chapter 243

Despair Changes People (3)

Lee Cheong’s complexion was pale. His face had turned deathly white, and his lips were cracked like a parched field. Yet, Lee Cheong never once whined about being sick or having a hard time.

Lee Cheong endured the pain while leaning his face against Lee Gwak’s back. But, like a ghost, Lee Gwak immediately noticed that Lee Cheong was not in good condition.

Lee Gwak stopped and put down Lee Cheong, who he had been carrying on his back.

“This kid!”

The sight of Lee Cheong stubbornly biting his lip made Lee Gwak’s heart surge.

Lee Cheong resembled Lee Gwak.

Bearing the pain alone, stubbornly keeping his lips sealed, and not showing weakness to anyone.

“If you’re in pain, say you’re in pain.”

“I’m fine…”

“You’re not fine. Your face looks terrible.”

Lee Gwak wrapped a scarf around Lee Cheong’s neck to prevent the cold wind from getting in. Then, Lee Cheong smiled awkwardly.

Lee Gwak looked at Lee Cheong silently for a moment.

It had already been a month since they left Dragon Heaven Valley and headed north. During that time, Lee Cheong’s condition had continuously worsened. Though they rationed his life-saving pill , it was almost gone.

The life-saving pills were Lee Cheong’s lifeline. They needed to find a physician before it ran out completely.

Fortunately, they were nearing Yeosan. The guide provided by Dragon Heaven Valley had helped them cut down travel time significantly.

After parting ways with the guide at the valley’s boundary, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo had carried the children here in their arms.

Lee Gwak looked at Cheol Gwang Woo.

“It seems we need to rest here today. Cheong ha’s condition is not good.”

“Of course, we should.”

Cheol Gwang Woo nodded in agreement.

The place where they currently were was a small city called Hanyang, located about two hundred li from Yeosan.

Although it wasn’t as large or bustling as the capital, quite a number of people had gathered to live here. Thanks to that, the city boasted a fair number of inns.

Lee Gwak entered the White Plum Inn.

The interior of the White Plum Inn was very plain. There was no fancy decoration, but it was neatly organized, reflecting the owner’s personality well.

“Welcome.”

As Lee Gwak and his party entered, the innkeeper greeted them warmly. She appeared to be in her late forties and had a very comforting presence.

Lee Gwak asked her,

“Do you have any outbuildings available?”

“We do, but they’re expensive…”

“The cost doesn’t matter. Please, give us an outbuilding.”

In Lee Gwak’s possession were promissory notes worth tens of thousands of nyang, given by Ahn Yu-san. There was no need to economize with the children there.

“The outbuilding is clean and nice.”

Cheol Gwang Woo looked pleased with the well-kept appearance of the outbuilding.

The outbuildings were surrounded by tall walls, completely isolating them from the outside. This privacy was a significant advantage.

Lee Gwak ordered a few dishes from the landlady.

“Gwang-woo.”

“Yes, brother.”

“After we eat, could you check if there’s a Hao Clan branch nearby?”

“For your wife, right?”

“Yes!”

“Understood. I’ll look into it right away.”

“Thank you.”

“Heh, what are you talking about? It’s obviously something I should do.”

Lee Gwak looked at Cheol Gwang Woo with soft eyes, and Cheol Gwang Woo smiled sheepishly at Lee Gwak’s attention.

“Let’s rest until the food arrives.”

“Yes!”

With that, Cheol Gwang Woo went to a corner of the room and began practicing his cultivation, using qigong to recover from fatigue. Soon, he was completely absorbed in his cultivation.

Lee Gwak then turned his attention to Lee Soo-ah.

“How about you, Soo-ah? Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m okay! I’m full of energy.”

Soo-ah grinned.

Her face was full of tiredness, but Lee Soo-ah always kept her smile. Whenever she had a chance, she took care of Lee Cheong. Thanks to her, Lee Gwak could feel more at ease.

After telling the children to rest, Lee Gwak went to the well. There was a whetstone by the well that someone had used.

Seeing the whetstone, his eyes naturally turned to the blade at his waist.

With a whoosh, Lee Gwak drew his blade.

The once-silver blade was stained with dried blood, dulling its shine.

Lee Gwak’s eyes grew heavy as he looked at the blade.

Despite his wish to avoid taking lives, his and his blade’s paths had been filled with the blood of others. Even though it was a choice made out of necessity to save his child, his heart couldn’t help but feel heavy.

With a sigh, Lee Gwak sat down by the well.

Though the scent of blood on his body couldn’t be helped, he could at least clean the blood off his blade.

Lee Gwak sprinkled water on the blade and began to carefully grind it against the whetstone.

Shick! Shick!

The sound of sharpening the blade echoed around the well.

Lee Gwak concentrated, intermittently sprinkling water and grinding the blade on the whetstone. As he did so, the dried blood slowly dissolved away.

Before long, Lee Gwak began to hear the blade ‘s cry.

It felt as though the blade was speaking to him.

“You’ve had a hard time too.”

Lee Gwak spoke to the blade as well.

The vibration of the blade felt under his fingertips grew stronger. At some point, Lee Gwak forgot everything.

The fact that he was sharpening the blade , even conversing with it, vanished from his mind.

“Ah!”

It was much later when Lee Gwak came to his senses.

Looking at the blade , the bloodstains were completely gone, and the edge was sharply honed. However, more than the physical change, what astonished Lee Gwak was the sensation.

The blade felt like a part of him.

Not just a tool, but as if it was part of his own body.

The blade in his hand was no longer just a cold piece of metal. It seemed as if it had blood flowing through it, connected by nerves.

“I am the blade , and the blade is me.”

It wasn’t something he was taught.

It was just how Lee Gwak felt.

Feeling a strange elation, Lee Gwak stored the blade back in its sheath. The blade seemed to cry out reluctantly, but then quieted down.

Lee Gwak stood up, putting the sheath back at his waist.

He thought a significant amount of time had passed, but seeing that Cheol Gwang Woo’s cultivation had not yet ended, it seemed it hadn’t been as long as he had thought.

In reality, when he asked the children, it turned out that Lee Gwak’s blade sharpening had taken only a brief moment.

Such occurrences were rare.

Either when one had an enlightenment, or when one was deeply immersed.

Lee Gwak believed he had experienced both.

There was no immediate, visible change, but today’s enlightenment was sure to greatly aid his journey.

***

After putting the children to sleep, Lee Gwak headed to the restaurant on the first floor of the inn.

He had set up a simple barrier around the outbuilding, so he would be immediately alerted if anything unusual happened.

It was late at night, and there were hardly any guests in the restaurant. Lee Gwak ordered some light snacks and alcohol from the innkeeper.

“Brother!”

Just then, Cheol Gwang Woo burst through the inn’s door. He was not alone; an elderly man with a humble appearance, looking to be in his sixties, accompanied him.

As Lee Gwak’s gaze shifted to the old man, Cheol Gwang Woo introduced him.

“This is the head of the Hao Clan’s Hanyang branch.”

“I am Lee Choo-shin, the branch head of Hanyang. Greetings, Grandmaster Lee Gwak!”

Upon the old man’s introduction, a spark of interest flickered in Lee Gwak’s eyes.

“Why have you come?”

“How could I stay away knowing that Grandmaster Lee is here? There was a message from our Young Master, and I have something to deliver to you personally.”

“Please, take a seat.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Choo-shin took a seat without hesitation.

Lee Gwak poured a drink for Lee Choo-shin, and he accepted it without decline.

After filling Cheol Gwang Woo and his own cup, Lee Gwak asked.

“What message do you have for me?”

“Have you heard about the recent events at the Jade Heaven Alliance?”

“What?”

“I thought so. While Grandmaster Lee was escaping from White Light Sect’s Heaven and Earth Net, a significant incident occurred within the Jade Heaven Alliance. Alliance Leader Ja Hong Cheon declared war on the Ten Sects for not attending the Heavenly Assembly.”

Lee Gwak’s expression hardened at this unexpected news.

“Is that true?”

“It is.”

“Hmm!”

“Because of this, our Young Master, who is inside the Jade Heaven Alliance, has also mobilized all forces to assess the situation.”

“Is brother Woo-Gyeong safe?”

“He is fine for now, but we are prepared for any situation to ensure a safe escape if necessary.”

“That’s somewhat relieving.”

Though he said this, Lee Gwak’s face remained tense.

Jade Heaven Alliance wasn’t just home to Nam Woo-Gyeong. There were also martial artists like Seok Yi-cheon and others from the Outer Hall.

Lee Gwak was worried about their safety.

“One silver lining is that the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance suffered significant internal injuries from a fight with an unknown martial artist.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as I said. On the day of the Heavenly Assembly, the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance fought with an unidentified martial artist and was seriously injured. Because of this, the war with the Ten Sects has been somewhat delayed.”

“Have you found out who the martial artist who injured the alliance leader is?”

“All we know is that he’s very young and handsome. According to witnesses, he’s so beautiful that he could be mistaken for a woman.”

At that moment, a name came to Lee Gwak’s mind.

‘Go Geom-wol. Could it be him?’

Why Go Geom-wol was fighting Ja Hong-cheon was unclear. However, as far as Lee Gwak knew, Go Geom-wol was the only one within the Jade Heaven Alliance capable of injuring Ja Hong-cheon.

“What happened to him?”

“Him?”

“The martial artist who fought with Ja Hong-cheon.”

“It’s not certain, but it’s believed he also sustained serious injuries. From what I know, he managed to escape from the Jade Heaven Alliance with the help of his comrades at a crucial moment.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Gwak let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. Lee Choo-shin did not miss Lee Gwak’s reaction.

“Do you know who he might be?”

“I’m not certain yet.”

“Even just a name would be a great help.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t reveal that at the moment. Brother Woo-Gyeong might have some idea tho.”

“Is that so?”

Lee Choo-shin looked disappointed but did not press further.

Lee Gwak was no ordinary martial artist.

Though overshadowed by Ja Hong-cheon’s declaration of war, Lee Gwak was the one who single-handedly devastated White Light Sect and broke through the Heaven and Earth Net.

He couldn’t be casually questioned.

Lee Gwak then asked,

“What’s the reaction of the Ten Sects?”

“For now, they’re flabbergasted. They didn’t expect Ja Hong-cheon to react so drastically just because they didn’t attend the Heavenly Assembly. Some sects are sending messengers to seek reconciliation, while others are preparing for war, seeing it as an opportunity to break the momentum of the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“Hmm!”

“Regardless of the outcome, it seems inevitable that the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Ten Sects will clash before the year ends.”

A deep frown formed on Lee Gwak’s brow.

‘The Celestial Demon Troupe is still strong, so why is the Alliance Leader doing this?’

If the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Ten Sects went to war, the Celestial Demon Troupe would stand to profit. Should they choose that moment to invade the Jianghu, it would lead to even greater chaos.

Ja Hong-cheon must know this, yet Lee Gwak couldn’t fathom his reasons.

“Sigh!”

Lee Gwak let out a deep sigh.

With his hands full just trying to save his son, the last thing he needed was this complication.

That’s when,

“Brother! There’s no need to worry too much. What’s important for us now is saving Chung’s life. We should focus solely on that.”

“Right! You’re correct.”

Lee Gwak nodded.

“Do you have any information about So-cheon?”

“Nothing has come in yet. I’m sorry.”

Lee Choo-shin bowed apologetically.

“That’s alright. Please inform me immediately if you hear anything about So-cheon later on.”

“I will. May I know your destination? So that if I receive any news, I can forward it to you.”

“We’re planning to head to Yeosan for now.”

“Ye…Yeosan?”

Noticing Lee Choo-shin’s hesitant reaction, Lee Gwak inquired,

“Why do you ask?”

“There have been sightings of Spirit Granny near Yeosan. It’s not confirmed, but it seems she’s searching for something in the vicinity. Spirit Granny is notoriously unpredictable and temperamental, so I’m concerned. If you happen to encounter that old monster near Yeosan, please be extremely cautious.”

“Thank you for the information. I’ll be careful.”

Lee Gwak nodded in acknowledgment.

Lee Choo-shin looked at Lee Gwak with eyes filled with admiration.

To the strong, he could be overwhelmingly powerful, yet he showed great respect to those weaker than himself.

‘Sura Blade Lee Gwak. I understand now why our young master holds him in such high regard. If this man isn’t called a true hero, then who is? He is indeed a paragon of manhood.’