Novel Martial Artist Lee Gwak - chapter 427
We lost all our site content, but I will work on re-uploading it manually, you can support us from here: https://ko-fi.com/novelgate
Episode 427
The Wheel That Had Stopped Begins to Turn Again (2)
Lee Gwak and Lim Ji-mun parted ways with Mok Seon-wol and her party.
Lee Gwak was the Supreme Leader of the Mad Martial Sect, while Mok Seon-wol was the de facto ruler of Dragon Heaven Valley. Being away for too long was a heavy burden for both of them.
Especially for Dragon Heaven Valley Mok Seon-wol’s role was crucial. All major and minor affairs of the sect were decided by her.
In comparison, Lee Gwak’s situation was slightly better.
Lim Sobo handled everything in the Mad Martial Sect. Still, being away for too long was worrisome, so Lee Gwak also needed to return quickly.
Lim Ji-mun and Lee Gwak decided to travel by land.
Although traveling by boat was faster, the timing didn’t work out this time.
For ships traveling along the major rivers, missing the schedule often meant wasting over ten days.
Because of that, they had no choice but to travel on horseback.
While riding, Lee Gwak fell into thought.
“Dan Li-yeon!”
He recalled the image of Dan Li-yeon he had seen in Sipyeon.
She had changed so drastically that she was almost unrecognizable.
Sigh!
Lee Gwak let out a sigh without realizing it.
It felt as if he had played a part in her transformation.
It felt as if a massive boulder had been placed on his chest, suffocating him.
‘So-cheon!’
At times like this, he missed Han So-cheon and the children.
If he followed his heart, he would have rushed to Mount Sohua, where they were. But Mount Sohua was in the opposite direction of the Mad Martial Sect, their destination.
Traveling to Mount Sohua would take at least two months, and Lee Gwak couldn’t afford that time.
For now, the best he could do was wait for Han So-cheon to finish her training and return with the children.
“Hah…”
Frustrated, Lee Gwak sighed again.
“Why are you sighing so much? The ground’s going to cave in.”
Lim Ji-mun, riding beside him, scolded Lee Gwak.
“It’s nothing…”
“Is it because of Dan Li-noona—no, because of that woman?”
“Yes.”
“I was shocked too. I never expected her to change like that…”
A shadow fell over Lim Ji-mun’s face as well.
Having spent a long time in the Alliance, Lim Ji-mun also had a personal connection with Dan Li-yeon.
At one point, he had even called her “noona” and followed her around. But as he grew older and began receiving formal teachings from Yeo Jung-wol, he naturally drifted apart from her.
By then, Dan Li-yeon had already risen to become one of the top martial artists in the Jianghu, busy handling countless matters. She couldn’t afford to spend time with a mere kid like Lim Ji-mun.
After that, he hadn’t seen her for a long time. That’s why her transformation felt so unfamiliar.
“From ‘Dark Martial Empress’ to ‘Blood Demon Empress’—what’s next? I’m scared to even think about it.”
Lim Ji-mun shook his head repeatedly.
He knew how much Dan Li-yeon cherished the title of Dark Martial Empress. Seeing her fall into ruin saddened him.
Sigh!
He, too, let out a deep sigh.
Though they were now completely estranged and hostile toward each other, the transformation of someone he had once been close to left a deep scar in his heart.
The two rode in silence.
It lasted for a while.
The silence between them was broken two hours later.
“Why isn’t the lead moving?”
“The wheel’s stuck in the mud. Everyone, we need to push!”
“Damn it!”
Noisy voices rang out from the front.
Looking up, they saw a large group blocking the entire road.
It was a huge merchant caravan—filled with numerous wagons, merchants, and guards.
Lee Gwak heightened his senses, and soon the caravan’s flag came into view.
“Cheonghae Merchant Group?”
For a moment, a look of joy flashed across Lee Gwak’s face.
Lim Ji-mun didn’t miss the change in Lee Gwak’s expression.
“Do you know them?”
“We crossed paths in the past.”
Feeling pleased, Lee Gwak urged his horse closer to the caravan.
The ground had turned into a muddy mess after the recent rain, and one of the carts was stuck so deeply that it wouldn’t budge.
The martial artists and workers were struggling to free it, but it was buried so deep that it wouldn’t budge.
“Damn it!”
“Come on! Push harder!”
As they got closer, the sounds of their efforts became clearer.
An elderly merchant stood near the stuck cart and watched with a troubled expression.
“Tsk. What a mess. We still have a long way to go, and now the cart’s acting up.”
He glared resentfully at the cart, which refused to budge despite their efforts.
A middle-aged man approached him and said,
“The wagon’s too heavy. We may need to unload it first.”
“We can’t do that! If we unpack the carefully packed goods, they’ll get damaged. It’s best to get the wagon out without unloading.”
“But if we keep this up, the wheels might break
“Let’s try a bit longer. If it still won’t budge, then we’ll carefully unload it.”
“Understood.”
At the merchant’s firm reply, the middle-aged man reluctantly returned to the cart.
Just then, someone else approached.
“Looks tough. Need a hand?”
“Who—?”
The merchant’s eyes widened as he turned to the speaker.
He blinked in disbelief, the person before him was someone he never expected to see.
“Lee..Gwak?”
“It’s been a while.”
“My goodness!”
The merchant burst into an exclamation.
Lee Gwak smiled at him.
“Have you been well?”
“It’s really you… Lee Gwak. No, Master Lee.”
“Just call me like you used to.”
“Is that alright?”
“Of course.”
At Lee Gwak’s cheerful reply, his face brightened.
“It’s been too long.”
“Indeed.”
The merchant’s name was Ahn Yu-san.
He was the owner of the Cheonghae Merchant Group, who had given Lee Gwak passage when he returned from the outside world to Jianghu.
Having been kidnapped by the Nine Shadows Fleet and nearly robbed of his fortune and life, Ahn Yu-san regarded Lee Gwak as his savior.
At the time, he and his people weren’t the only ones imprisoned by the Nine Shadows Fleet; many others were held captive as well.
After annihilating the Nine Shadows Fleet, Lee Gwak rescued Ahn Yu-san and the other captives.
Since then, Ahn Yu-san had always treated Lee Gwak with great warmth and respect.
“But what brings you here?”
“My story can wait. Right now, getting that cart out of the mud seems more urgent.”
“You’ll help?”
“Of course.”
Lee Gwak smiled and approached the stuck cart.
The wheels were more than halfway sunken into the mud, and the cart’s body was tilted so much that the piled-up cargo was on the verge of spilling.
As Lee Gwak approached, the people struggling to free the cart stepped back.
The reason so many people couldn’t pull it out was simple: there was barely anything to grip for leverage.
In such cases, one strong person was far more effective than a crowd.
Though Lee Gwak didn’t have the natural strength of someone like Cheol Gwang-woo, he had cultivated tremendous internal energy through the Eight Snakes Art.
As he gripped the wheel and channeled his energy, the cart began to move.
“Whoa!”
“He’s doing it alone…!”
The others, who had tried and failed moments ago, gasped in astonishment.
They knew just how heavy that cart was. That made Lee Gwak’s feat even more impressive.
Crack!
With a heavy sound, the cart’s wheels finally rose from the mud.
“Quick, pull it out!”
“Before it sinks again!”
People rushed forward and moved the wagon to dry ground.
Once the cart was safely out, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, a few people approached Lee Gwak.
“You’re… Master Lee Gwak, aren’t you?”
“It’s really him!”
“Ah…!”
Those who recognized him came forward with tears in their eyes and took his hands.
Lee Gwak also recognized them.
“You’re the ones who were held captive by the Nine Shadows Fleet…”
“That’s right. If you hadn’t saved us, we’d have died in that hell.”
“Thanks to you, we’re alive and working with the Cheonghae Merchant Group.”
“We’ve never forgotten your kindness—not even for a moment. It’s truly an honor to meet you again.”
The people speaking to Lee Gwak had once been prisoners of the Nine Shadows Fleet.
Now, they worked for the Cheonghae Merchant Group.
“Is that really Lee Gwak?”
“So that’s the one they call the Sura Blade?”
Many current members of the Cheonghae group joined after the Nine Shadow Fleet incident. For them, this was their first time seeing Lee Gwak in person.
They crowded around him, expressing their gratitude.
Lee Gwak listened to them all without the slightest discomfort. A smile had naturally returned to his face.
His heart, weighed down by thoughts of Dan Li-yeon, was lightened by their gratitude.
They were proof that he hadn’t lived his life wrong.
Their simple words lifted the heavy burden from his shoulders.
Ahn Yu-san addressed the crowd surrounding Lee Gwak.
“If you’ve all said your greetings, let him go now.”
Reluctantly, the people stepped back.
After one last bow of gratitude, they returned to their tasks.
There was a quiet trust in Igwak’s eyes as he looked at Ahn Yu-san.
“What happened? Didn’t you say you were going to disband the Cheonghae Merchant Group?”
“I did..
The last time Lee Gwak had seen Ahn Yu-san was several years ago at the Jade Heaven Alliance. Back then, Ahn Yu-san had mentioned disbanding the Cheonghae Merchant Group and helping with Myriad Merchant Troupe’s affairs.
“You probably know that the Myriad Merchant Troupe abandoned their base and went underground because of the Jade Heaven Alliance. That left me like a kite with its string cut. What could I do? I had to make a living, so I had no choice but to restart the merchant group.”
“So that’s why you’re running the merchant group again.”
“Fortunately, quite a few people stepped forward to help. Thanks to them, I’ve managed to keep things going somehow.”
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“Not really. I’m doing it because I enjoy it. But to run into you here of all places—what a small world!”
“Indeed. I never imagined I’d see you again here, Mr. Ahn.”
“Haha! I’ve been hearing plenty about your fame. You wouldn’t believe how proud I feel whenever your name comes up.”
“Is that so?”
“You might not think much of it, but we’ve never forgotten your kindness, not even for a moment. Especially the women who survived that hellish place—they pray for your safety every single day.”
“That’s touching to hear.”
“No, we’re the ones who should be grateful. Thanks to you, we were able to get back on our feet.”
Ahn Yu-san’s eyes drifted toward the members of the Cheonghae Merchant Group.
They were enjoying a brief moment of rest. Smiles had naturally spread across their faces.
Their laughter was the best kind of remedy.
Ahn Yu-san felt all the weariness he’d been carrying melt away.
The two men exchanged greetings and briefly shared stories of what had happened since they last met.
Lee Gwak introduced Lim Ji-mun to Ahn Yu-san. Lim Jimun offered a polite greeting and then quietly stepped away. Seeing the warm reunion, he didn’t want to spoil the atmosphere, so he kept his distance and simply watched their conversation.
The Cheonghae Merchant Group had only recently resumed trade expeditions.
They had returned to business out of necessity—there were simply too many mouths to feed. In truth, Ahn Yu-san would have preferred to rest longer. The trauma of being kidnapped by the Nine Shadows Fleet had left deep scars on his heart.
But he had no choice. He had to provide for the people who still believed in him.
Lee Gwak admired Ahn Yu-san’s resilience.
Lately, he had come to realize just how difficult it was to support so many people.
And yet, Ahn Yu-san had been doing this arduous work for years.
Lee Gwak’s gaze drifted toward the cart they had just pulled from the mud.
It was piled high with goods—dozens of carts just like it.
“What kind of goods are you transporting in such large quantities?”
“Stone materials.”
“Stone?”
“Yes! The finest stone, quarried only in the far southern regions. Its patterns are beautiful and luxurious—used by high-ranking officials and nobles for their estates.”
“Does the merchant group deal in stone now?”
“It’s not our usual trade. Hauling heavy stone like this isn’t very profitable. The cost and effort of transport don’t make it economically worthwhile.”
“Then why take the job?”
“Because the client placed an enormous additional order. For us, it’s basically a jackpot.”
“Must be a major sect you’re dealing with?”
Ahn Yu-san shook his head.
“Not quite. From what I’ve heard, the owner made a fortune trading beyond the borders, much like our Cheonghae Merchant Group. Now he’s liquidating his foreign ventures and moving into the Jianghu. He’s building a massive estate—so large it’s beyond ordinary imagination. The cost of construction is astronomical. In scale alone, it could rival any major faction in the Central Plains.”
“That big?”
“Yes. Once completed, it’ll likely become a new landmark of the martial world.”
“What’s the estate called?”
“I’ve heard it’s called the Heavenly Martial Sect.”
