Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 402
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Episode 402
Before a Long Journey, There Are Many Worries (2)
Lim Ji-mun approached Eon Yu-sang and his gang.
Eon Yu-sang frowned briefly at the swaggering attitude that didn’t match Lim Ji-mun’s handsome face.
Judging by his appearance alone, one would never guess that Im Ji-moon was a martial artist. His aura and clothing were closer to that of a scholar than a martial artist.
Because of this, Eon Yu-Sang couldn’t even begin to imagine that Lim Ji-mun was a martial artist whose skills far surpassed his own.
Lim Ji-mun was furious.
His gaze was fixed on Yeon Gyeong-San, who was being restrained by Eon Yu-Sang’s gang.
Though he didn’t know the full details, he could easily guess that Yeon Gyeong-San was the master brewer behind the exquisite liquor he had just praised.
But more than anything, what infuriated him was that Eon Yu-sang had dared to mention the Mad Martial Sect.
To an outsider, it might look like Eon Yu-sang and his gang were backed by the Mad Martial Sect.
That made him angry.
“You. Answer me. Is the Mad Martial Sect really backing you?”
“Th-that’s right.”
Even though he sensed that something was wrong, Eon Yu-sang didn’t change his answer.
‘They’re not really from the the Mad Martial Sect.… are they?’
In truth, he had no ties to the Mad Martial Sect at all.
When the Mad Martial Sect had dismantled the Heavenly Fate Sect, he had tried everything to establish ties with them—but to no avail.
After settling in the former headquarters of the Heavenly Sect, the Mad Martial Sect had completely withdrawn from external affairs. Because of this, Eon Yu-Sang couldn’t even create a pretense of association.
That was when it started.
Eon Yu-Sang began dropping the Mad Martial Sect’s name wherever he went.
Since the sect wasn’t active in the outside world, no one could verify whether his claims were true. Lim Ji-mun was speaking as if he were truly a member of the Mad Martial Sect, making Eon Yu-Sang shrink back involuntarily.
‘It’s a lie. There’s no way this guy is really from the Mad Martial Sect. They’ve been silent all this time—why would they suddenly reappear now?’
Eon Yu-Sang decided to double down on his bluff.
“How dare you impersonate the Mad Martial Sect? You must have a death wish.”
His voice boomed through the streets.
Lim Ji-mun looked at him with disbelief.
“A fox borrowing the tiger’s terror has its limits. But this is just shameless.”
Grind!
Lim Ji-Mun gritted his teeth.
Eon Yu-Sang had just made two grave mistakes.
First, he had the audacity to impersonate the Mad Martial Sect while committing evil deeds.
Second, his victim happened to be the young master of the Yeon Family Brewery—the very man whose liquor Lim Ji-Mun had just praised as divine.
Either one would have been unforgivable, but Eon Yu-sang had done both.
“You crazy bastard, you dare to disrupt the affairs of the Mad Martial Sect! What are you waiting for? Kill him already!”
Eon Yu-Sang shouted at his gang. Immediately, they shoved Yeon Gyeong-San aside and lunged at Lim Ji-Mun.
“Raaah!”
“Die!”
The sight of several large men charging at once was enough to terrify the onlookers.
They pitied the unfortunate young man about to suffer unjustly, but none dared to step forward and help.
Eon Yu-Sang’s gang was that infamous.
BOOM!
“Guhk!”
In that instant, a deafening explosion rang out, and the largest of the charging men was sent flying backward.
He crashed into a wall, his head lolling limply.
One after another, violent impacts resounded.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
There were no screams.
Every single man who had rushed at Lim Ji-Mun was now sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
Eon Yu-Sang’s eyes bulged at the sight.
He hadn’t even seen how Lim Ji-Mun had moved. One moment, there was a flash before his eyes—and the next, all his men were knocked out cold.
Only then did Eon Yu-Sang realize that Lim Ji-Mun was a master far beyond his imagination. And worse, he now understood the gravity of his mistake.
“Y-you’re not really from the Mad Martial Sect… right?”
His voice trembled uncontrollably.
While he could handle personal grudges against Lim Ji-Mun, he absolutely did not want to make an enemy of the Mad Martial Sect.
It was only a matter of time before the Mad Martial Sect, having dismantled the Heavenly Fate Sect, became the dominant power in the region. When that happened, Eon Yu-Sang would have no place left in this land.
His original plan had been to amass as much wealth as possible before the Mad Martial Sect reemerged, then flee.
Lim Ji-Mun walked past the stunned Eon Yu-Sang without a second glance and helped Yeon Gyeong-San up.
“Are you alright?”
“Th-that’s…”
“I don’t see any serious injuries. That’s a relief.”
Lim Ji-Mun let out a sigh of relief.
He had been worried that if something happened to Yeon Gyeong-San, he might never taste that divine liquor again.
Taking Yeon Gyeong-San’s pale hands in his, Lim Ji-Mun spoke earnestly.
“Please take good care of these hands that brew such fine liquor.”
“Ah, well…”
“You don’t need to worry about him.”
“But he’s with the Mad Martial Sect…”
“He’s not a real disciple of the Mad Martial Sect. I’ve never heard of someone like him being part of our sect. Even if he were, I’d punish him myself for violating the Mad Martial Sect’s strict discipline. So please don’t misunderstand—the Gwangmu Sect has no ties to him.”
Lim Ji-Mun’s tone was gentle yet firm, his sincerity evident.
He genuinely wanted to befriend Yeon Gyeong-San. But there was still an obstacle in the way.
“Die!”
Eon Yu-sang launched a surprise attack on Lim Ji-munun.
Now that it was clear he had no connection to the Mad Martial Sect, he had no reason to stay.
He planned to kill Lim Ji-munun and escape with his gang, using the wealth he had amassed to live far beyond the reach of the Mad Martial Sect.
Eon Family’s Rock-Shattering Fist.
That was the name of the martial art he unleashed.
Eon Yu-sang was a descendant of the Eon Family of Jinju.
The Eon clan had been annihilated a hundred years ago during the Great Heavenly Blood War, but not all of its members had perished.
Some descendants survived and were working to revive the family.
But Eon Yu-sang had no interest in restoring the clan.
All that mattered to him was his own success.
His only thought was to kill Lim Ji-munun and escape.
A mighty strike capable of shattering boulders was about to land on Im Ji-moon’s back—
Snap!
Suddenly, Eon Yu-sang’s arm twisted unnaturally.
His joints contorted like tangled thread, white bone jutting from mangled flesh. Lim Ji-Mun had seized his arm with the Heavenly Net Snatching Hand—a technique that shattered bones like twigs.
“GAAAH!”
Eon Yu-Sang screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Shut up!”
BAM!
Lim Ji-Mun drove a devastating punch into his face.
The impact shattered his facial bones and teeth, but Eon Yu-Sang couldn’t even scream—Lim Ji-Mun’s fist was buried in his mouth.
“How dare you impersonate the Mad Martial Sect before my eyes.”
A chilling aura emanated from Lim Ji-munun.
Though he had only joined the sect two months ago, he held deep affection for it.
The sect leader was Lee Gwak, his most admired older brother, and the strategist was his own sister, Lim So-Bo.
He would never forgive anyone who harmed them.
BAM!
His fist slammed into Eon Yu-Sang’s ribs.
“The Mad Martial Sect never bullies the weak.”
BAM!
“And we certainly don’t plunder through force.”
BAM!
Eon Yu-Sang’s body convulsed.
His eyes rolled back, his entire frame trembling violently.
He wanted to beg for mercy, but his tongue was too mangled to speak.
CRASH!
Lim Ji-Mun’s fist struck his abdomen.
“GWEHK!”
His eyes rolled back and his entire body shook violently.
He wanted to beg for mercy, but his tongue was too mangled to speak.
CRASH!
Lim Ji-Mun’s fist struck his abdomen.
“GWEHK!”
The unbearable force forced everything in Eon Yu-Sang’s stomach back up, but he couldn’t even groan.
A shock greater than pain overwhelmed him.
‘M-my dantian…!’
The energy center in his lower abdomen had been completely destroyed.
All the inner energy Eon Yu-Sang had painstakingly cultivated dissipated like morning mist under the sun.
‘N-no…!’
Eon Yu-Sang wailed inwardly.
For a martial artist, a shattered dantian was as good as being crippled.
He would become worse than an ordinary person—the very people he had always looked down upon.
For someone like Eon Yu-Sang, who had relied solely on his martial arts to commit atrocities, there was no greater punishment.
“Uuugh…”
His body collapsed weakly.
Lim Ji-Mun stared down at him with cold eyes.
“Soon, the Mad Martial Sect will officially make its debut. If anyone dares to impersonate us and commit evil by then, I, Lim Ji-munun, won’t stand idly by.”
This warning wasn’t just for Eon Yu-Sang—it was for anyone who falsely claimed ties to the Mad Martial Sect.
Word of today’s events would spread quickly.
Soon, people would know.
That the Mad Martial Sect was about to step into the world.
That those who had been exploiting its name would have nowhere left to hide.
The crowd watched Lim Ji-Mun in stunned silence.
He still looked very young—barely twenty at most. And yet he had taken down Eon Yu-sang’s gang in an instant. They were shocked.
They shuddered, realizing the overwhelming might of the Mad Martial Sect.
‘The Mad Martial Sect is coming into the world?’
‘Then the chaos will finally end.’
They desperately needed a powerful force to restore order.
“WOOOAH!”
Suddenly, cheers erupted from the crowd.
Caught off guard by the unexpected reaction, Lim Ji-Mun flushed with embarrassment.
Though he had acted out of anger, he wasn’t used to being the center of attention.
He grabbed Yeon Gyeong-san’s hand and hurried back to the inn.
Yeon Gyeong-San, dragged along in confusion, wore a baffled expression. On the other hand, he felt relieved knowing Lim Ji-Mun was from the Mad Martial Sect.
Pointing to Lee Gwak, Lim Ji-Mun spoke to Yeon Gyeong-San:
“This is my elder brother. Greet him properly.”
“Elder brother?”
“Yes! He’s the leader of the Mad Martial Sect.”
“The leader? You mean… Lee Gwak, the Great Hero?”
“That’s right.”
“H-hic!”
The appearance of such an overwhelmingly significant figure was more than he could handle.
Seeing him frozen stiff, Lee Gwak smiled warmly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lee Gwak.”
“Th-the pleasure is mine, Great Hero Lee! I’m Yeon Gyeong-San.”
“I’ve heard of you. You’ve been through a lot—please, sit down and catch your breath.”
“Ah, I couldn’t possibly—”
“It’s alright. Make yourself comfortable.”
At Lee Gwak’s urging, Yeon Gyeong-san finally sat down, though it felt like a bed of nails.
Sensing his unease, Lee Gwak lifted his glass and spoke,
“This wine we’re drinking right now is truly delicious. I heard it was brewed at Yeon Brewery—am I right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I poured my heart and soul into making it.”
“It’s amazing. Easily one of the top three wines I’ve ever tasted.”
“Thank you.”
As Lee Gwak praised his wine, Yeon Gyeong-san’s tense expression began to soften.
Excited, he started talking animatedly about how he brewed the wine.
His face lit up with joy as he spoke.
Seeing that, Lee Gwak and Im Ji-moon exchanged a smile.
Just as Yeon Gyeong-san’s face had brightened with life, they wanted to bring that same vitality to everyone around them.
‘Looks like we need to accelerate the launch of Mad Martial Sect.’
There was no telling how many people were committing evil deeds while falsely invoking Mad Martial Sect.’s name.
The sooner Mad Martial Sect. revealed itself to the world, the sooner such people would disappear. But that didn’t mean they could rush into action without preparation.
There was a proper order to all things.
They still needed to solidify their internal structure. Even so, they couldn’t afford to completely ignore external affairs either.
‘I’ll need to ask Sobo to start paying attention to outside matters as well.’
Lee Gwak then asked Yeon Gyeong-san if he could supply wine to the Mad Martial Sect.. Yeon Gyeong-san readily agreed.
Even if it were difficult, he would have done it unconditionally.
Regularly supplying the Mad Martial Sect would stabilize the Yeon Family Brewery’s finances. And with that stability, they could undoubtedly produce even better wine.
That night, Lim Ji-moon and Yeon Gyeong-san hit it off and drank together until morning.
A young martial artist and a young craftsman had just become friends.