Chapter 192
Chapter 192
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Chapter 6: Can't See the Tree Right in Front of You (2)
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During the time the Murim Alliance was formed, Yu Jinmun had stayed in Luoyang.
That allowed him to witness the clash between the Nangong family—one of the Five Great Families—and Damho closer than anyone else.
Having seen the shocking sight of the Nangong family's warriors being utterly annihilated by Damho, the fear he felt toward him was beyond imagination.
For the first few days after witnessing Damho's prowess, he had even suffered nightmares.
That was why he recognized Damho at a glance.
“How are you here?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it's just…”
Yu Jinmun's voice trembled.
It wasn't just him. The surviving Golden Guard Squad warriors were also thrown into sudden turmoil.
‘The Fist Demon?’
‘How is that guy here?’
Not a single person present was unaware of the Fist Demon's legend.
The greatest killer in the jianghu.
A formidable force that even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families feared.
Almost no one who had clashed with him had emerged unscathed.
The grim reaper who brought death in his wake.
That was how the jianghu defined the Fist Demon.
Everyone knew Damho was a public enemy designated by the Murim Alliance, yet not one dared to attack him.
The moment they moved, they would die.
Damho showed no threatening demeanor, but everyone present felt the shadow of death looming over them.
‘The physician was traveling with the Fist Demon? Damn it!’
Yu Jinmun cursed his own persistence in checking Jong Riyeon's group to the end. If he hadn't known, he wouldn't be gripped by this terror now.
Damho approached Yu Jinmun.
Yu Jinmun couldn't even think of retreating and simply stared at him.
Damho's gaze, now right in front of him, turned to the sword Yu Jinmun held.
“Are you going to charge in?”
“Pardon? Oh, no.”
Only then did Yu Jinmun realize he was still holding his sword and hastily dropped it.
He knew how humiliating it was for a warrior to discard his sword before an enemy, yet he felt not a shred of shame.
‘Who cares about that? He's the Fist Demon. The greatest killer in the jianghu. I want to live. I want to live.’
Battle intent? Resolve to fight?
Such emotions were only possible against somewhat equal opponents. Damho was far too terrifying an adversary for him.
Jong Riyeon approached Damho's side.
Only then did Yu Jinmun recall why Jong Riyeon's name had seemed so familiar.
‘The Divine Healer Jong Riyeon. Why didn't I think of it sooner?’
He blamed his own dullness.
Damho's gaze shifted to Jong Riyeon.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.”
“I told you it was pointless.”
“You're right.”
Jong Riyeon gave a bitter smile.
She had wanted to resolve it on her own terms somehow, but in the end, Damho had stepped in. It was the outcome she hadn't wanted.
When Damho intervened, the area inevitably turned into a bloodbath. In this case, it might have become one even without him.
Damho no longer paid attention to Yu Jinmun or the Golden Guard Squad. His gaze turned to the corpses of the middle-aged couple lying on the ground.
Their bodies had already begun to decay, turning mushy. A little more time, and they would melt into a puddle of bloody sludge.
“Is it that poison after all?”
“Something similar.”
“So there's a difference?”
“They definitely come from the same source. The difference is that this one is several times more vicious than the previous poison.”
“Even the same poison varies depending on who's using it?”
“It could. Just as disciples trained under the same master in medicine show differences, those who practice poison arts also vary slightly based on their constitution, cultivation method, and the types of poison lurking in their bodies.”
“Then it could be fellow disciples or siblings?”
“Possibly, but I'm not certain. It's all just theory.”
“Wait, hold on! Does that mean there's more than one Poison Human?”
Yu Jinmun, who had been holding his breath until now, interjected into their conversation.
Even one Poison Human was hard enough to handle—two or more would be a nightmare.
“It's just speculation.”
Damho replied indifferently, but Yu Jinmun could no longer stay calm.
“My god! Poison Humans…”
The jianghu he knew was a fair world decided by swords, blades, fists, or feet—by martial prowess and intellect.
No matter how fearsome Damho was, even he couldn't kill thousands or tens of thousands alone. No warrior could, not even the Demonic Cult Leader.
But poison changed everything. A single vial could slay thousands, depending on how it was used.
And if the wielder was a Poison Human whose body was made of deadly toxin, the destructive power was too horrifying to imagine.
“At this rate, the Tang Clan of Sichuan must step in. That's the only way to counter the Demonic Cult's Poison Humans.”
“The Tang Clan? True, if it's them…”
Jong Riyeon nodded in agreement.
The Tang Clan were masters of poison and hidden weapons—both taboos in the jianghu. As such, they avoided outside activities as much as possible, confining themselves to Sichuan Province.
Within Sichuan, the Tang Clan's influence was beyond imagination. Even with the Qingcheng and Emei Sects present, no name stood before the Tangs.
For some reason, the Tangs had been obsessively fixated on poisons for generations. They researched countless toxins, created antidotes, and seemed intent on cataloging every poison in existence.
They would certainly provide a solid defense against Poison Humans. The problem was their location—thousands of li away in Sichuan Province.
Yu Jinmun called over one of his subordinates—the lightest and swiftest in lightness skill among the Golden Guard Squad warriors.
“Il-mong, head straight to the Murim Alliance now and report the appearance of a Poison Human. Make sure to emphasize that we must secure the Tang Clan's cooperation.”
“Understood.”
“The future of the Murim Alliance rests on your feet. You must arrive safely.”
“Leave it to me.”
The subordinate left the village with a resolute expression.
Though hasty, Yu Jinmun was clearly a capable leader. Despite panicking over the Poison Human, he was calmly devising countermeasures.
After sending off his subordinate, Yu Jinmun looked at Damho. His eyes still held fear, but he overcame it and spoke.
“I know of the bad blood between Hero Dam and the Murim Alliance. But at this moment, wouldn't it be wise to set aside old grudges and unite against a common enemy?”
“Common enemy?”
“The Demonic Cult. I know Hero Dam isn't fond of them either. Am I wrong?”
“Not bad.”
At Damho's words, Yu Jinmun's expression stiffened briefly. But he quickly resumed speaking as if nothing had happened.
“Thank you. Hero Dam, please do nothing.”
“You want me to just watch?”
“This is our fight.”
Yu Jinmun gritted his teeth.
Damho regarded him with a chilling gaze. Yu Jinmun's eyes were bloodshot, but he didn't avert his stare. Inside, however, he was burning up.
If Damho refused, they would clash with him before even facing the Poison Human. The outcome was obvious.
‘Wiped out.’
Yet he couldn't back down. Doing so would deal a massive blow to the Murim Alliance's authority.
Damho asked,
“Are you serious?”
“Yes… I am.”
Yu Jinmun's pupils wavered, and Damho didn't miss it.
Damho stared piercingly at Yu Jinmun, who couldn't meet his eyes.
Clenching his fists in tension, he heard unexpected words from Damho's mouth.
“I'll watch.”
“Thank you.”
Only then did sighs of relief erupt from all around. The Golden Guard Squad warriors had been under just as much strain.
With the situation resolving better than expected, Jong Riyeon's tense face softened a bit.
“Leader Yu.”
“Yes, Lady Jong.”
“I'll investigate how the people were poisoned.”
“Thank you.”
“Just in case, test all well water with silver needles before drinking.”
“Of course.”
Yu Jinmun answered vigorously and withdrew. Then the Golden Guard Squad warriors voiced their concerns.
“Can we really trust him?”
“If word gets out that we cooperated with the Fist Demon, the Alliance Leader will surely punish us.”
“That's why we're limiting cooperation to the minimum. If they still punish us, so be it. No time to linger—strengthen the patrols, everyone.”
“Understood.”
Yu Jinmun divided his twenty warriors into groups of two and had them thoroughly guard the perimeter.
They inspected the village well, the water source. Fortunately, no poison was detected.
Jong Riyeon approached Damho.
“You'll really just watch, like you told them?”
“I gave my word.”
“I see. Alright. Then I'll tend to the villagers and investigate the poison.”
Jong Riyeon hurried to where the villagers were isolated.
Left alone, Damho stood blankly under a large tree, watching Yu Jinmun and the Golden Guard Squad move, then closed his eyes.
The incident occurred at dawn the next day.
“Argh!”
A scream like tearing flesh pierced the dawn sky. The patrolling warriors rushed toward the source.
“No way!”
“Jin-pyeong…”
Two Golden Guard Squad warriors lay writhing on the ground, poisoned. They desperately circulated their qi to resist, but the foam at their mouths suggested it was severe.
“How?”
Yu Jinmun's pupils shook.
They had moved in pairs, vigilantly guarding every inch, confirming no anomalies multiple times—yet his men were poisoned. It was unbelievable.
Jong Riyeon arrived upon hearing the news.
“Hold on just a bit longer. You have to hold on. I'll cure you somehow.”
She pulled silver needles from her bosom and inserted them into the poisoned warriors' vital points.
Acupoints that stimulated latent yang energy.
‘Ordinary folk can't respond, but these are qi-cultivating warriors. If I boost their energy to fight the poison, I can definitely find a cure.’
Damho had purged the poison that way too.
Their internal energy was negligible compared to Damho's, but with her acupuncture added, they could hold out. In the meantime, she'd diagnose them and make an antidote.
“Ugh!”
“Gah! It hurts!”
The poisoned warriors thrashed wildly.
Jong Riyeon had them moved inside.
“Absolutely no direct contact with them, or you'll get poisoned too.”
“Understood.”
Finally, the poisoned warriors were isolated. Jong Riyeon cared for them, her mouth and nose covered with cloth.
“Please save them.”
“I'll do my best. So Leader, make sure no more get poisoned.”
“Don't worry.”
But contrary to Yu Jinmun's words, four more were poisoned. Meanwhile, the first two succumbed.
Jong Riyeon had no time to grieve; she tended the newly poisoned.
She was desperate.
“It's not one poison. At least two—no, three or more mixed together.”
She ransacked the village herbalist's home, gathering all the herbs.
Jong Riyeon mobilized every bit of her knowledge to compound antidote pills. But even after administering them, the warriors' conditions didn't improve.
Looking at them, Jong Riyeon muttered,
“Skip the Azure Moon Herb. Too much heat. Then maybe Radiant Light Herb?”
Sweat beaded thickly on her forehead.
Jong Riyeon frantically experimented to find the right antidote formula.
In that time, two more died, and two others were poisoned.
Her mind frayed to pieces, and terror spread among the Golden Guard Squad warriors.
Despite such tight precautions, comrades were poisoned and dying. The fear that they might be next paralyzed their reason.
“We're all going to die.”
Yu Jinmun desperately controlled them. But the anxiety only grew with time.
The incident unfolded the following night.