Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 362
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Episode 362
The Way of the Warrior Does Not Waver (3)
The sword that Seok Yi Cheon threw was given to him by the Jade Heaven Alliance.
By returning the weapon given to him, he made it clear that he wanted to sever all ties with them.
Clang!
“As of today, I am no longer a warrior of the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“I am also leaving the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“I hereby withdraw from the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
The outer hall martial artists continuously threw down their weapons.
Swords and blades piled up at Ha Gong Wol’s feet, and his expression changed.
Under normal circumstances, he would have swiftly suppressed their rebellion. But now, he couldn’t. Because Lee Gwak was standing with them.
With Lee Gwak present, there were not many in the Jianghu who could handle the situation, and and Ha Gong-wol was not one of them.
All Ha Gong-wol could do was glare at them as if he wanted to devour them.
The outer hall martial artists who wouldn’t have dared to make eye contact with him in the Jade Heaven Alliance, did not shy away from his gaze.
While the Jade Heaven Alliance had excommunicated its members before, it was rare for a member to leave on their own accord, especially when so many of them were expressing hostility at the same time.
This made it all the more humiliating.
Ha Gong-wol gritted his teeth and spoke,
“I understand your intentions. I hope you won’t regret your decision.
“I will never regret it, even if it leads to my death.”
Seok Yi Cheon’s bold reply made Ha Gong-wol frown deeply. But Seok Yi Cheon stood his ground, glaring back at him.
It was Ha Gong-wol who turned his head first.
He turned away from Seok Yi Cheon and looked at Lee Gwak.
“I will take my leave. Will you stop me?”
“Go ahead.”
Lee Gwak readily cleared the way.
Ha Gong-wol stared at Lee Gwak for a moment before moving and leaving the battlefield.
‘I will have my revenge. I will mobilize all the resources of the Heavenly Intelligence Hall to expose all your weaknesses, and I will use the full force of the Jade Heaven Alliance to kill everyone associated with you.’
While it might have been impossible for Ha Gong-wol alone, it was within the power of the deputy of Heavenly Intelligence Hall.
With that resolve, he disappeared.
Once Ha Gong-wol vanished from sight, Seok Yi-cheon spoke up:
“But is it really okay to let the deputy go like that? He looked like he was seething with venom.”
“There’s someone else who will deal with him.”
“What?”
Seok Yi Cheons’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Don’t worry about him, brother!”
“If you say so, then I guess it’s fine…”
“Let’s discuss the details later. For now, let’s take care of our comrades’ bodies.”
“Right!”
The Jade Heaven Alliance left behind the bodies of the outer hall martial artists. They did not bother to retrieve them.
Lee Gwak and Seok Yi-cheon somberly picked up the bodies.
They wished they could bury them, but circumstances did not allow it.
The surviving martial artists from the outer hall cut down trees nearby, built a pyre and arranged the bodies neatly on it.
“I am sorry. This may not appease your spirits, but at least Gwak has avenged you, so don’t linger and go to a better place.”
Seok Yi-cheon lit the pyre and prayed for their peaceful afterlife.
The dry branches caught fire, and the flames roared fiercely.
The bodies of the outer hall martial artists quickly disappeared into the flames.
***
Lee Gwak led Seok Yi-cheon and the surviving outer hall martial artists to Taegang.
By the time they arrived, Taegang was in an uproar.
News had spread that the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Martial Sword Troupe secretly joined forces in the Hwangwon Plains to launch a surprise attack on Dragon Heaven Valley from behind.
Because of that, the atmosphere in Taegang was more uneasy than ever.
“Brother!”
“Oraboni!”
When Lee Gwak returned with the martial artists from the outer hall, Cheol Gwang-woo and Bang Yae-in came out to greet him.
Cheol Gwang-woo glanced at the Outer Hall martial artists and asked,
“What happened? I heard the Martial Sword Troupe betrayed the Dragon Heaven Valley?”
“We’ll talk later, first give these people rooms.”
“Understood.”
Cheol Gwang-woo quickly responded.
With many of the martial artists who had been in Taegang now gone, there were plenty of vacant rooms available in the inn.
Lee Gwak turned to Seok Yi-cheon.
“Don’t think about anything for now. Just wash up and rest.”
“Right! Thank you.”
With grateful eyes, Seok Yi-cheon led the remaining outer-hall martial artists to follow Cheol Gwang-woo.
“What about you, Oraboni?”
“I’ll have a drink first, then wash.”
“I’ll prepare it for you.”
Seeing Lee Gwak’s weary expression, Bang Ye-in did not press further and headed to the kitchen.
Left alone, Lee Gwak sat and looked out the window.
“Ah, how did this happen?”
“Why my child…”
Soon, cries of grief echoed.
The martial artists of the Dragon Heaven Valley had returned.
The streets of Taegang were filled with the sound of weeping.
“Brother!”
A moment later, Bang Ye-in returned with a tray of alcohol and sat across from Lee Gwak.
Her expression was somber. She too had heard the cries outside.
“Did… many die?”
“Yes.”
“Sigh…”
Bang Ye-in let out a deep sigh.
Lee Gwak filled his cup to the brim, and Bang Ye-in did the same.
The two drank in silence for a while.
Lee Gwak downed five cups in a row. It was a strong liquor that would have made an ordinary person drunk after only two cups, but Lee Gwak felt no intoxication.
Suddenly, Bang Ye-in spoke.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m not sure.”
“The Jade Heaven Alliance will be watching you closely from now on.”
“That’s likely.”
“It’s going to be tough.”
Lee Gwak silently nodded.
Bang Ye-in looked at him with pity.
Lee Gwak didn’t have to live such a difficult life.
He could have left the martial world with his family and lived happily. Even now, he could do so if he wished. But Lee Gwak chose not to.
It was because of the bonds that tied him.
‘He’s too human.’
Though his martial arts transcended human limits, he never lost his humanity.
That’s why many mistakenly thought him weak. They believed the emotional ties that bound him limited his freedom. But that was a misconception.
‘Because he refused to give up his humanity, because he never abandoned the burdens placed upon him, that’s why Oraboni could become so strong.’
Though she hadn’t lived long, Bang Ye-in prided herself on her extensive experience in the martial world and the many people she had met. Yet, in all her years, she had never encountered anyone like Lee Gwak.
“Oraboni!”
“Yes?”
“If you ever need the help of the Bang Clan’s Inn, just say the word.”
“Your words alone are a great comfort.”
“It’s not just words. I’m always ready to help you, Oraboni.”
Bang Yae-in looked at Lee Gwak, her eyes shining like stars.
After gazing quietly into her eyes for a moment, Lee Gwak nodded.
“If I ever need you, I’ll ask. And thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Bang Ye-in smiled faintly.
At that moment, Cheol Gwang-woo, who had escorted the outer hall martial artists to their rooms, came downstairs.
“Brother!”
“Sit down. Let’s have a drink.”
“Yes!”
Cheol Gwang-woo sat down and accepted the drink.
***
After they finished drinking, Lee Gwak went to the well behind the inn.
He took off his clothes by the well and drew water with a bucket.
Lee Gwak poured the water from the bucket over his head. The bitterly cold water woke him up when it touched his skin.
He drew bucket after bucket, dousing himself repeatedly. Each time, the blood clinging to his body ran off, staining the ground red.
Some of it was his own, but most of it belonged to the Jade Heaven Alliance martial artists who had died on the battlefield. And all of them had perished by Lee Gwak’s hand.
“Phew…”
He let out a long sigh.
It had been a necessary choice to save Seok Yi Cheon and the outer hall martial artists, but it didn’t lighten his heart.
After washing thoroughly and changing into clean clothes, his heavy heart felt somewhat lighter.
While he was at it, he also carefully wiped the blood from Star Soul.
Countless lives had been lost to Star Soul’s blade that day, yet its edge hadn’t dulled in the slightest—
A testament to Eun Gwang-ho’s masterpiece.
After carefully tending to Star Soul, Lee Gwak sheathed it and entered his room.
As soon as he entered, an overwhelming sense of fatigue hit him. But he couldn’t rest.
There was a guest waiting in his room.
“Brother!”
“Gwak!”
The man sitting on the chair in Lee Gwak’s room was none other than Nam Woo-gyeong, the young master of the Hao clan.
Nam Woo-gyeong walked over and patted Lee Gwak on the shoulder.
“You’ve really been through a lot.”
“Brother!”
“I tried to get here as fast as I could, but I was late. I’m sorry.”
Nam Woo-gyeong genuinely looked apologetic.
Lee Gwak shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
“It’s a relief you were here. Without you, this place might have turned into a literal hell.”
Nam Woo-gyeong shook his head, as if the mere thought frightened him.
With the Zealous Justice Clan and the White Light Sect already defeated, and the Myriad Merchant Troupe in hiding, if Dragon Heaven Valley were to fall, no one could have stopped the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Martial Sword Troupe.
If Lee Gwak had not intervened, the situation in Jianghu would have turned out exactly as the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Martial Sword Troupe wanted.
Lee Gwak may have joined the battle to protect the martial artists of the outer hall, but the effect of his involvement on the Jianghu was immeasurable.
At that moment, Lee Gwak asked,
“How did it go?”
“What—oh, you mean Ha Gong-wol?”
Nam Woo-gyeong instantly caught on to what Lee Gwak was referring to. A cold smile touched his lips.
“We’ve put a thread on him.”
“That’s good.”
“It’s all thanks to you.”
While Ha Gong-wol was threatening the Outer Hall martial artists, Lee Gwak briefly considered killing him on the spot. However, a sudden message from Nam Woo-gyeong stopped him, and he might have otherwise gone through with it.
Lee Gwak had sensed a dangerous aura from Ha Gong-wol: a slimy, vicious scent reminiscent of a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Just then, Nam Woo-gyeong had whispered to him via a sound-transmitting technique:
—“It’s a perfect chance to infiltrate the Heavenly Intelligence Hall. Gwak, let the man go.”
The Heavenly Intelligence Hall was an intelligence organization that rivaled the Hao Clan.
The Heavenly Intelligence Hall had tried to infiltrate the Hao Clan to extract information, and the Hao Clan had also conducted numerous operations to uncover the Heavenly Intelligence Hall’s secrets.
But the results had been disappointing.
As the organisation overseeing the intelligence of the Jade Heaven Alliance, the Heavenly Intelligence Hall kept its secrets closely guarded. Despite the Hao Clan’s abilities, it was impossible to penetrate the inner workings of the Heavenly Intelligence Hall.
Especially their leader and deputy leader—their names were known, but they had never appeared in public, making it difficult to identify them.
It was in this situation that Ha Gong-wol had revealed himself.
For Nam Woo-gyeong, this was an opportunity too good to pass up. He quickly sent a secret message to Lee Gwak, urging him to let Ha Gong-wol live.
The plan was to use Ha Gong-wol to uncover the Heavenly Intelligence Hall’s secrets. Nam Woo-gyeong had assigned his most trusted subordinate to tail Ha Gong-wol.
This subordinate’s stealth and tracking skills were among the best in the Hao Clan.
He was the thread.
A thread attached to Ha Gong-wol.
This fine, long thread would lead them into the domain of the Heavenly Intelligence Hall.
More than a century had passed since the founding of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
This was the first time in all those years that such an opening had presented itself.
“If we can root out the Heavenly Intelligence Hall and render them powerless, the Jade Heavenly Alliance will be greatly weakened. Then we might be able to stop this insane war.
Nam Woo-gyeong clenched his fist.
His determination was palpable to Lee Gwak.
Lee Gwak suddenly smiled.
At that moment, he realised that he was not alone.
Nam Woo-gyeong, Seok Yi-cheon, the Outer Hall martial artists…
And countless others who believed in him and stood by his side.
With them by his side, Lee Gwak’s path would not waver.