Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Even Fierce Winds Can't Erase the Scent of Blood (1)
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Crack!
Damho rolled roughly across the ground. He tumbled nearly ten zhang before finally coming to a stop.
"Cough!"
Damho spewed blood while sprawled on the floor. Not a trace of color remained on his face.
His entire body screamed in agony, as if pulverized in a massive mortar. Breathing was torture due to the sword still piercing his lung.
"Huff! Huff!"
Damho glared ahead, growling like iron scraping.
There stood Namgung Cheon, also collapsed and heaving ragged breaths.
His condition was just as wretched as Damho's.
One cheekbone was caved in, twisting his face, and shattered ribs pressed on his lungs, allowing only labored gasps.
Damho's Six Harmonies Blood Scattering Palm had smashed over a dozen bones in his body. Even so, he'd barely limited the damage by summoning his protective aura at the last moment.
If struck bare-bodied by the Six Harmonies Blood Scattering Palm, he would have died on the spot. The mere thought sent chills down the spine.
At that moment, Damho rose.
Sword still embedded in his chest, his rising form instilled terror in Namgung Cheon.
Damho's body swayed as if it might collapse any second. Yet he staggered toward Namgung Cheon without falling.
Even in that state, the killing intent in Damho's eyes showed no sign of waning. His resolve to kill Namgung Cheon burned fierce.
"You... tenacious bastard...."
Even the lord of Namgung was daunted by Damho's venom.
He too struggled up, staggering.
Somehow they'd ended up evenly matched, but he couldn't just sit and take it from Damho.
"Fine! Let's finish this today. Cough!"
Namgung Cheon tried to raise his voice, but blood poured from his mouth. His internal injuries were far from minor.
Damho limped closer, step by step. Drenched in blood, he resembled a demon crawling from hell.
Namgung Cheon took in the sight while inwardly shuddering.
Never in his life had he imagined such a demonic figure. Not even among the Demonic Cult warriors he'd faced thirty years ago was there one like this.
'If I let him live, he'll be endless trouble.'
His hands trembled.
Whether from fear of Damho or the pain of his wounds, he had no time to discern.
Slide! Thud! Slide! Thud!
Damho's signature offbeat footsteps stirred ominous dread in Namgung Cheon's chest.
"Urk!"
Namgung Cheon bit his lip hard. But the fear wouldn't fade easily.
It was then.
"Family Head!"
Suddenly, shouts echoed from afar as a group rushed toward them—Namgung family warriors who'd followed him.
At their arrival, Namgung Cheon pointed at Damho and bellowed.
"Kill him!"
His voice boomed across the battlefield.
The Namgung warriors veered toward Damho.
Damho gazed at them through blurry vision. With them joining, his chances were gone.
The Namgung warriors charged with fearsome momentum. Even seeing them, fear didn't grip him.
'Master.'
He only regretted not seeing Master Hyeon So-jin.
Damho's lips curled up.
Even in death, he'd take one more down with him.
He had no desire to etch his name in history, but neither would he surrender and die easily.
'Come on.'
As Damho steeled for his final stand—
"You idiot! Get on."
Jong Ri-yeon's voice rang from behind.
Turning, he saw her charging on Black Ghost. She halted before him and hauled his body onto the beast.
"Hya!"
With Damho aboard, Jong Ri-yeon spurred Black Ghost from the battlefield.
"Stop them!"
"Damn it!"
The belated Namgung warriors unleashed lightness skills but couldn't catch Black Ghost.
Black Ghost vanished from sight in an instant.
In the end, the Namgung warriors gave up the chase and rushed to Namgung Cheon.
"Are you alright, Family Head?"
"Track him down."
Namgung Cheon spat blood as he shouted.
"Yes!"
"Remove him at all costs. If we let him go like this, he'll be a massive future threat."
Madness filled Namgung Cheon's bloodshot eyes.
The Namgung warriors glimpsed a thread of fear amid the madness.
'Why is the Family Head...?'
'Is he afraid of the Fist Demon?'
Doubts arose in the Namgung warriors' minds.
At that instant, Namgung Cheon shouted again.
"Track him down and kill him, no matter what it takes.... Understood?"
"Understood."
The Namgung warriors finally responded with full force.
Namgung Cheon glared with bloodshot eyes in the direction Damho had fled.
"I must kill him. If he lives, he'll be a great disaster. Urk!"
Namgung Cheon vomited blood and fainted.
"Family Head!"
The Namgung warriors caught his collapsing body.
***
"Hm?"
Bang Jin-bo suddenly looked up at the sky.
"What's wrong?"
Hwang Hye-ryeong gave him a puzzled look.
"Oh, nothing. Just a weird feeling."
"Really?"
"It's nothing. Hehe!"
Bang Jin-bo let out his signature laugh.
After Damho descended the mountain, Bang Jin-bo stayed on Hwang Mountain, adjusting.
Following Yoon Chung and Jo Yun-san's rebellion, Hwang Gyeong-mun had reorganized the Tyrant Stronghold bandits.
He purged those who'd sided with the rebels and Demonic Cult remnants, installing trustworthy new blood.
A bloody storm swept through Tyrant Stronghold and the bandits. The carnage was terrifying, claiming countless lives and injuries.
Bang Jin-bo witnessed it all.
Hwang Gyeong-mun punished traitors mercilessly. His iron-fisted ways, befitting the Overlord title, struck fear into many bandits.
Rumors swirled about Hwang Gyeong-mun's actions, but Bang Jin-bo paid them no mind.
Having wandered the world with Damho, he'd seen worse violence. He understood why Hwang Gyeong-mun had no choice.
Of course, acceptance had limits, but he no longer recoiled blindly as before.
"Let's go!"
"Where to?"
"Dad's calling."
"The Chief Stronghold Lord?"
"Yeah!"
Bang Jin-bo looked puzzled at Hwang Hye-ryeong's reply.
Over a month in Tyrant Stronghold, and Hwang Gyeong-mun had never summoned him before.
Bang Jin-bo followed Hwang Hye-ryeong to Hwang Gyeong-mun's quarters.
"Come in."
Hwang Gyeong-mun welcomed Bang Jin-bo warmly.
"You called for me?"
"Yes! I have something for you."
"Something for me?"
"Exactly!"
Hwang Gyeong-mun smiled.
Though he'd ruled with iron blood to punish traitors, his gaze on Bang Jin-bo brimmed with kindness.
He rummaged in his bosom and pulled out a manual.
"This turned up while sorting the stronghold."
"Five Elements Gentleman Art?"
"Right. Not well-known in the jianghu, but it's an advanced art harnessing the five elements' energies."
"Why give it to me?"
"He said it suits you—an art to control the five elements' energies."
"Hyung?"
"Yes!"
Tears welled in Bang Jin-bo's eyes.
Over a month since Damho left. He'd missed him endlessly.
Resentful at first for leaving without a word, he hadn't expected Damho to think of him to the end.
'Hyung!'
He suddenly longed to see Damho.
Hwang Gyeong-mun offered the Five Elements Gentleman Art to Bang Jin-bo.
"Learn this."
"But I lack even basic martial foundations."
"Don't worry. I'll teach you myself."
"You, Chief Stronghold Lord?"
"Yes."
"But it'll be a hassle."
"I owe him a huge debt—this is the least. The bandit purge is done anyway; perfect timing."
"Thank you. I'll train hard."
"Good."
Hwang Gyeong-mun smiled at the moved Bang Jin-bo.
Frankly, he doubted Bang Jin-bo could master it fully. Advanced arts weren't for just anyone.
But with his help, fifth layer achievement was feasible. Enough to protect himself in the jianghu.
"I'll start teaching tomorrow, so come at dawn."
"Got it."
"Go now."
"Yes!"
Bang Jin-bo bowed to Hwang Gyeong-mun and dashed out. Once gone, Hwang Hye-ryeong cautiously asked.
"Can you really make time?"
"I'll make it. Or that friend might come looking."
Knowing who Hwang Gyeong-mun meant, Hwang Hye-ryeong smiled softly.
"Is big brother okay?"
"Who could touch him? He'll be fine. Don't worry."
"Yes!"
Hwang Hye-ryeong nodded.
Hwang Gyeong-mun gazed at her fondly.
Even after learning he was her birth father, Hwang Hye-ryeong treated him affectionately.
He felt grateful and proud of such a daughter.
Hwang Hye-ryeong suddenly asked.
"Is the bandit reorganization done?"
"Yes."
"You worked hard."
"Their roots ran deeper than expected. More blood was needed."
Hwang Gyeong-mun closed his eyes gently. His face looked utterly weary.
Decades in the bandits, he'd known those purged for years. Executing them was no easy task. But necessary.
Yoon Chung had corrupted the bandits over ages. Eradicating them required rivers of blood.
These acts exhausted Hwang Gyeong-mun—not physically, but mentally.
"It's frightening."
"What is?"
"Wondering if Demonic Cultists have infiltrated other sects too."
"That's...."
Hwang Hye-ryeong hesitated to reply.
Hwang Gyeong-mun rose and approached the window.
"The bloodshed in the bandits is but a breeze. Greater, fiercer winds will engulf the land. We must stockpile strength for then."
"D... Dad!"
"Your brother will be at its center. He wants freedom, but once in the jianghu, that's impossible."
Shadow fell over Hwang Hye-ryeong's face.
Hwang Gyeong-mun patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry too much."
"Yes!"
"No calamity can touch him."