Episode 17: To the World Outside…(2)
Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 17
Manhwa: Chapter 15
Chapter 6 Episode 17. To the World Outside…(2)
Following Sage Cheon-heo, the Mount Hua martial artists arrived in Qianyang County which was located on the border between the provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu.
Situated about four hundred li west of the provincial capital, Xi’an, Qianyang County had long been a central hub of transportation. As a result, it was bustling with people throughout the year.
“That’s our rendezvous point.”
Sage Cheon-heo pointed his finger at a fairly large manor in Qianyang County. The manor, named Yun Family Manor, looked exceptionally luxurious at first glance.
“Is this place associated with the Wudang Sect?”
“The head of the Yun Family Manor once received a great favor from our sect in his younger years. Because of that, he has been quite cooperative with us.”
In response to Moo-gyeong’s question, Sage Cheon-heo answered calmly.
For a brief moment, Moo-gyeong’s expression slightly twisted.
Shaanxi Province had long been the domain of the Mount Hua Sect. In the past, no other sect would have dared to set up and establish a base in Shaanxi Province.
‘This only means that Mount Hua sect’s influence is not what it used to be.’
Moo-gyeong’s eyes darkened with a heavy thought.
At that moment, Un-gyeong spoke up.
“Senior Brother?”
“What is it?”
Moo-gyeong suddenly smiled brightly as if he had never been deep in thought. Seeing this, Un-gyeong looked relieved.
He had been worried that Moo-gyeong might not be able to suppress his anger. Understanding Un-gyeong’s concern, Moo-gyeong patted his shoulder reassuringly.
“I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief. I hope you continue to smile like that.”
“Of course. Don’t worry.”
Following Sage Cheon-heo, they entered the Yun Family Manor. In the spacious courtyard at the center, over a hundred people had gathered. Upon noticing Sage Cheon-heo, several of them hurried over.
A middle-aged, pot-bellied Taoist greeted Sage Cheon-heo with a respectful bow.
“Senior Brother.”
“Junior Brother Cheong-gwang.”
Sage Cheon-heo smiled warmly.
The middle-aged Taoist with the uncharacteristic bulging belly was his junior brother, Sage Cheong-gwan. Although he was not as strong or skilled as Sage Cheon-heo, he was nonetheless an outstanding and accomplished martial artist.
Just as Sage Cheon-heo had traveled to Mount Hua Sect to seek assistance, Sage Cheong-gwang had gone to the Southern Edge Sect.
Two men approached Sage Cheong-gwang. One was a middle-aged martial artist appearing to be in his late forties, and the other was a young man who still looked to be in his early twenties. What the two had in common was the sharp intensity in their gazes.
Sage Cheong-gwang introduced the two to Sage Cheon-heo.
“The two of you, please say your greetings. This is my senior brother, Sage Cheon-heo, the greatest master of our Wudang sect, also known as the First Sword of Hubei. Senior Brother Cheon-heo, these gentlemen are from the Southern Edge Sect. This is the renowned swordsman, Master Yeom Zhong-hwa, who is also known as the True Sword of Southern Edge, and his disciple, Master Geum Han-su.”
As soon as the introduction was made, Sage Cheon-heo greeted them with a respectful bow.
“It is an honor to meet you, Master Yeom and Young Master Geum. I am Cheon-heo of Wudang.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Sage Cheon-heo. My name is Yeom Zhong-hwa.”
“I am Geum Han-su of the Southern Edge Sect. It is a tremendous honor to meet the First Sword of Hubei. I hope to learn much under your guidance.”
Yeom Zhong-hwa and Geum Han-su bowed deeply in respect.
Sage Cheon-heo then introduced the martial artists of the Mount Hua Sect.
“These men hail from the Mount Hua Sect. This is Sage Hyun-so and Young Master Moo-gyeong.”
“I am Hyun-so of Mount Hua.”
“Moo-gyeong greets you.”
Both men clasped their fists in a traditional greeting.
Yeom Zhong-hwa and Geum Han-su’s eyes immediately glowed with interest.
Mount Hua and the Southern Edge were sects that had long coexisted in Shaanxi Province.
When Mount Hua flourished, the Southern Edge Sect declined, and when the Southern Edge Sect thrived, Mount Hua suffered. Perhaps due to this long-standing dynamic, the two sects had rarely interacted over the years.
“It is a pleasure to meet a fellow neighbor. Sage Hyun-so, I have long wished to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine. I only hope I will not be a burden on this journey, Master Yeom.”
Yeom Zhong-hwa and Sage Hyun-so exchanged polite greetings, followed by Moo-gyeong and Geum Han-su’s turn.
“I am Moo-gyeong of Mount Hua. Pleased to meet you.”
“I am Geum Han-su of the Southern Edge. I look forward to our journey together.”
As young martial artists, their gazes clashed with fiery intensity.
‘He is Mount Hua’s great disciple.’
‘He is the prodigy upon whom the Southern Edge Sect places its hopes.’
Both men recognized each other’s exceptional presence.
As young warriors living in the same era, and with both sects rooted in Shaanxi Province, their paths were bound to cross repeatedly.
Therefore, their gazes toward each other were a mixture of wariness and curiosity.
They weren’t the only ones. The gathered warriors of Mount Hua and the Southern Edge Sect in the Yun Family Manor all regarded one another with a mixture of caution and intrigue.
At that moment, Sage Cheon-heo stepped forward.
“Let the young ones be. The rest of us should go inside and discuss our plans.”
Sage Hyun-so and Yeom Zhong-hwa nodded.
They were here to track down traces of the Demon Sect. There was no time for petty disputes.
As the elders moved inside, only the younger warriors remained.
Moo-gyeong broke the silence and spoke to Geum Han-su.
“How about a drink, Young Master Geum?”
“Sounds good.”
Geum Han-su responded with a cold smile.
Moo-gyeong waved his hand. At his signal, several members of the Mount Hua Sect, including Un-gyeong, joined him. Likewise, Geum Han-su gestured for the members of the Southern Edge Sect to gather.
They were going to travel together anyway. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to use this opportunity to get to know each other and establish camaraderie.
And so, a drinking party between Mount Hua and Southern Edge Sect warriors was arranged. However, Dam-ho was not invited. Un-gyeong had objected to his inclusion.
As Dam-ho quietly watched the group drift away, Yeon Soha approached him.
“Are you okay?”
“About what?”
“Not being invited to join them.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
At Dam-ho’s firm response, Yeon Soha smiled. It was the answer she had expected from him.
“The disciples of the Wudang Sect are also planning to have a simple drinking party. Would you be interested in joining us?”
Dam-ho shook his head again, but Yeon Soha was not disappointed. She had anticipated this response as well.
“Then…”
Yeon Soha lowered her head slightly and walked past Dam-ho.
Dam-ho looked around.
The remaining disciples were currently being assigned lodgings by the Yun Family Manor people. The place they were led to was a structure that surrounded a large courtyard.
Although they were assigned separate rooms, they could still see each other whenever they stepped outside.
Dam-ho was also given a small room, but instead of resting inside, he went right outside.
He had received permission from Sage Hyun-so to go outside for a while.
It was Dam-ho’s first time in Qianyang County, but there was no hesitation or fear in his eyes.
As he stepped outside, a warrior guarding the entrance of the Yun Family Manor eyed him curiously.
“Where are you going?”
“I’d like to step out for a bit. Would it be possible to borrow a horse?”
“A horse?”
“Would that be a problem?”
Dam-ho’s question made the warrior ponder for a moment before answering.
“Our lord has instructed us to provide any necessary assistance, so lending you a horse is no issue. However, you must return it by tonight. Is that okay?”
“That’s good enough for me.”
“Then wait a moment.”
The warrior spoke to a servant nearby and had him bring a horse. It was a sleek, white stallion with a glossy coat.
“It’s a fine horse, so please handle it with care.”
“Thank you.”
Dam-ho bowed to the warrior, then rode the horse out of the Yun Family Manor. He took a moment to look around.
In the far distance, to the south, a massive mountain stood tall. Though it was far away, its towering height made it clearly visible even from where he stood.
Dam-ho knew the name of that mountain.
‘Mount Taibai.’
With his eyes locked on the towering peak, Dam-ho spurred his horse forward.
It was his first time riding a horse, yet there was no trace of fear in Dam-ho’s gaze. He rode relentlessly, pushing the horse to its limits.
Southward, then farther south. He rode for nearly two hours until he reached an unnamed mountain path. The area was surrounded by low-lying hills, where the tall grass, rising to his knees, had nearly erased any trace of a road.
Dam-ho’s expression darkened.
Dismounting, Dam-ho pushed through the thick grass and began walking. This was a place he remembered traveling to many times with his father. Even then, they had used Mount Taibai as their guide.
How long had he been walking? Suddenly, a wide basin appeared in front of Dam-ho’s eyes.
Dam-ho’s gaze deepened as he took in the desolate scene. The place was overrun with wild plants and tangled undergrowth, leaving barely any space to step.
“Father, Mother, Garyeong…”
His voice was hoarse and rough.
Though it was nothing more than an abandoned ruin, overgrown with weeds and grass, this place had once been inhabited.
Dam-ho clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his hands bulging.
This was his home.
A village of thirty households, where over a hundred people had once lived happily.
His mother had tilled the fields, and his father had gathered medicinal herbs. Until his parents returned home each evening, Dam-ho had cared for his younger sibling.
Although it was a hard and tiring life, those days were still the happiest moments of his life.
It was here where his memories ended six years ago.
Dam-ho knelt down in the overgrown grass.
Crunch!
Dam-ho’s hands clawed the ground. Soil and grass filled his hands. His fingers tore causing blood to seep from the wounds, but he paid it no mind.
His shoulders trembled slightly, but no tears fell.
He had shed them all six years ago.
From the moment he had watched his father and mother die so cruelly before his very eyes.
To this day, he still did not know why they had to die. The bandits had descended upon the village like a plague, draining it of life.
Dam-ho murmured softly.
“I have returned.”
His voice was raspy and hoarse, as if something was clogging his throat. Yet, his gaze shone more intensely than ever.
“I still do not understand. Why did you have to die? Why did you have to lose your lives in such a way…? If it was simply because you lacked strength… if that was the only reason, then this world is truly unjust.”
His words drifted through the wind, carried into the desolate silence.
Even though over a hundred people had perished, no one had come forward to seek the truth behind the tragedy. Not even the Mount Hua Sect, who had saved him.
They simply assumed that bandits had raided and plundered the village, and took no further action.
For Dam-ho, it was as if he had lost the entire world. But for them, it was merely an unfortunate incident that had befallen strangers.
That was when Dam-ho realized.
No matter how close someone seemed, they were still outsiders in the end.
Except for one— Sage Hyun-so.
Only he had truly cared about Dam-ho’s situation, seeking a way to help him find answers.
Dam-ho’s eyes turned red and bloodshot. But even then, he did not shed a tear.
For a long while, he stood still like a stone statue, unmoving. It was only after nearly half an hour had passed that he finally rose to his feet.
Rising to his feet, he spoke in a low, firm voice.
“I have never forgotten you. And I will make sure they never forget you either.”
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
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