Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 387
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Episode 387
I have made up my mind, now I must go forward (2)
“I am Lee Gwak.”
“So you’ve gained a bit of fame and now see nothing in front of you, is that it? How dare you make such a scene in my home?”
Hwahaha!
In an instant, Po Cheon-Wol’s killing intent exploded.
“Kuk!”
“Hup!”
The martial artists of Sky High Castle behind him paled, their faces drained of blood. Those with weaker internal energy suffered internal injuries and staggered back.
Even Yuk San-il was shocked by Po Cheon-wol’s killing intent.
‘The lord’s internal energy has grown even deeper.’
Po Cheon-wol’s martial arts had clearly advanced far beyond what Yuk San-il had seen before. Yet, he couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.
‘Can the lord really defeat him?’
Lee Gwak had subdued So Gun-myeong, their young master, in just three moves and neutralized Yang Cheon, the leader of the Warhorse Division, in a single exchange.
Yuk San-il was seeing such an absolute master for the first time in his life.
Po Cheon-Wol was also an absolute master, but somehow it seemed the scales were tipped.
Thump!
As Po Cheon-Wol moved towards Lee Gwak, he asked,
“What grudge do you have against the Sky High Castle for acting so recklessly?”
“I hold no feelings towards the Sky High Castle.”
“Then why did you reduce my disciple to such a state?”
“Young Master So attacked first. I merely defended myself.”
“Silence! Your tongue is as deceitful as a serpent’s. Do you think I’d fall for such nonsense?”
Lee Gwak let out a quiet sigh.
He had already sensed that no matter what he said, Po Cheon-wol wouldn’t listen. There was nothing more draining than trying to reason with someone who refused to understand.
So, Lee Gwak cut to the point.
“I came to the Sky High Castle to take Lim Sobo with me.”
“Who gave you the right to take someone from my castle?”
“So-bo was never a member of the Sky High Castle. She merely sought temporary refuge here—”
“Silence! No one leaves without my permission.”
“I don’t need Lord Po’s permission to take her. She has already chosen to follow me.”
“What? She betrayed me to follow you?”
Po Cheon-wol’s eyes twisted with fury.
His face contorted like a demon’s as he glared at Lim So-bo. But she remained calm under his gaze.
“Betrayal is a strong word. But it’s true that I’ve decided to serve Gwak Oraboni.”
“Ungrateful bitch! You dare betray me?”
Instead of answering, Lim So-bo looked up to the sky and sang in a loud voice.
“A true gentleman draws people by his virtue,
A petty man drives people away by intimidation.
The gentleman bears all in his heart without revealing,
While the petty man, though he pretends to have a large heart, cannot hold a single man.”
Everyone present understood the meaning of her song.
She was lamenting that Po Cheon-Wol, being petty, could not embrace her, and was praising Lee Gwak as a man worthy to follow.
Po Cheon-Wol’s anger exploded.
“I will cut you into ten thousand pieces and restore discipline to the Sky High Castle!”
Swoosh!
He thrust his hand toward Lim So-bo, and a blade-like energy shot forward like an arrow.
Clang!
But the energy was blocked by Lee Gwak’s blade.
“If you intend to interfere with my affairs, you will not escape unscathed.”
“She has already chosen to follow me. As her lord, I cannot ignore her difficulties.”
“Then I will kill you first.”
Hwahaha!
Po Cheon-Wol spread his arms wide and charged at Lee Gwak. He looked like a giant hawk spreading its wings to soar.
Blood Eagle Claw.
Po Cheon-Wol executed his deadly technique.
Lim So Bo softly said,
“Brother! Be careful.”
“Don’t worry.”
Lee Gwak replied and stepped forward.
Clang!
The two collided.
Po Cheon-wol’s furious roar echoed through the Sky High Castle.
He pressed on Lee Gwak with a fiery intensity, while Lee Gwak remained as calm as water.
This only infuriated Po Cheon-wol further.
Lee Gwak’s behaviour reminded him of Jinghae, the martial artist who had dealt him a humiliating defeat earlier. The resemblance fueled his rage even more.
“I’ll grind you into bloody dust!”
His fury escalated even more.
Kwaaaa!
A qi wave swept through the castle’s training grounds.
Seeing this, Yuk San-il’s face briefly flickered with conflict.
Po Cheon-wol had already made an irreversible choice.
Whether it was right or wrong didn’t matter. Whatever decision Po Cheon-wol made, Yuk San-il and the martial artists of the Sky High Castle had to follow.
It was irrational, but such was the way of the Jianghu. And Yuk San-il was a man who lived by its rules.
“Bring the troops here.”
He ordered his subordinates.
The reason for Lee Gwak and Po Cheon-wol’s fight was Lim Sobo.
No matter the outcome, securing her would benefit the Sky High Castle.
Thud!
At that moment, Cheol Gwang-woo and Cheon-wol stepped in front of Lim Sobo.
Just their presence made the martial artists feel as if an impenetrable wall stood before them.
“What are you doing? Bring the strategist here!”
Only after Yuk San-il’s furious command did the martial artists move.
“Raaah!”
They surged forward like a tidal wave.
“Haaah!”
Cheol Gwang-woo launched himself at them.
Boom!
With a thunderous explosion, over a dozen martial artists were sent flying.
Cheol Gwang-woo’s massive frame was a weapon in itself, and combined with his Vajra Demon Shadow Technique, it was a disaster for Sky High Castle’s forces.
Swish!
Cheon-wol moved in perfect sync with him.
Having already fought side by side at the mountain’s base, their coordination was seamless.
Cheol Gwang-woo’s overwhelming attacks shattered the enemy’s morale, while Cheon-wol silently eliminated them.
But even their combined strength couldn’t hold off all of Sky High Castle’s martial artists.
“Kill them!”
“He’s still human! A sword through his gut will finish him!”
The martial artists, driven by killing intent, pressed forward.
Seok Yi-cheon stepped in front of Lim So-bo and declared,
“I-I’ll protect the lady!”
His face was pale with fear.
Honestly, he wanted to run.
He didn’t possess Lee Gwak or Cheol Gwang-woo’s martial prowess, nor was his will unshakable. But he revered Lee Gwak deeply.
For Lee Gwak’s sake, he couldn’t retreat.
Suppressing his terror, he gripped his sword tightly.
“Come at me!”
Just as the martial artists broke through Cheol Gwang-woo and Cheon-wol’s defense—
Clang!
A shockwave erupted, shaking Mount Okhwa.
“Kuhuk!”
“Hup!”
The martial artists charging at Seok Yi-cheon collapsed, their meridians disrupted.
But they weren’t the only ones affected.
Many of those attacking Cheol Gwang-woo and Cheon-wol clutched their ears and fell.
“What—?”
“How—?”
Yuk San-il and the martial artists turned in shock toward the source of the explosion.
An unbelievable sight unfolded before them.
Po Cheon-wol was on one knee, bloodied.
“Guhk!”
He struggled to rise, but Lee Gwak’s sword pressed down on his shoulder, keeping him pinned.
The martial artists froze, staring blankly at the nightmare before them.
Po Cheon-wol’s Blood Eagle Claw was terrifying—a supreme technique capable of shredding even three-inch-thick steel plates.
But he was no match for Lee Gwak.
The difference in skill was one thing, but Po Cheon-wol wasn’t at his peak.
Having not fully recovered from the wounds inflicted by Jinghae, he had overexerted himself using the Blood Eagle Shadow Hand, straining his entire body.
The wounds reopened, and his muscles screamed in agony.
Had his opponent been any other warrior, he might have still won despite his condition. But his opponent was Lee Gwak.
Even in peak condition, a victory against such an absolute master was not guaranteed. It was perhaps inevitable that he faced defeat given his impaired state.
Lee Gwak showed no mercy, relentlessly targeting Po Cheon-wol’s weaknesses until victory was his.
“You—!”
Po Cheon-wol glared up at Lee Gwak, his eyes still defiant despite his defeat.
“If I were at full strength… If I hadn’t been wounded by Jinghae, I would’ve crushed you in an instant.”
“Jinghae? The Wudang’s greatest swordsman?”
“Yes. Had I not been injured, the outcome would’ve been different.”
“How long did you last against him?”
“Five hundred moves. Pathetic, isn’t it? I lost in just five hundred.”
Po Cheon-wol laughed bitterly.
Defeat after defeat—first by Jinghae, now by Lee Gwak.
It wasn’t just the loss that stung, but the fact that youth had triumphed over age.
Once, he had stood at the pinnacle of the martial world.
Even his defeat by Ja Hong-cheon hadn’t shamed him—they were of the same generation, and Ja Hong-cheon led the strongest sect, the Jade Heaven Alliance.
But Lee Gwak and Jinghae were juniors by far.
The pain of losing to them cut deeper.
Po Cheon-wol closed his eyes.
Paradoxically, the sting of defeat brought clarity.
‘This is all my own karma.’
The first lord of Sky High Castle, Mok Il-gwang, had always warned against greed.
“Even if we were born bandits, reckless ambition will shatter the Green Forest one day.”
At first, Po Cheon-wol had taken those words to heart. But as his martial arts reached greater heights and others began to revere him, his resolve faded, leaving only greed.
Unknowingly, he had been devoured by the monster of desire.
Po Cheon-wol shakily rose to his feet.
This time, Lee Gwak didn’t stop him.
Po Cheon-wol looked at him and said,
“You came to take the strategist?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve set your resolve, I see.”
“…”
“Keuh… With martial arts like yours, of course you’d be ambitious. I would’ve been the same.”
Po Cheon-Wol thought Lee Gwak intended to take Lim So Bo for his personal gain. After all, having a military advisor like her was akin to gaining wings.
“Fine. Take her. But…”
He paused, studying Lee Gwak’s unchanging expression.
Even after facing him, Lee Gwak remained impassive—another blow to Po Cheon-wol’s pride.
But now wasn’t the time for pride.
“Let’s form an alliance.”
“Join hands?”
“Yes. It wouldn’t be a loss for you. With Sky High Castle behind you, you could quickly expand your influence.”
“I refuse.”
“What?”
“I’d rather not start off on the wrong foot.”
Po Cheon-wol blinked in disbelief.
He hadn’t expected Lee Gwak to reject him outright.
His furious gaze bore into Lee Gwak, but seeing no hesitation, he sighed.
“Hah…”
In an instant, he seemed to age ten years.
His fierce aura vanished, leaving only the dull eyes of an old man.
Lee Gwak’s refusal had shattered his last shred of pride.
But he no longer had the will to fight further.
His spirit was broken.
Back-to-back defeats had stripped him of a warrior’s heart and thirst for battle.
Lee Gwak clasped his hands in farewell, then turned away.
Lim So-bo, Seok Yi-cheon, Cheol Gwang-woo, and Cheon-wol followed.
Po Cheon-wol watched their retreating figures but gave no orders to pursue.
“Huu…”
The old man’s sigh scattered in the wind.
That day, Po Cheon-wol announced his retirement from the Jianghu.
