Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 363
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Episode 363
Even the Demonic Path Has Lines One Must Not Cross (1)
News of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s defeat spread quickly throughout the Jianghu.
The event was so shocking that its impact was tremendous.
“Is it true that the Jade Heaven Alliance was defeated?”
“Is this a lie?”
“Did they really lose?”
People couldn’t bring themselves to accept this shocking rumor. The shock they felt went beyond mere surprise—it was downright terrifying.
The Jade Heaven Alliance was an undefeated legend.
Ever since they had pushed back the Celestial Demon Troupe from the Jianghu a hundred years ago, they had always been victorious, and no one dared to challenge their strength.
Though their reputation had faded somewhat after Ja Hong Cheon declared his ambition to unite the Jianghu and launched a conquest, no one doubted their military might.
This was an operation that the Jade Heaven Alliance had staked their fate on.
They had endured the condemnation of the Jianghu and even joined forces with the Martial Sword Troupe to bring down the Dragon Heaven Valley. However, they were unable to topple Dragon Heaven Valley and were utterly defeated instead.
What was most shocking was the death of Yong Cheon Myeong, who had led the attack on Dragon Heaven Valley.
The death of Yong Cheon-myeong , who was considered the likely future leader of the alliance, threw the entire Jianghu into shock and chaos.
It was a time of war.
It was natural for people to die.
Swords weren’t selective; if you were struck, it was only natural to be wounded or killed. But Yong Cheon-myeong was an exception.
In people’s minds, Yong Cheon-myeong was an invincible legend.
Although he had once been incapacitated by a strike from Lee Gwak, Ja Hong-cheon’s reputation management had kept people’s expectations for him at their peak.
People thought that Yong Cheon-myeong would never be defeated or fall.
They believed he would follow in Ja Hong-cheon’s footsteps and bring about a golden age for the Jade Heaven Alliance.
His death shattered that unwavering faith in him—and in Jade Heaven Alliance.
Yong Cheon-myeong was not invincible.
Thus, the notion that Jade Heaven Alliance was no longer invincible was established.
In fact, the loss in the war was less painful than the new prejudice that the Jade Heaven Alliance could be defeated.
Many sects aspiring to dominate the Jianghu now believed that it was worth taking on the Jade Heaven Alliance.
There was a significant difference between an entity that no one dared to challenge and one that seemed worth fighting was significant.
Jade Heaven Alliance was not the only one disgraced.
The Martial Sword Troupe had also faced humiliation.
They had formed a united front with Dragon Heaven Valley to oppose theJade Heaven Alliance, but then they abruptly turned their backs and stabbed Dragon Heaven Valley in the back.
Martial artists valued loyalty and freedom above all else, and thus were particularly sensitive to betrayal.
They would applaud those who upheld loyalty without reservation, but they would look upon those who betrayed others.
That’s why the martial artists were even more furious at the Martial Sword Troupe’s betrayal.
The Martial Sword Troupe’s betrayal had crossed a line that martial artists held sacred.
What was even more painful for the Martial Sword Troupe was that, despite their betrayal, they had failed to achieve their desired goal.
As a result, the losses they suffered were indescribable.
The tarnishing of their reputation as the rulers of the Southern Sea.
The perception that they were an entity that could betray at any moment.
The resulting political isolation.
People no longer respected the Martial Sword Troupe, nor did they consider them worthy allies.
This led to signs of internal division within the Troupe.
The Martial Sword Troupe was not a single faction but a coalition of numerous sects.
Until now, any discontent had been suppressed by the overwhelming presence of their leader, Yoo Munsang. However, this incident had caused people to doubt Yoo Mun-sang’s leadership.
And so, the foundations of both the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Martial Sword Troupe were shaken.
At the center of it all was Lee Gwak.
“The one who killed Yong Cheon Myeong is none other than Lee Gwak, the Sura Blade.”
“He has raised a banner of rebellion against the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“Lee Gwak has crushed the schemes of the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Martial Sword Troupe.”
People were shocked to learn that it was Lee Gwak who had killed Yong Cheon Myeong.
Until now, Lee Gwak had occasionally revealed his martial prowess, giving people a sense of his strength.
Especially recently, he had intervened in the major currents of the Jianghu, changing their course and gaining a fiery reputation. However, the killing of Yong Cheon Myeong was an event beyond comparison.
It wasn’t just because he had physically overpowered and killed Yong Cheon Myeong.
The fact that a grand operation mobilized by the massive force of the Jade Heaven Alliance had been crushed by one man was a great shock to the Jianghu.
People acknowledged Lee Gwak as a powerful figure who stood shoulder to shoulder with the leaders of the Seven Sects, but they didn’t think his influence or capability was comparable to theirs.
Unlike the leaders of the Seven Sects, Lee Gwak didn’t have a backing force. But this incident made them realize something.
A true master could change the course of the Jianghu without the support of a faction.
People were thrilled by Lee Gwak.
Lee Gwak enjoyed a fiery reputation.
Many sought him out, but Lee Gwak did not show himself to them.
As Lee Gwak’s reputation grew day by day, Jade Heaven Alliance’s reputation plummeted.
As if to prove this, darkness crept into every corner of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s once-bustling fortress.
It was a sign that many people had left.
However, one place remained particularly bright.
The Blue Dragon Hall.
This was the residence of Ja Hong-cheon, the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Fitting for the largest and most heavily guarded place in the Jade Heaven Alliance, the Blue Dragon Hall was brightly lit even at night.
In the rear garden of the Blue Dragon Hall, an elderly man was walking alone.
At first glance, he seemed like an ordinary old man, but he was Ja Hong-cheon, the man who stood at the pinnacle of the Jianghu.
This failure had dealt him a significant blow.
Most of the operations he had carefully planned had gone astray.
As a result, Ja Hong-cheon had no choice but to recall all the forces he had sent out.
Their morale was at rock bottom, and the mood throughout the Jade Heaven Alliance was grim.
Even a child could see there would be no good outcome from continuing the war under these conditions.
It was better for Jade Heaven Alliance to reorganize its power and plan for the future.
“Lee Gwak…”
A chill appeared in Ja Hong Cheon’s eyes. The primary reason for Jade Heaven Alliance’s downfall was undoubtedly Lee Gwak.
All of the grand plans he had worked so hard on for so long had been thwarted by this one person.
“He wasn’t just a passing breeze. Tsk!”
Ja Hong-cheon clicked his tongue.
The anger in his heart burned hotter than the flames of hell, but he didn’t show it.
A true master must know how to suppress anger and calmly assess the opponent’s capabilities.
In that sense, the true person responsible for this situation was Ja Hong-cheon himself.
He had underestimated Lee Gwak’s abilities and hadn’t prepared for his intervention.
Therefore, Ja Hong-cheon thought that all this was his responsibility. That’s why he didn’t punish the Jade Heaven Alliance warriors who returned in defeat.
“I must start from scratch and rebuild all my plans.”
The order of the Jianghu, represented by the Ten Great Sects, had collapsed.
The Zealous Justice Clan and the White Light Sect had fallen to Ja Hong-cheon’s hands, and the Martial Sword Troupe, which he had secretly allied with, had lost its reputation.
The only factions that still maintained some strength were the Thousand Kingdom School, the Sky High Castle, and the Myriad Merchant Troupe.
The balance of power that had dominated the Jianghu for a hundred years had completely collapsed.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been a good time to continue the conquest, but the problem was that the three-year truce with the Celestial Demon Troupe had ended.
To make matters worse, the flow of information from the Celestial Demon Troupe had suddenly stopped.
It was evidence that something unusual was happening within the Celestial Demon Troupe.
‘Could it be that they are planning to stab us in the back?’
Thinking of Jin Gwang-hon, the leader of the Celestial Demon Troupe, made his heart heavy.
No matter how much they had communicated, the fundamental fact that Jin Gwang-hon was an enemy remained unchanged.
Ja Hong-cheon felt irritation rising within him.
Tsk!
In an instant, the beautifully blooming flowers at his feet withered rapidly. Ja Hong-cheon’s killing intent had drained the life from the flowers.
After killing all the flowers within a radius of several dozen feet, Ja Hong-cheon finally reigned in his killing intent.
Picking up a withered flower, he muttered to himself.
“I can forgive everything else, but I can’t forgive you, Lee Gwak. How dare you, who grew up in the Jade Heaven Alliance, betray us?”
Crush!
The flower crumbled into dust in his hand, scattering into the wind.
***
“Here it is, a special whole cow from Bang Clan’s Inn.”
Bang Yae-in came out of the kitchen with a beaming smile.
In her hands, she held two huge bowls, each as big as a child’s torso, filled with an unidentified liquid.
Behind her, two men as large as bears followed, carrying a massive iron plate. They were the innkeeper, Cheol Dae-san, and Bang Yae-in’s lover, Cheol Gwang-woo.
On the iron plate they carried, as Bang Yae-in had said, was a whole cow, butchered and laid out.
The meat was well cooked, steaming hot.
“Wow!”
“Unbelievable!”
The outer hall martial artists, including Seok Yi-cheon, were stunned by the sight.
This feast was specially prepared by Bang Yae-in to comfort the outer hall martial artists who were disheartened after losing their comrades.
She had taken the astounding step of butchering and cooking an entire cow herself.
Even Cheol Dae-san and Cheol Gwang-woo were amazed at her boldness.
During the cooking, their role was merely that of assistants.
‘Miss Yae-in is truly incredible.’
Of them all, Cheol Dae-san was especially stunned. As a master chef himself, he understood better than anyone just how extraordinary Bang Yae-in’s cooking was.
Boom!
Cheol Dae-san and Cheol Gwang-woo set the iron griddle, loaded with the entire cow, onto a large table.
“This is absolutely insane.”
“Are you saying we’re supposed to eat all that?”
“Just smell it! I’m in heaven.”
The outer-hall martial artists were practically drooling.
Bang Yae-in smiled at them. “It’s still too early for you to be that surprised.”
Shrrrrp!
She poured the liquid from one of her large bowls over the meat on the griddle. The dish’s enticing aroma, already mouthwatering, intensified several times over, and the flavor felt heightened as well.
“Aagh!”
“This is driving me crazy!”
Exclamations filled the room. The shouts soon became a clamor, and everyone’s eyes converged on Lee Gwak.
Lee Gwak grinned and asked Bang Yae-in, “May we eat now?
With Bang Ye-in’s permission, the outer hall martial artists pounced on the food like hungry beasts.
“Wow! What is this? I’ve never tasted anything like it.”
“Ugh! I think I’m going to faint. This is incredible!”
“Look at how tender the meat is. The juices just burst in my mouth.”
The outer hall martial artists devoured the food prepared by Bang Ye-in, their faces filled with bliss.
The meat melted in their mouths the moment they bit into it, and the lingering flavor left them dazed. But the most amazing thing was that the more they ate, the more their vitality increased.
Cheol Dae-san muttered as he watched them.
“Who would believe that food can restore your energy and even slightly enhance your internal energy?”
In the hundred-year history of Bang Clan’s Inn, only its founder, Bang Jinbo, and Bang Ye-in had achieved such a level of culinary mastery.
She had prepared a dish that even renowned chefs of the Jianghu would beg for, and she had done it for a group of outer hall martial artists.
The martial artists, busy devouring the food, had no idea just how extraordinary this was.
“Brother! Let’s eat too.”
Cheol Gwang-woo approached Cheol Dae-san and urged him.
“Let’s do that.”
Cheol Daesan nodded and took a seat at one end of the table.
Though he had always strictly adhered to the duties of a chef, at this moment, he was no different from the others.
They ate together with the outer sect martial artists.
Lee Gwak also took a plate and tasted the food.
‘As expected, she’s incredible.’
Lee Gwak shook his head slightly.
He already knew of Bang Ye-in’s skills, but tasting it firsthand left him speechless.
Just by eating the food, the energy he had lost was being restored.
He suddenly became aware of someone’s gaze. When he looked up, he found Bang Yae-in smiling back at him. Her expression seemed to ask, So, how is it? and Igwak responded by giving her a big thumbs-up.
“Hehe!”
She giggled, but quickly became serious when she noticed someone else entering the inn.
Lee Gwak put down his plate when he saw the guest.
“Lady Mok.”
The person who entered was none other than Mok Seon-wol, the young mistress of Dragon Heaven Valley.
Her appearance caused everyone to freeze mid-meal.
As all eyes turned to her, Mok Seon-wol briefly wore an awkward expression. But she quickly approached Igok and spoke.
“Grand master Lee! Could you spare a moment?”
“Huh?”
“My father wishes to see you.”