Chapter 354: Chapter 354

“Oh…… so this is the Hunan Dan Family?”

The man looked around the place, expressing his amazement.

To call it simply a family residence, not only was its scale vast, but the scenery created within was so grand that he could not help but admire it.

Dan So-mi, who was by his side, confidently squared her shoulders and smiled.

“Isn’t it cool?”

“Huhaha! It really is cool. Where else could a place like this exist?”

A man of nine feet in height.

Why had Dan So-mi brought him all the way here, when she did not even know his name?

The reason was simply because she did not think of him as a bad person, but it was a situation that could easily lead to a major disaster.

Grrr.

In particular, the behavior of the white tiger and the white cat guarding her side was strange.

The white tiger, with its massive body, kept its breath held and remained on guard.

However, as if it did not dare to attack, it hid behind Dan So-mi’s back, which was strange.

The white cat, too, dug into Dan So-mi’s arms and would not come out, acting as if it was afraid of that man.

“A manor built in front of Dongting Lake…… I do not think there could be another house as atmospheric and meaningful as this.”

The man said those words as he looked at Dongting Lake.

A place where not even a gentle ripple stirred.

Even if something were to happen, it seemed this place would remain tranquil. It was a place perfectly suited for that person, and because it was that person, it was a place of special significance.

With that thought, he turned his back.

“Please come in!”

“Hahaha, is it really alright for me to enter?”

At the man’s question, Dan So-mi readily nodded her head.

There were no bad people in this world. From the perspective of Dan So-mi, who believed in such words, everyone was good and she did not view anyone negatively.

Realizing this, the man showed immense interest.

Looking at the man with clear eyes and gesturing to him, Dan So-mi seemed to have no hesitation or dark thoughts at all.

“I see……. That must be why that guy took her in. Is it nature, or…….”

The man swallowed the rest of his words and laughed absurdly.

Then, as he slowly approached where Dan So-mi was, the small child let out a groan and pushed open the large gate.

At the same time, the interior scenery was revealed.

An appearance that brought to mind the land of peach blossoms.

Four pavilions built around a large pine tree, a small pond set on one side of the wide yard, and a landscape around it that seemed to capture the mountain terrain in its entirety.

This was exactly what Dan Woo-hyun had created.

Also, in the pavilion built on the pond, three old men could be seen sitting and chatting together. They looked at Dan So-mi entering and immediately opened their eyes wide, which was because of the nine-foot-tall man standing blankly behind her.

“So-mi…… who is that gentleman?”

Namgung Cheon, who was the first to stand up, hurriedly approached Dan So-mi. Showing a seriously stiff expression, he glared at the man without letting down his guard.

This was the same for Sa Do-hak and Jeok Mu-seong as well.

Before long, they raised their internal energy so that they could unfold a technique at any moment.

Was it because of that strange atmosphere?

Not to mention Namgung So-hye, who was practicing martial arts, even Ma Jang-gang stealthily showed himself and surrounded the man.

“What is this now? Where did you pick him up from?”

At that moment, Jang Sam-tae, who had been sweeping the yard, approached Dan So-mi and asked. He tilted his head upward and frowned heavily, as if he had never seen such a huge human before.

“What kind of fellow are you?”

“Huhaha! Me?”

The man, who laughed loudly, glared at Jang Sam-tae. For a moment, his eyes shone black, harboring a darkness that seemed ready to swallow everything.

Flinch!

Even the great Jang Sam-tae was startled and lost his nerve.

“Then what kind of fellow are you?”

“M-Me? I am a servant of the Hunan Dan Family!”

“Hoh…… a servant?”

The man bent his waist and looked down at Jang Sam-tae. He showed a gaze that seemed to check this and that, then broke into a loud laugh as if finding it very amusing, and patted his shoulder.

“Huhahaha! An interesting fellow indeed! What kind of energy is shaped like this?”

“Huh?”

Though the words were incomprehensible, Namgung Cheon, Sa Do-hak, and Jeok Mu-seong understood them. All kinds of martial arts were mixed in Jang Sam-tae’s body.

It was partly because Dan Woo-hyun had modified his unique internal energy, but because of that, Jang Sam-tae radiated an energy different from ordinary martial artists.

He seemed to have recognized that instantly.

“Are you…… an enemy?”

At that moment, Namgung Cheon stepped forward and stretched out his hand. The sword placed on one side flew swiftly to him.

No matter who saw that amazing sight, they would have opened their eyes wide, but the man did not even pay attention.

His face looked as if such things were extremely natural.

At that moment, the man moved lightly.

Then, Dan So-mi, who had been standing blankly, collapsed.

Whether she had fainted or not, she was sleeping while breathing evenly.

“Before I introduce who I am…… I think I need to know you first. Let us see…… if you are qualified to be with that person.”

* * *

Dan Woo-hyun, who had arrived in Yuelu before he knew it, looked at the exhausted people and laughed absurdly.

Whether following him was that difficult, both of them panted heavily and sank to the ground.

“P-Please stop, g-go a bit slower…….”

Zhuge Yeon exhaled with a pale face.

They had already continued a forced journey for over ten days. Except for when eating or sleeping, they kept walking and moving, so an ordinary person would have collapsed already.

It was admirable that they had endured up to this point.

“You have no perseverance.”

“Anyone would get tired if they moved like this, you know? You are not human.”

“Haha, did it look that way?”

Dan Woo-hyun laughed as if it was amusing.

For him, it could not be considered a forced journey. It was just that Dan Woo-hyun’s pace was somewhat fast, and it was natural for those chasing him to find it difficult.

“Is there something going on? There is no need to go this fast. We could walk leisurely and look at the mountains…….”

“What fun is there in looking at the mountains every day? It is just that the wind is unsettling, so I am trying to go a bit faster.”

“Then you could have just vanished by yourself like before!”

Zhuge Yeon raised her voice sharply and made a dissatisfied face. If Dan Woo-hyun went ahead first, Gwon Mu-jin and Zhuge Yeon could just move somewhat leisurely.

The lack of money was a problem, but they had long been used to such a life, so now they did not care at all about hunting or foraging for wild greens.

Going hungry for a day or two was no big deal.

At that moment, a boom! echoed from far away.

Even the passing people felt that faint sound and turned their heads. The gazes of the three people naturally turned, and they instantly realized what was in the direction of the sound.

“That place is, uh……?”

“He is already gone.”

Zhuge Yeon shrugged her shoulders and made an absurd expression.

If he was going to do this, he should have gone sooner!

While having such thoughts, the two stood up and dashed fiercely toward the Hunan Dan Family.

* * *

“Ugh!”

“Aaargh!”

“Dear, dear…….”

The man shook his head while looking at the falling people. Although they were said to be masters who rank within the top five in the Central Plains, they were laid out without even lasting ten moves.

The one who suffered the most severely was Sa Do-hak.

Strangely, he seemed to have shown mercy to Namgung Cheon or Jeok Mu-seong, but toward Sa Do-hak, he pushed him so hard that the word moderation did not apply.

His clothes were torn and wounds appeared all over his body.

From the perspective of Sa Do-hak, who had never been beaten like this by anyone except Dan Woo-hyun since he gained the title of Demon Emperor, it was truly a dog-like situation.

“Damn it!”

“Puhaha! You have good spirit. Come at me once more, baby.”

“Who is a baby!”

The sight of him playing with Sa Do-hak like a young child was truly bizarre.

Jang Sam-tae, Namgung So-hye, and Ma Jang-gang, who were watching, could only stare without even thinking of holding their swords in the face of this unbelievable reality.

Soon, Sa Do-hak, who stood up again, fired a palm strike toward the man with all his strength.

As expected of one who had reached the height of demonic arts, the momentum exuded from his body was not something to simply laugh at.

It felt as if it would swallow everything into darkness.

The inherent power that earned him the name Demon Emperor burst forth completely.

Black demonic energy surged behind Sa Do-hak’s back, and its shape fell into the illusion of seeing the God of Death.

At that moment when everyone held their breath.

“Huhahaha! This is fun!”

The man also smiled and emitted his momentum.

Black energy began to flow from his body. It felt similar to Sa Do-hak’s, yet somehow different. However, the black energy that swallowed his entire body was undoubtedly demonic energy.

“D-Demonic arts?!”

“Is that not the Heavenly Demon Divine Art!”

Jeok Mu-seong and Namgung Cheon shouted, opening their eyes wide.

The one unfolding the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was Sa Do-hak.

However, the man was also responding with the same Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Since it was something said to never be passed down unless one was the Cult Leader, even the rushing Sa Do-hak could not hide his surprise.

“Y-You, what on earth are you!”

“Huhaha! Fun!”

The man did not answer Sa Do-hak’s question.

He just smiled and seemed to be enjoying this situation. The moment he swallowed Sa Do-hak’s incoming demonic energy, it seemed to be absorbed and transformed into the man’s own energy.

The man’s power grew stronger and stronger, while Sa Do-hak’s momentum was nothing more than a firefly.

The moment the man’s power was about to reach Sa Do-hak.

Everyone closed their eyes tightly at the impending tragedy.

Crack-!

“Ugh!”

Thud-!

At that moment, a bizarre thing happened.

The head of the man, who was thought to be about to pour all his power onto Sa Do-hak, was slammed into the ground.

A large pit was dug, and the man stuck there trembled.

He showed whole-body convulsions and did not move.

It was a strike that would have naturally killed an ordinary person instantly.

And there, Dan Woo-hyun stood blankly, frowning.

“Is…… is that not Family Head Dan.”

“Y-You, how…….”

The startled Sa Do-hak and Namgung Cheon cast bewildered looks. It was because they thought it would take a few more days to return from Hubei.

Furthermore, a strike that appeared out of nowhere and slammed down.

Whether it was a martial art or simply a beating, he showed a divine strike that subdued a master greater than Sa Do-hak in an instant.

“Clumsy fools…….”

Dan Woo-hyun clicked his tongue and looked around.

His gaze was so cold that they lost their nerve without realizing it. In particular, Sa Do-hak, who was beaten to a mess, bowed his head and trembled without realizing it.

However, Dan Woo-hyun did not look at them anymore.

He lightly kicked the one lying face down before him, who was trembling with convulsions. Then, the stuck head came out easily, and he stared at the man who had become a bloody mess.

“You have not changed at all, now or in the past.”

“Co…… cough…… it hurts like a dog…….”

“I hit you so it would hurt.”

“P-Please hit me gently next time…….”

“Get up. If you do not want to die.”

The moment Dan Woo-hyun spoke, the man jumped up from his spot. He did not hesitate to kneel politely before him and bow his head.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was standing blankly, asked the man.

“So, what is a dead guy doing here?”

“Ha…… haha…… w-well, about that……?”

The man slowly opened his mouth with an awkward expression.

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