Chapter 732: A Porter Dares?
“He’s a lucky fellow, surviving even after cursing at the Elder.”
The words of Geom Mugeuk were picked up by One-Slash Sword Supreme.
“He’s the only one.”
Even with the two mocking him, Blood Heaven Blade Demon stood firm. Instead, he even spoke with a benevolent smile.
“In life, a man may get cursed at times.”
At that, Geom Mugeuk laughed loudly. Perhaps finding himself ridiculous after saying it, Blood Heaven Blade Demon turned his head away. He must also have been failing to keep his expression under control.
“I intend not to lift a hand either, if only because I’m curious to see the result of this bet.”
If all three of them endured from this point on?
“Then the outcome of the wager will be revealed soon enough.”
It was her confidence that she could endure better than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Just then—
“Move aside! If you don’t want to die!”
Another group of martial artists sped by roughly, stirring up dust as they unleashed their lightness skill.
Blood Heaven Blade Demon waved his hand fan, swatting at the dust.
Geom Mugeuk asked in concern.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Normally, that palm of yours should emit force, shouldn’t it? If a man endures too much after never having endured before, he’ll get sick.”
“When martial artists perform lightness skill, dust will rise and all.”
His demeanor was like that of a high monk mastering his mind, which made Geom Mugeuk sigh dramatically.
“Ah! If I had known such spiritual cultivation awaited us, I should have brought along Demonic Buddha.”
“He has less patience. That Buddha of his kills first, then prays for blissful rebirth after.”
Geom Mugeuk and One-Slash Sword Supreme laughed together.
Though the surroundings were becoming more urgent, the three of them did not hurry.
After walking a little further, they came upon a wide clearing beneath the mountain.
It was filled with martial artists, and from them emanated a great fervor.
“I heard the bastard is hiding in the cave!”
“Step aside at once!”
“Move, before I kill you!”
Ahead of the shouting and clamoring crowd stood a cave.
Cave of Death.
Here at Cheonja Mountain, the Cave of Death was infamous for its vast interior and labyrinthine passages.
So many had died inside after failing to find their way back out that it was also called the Cave of Death.
Blocking the entrance were the martial artists of the Flying Dragon Gang, known in Honam for their belligerence.
“The Cave of Death is sealed. All must withdraw.”
The man who spoke with inner force was Song Byeok-chan. He ranked among the top ten experts of the Flying Dragon Gang.
The gathered heroes demanded and pressed him.
“Why do you bar us from entry? Are you trying to monopolize the Treasure Map for the Flying Dragon Gang?”
To this, Song Byeok-chan replied.
“We only seek to prevent a bloodshed in our sect’s domain. It is to stop needless deaths in meaningless battle, so do not misunderstand.”
Of course, no one took those words at face value.
In truth, the Flying Dragon Gang had already sent their experts to search inside the Cave of Death. Many outsiders had entered before the blockade, and with the cave’s interior so labyrinthine, they had yet to find the one who had hidden away with the Treasure Map.
One of the martial artists who had protested earlier incited the gathered crowd.
“Let’s break through by force. If we all combine our strength…”
Swish! Thud!
Song Byeok-chan’s sword pierced the back of the man’s neck.
Struck from behind in a sudden assault, the man had no chance to defend himself.
Looking coldly down at the man spitting blood as he collapsed, Song Byeok-chan spoke to the crowd.
“Is there anyone else here who dares disregard this sect?”
Silence fell. In Honam, there were not many who could afford to ignore the might of the Flying Dragon Gang.
Watching from behind, Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.
“The cave, is it? I detest stifling places.”
One-Slash Sword Supreme smiled.
“That makes it all the more favorable for me.”
Her words meant that in a confined place, Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s temper would flare even more.
“Now then, disperse at once.”
As Song Byeok-chan stepped forward, the Flying Dragon Gang martial artists lined behind him drew their swords in unison and advanced menacingly.
Even so, the gathered heroes did not retreat.
The desire and greed to obtain the Treasure Map, to become an unparalleled master and gain immense wealth, kept them rooted to the spot. More people continued to flock to the place even in that moment.
It was then—
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!
Hidden weapons rained down upon the Flying Dragon Gang from the rear.
“An ambush!”
Song Byeok-chan shouted urgently, but the gang members were already collapsing one after another beneath the storm of projectiles. The attackers, shockingly, emerged from within the cave.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Song Byeok-chan swung his sword in a rush, deflecting the incoming weapons, but there were far too many.
Wham!
A palm strike then slammed into his back.
His body flew through the air, tumbling across the ground. The man who had been shouting so boldly just moments ago now lay as a corpse.
The one who had ambushed him while hiding among the crowd was a muscular man with a sly expression. Before the Flying Dragon Gang had sealed the entrance, he had hidden his subordinates inside the cave.
“Why do you claim this territory as yours? This is our domain.”
Someone who recognized him cried out.
“Green Forest Emperor!”
He was a bandit lord who ruled from his stronghold in Cheonja Mountain, notorious even in Honam. The title “Green Forest Emperor” was not given for any majestic might like that of a king, but simply because he was the master of Cheonja Mountain itself.
His nature was base and greedy, a vile man who would commit any atrocity so long as it brought him profit.
But recently, the Flying Dragon Gang had clashed with him, and after suffering repeated defeats in several battles, his influence had dwindled greatly. Indulging in women and wealth, his once formidable martial arts were no longer what they used to be.
“You shameless bastards. With the Treasure Map, one could seize an eternal treasure, and yet you plan to swallow it all by yourself?”
He spat on Song Byeok-chan’s corpse, and cheers erupted all around.
“Come, let’s go in!”
The gathered heroes rushed toward the Cave of Death.
But again, hidden weapons poured down.
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!
Those at the front collapsed, struck by the barrage. The Green Forest bandits stood before them, and the Green Forest Emperor himself blocked the entrance.
“Who told you to enter at will?”
At his booming shout, the atmosphere immediately chilled.
The Green Forest Emperor declared loudly to all.
“To pass through here, you must pay a toll.”
Everyone wore dumbfounded expressions. Yet in that atmosphere, none dared to openly object.
One among the heroes asked,
“How much is the toll?”
“One thousand nyang per person. If you lack money, I’ll accept equivalent weapons or valuables.”
The crowd buzzed with unrest. A thousand nyang was far too steep a price just to enter a cave.
“Isn’t that too expensive?”
At their protest, the Green Forest Emperor tempted them.
“Would you give up a chance to gain an eternal treasure just to save a mere thousand nyang? Do as you please.”
The truth was, he had no intention of entering the cave himself.
Even if he took tolls from only ten people, that would be ten thousand nyang. From a hundred, a staggering hundred thousand. With more and more people flocking here, it wasn’t impossible to reach that number.
This was the life of the Green Forest—lying in wait for days to rob a few dozen or a few hundred nyang. He could not let such an opportunity slip.
Since it was certain the Flying Dragon Gang would destroy him before long, he intended to strike it rich one last time and then leave.
“The Green Forest has always been toll collectors. This path, however, is a road to becoming a supreme master, so the toll is steep. Nothing in this world is free—pay a high price, and you shall gain a great reward.”
Hearing this, Blood Heaven Blade Demon suddenly muttered,
“The bandit has a clever head on his shoulders.”
Unfortunately, he said it at the exact moment when the noisy hall fell briefly silent, so his words reached the Green Forest Emperor’s ears.
The bandit lord snapped his head toward the sound.
“Who said that?”
As the crowd before him parted, the figure of Geom Mugeuk appeared. The voice had surely come from around there.
“Was it you? The one spouting nonsense just now?”
“No, not me.”
Geom Mugeuk shifted aside, glancing behind him as he spoke.
“It was this gentleman here.”
When Geom Mugeuk tattled, Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked dumbfounded. One-Slash Sword Supreme, wearing a wide grin, had the expression of someone thinking, “As expected, the Young Cult Leader is on my side.”
The Green Forest Emperor glared at Blood Heaven Blade Demon and spoke coldly.
“Old man, do you have a death wish?”
While Geom Mugeuk and One-Slash Sword Supreme smiled cheerfully, Blood Heaven Blade Demon replied calmly.
“I only said you were clever, so don’t take it too hard.”
Because the other yielded so meekly, the Green Forest Emperor, rather than letting it go, stepped forward a few paces. He intended to make an example out of him.
Since Blood Heaven Blade Demon had shown no aura at all, he had seemed like nothing more than a frail old man.
Yet the closer he got, the more unease crept in. Why? Was it because of those eyes?
But he had already committed himself. If he backed down now, these wolfish eyes watching him would all pounce at once.
One-Slash Sword Supreme observed with a satisfied expression, certain she had won their wager. No matter what kind of bet it was, there was no way Blood Heaven Blade Demon would let such a man lay hands on him.
“Wait.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon stopped him and reached into his robe.
The Green Forest Emperor flinched and raised his inner force, preparing for a sudden strike.
What emerged from the old man’s chest was a small pouch.
The Green Forest Emperor instinctively took another step back.
“Poison?”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon pulled something from the pouch and extended it forward.
“Here are one thousand nyang.”
Both Geom Mugeuk and One-Slash Sword Supreme stared at each other in shock. Neither had ever imagined Blood Heaven Blade Demon would actually hand over the toll.
“Take it.”
The Green Forest Emperor, caught off guard, accepted the note of credit. It was genuine.
“As you are the first guest to pay the toll, I’ll overlook your earlier offense.”
Now that money had changed hands, he couldn’t drive him away or strike him. If he wanted others to pay, he had to treat the first payer well.
“Good. You may enter.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon urged his two companions.
“What are you waiting for? Without paying.”
Geom Mugeuk whispered to One-Slash Sword Supreme.
“You have the Treasure Map, don’t you? He’s trying to win the bet and then demand it from you.”
The look in One-Slash Sword Supreme’s eyes as she gazed at Blood Heaven Blade Demon deepened. “What is it that you really want?”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon then asked the Green Forest Emperor in an offhand way.
“But I am curious about one thing.”
“What is it?”
“How long do you plan to stay here?”
The Green Forest Emperor flinched and asked back.
“Why do you ask that?”
“Never mind. I was just curious.”
For no reason at all, the Green Forest Emperor’s mood soured.
At that moment, One-Slash Sword Supreme spoke.
“I don’t have a thousand nyang right now.”
The Green Forest Emperor swept his gaze over her from head to toe.
Since she was with someone who had obediently paid, he assumed there was nothing special about her. Seeing even a young man beside her burdened with baggage, he never imagined they were supreme masters.
That mistaken confidence made him say something he never should have.
“If you have no money, I can accept something else.”
The expression of One-Slash Sword Supreme, which until now had been composed, instantly hardened.
Her true nature surfaced at once. Forget the bet—her first thought was to sever his neck immediately.
It was then that she saw it—the hand of Blood Heaven Blade Demon moving toward the knot that bound the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber. He could endure insults directed at himself, but not at One-Slash Sword Supreme.
At that sight, a smile formed on her lips, and her anger naturally subsided. Before he could undo the knot, she spoke.
“There are too many eyes here now. Let’s meet again later, right here. I’ll give you a very fine gift then.”
“You take me for a fool? What guarantee is there you’ll even walk out alive?”
One-Slash Sword Supreme gave him a meaningful look.
“Don’t worry. I have a reason I must come out.”
The Green Forest Emperor did not know—just how earnestly Blood Heaven Blade Demon and One-Slash Sword Supreme longed to meet him again.
Just then, a sharp female voice rang out from behind.
“Kill that lecher.”
The Green Forest Emperor turned in shock. A young woman stood there, leading martial artists at her side.
At her command, the fighters behind her leapt forward in unison.
The Green Forest Emperor swung his fists in resistance, but he could not withstand the coordinated assault. These warriors were far stronger than the Flying Dragon Gang members faced earlier.
He was hacked apart and killed. His subordinates, who had rained hidden weapons before, fled without looking back—they knew exactly who the woman was.
The only daughter of the Flying Dragon Gang’s leader—
Cold Moon Sword Chu Yeon.
Among the Flying Dragon Gang, she was infamous for her mercilessness toward enemies.
As the Green Forest Emperor’s followers fled, some of the gathered heroes at the entrance rushed into the cave. Before she could even stop them, they all swarmed inside.
But Chu Yeon made no move to hinder them. She only looked on with cold, contemptuous eyes.
It was then that three people, unnoticed by her gaze, entered as well.
Geom Mugeuk rifled through the Green Forest Emperor’s corpse and found the note of credit Blood Heaven Blade Demon had given. Blood was smeared across it.
He pocketed that one and handed over a fresh note of one thousand nyang to Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
But the old man extended his hand for the bloodstained one.
“Keep the new one.”
“This one is fine.”
A thought suddenly came to Geom Mugeuk—perhaps Blood Heaven Blade Demon considered even this bloodstained note to be part of a shared memory with One-Slash Sword Supreme.
He passed the note back to him.
Just then—
“Shame on you.”
The one who had spoken coldly was Chu Yeon.
Geom Mugeuk and Blood Heaven Blade Demon turned their eyes toward her.
“No matter how precious the Treasure Map may be, for a martial artist to yield to the threats of bandits and pay money—how disgraceful. And then to rummage through a corpse to retrieve that money, even worse.”
Her contemptuous gaze lingered, but Geom Mugeuk answered.
“You are mistaken, young lady.”
At once, Chu Yeon’s face hardened. A mere porter had dared to tell her she was wrong.
Geom Mugeuk looked at Blood Heaven Blade Demon and continued.
“Elder here paid as a choice to save everyone.”
This time, Blood Heaven Blade Demon flinched inwardly. Save everyone? When had he ever intended that?
“If these people rushed inside, they would end up killing one another. But since Elder paid, it set the tone that one must pay to enter. And with a thousand nyang being such a fortune, most here cannot afford it. In the end, Elder has spared all their lives. This, too, stems from his compassion.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon gave a dry cough at the interpretation, far more flattering than the truth.
Just as Chu Yeon was about to dismiss it as twisted sophistry, Geom Mugeuk struck home.
“But even though he spared them, they all rushed inside regardless. You, young lady, could have stopped them. Or perhaps, deep down, you wished them to go in and die?”
Chu Yeon’s face twitched. Startlingly, that had indeed crossed her mind moments earlier. And to have that laid bare by someone who carried baggage like a servant—it enraged her.
Just then, shouts burst out from within the cave.
“There it is! The Treasure Map!”
Screams followed, and the clash of weapons rang out. Then the noise receded into the depths.
“You must enter at once,” one of her subordinates urged.
Chu Yeon nodded.
Before stepping into the cave, she cast a frosty glance back at Geom Mugeuk. She did not draw her hand across his throat, but her eyes said it all: see me again, and you die.
Once she and her people went inside, the three of them entered as well. Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been teased endlessly until now, smiled with satisfaction.
“It seems you’ll be the first to be eliminated, Geom.”