Martial Artist Lee Gwak novel - chapter 281

chapter 281 Benevolence Without Peace of Mind (3)

Lee Gwak lifted his head and looked forward.

“O Cheol-geuk!”

The assassin from the Black Death Squad finally revealed the name of the one who had hired him.

Reputable assassin groups would never reveal their clients’ identities, even in death, but the Black Death Squad didn’t carry such a stringent code of loyalty.

The one who had hired them was none other than O Cheol-geuk from the Green Heaven Society.

After Lee Gwak refused his proposal, O Cheol-geuk had commissioned the Black Death Squad the very next day.

Though Lee Gwak anticipated some form of retaliation, he hadn’t imagined O Cheol-geuk would go as far as hiring an assassination squad.

Moreover, O Cheol-geuk had targeted Lee Cheong specifically.

He didn’t believe that a mere band of assassins could harm Lee Gwak. But if they could kill or at least injure Lee Cheong, it would strike a major blow to Lee Gwak’s spirit.

The one who hired them was none other than O Cheol-geuk of the Green Heaven Society.

“O Cheol–geuk! I knew he was ambitious, but I didn’t expect him to be so narrow-minded.”

If O Cheol-geuk were a true statesman, instead of harboring resentment over his proposal being rejected, he would have tried to improve his relationship with Lee Gwak.

But instead of making an effort, he chose the easy route of assassination, a sign of his own petty mind. A sect led by someone like him was bound to have its flaws.

Lee Gwak looked at Lee Cheong.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Though Lee Cheong’s face was flushed, his eyes held no fear—just the natural surprise at an unexpected ambush.

Lee Gwak patted Lee Cheong’s head.

Even under sudden assault, Lee Cheong had responded calmly. It seemed he had more grit than Lee Gwak had expected.

Lee Gwak mounted his horse once again.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Lee Cheong quickly got on his horse as well.

The place they left behind was littered with the corpses of assassins.

•••

“What did you say?”

Lin Sobo’s voice rose, and the subordinate giving the report looked even more apologetic.

“Well…”

“Did I hear wrong? I thought you said that the vice leader of the Thousand Kingdom School firmly cut ties with Oraboni Gwak.”

“It’s true. That’s exactly what he said.”

“Unbelievable!”

Lim Sobo sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Buk Ri-seong, the Nine Shadow Demon Master, who was by her side, asked with a worried expression.

“Are you okay?”

“No! I’m not okay.”

Lim So-bo shook her head firmly. Her expression was stiffer than ever.

She was currently at Sky High Castle.

She was staying at Sky High Castle while coordinating between the Thousand Kingdom School and Sky High Castle.

Originally, she had intended to set up residence midway between the Thousand Kingdom School and Sky High Castle. However, she couldn’t guarantee her safety that way, so she had no choice but to stay at Sky High Castle.

The problem was that staying at Sky High Castle meant that news from the Thousand Kingdom School always arrived late. Because of that, she also heard the news of Lee Gwak appearing in Chaohu belatedly.

Lim So-bo had sent a letter to the Thousand Kingdom School, earnestly requesting that they treat Lee Gwak with the utmost respect. However, before her letter even arrived, Namgung Hoe had caused trouble. He had drawn a clear line between Lee Gwak and Namgung Jin.

It was an absurd and frustrating situation.

A deep-seated anger surged within her chest.

While some were working diligently to protect Sky High Castle and Thousand Kingdom School from the Jade Heaven Alliance, others were messing things up.

“With this, the chance to recruit Gwak Oraboni is gone. Sigh!”

“Don’t worry too much. Losing one person doesn’t mean the tide of the war will turn.”

Buk Ri-seong tried to console Lim So-bo. But it was no comfort to her.

His indifferent expression, even after hearing that Lee Gwak had made significant contributions in Chaohu, was proof of that. However, Lim So-bo didn’t think the same.

‘Gwak Oraboni is stronger than people imagine. If only he helps, we can instantly reverse the tide of the war.’

If she stayed in the room any longer, she felt like her heart would burst from frustration. She opened the door and stepped outside. The vast scenery within Sky High Castle unfolded before her eyes.

Sky High Castle was located in a wide basin halfway up Mount Okhwa.

The back of the castle was shielded by a sheer cliff, and the front was a steep incline, making it a natural fortress.

Sky High Castle was situated in terrain where one person could hold off a hundred. Because of that, they had remained safe even amidst the raging storm of the Jade Heaven Alliance sweeping the world. But that didn’t mean they would be safe in the future.

As could be seen from the situation in Chaohu, the offensive of the Jade Heaven Alliance was now going too far. That meant they could come out even more aggressively in the future. Yet, Namgung Hoe of the Thousand Kingdom School failed to grasp the situation properly and pushed away Lee Gwak.

“Phew!”

A sigh escaped her naturally.

At that moment, someone approached her and asked,

“Why are you sighing so deeply?”

It was a man in green martial attire with black hair neatly combed back like a woman’s.

Unusually, his eyes were filled entirely with whites instead of pupils.

Among the countless martial artists in the world, there was only one with such a distinctive feature.

White Eyed Blood Hand, So Gun-myeong

The young master and heir to Green Forest’s Great Emperor Po Cheon-wol, So Gun-myeong was the only one with such striking features.

Lim Sobo greeted him with a slight bow.

“Oraboni!”

“You’ll sink the ground with all those sighs. What’s bothering you?”

“It’s just frustrating, that’s all.”

“Hmm!”

“So where are you coming from, Oraboni?”

“I just returned from observing the training of some new recruits.”

“Are they making any progress?”

“They’ve improved a lot compared to the beginning.”

So Gun-myeong gave a bitter smile.

The war with the Jade Heaven Alliance had brought many changes to Sky High Castle as well.

Po Cheon-wol, the ruler of Sky High Castle, had secluded himself in a training room after returning wounded by Ja Hong-cheon three years ago. The shock of his defeat was that great.

As a result, the responsibility of managing and running Sky High Castle fell to So Gun-myeong. Because of that, he had to live an incredibly busy life for the past few years.

The problem was that there was no way to know when this situation would end.

‘Yong Cheon-myeong!’

Gritting his teeth, So Gun-myeong ground them hard.

He hadn’t foreseen this situation, but almost ten years ago, So Gun-myeong had formed a friendship with Yong Cheon-myeong.

When Yong Cheon-myeong was going to the Celestial Demon Troupe as an envoy, So Gun-myeong had invited him and treated him lavishly. Through that connection, they had exchanged letters and maintained their friendship.

So Gun-myeong wanted to solidify his relationship with Yong Cheon-myeong, who was a strong candidate for the next leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance, to receive help in his future endeavors. Yong Cheon-myeong also actively engaged, thinking he could receive So Gun-myeong’s help at any time.

But when the war with the Jade Heaven Alliance broke out, Yong Cheon-myeong cut off contact as if nothing had happened. Instead, he took the lead in the war against Sky High Castle, causing enormous damage.

The damage inflicted on Sky High Castle because of Yong Cheon-myeong was so immense that it was impossible to calculate. Considering his friendship with So Gun-myeong, he should never have done that.

Given the circumstances, whenever he thought of Yong Cheon-myeong, So Gun-myeong was consumed by extreme anger.

‘You took everything I offered, and this is how you repay me? I will never forgive you, Yong Cheon-myeong!’

Even in a heartless world, there were lines not to be crossed. But Yong Cheon-myeong had long since trampled those lines—by So Gun-myeong’s standards, at least.

So Gun-myeong suppressed his bitter feelings and asked Lim Sobo,

“I heard just now that the Thousand Kingdom School recaptured Chaohu. Is that true?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“That’s a relief. If Chaohu had fallen to the Jade Heaven Alliance, Thousand Kingdom School would have been in a precarious position.”

So Gun-myeong exhaled with relief.

Lim Sobo noticed how much he had changed.

The old So Gun-myeong had been arrogant, prioritizing his own honor over the well-being of others. But now, facing war with the Jade Heaven Alliance and the responsibility of leading Sky High Castle, he had started putting others’ welfare above his own.

‘They say the position makes the person. You really never know how someone’s future will turn out. Not only the Sky High Castle lord but Gwak oraboni as well.’

As her thoughts drifted back to Lee Gwak, she felt the urge to sigh again. It was hard not to lament Namgung Hoe’s wasted opportunity to win him over.

“Sigh! I’m sure another chance will come.”

She consoled herself, but her frustration remained.

***

Lee Gwak looked around and said,

“Looks like we’ll have to camp here tonight.”

Before they knew it, the sun was setting beyond the western mountains.

In the mountains, the sun sets even faster, so they had to prepare to camp before it got too late. Fortunately, Lee Gwak was used to camping, and Lee Cheong was quick-witted and skillful in assisting him.

Thanks to that, the two quickly finished preparing for the night.

Dinner consisted of jerky and dry rations they had prepared before leaving Chaohu. It was too tasteless for a child, but Lee Cheong chewed it without a single complaint.

Lee Cheong was much like Lee Gwak—he never grumbled. Even when things were tough, he knew how to endure.

He possessed an unusual patience and composure for a child.

That quality made Lee Gwak feel a twinge of sadness.

He had matured too early. Though it was a result of their circumstances, Lee Gwak wished his son could have enjoyed a little more innocence.

Lee Gwak shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.

“I must have been spoiled, thinking such thoughts.”

They say that even if a person has nine out of ten things, people still long for the remaining one—that was exactly his case.

He already had so much. Wanting more would be pure greed.

Suppressing his desire, Lee Gwak chewed his ration slowly and thoroughly.

After finishing his meal, he looked over at Lee Cheong. In his hand was the White Spirit Divine Pill he had received from Namgung Hoe.

“Actually, I’ve been pondering whether I should let you take this.”

“Why is that?”

“The White Spirit Divine Pill is a rare elixir in the world. If you take it, your internal energy will surge dramatically in a short time. You would possess stronger internal energy than anyone your age.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“It’s not bad. But I’m worried that by skipping all the arduous processes, you might lose the meaning of learning martial arts and the essential steps you should naturally take. To open a door requires painful effort, and if you use an elixir, you’ll never experience that process.”

Lee Gwak was strong because he had personally overcome every step of mastering martial arts. Of course, later he received formal instruction from Gwang Noh-ya, but it’s true that the intense time he spent pondering on his own was the greatest help to his achievements.

Of course, that process had been painful and difficult, but looking back, without that grueling time, he could never have reached his current skill.

Right now was the most crucial period for Lee Cheong to establish his foundation. If he were to take the elixir at this time, his foundation would be completed quickly.

As a father who cherished his child, he naturally wanted to let him take the elixir. But as a senior martial artist who had first walked the hard path, he hesitated. Therefore, Lee Gwak couldn’t make a decision easily.

At that moment, Lee Cheong said something unexpected.

“Dad! Then I won’t take the elixir.”

“Huh?”

“I want to be like you. Even if it’s hard and tough, I want to follow the path you took.”

“Cheong-ah!”

“I think I’m already receiving enough benefits. I’m getting direct teaching from you. I believe that enjoying more benefits than this might not be good for my growth.”

Lee Cheong’s voice carried firm conviction.

Lee Gwak gazed at Lee Cheong silently. Lee Cheong met his eyes with an unwavering gaze.

Suddenly, a smile spread across Lee Gwak’s lips.

He knew that Lee Cheong wasn’t just saying empty words. Lee Cheong genuinely wanted to follow the path that Lee Gwak had taken.

“You might regret not taking the elixir later.”

“I’ll deal with that regret when the time comes.”

“Pfft!”

“Heehee!”

As Lee Gwak burst into a smile, Lee Cheong laughed with a childlike expression. Their laughter continued for a while.

After the heartwarming conversation between father and son ended, Lee Cheong began his training.

Lee Cheong performed the eight forms of the Eight Sects Sword Art.

In the light of the campfire, Lee Cheong’s shadow stretched long and swayed chaotically.

Whoosh!

Sharp gusts sliced through the air, sending blades of grass flying into the dark sky.

“Good!”

Feeling enthusiastic, Lee Gwak performed the same forms beside Lee Cheong.

The blade dance of father and son continued late into the night.