Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 367
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Episode 367
Even the Demonic Path Has Lines One Must Not Cross (4)
Lee Gwak and the martial artists from the outer hall left Taegang early in the morning.
They stopped at a riverbank near Taegang.
Seok Yi-cheon stood by Lee Gwak’s side, while the outer hall martial artists, including Woo Il-yeong, stood with Go Cheon-gwang.
Lee Gwak clasped his fists in a martial salute to Go Cheon-gwang.
“Then I wish you the best of luck in the days ahead. If ever you need my help, just call for me. I’ll follow you to the very depths of hell if I must.”
“Just hearing that is enough, Squad Leader!”
The Outer Hall warriors looked at Lee Gwak with fiery admiration.
To them, Lee Gwak was both a hero and a beacon of hope.
They too wanted to follow Lee Gwak, but they did not want to be a burden on him any longer.
It was time for them to be independent, not to rely on Lee Gwak.
Each of the Outer Hall warriors who had chosen to go their own way had their own skills. If they made the best use of these skills, they would at least have no trouble making a living.
Go Cheon-gwang also bowed in respect as he said his goodbyes.
“Squad Leader, I wish you luck as well. If you ever need us, please call us. Even though our strength is small, we’ll do our best to help you.”
“Brother Go!”
“Then, we will take our leave first.”
Go Cheon-gwang and the martial artists from the outer hall turned and walked away briskly.
Lee Gwak and Seok Yi Cheon stood still, watching the departing figures of Go Cheon Gwang and the outer hall martial artists.
Seok Yi Cheon slightly bit his lip.
It felt like he had passed a heavy burden to Go Cheon-gwang. In his heart, he wanted to go with Go Cheon-gwang as well. However, his desire to stay with Lee Gwak was stronger.
“May you be safe in this treacherous world…”
Although they were partying now, it was not a permanent farewell.
As long as they lived, they would surely meet again one day. Until then, they would have to survive.
When Go Cheon-gwang and the outer hall martial artists were no longer in sight, Lee Gwak and Seok Yi-cheon also left.
“Somehow, my heart feels empty”
Seok Yi-cheon wore a bitter expression.
Whether they liked it or not, they had been comrades for over a decade. Deciding to part ways and take a different path was not an easy choice for him. Yet, the reason he chose to follow Lee Gwak was because of the deep longing and affection he felt.
Seok Yi-cheon had been the one to care for Lee Gwak when he was paralyzed and unable to move. And Lee Gwak trusted and followed Seok Yi-cheon like a blood brother.
The bond between them was incomparable to anyone else.
Lee Gwak patted Seok Yi-cheon’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”
“Alright!”
The two walked shoulder to shoulder, but they soon had to stop.
Familiar faces had appeared.
“Brother!”
“Hey! You’re really something. Trying to leave without a word?”
It was Cheol Gwang-woo and Bang Ye-in.
Cheol Gwang-woo was carrying a large bundle on his back, while Bang Ye-in had her hands on her hips, glaring atLee Gwak.
Seeing them,Lee Gwak chuckled.
“You follow me even without being told.”
“What did you say?”
“Still, it’s good to see you.”
“Tch!”
Bang Ye-in gave a quick, dismissive snort, then immediately strode over to Lee Gwak.
“Let us go together.”
“Do you even know where I’m headed?”
“Where are you headed?”
“Couldn’t tell you.”
“I knew it. You left Taegang without a plan. That’s fine – this works out perfectly.”
“How so?”
“This is a perfect opportunity for you to come with me to the Bang Clan Inn.”
“Bang Clan’s Inn?”
Lee Gwak looked a bit surprised.
He had met Bang Ye-in many times before, but she had never suggested anything like this.
“Soon, both the Sky High Castle and the Thousand Kingdom School will be having a meeting at the Bang Clan’s Inn. It’s a good opportunity for you to meet them.”
“Why are they gathering there?”
“It’s a tradition that’s been going on for a hundred years.”
“A tradition?”
Lee Gwak tilted his head, unfamiliar with the story.
“The Thousand Kingdom School, Sky High Castle, and the Bang Clan’s Inn have always maintained a close relationship. They gather at the Bang Clan’s Inn every year to strengthen their ties, a tradition that has continued for a hundred years.”
“Hmm.”
“So come along.”
“Would they even welcome me?”
“You tend to underestimate yourself. If you decided to join them, they would welcome you with open arms, I promise.”
“Hmm.”
When Lee Gwak still hesitated to answer, Bang Ye-in looked frustrated.
“Brother!”
“Speak.”
“You need to be more aware of yourself. No matter what anyone says, you are the center of the jianghu. In the current jianghu, there are only a handful of people who have as much fame and influence as you. Your value is beyond imagination. If you use that fame, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.”
Bang Ye-in genuinely wanted to help Lee Gwak.
Though the Bang Clan’s Inn didn’t have the martial strength of other sects, it could serve as a bridge between Lee Gwak and the other sects.
“In the current jianghu, you are the only one who can stand against the Jade Heaven Alliance and become a unifying force.”
“……”
“I know how difficult and frightening that task is. But someone has to do it. And in the current jianghu, you are the only one who can.”
Her voice was soft and measured, but carried an undeniable strength.
“Ha.”
Lee Gwak let out a quiet sigh.
Bang Ye-in sealed it with her last words:
“No one is born a hero. It’s the time and circumstances that make a hero.”
With these last words, Bang Ye-in closed her mouth tightly.
Cheol Gwang-woo looked at Lee Gwak with pitying eyes.
“Brother! If it’s too much of a burden, you don’t have to go. No one can force you to sacrifice yourself. Just follow your heart.”
“No. Let’s go.”
“Brother?”
“Let’s go! I’ve always wanted to try the food at the Bang Clan’s inn. If we go, they’ll serve us lots of delicious dishes, right?”
“Of course!”
Bang Ye-in replied with a bright smile.
Lee Gwak nodded quietly.
‘The Bang Clan’s Inn, huh…’
***
“Are you alright, Strategist?”
A handsome young man set down the middle-aged man he had been carrying on his back.
“I’m fine.”
The pale-faced middle-aged man was Yeo Joong Wol, the military Strategist of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
The young man who had been carrying him was Cheon Wol.
Both Cheon Wol and Yeo Joong Wol’s faces were filled with exhaustion.
After escaping from the Jade Heaven Alliance’s prison, they had been on the move without rest. Both of them were at their limits.
Yeo Joong Wol smiled bitterly.
“I’ve caused you so much trouble.”
“No. Please don’t say that. It’s my duty.”
“You have always been loyal. That’s why I could trust you with Sobo. How is Sobo?”
“She’s struggling a lot.”
Cheon-wol answered honestly.
There was no reason to hide anything—Ye Joong-wol likely knew it already anyway. He had always been that sort of man.
“Sobo still needs you.”
“She’s just being spoiled. Tsk!”
Yeo Joong Wol clicked his tongue.
There is a time for growth in everyone’s life.
If one relies too much on others, they will miss the optimal time for growth. If Lim So-bo continues to depend on Yeo Joong Wol, she will miss her chance to grow.
The original plan was for Lim So-bo to grow while Yeo Joong Wol spent time in the Jade Heaven Alliance. But now that things had turned out this way, Yeo Joong Wol had no choice but to go to her.
It was too late to return to the Jade Heaven Alliance. From the moment Cheon Wol had taken him away, the Jade Heaven Alliance would hunt him down like a mortal enemy. But he didn’t want to blame Cheon Wol for that.
Yeo Joong Wol stood up.
“We’ve rested enough. Let’s move.”
“Get on my back.”
“I’ve already caused you enough trouble.”
“Not at all. I’m not tired at all, so don’t worry. In two more days, the elite troops waiting to escort you will join us. Once we meet them, the journey will be easier, so just hang in a little longer.”
“Don’t worry. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s enduring.”
Yeo Joong Wol smiled as he climbed onto Cheon Wol’s back.
Cheon-wol pulled out a long rope and began to tie Ye Joong-wol’s body to his own. Then he suddenly frowned.
Sensing the change, Ye Joong-wol asked, “What is it?”
“Hold on tight, sir. It seems we have pursuers.”
“Pursuers?”
Cheon-wol quickly tightened the rope.
His eyes had already become cold and sharp.
His senses, honed to perfection by the Hidden Sword Art, were at their peak. He could detect even the slightest disturbance in the air, allowing him to sense the presence of people far beyond the range of his vision.
Their footsteps were as quiet as a leopard’s, and their movements were as light as a feather.
This was not the kind of movement that ordinary pursuers could achieve.
Most pursuers, consumed by their focus on the target, would carelessly reveal their presence as they charged forward.
However, the pursuers of Cheon-wol and Ye Joong-wol were different. They moved at a terrifying speed while completely erasing any trace of their presence.
There was only one type of group like this.
‘Assassins trained like hunting dogs!’
Having worked in the shadows himself, Cheon-wol was more familiar with assassins than anyone. He had faced many of them in the past.
Most assassins operated alone, relying on stealth and ambush to deliver a single, lethal strike. But assassins trained like hunting dogs were different.
They specialized in hunting in packs.
They were a fusion of assassins and hunting hounds.
‘This terrain is unfavorable.’
The area they were in was an open plain with no cover.
If they were surrounded here, there would be no escape. They had to get out of this area as quickly as possible.
Cheon-wol channeled all his qi into his movement technique.
Whoosh!
He shot forward like an arrow.
One of the skills Cheon-wol had mastered after becoming the Dark Sword was Qigong.
Dark Moon Without Trace.
A legendary movement technique that left no trace in the moonlit darkness, it was Cheon-wol’s greatest weapon.
Cheon-wol ran across the ground, leaving almost no trace. But his expression was grim.
If he were alone, he could have moved without leaving any trace, but with an adult on his back, it was impossible.
Most martial artists wouldn’t notice the traces he left, but assassins trained in professional pursuit would track him down no matter how faint the trail.
They couldn’t keep running forever.
Even as he sprinted at full speed, Cheon-wol kept an eye on the surrounding terrain.
Ping!
At that moment, a sharp whistling sound pierced the air.
Cheon-wol twisted his body almost instinctively. An arrow narrowly grazed past him.
Thud!
The arrow embedded itself deep into the ground.
The force behind the shot was so strong that half of the arrow shaft was buried, and the shaft was still trembling.
‘Damn it!’
Cheon-wol bit his lip.
This was the worst possible situation.
They were already at a disadvantage, and now there was an assassin among the pursuers who specialized in archery.
Ping! Ping!
Arrows flew one after another.
He managed to dodge one, but there was no time to avoid the next.
Cheon-wol had no choice but to draw his sword and deflect the arrow.
Clang!
The metallic clash caused Cheon-wol’s body to stagger. The force behind the arrow far exceeded his expectations.
This momentary delay slowed him down, and the assassins closed the distance in an instant.
Swish!
They launched their attack without hesitation.
Their assault, filled with killing intent, was aimed not only at Cheon-wol but also at Ye Joong-wol.
‘They’ve decided to eliminate the strategist.’
Since they couldn’t persuade him and he had escaped, it seemed the Jade Heaven Alliance had decided to take this opportunity to eliminate Ye Joong-wol.
Swish!
Their relentless assault continued.
Cheon-wol gritted his teeth and used his sword to fend off their attacks.
‘No matter what, I must get the strategist to Sky High Castle.’
Cheon-wol’s desperate struggle had just begun.