Chapter 336 – The Wheel of Blood Begins to Turn (2)

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If asked which martial family was most famous in Anhui Province, everyone without exception would name the Namgung Family first. As everyone knows, the Namgung Family was the Alliance Leader of Anhui and its spiritual foundation.

 

The Namgung Family’s foundation, rooted in Anhui for hundreds of years, was truly formidable. Even after suffering great disaster from Dam-ho three years ago, they maintained solid military strength.

 

The Namgung Family remained the Alliance Leader of Anhui, exerting influence over numerous sects. However, Anhui Province was vast, and many sects existed beyond the Namgung Family’s influence.

 

One of them was the Overlord Stronghold on Huangshan Mountain.

 

The Overlord Stronghold, where Hwang Gyeong-mun, the grand stronghold master of the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds, resided, was beyond the Namgung Family’s influence.

 

Merely existing in the same Anhui Province made the Overlord Stronghold a thorn in the Namgung Family’s eye. So whenever opportunity arose, they tried to suppress the Overlord Stronghold, but they repeatedly had to postpone such chances due to Hwang Gyeong-mun’s tremendous presence and overwhelming influence.

 

Such was the oppressive presence that the colossus Hwang Gyeong-mun possessed. Through a major incident three years ago when several stronghold masters attempted rebellion, he had reached an even more mature state.

 

“Mm!”

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun, who ordinarily didn’t reveal emotional disturbance, showed a stiffened complexion. The same was true for the Overlord Stronghold’s leadership gathered at his residence.

 

“The Crazy Dragon Stronghold completely annihilated? How possibly…”

 

“Ko Cheon-ryul, that ambitious man, died so pathetically.”

 

Their faces clearly showed disbelief.

 

The Overlord Stronghold fell into chaos and fear upon hearing of Crazy Dragon Stronghold’s annihilation.

 

Everyone knew of Ko Cheon-ryul’s ambitions. He was a sufficiently powerful master and possessed adequate qualifications to harbor such ambitions. The news that such a man died without mounting significant resistance delivered tremendous shock to Hwang Gyeong-mun and the bandits.

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun opened his mouth:

 

“Is it truly certain that Crazy Dragon Stronghold was completely annihilated by the Demon Cult’s Cult Leader alone?”

 

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s factual.”

 

“Mm!”

 

At his subordinate’s answer, Hwang Gyeong-mun’s complexion hardened further.

 

Crazy Dragon Stronghold’s military strength was truly solid, making it impossible for even Hwang Gyeong-mun alone to oppose them. The Demon Cult’s Cult Leader had single-handedly annihilated such a Crazy Dragon Stronghold. This allowed indirect comparison of the two men’s martial prowess.

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun closed his eyes and muttered:

 

“A mad gale is sweeping across the southern Central Plains.”

 

All sects in the path of the Demon Cult’s Cult Leader were being annihilated. At this level, the destructive power was nearly typhoon-scale rather than gale-scale.

 

It was clear that Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s ultimate destination was Yueyang. Drawing a line on a map showed him moving in a perfectly straight line toward Yueyang. It was madness impossible to ignore.

 

He made no attempt to conceal his movements, so anyone with even slight interest in the martial world could understand his path. The problem was that no sect existed capable of stopping Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s advance.

 

“We must establish countermeasures immediately.”

 

“If the Demon Cult’s Cult Leader establishes himself in Yueyang, not only nearby Hubei and Jiangxi Provinces but even our Anhui Province will face danger.”

 

The leadership poured out their words like accusations. This was evidence of how great their sense of crisis was.

 

For the past three years, the bandits had kept their gates closed while building strength. Yet the crisis that even such accumulated military strength couldn’t overcome shook their hearts like flickering candles.

 

The Demon Cult’s Cult Leader alone had plunged experienced bandits who had survived countless hardships into extreme confusion.

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun understood such feelings in the bandits’ hearts. In fact, he himself felt tremendous crisis at this moment.

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun was a master who had already reached absolute mastery in martial arts. Standing at such heights far above others, his sense perception and insight had become remarkably developed. His feeling of crisis couldn’t be dismissed as mere sentiment.

 

The insight of an absolute master resembled prescience. Clearly something was unfolding. And very unfavorably so.

 

Finally, Hwang Gyeong-mun spoke:

 

“Dongting Lake and Yueyang have already fallen to the Demon Cult. Now with the Cult Leader joining, it will transform into an iron fortress. What happens afterward is as obvious as fire. Centered on Yueyang, they’ll gradually expand territory. The closest adjacent place is Hubei Province, where the Wudang Sect and Zhuge Family reside, so they’ll exercise caution. The next closest place is Jiangxi Province. Since there are no major sects there, it’s only a matter of time before they consume it. After that…”

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun paused. But those present already knew what words would follow.

 

“Anhui Province.”

 

“This place then.”

 

“Correct. It won’t be long before Anhui Province is engulfed in war.”

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun’s pronouncement left everyone speechless.

 

One of the leaders carefully raised an objection:

 

“But Anhui Province has the Namgung Family. Would they attack so easily?”

 

“Had the Family Head Namgung Cheon lived, they would have hesitated too. But Namgung Cheon developed internal injuries after his final battle with the Fist Demon and passed away. The young family head possesses excellent talent, but truly falls short compared to Namgung Cheon. Were I the Demon Cult’s leader, I absolutely wouldn’t miss this opportunity.”

 

“Mm!”

 

“The Namgung Family is one of the Five Great Families. If such the Namgung Family is brought down, the psychological impact on martial world people would be tremendous.”

 

The advantages the Demon Cult would gain from the Namgung Family’s collapse were truly enormous. It would become psychological warfare showing that prestigious orthodox sects could no longer protect martial artists. It would also become the impetus to consolidate the power of sects pursuing the demonic path into one force.

 

At Hwang Gyeong-mun’s continued explanation, the leadership’s complexions turned deathly pale.

 

The Overlord Stronghold was located in the same Anhui Province as the Namgung Family. That if the Namgung Family fell, the Overlord Stronghold would be next was a simple fact even a three-year-old child could understand.

 

“Starting now, the Overlord Stronghold enters wartime status. Leave only bandits capable of fighting, and relocate women, children, and the elderly to other mountain strongholds.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“We’ll proceed as quickly as possible.”

 

The leadership answered firmly.

 

Though they had been consumed by fear at the Demon Cult’s unexpected movements, they too had survived over ten years in the martial world. So they could quickly recover their senses.

 

Had they wished to avoid war, they could have evacuated the entire Overlord Stronghold. They possessed such capability if they chose. But not a single person present mentioned such thoughts.

 

The Eighteen Bandit Strongholds could remain intact because the Overlord Stronghold firmly maintained their center. If the Overlord Stronghold fell to fear of the Demon Cult and migrated elsewhere, the bandits would rapidly lose cohesion and scatter like sand grains.

 

The Overlord Stronghold had to remain on Huangshan forever.

 

The leadership quickly began moving. Following Hwang Gyeong-mun’s commands, they gathered the elderly and weak to send them to Changxing Stronghold in Zhejiang Province.

 

Changxing Stronghold was a small mountain stronghold in Changxing, Zhejiang. Though not counted among the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds, with solid military strength and fortress-like mountain stronghold construction, it possessed optimal conditions for protecting the elderly and weak.

 

As the entire stronghold bustled with activity, Hwang Gyeong-mun summoned Hwang Hae-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang.

 

“Father.”

 

Hwang Hae-ryeong’s expression too was stiffly rigid. She sensed the unusual atmosphere surrounding them.

 

“You must help your father.”

 

“Of course. I’m a member of the Overlord Stronghold.”

 

“Go to Mount Hua immediately.”

 

“What? What do you mean?”

 

“Now that the Martial Alliance has fallen, few sects can oppose the Demon Cult. Among them, if I name those somewhat friendly to us, only Mount Hua Sect comes to mind.”

 

“Mm!”

 

Hwang Hae-ryeong let out a low groan. Then Hwang Gyeong-mun showed an apologetic expression.

 

“I’m sorry. Using you like this.”

 

“No, it’s not.”

 

“If only your brother hadn’t left Mount Hua, I wouldn’t make such requests. But the situation progressing is too urgent that I have no choice.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll go to Mount Hua.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I’m actually quite happy. This gives me a chance to see where my brother grew up. So you don’t need to apologize.”

 

Hwang Hae-ryeong smiled. But the more she did, the darker Hwang Gyeong-mun’s expression became.

 

“There’s no time for delay. Leave immediately with Il-gwang.”

 

“Right now?”

 

“Yes.”

 

At Hwang Gyeong-mun’s firm words, Hwang Hae-ryeong nodded.

 

Apparently having already received notification, Muk Il-gwang entered. The two large axes on his back and his entire demeanor radiated bandits’ tyrannical presence.

 

“Grand Stronghold Master.”

 

“I entrust my daughter to you, Il-gwang.”

 

“Don’t worry, Grand Stronghold Master. Even if I sacrifice this life, I’ll escort the young lady safely to Mount Hua.”

 

“I trust you. Now go.”

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun waved his hand.

 

“Father!”

 

“Off you go now.”

 

“You must stay safe.”

 

“I’m Hwang Gyeong-mun. The grand stronghold master of the bandits. No one in the world exists capable of dealing with me. I send you not from fear of the Demon Cult but to prepare for contingencies. Don’t you trust me?”

 

“I do.”

 

“Then that’s settled. Go now.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Even as Hwang Hae-ryeong answered, she didn’t readily move her feet. She burned Hwang Gyeong-mun’s appearance into her mind before struggling to leave.

 

“Sigh!”

 

Only after Muk Il-gwang also left and he was alone did Hwang Gyeong-mun exhale.

 

What he had said was half true and half false.

 

It was true that he sent Hwang Hae-ryeong to Mount Hua seeking the Mount Hua Sect’s help, but the greater reason was to protect Hwang Hae-ryeong.

 

He could be called selfish. But at this point, no safer place existed in the world than Mount Hua Sect.

 

“That’s enough. Now I can fully engage the Demon Cult. I’ve sent away everything that would make me hesitant.”

 

Hwang Gyeong-mun forced himself to summon fighting spirit.

 

***

 

After Demon Cult Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol’s emergence, chaos in the martial world reached its peak. As the orthodox sects withdrew, demonic sects that had been holding their breath began to swagger, and bandits proliferated.

 

Even the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds’ powerful influence couldn’t control all the bandits, so the world’s chaos reached extremes.

 

Those with power plundered those without, and the powerless fell into misery.

 

A world where lacking power was a sin.

 

This was what Dam-ho witnessed traveling northward.

 

The world was transforming into hell.

 

Dam-ho rode Black Ghost along the official road. The road stretching beyond the horizon seemed endless. Still, Dam-ho’s expression remained unchanged as he pressed onward.

 

After traveling for some time, Dam-ho’s eyes flickered. He saw a group preparing to camp nearby on the plains along the road.

 

A large flag fluttered on the roof of cart structures surrounding the perimeter like fortress walls. The four characters embroidered on the flag clearly read “Azure Sky Escort Agency.”

 

It was the Azure Sky Escort Agency he had met at Guizhou’s entrance. He never expected to encounter them again after leaving Guizhou. If it was fate, it was fate, but Dam-ho attempted to pass by without speaking.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Great hero!”

 

Suddenly someone from the Azure Sky Escort Agency group ran toward Dam-ho calling out.

 

“It’s truly you, hero!”

 

The middle-aged man with angular features, blunt nose, and piercing eyes was precisely Nam Woo-saeng, the leading escort of the Azure Sky Escort Agency.

 

Nam Woo-saeng showed a pleased expression seeing Dam-ho. Dam-ho silently gazed at him without stopping.

 

“Are you perhaps heading toward Yanhe?”

 

Dam-ho silently nodded. That was his plan to board a boat there and escape Guizhou Province.

 

Nam Woo-saeng hastily continued:

 

“Within the next hundred li, no villages or settlements exist. Night will soon fall, so wouldn’t it be better to camp with us?”

 

“……”

 

“I harbor no ulterior motives. Since we were indebted to you last time, I wish to repay that debt. We were able to rest comfortably because of you.”

 

Confirming honesty in Nam Woo-saeng’s eyes, Dam-ho nodded. Then Nam Woo-saeng smiled.

 

“Wise decision. Then please come this way.”

 

He led Dam-ho to where the Azure Sky Escort Agency members were gathered.

 

As Dam-ho arrived, nearby people rose from their seats.

 

“Who is this?”

 

“This person will camp with us tonight. Prepare food and sleeping arrangements for our great hero.”

 

“Yes! Head Escort!”

 

The hired escorts answered respectfully and hurriedly began moving.

 

“Please sit here first.”

 

Nam Woo-saeng offered Dam-ho the seat next to him.

 

As Dam-ho sat, an escort brought a bowl of porridge. It was quite presentable porridge.

 

Seeing the porridge, Bang Jin-bo suddenly came to mind. Bang Jin-bo had frequently cooked such porridge when they camped.

 

“I apologize that our meal is meager despite the trouble of accommodating you. Instead, we have decent liquor. Please try some.”

 

Nam Woo-saeng offered a wine bottle.