Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Chapter 7. The Threads of Fate Are Inextricably Tangled in Unpredictable Ways (1)
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“Cough!”
Myeong-gyeong vomited blood.
Fresh blood stained his chest red.
Myeong-gyeong tried to smile.
But he couldn’t.
He lay smashed into the rock debris like a crumpled doll, in a wretched state.
His limbs were twisted grotesquely, and the sword that had gleamed coldly was shattered, leaving only the hilt.
It was only because Dam-ho had shown mercy that he was still alive. Otherwise, he would have lost his life already.
Dam-ho was terrifying.
One couldn’t grasp his true terror just by watching from the side. Only those who had clashed with him directly could truly feel it.
It was like a five- or six-year-old child standing naked before a tiger.
Myeong-gyeong was the child, and Dam-ho was the tiger. A massive tiger with enormous fangs.
On Dam-ho’s fifth punch, the cherished sword he’d received from his master shattered.
On the sixth, his left shoulder exploded.
On the tenth strike, Dam-ho grabbed him by the collar and hurled him into the rocks. Then consciousness faded.
When he came to, Dam-ho was gone.
Only then did he realize Dam-ho had spared him.
“Keheheh! Serves you right, Myeong-gyeong. So full of yourself, and now look at you.”
Even unleashing the Blood Plum Blossom Sword that his master had passed down with full power, he hadn’t so much as nicked Dam-ho’s sleeve. Thinking back on his bold boasts of subduing the Nine Dragons and making his master’s arts known to the world, he felt ridiculous.
“You’re truly strong. Tremblingly strong.”
Myeong-gyeong bit his lip until it bled.
A complete defeat.
There was no room for excuses.
Even after deploying the Blood Plum Blossom Sword in full, he hadn’t gauged Dam-ho’s true power.
Dam-ho was beyond what he could handle.
At the very least, he was a warrior on par with his master.
The master he respected most.
He had no idea how Dam-ho had attained such strength.
Myeong-gyeong struggled to his feet.
“Urk!”
Pain surged through him like his body was being torn apart. Fortunately, aside from his left shoulder, nothing else was broken.
“So there was still some senior brotherly affection left? He didn’t kill me, after all.”
Limping, Myeong-gyeong began to walk.
“I’ll have to start over from the beginning. Back to the Volcanic Sect.”
Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam-ho with a puzzled expression.
“Hyung, where’d you go at night?”
“Why?”
“I woke up thirsty for a bit and you weren’t there.”
“Couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”
“At such a late hour?”
“Yeah!”
Bang Jin-bo gave Dam-ho a suspicious look at his curt reply but didn’t press further.
Dam-ho gazed out the window.
Far off, he could see the hills they’d crossed. Myeong-gyeong was probably scaling them by now.
Myeong-gyeong was undoubtedly strong. But he was unpolished.
His strength hadn’t been forged by his own hands—it had been shaped by Sword Immortal Hyeon-geom.
Dam-ho, on the other hand, had grown strong through his own power.
He had clawed his way up from the depths of hell with sheer tenacity to claim his current might. The density of that strength and the depth of his resolve were on another level.
‘He’ll head back to the Volcanic Sect, won’t he?’
There, in the Volcanic Sect, was the man he sought. Sword Immortal Hyeon-geom, the greatest sword of the Volcanic Sect.
No one could predict how Sword Immortal Hyeon-geom would react. But he would learn of Dam-ho’s intentions through Myeong-gyeong.
Myeong-gyeong was practically Dam-ho’s messenger.
Dam-ho stood.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Bang Jin-bo nodded and rose.
They bid farewell to the farmer couple and left the farmhouse.
They rode hard for half a day, but no villages appeared. Still, the two didn’t grow impatient.
They were seasoned at camping outdoors. No village? They’d camp. Simple as that.
No need to rush, no reason to fret.
“Ah! This is nice.”
Bang Jin-bo smiled, taking in the scenery. But his smile vanished in an instant.
A thick stench of blood carried on the wind.
Thanks to traveling with Dam-ho for so long, Bang Jin-bo could now distinguish the scent of blood.
“What is it?”
Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam-ho in alarm. But Dam-ho wasn’t looking at him. His gaze was fixed ahead.
“Hyung!”
Bang Jin-bo followed Dam-ho’s line of sight. Far away, crows circled in a flock.
Dam-ho and Bang Jin-bo spurred their black steeds toward the spot.
“Ah!”
Upon arriving, Bang Jin-bo’s eyes widened.
Where the crows wheeled, countless corpses lay scattered. Wolves, drawn by the blood, tore at the flesh.
“What...?”
Growl!
The wolves snarled at Bang Jin-bo. But the moment they saw Dam-ho, they tucked tail and fled. Instinctively sensing his terror.
Dam-ho dismounted and approached the corpses.
The bodies, gnawed by wolves, were horrific. Flesh ripped away here and there, bones exposed. Some had entrails spilling onto the ground.
A triangular flag lay torn and trampled. Smeared with blood and flesh, but Bang Jin-bo easily read the characters.
“Great Fortune Escort Agency? Escorts, huh?”
Dam-ho nodded.
He’d never heard of this agency. But that wasn’t unusual. The Central Plains were vast, and escort agencies numbered beyond count.
“Did the escorts fall to the wolves?”
“No. To a person.”
The wolf bites were mere scratches on the skin. The true fatal wounds lay hidden within.
‘Their heart meridians were precisely severed by a sharp energy.’
No blade could slice the heart meridians so delicately.
It was an expert. One who wielded their energy with complete freedom.
Warriors at this level were exceedingly rare.
Dam-ho stood and surveyed the surroundings.
Nearly twenty escorts lay dead. He examined their positions, how they fell, and their wounds one by one.
Then he reached a conclusion.
‘With a single sword strike...? Killed them all?’
It was hard to believe, but that’s all it could be.
Killing twenty wasn’t difficult. Dam-ho could do it in a breath if he wanted.
But with one sword stroke, severing only the heart meridians? That was another matter.
The killer’s internal energy control was unimaginably refined. Dam-ho had never seen anyone wield sword energy and qi so precisely.
“What on earth happened here?”
Bang Jin-bo shook his head.
Dam-ho mounted his black steed.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Whatever had happened here had nothing to do with them. No need to dig into it.
The two left the strewn corpses behind and rode on. After a while, Nine Palaces Mountain came into view in the distance.
Nine Palaces Mountain lay within Tongshan County, towering over five hundred zhang, its scenery exquisite year-round, drawing crowds incessantly.
Legend held that the famed Southern Song Taoist Zhang Daoqing built nine palaces here, hence the name. It was revered as a sacred site of Taoism.
Atop Nine Palaces Mountain stood the Nine Palaces Sect.
The sect was of the Taoist lineage. Not as renowned as the Volcanic or Wudang Sects, but their influence in the region was formidable.
Tongshan’s atmosphere reflected the Nine Palaces Sect’s sway—calm and serene. A stark contrast to the world buzzing over the Demonic Cult’s rise and the Martial Alliance’s founding.
Entering Tongshan County, the pair sought an inn first.
They asked a passerby and were directed to Fengtian Inn along the main road. Small and shabby-looking, but famed for its cuisine.
As described, Fengtian Inn’s exterior was unremarkable. But stepping inside, delicious aromas assaulted their senses.
“Wow!”
Bang Jin-bo’s mouth fell open.
Just the smell told him the chef was a true master.
“Welcome.”
A woman in her early forties greeted them upon entry. Her warm face and slightly plump figure bore a smile that cheered anyone who saw it.
Bang Jin-bo asked,
“Got rooms?”
“Of course. How many days?”
“One for now.”
“End of the right corridor upstairs. Meals too?”
“Yes! What’s the house specialty?”
“My husband’s from Sichuan, so he excels at spicy dishes like braised pork.”
“Really? Then braised pork and twice-cooked pork, please.”
“Oh! You know Sichuan cuisine?”
“Hehe! I’m a food enthusiast.”
They chatted like old acquaintances. The conversation showed no sign of ending. Unable to wait, Dam-ho left them and headed upstairs.
As if to reflect the owner’s character, the room was impeccably neat.
Opening the window wide revealed the bustling main street below.
Crowds passed: commoners, merchants, warriors—all mixed.
Among the warriors, Taoists dominated. Some from the Nine Palaces Sect, others from across the land drawn to the mountain’s spiritual aura.
A vivid scene affirming Nine Palaces Mountain as a Taoist holy ground.
Dam-ho stood with arms crossed, watching the passersby for a time.
“Hyung!”
Only after a long while did Bang Jin-bo enter, beaming.
“Turns out the owner’s an amazing chef. Said he’ll show me the kitchen if I drop by at night.”
“That good?”
“Yes!”
Bang Jin-bo grinned nonstop.
He lost all sense when it came to food. Unstrapping his bundle of pork jerky, he said,
“Let’s head down. Food’s probably ready.”
“Mm.”
Dam-ho followed Bang Jin-bo to the first-floor dining area.
In that short time, the place had filled up. Most striking was a group of Taoists.
Seven young Taoists clustered around an old one in his early fifties, occupying a table.
The elder’s eyes were razor-sharp. Flashes of divine light betrayed extraordinary Taoist cultivation.
But Dam-ho soon lost interest.
He’d dealt with enough Taoists at the Volcanic Sect. He knew their kind better than most.
Dam-ho and Bang Jin-bo took an empty table.
Soon, the owner brought a tray of food.
“Braised pork and twice-cooked pork. Threw in a bottle of my homemade red wine to wet your throats.”
“Thanks.”
“No trouble. Enjoy.”
She set down the plates and wine bottle.
Dam-ho eyed the bottle briefly.
He wasn’t much for drink, but he wouldn’t refuse such hospitality.
‘He would’ve loved this.’
Pouring a cup, Dam-ho thought of his liquor-loving friend.
“Wah!”
Bang Jin-bo reacted first to the fragrant aroma.
Even for a teetotaler like him, the scent was extraordinary.
Dam-ho brought the cup to his lips. The moment it touched his tongue, he was surprised. Better than any wine he’d tasted.
The sticky, clinging mouthfeel was novel.
‘Is this why Master drinks?’
As Dam-ho savored it,
The inn’s door opened. Someone stepped lightly inside. All eyes in the room turned instantly.
“Ah!”
A gasp escaped someone’s lips.