Chapter 217: Chapter 217

Clop-clop… clop-clop…

The carriage carrying Cheon-hwi and Danmok Rin left the Zhuge Clan and was running along the official road.

Was it because the road was bumpy?

The carriage occasionally rattled and shook, but the inside was completely silent.

The reason was simple.

Because Cheon-hwi was deep in meditation with his eyes gently closed.

‘I look forward to the day we meet again.’

His meeting with the Supreme Lord was short.

Two meetings, a few words of conversation.

That was all there was.

But that was enough.

‘To know him, that is.’

Cheon-hwi’s mouth, which had been stiff the entire time, slightly curled up.

After starting a new life, he had exchanged blows with quite a few masters, but none of them could satisfy him.

Even when he had a life-and-death battle with the White Snake God who was said to be the supreme ruler of one province, or during his spar with the Zhongnan Sword Saint, the number one master of the Zhongnan Sect.

Of course, both of them were exceptional masters who could be counted on one hand even when compared to the people he met in his past life.

But that was all.

In the end, they remained in the realm of Heavenly Martial, unable to step into the realm of Heaven Beyond Heaven.

But he, the Supreme Lord, was different.

His status, his martial prowess, his very existence.

Because he was a peerless master of Heaven Beyond Heaven, surpassing the martial sky known as Heavenly Martial.

‘Right. Three hundred years have passed, so it wouldn’t make sense if there wasn’t a peerless master of that caliber.’

His slowly raised mouth formed a complete arc, and soon a deep smile appeared on his lips.

A smile full of interest and heat.

‘I should regain the martial prowess of my past life before he comes to Mount Hua.’

Cheon-hwi hurriedly introspected his body.

His Mind’s Eye, which instantly began to emerge, scanned every corner of his body.

Thanks to overcoming the Yin-Yang Great Spirit Severed Meridians, his body was incredibly sturdy.

‘It seems that all the physical growth is finished now.’

The Mind’s Eye headed towards his lower dantian.

His internal energy quantity couldn’t be said to be more than other masters of the Heavenly Martial Realm, but perhaps it was thanks to accumulating only the purest energy in the world in his lower dantian through the supreme peerless mental method known as the Plum Blossom Divine Art.

Its texture was distinctly different.

To the point where he could overwhelm opponents with less internal energy than them.

If others had introspected it, they might have been colored in astonishment and their jaws might have dropped.

‘Then is enlightenment all that remains?’

Passing the Heavenly Martial Realm to the absolute realm.

In order to reach what they called the Martial God Realm, a great enlightenment was needed.

And an enlightenment regarding the Plum Blossom Divine Art at that.

It wasn’t an easy task.

That was to be expected as the Plum Blossom Divine Art was a mental method he personally created, the end of which couldn’t be fathomed.

No, it was unknown if it even had an end.

‘Well, it will work out as I keep doing it.’

However, Cheon-hwi was confident.

Not only had he stepped into that realm once before, but countless martial arts overflowed in his mind.

He had no thought of failing.

‘Should I slowly focus for now?’

Having scanned his body, Cheon-hwi fell into deeper thoughts.

To the abyss whose end was unknown.

Meanwhile, Danmok Rin, who was watching Cheon-hwi in deep thought with pleasure, stiffened slightly.

‘This is…’

The tips of her fingers trembled slightly.

Her sharp and incredibly sensitive qi sense read the change in Cheon-hwi, who was immersed in his thoughts.

It was such a subtle change that it would pass unnoticed if not observed closely.

At that moment.

Sss…

An energy clearer and purer than any energy in the world flowed out from Cheon-hwi.

Would the legendary stalactite milk be like this?

As an incredibly clear and clean energy flowed out and enveloped the carriage, Danmok Rin looked at Cheon-hwi with blank eyes without realizing it.

Even at the moment Danmok Rin felt a sense of distance, the energy continued to spread out.

The energy soon became so vast that not only did it completely swallow the carriage, but it seemed to submerge it.

Just like a great ocean.

‘Senior Martial Brother did this…?’

Just when bewilderment was taking the place of her blank eyes.

Neigh…

The carriage rattled and stopped.

“What are you doing?”

Go Sam’s angry voice could be heard.

It was because two horses and an old and a young person appeared and suddenly blocked the path. He was about to express his anger with a loud voice when he paused.

“You people are…”

At that moment, the young man lightly jumped off his horse and politely bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry for suddenly blocking the road.”

At that moment, Danmok Rin, who was observing the outside situation from within, flinched.

‘This voice?’

She hurriedly poked her head out.

‘Grandfather and eldest brother?!’

In the place she looked, Danmok Chan and the Iron Heart Sword Old Man were staring at the carriage window.

Just as Danmok Rin widened her eyes.

Grin…

Danmok Chan also discovered Danmok Rin, widened his eyes, and strode towards her.

“Lady Rin. Could we have a chat for a moment?”

“…You mean now?”

Showing a troubled expression, Danmok Rin looked at Cheon-hwi opposite her.

At that moment, Cheon-hwi’s mouth moved.

“If you’re going to talk, do it quickly.”

With his words, Cheon-hwi, who slowly lifted his eyelids, looked straight into Danmok Rin’s eyes.

“Instead, finish it quickly.”

Danmok Rin flashed a bright smile.

“Yes.”

Following that, she got off the carriage.

Soon, Danmok Chan and she entered the nearby bushes and disappeared from sight.

“Did she notice that? As expected, her talent can be counted on one hand.”

Cheon-hwi recalled the situation from just before.

The internal energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art was the purest and most natural energy in the world.

Because of that, when he merely leaked his internal energy like this, ordinary martial artists wouldn’t be able to feel it no matter how close they were, but she had grasped it.

‘Not only that, she even adapted to it.’

It was an amazing sympathetic ability.

And that sympathetic ability would be of great help in surpassing her realm in the future.

“She could be called the number one genius in the world.”

Cheon-hwi muttered while stroking his chin, and then turned his gaze to the side.

Where his gaze headed, there was someone sticking closely to the side of the carriage, looking at him through the window.

“What is it?”

“It’s because I wanted to see your face.”

The Iron Heart Sword Old Man smiled gently.

“Did you say your Taoist title was Cheon-hwi?”

“Yes, well. That’s right.”

“It’s a good Taoist title.”

Cheon-hwi chuckled.

“So what do you have to say?”

At the direct words, the Iron Heart Sword Old Man’s drooping eyebrows twitched greatly.

“Haha, that’s quite fiery.”

Bursting into laughter, he let go of the reins and lightly jumped down from the horse.

‘His movements are agile.’

Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.

From the series of actions he just showed, he could catch a glimpse of what kind of martial arts he usually executed.

One Sword Sure Kill.

He was probably someone who trained in a fast sword that took the opponent’s life in a single strike.

And as if to prove it, his gestures were extremely swift and prudent.

“I thought it was strange since the Supreme Lord came to see you, but…”

The momentum of his speaking became sharp.

“You’re strong.”

“That is true.”

Cheon-hwi nodded, agreeing.

“But you somehow managed to recognize it.”

“To be honest, I’m still not certain. I just faintly feel it.”

“It seems everyone in the Danmok Clan has a sharp qi sense.”

“Haha, it’s true that the Danmok Clan’s qi sense is sharp, but unfortunately, I am not a Danmok. I’m just a guest.”

“That’s strange. To me, it seemed like you were someone from the Danmok Clan.”

“Did it look like that to your eyes?”

A smile appeared on his lips.

It looked brighter and more innocent than any smile he had shown.

After laughing for a moment like that, he opened his mouth.

“Would it be possible to talk for a moment?”

Cheon-hwi stared straight at him.

Although his pupils couldn’t be seen well because they were hidden by his white eyebrows, the glow of his eyes could be felt.

An eerie, sharp power.

It wasn’t murderous intent, nor was it sharpness.

It was something felt from his existence itself, no, it seemed to contain a terrible murderous intent steeped in his life.

‘He’s a tremendous Killing Ghost.’

A smile spread across Cheon-hwi’s lips.

It was truly fascinating.

To think that such a cruel feeling would seep out from such a benevolent appearance.

“Sure.”

Cheon-hwi answered and stepped down from the carriage.

“Thank you.”

The Iron Heart Sword Old Man showed a smile.

It was a very benevolent laugh.

But in Cheon-hwi’s eyes, that laugh looked very unfitting, like a mask.

At that moment, the Iron Heart Sword Old Man briefly turned his gaze and stared at Go Sam.

As if noticing something from that gaze, Go Sam jumped down from the driver’s seat.

“It seems the conversation will be long, so could I go feed the horses some fodder for a moment?”

Cheon-hwi replied without taking his eyes off the Iron Heart Sword Old Man.

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

Immediately, Go Sam led the horses away and disappeared.

Soon, only the two of them were left beside the carriage.

“Oh right. I haven’t revealed my name to you. I am called Jong Gak.”

Jong Gak, who revealed his name in a low voice, unclasped his hands from his back and bowed his head deeply.

“Thank you for saving Rin.”

He slowly raised his head.

The gaze he looked at Cheon-hwi with was filled with an unfathomable gratitude.

“Thanks to you, that child can smile again.”

“If you’re so thankful, why don’t you give me something as a token of gratitude later?”

Jong Gak narrowed his glabella.

“Didn’t you receive it from Rin?”

“That is that, and this is this.”

At the brazen words, Jong Gak unconsciously burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, alright. I’ll send it separately later.”

After laughing for a while, Jong Gak changed the subject.

“But you are amazing. To possess such martial prowess at that age is surprising enough, but to even have medical skills surpassing the Divine Physician.”

“The Divine Physician elder’s medical skills are superior.”

Cheon-hwi said calmly.

Treating Danmok Rin was only because he knew martial arts and constitutions; the truth was that the Divine Physician was far ahead in true medical skills.

“A Taoist is indeed a Taoist.”

However, Jong Gak, who didn’t know the detailed contents, felt that Cheon-hwi was humbly accepting it and smiled happily. And at that moment.

“What do you mean I can’t.”

Danmok Chan walked over, huffing.

He shouted with a furious face towards Cheon-hwi, who was leaning against the carriage.

“Little Taoist!”

At the resounding call, Cheon-hwi showed a bothered expression and stared at him.

“What is it?”

“Would you spar with me?”

At the vigorous voice, Cheon-hwi picked his ear and said apathetically.

“Why should I?”

Danmok Chan, who never thought he would be refused, bit his lower lip hard.

“Are you perhaps avoiding it out of fear?”

Cheon-hwi snickered.

It was a ridiculous provocation.

Just as he was about to ignore him.

“If you’re not busy, how about sparring with him?”

Jong Gak spoke up.

Oho.

Cheon-hwi’s lips slowly twisted.

“Hmm, just doing it like this is a bit…”

“Is there something you want?”

Cheon-hwi looked straight into Jong Gak’s eyes.

“I’ll do it if you spar with me too, elder.”

“With me?”

“Yes.”

Jong Gak’s eyebrows twitched greatly.

Soon, he burst into a hearty laugh.

“Hahaha, good.”

Upon hearing the answer, Cheon-hwi immediately turned his gaze to Danmok Chan and said.

“What are you doing? Let’s do it quickly.”

At those words, Danmok Chan was dumbfounded, but soon spun his body around and spoke.

“Follow me.”

* * *

A moment later, the two who stood facing each other in a nearby clearing looked at each other.

“You won’t be able to spar with Grandfather today.”

Danmok Chan continued, his eyes flashing.

“Because you will be defeated by me.”

At Danmok Chan’s powerful voice, Cheon-hwi opened his mouth with an annoyed expression.

“I got it, so let’s do it quickly.”

Danmok Chan frowned at Cheon-hwi’s bothered attitude.

However, that was only for a moment; his face became firm, and he took a few steps back to widen the distance.

‘To think Rin fell for a bastard like this!’

His eyes quickly scanned Cheon-hwi.

His face was handsome.

But that was it; he didn’t like his personality, behavior, or anything else about him.

‘I will reveal your pathetic true self and take off the blinders on Rin’s eyes.’

Danmok Chan glared at him with firm determination.

Meanwhile, a certain distance away, Danmok Rin and Jong Gak were watching the two of them.

“I have to stop my brother…”

Danmok Rin muttered, restless.

‘If only I hadn’t talked about Senior Martial Brother…’

The reason Danmok Chan suddenly requested a spar while showing signs of hurt feelings was because he had failed in trying to coax Danmok Rin to return to the clan.

In other words, it was no different from taking out his anger.

At that moment, Jong Gak showed a smile.

“Do you not trust Chan?”

Danmok Rin was troubled by the question.

“I trust my brother, but Senior Martial Brother is…”

When she hesitated, unable to bluntly say that Danmok Chan would lose.

“Tsk tsk, look who he’s going against.”

Suddenly, the sound of a clicking tongue could be heard between the two.

Startled, Danmok Rin looked to the side.

Heavenly Ear Beggar, with a liquor bottle in his mouth, was sitting on a nearby rock before she knew it.

“E-elder?”

Danmok Rin called out to him in surprise, but Heavenly Ear Beggar didn’t even give her a glance.

He just looked at the two preparing to spar and opened his mouth.

“Are you not going to stop him?”

Heavenly Ear Beggar threw a scolding remark.

“That guy will suffer quite an ugly sight.”

Danmok Rin tried to say something to that, but Jong Gak answered before she could.

“I know.”

“But you won’t stop him?”

“Rather, I think this is an opportunity to break Chan’s excessive confidence.”

“What if he gets broken to the point where he can never recover again?”

Heavenly Ear Beggar spoke teasingly, but.

“Chan is not that weak.”

Jong Gak was unshaken.

Heavenly Ear Beggar threw the empty liquor bottle in his hand backward with an expression of losing interest at that reaction.

“Hmph! Such an uninteresting fellow.”

“When was I ever interesting?”

“It was fun when you first stepped into Jianghu. Your trembling from your first kill is still vivid in my eyes.”

“That’s a story from a long time ago.”

“That’s true.”

Jong Gak wore a small smile.

“A lot of time has passed. I never thought I would become enemies with you, Great Hero, back then.”

“Who would have thought that?”

The two of them showed bitter smiles at the same time.

“But it couldn’t be helped.”

“Indeed.”

The two looked into the air bitterly.

‘To think Grandfather and the elder knew each other.’

Just when Danmok Rin looked alternately at the two in surprise at their unexpectedly friendly appearance.

“I yield the first move!”

Danmok Chan shouted, raising his sword.

At the voice overflowing with confidence, Cheon-hwi snickered and took out his scabbard.

“That’s nice.”

Danmok Chan sharply opened his eyes.

‘I will only yield the first move.’

His sword was slightly raised.

Following that, his feet spread shoulder-width apart, and a peculiar momentum flowed out.

One of the Danmok Clan’s defensive stances.

A confident smile settled on the lips of him who executed the Heaven Gathering Sword Stance.

“Yawn.”

Meanwhile, Cheon-hwi, who was yawning at the starting stance that took quite a long time, wiped the tears forming around his eyes with his index finger and asked.

“Are you done preparing now?”

At the words that completely ignored him, veins bulged on Danmok Chan’s forehead.

But he soon gathered his wits.

‘I almost fell for the provocation.’

There was no reason for him to do such a thing for nothing.

Perhaps because he had no chance of winning, he seemed to be trying to shake his mind, but.

‘Heh, that doesn’t work on me.’

Danmok Chan’s eyes shone as he opened his mouth.

“Come.”

At Danmok Chan’s imposing words, Cheon-hwi, who had been yawning for a while, raised his scabbard.

“I will.”

The moment those words ended.

Crack!

Danmok Chan’s consciousness weakly cut off.

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