#078. The Black Flame Dragon Surmounting the Pass (6)
Geum Pyo was the eldest son of the mill family. He'd spent his whole life watching his parents work at the mill, knowing full well that one day he'd do the same. It wasn't because the work was glamorous or exciting. He knew that being born the son of millers meant he'd never starve to death as long as he kept at it.
There was no other reason he'd joined Tae-eul Gate. They provided two meals a day. When times were tough at the mill and his parents had to raise three sons who ate like horses, they sent him off without a second thought. Sure, he'd have to do two years of mandatory service at the Murim Alliance later, but two meals a day beforehand was better than nothing. Plus, there was Senior Brother Jin Sowoon and Senior Sister Hong Saryeon at the sect. Thanks to the two people he'd grown up with like siblings, Geum Pyo could finally escape the burdens of being the eldest and act like a spoiled kid to his heart's content while he was there.
When Gye Cheolyeong joined, he didn't think much of it. If anything, he was thrilled that his two meals a day turned into three. There was even meat now and then, and as long as he played along with that filthy temper, he'd get snacks too. To Geum Pyo, the guy wasn't so bad.
So he couldn't understand why Senior Brother Jin Sowoon and Senior Sister Hong Saryeon hated Gye Cheolyeong's guts. Sure, they were born into Tae-eul Gate, but they'd end up as nothing more than third-rate warriors from a backwater sect anyway. Gye Cheolyeong came from a rich family—his dad had money to hire masters and teach him private martial arts. How could anyone who only knew Tae-eul Gate's basic techniques beat a guy like that?
But he'd done it. Senior Brother Jin Sowoon had.
The kind senior brother with talent no better than his own, who took all of Gye Cheolyeong's bullying alone and shared the snacks and food meant for himself with his juniors. The smart senior brother everyone said would become the Outer Hall Lord someday—he'd started walking a different path.
Senior Brother, what the hell are you thinking?
He resisted the fate laid out for him, fighting back without giving an inch. The story of how he'd staked his life, burning his innate essence to roar down Iron Sword Sect's lord for the sake of their worthless little Tae-eul Gate—it hit Geum Pyo in the chest every time Hong Saryeon repeated it, no matter how many times he'd heard it.
Maybe senior brother had changed. Maybe he wanted to go to the Murim Academy in Gye Cheolyeong's place and rewrite his entire destiny from the ground up.
But that wasn't it either.
Watching him yield the final spot in the Hen Seongsa exam to Hong Saryeon, Geum Pyo realized senior brother was the same as always. If he'd taken the bullying from Gye Cheolyeong back in their childhood to protect them and shared his snacks... now he was taking the bullying from the Murim world in their place, yielding them the chance to fly.
For them—the ones who'd go back to the mill after their mandatory service at the Murim Alliance.
That was when Geum Pyo, Eunho, and Dongryong first realized they could dream of something new too.
Can we really dream like that, Senior Brother?
Maybe they'd given up early because they thought it impossible. Maybe they'd never even tried because it felt out of reach from the start.
But Jin Sowoon had always drawn his sword—and staked his life—for them. And he never whined about his sacrifices or said it was all for them, so they couldn't even tell him to stop.
So now, it was time to pay back what they owed him. They weren't kids anymore, mooching off snacks without a clue.
If they could just get him into the Murim Academy somehow, maybe the debt would feel a little lighter.
"We have to, so what the hell are you doing?! Dongryong!!"
Geum Pyo, who should have been holding the line with his sword formation against Ssangmak Stronghold's bandits, was now single-handedly blocking Dongryong.
The villagers had joined the fray with spears and sickles, tipping the momentum completely in their favor. With some breathing room from the fierce battle, they could finally catch their breath—but the problem was that the villagers weren't trained martial artists.
No matter how disoriented the bandits were from inhaling all that smoke, they were still warriors. The moment one of those wild, blind swings drew villager blood, Dongryong had broken formation and charged out.
Heavenly Killing Star.
He'd been shocked when he first heard about it. If not for Senior Brother's "don't worry," he wouldn't have slept a wink that night.
Senior Brother! I think you're wrong!
The Heavenly Killing Star wasn't just about intense killing intent. It was a demonic talent crafted by the heavens to slay humans.
Thinking back to all those past Heavenly Killing Stars who'd butchered Murim masters barehanded without a scrap of training—it was terrifying. And now Geum Pyo was witnessing that terror with his own eyes.
Dongryong, spewing killing intent like a storm, swung his blade at the bandits. He was definitely Geum Pyo's cute little baby brother, but the red glow in his eyes felt utterly alien.
Especially against foes several times stronger than him—every clash made him grow steeper, devouring experience in the moment. It didn't look human.
Blink, and his Socheon Sword Technique forms had changed. Blink again, and his grasp of the Great Heaven Sword Method had shifted.
There was no defense in Dongryong's swordplay. Just relentless offense, dodging attacks—it was like he had some secret vendetta against parental enemies none of them knew about.
The bandits were now terrified of his mad frenzy, fleeing one by one. But Dongryong chased them relentlessly with Tae-eul's Eight Myriad Divine Steps, determined not to let a single one escape, reaping lives without mercy.
The villagers started fearing that blood-soaked demon too. The fighting was over. Bandits were either running or begging for their lives.
Yet Dongryong still craved more blood.
In the end, Geum Pyo swung at him.
"Snap out of it, Dongryong!"
"......I'm gonna kill 'em! Protect... gonna kill to protect!! Me... all of 'em! ...Gonna kill!"
Forgetting even that Geum Pyo was his big brother, Dongryong's blade was viciously sharp. Mimicking Jin Sowoon's forms perfectly—it was all Geum Pyo could do to hold him off.
"Please snap out of it!"
He'd sent Eunho to fetch Jin Sowoon, but every split-second felt like an eternity. He couldn't let his brother become a demon like this. Or die by his hand.
"Lee Dongryong!! Snap out of it! Don't you wanna go to the Murim Alliance with Jin Sowoon Senior Brother?!"
"......!"
For a split instant, Dongryong faltered.
Geum Pyo bellowed louder.
"If you turn into a demon like this, even Tae-eul Gate won't take you back! Is that what you want?!"
"......!"
Twitch, twitch. His body jerked back into motion. The killing intent aimed at the bandits now locked onto Geum Pyo, attacks fiercer than against a mortal enemy.
Geum Pyo's hands and feet started tangling.
"Urk! Lee Dongryong, you......"
In that moment, he could only stare blankly as Dongryong's sword thrust for his vitals.
"Good job."
Clang! A pitch-black sword—from guard to tip—blocked Dongryong's blade.
"Big Senior Brother!"
Jin Sowoon deftly parried, though less sharply than usual. He looked utterly drained. Probably from battling Ssangmak Stronghold's chiefs.
"How long?"
"Almost two hours, sir."
"Not too late."
"Really?"
"......Yeah."
Jin Sowoon was relieved. He'd drilled the brothers in energy circulation and pushed them harder because he knew about Dongryong's Heavenly Killing Star.
The Tae-eul True Scripture's incantation let him view himself from a third perspective, peering deep into his inner self. With the star, Dongryong would instinctively circulate energy to avoid exhaustion, and reciting the scripture greatly raised his chances of snapping out of it.
"What do we do?"
"Nothing. We wait for him to wake himself."
"What if he can't?"
"......He will."
Geum Pyo's eyes shook violently at Jin Sowoon's uncharacteristic uncertainty. The guy who'd talked like it was nothing before raiding Ssangmak Stronghold...
Did time matter? If too much passed, could he never wake? Would Dongryong become a demon forever?
Geum Pyo's heart plummeted.
"Huff, huff, huff. Bros, how's it going?"
Eunho arrived, steaming with exhaustion. Geum Pyo couldn't answer amid his panting.
This isn't right. This... this can't be right.
Originally, only he and Eunho had planned to help Jin Sowoon. But Dongryong, who adored senior brother, had stubbornly insisted on coming.
They'd pushed their training to insane limits to shake him off, but he'd kept up until he passed out.
They couldn't leave someone who'd tried that hard behind.
"Bro! What're you doing?!"
"Can't leave Dongryong here!"
"What? What're you talking about?"
"Eunho! Let's go. We gotta take Dongryong!"
"......"
Eunho had no idea what he meant, but he sensed following now meant no regrets later.
"Stay back!"
Jin Sowoon reached out to keep them away from Dongryong, but Geum Pyo charged with his sword.
"I'll take Dongryong!"
"Geum Pyo."
"We'll take him!"
Clang clang clang clang! With Geum Pyo in the way, Jin Sowoon couldn't swing freely. Dongryong's brows furrowed wide—the star distinguishing strong from weak.
"Lee Dongryong! Snap out of it! You wanna become a demon like this?!"
"......"
"You said you wanna be a hero like Big Senior Brother! Then don't get lost to that damn star!"
"......!"
Dongryong's sword halted at Geum Pyo's vitals. He slipped through the gap—only for Dongryong to twist his arm unnaturally, thrusting at his throat.
Clang!
"Lee Dongryong! Even if you hate big bro, this ain't it!"
Eunho smacked the blade away. Together, they barely held him off.
"Lee Dongryong! Keep ignoring us, and we'll leave you!"
"......!"
Another halt.
"Lee Dongryong! We only brought you 'cause you begged to come!"
"What if we can't get Big Senior Brother into the academy 'cause of you?!"
"......!!"
Every bellow from Geum Pyo and Eunho slowed Dongryong's frenzy bit by bit.
"Snap out of it! Before we really leave you!"
They screamed until their throats gave out. His sword lunged at their vitals countless times, but they didn't stop.
"Keep it up, and we'll send you home!"
Halt.
Dongryong's body froze for the first time, then convulsed violently.
Geum Pyo and Eunho looked to Jin Sowoon in shock—he nodded silently.
"We'll send you home alone!"
"Go help Mom and Dad! Big Senior Brother's going to the academy with us!"
Eyes rolling back, foam at his mouth. Then he vomited blood.
"Buack. Urk—."
The sword slipped from his grip like it was glued no more. After retching forever, Dongryong lifted his head. Red eyes flashing, he whimpered.
"......Don't wanna... take me too......"
Geum Pyo and Eunho let out relieved laughs laced with sighs.
"Haa. You damn idiot."
"Haha, haha. Hahaha."
Watching the three brothers, Jin Sowoon finally exhaled in relief.
Good.
The Heavenly Killing Star's bloodlust was a hard-to-quell desire, but once overcome, it never consumed him again. Even if it did, the experience would let him reclaim his will.
Dongryong had achieved what only three in Murim history ever had—earning a talent for the ages.