CHAPTER 234

Once the Hunt is Over, the Hunting Dogs are Bound to be Abandoned (3)

Won Gong-yeo, the leader of White Light Sect, furrowed his brow at the sudden intrusion of his subordinate.

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s an intruder in our main compound.”

“An intruder? What are our martial artists doing?”

“That’s the thing, he’s strong. The young master was taken down by him.”

“What?”

Won Gong-yeo rose abruptly from his seat.

“Hwa-ryeon was defeated?”

“Yes! He lost consciousness after just a few moves.”

“And Hwa-ryeon’s condition?”

“Fortunately, his life doesn’t seem to be in danger.”

Won Gong-yeo let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as anger quickly surfaced on his face.

“Who is he? Who dares to cause such disturbance in our main compound?”

“That’s still unknown…”

“Where is he now?”

“He broke into the inner court… heading straight for Noh Tae-tae’s residence.”

“What? What are our experts doing?”

“His martial arts are too powerful…”

“What?”

Won Gong-yeo’s cheeks quivered with rage as a deadly aura emanated from his eyes. The fact that a single person had breached the fortress-like security of Flower Castle fueled his anger.

“Mobilize Gam Il-Yeon immediately. Tell him to stop the intruder. I’m heading to Grandmother’s quarters.”

“Understood.”

Gam Il-Yeon was a member of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Known as the “Glorious supreme-ruler Blade,” Gam Il-Yeon had mastered the ultimate essence of swordsmanship.

Won Gong-yeo clenched his teeth.

With Ghost Spear and Death King, two of the other Heavenly Kings, dispatched to eliminate Lee Gwak, Gam Il-Yeon was the only one remaining.

Won Gong-yeo believed Gam Il-Yeon could halt the intruder, yet he couldn’t shake off a sense of unease.

He hurried towards Noh Tae-tae’s residence, followed by the White Light Sect’s elite martial artists.

***

Swoosh!

“Argh!”

A blade flashed, and one of White Light Sect’s martial artists fell, spraying blood. Lee Gwak stepped over the fallen martial artist and launched forward.

Lee Gwak didn’t look back.

He only surged ahead, focusing solely on what was in front of him.

The sudden commotion startled White Light Sect’s martial artists, who tried to block his path, but none could halt his advance.

Ahead, a tall wall came into view, its ancient and stylish appearance indicating it was a place of importance. Instinctively, Lee Gwak knew this was Noh Tae-tae’s residence.

“Stop right there!”

Martial artists guarding Noh Tae-tae’s residence emerged like a swarm of enraged bees.

As expected of those tasked with protecting the residence of White Light Sect’s most senior figure, Noh Tae-tae, their martial arts were exceptionally strong.

“How dare you intrude into the White Light Sect.”

“We’ll tear you apart.”

As they hurled insults and executed their deadly moves towards Lee Gwak, his figure blurred.

He had activated his Whirlwind Steps, closing the distance in a single stride, weaving through them effortlessly.

A chilling sound of air being sliced filled the air, and Lee Gwak felt a wet sensation on his face. It was splattered with droplets of red blood.

Thunk!

Like scarecrows split in two, the martial artists who had attempted to block Lee Gwak fell one after the other.

Lee Gwak did not even spare them a glance as he surged forward. It was a race against time.

Before they could figure out Lee Gwak’s identity.

Before they realized his purpose, he needed to rescue Lee Cheong.

Just as Lee Gwak leaped over the tall wall, a voice halted him.

“That’s far enough.”

Boom!

Suddenly, a thunderous voice and an immense force from the air targeted Lee Gwak, sending shockwaves through the atmosphere with its destructive energy.

‘A master!’

Lee Gwak couldn’t underestimate this challenge and prepared to defend himself.

Crash!

With a tremendous noise, Lee Gwak was forced back, blood trickling from his lips. The impact shook his internals, resonating through his entire body.

Lee Gwak sensed that a true master had appeared. The strike that attacked him was none other than the Sword Qi.

A white-haired old man, from head to beard, exuded a mystical aura.

Pointing his sword at Lee Gwak, the old man bellowed,

“How dare you cause turmoil within the White Light Sect…”

At that moment, as Lee Gwak launched his attack, a look of astonishment crossed the old man’s face. Having lived his life by the sword within the Jianghu, no one had ever dared to strike him mid-speech before. The old man was none other than Gam Il-Yeon, the Glorious supreme-ruler Blade, a supreme master who had dedicated his life to mastering the sword.

Lee Gwak’s bold challenge seemed outrageous, even infuriating to him.

“Ha! You’re like a beast without manners.”

Swoosh!

His sword split the air, the blade shimmering with heat as if mirages were rising from it, swiftly forming the shape of the Sword Qi. Gam Il-Yeon aimed precisely at Lee Gwak’s waist with his Sword Qi.

In contrast, Lee Gwak’s blade carried no special energy; not even a faint trace of blade aura was present.

Gam Il-Yeon scoffed at Lee Gwak’s attack, infusing more power into his strike, believing he could easily bisect Lee Gwak in an instant.

The Sword Qi surrounding Gam Il-Yeon’s sword grew more intense.

As the deep blue Sword Qi enveloped Lee Gwak, a determined light appeared on his face.

Boom!

When Lee Gwak’s blade clashed with Gam Il-Yeon’s, a thunderous explosion erupted. The shockwave that followed swept through the area like a burst wall of force, shaking both Lee Gwak and Gam Il-Yeon.

Shock painted Gam Il-Yeon’s face; his Sword Qi hadn’t damaged Lee Gwak’s blade. It was an event that defied his understanding. But the surprises were far from over.

Clash!

Lee Gwak’s blade spun, deflecting Gam Il-Yeon’s sword and propelling himself towards Gam Il-Yeon’s exposed chest.

Gam Il-Yeon hastily attempted to activate his protective energy to shield his body, but Lee Gwak’s movements were quicker.

Before Gam Il-Yeon could fully deploy his defense, Lee Gwak’s Leaf Blade Technique struck him relentlessly.

Boom! Boom!

With each impact, Gam Il-Yeon staggered back, the force shaking his insides violently, causing blood to trickle from his nose and mouth.

“You fucker!”

Abandoning his protective stance, Gam Il-Yeon swung his sword at Lee Gwak. Though the clash’s aftermath had diminished his Sword Qi, the sharpened blade still posed a formidable threat.

At that moment, Lee Gwak’s eyes gleamed.

“Chaat!”

With a shout, he raised his bare hands to block Gamil-yeon’s sword. Gamil-yeon looked puzzled at Lee Gwak’s reaction.

No matter how he had not unleashed his sword qi, his attack was not of a nature to be blocked with bare hands.

Indeed, Gam Il-Yeon’s sword penetrated a third of the way into Lee Gwak’s hand. But that was as far as it went. Gam Il-Yeon’s sword could not proceed any further and was blocked.

“What?”

At that moment of surprise, he felt a foreign object in his abdomen. Looking down, he saw Lee Gwak’s blade piercing through his belly.

“You, you?”

Without answering, Lee Gwak drew his blade sideways from Gam Il-Yeon’s abdomen. Gam Il-Yeon’s waist was cut in half, spilling his intestines and blood.

A look of disbelief crossed Gam Il-Yeon’s face. He moved his lips as if to say something, but no voice came out.

He was not someone to be defeated so easily. He was a master who could create sword qi.

The common belief in the Jianghu was that only similar energy could counteract energy. And Gam Il-Yeon was a person who thoroughly believed in this Jianghu’s common belief. That’s why he overestimated the power of his sword qi.

That was Gam Il-Yeon’s downfall.

Lee Gwak felt no need to create blade qi, not that he couldn’t.

Instead, Lee Gwak condensed a powerful qi into his blade, comparable to sword qi, and thoroughly targeted Gam Il-Yeon’s psychological weakness.

That difference determined the outcome of their battle.

Thud!

Gam Il-Yeon’s body crumbled down like a sandcastle. Lee Gwak did not even give a glance to him and ran towards Noh Tae-tae’s residence.

Lee Gwak’s hand, wounded by Gam Il-Yeon’s sword, dangled. It was only because he had performed a defensive technique that it was still attached. Otherwise, it would have been severed long ago.

He felt a fiery pain.

Zzzik!

Lee Gwak tore his sleeve and tightly wrapped the severed part. Yet, he did not stop for even a moment.

Now, there was no one left to stop Lee Gwak.

Bang!

Lee Gwak broke through the door and burst into Noh Tae-tae’s residence.

An old woman, her face covered in deep wrinkles, looked up in surprise. However, Lee Gwak’s gaze was not on the old woman but on the small boy lying beside her.

The boy was pale, showing clear signs of illness, struggling for breath with a weak turn of his head.

Tears welled up in Lee Gwak’s eyes at the sight of the boy’s face. Though it was their first meeting, the face felt familiar, as if seen for a long time. The features he saw every time he looked in the mirror overlapped with those on the boy’s face.

The boy, strikingly similar to himself.

Without needing confirmation, Lee Gwak knew the boy was his son, Lee Cheong.

“Cheong-ah!”

At Lee Gwak’s voice, Lee Cheong struggled to look at him.

At that moment, Lee Cheong’s pupils wavered.

Just as Lee Gwak recognized Lee Cheong, the boy recognized Lee Gwak.

“Da…ddy?”

Lee Cheong blurted out instinctively, then startled himself. It was a spontaneous utterance, born out of instinct.

But seeing Lee Gwak’s smile, Lee Cheong realized his guess was true.

Lee Cheong called out again.

“Daddy!”

“Yes!”

Lee Gwak nodded and approached Lee Cheong.

That’s when Noh Tae-tae burst out.

“Stop right there! How dare you enter this place with your dirty feet?”

The venom in her eyes was unmistakable, betraying a fierce spirit that belied her age.

Noh Tae-tae had led the White Light Sect for over a hundred years, a testament to her formidable presence. A mere glance from her could make the average person’s legs buckle. But Lee Gwak was no ordinary man.

Even faced with her fierce demeanor and threatening gaze, Lee Gwak remained unfazed.

His body and spirit, honed through hellish battlefields, were not so frail as to be intimidated by the likes of Noh Tae-tae’s glare.

Ignoring Noh Tae-tae’s words, Lee Gwak continued towards Lee Cheong, which only made her voice louder.

“Do you dare ignore my words?”

“…”

“If you truly are this child’s father, you should be thanking me first. Without me, this child wouldn’t have been able to keep breathing till now. What are you waiting for? Kneel down and show your gratitude. Is that how you treat your life’s savior?”

Noh Tae-tae’s thundering voice filled the room.

Despite her age and frailty, Noh Tae-tae proved a tiger remains a tiger.

Her authority was not easily defied. But this time, she met her match.

Lee Gwak ignored Noh Tae-tae and passed by her.

Noh Tae-tae’s cheeks and wrinkles trembled with her indignation.

For over a century, no one had dared to disregard her so. Even the White Light Sect’s head, Won Gong-yeo, treated her with the utmost respect.

Lee Gwak’s dismissal was the first since the Fist Demon of Mount Hua, a hundred years ago.

The thought of Fist Demon made her grind her teeth.

Lee Gwak picked up Lee Cheong.

The boy was light as a feather, lighter even than the girl, Lee Soo-ah, which pained him further.

Like a candle flickering before it goes out, Lee Cheong’s breathing was labored, his body warmth feeble.

Lee Gwak carefully embraced Lee Cheong, who smiled happily.

“Daddy!”

“Yes!”

“Daddy! Sob!”

Lee Cheong, like Lee Soo-ah, burst into tears.

Lee Gwak silently patted Lee Cheong’s back, his chest stained with the boy’s tears.

Then, suddenly, Noh Tae-tae charged at Lee Gwak, thinking he was off guard.

Her hand sharpened like a spear, aimed directly at Lee Gwak.

Shattered Spear Hand.

A vicious technique reputed to penetrate even the bone.

Ssshhht!

At that moment, a chilling sound of breaking air echoed.