Fist Demon of Mount Hua - Chapter 28

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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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Episode 28. Everyone must stand alone someday—3
Dam Ho lay on the bed. But sleep did not come easily. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t slept properly in quite some time.
Though the Night Luminous Pearl cast a faint glow, it could not illuminate the entire Underground Cavern. Because of this, night and day blurred together, and the boundary itself grew dim.
Now it didn’t matter whether he slept or stayed awake. Even without sleep, his fatigue would naturally dissolve.
Once, he had needed to sit in lotus position and practice Qi Cultivation. Now, even at rest, his breath naturally circulated.
He could not remember when this began.
In the darkness, the Zhong Tian Heart Sutra found new paths. As he studied the Demonic Sect’s teachings, he absorbed their influence. And so the Zhong Tian Heart Sutra had transformed beyond recognition from its original form.
Whether this was progress or regression, he could not say. But it was true that a new technique, one that had never before existed, had been born.
Dam Ho named this new technique the Dark Soul Heart Technique. He chose the name because it had been created in darkness.
The Internal Power built through the Dark Soul Heart Technique was heavy and possessed a dark nature. And even without Dam Ho actively cultivating, it moved of its own accord, growing in volume.
Whether he slept, moved, or even ate, his Inner Energy accumulated naturally. At this very moment, the Dark Soul Heart Technique was moving on its own, building his Qi.
Dam Ho lay with his arm propped beneath his head, gazing blankly at the ceiling.
The sun had set, and the room was dark. The ceiling was black. But to Dam Ho’s eyes, it was as bright as midday.
Even darkness was not uniform—the darkness of the Underground Cavern differed from that of the outside world. If the darkness beyond was light and weightless, then the darkness here was infinitely heavy and damp. Like the Dark Soul Heart Technique itself.
“Master.”
Suddenly a hoarse voice escaped Dam Ho’s lips.
His voice carried longing—a human emotion laid bare for the first time since leaving the underground.
Whenever he thought of his master, one corner of his heart ached. He wanted to rush to Mount Hua at once. He wanted to see Hyun So. But it was not yet time.
His master had told him to come to Mount Hua only when he had confidence that he would not waver even in the Great Storms of the World.
First, he needed to confirm something. Did he truly possess the strength to stand unmoved by the world’s harsh winds? Could he stand solely on his own power?
Lost in these thoughts, dawn broke without his knowing. Dam Ho did not sleep at all and came to the dining hall instead.
Jeom So-yi tilted his head in confusion.
The man had come from inside, so he was certainly a guest. But Jeom So-yi had no memory of receiving a guest like him yesterday.
“Who is this?”
Yesterday he had received only one guest. And he remembered bringing that man a knife and scissors.
“Could it be…”
“It’s me.”
“So it was you. I had no idea you were so handsome.”
“Is food ready?”
“Oh, yes! I prepared it in advance, so please wait just a moment.”
As Dam Ho took his seat at the table, Jeom So-yi hurried toward the kitchen. He returned shortly, carrying a tray laden with food.
“Lamb skewers, flatbread with vegetables, and a pastry made with lamb. I think you’ll find it quite palatable.”
Jeom So-yi set the dishes on the table and turned to leave, but Dam Ho stopped him.
“How long does it take from here to reach the Central Plains?”
“You’re thinking of going alone?”
“Yes.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“Is there a reason I can’t go?”
“Bandits have been rampant these days, or so I hear.”
“Bandits?”
“Yes! They roam in bands, plundering small merchant caravans and travelers. The damage is severe, they say. I’d advise you not to go alone, but to gather more companions. It’s far safer in numbers, after all.”
“I understand.”
“Give it serious thought. A journey of ten days alone would be no small hardship.”
“Ten days, you say…”
Dam Ho tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.
“If you’re still determined to go alone, try the market. They sell supplies for travel. Let’s see—what would you need? A Wind-Resistant Robe to guard against sand winds, provisions for the road, and… ah, a horse to ride as well.”
While Jeom So-yi rambled on, Dam Ho finished his meal.
Toro-ban was a city with a most distinctive character. The cultures of the Central Plains and the Western Region had mingled, creating their own distinct atmosphere, which gave the place a palpable foreign air.
Han, non-Han, and Hui peoples lived together in Toro-ban, and the markets there were always crowded. Centered around Lu Zhou, people from afar gathered here and frequently held trade fairs.
According to Jeom So-yi, the scale was substantial, and if one searched thoroughly, one could find quite useful items. He spoke in detail about the prices of goods as well.
Dam Ho committed Jeom So-yi’s words to memory and stepped outside.
Countless people thronged the streets. The voices of haggling merchants echoed noisily.
A deep furrow carved itself between Dam Ho’s brows.
In his youth, he had lived in a quiet mountain village. Later he had grown up in Mount Hua Sect, a Daoist order. And until coming here, he had lived only in an empty underground space. Such a raucous scene was utterly alien to him.
Dam Ho stood in the middle of the street for a moment, at a loss for how to proceed.
Now nothing constrained him, and no wall stood in his way. Yet he could not move easily.
For the first time in his life, he had been cast alone into the world.
No parents. No master.
Now he had to rise by his own strength alone.
He had to take his first step.
Dam Ho began to move toward the world.
His first destination was the marketplace Jeom So-yi had mentioned.
A place where countless merchants spread their wares and haggled for trade. A place where people raised their voices, each seeking to obtain what they desired.
“Come now, fine silks brought in from the Central Plains.”
“Spices imported from the Western Region.”
The merchants’ voices pierced through the air.
Dam Ho walked among them.
He suppressed his killing intent from radiating outward and made an effort to soften the sharpness in his gaze. Though still more intense than an ordinary person, the oppressive aura that had weighed down his surroundings had diminished considerably. Because of this, the people passing near him felt no sense of discomfort.
Stalls were laden with objects he had never seen before in his life. There were silks that looked as refined as the merchants claimed, and jars whose purpose remained unclear.
Some sold exotic artifacts from the Western Region, while others peddled various ornaments and jewelry.
Dam Ho took in everything his eyes could see.
How long had he walked like this? Suddenly, Dam Ho caught sight of a merchant selling clothing made from beast hides.
What drew Dam Ho’s eye was one black leather robe among the garments the merchant displayed. Like a wind-resistant robe, it had generous cut, and the collar that rose all the way to the neck was striking.
Dam Ho’s feet turned toward the stall, and the merchant’s face brightened.
“Welcome, welcome.”
“You sell these as well?”
“Of course, sir. Which one would interest you?”
Dam Ho picked up the black leather robe without a word.
“What excellent taste you have! This is made from bear hide. Since it was crafted from a single piece with no seams whatsoever, it is extraordinarily durable. Ordinary swords will scarcely pierce it.”
Though the merchant’s speech carried the characteristic exaggeration of his trade, the seamless construction did indeed suggest remarkable durability.
“How much?”
“Well, let me see…”
A flicker of conflict appeared in the merchant’s eyes.
The black leather robe Dam Ho held was indeed made of bear hide. It was sturdy enough, but unfortunately this place lay not far from the desert.
No one wished to wear the heavy, suffocating clothing made from bear skin. That was why the merchant had priced it cheaply. But seeing Dam Ho’s genuine interest, greed stirred in his heart.
“Ten silver taels…”
“…”
Their eyes met, and in that instant the merchant froze as though turned to ice.
‘What… what kind of eyes…’
Eyes as deep and dark as a bottomless abyss, holding no emotion whatsoever.
A shudder ran through him.
Without knowing why, his spine crawled with gooseflesh.
He was afraid.
The merchant hastily changed his words.
“F-forgive me, sir. Just five taels. That is more than sufficient.”
“Will that do?”
“Yes! Of course, sir.”
Dam Ho did not bother to haggle further and drew silver taels from his garments, handing them to the merchant.
Dam Ho draped the black leather robe over his shoulders.
It fit perfectly, as though the merchant had known his measurements from the start. The merchant, who had been frozen in fear moments before, gasped in admiration at the sight.
“It suits you splendidly, sir.”
Dam Ho nodded silently.
Even without the merchant’s words, the robe made from bear hide pleased him greatly. Though not visible on the outside, the interior was lined with numerous pockets that made storage convenient.
Dam Ho placed the receipt and silver taels into one of the inner pockets.
While he was at it, Dam Ho also purchased a leather bag from the merchant. It appeared spacious enough to hold a considerable amount of cargo.
Dam Ho walked through the marketplace buying dried rations, filling the bag until it grew quite heavy.
He had already heard prices from Jeom So-yi, so he roughly knew the going rate. Most merchants quoted higher than what he knew to be fair, but Dam Ho saw no need to haggle with them.
He felt no necessity to bargain, and the coin he carried was more than sufficient.
The last place Dam Ho visited was the livestock market at the marketplace’s outer edge.
There was no animal that could not be found here.
From small creatures like chickens and dogs to horses, oxen, and camels—it seemed as though every creature under heaven existed in this place.
As Dam Ho entered the livestock market, the stench of animal waste assaulted his nose. Even he grimaced momentarily at the intense stimulus. But he quickly adapted and moved deeper into the market.
The horses were kept at the far end of the livestock market, and there were many varieties.
Some were enormous, while others had coats that shone a fiery red. The merchants, each insisting their horse was a magnificent steed, clamored to catch Dam Ho’s attention.
But Dam Ho paid them no mind and walked forward methodically. The neighing of the horses assaulted his ears in a cacophony.
Then, abruptly, Dam Ho’s footsteps halted.
There stood a horse as black as the robe he wore—one that neither reared nor pranced like the others, but stood perfectly still.
Though its build was not particularly large, the other horses strangely did not approach its side.
Dam Ho gazed intently at the black horse, and the animal stepped forward toward him, exhaling warm breath.
Whinnied-soft!
As the black horse drew near, the other mounts around it startled and retreated, whinnying in fear.
It stared directly at Dam Ho.
There was an icy coldness in those eyes—so much so that one could hardly believe they belonged to a horse at all.
A smile played at the corners of Dam Ho’s mouth.
He found the creature’s defiant gaze appealing.
Dam Ho’s eyes flickered with a chilling light for just a moment, and the black horse flinched, turning its head away.
Then a strange voice called out.
“Ha! The beast seems to have taken quite a liking to you, friend. That’s rare indeed.”
It was a portly Hui merchant wearing a small cap on his head. He approached Dam Ho, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Greetings to you, friend. I am Deung Won, this creature’s owner. Does the beast strike your fancy?”
Dam Ho regarded the Hui merchant, who broke into a wide grin.
“I can see that it does. I’ll give you a fair price.”
……
“Truth be told, the creature’s been nothing but trouble. I managed to catch it running wild on the plains well enough, but it won’t be broken, won’t carry a rider—it’s given me nothing but headaches.”
“How much?”
“Ah! A man of swift action, I see. Excellent! I’ll be generous and ask only five hundred taels in silver. That’s practically giving it away.”
Before the Hui merchant could even finish speaking, Dam Ho pulled five banknotes from his pouch and tossed them over.
“That settle it?”
“Ha! No haggling at all?”
A look of regret crossed the merchant’s face.
He couldn’t help but think he should have asked for more if the man was going to pay so readily.
The merchant had spoken truly—the black horse was indeed troublesome. Since it refused to carry a rider, it had been impossible to sell.
Many had sought to become its master over the years, yet the black horse had never allowed any of them to ride it. Its temperament was far too vicious.
But Dam Ho had paid without so much as testing the animal. From the merchant’s perspective, this was a painful loss. Still, he quickly reconsidered.
‘If that devil of a horse refuses him again, I can demand the money back.’
With that thought, he spoke again.
“Here, I’ll throw in a saddle as well. Mount up and be on your way. The horse is yours now.”
The Hui merchant lifted the saddle that hung nearby onto the black horse’s back and stepped away.
Dam Ho gently patted the horse’s crest, and the black horse nickered contentedly in response, tossing its mane.
In one fluid motion, Dam Ho swung himself onto the black horse’s back. The merchant retreated several paces, fully expecting the rider to be thrown off. But contrary to his expectations, the black horse stood perfectly still—as though it had finally found its true master.
“How can this be!”
The merchant’s jaw fell open.
Paying him no mind, Dam Ho patted the horse’s crest and spoke.
“From this moment on, your name is Black Ghost.”
Neigh!
The black horse let out a cry as though it understood.
And so the black horse became Black Ghost.

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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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