Chapter v11c5

They rejoined the group around the time the sun was setting behind the western mountains, between 5 and 7 PM. By then, the five incense sticks had long since burned out, and an additional stick had been lit to measure the extra time needed.

Namgung Sang managed to maintain his dignity as the leader by arriving first among the group. Hyun Woon and Jin Ryeong took second and third place, respectively. Unfortunately, Nohak came in fourth, earning the “privilege” of climbing the mountain again. He would have preferred to split his stomach open instead.

They had probably run faster than they ever had in their lives. All sixteen members were utterly exhausted, on the verge of collapse. Although it was a race, none of them had the energy for a second climb. They had expended too much internal energy in a short period. If they had climbed the mountain at an average pace, they wouldn’t have been so exhausted. However, the competitive spirit had driven them all into the depths of fatigue. All sixteen members lay sprawled on the ground, completely spent. Even the fiery Yeomdo couldn’t bring himself to order them to climb again.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you collapse after just that?”

‘Just that? That far?’

The other representatives, who were listening to Yeomdo’s voice in the heavy silence, felt a chill run down their spines. If Yeomdo’s wrath were to turn towards them… they might need to start writing their wills.

“I didn’t train you to be this weak. How can you survive in this harsh martial world, let alone win the challenging Mount Hua Sect’s Hundred-Year Agreement Conference, if you’re this feeble?”

Yeomdo’s words were as sharp as a blade.

“I don’t want to see your weak faces anymore today. But if you disappoint me again tomorrow, you’d better be prepared. Dismissed!”

As soon as Yeomdo finished speaking, the Jujakdan members collapsed, foaming at the mouth. Yeomdo clicked his tongue as he watched them lying around haphazardly. Bi Ryu Yeon approached him and glanced at the incense burner before quietly saying,

“That’s too many. Reduce it to three.”

Yeomdo nodded silently. He then turned to a few representatives who were watching anxiously and gave a cold command.

“Carry them!”

At Yeomdo’s order, a few male and female representatives lifted the unconscious Jujakdan members onto their backs. Yeomdo also hoisted Namgung Sang onto his own back. Namgung Sang’s arms hung limply over Yeomdo’s shoulders. A strange light flickered in Yeomdo’s eyes.

“Useless brat! Let’s go!”

At Yeomdo’s command, the delegation quickly resumed their journey. They needed to reach their target village before the sun completely set.

**Chi Sa Han’s Reflections**

‘…be cautious!’

Chi Sa Han was lost in thought in his office, recalling an indelible memory from the past.

‘Who exactly was that warning referring to?’

He still remembered the event clearly. It happened shortly after the death of Gal Hyo Bong, the grandson of the martial demon Pae Cheondo Gal Jung Hyuk, which had thrown the dark sect into chaos. After the Black Heaven Alliance Leader Gal Jung Cheon declared bloody vengeance, one of the Black Heaven Alliance’s elite forces, The flying iron cavalry of death Squad, left the alliance but returned with the unbelievable news of their defeat without even reaching the front gates of Cheonmu Academy.

The leader of The flying iron cavalry of death Squad, Jil Pung Muk Heon Gu Cheon Hak, accepted his crushing defeat without any excuses and asked for punishment. Strangely, he remained silent about who, how, and why he lost. None of the squad members spoke a word about the incident either. Gal Jung Cheon, in a fit of rage, considered stripping him of his position but was persuaded by strong opposition to reduce the punishment to three months of solitary confinement.

When Chi Sa Han heard the news, he couldn’t contain his curiosity. Who could have effortlessly broken through The flying iron cavalry of death Squad’s Qi Spear Assault and turned Gu Cheon Hak’s Invisible Spear into straw? Unable to resist his curiosity, he decided to meet Gu Cheon Hak in person.

Gu Cheon Hak, who narrowly avoided being called the former leader of The flying iron cavalry of death Squad, was confined to a damp, moldy underground solitary cell.

“Open it!”

He had already gone through the proper procedures and received permission. Moreover, the warden had hinted that no one who had visited Gu Cheon Hak before had learned anything. Creak! The iron door opened with a harsh grinding sound, revealing the thick darkness within.

Gu Cheon Hak sat cross-legged on the hard stone bed, his eyes closed in meditation. His hair was disheveled, and his beard was unkempt from months of neglect. Despite over two months of solitary confinement, his overwhelming presence remained. If anything, the darkness seemed to have sharpened his aura even more. Chi Sa Han felt a shiver run down his spine, as if he were staring at a sharp spear.

Gu Cheon Hak slowly opened his eyes and looked at Chi Sa Han. Chi Sa Han flinched at the beast-like intensity in his gaze. It was a powerful look, far from that of a defeated man. He was trembling with fierce determination, like a warrior ready for a life-and-death duel. Judging by the recent marks on the walls, it seemed he hadn’t neglected his training even in the darkness.

The solitary cell was quite spacious, allowing for ample training. No one disturbed his training; in fact, it was encouraged. In the monotonous darkness, there was little else to do but train body and mind.

The only downside was that, as a prisoner, he couldn’t possess any weapons.

“What brings the strategist of the Demon Heaven Pavilion to this humble place?”

The two men were acquainted.

“It’s been a while, Leader Gu.”

Their different affiliations made it awkward to rank or hierarchize them, so they addressed each other with respect.

“Leader… It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that title. Now, I’m just a mere prisoner.”

“A prisoner? You’re just in temporary confinement.”

Chi Sa Han offered a customary consolation.

“But it doesn’t change the fact that I’m a prisoner.”

There was a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. Arguing about it was pointless, so Chi Sa Han decided to steer the conversation toward his purpose for being there.

“What is that in your hand?”

It looked like a chopstick, but it wasn’t mealtime, and it was a single chopstick, like a lone goose. Gu Cheon Hak held up the chopstick.

“This?”

Chi Sa Han nodded. He was curious why Gu Cheon Hak cherished a single chopstick so much.

“It’s my spear.”

Gu Cheon Hak answered calmly.

“A spear?”

Gu Cheon Hak nodded, but Chi Sa Han couldn’t understand.

“A spear is a weapon over nine feet long with a sharp metal tip, isn’t it?”

Chi Sa Han looked bewilderedly between Gu Cheon Hak’s face and the chopstick he called a spear.

“This is also a spear.”

Gu Cheon Hak insisted, not backing down from his claim. Chi Sa Han felt like he was being treated like a fool.

“But why… that… spear?”

Chi Sa Han struggled to say the word “spear.”

“I learned spear techniques, so I must wield a spear. But since I don’t have my beloved spear here, I use this to practice.”

The slender wooden chopstick was his substitute spear.

“Is that possible?”

“Of course.”

Gu Cheon Hak pointed to a wall with his finger. Following his finger, Chi Sa Han pressed his face close to the wall and squinted his eyes to see it.

The wall was riddled with tiny holes, like an ant’s nest. Counting them was impossible. Chi Sa Han suddenly felt a chill. Despite being confined in such harsh conditions, Gu Cheon Hak’s martial arts had not weakened; they had grown stronger. He was a person who should never be underestimated. If he became an obstacle to their grand plan, it would be a significant problem.

Chi Sa Han felt a growing sense of caution towards Gu Cheon Hak.

“Why are you training so desperately?”

Such intense training couldn’t be just a pastime. Chi Sa Han sensed that Gu Cheon Hak was extremely determined.

“There is someone I must defeat with my own hands. I can’t let anyone else do it.”

Gu Cheon Hak’s eyes flashed with a fierce light, and an overwhelming fighting spirit erupted from him. Chi Sa Han flinched at the intensity.

‘Who could have defeated the powerful Iron Horn Flying Horse Squad led by such a terrifying man? The person Gu Cheon Hak must defeat must be that person. If so, that person must be a monster. I must find out their identity.’

Chi Sa Han’s mind raced. Just as he was about to speak again, Gu Cheon Hak interrupted.

“Now, please leave.”

Chi Sa Han was taken aback by the sudden dismissal.

“What do you mean? I haven’t asked anything yet, Leader Gu.”

He hadn’t expected to be dismissed so abruptly.

“Didn’t you come to ask about that day?”

There was a hint of bitterness in his tone.

“Yes!”

Why else would he come to this moldy place? Chi Sa Han nodded.

“Then I have nothing to say. My answer remains the same.”

Gu Cheon Hak’s silence was resolute. He didn’t seem like someone who would easily change his mind. Such a person was undoubtedly stubborn. A forceful approach wouldn’t work. Such people would rather break than bend.

Chi Sa Han decided to try a different tactic.

“Leader Gu, do you know that the Mount Hua Sect’s Hundred-Year Agreement Conference is approaching?”

“Of course.”

“You must also understand how important it is for our Black Heaven Alliance, the Demon Heaven Pavilion, and the entire dark sect.”

Gu Cheon Hak nodded again. He was perfectly normal. Not understanding its importance would be abnormal in the current martial world.

**”Achoo!”**

Meanwhile, far away by the shores of Lake Poyang, someone sneezed. His long black bangs tickled his nose.

Chi Sa Han smiled and continued.

“Given the significance of such an important event, shouldn’t we be aware of any variables? If we face unexpected situations without any preparation, people will be caught off guard. And that confusion won’t benefit our dark sect. If it leads to our defeat by the righteous sects… of course, that mustn’t happen, but if it does, it would be a nightmare.”

His words implied that Gu Cheon Hak’s silence could harm the entire dark sect and be considered a betrayal. Chi Sa Han looked at Gu Cheon Hak’s face again, but it was unclear if he understood the hidden meaning.

“If what I experienced wasn’t a dream, no preparation will be enough.”

Gu Cheon Hak’s response was firm. What could be so terrifying that even a man like him would consider it a nightmare? Chi Sa Han couldn’t fathom it, making him even more anxious. It meant that the variable was significant.

“I have only one piece of advice.”

“What is it?”

Chi Sa Han’s ears perked up. He was determined not to miss a word.

“Beware of the boy with long bangs that cover his eyes. Him…”

**Flap!**

‘What does a boy with long bangs have to do with danger?’

Chi Sa Han’s reflections on Gu Cheon Hak’s cryptic last words were interrupted by the sound of wings announcing the arrival of a messenger hawk. It was a secret message delivered directly to him, bypassing the usual channels.

“Have we received a message?”

A cold, calculating gaze turned towards Chi Sa Han.

“Yes! We just received a message from Red Blood.”

“And the content?”

“They have finally made contact with the deer. They will now begin covert tracking.”

The Grand Prince nodded silently.

“And they request further instructions.”

“Proceed with Phase 2 of the operation. Let’s see what they’re capable of.”

“Understood!”