Chapter 106 : Chapter 106
Chapter 106. The Sword Dragon Has Returned
The city surrounding the main fortress of the Martial Sovereign Castle was, even across the entirety of the Central Plains, counted among the most prosperous.
It was a land completely safe from the attacks of monsters.
A commercial district where the Black Path and unorthodox factions had no foothold.
Even the martial artists belonging to the Martial Sovereign Castle, along with their families, lived in wealth that could not be compared to that of ordinary civilians.
Perhaps that was why.
Along the roads leading toward the Martial Sovereign Castle stood rows of shops unseen elsewhere—luxurious taverns, cloth merchants dealing in rare silks, and even forges devoted exclusively to crafting cold iron.
“It is splendid. It feels as though I am looking upon the Central Plains before monsters ran rampant.”
The Lesser Heavenly Demon spoke with a hint of surprise as he surveyed the surroundings.
Since receiving orders from Bukgung Dantian, he had wandered the Central Plains extensively, yet this was the first time he had seen a place so prosperous.
Most regions were pressed down by monster incursions and the plunder of the Black Path and unorthodox sects.
Even areas under strong righteous faction influence were only slightly better, and none could compare to this.
“There are a few such places,” Bukgung Wan said. “Regions that have preserved their former prosperity intact.”
Eccentric Hero Woo Gi-hwan answered with a bitter smile.
Having roamed the far corners of the Central Plains under the banner of righteous deeds, he was well-versed in such matters.
From Beijing, where the imperial palace stood, to several major cities south of the Yangtze River where commerce flourished, and even regions that housed the headquarters of colossal organizations like the Righteous Heaven Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance.
Still, Bukgung Wan was correct.
In the end, such places were exceedingly rare. Most of the Central Plains had become a living hell.
Before becoming the Family Head of the Iron Blood Woo Clan, Woo Gi-hwan had wandered east and west, hoping to change that reality even a little.
But structural injustice was not something a single human being could overturn. The number of people he could save was limited.
“That is why you must do well.”
Woo Gi-hwan looked at Dam Jeok-san and Bukgung Wan as he spoke.
Those who would one day become the Cult Leader of the Ming Cult and the Castle Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle. If individuals could not change the world, then they must.
“It will not be easy,” Dam Jeok-san said after briefly surveying the surroundings.
“Of course not. If it were easy, our predecessors would have accomplished it long ago.”
Bukgung Wan answered with a bitter smile.
Bukgung Dantian and Man Su-geuk, and even their predecessors and those before them, had ultimately done no more than maintain the status quo.
Could they accomplish what all of them had failed to do? Bukgung Wan could not answer that question easily.
To him, the Heavenly Demon Bukgung Dantian was far too great a wall to overcome.
The same was true for Dam Jeok-san.
However—
“Is that not precisely why we must be more cautious? We do not know how long the current state will last.”
Dam Jeok-san’s thoughts differed slightly.
The war against monsters had become routine.
All those who once dreamed of ending the war had vanished. Yet Dam Jeok-san carried memories from his previous life.
This moment is the most dangerous.
The moment when the abnormal becomes normal. The moment when an endless war becomes familiar—
That is when calamity suddenly swells in magnitude. It had been the same in the world of Seo Woo-joo the Predator.
And that swollen calamity had ultimately led his world to destruction.
“We must always prepare for victory. Only then can we prevent a catastrophic defeat.”
“Oh?”
An exclamation of admiration escaped Woo Gi-hwan, who had been quietly listening to their conversation.
To think that such insight came from a young man of merely twenty-five.
Even he, who had roamed the Central Plains his entire life and had now become the Family Head of one of the Five Great Families of the Martial Sovereign Castle, had never ventured into such a realm of thought.
I did not misjudge him.
Someone who could think that far possessed the qualifications to become the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle. Woo Gi-hwan judged so.
“…Sword Dragon, you speak much like the Cult Leader.”
Bukgung Wan spoke uneasily, as though recalling an uncomfortable memory.
When everyone believes they are safe, that is the most dangerous moment.
Those were the words the Heavenly Demon had spoken on the day Bukgung Wan became the Young Cult Leader. And they had not been wrong.
Even after his appointment, Bukgung Wan had been caught in several assassination attempts.
It was then that he learned, viscerally, that grudges beget grudges, and revenge forms endless chains.
“I will remember.”
That now might be the most dangerous moment of all. As someone destined to inherit the Heavenly Demon’s seat.
“If you do, I would be grateful.”
Simply not dismissing it as empty bravado was already half a success. Dam Jeok-san replied with a light smile.
As they exchanged such unremarkable words, they eventually arrived before the massive gates of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
“I have returned.”
Dam Jeok-san murmured indifferently as he looked at the gate.
He had not left the Martial Sovereign Castle in disgrace.
Thanks to awakening the Ability of Predation at just the right moment, he had even heard stories that the Sword Dragon had returned, spoken by his Master.
Yet he had not departed in a manner grand enough to be satisfying either.
Within the main fortress, there had been virtually no faction that supported him.
Now, things would be different. He could not expect loyalty on the level of Woo Gi-hwan, but he would be able to sway quite a few people.
Because Dam Jeok-san had grown that strong.
However, the first thing he intended to do upon returning to the Martial Sovereign Castle was not to clash with those in power.
He even postponed meeting his Master, who had summoned him to the castle, until later.
The very first person he chose to meet was the girl he had saved—Lee Hyang.
I am glad Mu-yeong granted my request.
The Hidden Heaven Guard fell entirely under his jurisdiction.
Not even an Elder Council Head could interfere, let alone someone merely a disciple of the Martial Sovereign Castle Lord.
How much had she changed, he wondered. Not much time had passed, yet after experiencing one great upheaval after another, it felt like ages.
Carrying a heart filled with worry and anticipation alike, Dam Jeok-san stepped into the Martial Sovereign Castle.
CREEEAK—
The moment he entered the grounds, the enormous gate swung wide open.
It meant that separate inspection procedures would be omitted.
An honor afforded because he had returned at the call of the Castle Lord, accompanied by the Family Head of one of the Five Great Families.
“…The Third Young Master!”
“Could it be that the person beside him is…?”
At the Hour of the Dog, though it was still quite early, there were many people moving about the outer castle.
Woo Gi-hwan, the Family Head of a Great Family.
Bukgung Wan, the Young Cult Leader of the Ming Cult.
In a few double hours, news that they had appeared together with Dam Jeok-san would spread throughout the Martial Sovereign Castle.
Those who needed to know likely already did.
Dam Jeok-san smiled lightly at the bustling guards and spoke.
“You are working hard from so early in the day.”
His tone was relaxed, as though he were standing in the front yard of his own home.
Tap, tap—
He did not stop there, lightly patting the shoulder of a martial artist who appeared to hold a fairly high rank, offering casual encouragement.
“…!”
Shock filled the man’s eyes.
He was a super first-rate martial artist, well recognized even among the outer castle patrol.
Among his peers, he was said to be someone who might soon reach the Peak stage.
Yet the Third Young Master had lightly tapped his shoulder and passed by completely without him even noticing.
If this were a battlefield, I would have died before I could react.
The patrolman exhaled in relief as he watched Dam Jeok-san walk away calmly.
Be that as it may.
Dam Jeok-san continued forward.
“I shall take my leave here.”
The first to part ways was none other than Eccentric Hero Woo Gi-hwan.
“The situation does not allow me to leave my clan unattended for long.”
From the moment he assumed the position of Family Head, Woo Gi-hwan had carried out ruthless purges.
Not only elders, but even key clan officials had been completely replaced.
As a result, he now had to personally handle most matters, great and small.
After he departed.
[This way, please.]
A voice transmission echoed through the air.
It was Mu-yeong, Head of the Hidden Heaven Guard and Personal Guard of the Martial Sovereign Castle Lord.
[The Young Cult Leader is to be escorted to the reception hall. The Castle Lord has given instructions. He says he will summon you separately later.]
He spoke firmly while looking at Bukgung Wan.
“…Very well.”
Bukgung Wan shrugged once and withdrew neatly. No matter that he was the Lesser Heavenly Demon, he could not defy the Castle Lord’s will within the Martial Sovereign Castle.
Once only Mu-yeong and Dam Jeok-san remained.
[Let us go.]
Mu-yeong dropped down from the air, revealing himself as he spoke.
Dam Jeok-san followed his lead without hesitation, as though he had known Mu-yeong would appear there.
***
Lee Hyang stood at the Hidden Heaven Guard training grounds, her expression tense.
Will he come? Will he really come?
In truth, there was no reason for anyone else to seek her out.
She was merely an orphan who had become a trainee warrior of the Hidden Heaven Guard by sheer luck.
But the same could be said of Dam Jeok-san.
He was a disciple of the Martial Sovereign Castle Lord and a brilliant swordsman. How many children had gained new lives through him over the years?
It would be greedy to hope that she alone was special among them.
Letting go of such thoughts, Lee Hyang waited.
Then—
From afar, she heard footsteps. Faint enough that only someone who had diligently trained in internal arts and body arts over the past few months could detect them.
Soon, their figures came into view.
One wore a mask, his presence as faint as a ghost—it was Mu-yeong.
“Ah…!”
The other was Dam Jeok-san.
Tall, with a lean and well-balanced frame. His slightly sharp eyes, usually weary, now held a gentle, smiling warmth.
The moment his gaze met hers—
WHOOSH!
Dam Jeok-san’s figure scattered like pale mist, piercing space itself, and in an instant he stood before her.
“They say children grow quickly.”
He looked down at her as he spoke.
“You have grown so much.”
It was true. With a balanced diet provided, her height had increased noticeably.
But that was not all Dam Jeok-san meant.
“You have become a martial artist.”
Though only a single grain of internal energy resided in her Dantian, it had settled firmly, and balanced muscle had begun to form throughout her body.
An achievement worthy of being called third-rate.
If she wielded a blade, she might stand a chance even against a robust adult man.
“The Young Master was not a child either.”
Mu-yeong interjected dryly, having listened to their exchange.
“I cannot understand how you grew so quickly yourself.”
As a Personal Guard, Mu-yeong possessed an exceptional ability to gauge the martial realm of others.
Even if the opponent were several levels above him, he could still discern their martial realm.
Ultra-Peak.
It was, quite literally, an absurd rate of growth.
“At my age, it is about time to grow,” Dam Jeok-san replied with a brief chuckle.
“Still, you must have endured much hardship.”
He then knelt on one knee, lowering himself to meet Lee Hyang’s eyes.
“Th-that is…! I have only just begun!”
Flustered, Lee Hyang stammered.
“I have learned martial arts as well. I know better than anyone how difficult it is just to begin.”
Of course, Dam Jeok-san had begun with ease.
Even before formally learning the sword, he could defeat third-rate experts with mere observation, and upon learning an internal art, he immediately distinguished and sensed internal qi and natural qi.
Yet even he had felt pain countless times while learning martial arts.
How much harder must it have been for a child who had never known martial arts at all?
“Thank you.”
Lee Hyang bowed deeply as she spoke.
“The next time we meet, I want to be of help to you, Young Master. I will work hard.”
At her bold words, Dam Jeok-san gently shook his head.
“There is no need to wait until next time. Seeing you grow like this is help enough.”
“B-but…!”
“It is not merely that my heart feels fuller.”
To martial artists, death is familiar, and life is distant.
Even knowing in one’s head that many have gained new lives through one’s acts of killing, understanding it with the heart is not easy.
“But when I look at you, I understand. That my sword sometimes saves people. That the path I walk is not wrong.”
“…I want to become someone like that too. Someone who can save others.”
“You can.”
Dam Jeok-san said, lightly patting her head.
“Now then—”
He rose to his feet once more.
“I must go now. My Master is calling for me.”
A battle intent that made his body prickle stimulated Dam Jeok-san.
A heavy pressure, as though the entire world were converging upon him.
He had said he would offer guidance, but perhaps his true intent was to settle matters through a life-and-death duel.
“…You can feel that?”
Mu-yeong asked, unable to hide his surprise.
“You felt it as well, did you not?”
“The Hidden Heaven Guard trains in a special martial art to sense the Castle Lord’s presence.”
Even so, only Mu-yeong could sense Man Su-geuk’s aura from such a distance.
And yet, Dam Jeok-san…
“I just felt it.”
Dam Jeok-san replied, scratching his head. Of course, he had an idea why.
My Master’s presence is closer to the heavens than to Mount Tai.
If a massive mountain stood before one’s eyes, anyone would feel a sense of incongruity. But the heavens, far greater and more vast than any mountain, often fail to register as strange.
Because they exist everywhere. In that sense, Man Su-geuk’s presence was like the sky.
The moment one perceived it, one was overwhelmed by its immensity. But without perceiving it, one felt nothing at all.
And when it came to sensing the heavens, Dam Jeok-san could claim to be second to none.
For deep within his mental image lay memories from a previous life, when he had reached Heaven beyond Heaven.
“Well, how I sensed it is not important, is it?”
At his words, Mu-yeong nodded.
There was a Murim proverb that said one should conceal three-tenths of one’s strength.
The Third Young Master was likely hiding far more than that. Pressing him for answers would not yield them anyway.
And questioning him was beyond my authority.
“Yes. I shall guide you.”
Mu-yeong answered respectfully.
“I will come again.”
Dam Jeok-san waved to Lee Hyang, then followed Mu-yeong toward the Heavenly Martial Hall.