Episode 458

Seeing One Thing and Knowing Ten (2)

 

 

Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah woke up early in the morning and prepared to leave.

 

Their preparations were simple, just checking the small bundles they had brought with them. The bundles contained only a modest amount of travel money, dried rations, and a few cooking utensils like a small pot. Still, both Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah meticulously inspected the bundles to ensure nothing was missing.

 

Not only Lee Gwak but also Soo-ah was well-versed in sleeping outdoors.

 

Having wandered the world to find Lee Gwak from a young age, she was more thorough than anyone when it came to such preparations.

 

“All done.”

 

Soo-ah stood up, patting her neatly packed bundle with her small hands.

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Just as Lee Gwak smiled and reached for Lee Soo-ah’s hand—

 

“Wait a moment!”

 

Someone called out to them, rushing over in a hurry.

 

The two looked at each other in confusion, and saw Cheon Mang-geum, the inn’s errand boy, running toward them breathlessly.

 

Lee Soo-ah asked, “What’s wrong? Did we forget something?”

 

“No, it’s just… I wanted to give you this.”

 

Cheon Man-geum held out two objects wrapped in lotus leaves.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“Rice balls.”

 

“Rice balls?”

 

“I made them myself. For when you get hungry on the road.”

 

“Really? Thank you!”

 

“I’m the one who should be grateful.”

 

“Huh? For what?”

 

“Because I’ve found a goal now.”

 

Soo-ah wrinkled her nose slightly at his unexpected remark. Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, however, she couldn’t bring herself to ask what the goal was.

 

Instead, she gave him a bright smile.

 

“Really? That’s great. I hope you reach it.”

 

“Thank you! I will.”

 

Chun Mang-geum clenched his fist with determination.

 

Last night, he had made a big decision.

 

He would leave the inn and become independent.

 

Seeing how the arrogant Gong Yu-cheol and his son, who had treated him and the innkeeper with such disrespect, cowered before Lee Gwak had made him realize one thing: power was everything.

 

Staying as the inn’s errand boy would only lead to becoming an innkeeper at best. To rise beyond that, he had to step out into the wider world.

 

Fortunately, he had diligently saved his wages. Combined with the gold piece Lee Gwak had given him, he now had a considerable sum tucked away.

 

With this much, he could afford to take a risk.

 

‘I’ll succeed and become someone powerful. So no one can ever look down on me again.’

 

Cheon Man-geum wanted to be like Lee Gwak, a man of strength.

 

Though he could never match Lee Gwak’s martial prowess, he believed that with enough wealth, he could at least avoid being treated like dirt by people like Gong Yu-cheol.

 

Bowing deeply to Lee Gwak, he said, “Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve realized there’s a path beyond this place. And I’ve found the courage to walk it.”

 

“That’s good to hear.”

 

“It’s all thanks to you, Great Hero. When I succeed, I’ll definitely come see you again.”

 

“I’ll be waiting.”

 

Lee Gwak smiled as he replied.

 

For a moment, Cheon Man-geum’s face lit up with joy.

 

Bowing once more to Lee Gwak and Lee Su-ah, he said, “Stay healthy until we meet again. I’ll definitely come find you.”

 

“I’ll remember your name, Cheon Man-geum!”

 

“Me too! I’ll remember you too.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Cheon Man-geum’s face glowed with emotion.

 

The fact that a legendary martial artist like Lee Gwak, whose name shook the world, would remember his name was overwhelming. And Lee Soo-ah’s promise to remember him, the girl he secretly admired, filled him with even more courage.

 

Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah mounted their horses simultaneously.

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Lee Gwak smiled as he replied.

 

For a moment, Cheon Man-geum’s face lit up with joy.

 

Bowing once more to Lee Gwak and Lee Su-ah, he said, “Stay healthy until we meet again. I’ll definitely come find you.”

 

“I’ll remember your name, Cheon Man-geum!”

 

“Me too! I’ll remember you too.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Cheon Man-geum’s face glowed with emotion.

 

The fact that a legendary martial artist like Lee Gwak, whose name shook the world, would remember his name was overwhelming. And Lee Soo-ah’s promise to remember him, the girl he secretly admired filled him with even more courage.

 

Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah mounted their horses simultaneously.

 

“Let’s go!”^[a]

 

 

With a light kick, the horses moved forward at terrifying speed.

 

Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah rode without rest.

 

Sua was nearly as skilled a rider as Lee Gwak. Horseback riding demanded tremendous stamina, so even the best riders would tire quickly over long distances.

 

But young Soo-ah had the strength and endurance to keep up.

 

She rode as long as Lee Gwak did without showing any signs of exhaustion. In fact, she seemed thrilled to be journeying through the martial world with him again.

 

‘This is nice.’

 

She knew it wasn’t a leisurely trip. Still, she was happy.

 

“Hehe!”

 

Though her face was drenched in sweat, she kept smiling.

 

Lee Gwak and Soo-ah rode for more than twenty days.

 

Sometimes they stayed at inns, but more often they camped outdoors. Even so, Soo-ah never lost her smile.

 

She was a source of energy for Lee Gwak.

 

Thanks to her, they were able to endure the harsh journey and reach their destination.

 

Soo-ah looked around and said, “Dad! Is this the place?”

 

They had arrived at Mount Kongtong.

 

Once home to the Kongtong Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects of the past, Mount Kongtong was now a desolate place. The sect had fallen during the Great Heavenly Blood War, and though many sects had tried to claim the mountain afterward, none succeeded.

 

After several failed attempts, no sect dared to settle there again.

 

Over time, the mountain was abandoned and forgotten.

 

 

 

In the letter sent by Suwol, there were only instructions to come to Kongtong Mountain , there was no specific location on the letter.

 

“She said to come to Kongtong Mountain, so she must be somewhere around here.”

 

“Finding Uncle Ki in this huge place is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

 

Kongtong Mountain was known as “The First Mountain of the West” because of its beauty.

 

To the west, it connected with the Liupan Mountains, and to the south, it stretched to Guan Mountain, spanning over eight hundred li.

 

If not for its remote location, it would be perfect for living.

 

But the mountain was far too vast.

 

Finding Ki Jin-hwi here was practically impossible. Lee Gwak looked troubled  but didn’t give up.

 

He knew Su-wol wouldn’t have called them here for a trivial reason.

 

“Let’s camp here tonight.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Soo-ah responded immediately without question.

 

Though they had camped so often she could be sick of it, Soo-ah looked excited as she prepared for another night outdoors.

 

The mountain was lush with greenery, but its high northern location made the air unusually cold. The temperature would drop even further at night, so before ascending, Lee Gwak had stopped at a village to buy sheepskin cloaks.

 

The cloaks could double as blankets and would provide warmth in the chilly air.

 

Although Lee Gwak was an absolute master who didn’t need such protection, Soo-ah did.

 

He handed the coat to her.

 

“Put this on before it gets any colder.”

 

“Okay!”

 

While Soo-ah wrapped herself in the coat, Lee Gwak gathered branches and started a fire.

 

By then, Soo-ah was preparing their meal.

 

It was a simple meal of boiling powdered grains and jerky in a pot to make a strange porridge.

 

She had learned this recipe from Lee Gwak. Now, she was even better at making it than he was.

 

Soon the campsite and dinner were ready.

 

“Let’s eat!”

 

“Okay!”

 

They picked up their spoons in unison.

 

Slurp!

 

As darkness fell over Mount Kongtong, the only sound was that of two people eating porridge.

 

The meal ended quickly, and the two sat down on either side of the campfire.

 

Lee Gwak said to Lee Su-ah,

 

“I’ll stand guard, so practice your martial arts.”

 

During their trip, he had been teaching Soo-ah martial arts whenever possible.

 

She had already learned the basics from Mok Cheon-gang, so her foundation differed from Lee Gwak’s. For that reason, he had avoided interfering with her training.

 

But now, Lee Gwak’s martial understanding had reached a level where he could analyze and refine even others’ techniques—a true grandmaster’s insight.

 

While he didn’t touch Muk Cheon-gang’s core teachings, he adjusted various techniques to suit Sua.

 

This allowed him to guide Lee Soo-ah without disrupting her foundation.

 

He didn’t change Mok Cheon-gang’s core techniques but adjusted certain methods to better suit her.^[b]

 

Lee Soo-ah, who had already sensed her own limits, absorbed his teachings like a sponge.

 

Thanks to this, her skills had improved significantly during their journey.

 

While Lee Soo-ah cultivated, Lee Gwak scanned their surroundings.

 

The night was pitch-black, but to a master like him, it was as bright as day.

 

A century ago, this mountain had been home to the Kongtong Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects. But the rise of the Demonic Cult had shattered their glory, leading to their downfall.

 

After the sect’s collapse, many sects had tried to claim Mount Kongtong, but none succeeded. Eventually, it became a forgotten place. Lee Gwak reflected on the fleeting nature of things.

 

Even the mighty Kongtong Sect had faded into obscurity. He didn’t expect the newly established Mad Martial Sect to thrive forever.

 

He would do his best, but if time eventually eroded it, so be it.

 

His gaze returned to Lee Soo-ah.

 

Steam rose from the top of her head, a sign of intense energy circulation.

 

A smile crept onto his lips.

 

Despite her age, she had reached a level where people in the Jianghu would already call her a master.

 

Her progress filled him with pride.

 

One day, she would leave his side and stand on her own. Her growth now only made him happier.

 

Crackle… crackle…

 

The sound of the campfire filled the quiet night.

 

“Whew!”

 

Lee Soo-ah finally opened her eyes after finishing her cultivation. For a moment, a fierce light flashed in her pupils before fading.

 

Just as Lee Gwak was about to praise her—

 

Rustle…

 

 

There was a faint sound, like the wind brushing against branches. But Lee Gwak instantly recognized it as the sound of clothing rustling.

 

He stood up.

 

Soo-ah, sensing something was off, immediately grabbed her sword and stood up.

 

“Dad?”

 

“Someone’s coming.”

 

His eyes gleamed in the dark.

 

Tap tap tap!

 

Tap… tap… tap…

 

Soon, the footsteps grew loud enough for even Lee Su-ah to hear.

 

Tension flashed across her face—

 

Out of the darkness, someone emerged.

 

“Huh? Mister?”

 

Soo-ah exclaimed.

 

It was Ki Jin-hwi, the very man they were searching for.

 

“Urgh!”

 

He groaned and collapsed by the fire.

 

“Brother!”

 

“Uncle!”

 

Lee Gwak and Soo-ah rushed to support him.

 

“What happened?”

 

“It’s… really you…”

 

Ki Jin-hwi’s face lit up with relief when he recognized Lee Gwak. But in the firelight, his complexion was so pale that he looked like a corpse.

 

Lee Gwak noticed an arrow deeply embedded in his back. The arrow was unusually crafted, its iron shaft had fine spiral grooves carved into it to enhance its destructive power.

 

This was no ordinary arrow.

 

The arrow had pierced from his back through his shoulder, with the head sticking out the front.

 

Ki Jin-hwi had already lost a dangerous amount of blood and looked deathly pale. Any more bleeding, and his survival couldn’t be guaranteed. Yet, he mustered the last of his strength to speak to Lee Gwak.

 

“Pursuers… be… careful…”

 

With those final words, he lost consciousness.

 

Lee Gwak urgently turned to Lee Soo-ah.

 

“Stop the bleeding and give him a life-saving pill. Now!”

 

“Okay!”

 

Lee Su-ah sprang into action without hesitation.

 

Meanwhile, Lee Gwak stood and scanned the darkness ahead.

 

Whizz

 

A sharp whistling sound suddenly cut through the night.

 

Instinctively, he raised his blade to block.

 

Clang!

 

His body shuddered from the loud metallic clang of the impact.

 

An arrow with a dented tip clattered to the ground at his feet.

 

It was made of the same iron as the one that had pierced Ki Jin-hwi. If Igwak hadn’t blocked it with his saber, he would have been severely injured—or even killed.

 

Whiz! Whiiizz!

 

More arrows tore through the darkness, flying at him in rapid succession.