chapter 298

Everyone Dreams of Becoming a Dragon in Turbulent Times (2)

Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong left Nam Woo-gyeong’s hut.

Nam Woo-gyeong wanted them to stay with him while they were in the Nine Dragons Clan,  but unfortunately, his hut was too cramped for the three of them.

Therefore, Lee Gwak decided to move their lodging to a nearby inn.

The place they chose was an inn called Ho Ping Inn. Ho Ping Inn was established in the early days when the Nine Dragons Clan settled in the area. Although the facilities were old, the cost was low. Moreover, the innkeeper’s cooking skills were excellent, and it had a private stable, making it the perfect place for Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong to stay.

After entrusting their horses to the stable,Lee Gwak secured a clean room.

Lee Cheong seemed quite excited.

“Father! Let’s explore the Nine Dragons Clan today.”

Since arriving at the Nine Dragons Clan the day before, they had only spent time at Nam Woo-gyeong’s residence and hadn’t had a chance to look around.

Lee Cheong had made up his mind to explore the Nine Dragons Clan that day.

“Sure, let’s do that,” Lee Gwak agreed without hesitation.

He, too, was curious about the atmosphere of the Nine Dragons Clan.

He had heard a rough explanation from Nam Woo-gyeong the previous day, but seeing it in person was bound to be different.

After unpacking their belongings in the room, the two of them went outside together.

The atmosphere of the Nine Dragons Clan was unlike any place Lee Gwak had seen so far.  It exuded a peculiar mix of the desolation of a remote foreign town and the bustling vitality of a prosperous city in Jianghu.

As if to prove the prosperity of the Nine Dragons Clan, the attire of the people passing by on the streets was diverse. This meant that many people from all over the Jianghu were visiting.

The two walked leisurely, enjoying the sights of the streets.

They were heading to a place called the Thousand Buha Wall.

On the outskirts of the Nine Dragons Clan, there was a huge cliff, and at some point, people began carving images of Buha into it one by one. Over time, the massive cliff became filled with Buha images and came to be known as the thousand Buha Wall.

The Thousand Buha Wall was known to be much older than the history of the Nine Dragons Clan.

Hundreds and thousands of Buha statues, imbued with people’s wishes, attracted visitors and became a famous spot in the area along with the Nine Dragons Clan.

Anyone who came to the Nine Dragons Clan would definitely visit the Thousand Buha Wall, and conversely, those who came to see the Thousand Buha Wall stayed at the Nine Dragons Clan.

As they got closer to the Thousand Buha Wall, the number of people noticeably increased.

Most were ordinary people, but among them were martial artists carrying weapons.

“Whew! It’s really amazing,” someone exclaimed.

“I didn’t know such enormous Buha statues existed until today,” another replied.

Listening to their voices naturally heightened their anticipation for the Thousand Buha Wall.

Lee Cheong walked with an expression full of excitement.

Finally, the massive thousand Buha Wall unfolded before them.

“Wow!” Lee Cheong unconsciously exclaimed.

The seemingly endless cliff was adorned with an uncountable number of Buha figures.

Some Buhas looked down upon the world with benevolent expressions, while others gazed up at the sky with expressions of longing.

There were countless Buhas, but not one had the same expression or the same form.

All were different, and the atmosphere they conveyed was distinctly varied.

“Ah!” Lee Cheong was overwhelmed by the Thousand Buha Wall and couldn’t say anything.

No scenery he had seen until now was as majestic as this.

Feeling as if his soul was being overwhelmed, Lee Cheong trembled.

Lee Gwak felt a similar sensation.

He had seen many breathtaking sights, but it was the first time he encountered a place that resonated so profoundly with his soul.

It wasn’t carved by a master artisan who poured his heart into it, nor was it engraved by some supreme master with a few strokes.

It was a place made by ordinary people chiseling with their own wishes.

Some carvings were completed within a few years, but others were finished over tens or even hundreds of years, passed down through many generations.

Looking at the Thousand Buha Wall, Lee Gwak felt the greatness of ordinary people.

The Thousand Buha Wall showed that sometimes the tenacity of those who have nothing can create greater legacies than the power of those who have everything.

“Hoo!” Lee Gwak let out a low sigh.

He thought it was worthwhile to have taken the time to come here. He believed it would be a good experience for Lee Cheong as well.

The two of them gazed at the Thousand Buha Wall for a long time.

“Father, let’s go now,” Lee Cheong said, looking at Lee Gwak with a smile.

After Cho Ryu-jin’s death, he had tried hard to appear cheerful, but there was somehow a shadow cast over his face. However, now, there was no shadow anywhere on Lee Cheong’s face.

Lee Gwak smiled and took Lee Cheong’s hand.

Father and son walked away hand in hand.

At that moment, Lee Gwak noticed two women standing in front of the Thousand Buha Wall.

One was a middle-aged woman, and the other, a young girl.

The middle-aged woman appeared much older than Lee Gwak, exuding an indescribably mysterious aura.

From her, he felt a solid atmosphere like that of the Thousand Buha Wall that had withstood the test of time. She also wore a sword with intricate patterns on her waist.

Suddenly, Lee Gwak felt a chill.

The woman’s figure, standing tall, superimposed on the shape of a well-sharpened sword.

She was a swordswoman—a master of the blade, possibly of the highest caliber, perhaps even reaching the absolute realm.

The middle-aged woman felt Lee Gwak’s gaze and turned her head to look at him.

A peculiar light appeared in her eyes.

Just as Lee Gwak recognised the woman’s strength, the woman also recognised that  Lee Gwak was an unusual martial artist.

Her gaze was as calm as a deep sea.

The stillness of her gaze, without a single ripple, was enough to give the viewer a chilling emotion. But the pupils of Lee Gwak’s eyes, which met her gaze, did not waver.

Suddenly, a smile appeared at the corner of the woman’s mouth.

“I never thought I’d encounter a master of Jianghu in a place like this.”

“If I bothered you, I apologize. I wonder if I disturbed your contemplation,” Lee Gwak replied.

“Not at all. I was just about to leave anyway.”

The woman shook her head gently.

Every movement she made was imbued with grace, and even her words carried an air of nobility.

Lee Gwak thought that perhaps the woman might be older than she appeared.

The elegance and demeanor she displayed were things that young people lacking years of experience could never possess.

Only after many years of cultivation can one possess such elegance.

Lee Gwak clasped his fists and saluted the woman.

“I Lee Gwak, a humble follower of the martial path, greets a senior master.”

Previously, when he came with the Unsan Escort Agency, Lee Gwak had used an alias because he didn’t want to reveal his identity and cause a commotion.

He could have used the alias again, but somehow felt he shouldn’t.

For a moment, the peculiar light in the woman’s eyes deepened.

“So, you are Lee Gwak, the Sura Blade. I thought there was something extraordinary about you.”

Just hearing his name, the woman immediately recognized his identity. Her knowledge was equally exceptional.

She clasped her fists and greeted him in return.

“I am Ja Seol Gyeong.”

“Ah!” Lee Gwak unconsciously exclaimed.

The moment he heard the name Ja Seol Gyeong, a legendary name came to mind.

The Unrivaled Lone Sword

It was the title that adorned the last spot among the Eight Great Martial Artists.

She had been active in the Jianghu for an extremely short time, but the legacy she left was immensely powerful.

At that time, there were the Twelve Demons in the Jianghu.

The harm they inflicted was beyond description. Murder and rape were daily occurrences, and if anyone even slightly displeased them, they would pursue them to the ends of the earth for revenge.

Their notoriety was so terrifying that rumors said the number of people who died at their hands exceeded thousands.

Each of them had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, and they always moved together, so no sect in the Jianghu dared to rashly confront them.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, the Jade Heaven Alliance issued an extermination order, but they cleverly eluded the alliance and continued their evil deeds.

People were terrified and just wished that the Jade Heaven Alliance would eliminate the Twelve Demons as soon as possible.

But from a certain day, news of the Twelve Demons ceased.

It was impossible for them to have suddenly changed from their evil ways.

Many people wondered about their whereabouts.

The mystery was soon solved when stories from witnesses began circulating in the Jianghu.

[A young woman punished the Twelve Demons.]

[Her martial prowess was beyond imagination; she subdued the twelve demons in an instant]

[She is a martial artist who has mastered the ultimate essence of the sword]

When such rumors spread, not a single person in Jianghu naively believed them. They were simply too unbelievable.

The Twelve Demons were not so weak that a mere woman could subdue them, and it was equally hard to believe that a young woman could possess such prowess. However, one day, a highly respected figure in Jianghu, Seon Gi-ja, publicly confirmed that the rumors were true.

Seon Gi-ja declared that the woman who defeated the Twelve Demons was Ja Seol Gyeong and that her martial prowess was so extraordinary it could pierce the heavens.

Seon Gi-ja’s proclamation immediately elevated Ja Seol Gyeong to stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest masters of Jianghu.

She became one of the Eight Great Martial Artists.

People called her the Unrivaled Lone Sword and longed for even a single glimpse of her face.

However, after becoming one of the Eight Great Martial Artists, she never appeared in the Jianghu again, arousing much curiosity.

Thus, she became a legend of the Jianghu, and many years passed.

Ja Seol Gyeong showed an embarrassed expression.

“I didn’t expect that someone would still remember my name. I only acted in Jianghu once.”

“I heard about you from an acquaintance recently,” Lee Gwak said.

Last night, while drinking, Nam Woo-gyeong gave a lengthy talk about the state of the Jianghu and the masters to be wary of.

Among them was the name Ja Seol Gyeong.

Nam Woo-gyeong suggested that perhaps Ja Seol Gyeong might be the greatest among the Eight Great Martial Artists and explained in detail about her legacy.

But even Nam Woo-gyeong didn’t know Ja Seol Gyeong’s true identity.

If he hadn’t heard her name from Nam Woo-gyeong, Lee Gwak would never have known that the woman before him was the Unrivaled Lone Sword.

Ja Seol Gyeong smiled.

“I don’t know who your acquaintance is, but he seems to be very knowledgeable.”

“There is probably almost nothing in the world that he doesn’t know,” Lee Gwak replied.

“Your words make me even more curious.”

“I will introduce you if I have the opportunity later.”

“Thank you,”

Ja Seol-gyeong replied with a soft smile as her gaze shifted to Lee Cheong, who stood beside Lee Gwak.

Sensing this,Lee Cheong stepped forward and politely introduced himself.

“I am Lee Cheong, a disciple of the Mad Martial Sect.”

“Nice to meet you, Young Hero Lee. You look just like Master Lee here—you must be his son?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“You seem very handsome. Well, they say a tiger doesn’t raise a dog, so it’s only natural.”

“Thank you for your generous compliment.”

“Not at all. It’s not an exaggeration. Since my return to Jianghu, one of the names I’ve heard most frequently is your father’s.”

Lee Cheong’s face flushed red. Having his father praised by a master like Ja Seol Gyeong filled his heart with pride.

Ja Seol Gyeong introduced the girl who was beside her.

“This is my disciple, Hong Chae-yeon.”

“Greetings to Master Lee and Young Hero Lee. I am Hong Chae-yeon.”

Hong Chae-yeon clasped her hands and bowed to both of them.

She was as beautiful as a flower.

Though only about ten years old, her beauty was already exceptional. She possessed a cold beauty, like a flower blooming through the snow.

Lee Cheong was so surprised upon seeing her face that he momentarily lost his composure.

Lee Gwak’s face showed signs of admiration.

What was more astonishing than the girl’s beauty was the aura emanating from her.

She was about the same age as Lee Cheong, but the energy she had accumulated within her was incomparably immense.

For someone of Hong Chae-yeon’s age to have amassed such internal strength was impossible through normal means. Unless she had undergone a Bone Marrow Cleansing from a very young age or had consistently taken extraordinary elixirs, it wouldn’t have been possible.

There weren’t many sects in the Jianghu that could provide such support to a young girl, no matter how exceptional her talent.

“Her sect must be quite extraordinary,” Lee Gwak thought.

Aside from the Ten Great Sects, he couldn’t easily think of any sect that could offer such support.

At that moment, Lee Cheong greeted Hong Chae-yeon.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise…”

Hong Chae-yeon responded briefly.

After that, she firmly closed her mouth.

Hong Chae-yeon’s icy demeanor left Lee Cheong feeling slightly awkward.

Hong Chae-yeon was naturally a person of few words.

She was so reserved that even her master, Ja Seol Gyeong, rarely heard her voice more than a few times a day.

Ja Seol Gyeong turned her gaze back to Lee Gwak.

“Master Lee, did you come here for the upcoming event?”

“No.”

“Is that so?”

“I just came to see an acquaintance who is here.”

“Could it be the acquaintance who told you about me?”

“That’s correct.”

At Lee Gwak’s answer, Ja Seol Gyeong nodded as if she had expected it. Even though Lee Gwak hadn’t provided any clues, she had deduced the truth solely through her intuition and insight.

Taking Hong Chae-yeon’s hand, Ja Seol Gyeong said,

“I plan to stay at the Nine Dragons Clan for a while with my disciple. If you happen to visit the Nine Dragons Clan, please feel free to come by anytime.”

“I will do so.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave now. See you next time, Master Lee!”

“Farewell.”

Ja Seol Gyeong leaped into the air and disappeared from Lee Gwak’s sight in an instant. It was an incredible display of agility befitting her title.

Lee Gwak gazed in the direction she had vanished.

For some reason, he had a feeling that he would see her again soon.