The Struggle Continues
The tavern in Gwando’s southern gate district buzzed with a rare energy. The Dongha Gakjan—the largest inn in the city—was packed, the air thick with laughter, the clatter of dishes, and the rich aroma of roast meats. Guests from every corner of the nine sects and one gang had gathered to celebrate the festival.
We, the survivors of Ha-mu-gwan’s trials, sat together in a corner, buzzing with excitement. Sa Ha-yun, Jin Muje, Han Jung-mae, and I had barely finished the second trial, and already the city itself felt charged by the atmosphere of Gwando’s summer festival.
The entire city of Gwando, sitting right before the gates of Cheonsubaekryeonsa, was alive. Half a day’s ride to the border zone, then two more at most to reach the main compound. With the tiger extermination now officially added as a trial, our path to Chumugwan was clear.
This was the final step—the real goal every ordinary warrior dreamed of. And we had it.
The escort troop leader had granted us permission to enjoy one night of the festival before heading back. He knew we needed the rest.
“Drink! Drink! A day like today isn’t for holding back!”
Gang Mu-jeong lifted his cup high, voice loud and mocking, trying to stir the group.
Byung-mi-ye of the Volcanic Sect and Dang Sa-mun of the Sichuan Tang Clan had joined us, still pale from their failed trials, but their faces brightened when the leader promised maximum leniency for the sudden ambush.
“Here, special dish! Enjoy!”
We drank down the hot, sour soup with bellies full, recounting our hunting tales in loud voices—the wild boar, the tiger, the blood-soaked struggles through the mountains.
Sa Ha-yun wiped her soaked hair and kept downing the chilled soup without pause.
Gang Mu-jeong kept glancing at the way the liquid spilled beside her lips and down her chest, swallowing hard.
“Still, Moyong Bi… he’ll be okay, right?”
Dang Sa-mun, who had arrived early and missed the second fight, spoke with genuine worry.
“No matter how it is… he left without waiting for an escort. And with tigers there…”
A heavy silence fell. The others exchanged glances.
“He’ll be fine.”
“Very fine.”
“Moyong Taese… you don’t need to worry about Bi.”
Dang Sa-mun had only heard rumors that Bi had faced the troop leader head-on. He had no idea Bi had teamed up with Sa Ha-yun, Gang Mu-jeong, and Han Jung-mae to take down the second tiger.
Han Jung-mae scratched the back of his thick neck and chuckled.
“Speaking of which, he wasn’t even at Ha-mu-gwan level, was he?”
Gang Mu-jeong let out a short sigh.
“He’s at the level of our uncle. Uncle is already at the Transcendent Peak stage, yet his movements were almost identical. His aura, too.”
“Why was such a high master assigned to Ha-mu-gwan? They could have put him straight into Chumugwan from the start.”
Byung-mi-ye joined in.
“The world is vast. People with ambition climb from the bottom. That Wudang disciple Jin Muje… and the others gossiping about him. The handsome guy even reached Dongmu-gwan already. First in history, they say.”
“Almost the same number just a day ago.”
Everyone turned to Sa Ha-yun.
She had been quiet since the beginning. Her face looked uneasy; she kept glancing around nervously, but no one noticed.
“Who?”
Gang Mu-jeong answered, remembering.
“Moyong Ryu. Ah, right. Bi’s brother.”
A stunned silence spread.
Dang Sa-mun stammered.
“That monster Moyong Ryu…? In Cheonsubaekryeonsa this generation? The guy who shook the unorthodox path… why is he here? And why is he learning martial arts? If the rumors are true, he doesn’t even need—”
“It’s not important right now.”
Sa Ha-yun cut him off coldly.
She tucked her dripping hair behind her ear and whispered.
“You all… don’t you feel it?”
Han Jung-mae, still chewing on a skewer, answered dumbly.
“What? Your face has been off since earlier. Something happen?”
Jung-mae asked her too.
“Miss Sa, you’ve looked unhappy. Is everything all right?”
“…No. Just drink. Don’t worry about me.”
She stopped talking.
“Here, extra drink! So many guests, let’s celebrate! This one’s on me—drink your fill!”
The plump innkeeper set down two full bottles beside a mountain of stir-fried vegetables.
Cheers erupted again. The festival atmosphere swelled once more.
She stared at the cup in front of her.
—kuwung…
—kuwung… kuwung… kuwung…
Fine concentric rings appeared on the surface of the wine.
Sa Ha-yun looked out the open window toward the northern sky.
—kurung…
The rain, briefly lulled, began to roar once more, clouds gathering like dragons.
She wiped her wet palm on her sleeve.
“That blood scent drifting from all directions… what is this place? Gwando. Not even a proper village. How can such a smell rise here…”
***
Crack.
The gravel beneath my shoe shattered as I stepped on it.
I watched the old man’s back. The north gate loomed ahead.
Straight through, then straight to the border zone. We would reach Cheonsubaekryeonsa’s gates soon.
The soldiers had set up camp right around the gate—roughly forty men.
A few were already watching us.
Among the countless crowds, the old man and I stood out as pure martial artists. Especially the old man, with his dangerous aura.
“Khihih. The troop army is behind us and you’re not hiding your hostility?”
“Jeokma-ryeong’s scout, or the leader of those killers I killed earlier?”
The old man only chuckled.
“Stop dancing around, old man.”
My cracked voice rang out.
“Get out of the way. No business with you.”
“Business? Yes. And I’ve been watching since earlier. This time there’s definitely only one of you. No companions. Good.”
“…?”
Wag-wag.
Three martial artists walked past us— one woman and two men.
They wore spotless white robes over their martial outfits, swords at their waists gleaming with elegance.
Their faces were flushed with drink.
They glanced our way.
Our eyes met.
The woman in front lifted the edge of her robe and covered her nose.
“Ugh. Smells.”
The old man laughed softly, shoulders shaking.
The two men beside her muttered.
“Laughing? At the trash?”
“Spreading a faint killing intent. The wild beast doesn’t know how scary a puppy is.”
The old man turned away from them and looked at me.
“That is the true righteous path. The unorthodox scum who slander the righteous path as clean and noble.”
He said.
“Disgusting, isn’t it? You were trying to protect them anyway, weren’t you?”
He took another step forward, grinning.
“A bastard abandoned by his parents, despised and oppressed in the jianghu—”
“Shut your mouth.”
I stepped forward too.
Our noses almost touched.
“Only once more, old man. Get out of the way. Time’s short.”
“Hey, you two weaklings. Fighting each other and still insulting us? You know who we are?”
One of the men swaggered over and stood beside the old man.
The old man’s eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Funny, isn’t it? One side trapped in the border, treated like trash. The other, an illegitimate son who clawed his way up from the gutter to stand here. The jianghu really is a mess.”
“I told you to stop calling me that.”
“Hey, you two.”
Rain began to fall.
The sky darkened.
The old man was cackling with joy.
He reached under his robe and stroked his beard again and again.
“If you don’t stop, what will I do to you? Beat an old man? You bastard, even in the righteous path clothes, still an illegitimate whelp. Kkuk…!”
“One more word—”
—Paaak!
A flat, dull sound.
The drunk man beside him asked stupidly.
“…What? You two fighting?”
I turned my head just enough to shift my gaze.
A fist slammed into my cheek.
The fist carried inner energy—painful.
My lip split. Blood trickled.
—Kiiiiing…!
Red light surged into my eyes.
The old man murmured.
“What will you do if you can’t hold back?”
—Bak! Paaak! Bak!
Fists flew.
No martial art form. Just raw power.
My head snapped sideways.
It was a plain punch.
No special technique. Just a weak aura.
My head turned with the blow.
The old man swung again, laughing wildly.
“Even an old man like me can tell you haven’t abandoned humanity yet—!”
—Kwajik!
I caught the fist.
“Ugh… uhm?!”
The old man froze.
He tried to pull back.
His fist wouldn’t budge. My grip held firm.
I growled in a hoarse voice.
“A weakling who abandoned the righteous path. That’s the limit of your courtesy.”
My body blurred.
My fist clenched.
A streak of light smashed into his abdomen.
It sank deep, denting his cheek.
His head whipped around, body twisting.
He tumbled like a ragdoll.
—Kwadangtang!!
He crashed into the roadside debris, knocking over three stalls.
I shook my fist and said.
“Stay there. If you don’t want to die, don’t block me again.”
“What? What the hell? You beat an old man with no martial arts like that? You mad—”
The man beside me stared in disbelief.
“Kuh… kuh kuh kuh.”
The old man wiped blood from his mouth and laughed.
“Fierce. Good. This is what I like. You really are one of the unorthodox.”
He stepped forward, two arms swinging.
I frowned.
“I told you not to—”
Clang.
A gray bracelet fell from his wrist.
“This is the debt I’ve owed you for a long time, Moyong Bi.”
The old man’s body blurred.
Mumyeong screamed in my mind.
[Host! No!!!]
“!”
Lightning-fast, my hand moved.
I undid the silver belt at my waist.
Inner energy exploded across my body.
The old man’s fist slammed into my face.
Inner energy surged through my meridians and activated the full protective shield.
It shattered instantly.
My head whipped again.
My neck twisted painfully.
My feet left the ground.
—Waduk.
The feeling of teeth cracking filled my jaw and echoed in my skull.
—Jjeong!!
A clear sound. My protective ring around my head shattered.
—Kwaaang!!
I flew backward like an arrow.
I bounced off the stone ground.
Five full rolls.
My limbs flailed like rags.
I smashed through three shop fronts on the street.
The restaurant wall collapsed, but my foot caught on a table and I spun in the air.
Chopsticks in a box shot upward in unison and slammed into the inn, mixing with dirt.
“Very well. Let’s begin. The final battle between the righteous path and the demonic cult. Trash against trash.”
Far away, in the downpour, the old man slowly straightened.
—Chiiik.
The pigskin mask he had been hiding behind ripped away.
At the same time, a white mask came from his waist.
The moment he put it on, scarlet flames erupted around his body.
“I waited for this day…! Moyong Bi! No one can stop our duel…”
Scarlet flames rose like they would tear the white mask and the body of Jeokma-ryeong, the Yama King, apart.
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**Heavenly Demon Copies Martial Arts** **Gwando Life-or-Death Battle**