Episode 323

The Invisible Enemy, The Emerging Threat (2)

Go Geom-wol added another comment.

 

“And I will return to Jianghu.”

 

At that moment, the hall erupted into murmurs.

 

Such was the impact of Go Geom-wol’s words.

 

Yang Guang-baek, who had asked the question, narrowed his gaze.

 

He had already suspected it, but hearing it directly from Go Geom-wol made it all the more shocking.

 

Since the era of the former leader, Geom Yul Cheon, the banner of the Celestial Demon Troupe had gradually faded.

 

They had been exiled to the outskirts of the Jianghu. Yet, it was not a terrible place to live.

 

Over time, the martial artists of the Celestial Demon Troupe had become accustomed to life here.

 

In a way, they had begun to settle down.

 

The same was true for the successive leaders.

 

They had done their best to avoid conflicts with the clans of Jianghu. They had fought fiercely with the Jade Heaven Alliance a few years ago, but that conflict hadn’t lasted long.

 

The war with the Jade Heaven Alliance had ended inconclusively, and the Celestial Demon Troupe had settled down here once again.

 

In the meantime, the Jade Heaven Alliance had started a war with the ten sects.

 

This was a golden opportunity for the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

Had they seized that opportunity wisely, they could have established themselves in the Jianghu without suffering great losses. But for reasons unknown, Jin Gwang-hon gave no particular orders and simply holed up in the Demon Lord’s Hall.

 

Thus, time passed in a state of stagnation.

 

Yang Guang-baek asked once more,

 

“Many people will die. Even so, do you intend to start a war?”

 

“They are already dead.”

 

“What…?”

 

“From the moment we were satisfied with this tiny patch of land on the outskirts of the Jianghu, the Celestial Demon Troupe was as good as dead. If things continue this way, we’ll slowly wither away, losing what little warrior spirit we have left.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

“Though the world may call us evil for being a demonic sect, we, too, are Martial Artists. Our blood runs hot, and we have grand ambitions. It would be a waste for so many young talents to merely drift and die without ever testing their limits.”

 

“ … ”

 

Yang Guang-baek could not say anything in response to Go Geom-wol’s calm answer.

 

Neither could anyone else.

 

They looked at Go Geom-wol with reddened eyes.

 

Go Geom-wol stood up from the Celestial Demon Troupe’s central seat. All eyes followed his every movement.

 

He approached the window and flung it wide open. The entirety of the Celestial Demon Troupe’s stronghold came into view.

 

“For the past hundred years, we’ve cultivated a home here. We had little choice. A century ago, we were driven out of the Jianghu and had nowhere else to go. But we can’t stay here forever. We’ve reached our limit, and the new generation is no longer content with life in this place.”

 

A cold light flickered in Go Geom-wol’s eyes.

 

Despite being Jin Gwang-hon’s first disciple, Go Geom-wol had spent more time outside the Celestial Demon Troupe than within it.

 

He had traveled throughout Jianghu.

 

He had met countless people and made as many connections.

 

With some, he shared good relations, with others bad. Through this, he realized that although all places where people live are the same, where one lives can change their life.

 

It did not matter to them, but he did not want the young children or the unborn future generations to also be labeled as demons. To avoid this, they needed to be part of Jianghu, not just its outskirts.

 

People often thought of the Ten Sects as the righteous protectors of Jianghu, but their actions and intentions were far from noble. In some ways, they were similar to the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

Yet, people regarded the Ten Sects as guardians of Jianghu, and the Celestial Demon Troupe as a demonic sect.

 

Go Geom-wol believed that this crucial difference was due to the location of the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

So long as they remained on its outskirts, they would remain a tool of convenience for sects like the Jade Heaven Alliance. If those sects labeled them “demonic,” the Jianghu would see them as demonic. If they declared them a “public enemy,” the people would believe it without question. In that sense, they would only be used as scapegoats to distract the public whenever those major sects committed grave misdeeds or faced disadvantageous situations.

 

Yang Guang-baek asked,

 

“Is that truly the only reason? Are you truly doing this for our descendants?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Go Geom-wol nodded.

 

For three years, he had thought of this over and over again:

 

“Now that the Jade Heaven Alliance is fighting the Seven Sects, this is the perfect chance for the Celestial Demon Troupe to gain a foothold in the Jianghu.”

 

He did not know when another such chance would arise if they let this one slip by.

 

That was why he had taken the drastic step of subduing his own master, Jin Gwang-hon.

 

Go Geom-wol saw the biggest enemy as not the Jade Heaven Alliance or another sect, but Jin Gwang-hon himself.

 

As long as Jin Gwang-hon was in charge, there was no future for the Celestial Demon Troupe.

Yang Guang-baek saw the firm conviction in Go Geom-wol’s face.

 

He saw an unwavering heart.

 

Yang Guang-baek closed his eyes for a moment.

 

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

 

Everyone watched Yang Guang-baek.

 

He was one of the most respected elders of the Celestial Demon Troupe. His decision would influence their consensus.

 

Finally, Yang Guang-baek made his decision.

 

Thump!

 

Suddenly, Yang Guang-baek knelt on one knee.

 

“I, Elder Yang Guang-baek, pledge my loyalty to serve you wholeheartedly, my lord.”

His resounding voice echoed throughout the hall. It was the catalyst.

 

“I, Lee Shin-chung, the Shadowless Ghost Blade, bow before my lord!”

 

“I, Cho Mun-san, the Blood Eyed Blood Claw, pledge my loyalty to my lord!”

 

Starting with the Ten Blood Demons, the leaders kneeled in unison and swore their allegiance.

 

Go Geom-wol was an unstoppable tide.

 

Everyone gathered in this war council sensed that unmistakably.

 

By overpowering Jin Gwang-hon, Go Geom-wol had already proven his might. No further proof was required.

 

They knew a new era had begun.

 

Go Geom-wol would be the master of that era.

 

Saintess Gu Mun-hye clasped her hands as she looked at Go Geom-wol.

 

‘Geom-wol!’

 

She knew.

 

She knew how arduous the path Go Geom-wol had chosen to walk was.

 

It was a path filled with thorns.

 

She could not see where it ended.

 

All she could do was support and cheer for Go Geom-wol’s decision.

 

Tears threatened to fall as she watched his retreating figure.

 

At that moment, Go Geom-wol spoke.

 

“From now on, the Celestial Demon Troupe will transition to a wartime posture. Shed complacency, and sharpen each organization’s edge. As your new leader, this is my first command.”

 

“By your command!”

 

The leaders responded in unison.

 

Whooosh!

 

Their voices stirred the air within the hall.

 

After years, the atmosphere of the Celestial Demon Troupe began to heat up once again.

 

At its center was Go Geom-wol.

 

Whooosh!

 

His sword let out a cry.

***
Lee Gwak looked at his blade.

 

Cracks had spread across his blade like a spiderweb.

 

Anyone could see that the blade’s life was nearly over.

 

Thump!

 

Lee Gwak sighed softly as he sheathed his blade.

 

He would need to find a usable blade as soon as they reached the village.

 

At that moment, the boat’s captain approached him.

 

“We’ve arrived at our destination, Master Lee! From here on, you must travel by horse as we can’t proceed further by boat.”

 

“Thank you for the ride. It was comfortable, thanks to you.”

 

“I’m the one who should be grateful for the honor of having you aboard.”

 

The captain regarded Lee Gwak with an expression of deep respect, as did the other sailors who had operated the swiftboat.

 

Boom!

 

The moment Lee Gwak rose to his feet, the boat docked at the pier. Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong led their horses off the swiftboat.

 

Lee Cheong, performing a fist salute to the captain and the sailors, spoke ,

 

“Thank you for the ride. Have a safe journey back.”

 

“You too, take care, young master.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Then, we will be on our way.”

 

When the captain waved his hand, the sailors unfurled the sails. In an instant, the boat slipped away from the pier and vanished across the river.

 

Lee Gwak stood there for a moment, watching the ship disappear. Then he spoke to Lee Cheong.

 

“Let’s get going.”

 

“Yes, Father.”

 

Nodding, Lee Cheong mounted his horse.

 

He had rested well during the voyage and was full of energy. Now, they simply needed to ride without pause.

 

The two set off immediately.

 

Their horses, too, had conserved their energy while on the boat, so they could gallop for extended periods with almost no rest.

 

Thus, Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong rode for nearly three days with minimal breaks. They halted only when their horses tired, just long enough for them to regain their strength, spending most of their time in the saddle.

 

Because of that, they arrived in Gaiyang sooner than expected.

 

In Gaiyang , there was a branch of the Hao Clan.

 

The Gaiyang branch was not just any branch.

 

It was the largest branch of the Hao Clan, comparable in size and manpower to the main branch, so information came in quickly.

 

Because Gaiyang was located in the western reaches of the Jianghu, there was a high probability that any news concerning Han So-cheon’s whereabouts would reach this branch first.

 

“Welcome, Master Lee!”

 

As they entered the Gaiyang branch, Branch Leader Gam Il-so stepped out to greet Lee Gwak and his son. Lee Gwak returned the greeting with a brief nod, then went straight to the point.

 

“Have you discovered any trace of Soo-cheon?”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Gam Il-so apologized first.

 

No information had come in yet.

 

Lee Gwak’s face fell slightly in disappointment, but he did not blame Gam Il-so.

 

He knew that the Hao Moon Clan was doing everything possible to find Han So-cheon and Lee Soo-ah.

 

Gam Il-so said,

 

“All our personnel are mobilized to find them, so we expect good news soon. Please trust us a little longer.”

 

“Understood. And thank you.”

 

“We will accept your thanks once we have found them,”

 

Lee Gwak nodded at Gam Il-so’s words.

 

One comforting thought was that the Gaiyang branch was situated in the southwestern part of Jianghu.

 

If Han So-cheon and Lee Soo-ah were heading south as they initially were, it was highly likely they were passing through this area around this time.

 

Finding out their whereabouts would mean they could meet within a day or two, which was somewhat comforting.

 

Gam Il-so then told Lee Gwak,

 

“You must be tired from your journey; please rest for a while. We will inform you as soon as we receive any information about your wife and daughter.”

 

“Thank you. By the way, is there a decent forge around here?”

 

“Why do you ask about a forge?”

 

“As you can see, my blade is damaged, and I would like to get a new one.”

 

Lee Gwak drew his blade to show it.

 

Seeing the cracks in the blade, Gam Il-so frowned.

 

Although he was a martial artist, he had never seen a weapon so damaged. Most martial artists replaced or repaired their weapons before they reached such a state.

 

After a moment’s recollection, Gam Il-so spoke,

 

“I’ve heard that a remarkable craftsman has recently settled in gaiyang.”

 

“A remarkable craftsman?”

 

“Yes! Apparently, he is extremely skilled but does not make weapons for just anyone, which has caused some resentment.”

 

“There’s such a craftsman?”

 

“Yes! According to the martial artists who have received weapons from him, they have never seen such an outstanding craftsman.”

 

“Could you guide me to him?”

 

“Of course, I will lead the way.”

 

Gam Il-so cheerfully took the lead.

 

Such tasks could be delegated to subordinates, but Gam Il-so took it upon himself. Not only because Lee Gwak was a guest member of the Hao Moon Clan, but also because Gam Il-so wanted to do anything he could for Lee Gwak.

 

He took Lee Gwak and his son to the western alley of Gaiyang.

 

Recently, a high-quality iron mine had been discovered near Gaiyang, attracting many craftsmen to the area. Most of them had set up forges in the western alley.

 

Thus, the western alley was always noisy with the sound of hammering.

 

As soon as they entered the western alley, they were greeted by a hot blast of air and the sound of hammers.

 

At the entrance of the alley, large forges occupied the space.

 

Swords and blades with elaborate decorations tempted passersby from display stands. In fact, many people were mesmerized by the weapons on the stands.

 

However, Lee Gwak paid little attention to the weapons on the display stands. He could tell at a glance that although they looked impressive, they lacked substance.

 

Lee Gwak hoped that the craftsman Gam Il-so was guiding him to would be far superior in skill to those others.

 

“Here we are.”

 

Finally, Gam Il-so stopped in front of a shabby forge at the end of the alley. The forge was so humble it didn’t even have a sign.

 

Unlike other forges with their doors wide open, the door to the forge Gam Il-so led him to was firmly closed.

 

“Huh? Why is the door closed? It’s not time to close up yet.”

 

Gam Il-so looked puzzled by the unexpected sight, but Lee Gwak, unfazed, knocked on the door.

 

“Is anyone there?”

 

Bang! Bang!

 

It seemed like someone was inside, but no response came. Lee Gwak didn’t give up and knocked again. After a while, an irritated voice came from inside.

 

“Why bother me so much. Even if you bring a fortune, I won’t make anything for you.”

 

The murderous intent in the man’s voice caused Lee Gwak to furrow his brows momentarily, but he persisted and knocked again.

 

At that moment, the door swung open, and an elderly man in his late sixties holding a large hammer appeared.

 

“These pesky bastards”

 

His dishevelled grey hair shimmered, and his bare tanned torso, unusually muscular for an old man, writhed as he raised the hammer as if to strike. But he did not bring the hammer down.

 

When he saw Lee Gwak’s face, the old man blinked.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“Master…?”

 

Lee Gwak blinked back.