Fist Demon of Mount Hua - Chapter 63

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

Episode 63. To Covet What Belongs to Others, One Must Wager What One Holds Dear—Part 1
Gu Joong Myeong, the steward of Hong Am Mountain Estate, ascended the platform. The gathered crowd watched him with eager anticipation.
Gu Joong Myeong smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping across the assembly. Countless faces waited with barely contained impatience for him to speak.
He bore the weight of their expectations.
At last, he opened his mouth.
“I must first extend my gratitude to all the honored guests from far and wide who have graced us with their presence to celebrate the 60th birthday of our estate master, Yi Sin Poong.”
The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on Gu Joong Myeong. Their faces brimmed with keen anticipation.
“I present to you our estate master, Yi Sin Poong.”
The moment Gu Joong Myeong finished speaking, a small door beneath the platform swung open, and Yi Sin Poong stepped into view.
Though Yi Sin Poong had reached his 60th year, his appearance suggested he had not yet passed fifty.
His frame stood tall and commanding—a full six feet—and his face bore a reddish hue that spoke to his robust constitution. The bold, generous features of his face seemed to mirror his forthright nature.
The moment Yi Sin Poong appeared before the crowd for the first time, a tremendous roar of acclaim erupted through the hall.
“Hail! There stands Yi Sin Poong!”
“We celebrate your birthday, Yi Sin Poong.”
“Our congratulations.”
Yi Sin Poong smiled and clasped his fists in greeting to the assembly.
“Ha ha ha! You are too kind. I know you all must be terribly busy, yet you have come to celebrate this old man’s birthday—I am truly grateful.”
“You are far more than merely the master of Hong Am Mountain Estate. You are the spiritual pillar of Ganshu Province itself, and we would not dream of missing such an occasion.”
“Indeed.”
The crowd vied with one another to offer congratulations, each striving to position themselves more prominently in Yi Sin Poong’s view.
Yi Sin Poong was not a man one encountered easily. The competition among them to etch their faces into his memory was fierce indeed.
Though such constant attention might have exhausted others, Yi Sin Poong maintained an unchanging smile. This only deepened the crowd’s fondness for him.
Yi Sin Poong ascended the platform amid the crowd’s enthusiastic welcomes.
“I am truly grateful to all of you gathered here. This old man, who has done nothing of consequence, has already reached his 60th year. I ask that you do not begrudge me for having lived so long, but rather enjoy this occasion with gladness in your hearts.”
“Ha ha ha!”
The crowd burst into unified laughter.
Someone raised a cup brimming with wine.
“We celebrate your birthday, Yi Sin Poong.”
“Our congratulations.”
“May you live ten thousand years in good health.”
Following suit, others raised their cups and offered their words of blessing.
Yi Sin Poong too raised his cup.
“Thank you. Ha ha ha!”
He drained his cup in a single draught. At once, the multitude below the platform drank as one.
It was a magnificent sight, one to quicken the heart. The celebration reached its crescendo, and the crowd laughed and reveled, fully immersed in Yi Sin Poong’s 60th birthday banquet.
Yi Sin Poong exchanged greetings with the honored guests seated on the platform beside him. Among them were members from the Gong Dong Faction, and the Black Ghost was present as well.
Yi Sin Poong engaged them in light conversation while his gaze wandered over the crowd below.
Over a thousand people had gathered solely to celebrate his birthday. It was a scene that laid bare the prestige of both Yi Sin Poong and Hong Am Mountain Estate.
A faint smile never left the corners of Yi Sin Poong’s mouth.
Dam Ho observed Yi Sin Poong from his place.
The ease and bearing of one who possessed everything emanated from him. Yi Sin Poong’s presence permeated the entire hall like water seeping into cloth, subtly commanding all within.
It was not merely because he was the master of Hong Am Mountain Estate. His martial prowess was genuinely exceptional.
Behind Yi Sin Poong on the platform, Dam Ho spotted figures he had not seen before. They appeared to be on intimate terms with Yi Sin Poong.
Then a martial artist near Dam Ho gasped aloud.
“Ah! Are those not the Bamboo Forest Three Friends? Even those sedentary old masters have come to celebrate this great one’s birthday.”
“The Bamboo Forest Three Friends? Are they not the hermits spoken of throughout the Jianghu?”
The Bamboo Forest Three Friends were martial artists who had been active in the same era as Yi Sin Poong. They had worked alongside him and achieved great renown, but for reasons unknown, they had retired to seclusion in the bamboo forest, just as Yi Sin Poong had.
An Su Cheon, the eldest of the Three Friends, was a man in his middle fifties with a serene and refined air. As he stroked his elegantly groomed mustache, his constant bowing suggested a man who had transcended worldly concerns.
The second, Jo Gun Wol, wore an unusual bamboo hat with silk tassels—the kind typically favored by women. Through the gaps in the silk, his eyes gleamed with piercing intensity.
At Jo Gun Wol’s side stood the third, Hwang Cheol San. Hwang Cheol San possessed a towering frame, reaching seven feet in height, and he carried an enormous iron rod upon his back.
Despite being over fifty years old, he radiated the vigor and vitality of a youth in his twenties. The sheer pressure of his presence overwhelmed those who beheld him.
The Bamboo Forest Three Friends appeared to be on excellent terms with Yi Sin Poong. Now and then they exchanged whispered words, their faces radiant with smiles.
Dam Ho watched them briefly before turning his gaze away. A vacant seat had opened nearby, so he took his place. The servants brought forth food, but it remained largely untouched before him.
Dam Ho found it tedious.
Around him, countless others laughed and made merry, yet nowhere in this throng was there a place for him. He felt as though he alone had been cast into a void, isolated and apart from the world.
As Dam Ho sat absorbed in solitary thought, the 60th birthday banquet proceeded in grand fashion.
Musicians played to stir the festive mood, and acrobats performed remarkable feats that drew cheers from the crowd.
As the excitement reached its peak, Yi Sin Poong stepped forward. All eyes turned toward him in eager anticipation.
“We have gathered such a great many people here to celebrate this old man’s 60th year—it would be a shame to let the time pass idly, would it not?”
“Indeed, great one.”
“Since we’ve gathered like this, let’s enjoy ourselves and have some fun.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“I’ll pose a problem for you all. Whoever solves it first will receive one of the treasures from Hong Am Mountain Estate.”
“A treasure?”
The crowd stirred with interest.
No one knew exactly what treasure Yi Sin Poong spoke of, but if Hong Am Mountain Estate valued it, it couldn’t be an ordinary item.
The guests couldn’t contain themselves and cried out.
“What problem are you referring to, sir?”
“A Formation Technique.”
“A Formation Technique?”
“As it happens, our Hong Am Mountain Estate’s chief administrator, Gu Joong Myeong, is a master of Formation Techniques. The techniques he deploys are truly supreme in the Jianghu, as they say. From this moment on, Administrator Gu will unfold the maze formation.”
“A maze formation?”
Confusion flickered across the guests’ faces.
“Indeed. Whoever escapes the maze formation that Administrator Gu deploys first will receive the Qingyue Sword, one of our estate’s treasures.”
“The Qingyue Sword—surely not?”
“Yes. It’s the precious blade I wielded in my youth. Though I haven’t used it for more than twenty years, it remains sharp and quite serviceable.”
“Magnificent! The finest prize!”
A sudden roar erupted from the crowd.
In his youth, Yi Sin Poong had built his reputation on the Qingyue Sword. His Moon Light Twelve Cuts, performed with the Qingyue Sword, had earned renown as a supreme technique throughout the Jianghu.
In those days, hundreds of Evil Martial Artists had fallen to Yi Sin Poong’s blade.
The Qingyue Sword was a legendary weapon known throughout the Jianghu. To own such a renowned blade would allow one to display Martial Prowess far beyond one’s natural ability.
It was the finest gift any martial artist could receive—especially those trained in sword arts.
“I shall challenge it.”
“Let me be the first to challenge it. Please, open the maze formation at once.”
The guests tumbled over one another, clamoring to challenge the formation.
Yi Sin Poong nodded to Gu Joong Myeong, who smiled and descended from the elevated platform.
Beneath the platform lay a considerable pile of iron rods.
Gu Joong Myeong began inserting the iron rods one by one into the clearing below. There seemed to be some underlying pattern at work, but the martial artists couldn’t fathom the principle behind it.
When Gu Joong Myeong finally planted the last rod, a dramatic transformation occurred.
Hiss!
Mist rose thick and heavy, and the maze formation materialized.
Gu Joong Myeong spoke with a smile.
“The Ten Direction Maze Formation. It has no killing power whatsoever, but once inside, one’s senses become scattered and direction becomes difficult to judge. The formation will hold for approximately two double hours. Let us hope someone succeeds within that time.”
The moment Gu Joong Myeong finished speaking, impatient martial artists rushed into the mist.
“The Tiger Swordsman, Jang Moon Ik, has entered the Ten Direction Maze Formation.”
“O Jin Poong has entered as well.”
Each time a martial artist entered the Ten Direction Maze Formation, cheers erupted from the assembly.
The banquet reached its peak of excitement, and the crowd called out Yi Sin Poong’s name in celebration of his inspired improvisation.
Admiration for Yi Sin Poong soared to its height, and everyone wondered who would be the first to escape the Ten Direction Maze Formation.
The tremendous fervor heated the very air of the hall.
Dam Ho felt that intense heat as well. Yet he paid it no mind and fixed his gaze on Yi Sin Poong.
A satisfied smile played across Yi Sin Poong’s lips.
Dam Ho rose from his seat.
Whatever happened here was none of his concern. He had no desire to stand before such people and perform such buffoonery, dazzled by mere metal.
Dam Ho left the Training Ground and headed for the Horse Stable where Black Ghost waited.
Snort!
As Dam Ho approached, Black Ghost whinnied with delight. The beast had been confined to the Stable Barn throughout Yi Sin Poong’s 60th Birthday Celebration Banquet.
Dam Ho rubbed Black Ghost’s neck affectionately.
“Bear with it a little longer, even if you’re restless. Soon I’ll let you run to your heart’s content.”
After today, Yi Sin Poong’s 60th Birthday Celebration would be over. Then Dam Ho and the beast would have no reason to remain here.
Black Ghost seemed to understand, rubbing his broad face against Dam Ho’s shoulder. Dam Ho stroked the beast’s back in silence.
Suddenly Dam Ho lifted his head and examined his own hand. He felt an odd sensation at his fingertips.
There was nothing wrong with his hand. Dam Ho examined closely the back of Black Ghost, which he had just been stroking. Then he saw wounds that hadn’t been visible the day before.
Livid welts and abraded patches appeared in multiple places. In some spots, blood not yet dry had caked on the fur.
Dam Ho’s eyes grew cold.
Snort!
Black Ghost exhaled a hot breath through his nostrils. Dam Ho gazed silently into the beast’s eyes.
Though the animal could not speak, Black Ghost’s eyes told a clear story.
Dam Ho looked around the interior of the Stable Barn.
A whip and a saddle lay there. Blood stained the whip. There was nothing more to confirm.
“Just wait a moment.”
Dam Ho patted Black Ghost’s cheek and turned away.
He headed straight for the storehouse where the stable workers kept their tools. As he opened the door, two laborers looked up in startled confusion.
“What is it?”
“Who are you?”
At Dam Ho’s abrupt words, the workers exchanged bewildered glances.
His eyes shifted. In that instant, the men’s faces drained of all color.
There was no way they could withstand the weight of that gaze. Their bodies trembled like aspen leaves, and involuntary groans escaped their lips.
The workers lost control of their bladders. Warm liquid streamed down their legs, though they scarcely registered the fact.
“Who struck my horse with the whip?”
“Your horse?”
“The black stallion in the stable barn.”
“That… that was…”
The workers stared at each other’s faces.

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