Episode 21: Rising from a Fall (3)
Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 21
Manhwa: Chapter 19-20
Chapter 7 Episode 21. Rising from a Fall (3)
Dam-ho’s clothes billowed violently.
The immense impact coursing through his body sent him skidding backward, his feet digging deep grooves into the ground.
Rumbling!
Dam-ho steadied himself by activating the Heavy Sky Heart Technique. Only after a force as heavy as a boulder anchored him to the earth did his body finally come to a halt.
His face, momentarily distorted by the force of the wind, returned to normal, and he felt a sharp pain searing through his palms.
“J-Junior Uncle?”
Won Ho’s shocked cry reached his ears, but Dam-ho didn’t respond.
His entire focus was locked onto the masked assailant.
Through the opening in the mask, he saw their eyes tremble for a split second. It was a flicker of disbelief. It seemed they had not expected their attack to be blocked.
“You dare!”
A sharp, jade-like voice rang out from beneath the mask.
‘A woman?’
That realization barely had time to settle before she launched another attack.
Shh-shhh-shhk!
In an instant, her hands multiplied into dozens, striking from all directions at once.
“Be careful, Ho! It’s the Demon Sect’s Black Sky Blazing Palm!”
From behind his back, Sage Hyun-so’s desperate cry rang out.
It had already been twenty years, but Sage Hyun-so remembered it clearly. Countless martial artists of the Mount Hua Sect had been killed by said technique.
‘It really is the Demon Sect…’
A shudder ran down Sage Hyun-so’s spine.
Boom!
The mere sweep of her palm sent a shockwave rippling outward. It was the distinct phenomenon caused by the Black Sky Blazing Palm in motion.
Sage Hyun-so flinched. The Black Sky Blazing Palm seemed to be tearing Dam-ho’s body apart.
But Dam-ho stood firm.
Standing with his left foot planted ankle-deep in the earth, he resembled an unshakable tree.
Won Ho and the second-generation disciples stared in disbelief.
“How…?”
Their shock quickly turned to doubt.
The Dam-ho they knew was a cripple, a man abandoned by the Mount Hua Sect for his inability to properly learn martial arts.
If not for being Sage Hyun-so’s disciple, he wouldn’t have even been treated as a fellow human. That was how insignificant he was in the sect.
Yet now, before their eyes, he was displaying a level of skill that shattered everything they believed to be true.
Crack! Crack!
Using both hands, Dam-ho deflected, redirected, and countered the opponent’s Black Sky Blazing Palm.
“Could it be… Bamboo Leaf Hand?”
Won Ho’s eyes trembled.
The Bamboo Leaf Hand.
It was a basic martial technique that every disciple, including the outer disciples, learned in the Mount Hua Sect. Won Ho himself had only scratched the surface of it, but he was familiar enough to recognize it. However, the Bamboo Leaf Hand he knew was nowhere near powerful enough to contend with a supreme martial art of the Demon Sect.
Won Ho and the second-generation disciples gaped in shock.
“Has Junior Uncle been hiding his true strength all this time?”
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
Dam-ho’s and the attacker’s hands clashed in a flurry of motion.
Blood trickled down the corners of Dam-ho’s lips. As Won Ho had guessed, the martial art Dam-ho was using was indeed the Bamboo Leaf Hand.
However, it was impossible for the Bamboo Leaf Hand, a basic martial art, to deal with the Black Sky Blazing Palm, one of the most fearsome techniques of the Demon Sect, in the first place.
Each time their hands clashed, shockwaves went through Dam-ho’s body, shaking his very core. The impact reverberated through his organs, dealing him internal injuries.
The only reason Dam-ho didn’t retreat until now was because standing behind him was his master, Sage Hyun-so. If he faltered, his master’s life would be in danger.
‘Master…!’
“Hmph!”
The masked opponent tilted their head slightly, then suddenly withdrew with a graceful leap. Only then did Dam-ho finally have a moment to catch his breath.
“Junior Uncle!”
Won Ho and the second-generation disciples moved to rush to him, but Dam-ho raised a hand to stop them.
They did not yet understand the true depth of his opponent’s strength. But Dam-ho did. He knew after having exchanged blows directly.
What he had seen so far was not even the full extent of the enemy’s power. He had no idea just how strong they truly were, and involving others recklessly would be far too dangerous.
“Take Master and retreat.”
“But…!”
When Won Ho hesitated, Dam-ho’s eyes turned cold.
“As a first-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, this is my first and last order to you. Get out of here.”
Won Ho and the second-generation disciples flinched.
Dam-ho had been ridiculed by the Mount Hua Sect disciples with the nickname of a crippled mutt, a dog that couldn’t run.
However, at this moment, Dam-ho’s power and intimidation was enough to take their breath away.
“Junior Uncle!”
“No, Dam-ho! I will never leave you behind.”
Sage Hyun-so’s voice echoed through the valley.
“I know. I know that you would never abandon me, Master.”
“Just hold on a little longer. The other disciples will come to help you.”
At Sage Hyun-so’s desperate plea, Dam-ho shook his head slightly.
The situation was hopeless. No one could afford to turn their attention to this place. Not Sage Cheon-heo, not even Moo-gyeong…
It was only up to him to protect Sage Hyun-so.
“I’ll catch up with you soon, so please go ahead and wait outside.”
“Ho…”
“I promise.”
“You swear it?”
“Yes!”
“Then I’ll go. You’re never one to break a promise.”
Sage Hyun-so turned away helplessly. Guarding him, the second-generation disciples began retreating from the valley.
Even as he walked, Sage Hyun-so couldn’t take his eyes off Dam-ho’s back.
‘Ho…!’
Tears welled up in his eyes for no reason.
The masked assailant moved as if to lunge at them. In that instant, Dam-ho took a single step to the side.
Flinch!
The masked attacker’s eyes narrowed.
Dam-ho was definitely full of openings. But despite that, an unshakable firmness radiated from him—more than enough to cover his weaknesses.
It was the unwavering resolve that only those who had steeled their will could possess. And at that moment, the masked figure could sense it emanating from Dam-ho.
“Hoo…”
The attacker let out a deep sigh.
Blood flowed through the valley, and death settled upon the land.
Suddenly, the masked figure removed their covering, revealing a face that had remained hidden until now.
For a brief moment, Dam-ho’s eyes wavered.
Hidden beneath the mask was the face of an unexpectedly beautiful young girl.
Her stark white complexion contrasted sharply with her long, jet-black hair, cascading down like silk. Her delicate, well-defined features and eyes colder than ice made for an almost ethereal presence.
She parted her lips.
“Are you a disciple of Mount Hua?”
Dam-ho nodded wordlessly. At that, her gaze grew even icier.
“A fated enemy, then.”
“Are you from the Demon Sect?”
“That is what the world calls us. But we refer to ourselves as the Divine Cult.”
“Divine Cult?”
“A far more pleasant name, don’t you think?”
“What is the Divine Cult doing here?”
“This place is called the Celestial Forbidden Infernal Prison. At the very end of this valley lies a vast underground dungeon where the Divine Cult imprisons its criminals. That is our home.”
“Celestial Forbidden Infernal Prison?”
“There is no place left for us on the surface. This was our final refuge. But today, you have discovered it.”
Dam-ho’s eyebrows knitted together, and the girl’s eyes grew colder.
After fleeing from the war with the Central Plains, the Demon Sect had hidden itself here, biding its time, regaining its strength. When resources ran low, they raided passing merchant groups, stealing what they needed.
They had lived this way for twenty years.
“Do you dream of revenge against the Central Plains?”
“Some do.”
“That makes it sound like some don’t.”
“Think whatever you want.”
The girl raised her stance toward Dam-ho, killing intent radiating from her entire body.
“What is your name?”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll be the first person I kill. I should at least remember your name.”
“I appreciate that. Dam-ho. My name is Dam-ho.”
“I won’t forget, Dam-ho. My name is Eum Yoo-kyung.”
Thud!
In an instant, the girl who had identified herself as Eum Yoo-kyung sprang toward Dam-ho as she performed the White Lotus Drifting Snow, the final technique of the Black Sky Blazing Palm.
The air filled with countless afterimages of her hands, engulfing the space between them.
At the same time, Dam-ho shot forward.
His footwork was like a battering ram crashing against the gates of a fortress— it was Charging Steps.
Boom!
Deep footprints were dug into the ground, and Dam-ho’s body launched forward in a straight line. His crippled left foot no longer hindered him.
The qi gathered by the Heavy Sky Heart Technique was concentrated in his right fist.
Swaaack!
Following Charging Steps, he unleashed Fortress Piercing Fist.
All of his strength was condensed into this single strike.
Kwaang!
Fortress Piercing Fist and White Lotus Drifting Snow collided.
“Kugh!”
Blood sprayed into the air as a figure was sent flying backward.
It was Dam-ho.
His body rolled across the ground, blood-soaked and torn. His flesh bore countless gashes, as if he had been cut apart by a thousand daggers. Some wounds were so deep that his bones were exposed.
Yet, astonishingly, he was still struggling to rise. Even after sustaining such injuries, he was still alive.
But Eum Yoo-kyung’s expression was far from relaxed.
Her gaze drifted to her left shoulder. It was grotesquely swollen, hanging limply. Dam-ho’s strike had dislocated it.
A chill ran down the back of her neck.
‘If his attack had carried just a little more power… my entire arm would have been ripped from my shoulder.’
Her insides trembled. The impact had shaken her core—an unmistakable sign of internal injuries. No, she had already sustained them. The tremors in her legs confirmed it.
‘This man…’
Her eyes deepened with wariness.
Dam-ho was the first man to have ever sent shivers down her spine. The thought of having to kill someone like him with her own hands filled her with sorrow.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
“Don’t treat me like a dead man already. I’m still very much alive.”
Dam-ho spat out a bloodied wad of phlegm and glared at Eum Yoo-kyung. Though his body was in shambles, his gaze remained unyielding.
Even though he was wounded to the point of immobility, Dam-ho’s spirit and willpower were nowhere near the point of breaking.
It was then.
Rumble!
The entire valley trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
Eum Yoo-kyung let out a sigh.
“It has already begun.”
“Begun?”
Whip!
Just as confusion flickered across Dam-ho’s face, a long cord shot through the air, coiling around Eum Yoo-kyung’s waist in an instant.
Like a fish caught on a line, she was yanked into the air and disappeared in the blink of an eye. It happened so quickly that Dam-ho could only stare at the scene, stunned.
Boom!
Immediately afterward, an explosion erupted from one side of the valley.
The sudden explosion caused Sage Cheon-heo’s expression to darken at once.
“Thunderbolt bombs?”
“Heh… We’re all going to die here. Malco!”
Sage Cheon-heo’s opponent let out a sinister laugh. His eyes held the resignation of a man prepared for death.
“Are they… planning to take us all down with them?”
“There is no place for us in this world anymore. If that’s the case, we have no choice but to die together. Eternal Holy Fire, watch over us. I shall burn this body and return to your embrace!”
“Eternal Holy Fire, watch over us!”
The warriors of the Demon Sect, still locked in combat with the righteous sects, all began chanting in unison, following their leader’s declaration.
Seeing their disregard for death sent a chilling wave through Sage Cheon-heo, who roared.
“They intend to take us with them! Get out of the valley at once!”
Panic surged through the righteous sects’ warriors as they activated their lightness skills and scattered in all directions.
The martial artists of the Wudang Sect used the Cloud Ascending Ladder, while the martial artists of the Southern Edge Sect executed the Floating Cloud Step.
Moo-gyeong also grasped the gravity of the situation and shouted at his disciples.
“Everyone, use your lightness skills and escape this place immediately!”
“Uwaaaah!”
The Mount Hua Sect disciples pushed their lightness skills to their limits, with Moo-gyeong and Un-gyeong following closely behind.
“Ah!”
At that moment, Moo-gyeong suddenly halted his lightness skill.
“Why?”
Following his gaze, Un-gyeong’s expression stiffened.
A huge amount of earth and rocks were crumbling down from both sides of the valley, and in the center of it all stood Dam-ho.
He was gasping for breath, unable to move easily due to the severe injuries he had sustained in his battle with Eum Yoo-kyung.
Un-gyeong shouted,
“We must save Cheon-gyeong!”
“It’s too late.”
Moo-gyeong shook his head resolutely.
“Senior Brother?”
“If we try to save Cheon-gyeong, we’ll die too. We have to abandon him.”
“Cheon-gyeong is our Junior Brother, too. And you are our Great Senior Brother.1 We must never give him up.”
Un-gyeong glared at Moo-gyeong. But Moo-gyeong remained firm.
“There is nothing more important to me than Mount Hua. Cheon-gyeong is important, but his life is no more valuable than that of the other disciples.”
“Senior Brother!”
Un-gyeong’s voice was filled with anguish, as if he were coughing up blood. But Moo-gyeong did not waver.
“Using the authority as your Great Senior Brother, I order you Junior Brother Un-gyeong, to use your lightness skills and retreat at full speed immediately.”
“U…Understood.”
In the end, Un-gyeong followed Moo-gyeong’s order.
As he followed Moo-gyeong and practiced his lightness skill to retreat, he glanced back at Dam-ho. His eyes were filled with nothing but guilt and remorse.
‘I’m sorry, Cheon-gyeong. This is why I never wanted you to come. Don’t forgive me for failing to save you.’
And with that, he and Moo-gyeong disappeared beyond the falling boulders.
Dam-ho stared blankly at their fading figures.
The deafening roar of the landslide filled the air, yet strangely, their conversation rang clear in his ears. Perhaps it was because the imminent threat of death had sharpened his senses.
Sage Cheon-heo passed by without looking back. His tightly clenched jaw stood out more clearly than anything else.
He could also see Yeon Soha looking at him with a pitying gaze. But she didn’t dare to approach him either. After a brief hesitation, she, too, leaped toward the valley’s exit.
‘I’m sorry.’
The warriors of the Wudang Sect disappeared, followed by those of the Southern Edge Sect. And at last, the remaining warriors of the Mount Hua Sect fled the valley.
Some made it out safely, while others screamed as they were crushed beneath the falling rocks.
But their cries were quickly buried beneath the landslide.
And just like that, Dam-ho was left alone.
“Master.”
Darkness engulfed him.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!
- Great Senior Brother. Raws: 대사형. The eldest among these senior brothers is often specifically called ‘대사형 or Great Senior Brother.’