Chapter 309 – There’s No Tiger’s Den Like This (3)

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“Hmm!”

Deung Gwan-yeol’s eyes trembled.

The dozen or so martial artists standing behind him also had the same expression. It was because the martial prowess of the boy they had observed from afar was so shocking.

“A cook?”

The boy had revealed himself as Mount Hua Sect’s Head Cook. And the martial prowess he had shown was truly shocking.

Those he had faced were martial artists belonging to the Martial Alliance’s Outer Hall. The Martial Alliance’s Outer Hall consisted of elites so well-trained that disciples of ordinary sects wouldn’t dare to challenge them.

Such elites had suffered a crushing defeat even in a joint attack. This meant the boy’s martial prowess was exceptional.

“Did he say his name was Bang Jin-bo?”

Deung Gwan-yeol repeated that name several times to engrave it firmly in his memory. It was a name he had to remember. Bang Jin-bo’s martial power was that outstanding.

“Such a person is a cook rather than a Plum Blossom Sword Master? What on earth is happening inside Mount Hua Sect?”

He couldn’t understand the situation that had unfolded before his eyes.

A mere cook overwhelming the Martial Alliance’s elites like this was something his common sense couldn’t accept.

“I need to report this to the Alliance first. Sang-un, send a messenger bird immediately.”

“……”

The voice of his subordinate, who should have answered immediately as usual, was not heard. So Deung Gwan-yeol called once more.

“Sang-un.”

“……”

When still no answer came, Deung Gwan-yeol frowned and turned around. At that moment, his expression froze.

“Wh-when?”

Deung Gwan-yeol’s voice naturally trembled.

His subordinates were standing blankly like stone statues. It wasn’t because they didn’t want to move. It was because of the swords pointed at their necks. Dozens of Taoists were somehow pointing swords at his subordinates.

Gulp!

Deung Gwan-yeol’s subordinates couldn’t even open their mouths and could only swallow dry saliva. Their faces clearly showed fear.

Deung Gwan-yeol asked with a deliberately calm expression:

“Who are you people? Aren’t you afraid to oppress the Martial Alliance’s martial artists?”

“So it was the Martial Alliance after all.”

At that moment, a Taoist who appeared to be the leader walked out from among the Taoists. He was Won-myeong, who led the Plum Blossom Sword Masters. And the Taoists who had subdued the Martial Alliance’s martial artists were the Plum Blossom Sword Masters.

They had been secretly protecting Bang Jin-bo and Jong Ri-yeon from the shadows when they discovered Deung Gwan-yeol and his subordinates and secretly approached to subdue them.

‘Damn!’

Deung Gwan-yeol bit his lips hard.

He was the Third Group Leader of Dark Cloud, the Martial Alliance’s secret intelligence organization. He had been dispatched to monitor this place in place of Jo Won-myeong, who had been the Second Group Leader.

The disturbance caused by Lim Hap-chu, the Outer Hall Group Leader, was due to his orders. They had deliberately blocked the passages leading to Huayin County and harassed people to examine Mount Hua Sect’s strength and response.

Originally, he planned to secretly escape from here after grasping Mount Hua Sect’s response and military strength.

Though Lim Hap-chu had caused a disturbance in Huayin County, there was the justification that they had pursued someone who fled avoiding inspection. But Mount Hua Sect’s response far exceeded his expectations.

He never thought he and Dark Cloud would be so easily subdued by Mount Hua Sect’s Taoists.

‘These people are definitely Plum Blossom Sword Masters. But were the Plum Blossom Sword Masters this outstanding?’

He briefly assessed the martial power between themselves and the Plum Blossom Sword Masters. He was thinking of confronting them with force if necessary. But he soon gave up.

They had been subdued without even noticing any signs. This meant the gap in martial power was significant. He couldn’t even think of resisting.

Won-myeong walked toward Deung Gwan-yeol.

“Why is the Martial Alliance doing such things in Huayin County?”

“We are…”

“Have you forgotten? Though we chose to close our gates, we are also members of the Martial Alliance. Yet you’re doing such cowardly acts in an ally’s territory. Is this the Martial Alliance’s way?”

“Kreuk!”

“Answer me. Whose orders are these? The Alliance Leader’s orders?”

Deung Gwan-yeol couldn’t answer. If he answered here that these were orders from Military Advisor Namgung Chang, things would really become serious.

After frantically thinking for a moment, he gave the most mundane answer.

“It’s the Alliance’s will.”

“The Alliance?”

“That’s right!”

“The Martial Alliance seems to look down on Mount Hua Sect. To dare do such things in Mount Hua’s territory.”

Won-myeong’s face was full of anger.

Though they had fallen and were forced to close their gates, their pride as Mount Hua Sect disciples hadn’t disappeared. He loved Mount Hua Sect more than anyone and had tremendous pride in it.

Because of this, his anger toward the Martial Alliance, which dared to do such things in Mount Hua’s territory, was inevitable.

Deung Gwan-yeol desperately made excuses:

“The Martial Alliance never looks down on Mount Hua Sect.”

“Then why did you do such things? Did Mount Hua Sect look so contemptible because it closed its gates?”

“That’s not it. We were simply monitoring the Demon Cult’s movements…”

“Stop with the nonsense that no one would believe. If you insult Mount Hua Sect any further, I won’t forgive you.”

Won-myeong’s angry lion’s roar swept through the area.

For a moment, Deung Gwan-yeol’s complexion changed completely. It was because he felt the profound internal energy contained in Won-myeong’s lion’s roar.

It was tremendous internal energy he had never felt even from Mount Hua Sect’s Plum Blossom Sword Masters in their prime.

‘With this level of internal energy, he could easily be compared to the Martial Alliance’s Five Elements Leaders. How can a mere Plum Blossom Sword Master have such profound internal energy…’

The Five Elements Corps was the Martial Alliance’s most elite organization.

Since it was the representative organization of the Martial Alliance with its short history, they inevitably had to pay more attention to it. Many spiritual medicines and secret manuals were invested, and thanks to this, the five leaders’ martial power had to increase dramatically. Yet now he felt internal energy equal to theirs from Won-myeong standing before him.

For Deung Gwan-yeol, this was hard to believe.

Though he didn’t know Won-myeong’s Taoist name or internal strength, judging by his age, he could sufficiently guess that he was only about the level of the old Mount Hua Sect’s second-generation disciple.

‘Mount Hua Sect’s second-generation disciple? No, that’s not right. Since all the elders died and a new sect leader of the Gyeong generation was born, he should now be called a first-generation disciple. But even so, isn’t this too much? For someone who just became a first-generation disciple to have this level of internal energy. What on earth is happening in Mount Hua Sect?’

It was natural doubt for him, not knowing that Won-myeong had taken Plum Blossom Divine Pills and his internal strength had increased dramatically.

Won-myeong and the other Plum Blossom Sword Masters had all taken Plum Blossom Divine Pills and achieved tremendous accomplishments not only in internal strength but also in martial arts. Their current martial prowess far surpassed the former Plum Blossom Sword Masters.

Without knowing the circumstances contained within, it was something Deung Gwan-yeol’s mind couldn’t understand even if he died and came back to life. It was difficult to bear Won-myeong’s angry gaze. So Deung Gwan-yeol lowered his head.

Though it was a situation where he couldn’t make excuses even with ten mouths, it was also because he was overwhelmed by Won-myeong’s presence.

“We will never overlook what happened today. Remember that Mount Hua Sect may withdraw from the Martial Alliance if there is no proper apology for this.”

“With-withdrawal is…”

“Why, do you think we can’t do it? Didn’t the Martial Alliance abandon our sect anyway, thinking there was no possibility of revival?”

“We didn’t abandon you.”

“Then why haven’t you provided any support until now?”

“That’s because Mount Hua Sect closed its gates…”

“Hmph! You’re saying something even a dog wouldn’t believe.”

Won-myeong snorted.

If the Martial Alliance had wanted to provide support, they could have done so anytime during the past three years. Yet they thoroughly stood by and watched.

All Mount Hua Sect disciples were keeping this fact in their hearts.

Suppressing anger and swallowing rage while letting it ferment like that.

“I’ll let you go today. Take your gang and leave Shaanxi Province. Otherwise, you’ll pay the appropriate price.”

“I-I understand.”

“Also withdraw all those positioned at the passages under the pretext of inspection.”

“I’ll do that.”

“And make sure to inform the Martial Alliance of this fact clearly. If there’s no apology from the Martial Alliance and a firm promise to prevent recurrence, our sect will withdraw from the Martial Alliance.”

“I’ll convey it for sure.”

Deung Gwan-yeol bowed his head.

He already knew the situation had escaped his control. It wasn’t something he could smooth over. It was something the Martial Alliance’s leadership had to decide and act upon.

‘We can’t let Mount Hua Sect withdraw from the Martial Alliance. Mount Hua Sect doesn’t just have the Fist Demon.’

Though the Fist Demon was strong, there were clear limits to what he could do alone. But if the power of the revived Mount Hua Sect was added to that, the limits would disappear.

Deung Gwan-yeol clearly recognized this fact.

Then Won-myeong said:

“Go. And convey this clearly.”

The Plum Blossom Sword Masters withdrew the swords they had been pointing.

“Phew!”

“Ah!”

Only then did Deung Gwan-yeol’s subordinates burst out their suppressed breath and touched their necks. Fear was subtly lingering on their faces.

Deung Gwan-yeol and his subordinates took Lim Hap-chu and the Outer Hall martial artists and left Huayin County. Their shoulders drooped as they walked powerlessly.

Won-myeong watched their retreating figures with a cold gaze.

Then one of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters carefully opened his mouth:

“Senior brother, are you really thinking of withdrawing from the Martial Alliance?”

“How could I decide such a momentous matter?”

“Just now…”

“I just said it thinking our martial uncle would say such things. How they accept it depends on their thoughts.”

“Ah!”

For a moment, the Plum Blossom Sword Masters understood. But not everyone did. Won-hwa, one of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, muttered quietly:

“If our martial uncle were here, they would all be dead.”

“Hmm!”

The Plum Blossom Sword Masters unconsciously nodded.

The Dam-ho they knew was such a person.

To him, the name Martial Alliance was worth less than a pebble rolling on the roadside.

Won-myeong looked at Bang Jin-bo and Jong Ri-yeon visible in the distance and muttered:

“By the way, when will our martial uncle return?”

***

Dam-ho indifferently watched the flowing river water.

He was traveling up the river with Black Ghost on a horse transport ship.

He never met Geom Yul-cheon, Eum Yu-kyung, and the others in the end. But Dam-ho wasn’t curious about their whereabouts. He knew they were people who would seek him out someday if they were alive.

Dam-ho was relaxing his entire body while leaning comfortably against a pillar of the horse transport ship. The wounds on his entire body still hadn’t healed. Still, he was recovering at a frightening speed.

Dam-ho’s recovery ability and stamina spanned realms that ordinary people couldn’t dare imagine. He was showing how far it was possible to go when training the human body to its limits.

Dam-ho breathed slowly. The interval between his inhalation and exhalation was very wide. Like a turtle breathing underwater, he too breathed very slowly.

The longer his breathing became, the more noticeably his wounds improved. It was truly terrifying recovery ability.

How much time had passed like this? Dam-ho suddenly raised his head and looked ahead. His eyes were surging frighteningly.

Far ahead of the horse transport ship’s bow, a huge ship was visible. At a glance, it stood out for its enormousness, different from ordinary ships. But what Dam-ho focused on wasn’t the ship’s external appearance. It was because of the woman in red silk standing at the ship’s bow.

A woman with a curvaceous figure and frost-like energy that was particularly impressive. It was the Demon Mother Dan Woon-hyang. Dan Woon-hyang, who had fled from Muli, had appeared again.

“Fist Demon!”

Her voice rang out clearly along the riverside. The reed beds swayed at her cry.

Dam-ho slowly got up. Then Dan Woon-hyang raised her voice even more:

“Fist Demon! If you thought you could safely escape from here, you’re gravely mistaken.”

The boatmen prostrated themselves and trembled at the tremendous killing intent contained in her voice.

Dam-ho silently looked at Dan Woon-hyang.

That indifferent gaze and silence made Dan Woon-hyang feel even more ashamed.

When Seok Mu-gang was killed by Dam-ho, she had chosen to flee. It was because she felt fear toward the being called Dam-ho.

Though she barely saved her life, the shame and fear she felt then hadn’t disappeared.

Only then did Dan Woon-hyang realize.

The fact that there was no way for her to escape from his lingering influence without completely annihilating the being called Dam-ho. So she had returned.

Women began to appear one by one on the huge ship. They were Dan Woon-hyang’s followers.

Though there were dozens of women all radiating murderous presence, Dam-ho’s expression didn’t change at all. Dan Woon-hyang, feeling ashamed by this, raised her hand. Then martial artists in green robes suddenly appeared from the riverside reed beds.

For a moment, Dam-ho’s eyes sharpened.

“Tang Clan.”