Chapter 187: Chapter 187
Jong Ri-yeon watched Dam Ho surreptitiously, like a cat.
His face, expressionless as always, betrayed no emotion. It was as though he were clad in iron armor.
Jong Ri-yeon thought Dam Ho was angry. To others his face appeared the same as always, but to her eyes it looked subtly different.
Dam Ho was angry now. Very much so.
‘Is it because of the master?’
Ever since hearing from Hyeon-gwang that the master was in Shouzhou instead of Mount Hua, Dam Ho had been like this.
He was so terrifying that she dared not approach him.
Jong Ri-yeon followed behind Dam Ho with her lips pressed firmly shut. She was a woman who lived by her own convictions and feared nothing, but even she possessed a sense of when to tread carefully.
Dam Ho returned to the inn where he had been staying. But the inn was half destroyed and no longer habitable. In the end, Dam Ho and Jong Ri-yeon gathered their meager belongings and stepped outside.
Fortunately, the stable had been spared, and Heuk-gui and Jong Ri-yeon’s horses were unharmed.
As the two led their horses outside…
“Amitabha! Excuse me, benefactor. Might you stop for a moment?”
Someone blocked their path.
It was Shaolin’s Kwang-hae and the young monks.
Dam Ho’s gaze turned to Kwang-hae.
“What is it?”
The moment Kwang-hae met Dam Ho’s eyes, he flinched.
‘What kind of gaze is that?’
Even for an elder of Shaolin, the overwhelming, savage energy contained in those eyes made his heart shudder. But he was a Shaolin elder. He quickly composed himself and spoke.
“This humble monk is Kwang-hae of Shaolin.”
“And?”
“I know the benefactor is busy, but I would like to have a word.”
“……”
“I do not intend to trouble you or hold you up. I only ask for a moment of your time.”
“I am the Fist Demon.”
“I am aware.”
“The Murim Alliance has designated me a public enemy of the martial world.”
“I am aware of that as well.”
“And yet you still wish to speak with me?”
“Amitabha! That is correct.”
Kwang-hae looked Dam Ho straight in the eye. His gaze was clear and pure, revealing no hidden intent.
“Follow me!”
Dam Ho departed through Luoyang’s South Gate, with Jong Ri-yeon and Shaolin’s monks following behind.
When they reached a secluded spot, Dam Ho turned to Kwang-hae.
“Speak.”
“Amitabha!”
A flicker of conflict crossed Kwang-hae’s face as he uttered the prayer. But it was brief, and he continued.
“When the benefactor has time, I would ask that you visit our temple.”
“To Shaolin?”
“That is correct.”
“Why would I?”
“There is someone I would very much like to introduce to you.”
Dam Ho furrowed his brow. Kwang-hae, mistaking his expression for displeasure, hastily continued.
“It will not be a bad thing for the benefactor. I stake Shaolin’s honor on that.”
“Who is it?”
“I cannot say at this moment. But I can assure you that this person will never be a threat to the benefactor.”
“……”
Dam Ho stared intently at Kwang-hae. Kwang-hae did not avert his gaze but met it squarely. His eyes held unwavering conviction.
Dam Ho was not so foolish that he could not read the pure intentions in the eyes of this old monk who had devoted his entire life to the Buddhist dharma.
“I cannot promise when I will go. But if the time comes, I will visit.”
“Amitabha! That is more than sufficient. Thank you, benefactor, for granting this difficult request.”
“……”
“One thing I would say, our Shaolin does not care in the least that you have been named a public enemy. So please, do not trouble yourself over it either.”
Dam Ho had saved Kwang-hae and the monks from certain death. No matter what the world might say, a debt of grace must be repaid. Especially for a righteous sect like Shaolin.
Dam Ho was undoubtedly a man of the demonic path.
In dealing with the fighters of the Demonic Cult, his hand showed not a shred of mercy. But that did not mean Dam Ho’s nature was stained by evil.
Though fierce, there was no malice in his eyes. One whose heart had been corrupted by evil could never possess such a gaze.
Moreover, the man before him was the successor to Mount Hua’s legacy. No matter how he might deny his sect or walk an independent path, one who had received the teachings of Mount Hua, the orthodox sect, would not be one to fall to the demonic path.
“When you come to Shaolin, ask for Kwang-hae and they will guide you.”
“I shall!”
“Thank you for granting this difficult request.”
Kwang-hae bowed deeply to Dam Ho.
A Shaolin elder held far greater influence than the leaders of most ordinary sects. His standing in the martial world was the same.
That such a man had bowed to Dam Ho was itself a matter that would shock the martial world.
Kwang-hae’s gaze turned to Jong Ri-yeon.
“The Divine Physician should come as well, when she has time.”
“Me too?”
Jong Ri-yeon’s eyes went wide. Kwang-hae smiled warmly.
“I would be grateful.”
“I… understand.”
After glancing briefly at Dam Ho, Jong Ri-yeon nodded. At the sight of the Divine Physician, Kwang-hae wore a faint smile.
‘Her brow is level, and her vital energy is full. She carries the countenance of fertile earth brimming with good fortune. A great tree shall sprout from within.’
Dam Ho spoke to Kwang-hae.
“Is your business concluded?”
“Amitabha! That is correct. Thank you for taking the time.”
Dam Ho looked at Kwang-hae for a moment, then turned away. He intended to set out for Shouzhou immediately. Jong Ri-yeon followed at his side.
“I will come with you.”
The two rode off into the distance.
Kwang-hae stood in place for a long while, watching them disappear.
At that moment, his disciple Hyeon-cheon approached.
“Master, why did you summon him to Shaolin?”
“It is not my will.”
“Then whose?”
“Before I came here, the Ancestor told me. He said I would form a new connection here. It might be an ill fate, but if handled well, it could be transformed into a good one. He bade me bring the person to him. I thought he was referring to my meeting with someone from Mount Hua, but now that I think on it, perhaps he already knew about my encounter with the Fist Demon.”
“Could that be…”
Hyeon-cheon’s eyes wavered.
Within Shaolin, there existed a living legend. Kwang-hae had just alluded to that legend.
***
The majesty of the Murim Alliance as seen from the shores of Dongting Lake was truly awe-inspiring. The countless buildings rising like mountains were enough to take one’s breath away.
Since Namgung Chang became the Alliance Leader, the prestige of the Murim Alliance had risen further still. Many martial artists had voluntarily joined, drawn by his fame.
The Military Affairs Bureau was located at the heart of the Alliance. Its master was none other than Namgung Chang. In addition to Namgung Chang, dozens of scholars were stationed there.
Their task was to sort and process the vast quantities of information flowing into the bureau, presenting it in a form that Namgung Chang could easily digest.
Based on this wealth of information, Namgung Chang assessed the situation and formulated strategies for the Alliance’s operations.
“Hah!”
Namgung Chang sighed and rose from his seat. Where he had been sitting, a mountain of letters lay heaped.
Since becoming the military strategist, the first thing Namgung Chang had done was establish a systematic intelligence network. To that end, he had borrowed the strength of the Heoam Sect and extended his reach to other factions as well.
Absorbing what could be absorbed, he had built an intelligence network unique to the Murim Alliance. Though still in its early stages, if given another year or two, it could become the most extensive network in the world.
The problem was how to hold out until then. The Demonic Cult was provoking them across the entire Central Plains at this very moment.
He could not understand why they were provoking on such a wide scale. That was why his chest felt tight.
One of the fundamentals of strategy was to avoid dispersing one’s forces unnecessarily. Yet the Demonic Cult was spreading its forces thin to attack sects across the entire Central Plains.
Namgung Chang could not comprehend this.
“What on earth are they after?”
He needed to know the enemy’s intent to respond properly, and because he could not, a protracted war of attrition was unfolding for no reason.
Namgung Chang pressed his thumbs firmly against his temples. Though he could circulate his energy, this was far more effective at clearing his muddled mind.
After pressing his temples for a long while, a cold light entered Namgung Chang’s eyes.
He had suddenly thought of his own family, the Namgung Family.
“The Fist Demon… That one man brought the Namgung Family to ruin.”
The Sword King Guard, the family’s last line of defense, had been annihilated, and the family head, Namgung Cheon, had returned gravely wounded at that man’s hands.
The plan to bring the Divine Physician and heal Young Master Namgung Mu-jin’s deviation had also failed. Because of this, the atmosphere within the Namgung Family was no different from a funeral.
Namgung Chang was a strategist of the Murim Alliance, but he was also a direct descendant of the Namgung Family. The weaker the Namgung Family became, the more his own position within the Alliance would inevitably diminish.
“The Fist Demon… I must eliminate that man. By any means necessary.”
Ideally, he would use the power of the Murim Alliance itself to remove Dam Ho. But with the Demonic Cult clashing with them on all fronts, diverting forces to deal with Dam Ho was impossible.
They had even designated him a public enemy of the martial world, yet no movement to hunt him down had materialized.
As Namgung Chang bit down hard on his lip…
“Strategist!”
A voice called urgently from beyond the door.
Namgung Chang was jolted from his reverie.
“What is it?”
“An urgent report from the north.”
“An urgent report? Come in at once.”
At Namgung Chang’s permission, a scholar hurried in and presented a red dispatch.
Namgung Chang hastily unfurled it. As he read, his eyes trembled.
“Is this true? The Blue Cloud Manor of Gaoxian has been destroyed, and an unidentified force is heading toward Shouzhou?”
“The signs point to the Demonic Cult. But their strength appears to be considerable.”
“Hmm!”
“The Blue Cloud Manor was the dominant power in the Gaoxian region, yet they were annihilated in a single night. If this continues, the Shouzhou Branch will be attacked from both north and south simultaneously.”
“How large is their force?”
“That has yet to be determined. But given that they destroyed the Blue Cloud Manor in an instant, we judge their force to be substantial.”
“Hmm!”
Namgung Chang’s face darkened.
Shanxi Province, where Shouzhou was located, had no great powers like the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families. Many small and mid-sized sects existed, but their strength was roughly equal and none dared oppose the Demonic Cult.
Currently, the only force in Shanxi capable of opposing the Demonic Cult was the Murim Alliance’s Shouzhou Branch. If the Shouzhou Branch fell, Shanxi would be seized by the Demonic Cult.
If the Demonic Cult were merely a martial sect, the conquest of a single province would not be a major issue. Even a massive sect would struggle to exert influence beyond a single province.
But the Demonic Cult was not an ordinary sect, it was a religious organization. Namgung Chang knew all too well how great an influence religion could wield over the common people.
The moment the hearts of the common folk turned to the Demonic Cult, their doctrines would spread across the Central Plains like a plague. Once spread, they could never be stopped. Such was the power of religion.
“What forces can we send to Shouzhou now?”
“The capable forces are currently dispatched to Yunnan and Shandong. Even if we recalled them, it would take at least a month.”
“That would be too late.”
“Ah! The White Cloud Manor’s Cho Yeon-woon is nearby. With them, we could provide some assistance.”
“Then send him and the nearby sects to Shouzhou first. I will send letters to Shaolin, Mount Hua, and Zhongnan requesting aid.”
“Understood.”
The scholar hurried out, leaving Namgung Chang alone.
“I cannot keep being led around like this forever. I need a definitive countermeasure.”
Bang!
Namgung Chang struck the table with his fist. Blood dripped from his hand, but he did not even feel the pain.
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