Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Thinking It's a Cat Even with a Tiger Right in Front of You (1)
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Damho and Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's gazes clashed in the air.
In the darkness, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's eyes flashed with intense light like lightning. His overwhelming presence and terrifying aura made even Un Gyeong swallow dryly and step back.
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom was a keenly sharpened famed sword. The energy he emanated was as sharp and lethal as a blade.
That razor-sharp energy bore down on Damho head-on. Yet not a flicker of change crossed Damho's face.
Damho stared blankly at Sword Immortal Hyeongeom. He said nothing. At Damho's attitude, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's eyebrows twitched.
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom was a man who had looked down on others his entire life. He was accustomed only to looking down on people, not to having others look down on him.
To such a Sword Immortal Hyeongeom, Damho's gaze that seemed to look down on him was an unbearable humiliation. And so, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom grew angry.
"Where do you get off looking at me like that? How dare you glare at your sect elder like that. I can't even imagine how your master taught you."
"What's my master got to do with it?"
"What did you say?"
"It's got nothing to do with my master. Don't drag him into your inferiority complex."
"Inferiority complex?"
"Or am I wrong?"
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's beard trembled furiously. In contrast, his eyes grew icily cold.
"You've gained a bit of power and now think you're untouchable, huh? How dare you disrespect your sect elder."
"Where's this sect elder around here?"
"You?"
"Does being old make you an elder? Do I have to respect you just because we were once in the same place?"
"Are you denying the order of the world?"
"If that's the world's order, then yeah, I'll deny it."
"You thunderbolt-headed fool, spouting such nonsense without knowing your place. Do you even realize how dangerous your words are?"
A chilling killing intent laced Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's voice.
Until coming here, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom had harbored at least a sliver of intent to persuade Damho. His immense power was simply too alluring to reject outright.
But after exchanging a few words with Damho, he realized.
Damho was not someone who would ever bow his head or submit to the existing order.
Above all, he showed not a shred of respect for the Mount Hua Sect, which Sword Immortal Hyeongeom cherished most. That fact ignited his fury.
"Whether you deny it or not, the Mount Hua Sect is your root. Don't forget that your master, Hyeon So, is an elder of the Mount Hua Sect."
"That's why I'm holding back this much. If Master didn't think so highly of the Mount Hua Sect, you wouldn't be standing here on two feet."
"You insolent brat...!"
At this point, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom could no longer hold back. His rage exploded.
The terrifying energy radiating from his entire body engulfed the area. In that instant, Damho's eyes turned chilling.
Eyes that had been dry and emotionless like a parched field now poured down with cold rain filled with killing intent.
Damho's gaze stabbed into Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's chest like a sharp dagger. Unthinkingly, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's hand gripped his sword hilt.
It was a moment on the razor's edge. Caught between them, Un Gyeong didn't know what to do.
If Sword Immortal Hyeongeom and Damho clashed right here, no matter who won, their rift would be irreparable.
It was then.
"That's enough from both of you."
A voice thick with profound inner strength rang in their ears.
Dong!
It was as if a massive temple bell tolled right beside them.
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's complexion shifted slightly. He released the sword hilt and looked toward the voice's owner.
A swordsman who appeared to be in his late fifties had approached unnoticed. Behind him stood a young warrior.
The swordsman clasped his hands in greeting toward the two.
"I am Yeom Jung-hwa of the Zhongnan Sect."
"The Zhongnan True Sword?"
"Yes, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom. It is an honor to meet the Mount Hua's Foremost Sword, whom I have admired for so long."
Zhongnan True Sword Yeom Jung-hwa.
He was the foremost warrior of the Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects. His nickname said it all.
He was the sword guarding Zhongnan. Yeom Jung-hwa rarely left Zhongnan unless absolutely necessary. His very presence here showed how gravely the Zhongnan Sect viewed this matter.
The young man standing quietly behind the Zhongnan Sect was none other than his disciple, Celestial Strong Young Noble Geum Han-su.
A member of the Nine Dragons and acclaimed as the Zhongnan Sect's top later-generation talent. Though he stood silently, his steadfast presence stood out prominently.
Geum Han-su's gaze was fixed on Damho. A fierce competitive spirit burned in his eyes.
Any young warrior would feel the same.
Damho's fame already echoed throughout the land, recognized as one of the world's top masters.
For someone like Geum Han-su, acknowledged as the finest later-generation talent and a Nine Dragons member, it was inevitable that his fighting spirit would ignite.
Yeom Jung-hwa and Geum Han-su had seen Damho before, but hadn't recognized him.
They could never have imagined that the lame boy who had tracked demonic cultists with them thirteen years ago was the same person as the Fist Demon standing before them now.
In contrast, Damho recognized them at a glance.
Back then, no one had spoken a word to him. They had merely pitied the poor lame boy with sympathetic glances. But now, their eyes held strong wariness.
Damho himself hadn't changed, yet his fame and power had altered how people saw him.
Only the strong drew attention and acted as they willed.
That was the way of the martial world.
Geum Han-su clasped his hands toward Sword Immortal Hyeongeom and Damho.
"I am Geum Han-su of the Zhongnan Sect. It is an honor to meet two great heroes."
"You're the Zhongnan's top prodigy, the Celestial Strong Young Noble."
"It's an overpraised title that embarrasses me. Compared to your disciple, Sword Immortal, in the Bright Mirror Hall, I am hopelessly inadequate."
"Hmph! Excessive courtesy is discourtesy. As the saying goes, too much etiquette is worse than none."
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom snorted.
Geum Han-su's aura was no less than that of his own disciple, Un Gyeong. Without actually fighting, it was impossible to say who held the edge.
What mattered was how impressive Geum Han-su's skill was.
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom asked in a sharp voice.
"But why is Great Hero Yeom involving himself in my sect's affairs?"
"If Sword Immortal Hyeongeom and Great Hero Dam clash, someone will be gravely injured, and that would be a great loss to the martial world."
"Are you taking this boy's side now?"
"Of course not. I'm merely suggesting we judge rationally."
"Rationally?"
"Yes."
"You know this boy is branded a public enemy of the martial world?"
"Of course I do. However, it's also true that by slaying the Ten-Li-No-Life Little Thousand Mountains, he saved many from the Martial Alliance. With merits and demerits balancing out, we can't simply condemn him as a public enemy, can we?"
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom scowled at Yeom Jung-hwa's sly demeanor.
The Mount Hua Sect and Zhongnan Sect had long been rooted in Shaanxi Province. Their rivalry was infamous.
When Mount Hua prospered, Zhongnan declined, and vice versa.
Naturally, relations between the sects were poor, with constant tension simmering.
After the Mount Hua Sect suffered massive losses to the demonic cult decades ago, Zhongnan had seized dominance in Shaanxi. Thus, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom and the Mount Hua leadership harbored no goodwill toward Zhongnan.
"Merits cancel out demerits, so we can't call him a public enemy? Is that the Zhongnan stance?"
"Not just Zhongnan—many will think the same."
Yeom Jung-hwa calmly met Sword Immortal Hyeongeom's fierce glare.
Though called Mount Hua's Foremost Sword, Yeom Jung-hwa feared him not one bit. He too possessed the qualifications to be called Zhongnan's Foremost Sword.
Sword Immortal Hyeongeom bit his lip.
Deep down, he wanted to cut down Damho or Yeom Jung-hwa in one stroke. But neither was an easy opponent, making the risk too great.
"Hmph!"
In the end, Sword Immortal Hyeongeom snorted and turned away.
"Martial Uncle!"
Un Gyeong hurriedly followed behind.
Whatever the circumstances, he was a Mount Hua disciple. He had to follow Sword Immortal Hyeongeom.
Damho silently watched Sword Immortal Hyeongeom vanish into the darkness.
"Great Hero Dam, you needn't worry about being named a public enemy. With the Zhongnan Sect's power, washing away such a stigma would be simple."
"......"
Damho looked at Yeom Jung-hwa.
He seemed even more sly than before. Once like a lofty crane, now he resembled a battle-hardened veteran who had seen it all.
Damho knew Yeom Jung-hwa's intervention wasn't out of goodwill. Thus, he felt no particular gratitude.
"You're still the same. Just like back then."
"What do you mean?"
"So you don't remember after all."
Yeom Jung-hwa and Geum Han-su sensed from Damho's tone that he knew them.
"Have we perhaps met before?"
"Thirteen years ago, at the Yun Manor in Cheongyang County."
"Then?"
Geum Han-su was the first to recall, his eyes widening.
To track demonic cult traces, the Wudang, Mount Hua, and Zhongnan Sects had hastily formed a pursuit team. And among them was a lame boy.
"No way—you're?"
"Guess you remember now."
"How?"
Geum Han-su's eyes shook.
A Mount Hua disciple scorned even by his own sect. Back then, Geum Han-su had treated Damho as a nonentity.
He hadn't openly mocked the lame boy, but hadn't considered him talented enough to warrant personal attention.
Yeom Jung-hwa also easily recalled Damho.
'That worthless boy from back then has become such a giant. The world truly is unpredictable.'
The lame boy everyone had dismissed was now a top master instilling fear in all.
"What a connection. This Yeom is truly impressed by Great Hero Dam. I salute your tenacity and effort in overcoming countless hardships. I hope we can maintain good relations going forward."
"That depends on what you do."
For a moment, Geum Han-su's face flickered with anger. Damho's arrogant words pricked his pride. But he didn't show open hostility.
Yeom Jung-hwa clasped his hands and said.
"Of course. Then we'll take our leave. Rest well. We'll visit again."
"Farewell."
Geum Han-su followed Yeom Jung-hwa's steps.
The two soon moved away from the annex. Once Damho was out of sight, Yeom Jung-hwa burst into hearty laughter.
"Ha ha ha! This is amusing."
"What's so funny, Master?"
"Don't you find it amusing?"
"Not in the slightest."
Geum Han-su bit his lip hard.
Among peers dubbed the Nine Dragons, Geum Han-su burned with especially strong rivalry. Moreover, Damho was younger and had a crippled body. Yet he possessed far superior martial arts and immense fame.
That fact wounded his pride.
'I'll definitely surpass him. I'll be the one standing at the pinnacle of the martial world.'
As Geum Han-su steeled his resolve, Yeom Jung-hwa patted his shoulder.
"No need to feel such rivalry toward him."
"Why not?"
"He's too strong."
"What?"
"The too-strong always break. For now, he rears his head fearlessly, ignorant of the world's dangers. But he'll learn soon enough. How treacherous the martial world is. How raw power alone won't ensure survival."
Yeom Jung-hwa smiled enigmatically. But Geum Han-su couldn't smile back.
"He's an excellent tool. No tool suits killing people better. But that's his limit. In the end, he'll be used as a tool and break. Your job isn't to envy him, but to ponder how best to use him."
"Hmm!"
"The Mount Hua Sect are real fools. Throwing away their own famed sword. Ha ha ha!"
Yeom Jung-hwa's laughter scattered on the wind.
Only then did Geum Han-su's stiff expression ease slightly.
'Right. No matter what, he's fated to rampage alone and die. I'm different. I'll become the Zhongnan Sect Leader and reign supreme. Yes, embrace him. What's so hard about that? If not...'
Geum Han-su thought of the Nine Dragons.