Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 227
Chapter 227 – The Sand Castle is Swept Away by Strong Waves (2)
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Cho Yeon-woon stepped forward.
“Master!”
“It’s been a while.”
A middle-aged man holding a large flag stood in front of the main gate of the Shouzhou branch.
With disheveled hair like a magpie’s nest, tattered clothes that seemed to have been patched up a hundred times, and a large sword on his waist – there was nothing ordinary about this middle-aged man.
This was Jang Il-san, Cho Yeon-woon’s master. The flag he was holding was called the Flag of Hundred Victories, the pride and symbol of the Hundred Battles Sect.
Wherever the Flag of Hundred Victories was, that was the Hundred Battles Sect.
The hundreds of martial artists lined up behind Jang Il-san were all elites of the Hundred Battles Sect. It was as if the entire Hundred Battles Sect had moved here.
They chattered freely as they looked at Cho Yeon-woon.
“It’s been a while, Young Sect Leader.”
“I heard you beat Nine Martial Dragons? We can’t even call him Drunken Dragon anymore. Ah! The good times are gone.”
“Still, Drunken Dragon suits our Young Sect Leader. He is really charming when his eyes are hazy from drinking.”
“Bah! That’s just like rotten fish eyes. Look closely. Don’t his eyes look unfocused even now?”
The elites of the Hundred Battles Sect chattered noisily as they looked at Cho Yeon-woon.
Cho Yeon-woon’s expression twisted at their rude behavior, which lacked even a speck of manners.
“Damn it! To think I have to see these unlucky faces again.”
“Hahaha! Why? We’re just happy to see you.”
“Happy my ass.”
Cho Yeon-woon spat on the ground. But her expression wasn’t too displeased.
Jang Il-san smiled as he looked at Cho Yeon-woon.
“You must have had a hard time leading the disciples all this while.”
“It wasn’t that difficult. But did you bring all your forces here?”
“Of course. The fate of the martial world will be decided here.”
“Well, welcome anyway.”
“You’ve done well too.”
Master and disciple looked at each other with passionate eyes.
Jang Il-san’s whole body was overflowing with more vigor than ever before. He smelled the scent of battlefield here.
Jang Il-san turned to look at the disciples of the Hundred Battles Sect he had brought and said,
“This is our battlefield. We will fight here prepared to bury our bones. Are you all ready?”
“Of course, Sect Leader.”
“We are prepared to die.”
The disciples of the Hundred Battles Sect shouted loudly. They had shown a disorderly appearance just moments ago, but now they displayed a resolute attitude, completely different from before.
Cho Yeon-woon smiled slightly.
This was the true face of the Hundred Battles Sect. While they lived more freely than anyone else normally, they showed a wolf-like appearance baring their teeth in front of the Demonic cult, their mortal enemy.
Jang Il-san shouted,
“Good! We’ll establish our base here. Everyone move!”
“Yes!”
The disciples of the Hundred Battles Sect moved in perfect unison with a resounding answer.
Jang Il-san threw the huge Flag of Hundred Victories he was holding to Cho Yeon-woon.
Thud!
A puzzled expression appeared on Cho Yeon-woon’s face as he caught the Flag of Hundred Victories without thinking.
“Why this?”
“Do you expect me to carry it around at my age? You carry it from now on.”
“Mas…ter!”
Cho Yeon-woon’s eyes wavered at the unexpected words.
The Flag of Hundred Victories was the sacred object symbolizing the Hundred Battles Sect. Handing over the Flag of Hundred Victories meant that he trusted Cho Yeon-woon that much.
Jang Il-san clicked his tongue as he watched Cho Yeon-woon getting emotional.
“No need to be so moved. I can’t carry this heavy thing forever, can I? My back hurts too much to hold it for long now.”
“Master.”
“Still, you did well defeating Nam Hak. I’m glad to see you finally pulling your weight.”
With those words of praise, Jang Il-san turned around. He walked inside, leaving Cho Yeon-woon behind.
Left alone, Cho Yeon-woon looked at the Flag of Hundred Victories in her hand.
“I will definitely live up to this flag.”
The Flag of Hundred Victories felt as heavy as ten thousand catties. It was the weight of the honor accumulated by the Hundred Battles Sect and the reverence placed on it by the righteous martial artists.
After savoring the Flag of Hundred Victories for a long time, Cho Yeon-woon walked into the Shouzhou branch.
Although it was early morning, many people were walking around the Shouzhou branch. Naturally, their gazes were directed at Cho Yeon-woon.
Among them was Dan Hwa-ran, the leader of the Secret Burial Faction.
Originally tasked with protecting Sage Hyeon-so, she was now in a state of limbo with no particular duties after Sage Hyeon-so left this place with Dam-ho.
“Senior Cho.”
“Ah! Miss Dan.”
“That thing in your hand, could it be the Hundred Battles…”
“Yes, it’s the Flag of Hundred Victories.”
“Then did Master Jang come?”
Dan Hwa-ran’s eyes widened.
Cho Yeon-woon answered with a smirk,
“Yes! Master has come. He brought all the disciples of the Hundred Battles Sect.”
“Ah!”
Dan Hwa-ran let out an exclamation without realizing it.
“Go quickly. Master will want to see Miss Dan too.”
“Yes!”
Dan Hwa-ran ran off with an energetic answer. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she stopped and turned around.
“Senior Cho!”
“Hmm?”
“It suits you well.”
“What does?”
“That flag, the Flag of Hundred Victories… It suits you well.”
Dan Hwa-ran’s face was completely flushed red. But she was too far away for Cho Yeon-woon to notice.
Dan Hwa-ran ran off quickly, and Cho Yeon-woon, left alone, smiled.
He didn’t feel bad. No, he felt good.
“Hwa-ran.”
Strength entered the hand holding the Flag of Hundred Victories.
Meanwhile, someone was watching this scene from afar. The woman with a curvy figure and a face covered by a veil was Eum Yu-gyeong.
“So that’s the Flag of Hundred Victories.”
A complex light appeared in Eum Yu-gyeong’s eyes.
To the righteous martial artists, including the Murim Alliance, the Flag of Hundred Victories was a symbol of glory and victory, but to the martial artists of the Demonic Cult, it meant humiliation and defeat. Even now, most of the martial artists of the Demonic Cult were burning with anger towards the Flag of Hundred Victories.
Although she was said to have a neutral tendency, Eum Yu-gyeong was still a martial artist of the Demonic Cult. She too couldn’t feel comfortable seeing the Flag of Hundred Victories.
“Huh!”
Eum Yu-gyeong let out a quiet sigh.
If it becomes known that the Flag of Hundred Victories is here, the Demonic Cult will rush in even more desperately.
“Before that, we must secure the sacred object.”
The urgent task was to find the whereabouts of the Hyeondo Sect.
***
Bang Jin-bo came to see Dam-ho.
“Brother!”
His face was full of smiles. Ever since meeting Dam-ho again, he had always been grinning.
Although Hwang Gyeong-mun scolded him, asking if he liked Dam-ho that much, Bang Jin-bo didn’t care. He was happy just being under the same sky as Dam-ho.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Can I sit here?”
Bang Jin-bo pointed to the seat next to Dam-ho. Dam-ho nodded, gesturing for him to sit. Bang Jin-bo quickly sat down next to Dam-ho.
“Hehe!”
Laughter burst out naturally. Bang Jin-bo didn’t try to hide his laughter. He always became honest in front of Dam-ho.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been well. The Chief Strategist and sister have been taking good care of me.”
Bang Jin-bo’s eyes had deepened quite a bit during this time. Having thought a lot on his own, he had matured that much. Still, Bang Jin-bo always became a child in front of Dam-ho.
“I’ve also learned martial arts.”
“Really?”
“Yes! It’s called the Five Elements Gentleman Art… The Chief taught it to me.”
Bang Jin-bo said proudly.
After learning the Five Elements Gentleman Art, he was gradually gaining confidence. That confidence was reflected in his expression.
Dam-ho looked at Bang Jin-bo.
Like a child waiting for praise, Bang Jin-bo was looking at Dam-ho with sparkling eyes.
Dam-ho reached out and patted Bang Jin-bo’s head.
“Well done.”
“Hehe!”
Bang Jin-bo laughed.
Dam-ho’s hand was rough and coarse.
It was a fearsome hand that brought death to others, but Bang Jin-bo could feel a streak of warmth in it. He had missed that warmth so much.
“I’ll take a look at your martial arts. Show me how you use the Five Elements Gentleman Art.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
“Okay!”
Bang Jin-bo answered energetically and sat cross-legged. Then he started using the Five Elements Gentleman Art.
It had only been a few months since he learned the Five Elements Gentleman Art. His achievement was truly minimal. But Bang Jin-bo used the Five Elements Gentleman Art with all his might.
A faint energy could be felt in his dantian.
‘Move.’
Bang Jin-bo moved his qi with a wish.
The Five Elements Gentleman Art literally meant using the five energies of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. It was important to harmonize the five energies well without leaning towards any one of the five energies.
Dam-ho silently watched Bang Jin-bo using the Five Elements Gentleman Art. He could feel a streak of energy moving.
That energy was too weak. But it was pure. It was a clear and clean energy, as pure as Bang Jin-bo’s nature.
Dam-ho grabbed Bang Jin-bo’s pulse point. Then the energy inside Bang Jin-bo could be felt more clearly.
‘Hot energy. The fire energy is particularly strong.’
Perhaps it was natural.
Bang Jin-bo had been cooking in front of hot stoves since he was young. Without realizing it, he had become accustomed to fire and developed a constitution that easily accepted that energy.
Compared to the fire energy, the other energies were extremely weak. Especially the water energy, which was opposite to fire, was hardly felt.
Dam-ho concentrated his mind even more to feel Bang Jin-bo’s power. He could clearly feel the fire energy leading the other energies and circling around the whole body.
Fire energy means ascension. It has a nature that constantly tries to go upwards. Because the fire energy was too strong, the other energies were also drawn to it and headed towards Bang Jin-bo’s head. That’s why Bang Jin-bo’s face turned red as if blood had rushed to it.
“Fire is hot, so it’s light and tries to occupy the top, but water is cold, so it’s heavy and occupies the bottom. The mind is the same. Hot thoughts like fire go up, and yin and cold reason goes down.”
The moment he heard Dam-ho’s words, Bang Jin-bo’s body trembled. Like rain falling in a drought, Dam-ho’s words were precisely hitting the core that Bang Jin-bo had been so desperately seeking.
“The method of gathering water energy is simple. Bringing down cold reason, which will make trees bloom, and trees will root in the earth. Trees will ignite fire, and fire will melt metal, thus completing the cycle of circulation.”
Dam-ho didn’t know the Five Elements Gentleman Art. But when one martial art reaches its extreme, it’s not difficult to penetrate the principles of other martial arts.
That was Dam-ho’s current state.
As the Lone Wolf Flow reached its peak, the principles of other martial arts came into view. The Five Elements Gentleman Art was no exception.
Just by observing how Bang Jin-bo was using his qi, he accurately grasped and conveyed the core of the Five Elements Gentleman Art.
Bang Jin-bo’s body trembled. Dam-ho’s teaching had stirred him.
At that moment, Dam-ho injected his power into Bang Jin-bo’s body.
This was a big risk even for Dam-ho. His power, built up with the Dark Soul Heart Technique, had such a destructive nature that it couldn’t be carelessly injected into another person’s body. That’s why Dam-ho had been extremely reluctant to inject his internal energy into others.
But at this moment, he felt like it would be okay somehow. The subtleties of the Dark Soul Heart Technique hadn’t particularly changed, but he was strangely full of confidence.
Dam-ho followed his feeling.
He stimulated Bang Jin-bo’s Five Elements Gentleman Art with the Dark Soul Heart Technique. In front of the rough and destructive massive energy, the energy built up with the Five Elements Gentleman Art had no choice but to comply.
“Hmm!”
A groan escaped through Bang Jin-bo’s lips.
It felt like a huge flame was circling around his whole body. Dam-ho’s internal force dragged along the energy of the Five Elements Gentleman Art and burned the impurities accumulated in Bang Jin-bo’s body.
The impurities and impure substances blocking the meridians crumbled, unable to withstand Dam-ho’s formidable internal force.
Dam-ho was unstoppable.
Water energy was generated against fire energy, wood energy sprouted, earth energy created a foundation. With the addition of metal energy, Bang Jin-bo’s Five Elements Gentleman Art finally took on a solid form.
Only then did Dam-ho remove his hand from Bang Jin-bo’s pulse point.
The beginning was difficult, but once Dam-ho opened the floodgates, the Five Elements Gentleman Art began to circulate positively.
Even Dam-ho couldn’t know how far Bang Jin-bo’s achievement would reach. But depending on his efforts, he could reach quite a high level.
When martial arts reach an ascending stage, it will be of great help on the path Bang Jin-bo wants to take.
‘You go the path you want to go. Even if that path is thorny. I will do the same…’
His thoughts became clearer.