Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: 4. The Wind Relentlessly Shakes the Trees (1)
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True Person Hyun So lay unconscious. His entire body was densely pierced with silver needles.
“Done.”
Jong Ri-yeon muttered as she wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.
The grand technique had succeeded. True Person Hyun So had fallen into a deep slumber, and his breathing had visibly slowed. This should buy them plenty of time for treatment.
“You’ve worked hard, Jong girl.”
Ha So-wol, who had watched the entire process from the side, finally spoke.
While Jong Ri-yeon performed the grand technique, she had stood guard as protector. She knew full well how much effort Jong Ri-yeon had poured into it.
“I’ve only bought us time for treatment. One slip, and it’s still dangerous.”
“If it’s you, Jong girl, you can definitely heal him.”
“I’ll do my best. If we can’t save him, that man’s rage will pierce the heavens.”
“Then calamity will befall the world.”
“Exactly!”
The two women nodded in unison.
Excluding True Person Hyun So himself, they were the ones who understood Dam Ho best in the world. That was why they could predict his actions as clearly as day.
In that sense, the two women felt a strange camaraderie with each other.
That was when Dam Ho pushed open the door and entered.
“How did it go?”
“We successfully induced a deep slumber.”
“Is that so?”
Dam Ho looked at True Person Hyun So.
Perhaps having a nightmare, True Person Hyun So’s brow was deeply furrowed. The sight pained Dam Ho’s heart.
“Can Master hear me?”
“No one knows. He might, or he might not. We’ll only find out when True Person Hyun So wakes.”
“I see.”
At Jong Ri-yeon’s answer, strength filled Dam Ho’s eyes.
Dam Ho sat down before True Person Hyun So.
“Master.”
It went without saying, but there was no response from True Person Hyun So. Still, Dam Ho continued speaking.
“You must wake up. If you don’t... I won’t hold back.”
Dam Ho’s voice was exceedingly low and quiet. But the meaning within it was far from light.
Ha So-wol shuddered. Tension was plain on her face.
It was then. Jong Ri-yeon grabbed Dam Ho’s hand.
When Dam Ho looked at her, Jong Ri-yeon smiled.
“Calm down. Surely you don’t doubt me?”
“......”
“I’m Godly Jong Ri-yeon herself. No matter how long it takes, I’ll fully heal True Person Hyun So. I swear it on my name. Still don’t believe me?”
“I believe you.”
“Good! Faith brings blessings.”
Jong Ri-yeon laughed playfully.
Dam Ho stared intently at her face. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t avoid his gaze.
Ha So-wol quietly watched the two, then shook her head. She knew well what the subtle light in Jong Ri-yeon’s eyes meant.
She was a martial artist. One of the nine strongest among the later generation, with a burning desire to reach the pinnacle as a swordswoman.
To her, Dam Ho was the ideal martial artist—and a towering wall she one day wished to surpass. She couldn’t face him with the pure feminine emotions that Jong Ri-yeon could.
Ha So-wol quietly rose and stepped outside. A myriad of emotions crossed her face.
Some time passed after Ha So-wol left before Dam Ho also rose. As he came out, Ha Young and the other children swarmed him.
“Big brother!”
“Brother!”
Anxiety filled the children’s faces.
Dam Ho looked at each of their faces. They were the children True Person Hyun So loved without reservation.
“Master will be fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes! He’s just tired and sleeping deeply right now. So don’t worry and wait.”
“Okay.”
“Ha Young will be quiet and wait for Grandpa to wake too.”
The children nodded at Dam Ho with sparkling eyes. He patted each of their heads before heading out.
The long night was ending, but the darkness shrouding Dam Ho’s heart showed no sign of lifting.
Then, someone came running with quick steps.
“Hey!”
The man shouting at Dam Ho was Cho Yeon-un. Urgency was clear on his face.
“I found out.”
“......”
“I learned the identity of the man you killed.”
In his hand was a portrait of the leader the Dam Ho had slain.
Dam Ho’s eyes gleamed.
“Who is he?”
“His name’s Jo Yeon-sang. He’s the deputy leader of the Dragon Sword House, a faction based in nearby Heung County. He volunteered to come to Sakju this time.”
Cho Yeon-un revealed what he had uncovered to Dam Ho.
“Dragon Sword House?”
“Yeah! It’s a small faction, but they have some reputation in the Heung County area. That’s why the Murim Alliance accepted them too.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah! I confirmed it multiple times.”
Heung County was just a few hundred li from Sakju.
Dam Ho headed toward the stables. Cho Yeon-un hurriedly stopped him.
“Friend. You’re not thinking of going straight to Heung County, are you?”
“......”
“You don’t need to go yourself. The Sakju branch will dispatch an investigation team soon. Leave it to them, and they’ll uncover the truth.”
If Dam Ho went, blood would surely flow.
Knowing this better than anyone, Cho Yeon-un tried desperately to dissuade him. But he couldn’t stop Dam Ho.
Dam Ho mounted Black Ghost and left the Sakju branch. With Black Ghost, he could reach Heung County in half a day.
Cho Yeon-un also hastily mounted his horse and followed Dam Ho.
Dam Ho arrived at the Dragon Sword House three hours later.
Dam Ho’s face hardened upon arrival. Cho Yeon-un, who arrived late, wore a similar expression.
“No way!”
The Dragon Sword House was burning. The massive inferno was devouring the entire place.
“Bring more water.”
“What’s all this chaos? Hurry! If we’re not careful, the whole village will burn.”
Villagers nearby were pouring water with buckets to fight the fire, but it was futile.
“What the...?”
As Cho Yeon-un muttered in dismay, Dam Ho walked toward the blazing Dragon Sword House.
“H-Hey!”
By the time Cho Yeon-un snapped to his senses and called out, Dam Ho had already plunged into the fiercely raging flames.
The ferocious blaze, devouring everything in its path, couldn’t touch Dam Ho. The powerful aura emanating from his body repelled even the flames.
Dam Ho wandered the burning Dragon Sword House. Charred corpses swallowed by the fire lay everywhere.
Dam Ho knelt on one knee and examined a body burning in the flames.
His eyes glowed red in the firelight.
“Murder to silence them.”
A cold voice escaped Dam Ho’s lips.
The burning corpse bore clear wounds. Slashes from a sword or blade.
Someone had killed them and set the fire to destroy the evidence.
There were no survivors in the Dragon Sword House.
Jo Yeon-sang’s family, who had led the raid on the Sakju branch, had long since turned into cold corpses. Jo Yeon-sang had died by Dam Ho’s hand wishing to protect his family, but that wish had been dashed by others.
Someone had struck here before Dam Ho, eliminating all evidence. In this raging inferno, finding proof linking the Dragon Sword House to the attackers was impossible.
Dam Ho rose.
There was no reason to stay longer. As he emerged, the anxiously waiting Cho Yeon-un rushed over.
“You okay? The Demonic Cult really shouldn’t exist in this world. Killing their own allies like this to cut loose ends.”
“You’re certain it’s the Demonic Cult?”
“Isn’t the evidence clear?”
“Is it?”
“It’s definitely the Demonic Cult! Jo Yeon-sang called himself a demonic cultist.”
Cho Yeon-un answered with conviction.
Dam Ho turned to gaze at the burning Dragon Sword House.
“Those who believe in the Demonic Cult never call themselves demonic cultists.”
“What?”
“They call themselves followers of the Divine Cult.”
***
A hundred li east of Sakju lay a small wild mountain. Midway up its slope stood an abandoned shrine from long ago. It was a shrine to Guan Yu, the general of Shu.
Once, there had been a village at the mountain’s base. The villagers held rituals at the shrine, praying for Guan Yu’s protection. But one day, the village was swept away by war, vanishing without a trace, and the shrine was abandoned, fading from memory.
Inside the shrine stood a statue of Guan Yu. The massive statue, over three zhang tall, was weathered by time, barely retaining its shape. Yet its imposing presence remained formidable.
Someone sat atop the statue’s head. A man wearing a golden mask that covered his entire face.
An overwhelming pressure emanated from the golden-masked man, hard to approach.
Then, a group entered the shrine.
After scanning the interior briefly, they spotted the golden-masked man and knelt on one knee in unison.
“Il Yeom-ra pays respects to the Golden Horse Lion.”
“The Blood Chain Ghosts pay respects to the Golden Horse Lion.”
Their resounding voices echoed through the shrine.
The gaze of the golden-masked man—the Golden Horse Lion—turned toward Il Yeom-ra and the Blood Chain Ghosts.
“How did it go?”
“We’ve severed all links to us.”
“No traces left, I assume?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm!”
The Golden Horse Lion leaped down from the statue. Landing lightly, he approached Il Yeom-ra and the Blood Chain Ghosts with hands clasped behind his back.
A沉 voice flowed from beneath the golden mask.
“And him?”
“He’s headed to Heung County.”
“As expected.”
“I didn’t think he’d track down even the Dragon Sword House. If we’d been even a bit slower, he would’ve found the connection. He’s truly remarkable.”
“Remarkable indeed. If not, you and I wouldn’t be curling our tails and fleeing.”
“Curling our tails...”
“Heh! Isn’t it the truth? We fled in defeat from the Fist Demon in the Murim Alliance.”
“It was a strategic retreat.”
“Don’t get so heated. It’s just a figure of speech.”
The Golden Horse Lion let out a faint chuckle. His tone was gentle, but thick killing intent lurked within.
The Golden Horse Lion had never known failure in his life. The one who first frustrated him was none other than Dam Ho.
He still vividly recalled the mask shattering under Dam Ho’s blow. A little deeper, and his head would have been crushed.
“He mustn’t leave Sakju. He has to clash with the Demonic Cult.”
“Of course. That’s why we’ve mobilized the hidden pawns we’ve kept secret until now. He’ll charge headlong into battle with the Demonic Cult without regard for front or back. He’s rampaging wildly now, ignorant of the heavens, but he’ll end up drenched in blood and collapse.”
“Don’t underestimate him.”
“Pardon?”
“He may look like a blindly charging wild boar, but he’s no ordinary cunning foe. Show even a momentary gap, and he’ll exploit it.”
“Surely not...”
“It’s no ‘surely.’ His actions so far prove it. We must be extremely cautious.”
“Understood. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Il Yeom-ra bowed his head.
The Golden Horse Lion turned to gaze at the statue of Guan Yu.
“The time for Heavenly Deviant to spread its wings is near.”
It was then.
“Golden Horse Lion, sir.”
A familiar figure suddenly dashed into the shrine. It was Yi Yeom-ra.
“What is it?”
“A pursuer has latched on.”
“A pursuer?”
“It’s him.”
“Is that so?”
Killing intent flared in the Golden Horse Lion’s eyes at that moment.
Boom!
A black shadow burst through the shrine’s wall, crashing in.