Fist Demon of Mount Hua - Chapter 148

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 147: A Pain Worse Than Death—Part One
The Green King Hall was the largest pavilion within Paewang Fortress.
Normally it remained sealed shut, but it would open whenever a decision of grave importance to Nokrim’s fate needed to be made.
Jo Yun San, in his capacity as Fortress Master of Huksoo Fortress, proposed that the Green King Hall be opened. And Hwang Gyeong Moon accepted his proposal without hesitation.
Around a long table sat Hwang Gyeong Moon at the head, with Jo Yun San, Gwak Sam, O Jong Sam, and Yi Ga Heun arranged beside him.
It was a gathering of Fortress Masters who commanded considerable power among Nokrim’s Eighteen Strongholds. Naturally, a stringent security cordon had been established around the Green King Hall.
Hwang Gyeong Moon sat in the seat of honor and regarded Jo Yun San.
Though the absolute sovereign of Nokrim gazed upon him, Jo Yun San showed no sign of intimidation. Instead, his eyes were fixed firmly forward, meeting Hwang Gyeong Moon’s stare without flinching.
“Fortress Master Jo.”
“Yes, Chief of All Strongholds.”
“Tell me why you asked to open the Green King Hall today.”
“It is because of the Demon Cult.”
“The Demon Cult, you say…”
“As you doubtless know, the re-emergence of the Demon Cult is now fact. Already, sects have been utterly destroyed by their hand.”
“And so?”
“I believe that we in Nokrim must also deliberate on measures to stand against the Demon Cult. This is why we have gathered here.”
At Jo Yun San’s explanation, Hwang Gyeong Moon turned his gaze to the other Fortress Masters.
“Do you all share this conviction?”
“We do.”
Three voices answered as one.
Hwang Gyeong Moon regarded them with an expression of intrigue.
“Impressive—that you would think to prepare for an assault by the Demon Cult.”
“Should not Nokrim survive, regardless of all else?”
“True enough.”
“Though they could not attend this gathering, seven Mountain Strongholds have pledged to stand with us.”
“Remarkable. Might I know which strongholds these are?”
“Oho Stronghold, North King Stronghold, Kunsan Stronghold, White Horse Stronghold, Huam Stronghold, Red Dragon Stronghold, and Great Light Stronghold. Here is the Approval Document Seal bearing their seals and signatures.”
Jo Yun San withdrew a rolled Approval Document Seal from his breast. He offered it to Hwang Gyeong Moon with deliberate care.
When the seal was unfurled, the names of the Fortress Masters and their personal seals appeared in their own hand. It was undoubtedly authentic.
“You are telling me that all of these have resolved to prepare against an invasion by the Demon Cult?”
“Indeed. They have all pledged their full support for my position.”
“You must have been exceedingly busy.”
The Mountain Strongholds listed on the seal were scattered across the length and breadth of the Central Plains. The nearest was over five hundred li from Huksoo Fortress, while the farthest lay thousands of li distant.
In ordinary times, even communication was rare—news from them arrived perhaps once a year. That he had secured support across such geographical barriers was itself a stark testament to Jo Yun San’s abilities.
Hwang Gyeong Moon’s eyes narrowed. Jo Yun San smiled before him.
‘He secured support from seven strongholds, yet I thought only of those who accompanied him here?’
If so, ten Mountain Strongholds in total had now aligned with Jo Yun San. This was no mere matter of three Fortress Masters traveling in his company—it was a development of grave significance.
Jo Yun San opened his mouth, still wearing a gentle smile.
“I too was surprised that so many Fortress Masters would so readily inscribe their seals upon the document. It speaks to the depth of their devotion to Nokrim.”
“Indeed. If you have secured support from seven Mountain Strongholds, then you must also have devised a plan to counter the Demon Cult’s threat.”
“Of course.”
“I should like to hear it. What solution have you conceived?”
“You will not be disappointed, I assure you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Jo Yun San answered with absolute confidence.
As his smile deepened, Hwang Gyeong Moon’s expression hardened like stone.
“Then, what is this plan?”
“It is quite simple: you must step down from your position, Chief of All Strongholds.”
“Your jest has grown tedious.”
“It is no jest. We have concluded that we cannot effectively stand against the Demon Cult under your leadership.”
“And so?”
“We ask that you voluntarily relinquish your seat.”
Jo Yun San spoke without hesitation.
In that instant, the air in the hall grew cold as though ice water had been poured upon it.
“Step down? I, Hwang Gyeong Moon?”
“Yes. For Nokrim’s sake, and for your own honor. Nokrim now needs someone younger, more visionary.”
“Someone like yourself?”
“I will not deny it.”
Jo Yun San laid bare the ambition he had concealed until now. And the Fortress Masters who had come with him voiced their accord.
“The era of the Chief of All Strongholds has faded. Nokrim needs a new man.”
“Step down.”
“If you won’t withdraw of your own accord, I’ll have no choice but to force you out. I pray you won’t suffer such indignity. Let this be an honorable retirement. I mean every word.”
“Hah!”
Hwang Gyeong Moon laughed.
He had known of Jo Yun San’s ambitions long ago.
There was no way he couldn’t have. The man had distinguished himself even before becoming Master of the Black Water Faction.
“You’ve devoted yourself to Nokrim for what—twenty years now?”
“That’s correct.”
“A sufficient span to mature one’s ambitions, I’d say.”
“Without you as Chief, it would have been achieved far sooner.”
“Still bearing a grudge over that day, then?”
A chill began to gather in Hwang Gyeong Moon’s eyes. In that instant, the air of the hall grew cold.
The mastery of Internal Martial Energy accumulated within his body synchronizing with external force—a feat only the rarest few among the Nine Great Sects and other colossal schools could demonstrate.
The expressions of Gwak Sam and the others shifted.
‘Is the Chief truly capable of such power?’
Hwang Gyeong Moon had ascended to absolute supremacy in Nokrim decades ago, and his strength was already widely renowned. Yet none had imagined he had risen to such heights.
His power was the object of reverence.
Because of him, Nokrim could not be disrespected, and today’s glory had been achieved.
He was the stalwart bulwark that protected Nokrim. Yet to those who coveted its dominion, he was a wall of despair.
Nokrim was a pleasant name to give them, but fundamentally they were bandits who made their trade in plunder.
They loved freedom more than morality and discipline, and deemed the theft of another’s wealth natural and right. But Hwang Gyeong Moon had forbidden indiscriminate looting and ruled them with an iron hand.
Discontent was bound to fester. Yet with Hwang Gyeong Moon standing firm, they had no choice but to endure.
Thus decades passed, and internal resentment only swelled. The Fortress Masters who led each mountain stronghold especially bore the grievances of their men.
It was then that Jo Yun San came to them. With cunning eloquence, he stirred their desires and discontent.
That was why they sided with him. But now, face to face with Hwang Gyeong Moon’s terrible presence, the confidence they had painfully cultivated seemed to vanish without a trace.
Yet one man alone—Jo Yun San—still wore his smile.
“On the contrary, I’m grateful. Because it gave me a purpose.”
“What are you saying?”
“That humiliation made me who I am today.”
“Humiliation? You’ve been thinking of it that way all these years?”
“You took everything my men and I gained through blood and sweat. It was not yours to claim.”
“I can overlook plundering goods. But I cannot abide the sale of children into slavery—infants barely weaned from their mother.”
“So you took that child and raised her as your own daughter? Knowing full well what she would do when she grew old enough to learn the truth of her origins?”
Jo Yun San’s eyes gleamed with madness.
Hwang Gyeong Moon regarded him thus and clicked his tongue.
“I’ve heard enough. Yun Chung.”
“Yes, Chief!”
Yun Chung, who had been waiting outside, stepped in.
Behind him appeared a contingent of martial masters—the elite of Paewang Fortress. They arrayed themselves behind Hwang Gyeong Moon.
Hwang Gyeong Moon stroked his white beard and spoke.
“Treat them with courtesy as you escort them out. And we must hold the Fortress Masters who affixed their seals to the Approval Document accountable.”
“Yes!”
Yun Chung answered respectfully.
Hwang Gyeong Moon looked at Jo Yun San.
“Using the Demon Cult as pretext—that surprised even me. I have no cause to object. But you’ve made a grave error. You’ve walked straight into the jaws of a tiger.”
“True, Paewang Fortress is indeed a tiger’s maw. But we shall see whose throat those jaws close around.”
“What?”
Thud!
In that instant, Hwang Gyeong Moon felt a terrible surge of pain at his lower back.
“Ugh!”
Hwang Gyeong Moon’s frame lurched.
Turning, he saw a dark-crimson Poisoned Dagger embedded in his lower back, its hilt alone remaining visible.
“What—?”
Hwang Gyeong Moon’s eyes registered utter disbelief.
The one who had driven the dagger was none other than his trusted lieutenant, Yun Chung.
“Forgive me, brother.”
“You… why?”
Hwang Gyeong Moon’s voice trembled of its own accord.
Yun Chung had been his companion for decades. Together they had led Paewang Fortress, and no one had served him more faithfully. That such a man could drive a dagger into his back was inconceivable.
Jo Yun San answered in Yun Chung’s stead.
“Because he is a man of ambition.”
“Ambition?”
“Yun Chung can hardly remain the second-in-command forever, can he? After thirty years in that position, it’s only natural he would dream of becoming first. We have already agreed to push him forward as the Chief of All Strongholds.”
Gwak Sam and the others nodded at Jo Yun San’s words.
Hwang Gyeong Moon turned to Yun Chung. “Is what he says true?”

“Forgive me, brother.”
“How could you?”
“You have borne the weight of being Nokrim’s absolute authority for thirty years. It is time you rested in peace, brother.”
Hwang Gyeong Moon let out a hollow laugh.

Yun Chung was the one he trusted most—the only one he believed would never betray him, no matter how the world turned. That betrayal struck him a cruel blow.
Yet Hwang Gyeong Moon straightened his spine.
“I grew careless. Such meticulous preparation. Truly remarkable.”
“We face the Martial Code of the Sovereign Tyrant himself. Of course we prepared thoroughly.”
“But if you think this alone will bring me down, you are gravely mistaken. Do you imagine such a wound would make me even blink?”
Hwang Gyeong Moon drew the Poisoned Dagger from his belt.
Crunch.
The blood-stained blade crumpled pathetically in his grip.
He hurled the ruined dagger to the ground and drew his inner power. A wave of force like a towering mountain swept across the chamber.
Every face went pale. None had anticipated he could still command such momentum with those wounds upon him.
Yet Jo Yun San alone remained unmoved.
“Did you truly believe I meant to subjugate the Chief of All Strongholds with merely that?”
“Then…”
“I coated the dagger’s tip with several poisons.”
“Poisons?”
“Sanggong Poison and Pae-Hyeol-San. As you know, Sanggong Poison scatters one’s internal energy, while Pae-Hyeol-San is a deadly toxin that corrodes the lungs. Even if it does not kill the Chief of All Strongholds, it will be more than sufficient to render him powerless.”
“Impressive. You have prepared with true thoroughness.”
“You are too kind.”
Jo Yun San raised his hand. The elite warriors of Paewang Fortress who had been standing behind Yun Chung closed in around Hwang Gyeong Moon.
“Have you too turned traitor?”
“Forgive us.”
“Whatever price Jo Yun San promised you, you will come to regret it soon enough.”
Hwang Gyeong Moon gritted his teeth.
Already his power was fragmenting, strand by strand. The Sanggong Poison that Jo Yun San had prepared was working perfectly.
Blood at the corners of his mouth—proof that the Pae-Hyeol-San was attacking his lungs.
‘I must end this swiftly. The longer I drag it out, the worse my position becomes.’
“One more thing—do not expect aid from outside. Gwon Ma will die horribly in Chamhoe Cave, and Hye Ryeong will not survive either. With your death, Nokrim will enter a new era.”
Jo Yun San’s smile widened with cruel satisfaction.
In that instant, the warriors surrounding Hwang Gyeong Moon rushed at him as one.
Clash!
A battle without precedent in Nokrim’s history had begun—vicious, and without mercy.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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