Chapter 317 – Fist Demon’s Unyielding Spirit (2)

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The expression on Namgung Chang’s face as he looked at Jeok Gyeong-cheon showed clear disbelief. Seeing such Namgung Chang, Jeok Gyeong-cheon smiled.

“Why don’t you believe it?”

“Didn’t you die during the Orthodox-Demon War? Everyone knows that…”

“There were unavoidable circumstances.”

“What kind?”

“I’d like to tell that story over a drink. Aren’t you people the pinnacle and future of the current martial world?”

Jeok Gyeong-cheon looked at Namgung Chang with a pleased expression. Namgung Chang could not refuse his words.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon was a figure from at least one generation before him. Though he had been overshadowed by the Four Divine Emperors, his martial prowess belonged to the very top of the martial world at that time. How else could he have earned the nickname Heavenly Sword King?

An absolute master of the previous generation who was unmatched when he held a blade. Moreover, now that decades had passed, it was hard to imagine what level his martial prowess had reached.

Namgung Chang stared intently at Jeok Gyeong-cheon. Even while being conscious of his gaze, Jeok Gyeong-cheon’s relaxed expression didn’t change at all.

‘What is this?’

Namgung Chang now looked at Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san.

The Nam Cheon-san he knew was strong in martial arts but not someone with very broad connections. The Divine Spear Sect he led as sect leader was also not a very powerful sect compared to the major martial world sects. That was the reason Nam Cheon-san was chosen as Alliance Leader.

Nam Cheon-san, true to his nickname Divine Spear, had strong martial arts but lacked political skills and diverse connections. Therefore, he had no choice but to be isolated within the Martial Alliance. That was also what Namgung Chang and others wanted.

What was needed was a hunting dog to protect the Martial Alliance leadership and core sects, not a threatening beast.

At this moment, Namgung Chang was feeling an eerie sensation.

Nam Cheon-san was smiling. From Nam Cheon-san’s appearance, he felt an unknown threat.

‘How did the Alliance Leader bring in the Heavenly Sword King?’

Even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families had no idea that Heavenly Sword King Jeok Gyeong-cheon was still alive. Yet Nam Cheon-san, who was in a desperate situation, had found and brought in Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

‘How?’

This was the question filling his mind right now. But he was the Martial Alliance’s Military Advisor.

Though numerous doubts filled his mind and many things seemed suspicious, his face was smiling.

His belief was that under any circumstances, one must never lose one’s smile and composure. So he smiled.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon nodded as he watched such Namgung Chang.

‘Indeed, they say he’s the brain of the Martial Alliance, and he’s quite capable.’

As soon as they sat facing each other across a table, servants brought wine and side dishes.

“Please drink first.”

“Thank you.”

Namgung Chang calmly accepted the wine Jeok Gyeong-cheon poured for him. Jeok Gyeong-cheon then filled Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san’s cup to the brim before filling his own cup as well.

“Let’s drink.”

Jeok Gyeong-cheon first brought the wine cup to his mouth.

Nam Cheon-san and Namgung Chang also drank following him.

The wine went around several times. In an instant, their faces turned red.

The first to speak was Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

“It feels good drinking with younger colleagues like this. If I had known it would be like this, I should have come out a little earlier.”

“How have you been living all this time?”

“Many things happened.”

“If you’ve been living fine like this, why were you in hiding?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Many things happened. It would take a long time to tell you about all of them.”

“This is the Martial Alliance. And I am the Military Advisor of the Martial Alliance. If I put my mind to it, I can spare quite a lot of time.”

“Is that so?”

Jeok Gyeong-cheon looked at Namgung Chang with a fresh expression.

It was because Namgung Chang’s appearance of not being intimidated at all even when seeing him, a figure from the previous generation, felt quite refreshing.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon again downed his wine cup. Perhaps because it was very strong alcohol, his throat was aching.

“As everyone knows, when the first Orthodox-Demon War was reaching its final stages, we launched a surprise attack on the Demon Cult’s main stronghold. The Demon Cult’s stronghold was literally covered with deadly traps and countless cult members. So we had to cross death lines countless times. I don’t know how many people died. The Four Divine Emperors led us, and we followed the Four Divine Emperors deep into the stronghold. Many people were wounded and fell behind or lost their lives. I too suffered wounds that made me unable to move just before the final gateway and fell behind.”

A shadow fell over Jeok Gyeong-cheon’s face.

With the place where the Cult Leader was right before his eyes, he had chosen to fall behind by his own decision. He judged that in his physical condition, he would only be a burden rather than helpful.

“Instead, I blocked the gateway to prevent the Demon Cult’s reinforcements from entering. I fought and fought and fought again. Forgetting myself and the situation flowing around me. When I came to my senses, I was lying among countless corpses. I didn’t even have time to understand what had happened. At that time, I really wanted to live. I crawled out of there like an insect.”

He didn’t remember how he escaped from the stronghold. When he regained his senses, he was far away from the stronghold.

Namgung Chang asked:

“Then why didn’t you return to the Justice Alliance at that time?”

“My wounds were too severe. I couldn’t even move. So I found a quiet place and practiced energy circulation for healing. It took a full five years before I could move by my own will.”

“Hmm!”

“Even until I healed my wounds, I desperately wanted to return to the Justice Alliance. But once my wounds healed, all desires disappeared. Since the Demon Cult was annihilated, I wondered what I had left to do. So I chose to live in retirement for peace of mind.”

“For decades?”

“That’s right. Why don’t you believe it?”

“Honestly, that’s how I feel.”

“When you reach my level, you’ll understand. How all the things I had cherished until then became meaningless one day, and the boundary of material desires disappeared. Also, when I thought my role in the martial world had ended, all motivation vanished.”

“It’s hard for me to understand easily.”

“It would be. But my words are true.”

“I understand. I’ll accept it that way and move on. Then why did you come back to the martial world?”

“That’s also because of the Demon Cult.”

“The Demon Cult?”

“Though I abandoned all desires, I still couldn’t forgive the Demon Cult. That’s the reason I came back to the world. So I secretly contacted the Alliance Leader and swore to dedicate everything I have to help the Alliance Leader.”

“You made a difficult decision.”

Namgung Chang brought the wine cup to his mouth.

Though he was forcing a smile, his mind was working in complex ways. Jeok Gyeong-cheon was saying he would help the Alliance Leader, not the Martial Alliance. That was tantamount to declaring he would side with the Alliance Leader rather than the entire Martial Alliance.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon’s joining was welcome from the entire Martial Alliance’s perspective, but it had to be uncomfortable for Namgung Chang and the Martial Alliance leadership. So Namgung Chang had to confirm once more.

“Then you’re saying you’ll help the Martial Alliance fight the Demon Cult from now on?”

“I’m prepared to follow anything if it’s the Alliance Leader’s command. Because that would be for the Martial Alliance.”

Namgung Chang’s eyes trembled. But his surprise wasn’t over yet.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon said while pouring wine:

“There are several more people like me. Friends who survived the final war. They want me to tell you they want to help the Alliance Leader defeat the Demon Cult.”

“You’re saying there are more people like Senior Jeok?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm!”

A groan flowed from Namgung Chang’s lips. Seeing such Namgung Chang, Nam Cheon-san smiled.

“Since senior masters from the previous generation are helping us, this is great fortune for the martial world. Isn’t that right, Military Advisor?”

“That… is correct.”

Nam Cheon-san’s voice was full of strength, while Namgung Chang’s voice diminished.

The two men’s voices formed a strange contrast.

***

The boat stopped at the riverbank.

Dam-ho and Black Ghost got off the boat. The boat that had unloaded them was flowing down the river again.

Dam-ho watched the departing boat with indifferent eyes. On the boat’s deck, Geom Yul-cheon stood looking at him.

The two men looked at each other silently.

Finally, only after the boat disappeared far away did Dam-ho mount Black Ghost.

“Let’s go.”

Black Ghost, stepping on land after a long time, moved his steps lightly as if in a good mood. Dam-ho closed his eyes while entrusting his body to Black Ghost.

Whether deciding to cooperate with Geom Yul-cheon was the right thing to do was unknown for now. Still, Dam-ho trusted his own eyes.

The Geom Yul-cheon he saw would break rather than bend. A person who would definitely keep his word once spoken. Exactly the same type as himself.

Geom Yul-cheon had Geom Yul-cheon’s role, and he had work only he could do.

Dam-ho’s location was still Sichuan Province.

First, he had to escape Sichuan Province.

He could have escaped Sichuan Province together with Geom Yul-cheon, but they parted ways because their assigned roles were different.

Dam-ho drove Black Ghost along the official road. Once he just set the direction, Black Ghost would go on his own, so Dam-ho concentrated on energy circulation and meditation.

The fight with Cheon Oh-gyeong had hurt him but also truly gave him the beginning of another enlightenment.

He replayed the fight with Cheon Oh-gyeong countless times on Black Ghost’s back.

The scene of Cheon Oh-gyeong deploying Sword Stream, the scene of himself jumping at him with Solitary Path techniques repeated countless times.

Starting with Charging Technique, techniques like Explosive Star Strike, Single Yang Strike, and Reaching Heaven Strike were deployed. But none of those techniques could harm Cheon Oh-gyeong.

Cheon Oh-gyeong’s movements were very beautiful.

Though rough from not deploying proper martial arts for a long time, his movements were very fluid and definitely aimed at his vital points. In comparison, Dam-ho’s techniques were very rough.

It was because of his beast-like nature.

The tenacity of never letting go once biting someone’s throat until it was severed, combined with the will to definitely kill, made it very ferocious.

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River, the final chapter of Solitary Path, was a representative example.

If twenty-four consecutive strikes landed, no absolute martial artist could endure it, which had already been proven through Cheon Oh-gyeong. But Dam-ho thought that alone wasn’t enough.

Suddenly, a rough voice flowed from Dam-ho’s lips.

“One line.”

A line leading from life to death.

A line of death starting with Charging Technique but ending with Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River. Dam-ho wanted that line.

Dam-ho imagined.

Himself creating a line of death.

In his imagination, he was perfect.

Snort!

Then Black Ghost snorted, and Dam-ho awakened from imagination and returned to reality.

The first thing Dam-ho saw after opening his eyes was a group blocking the official road. Martial artists all wearing green robes had set up a checkpoint on the official road and were inspecting passersby.

Many people were lined up in a long queue with anxious expressions.

“Hey, stand in line properly.”

“Where are you going?”

The martial artists in green robes checked the identity and destination of everyone trying to pass through the official road.

It was an official road anyone could pass through. People could say nothing to the martial artists who occupied such an official road and acted unreasonably.

People knew. That those currently blocking the official road were martial artists belonging to the most fearsome organization in Sichuan Province.

Those in green robes were martial artists from the Tang Clan, the family with the most absolute power in Sichuan Province along with the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect.

Since some time ago, all of Sichuan Province had maintained a fearful atmosphere due to martial artists from the Tang Clan.

The Tang Clan had sealed Sichuan Province and restricted people’s movement. Therefore, people’s complaints grew daily, but for some reason, the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect, who should check the Tang Clan, remained silent.

For ordinary people who didn’t know the detailed circumstances, it was frustrating. But they dared not rebel against the Tang Clan that dominated Sichuan.

They just prayed to pass through the checkpoint quickly while standing in long lines.

Dam-ho drove Black Ghost toward the checkpoint. Then the Tang Clan martial artists guarding the checkpoint immediately showed wariness.

“Who is that guy?”

“Stop right there!”

They pointed weapons at Dam-ho.

“Suspicious fellow. Get off your horse and reveal your identity.”

Dam-ho silently looked at them. Then they raised their voices even more.

“Won’t you get off your horse quickly?”

“……”

Dam-ho got down from Black Ghost’s back.

For a moment, the Tang Clan martial artists who had been radiating murderous energy flinched. It was because they saw Dam-ho limping as he got off his horse.

“Fist Demon?”