Episode 466

 

The Blood Wind Blows (1)

Because Kongtong Mountain was so vast, it took a long time to come down. Moreover, with Seo Jong-myung still not fully recovered, they had to support him along the way, which only slowed them down further.

 

It took them nearly three days to reach a place where people lived.

 

In the past, when the Kongtong Sect was in its prime, a fairly large village had been formed nearby. But now, only a few households remain, barely maintaining the name.

Naturally, finding an inn was a challenge.

 

After searching the area for quite a while, they finally found a shabby little inn.

 

Years of neglect had left it so dilapidated that it seemed on the verge of collapse, but at this point, even an inn like this was a blessing.

 

Lee Gwak paid the innkeeper in advance and secured two rooms.

 

Ki Jin-hwi and Seo Jong-myung used one room, and Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah used the other.

 

Lee Gwak asked the innkeeper to fill the wooden tubs in each room with warm water.

 

Seeing the tubs brimming with warm water made Soo-ah’s eyes sparkle.

 

“Warm water!”

 

“You probably haven’t had a proper bath in a while. Soak and relax.”

 

“What about you, Dad?”

 

“I’ll go to the well and rinse off with cold water.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah, really.”

 

Lee Gwak hadn’t had a proper wash either, but right now, he wanted to clear his mind with cold water rather than warm.

 

“Let’s meet in the dining area after bathing.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Lee Gwak patted Lee Soo-ah’s head and stepped outside.

 

The well was located behind the inn, and since there were no other guests, it seemed unused.

 

After confirming he was alone, Lee Gwak took off all his clothes. His well-built, muscular body appeared in the darkness.

 

His body was marked with countless scars.

 

The most gruesome was the long stab wound running across his chest and abdomen.

A scab still clung precariously to the wound.

 

Lee Gwak gently touched the scar with his fingertip. The moment he made contact, a sharp pain surged through him.

 

Though he hadn’t shown it to anyone, the injury he sustained during his battle with Jin Gwang-hon was severe.

 

Jin Gwang-hon’s rampage had been terrifying.

 

After using the Absorption Technique to regain some of his internal energy, he charged forward recklessly.

 

Half-consumed by madness, he no longer cared what happened to his body.

 

He was driven solely by fury and insanity.

 

To him, Lee Gwak was a projection of his disciple, Go Geom-wol.

 

His fury toward Go Geom-wol was directed entirely at Lee Gwak, and Lee Gwak had to face that wrath alone.

 

The fight with Jin Gwang-hon was different from the one with Ja Hong-cheon.

 

While Ja Hong-cheon calculated every move and tightened the noose step by step, Jin Gwang-hon struck head-on with overwhelming force.

 

It was difficult to determine who was stronger, but Lee Gwak undoubtedly found Jin Gwang-hon to be the more troublesome opponent. But he managed to subdue him, partly because Jin Gwang-hon wasn’t in peak condition and partly because Lee Gwak had grown stronger from his battle with Ja Hong-cheon.

 

Splash!

 

Lee Gwak scooped water from the well and poured it over his head. The cold water stung more than it refreshed, yet Lee Gwak’s expression didn’t flinch as he poured water over himself again and again.

 

The icy water sharpened his mind as it flowed down his body.

 

As the dirt washed off, his open wounds cried out in pain. Still, Gwak didn’t stop.

 

“Whew!”

 

Only after the last bucket did he finally exhale deeply.

 

As he dried himself with a cloth, he looked up at the night sky.

 

The air was so clear that the stars and moon shone brilliantly.

 

Had he lost to Jin Gwang-hon, he would never have seen such a beautiful sight again.

 

The memory still sent a chill down his spine.

 

Even after barely defeating Jin Gwang-hon, another challenge remained.

 

The mechanism activated by Gu Mun-hye had blocked the exit leading out of Kongtong Mountain.

 

For the wounded Lee Gwak, disabling the traps was an ordeal in itself. But for the sake of the daughter waiting above, he had to press on.

 

Thus began Lee Gwak’s lonely battle against the mechanisms.

 

The trap set by Gu Mun-hye was vicious, and merely disarming it wasn’t enough to pass through.

 

One wrong move could trigger irreversible consequences, so extreme caution was necessary.

 

Lee Gwak lost track of time as he focused entirely on dismantling the mechanism.

 

The battles against both Jin Gwang-hon and the mechanism pushed his body and mind to their limits.

 

It was a battle against himself.

 

In the pitch-black darkness, time seemed to stand still.

 

The battles against both Jin Gwang-hon and the mechanism pushed his body and mind to their limits.^[a] His experience mastering the Eight Snakes Art had prepared him for this.

Compared to the time he had been left paralyzed, this ordeal was nothing.

 

Though he was worried about Lee Soo-ah, he trusted Ki Jin-hwi to watch over her and focused on deactivating the mechanisms.

 

Some traps could be disarmed with intellect alone, while others required brute force.

Had Lee Gwak not been skilled in mechanisms or lacked top-tier martial prowess, he would never have escaped.

 

The traps of Endless Prison were truly fearsome.

 

“Tsk.”

 

Lee Gwak suddenly clicked his tongue.

 

He remembered leaving the entrance to Endless Prison open after disabling the traps.

“I should’ve sealed it completely…”

 

He was afraid that someone might discover it and use it for evil. However, the thought of going back now was unappealing.

 

Worrying about things that hadn’t happened yet seemed foolish.

 

Future problems would have to be solved by future people.

 

With that thought, he got dressed.

 

Though his body was a mess, his mind was sharper than ever.

 

During his time underground in Kongtong Mountain, something within him had changed.

 

The change was indescribable and invisible on the surface, so only Lee Gwak was aware of it.

 

When he entered the dining area, he saw that Lee Soo-ah, Ki Jin-hwi, and Seo Jong-myeong were already seated at a table.

 

Having bathed, they all looked much fresher.

 

“Dad!”

 

Lee Soo-ah waved enthusiastically, urging him to hurry.

 

Lee Gwak smiled and approached her.

 

“Did you enjoy your bath?”

 

“Yeah! It felt great after so long. You should’ve used warm water too!”

 

“Next time.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Sure, promise.”

 

Lee Gwak hooked his pinky finger with hers.

 

Seo Jong-myeong watched them with a hint of envy.

 

Consumed by vengeance, he had spent his entire life on battlefields, never even properly courting a woman, let alone having children.

 

Although he no longer desired love, he wondered what it would have been like to have a child like Soo-ah. Still, he brushed the thought aside, such desires no longer fit the man he had become. His vengeance was not yet over.

 

Lee Gwak asked Seo Jong-myung, “How’s your body?”

 

“No need to worry. I’ve gotten much better.”

 

“Still, don’t push yourself.”

 

“I won’t die from a little strain.”

 

“I know.”

 

Despite Seo Jong-myeong’s curt reply, Lee Gwak’s smile remained gentle.

 

After everything that had happened, Seo Jong-myeong had grown even more somber and ruthless. But Lee Gwak still liked him, knowing his essence remained the same.

 

Ki Jin-hwi grabbed Lee Gwak’s wrist.

 

“Come on, standing around will only give you a stiff neck. Sit down already.”

 

Lee Gwak nodded and took a seat.

 

Ki Jin-hwi’s complexion was much better than Seo Jong-myeong’s. He too had suffered considerable injuries while being pursued by Jin-ryeong, but fortunately, they were less severe than Seo Jong-myeong’s.

 

While waiting for Lee Gwak, he focused on recuperating and healing his wounds.

 

“Here, leader!”

 

Ki Jin-hwi poured Lee Gwak a full cup of liquor.

 

Despite the inn’s shabby exterior, the homemade alcohol was surprisingly good.

 

“This is nice.”

 

“Heh! It’s really good to see you again, leader.”

 

“How did things go at the Celestial Demon Troupe? Did you catch the traitor?”

 

“I lost him in the end.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t look so pitiful. At least I got the secret manual and cut off one of his arms. He won’t be using magic ever again.”

 

“You got the manual?”

 

“Yes! If he hadn’t escaped with the help of that little monster, I would’ve killed him.”

 

“Monster?”

 

“There was this child at the Celestial Demon Troupe. He was about Soo-ah’s age, but he was so creepy that he still gives me chills.”

 

Ki Jin-hwi shuddered at the memory.

 

He described the boy he had seen at True Demon Hall in detail to Lee Gwak and Seo Jong-myeong.

 

Seo Jong-myeong’s expression darkened.

 

“A child with that kind of talent must be the Sect Master’s disciple.”

 

“Now that I think about it, that makes sense.”

 

“To think such a monstrous talent exists. It would’ve been better to kill him and nip it in the bud.”

 

“Ugh, don’t even say that. If I’d tried to assassinate him, I’d have been caught and torn to shreds before getting close.”

 

Ki Jin-hwi shook his head vigorously.

 

‘His disciple, huh…’

 

Lee Gwak thought of Go Geom-wol.

 

Go Geom-wol wouldn’t take just anyone as a disciple. Anyone he trained would undoubtedly possess terrifying talent.

 

Though he was curious about Go Geom-wol’s disciple, ki Jin-hwi’s account was all he had to go on.

 

Having seen the boy only once, ki Jin-hwi couldn’t offer more details.

 

Lee Gwak asked him,

 

“What are your plans now? Will you keep chasing Gyeong Chu-wol?”

 

“Not right away. Getting close to him with that little monster and his guards around is impossible.”

 

“Then why not join the Mad Martial Sect?”

 

“I was just about to ask. Will you have me? I’ll earn my keep.”

 

“Brother Yi Cheon will be thrilled.”

 

“Damn, I suddenly miss that old man. How’s he doing?”

 

“Great. He’s become quite the homemaker.”

 

“Homemaker? Well, with his personality, it’s no surprise he’d meddle in everything and try to fix it all. Heh!”

 

Ki Jin-hwi burst into laughter.

 

Lee Gwak and Seo Jong-myeong also smiled along with him.

 

The heavy atmosphere lightened a little.

 

The three exchanged stories, passing drinks back and forth.

 

Though they hadn’t seen each other in a while, there was no awkwardness between them.

 

After years of wandering, they were simply glad to be reunited.

 

Lee Soo-ah watched their faces, beaming happily.

 

She loved the current atmosphere.

 

There was a firmness in these martial artists, a presence rarely seen in ordinary martial artists.

 

They were giants who had endured countless hardships and carved out their own paths.

Sua vowed to become like them someday. To stand among them. Though she knew it would take a long time.

 

Then, Lee Gwak suddenly spoke.

 

“By the way, I wonder how things are going in the martial world while we’ve been here.”

 

“Same here. I asked the innkeeper, but this place is so far removed from the Jianghu, he didn’t know anything.”

 

Kongtong Mountain was so far from Jianghu that news traveled slowly. Moreover, the inn they were staying at was in a secluded part of the mountain, completely cut off from Jianghu’s gossip.

 

To make matters worse, there wasn’t even a branch of the Hao Clan here, so they were utterly in the dark about outside affairs.

 

“So in the end, we won’t know what’s going on in Jianghu until we return.”

 

“Looks that way.”

 

“I hope nothing bad has happened. I’m worried.”

 

“It’s only been a month. I doubt something could’ve happened to the Jade Heaven Alliance in that short time.”

 

Even rotten mackerel still has some value.

 

Seo Jong-myeong had faith in the strength of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

“Exactly! Don’t worry too much. Those bastards from the Jade Heaven Alliance may deserve to drown in shit, but they’ve ruled as the ruler of Jianghu for years for a reason.

 

They’ll surely be holding on just fine.”

 

“I hope so.”

 

Lee Gwak nodded and raised his cup.

 

Seo Jong-myeong and Gi Jin-hwi followed suit.

 

Clink!

 

Their cups met naturally, and in no time, several rounds had passed.

 

All three were known for their drinking prowess, and none of them would willingly concede second place.

 

They drank as if they were determined to empty the entire stock of alcohol in the inn while sharing stories.

 

Their conversation continued late into the night, even after Lee Soo-ah had fallen asleep.

 

For the first time in a long while, a peaceful moment flowed between them.