Fist Demon of Mount Hua ( Novel ) - Chapter 257
Chapter 257 – Time Flows Like Water (1)
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Winter days end early. Deep in the mountains, they end even earlier. But surprisingly, people often overlooked this fact.
Two men wandering the winter mountain now were like that. A middle-aged man who appeared to be in his late thirties and a youth who looked about sixteen or seventeen were walking through knee-deep snow.
Though ordinary people would have been exhausted breaking through the snow, there wasn’t a trace of fatigue on their faces. But they were frowning as if troubled.
“At this rate we’ll end up wandering the winter mountain helplessly.”
“What should we do, Uncle? We can’t spend all night like this?”
The youth looked up at the middle-aged man.
Though pale from the cold, the youth had a very handsome appearance. His eyebrows extended sharply, and his clear black and white eyes were full of intelligence. If there was a flaw, it was that his upturned eye corners made him appear arrogant.
The middle-aged man shook his head.
“Let’s look around a bit more. There must be somewhere we can rest briefly.”
“Alright.”
The youth answered with a resigned expression. But his dissatisfaction was evident. Seeing the youth like this, the middle-aged man smiled bitterly.
When traveling the murim, having to unexpectedly spend nights outdoors was common. But having grown up privileged, the youth didn’t welcome such outdoor stays.
Darkness was already falling. The descent of darkness was truly instantaneous. If they didn’t find a place to rest quickly, they would have to spend the night in darkness.
The middle-aged man, Moon Su-gyeol, concentrated internal energy in his eyes to enhance his vision. As Moon Su-gyeol looked around, a strange light appeared in his eyes.
He pointed in one direction with his finger.
“Over there?”
“What?”
“A light.”
The youth looked in the direction Moon Su-gyeol pointed. A look of joy suddenly appeared on his face. A light was flickering there.
“It’s true. Let’s hurry.”
“Yes!”
The two quickly walked toward where the light was flickering.
Though it didn’t look far at first glance, it was quite far when actually walking. Still, walking without rest, they eventually arrived near the light.
“Ah!”
Suddenly disappointment appeared in the youth’s eyes.
Though the light made him think there would be a thatched house, a group was camping outside.
About twenty carriages were arranged in a circle like fortress walls, and about twenty people and horses were gathered cozily inside.
A large pot hung over a blazing bonfire. Quite a delicious smell was flowing from the pot.
“Who goes there?”
Men who noticed Moon Su-gyeol and the youth’s presence raised weapons alertly. Moon Su-gyeol quickly stepped forward and said:
“Sorry to disturb your rest. I am Moon Su-gyeol. Embarrassingly, martial brothers have given me the title Toad Fist.”
“Toad Fist Moon Su-gyeol? Is it really Hero Moon?”
One of the warriors near the bonfire reacted as if recognizing Moon Su-gyeol’s name. Moon Su-gyeol made a respectful gesture and said:
“Yes. I am Toad Fist Moon Su-gyeol. We ended up lost on the mountain path and came here. Though shameless, I would appreciate if you let us warm ourselves briefly by the bonfire.”
“Oh my! That was dangerous. The winter mountain is so fearsome. Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
The warrior gladly made room for Moon Su-gyeol. Moon Su-gyeol thanked him and introduced the youth beside him.
“This child is my nephew Jo Won-myeong. Won-myeong, quickly thank these people.”
“Thank you for your consideration. I am Jo Won-myeong.”
The youth, Jo Won-myeong, made a respectful gesture. The warrior smiled and said:
“Hoho! So it’s Young Hero Jo, the Wild Goose Sword. What an honor to meet such famous people on this nameless mountain.”
The leader warrior burst into hearty laughter.
Wild Goose Sword Jo Won-myeong.
He was a rising young talent who had recently begun to stand out. Though young, his martial arts were excellent enough to earn the title Wild Goose Sword.
Once the two’s identities were confirmed, the alert warriors finally lowered their swords.
Moon Su-gyeol walked toward the bonfire and asked:
“I see this is a merchant caravan.”
“Good eye. That’s right. We’re the Silver Family Castle’s merchant caravan.”
At the warrior’s answer, now Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong were surprised.
Silver Family Castle was one of Hunan’s Five Great Sects. It was one of the five strongest sects in Hunan. But more famous than that was Silver Family Castle’s wealth.
Having grown tremendously over the past three years, Silver Family Castle was known to have accumulated wealth rivaling Divine Trade Association which was called the world’s greatest merchant group, surpassing being first in Hunan.
“Silver Family Castle’s merchant caravan? Then sir, you are?”
“I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Jeok Yong-cheon, head of Silver Family Castle’s merchant caravan.”
“Ah! So you’re Hero Jeok the Iron Sword Asura!”
Moon Su-gyeol couldn’t hide his surprised expression.
Jeok Yong-cheon was originally quite famous as a warrior. Everyone was surprised when he said he would become Silver Family Castle’s merchant caravan head.
“To think someone still remembers that title, I’m embarrassed.”
“How could I forget? The incident three years ago at Muae Valley where Hero Jeok alone swept away twenty Demon Cult elite warriors is still famous in the murim.”
“I’m embarrassed. Please sit here.”
Jeok Yong-cheon had Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong sit by the bonfire. At his gesture, one of the merchant caravan warriors ladled porridge from the pot and brought it.
Jeok Yong-cheon offered the porridge to the two.
“Please warm your frozen bodies while eating this at least.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong accepted the porridge bowls without declining.
Eating porridge by the bonfire gradually thawed their frozen bodies. Only then could the two breathe sighs of relief.
“Whew! Thanks to you we’re saved.”
“We’re all martial brothers, of course we should help. No need to thank us.”
“No. I will surely repay this kindness. Thank you, Hero Jeok.”
Moon Su-gyeol made another respectful gesture to Jeok Yong-cheon. Jeok Yong-cheon showed a troubled expression at this.
“No need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank our young lady. Without her, we couldn’t have let you in.”
“Young lady?”
Just as doubt appeared on Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong’s faces, the door of a nearby carriage opened. And a beautiful young lady revealed herself.
The moment he saw the young lady, Jo Won-myeong’s eyes widened…. The young lady wearing luxurious silk clothes was dazzlingly beautiful. Her eyes were black as obsidian, and her features were delicate like a doll’s. Her eyes sparkled like the morning star.
Jo Won-myeong had never seen a young lady with such shining eyes before. Jo Won-myeong felt his heart trembling.
The young lady greeted Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong.
“I’m glad to meet heroes of the murim like this. I am Eun So-cheong of Silver Family Castle.”
“Ah! I am Moon Su-gyeol, Miss Eun.”
“J-Jo Won-myeong.”
“I’ve heard much about you, Hero Moon, Young Hero Jo.”
Eun So-cheong smiled brightly. At that moment Jo Won-myeong felt his mind going dizzy.
Though Jo Won-myeong had met quite many young ladies, none were as beautiful as Eun So-cheong. Eun So-cheong had a noble air they lacked, and above all she had the tremendous background of Silver Family Castle.
Jo Won-myeong unconsciously swallowed dry saliva.
Eun So-cheong sat across from Jo Won-myeong. With the bonfire between them, Eun So-cheong’s face was seen more clearly.
Eun So-cheong’s appearance wearing a faint smile looked even more fantastical in the firelight.
Jo Won-myeong unconsciously said loudly:
“Y-you’re beautiful, Miss Eun.”
“Thank you.”
At Eun So-cheong’s answer, Jo Won-myeong had a blank expression for a moment before realizing his state.
‘Such a fool…’
He wanted to hit his head if he could. Because he felt his behavior was too foolish.
Moon Su-gyeol smoothed things over.
“Thank you for your consideration, Miss Eun. Thanks to you we could catch our breath.”
He naturally diverted Eun So-cheong’s attention.
“Not at all. We’re all martial brothers so of course we should help. Don’t worry about it.”
“Is Miss Eun personally going on business? It must be quite a large deal.”
“Not exactly.”
Eun So-cheong slightly shook her head. Moon Su-gyeol showed a puzzled expression at this.
“No, you mean Miss Eun is going on business when it’s not even a big deal?”
“There’s someone I want to meet.”
“What?”
“Since that person won’t come out, I have no choice but to go.”
Faint longing was contained in Eun So-cheong’s eyes. At that moment Jo Won-myeong felt jealousy gushing forth.
‘Just who is it?’
It clearly wasn’t a look of missing family. It was a look containing longing for the opposite sex.
Jo Won-myeong was jealous of someone he had never even seen. That’s how much he was captivated by Eun So-cheong at first sight.
Jo Won-myeong tried to maintain composure as he asked:
“Th-then where are you heading, Miss Eun?”
“Huayin County.”
“Huayin County?”
“Yes! Where Mount Hua Sect is.”
“But hasn’t Mount Hua Sect sealed its gates long ago?”
“That’s right.”
Eun So-cheong answered with an unconcerned expression. But Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong’s faces hardened like stone statues.
Mount Hua Sect.
Who in the murim wouldn’t know that name?
One of the nine strongest sects in the world and along with Wudang, one of the two great leaders of Taoism.
That was the Mount Hua people remembered from before. But the Mount Hua people knew now was quite different.
A powerless giant living shabbily on past glory, or an old-fashioned sect that locked its doors not wanting to show its fallen state.
That was the Mount Hua that new warriors like Jo Won-myeong knew. The only reason Mount Hua Sect still held a place among the Nine Great Sects was because of one absolute warrior.
‘Mount Hua’s Fist Demon Dam-ho.’
A demon of the era produced by the prestigious Mount Hua Sect.
One who possessed such tremendous martial might he could reverse war situations alone. How else could the Demon Cult have retreated from Mount Hua three years ago due to just his presence?
Thanks to his existence, Mount Hua Sect could barely hang on to the edge of the Nine Great Sects. That showed how remarkable Dam-ho was, but conversely it also meant Mount Hua Sect had fallen that miserably.
‘It’s been about three years since they sealed their gates?’
Mount Hua Sect locked their doors and completely stopped external activities. Though Mount Hua Sect priests could be seen quite often before, now they couldn’t be seen even in Huayin County where Mount Hua Sect was based.
Since Mount Hua Sect sealed its gates, Huayin County lost vitality. Many people left or moved away from Huayin County, and outside warriors also cut off contact with Mount Hua.
For three long years Mount Hua never showed itself to the murim, and people no longer paid attention to Mount Hua. If at least Dam-ho had been active it would be different, but with Mount Hua Sect’s gate sealing Dam-ho too completely stopped activities in the murim. Afterward Mount Hua was forgotten in people’s memories.
Moon Su-gyeol looked around at the carriages.
“Perhaps the goods in these carriages… are going into Mount Hua?”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm!”
“Why, is it unexpected?”
“Honestly yes. I heard Mount Hua Sect sealed its gates and completely cut off from the outside.”
“No matter what, they’re still people who need to eat and live. We’ve steadily traded items like grain from before.”
At Eun So-cheong’s answer, Moon Su-gyeol’s eyes shone.
‘Though they may have been truly great before, Mount Hua is already a forgotten existence now. Yet Silver Family Castle trades with Mount Hua?’
It was a completely unknown fact.
Probably almost no one in the world knew such a fact. That’s how far Mount Hua Sect had fallen from people’s attention.
Moon Su-gyeol’s eyes narrowed.
That’s when Eun So-cheong asked:
“By the way, where are Hero Moon and Young Hero Jo heading?”
“Us?”
“Yes!”
“Hmm!”
Moon Su-gyeol and Jo Won-myeong secretly exchanged glances. They confirmed each other’s intentions instantly.
“We… are going to Huayin County.”
“Really?”
“Yes! We’re supposed to meet someone there.”
“What a great coincidence.”
Eun So-cheong slightly furrowed her brow.
Jo Won-myeong looked at such an Eun So-cheong and said:
“Since things are like this, I hope we can travel together to Huayin County, Miss Eun.”