watched her and then went inside.
He gently laid Jong Ri-yeon down in a corner of the room where Master Hyeon-so was and covered her with a blanket. Jong Ri-yeon curled up and fell into a deep sleep.
Dam-ho turned his gaze to Master Hyeon-so. Master Hyeon-so, who was in a state of light sleep, seemed to be dreaming.
‘Master.’
What kind of dream was Master Hyeon-so having? He was curious.
Dam-ho silently watched Master Hyeon-so. Although Dam-ho was known to be ruthless to the world, there was a warm affection in his eyes at this moment.
It was a look he showed only to Master Hyeon-so.
Dam-ho held Master Hyeon-so’s hand tightly.
Master Hyeon-so’s rough knuckles pained Dam-ho’s heart. During the long time he was absent, Master had also endured hardships no less than his own.
Due to being in a state of light sleep, Master Hyeon-so’s overall metabolism had slowed, so his body temperature was lower than usual. However, to Dam-ho, even that temperature felt warm.
Cho Yeon-woon silently watched Dam-ho and Master Hyeon-so.
Seeing the two of them reminded him of his own master.
‘Ah! I miss Master.’
Though they bickered and fought every day, Master Jang Ilsan cherished him dearly. Without Jang Ilsan, the current Cho Yeon-woon wouldn’t exist.
‘When will Master join us?’
He had heard through his disciples that Jang Ilsan would join soon. Moreover, there were rumors that many experts were heading this way.
A significant portion of the Murim Alliance’s forces was being concentrated here in Shouzhou. Shouzhou was undoubtedly becoming the eye of the storm.
Cho Yeon-woon left Dam-ho and Master Hyeon-so behind and stepped outside.
“Ahhh!”
Cho Yeon-woon took a deep breath and stretched. Tears welled up in his eyes.
It wasn’t just Jong Ri-yeon who had overexerted herself. He, too, had been moving without rest, so he felt fatigued. But he couldn’t afford to rest comfortably.
He wasn’t just an ordinary late-stage martial artist. As the head of Baekjeonmun, he was called to many places and had a lot to care for.
“It can’t be helped.”
Cho Yeon-woon shook his head and continued walking.
The entire Shouzhou branch was bustling.
Buildings were being constructed for the newly dispatched troops to reside in, and various traps and mechanisms were being installed on the outskirts. The number of martial artists standing guard increased, and the entry procedures became more stringent.
The Shouzhou branch was becoming a fortress. It was reassuring, like a hedgehog with its quills raised, but it also made him feel uneasy.
“Isn’t there a place to get a drink?”
Cho Yeon-woon smacked his lips.
Unintentionally, he had been so focused on work that he hadn’t had a drink in a while. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to drink for some time. This was a regretful point for Cho Yeon-woon.
As Cho Yeon-woon continued walking, it happened.
“Senior Cho.”
A familiar voice called him. He turned his head and saw a familiar face.
“Ah! Miss Hae.”
The woman looking at him was none other than Hae So-wol.
Hae So-wol approached Cho Yeon-woon gracefully. Cho Yeon-woon thought her steps seemed heavier than usual. Indeed, her expression didn’t look very good.
“What is it?”
“If you have time, come with me somewhere.”
“Where are you talking about?”
“It’s a place that’s not very pleasant for you. And for me, too.”
“Hmm!”
Cho Yeon-woon frowned slightly at Hae So-wol’s vague answer. But he soon nodded willingly.
“Then let’s go.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Cho Yeon-woon followed Hae So-wol. They arrived at a small pavilion that had been recently built.
“Here?”
“Come in.”
Hae So-wol opened the door to the pavilion first and went inside. Cho Yeon-woon followed her in. Then he saw a group of people sitting around a large table.
“Who are you?”
Cho Yeon-woon’s eyes widened.
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