novelraw Chapter 176 : Chapter 176
Chapter 176 : Chapter 176
Chapter 176. Ill-fated Relationship (1)
The Blood Disaster was originally a monk of the Potala Palace.
Then one day, he committed the atrocity of slaughtering all the monks of the Potala Palace.
His master, senior uncles, and even his martial brothers.
After destroying the Potala Palace alone, he, who committed slaughter in Tibet, eventually flowed into the Central Plains.
A place where more people live. A place where more people can be killed.
There were words that the Blood Disaster always carried in his mouth.
- The world is full of anguish.
- Life is suffering.
- Therefore, this monk shall save you all.
He was a madman who killed people at random, claiming to save them from this life full of suffering.
It was unknown whether he was originally such a guy, or if he went crazy one day due to a mental demon.
But that madman’s martial arts were real.
Because no one could stop him as he committed endless slaughter.
Thus, I had planned to visit the Potala Palace where the Blood Disaster was from before.
To be precise, I planned to head there immediately after visiting the Seomoon Clan and delivering the news.
But the plan went awry.
Because of the Fighting Venerable. No, strictly speaking, because of the trap those damn sect leaders dug.
While I was trapped in a cave for over three years. Maybe he had already gone crazy.
It was unknown to what extent he might have grown into a monster beyond being crazy.
Maybe he had already become stronger than me.
So I turned my head and looked at my companions.
My companions had also grown significantly. I thought if we attacked together with them, we might be able to catch him somehow.
Therefore, we had to visit the Potala Palace even faster.
Because he was a guy who realized the essence of the martial arts of the Potala Palace, which is often compared to Shaolin.
Considering he slaughtered all the elders of his sect who had trained for decades longer than him, his talent must be incomparable.
If he fully matures, it seemed we wouldn’t be able to kill him even if we attacked together with my companions.
While thinking such thoughts inwardly and moving steps with my companions for a while.
We soon arrived at a village located near a mountain.
When we arrived there, some beggars hurriedly approached us.
“A-are you safe?”
“D-did you happen to see the Unwol Sect Leader. Sword Phoenix?”
“We apologize for the late news. We also belatedly received intelligence that the Unwol Sect Leader moved this way and were rushing here urgently.”
Judging by their fuss, they seemed to be Beggar’s Gang members.
Junior Sister Baek Hyang smiled faintly at the Beggar’s Gang members and said.
“We encountered him.”
“But how……?”
“Ah! D-did Sword Phoenix perhaps kill the Unwol Sect Leader?”
At the Beggar’s Gang members’ question, the Junior Sister shook her head smiling and looked at me.
Then the Beggar’s Gang members’ gazes turned toward me all at once.
Just as the Junior Sister was about to open her mouth. Another presence was felt, and a few beggars hurriedly ran this way.
“Ur, urgent news!”
“I mean the Ghost Sword Young Master who was dragged away by the F-Fighting Venerable has returned!”
Although I sometimes thought about it, I wondered if being late to the news was a hobby of the Beggar’s Gang members.
The Beggar’s Gang members who visited us first stopped tilting their heads and looked at me with surprised expressions.
“S-surely…….”
“A-are you Great Hero Ghost Sword Young Master?”
“Although I was called by such an alias.”
As soon as my answer ended, the Beggar’s Gang members took a clasped hands greeting all at once.
“We greet the Great Hero Ghost Sword Young Master.”
Watching the Beggar’s Gang members making a fuss for a while.
Thinking it was rather for the best, I opened my mouth.
“Actually, I have a request for the Beggar’s Gang members, can you listen to it?”
As soon as my words ended, Nam Geon and Junior Sister Baek Hyang added words.
“Hy, Hyung-ah do the favor.”
“I also ask you.”
“Ahem. Since the grace our Beggar’s Gang received from Adamant Sword Great Hero and Sword Phoenix is not just one or two, if it is possible, we will grant it.”
Returning after three years, it felt like I was benefiting from Nam Geon and the Junior Sister in many ways.
“We have business and plan to be away far for a while. So if possible, please investigate guys called the Heavenly Emperor Cult.”
“Heavenly Emperor Cult. It is a name I hear for the first time.”
“Ah! Is it perhaps the real name of the place called the Demonic Cult?”
I shook my head at the Beggar’s Gang members’ question.
“It might be related, but it is probably a different place. However, it can be called a heinous pseudo-religion that must also be found and destroyed.”
The Heavenly Emperor Cult was a cult led by a member of the Seven Evils, a guy who would later be called the Teaching Demon.
I didn't even know exactly when he started his activities. However, since I was stuck in a cave for over three years, there was a possibility he had started activities by now.
At my request, the Beggar’s Gang members nodded.
“One of the groups that fall for pseudo-religions most easily are beggars who are powerless and have no way to make a living.”
“Handling such people is also originally our Beggar’s Gang’s job, so we will do our best to find them.”
I nodded at the Beggar’s Gang members’ active attitude and added.
“Since they are enemies of the Beggar’s Gang anyway, that works out well. Then I ask for one more thing.”
“……Yes?”
Ignoring the Beggar’s Gang members’ blank expressions, I continued.
The Three Disasters and Four Demons who would cover the Jianghu with dark clouds in the future.
The Lust Disaster had now become the Sword Phoenix, and the Blood Disaster was scheduled to be visited now.
The Golden Demon Hyeok Ilso was dead, and the Fighting Demon Hwangbo Ak had turned over a new leaf and was currently in the middle of a duel journey.
Junior Sister Choyeon, presumed to be the Killing Demon, was with us, and I also entrusted the tracking of the Teaching Demon to the Beggar’s Gang members.
Now only one remained, the Thunder Disaster, but I knew nothing of his past whereabouts.
Thus, I told the Beggar’s Gang members only the Thunder Disaster’s name and a few physical characteristics and asked them to find him.
“He is probably learning martial arts handling thunder Qi and there is a high possibility he is in the northern region of the Central Plains.”
I didn’t know his past, but I knew the incident where he first made his name known in the Jianghu.
Mount Heng, located in Shanxi Province and called the Northern Peak among the Five Great Mountains.
The Mount Heng Sect, the Sword Venerable’s sect, was located there.
But in the future I knew, the Mount Heng Sect did not exist.
Because it suffered annihilation at the hands of that Thunder Disaster.
Of course, gossipers argued it was possible because the Sword Venerable wasn’t there.
But the fact that a renowned sect capable of producing a Sword Venerable was annihilated by the hands of a single person did not change.
Thus, in addition to the Demonic Cult and the Teaching Demon, I entrusted the tracking of the Thunder Disaster to the Beggar’s Gang.
All of them had to be punished somehow before they expanded their power or became stronger.
Just as I finished talking about all the requests to the Beggar’s Gang members and was about to move my steps. One of the Beggar’s Gang members asked with a face full of curiosity.
“Ah. Come to think of it, didn’t you say you are leaving far away? If it is not rude, may we know where you plan to go?”
I wondered if there was a need to inform the Beggar’s Gang, but decided to change my mind.
If I tell them, it will also be conveyed to Teacher Sama at the Seomoon Clan.
Informing allies of my whereabouts was important in many ways.
“First, I have business at the Potala Palace, but I plan to stop by the Heavenly Peak Ridge on the way.”
A place that was the Poison Immortal’s hermitage in the past life.
In this life, a place where we hunted the Human-faced Spider together and stayed for a while to train.
The Dang Clan guy was in the middle of isolated training there.
***
Three years and a few months ago. A pavilion in a corner of the Seomoon Clan.
There, Dang Sopyeong was with Blacksmith Yeo Daegyu and Yeo Yun.
Dang Sopyeong was making a quite serious expression, and Yeo Daegyu coughed loudly in vain.
“Ahem. Right, what is the reason you asked to see me separately?”
Actually, Yeo Daegyu didn’t really like Dang Sopyeong.
The biggest reason was because of his relationship with his daughter, Yeo Yun.
But seeing his serious face in addition to the recent news about Jin Yuseong, he felt like hearing him out at least.
As soon as Yeo Daegyu’s words ended, Dang Sopyeong abruptly knelt down, bowed, and said.
“Please create the world’s best hidden weapon for me. Elder.”
“……First, it is burdensome, so sit comfortably.”
At Yeo Daegyu’s words, Dang Sopyeong corrected his posture, and only then did Blacksmith Yeo Daegyu ask.
“Is it perhaps because of Young Master Jin’s matter?”
“That is so.”
“Surely you do not think Young Master Jin has already died to that Fighting Venerable?”
“It is just for just in case.”
This was also the reason he met Yeo Daegyu and Yeo Yun separately.
Because he couldn’t bring himself to speak of the worst case in front of his companions who were already exuding an atmosphere like defeated soldiers.
But at least alone, he had to prepare for that worst case.
Dang Sopyeong was thinking so.
Noticing this, Yeo Daegyu also sighed deeply and said.
“Hoh……. The opponent is that Fighting Venerable. He is an old monster in a realm that countless martial artists have not reached even after devoting their whole lives to martial arts.”
“Therefore, I ask you, Elder. It might be impossible with my power alone, but if I cultivate my skills and the world’s best hidden weapon created by you, Elder, and the poison I made are added to it, wouldn’t I be able to create just one opportunity?”
This was a possible thought because it was Dang Sopyeong.
Dang Sopyeong considered himself a physician, not a martial artist.
So he didn’t even think of taking revenge with his own skills alone.
Even if it was an enemy at a high stage he couldn’t reach, it was enough if he could kill him by any means necessary.
Perhaps he came to think like this because he was influenced by Jin Yuseong.
“You might die aiming for the Fighting Venerable. No, ninety-nine out of a hundred, you will die. Still, do you intend to attempt Young Master Jin’s revenge?”
“……He was my bad friend. No matter how bad a friend, isn’t a friend still a friend?”
Yeo Daegyu looked at Dang Sopyeong with a complex expression.
Willingly offering one’s life for a friend.
It was a very wonderful appearance to see as a man, but as a father with a daughter, it was also a very displeasing appearance.
Either way, from a father’s standpoint, a son-in-law who considered his daughter the top priority was the best.
‘No. What am I thinking.’
He wasn’t even connected with his daughter yet.
Yeo Daegyu, who shook his head vigorously, opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“I cannot promise the world’s best hidden weapon, but I will try to create it with my best effort.”
This was just a promise to help as man to man.
It was absolutely not words spat out thinking he was future son-in-law material.
***
A few days later, Dang Sopyeong left the Seomoon Clan and headed to the Heavenly Peak Ridge.
A journey leaving alone for the first time since coming out to the Jianghu.
After breaking through that awkwardness, Dang Sopyeong arrived at a familiar place.
Heavenly Peak Ridge. A place where he once resided with Jin Yuseong, Baek Hyang, and Nam Geon.
Dang Sopyeong devoted himself to training there every day.
Was it because he stayed alone in a place where he was once with his companions?
Often, memories of being with his companions back then would easily come to mind.
“Damn it.”
Dang Sopyeong, spitting out a curse, clenched his teeth and shook his head with effort.
He spent day by day soothing himself who was trying to become weak.
Time flowed, and his skills also improved day by day.
But as his skills increased, his condition was also gradually becoming desolate.
“Damn it.”
Dang Sopyeong, spitting out a curse, makes a face full of annoyance.
Uninvited guests visited the mountain. Uninvited guests named herb gatherers.
“Even time to train is insufficient.”
His goal was the Fighting Venerable. Being disturbed when even focusing all his time on training wasn’t enough was absolutely hateful.
Also, he didn’t want to lose herbs or poisonous plants he should use for Poison Art training to uninvited guests.
So he started installing traps all over the Heavenly Peak Ridge.
Forming poisonous mist so that one would be intoxicated by poison if they came close.
Since minimum reason remained, he didn’t use extreme poison. He couldn’t kill innocent people.
Just like the Poison Immortal of the past life Jin Yuseong remembered.
Even after that, he engaged in training nervously day by day.
Whether training hidden weapon arts, footwork, or taking breathing exercises with Poison Art.
Even if a very minute error occurred, it was common for him to crumple his face spitting out curses.
Dang Sopyeong himself knew his change.
But he considered it unavoidable.
He was focusing only on training alone for years. Without even sharing a minimum conversation.
Even as the stage of Poison Art increased, day by day was no different from walking on thin ice.
The moment he fell into a trivial Qi deviation or mental demon. There was a danger that the poisonous Qi staying in his Dantian would melt his internal organs and acupoints.
That much, the poisonous Qi accumulated in his Dantian was in a state incomparable to the past.
He knew his problem but couldn’t stop.
This much was insufficient to kill the Fighting Venerable.
Dang Sopyeong engaged in training urging himself today without fail.
At that time, a presence was felt from down the mountain.
Dang Sopyeong’s forehead frowned automatically.
Uninvited guests who had stopped for a while were approaching.
Even breaking through the poisonous mist he had spread.
For Dang Sopyeong who had become infinitely sensitive recently, it was a situation he didn’t like at all.
“What kind of bastard dares.”
Dang Sopyeong, secretly grabbing hidden weapons, turned his body toward where the presence was felt.
While Dang Sopyeong was preparing to make a move. Eventually, pushing through the bushes, four people revealed themselves.
Dang Sopyeong, who was about to throw hidden weapons, confirmed their appearances and froze as is.
“Y, y, you, how?”
Dang Sopyeong asking stammering with a frozen face.
To this, Jin Yuseong sighed and responded.
“Hah. It’s truly a face I see after a long time.”
For Jin Yuseong, Dang Sopyeong’s infinitely sensitive and sharp face was truly familiar.
“So why did you enter isolated training alone uselessly? You have a fate where you shouldn’t live alone.”
The Poison Immortal of the past life had exactly that face.