Fist Demon of Mount Hua - Chapter 99

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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 98. When many gather, each raises their voice—2
Dam Ho lifted his gaze for a moment, looking up at the sky.
Clouds were gathering; rain seemed to be on its way.
He stood in the courtyard of the Seo Pung Guest House’s annex. Ordinarily he would have remained in his room, but he had taken to spending time here because of Bang Jin Bo.
The view of Dong Jeong Lake from the annex was nothing short of exquisite. Yet no matter how beautiful the landscape, Dam Ho’s heart stirred with no particular emotion.
He simply saw what lay before his eyes.
While Dam Ho gazed upon the lake, Bang Jin Bo was busily preparing food. Eun So Cheong stood nearby, Kitchen Blade in hand, watching and waiting.
Now she was asking to learn cooking from Bang Jin Bo. Cho Yeon Un found the sight so amusing he could scarcely contain his laughter.
“Can you even dress ingredients with that blade? Better stand back at a safe distance and simply watch, before you hurt yourself.”
“Hmph! Don’t be ridiculous. I can manage perfectly well.”
“You’ll injure yourself—and when you do, don’t come crying to me.”
“I won’t need to.”
Eun So Cheong scoffed and turned her head away. Cho Yeon Un grinned at her response.
“Tch! So you do have your pride. Fine then! Do as you wish. Just don’t hurt yourself and come whining to me about it.”
“You’re truly unbearable, you know that?”
Eun So Cheong pressed her hands over her ears.
The two bickered all day long yet remained inseparable. By now, most would have grown angry and stormed away—but not these two.
Bang Jin Bo found their clamorous energy delightful.
Listening to Cho Yeon Un and Eun So Cheong quarrel filled him with a curious vitality. And the work of preparing food felt like joy itself.
‘I wish we could stay here longer.’
Bang Jin Bo silently wished for this happiness to endure, and glanced sidelong at Dam Ho.
Dam Ho leaned his back against a massive tree, gazing out at Dong Jeong Lake. Utterly still, his form resembled a statue—yet there was something about him that seemed lonely.
He was alien to his surroundings, out of place with any landscape. Only Dam Ho seemed to dwell in some other world entirely.
Bang Jin Bo worried, just a little, that he might suddenly depart one day without warning. But since he knew Dam Ho never broke a promise once made, he let that worry slip away.
Before Bang Jin Bo lay a large fish, freshly caught from Dong Jeong Lake that very morning.
He intended to prepare Poached Fish in Chili Oil.
The dish required slicing the fish into thin fillets, lightly frying them in oil, then simmering them in an array of seasonings and chili oil.
“Heh-heh!”
Bang Jin Bo began to butcher the fish with his Kitchen Blade.
Slash! Slash!
With just a few strokes, the scales fell away and the bones were cleanly separated. In moments, he had yielded paper-thin fillets with practiced ease.
“Wow!”
Eun So Cheong, watching from beside him, gasped in admiration.
Even Cho Yeon Un could not suppress his wonder. He knew Bang Jin Bo’s cooking was exceptional, but he had not realized the boy’s knife work was equally masterful.
‘If he learned Blade Art, he would be unstoppable.’
True, his frame was heavier than the other children’s—but that hardly mattered.
Once he took up Martial Arts, the weight would fall away naturally. What truly counted was talent and sensitivity.
With the finesse Bang Jin Bo now displayed in handling the Kitchen Blade, he would master even advanced Blade Art far more quickly than most.
Cho Yeon Un glanced toward Dam Ho. Since morning, he had maintained the exact same stance without variation.
No ordinary person could stand in one position for so long. Even someone of extraordinary endurance would struggle. Yet Dam Ho bore it as though it cost him nothing.
The more Cho Yeon Un considered it, the less he truly knew about this man.
Only his name—Dam Ho—and the aliases he went by: Gwon Ma, or the Byeol Ho known as the Blood Star of Shin Kang.
“A truly intriguing fellow.”
Cho Yeon Un was smiling to himself when—
“Miss!”
A strange voice suddenly rang out across the annex courtyard.
Eun So Cheong brightened immediately.
“Silver Blade.”
The figure who had appeared was Jong Ri Su, her personal guard.
Jong Ri Su hurried toward Eun So Cheong.
“Miss.”
“What is it?”
“Do not be alarmed. Your father has just arrived outside.”
“Father?”
Eun So Cheong’s eyes widened.
Her father, Eun Il Myeong, was not one to venture far from En Ha Seong.
At that moment—
“Ha ha! So Cheong, my dear.”
A hearty voice accompanied a broad-shouldered man as he entered the annex. Middle-aged, with a substantial frame—his double chin, thick belly, and gaudy robes were all perfectly suited to one another.
“Father!”
Eun So Cheong rose from her seat and rushed toward the man.
He was none other than Eun Il Myeong, master of En Ha Seong, one of the Five Great Sects of Honam. Eun Il Myeong opened his arms wide and held Eun So Cheong close as she embraced him.
“Father, what brings you to this place?”
“Business. Have you been well, Yeon-seok?”
Eun Il Myeong stroked Eun So Cheong’s head and smiled, his face openly displaying the tender affection he bore his daughter.
Eun Il Myeong held Eun So Cheong in his arms for a time, savoring their reunion.
“But really, Father—what’s brought you here?”
“Before that, won’t you introduce me to your companions?”
“Oh!”
Only then did Eun So Cheong come to her senses and slip from her father’s embrace. She turned to the others present and began introducing them.
“This is Jin Bo. Bang Jin Bo.”
“Ah, it’s an honor to meet you, Master Eun.”
At Eun So Cheong’s introduction, Bang Jin Bo stepped forward hesitantly and offered his respects.
Eun Il Myeong’s eyes gleamed.
‘So this is that fat boy…….’
Jong Ri Su had mentioned it.
There was a boy to whom Eun So Cheong had lately given her heart.
For twelve years, Eun So Cheong had been raised as a precious treasure. When Eun Il Myeong learned that she had bestowed her affection upon an outsider, the sense of betrayal he felt was beyond words.
It was no wonder his gaze upon Bang Jin Bo had turned severe.
“Ahem! So you’re Jin Bo.”
“I—it is my first time meeting you, sir.”
“I’m glad to meet you.”
Yet there was a trace of killing intent in Eun Il Myeong’s tone.
The next person Eun So Cheong introduced was Cho Yeon Un.
“This is a worthless insect-eater uncle.”
“Hey!”
Cho Yeon Un let out a yelp of protest. But Eun So Cheong merely smirked and showed no sign of taking back her words.
In the end, Cho Yeon Un had to introduce himself.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Eun. I am Cho Yeon Un of the Baekjeon Sect.”
“How could I not know the famous Intoxicated Dragon of the realm? Is your elder in good health?”
“He remains as he always has. I suspect he’ll outlive me by quite some time.”
“I never imagined meeting you in a place such as this. Please do visit En Ha Seong one day. I shall ensure you receive proper hospitality.”
“I am already receiving splendid treatment. This fellow’s culinary skill is quite extraordinary.”
Cho Yeon Un glanced toward Bang Jin Bo, whose face flushed at the mention. Eun Il Myeong’s expression darkened slightly.
Cho Yeon Un, observing this, allowed himself a subtle smile.
‘Like father, like daughter.’
But he dared not let such thoughts show.
Eun Il Myeong’s gaze, which had lingered on Bang Jin Bo for a moment, now shifted toward Dam Ho.
“And that one over there…….”
“That’s Dam Ho. He’s Jin Bo’s older brother.”
“Dam Ho?”
At Eun So Cheong’s answer, Eun Il Myeong’s brow creased.
The mere fact that Bang Jin Bo had an older brother put him in poor spirits already.
“In the Gang Ho, people call him the Shin Kang Blood Star, or the Blood Killer.”
“What!”
But as Eun So Cheong’s explanation continued, his furrowed brow cleared at once.
Eun Il Myeong was well acquainted with Dam Ho’s dark reputation. Any martial artist dwelling in Honam could not help but know of him.
Eun Il Myeong himself had been watching Dam Ho with wary eyes of late—the man who had recently appeared and begun committing acts of the Blood Calamity. Yet he had never imagined that Bang Jin Bo’s older brother would be Dam Ho himself.
‘Could En Ha Seong’s full forces bring him down?’
The temptation arose unbidden. But Eun Il Myeong shook his head at once.
It was not a profitable venture.
Though En Ha Seong was counted among the Five Great Sects of Honam, it was fundamentally closer to a merchant household than a martial household. It was accustomed to solving problems with wealth rather than force.
The man before them was Honam’s most notorious warrior. There was no need to provoke such trouble rashly.
Though Eun Il Myeong was watching, Dam Ho paid him no attention whatsoever.
Had anyone else done so, Eun Il Myeong would surely have blazed with anger. But Dam Ho was different.
A powder magazine waiting for a spark—that was the image. An ominous aura flowed from Dam Ho like a palpable thing. It was impossible to so much as speak to him.
Dam Ho continued to gaze upon Dong Jeong Lake, not sparing Eun Il Myeong a glance.
An awkward silence settled among them. It was Cho Yeon Un who broke it.
“Don’t mind that ice-cold friend over there. He’s so taciturn that even we scarcely hear more than a word from him in a day.”
“Indeed…….”
Eun Il Myeong made an effort to nod in agreement. An awkward smile played across his face.
“Father!”
“Mm? Yes?”
“What brings you to this place?”
“I have business here.”
“Business of what sort?”
“I arranged to meet someone at this location.”
“Who?”
“You’ll learn soon enough. We agreed to meet here.”
“At the Seo Pung Guest House?”
“That’s right.”
Eun Il Myeong patted his daughter’s shoulder.
He turned his attention away from Dam Ho. Though Dam Ho himself was troublesome enough, there were more pressing matters at hand now.
‘Who could he possibly be meeting?’
Eun So Cheong’s brow furrowed slightly.
Eun Il Myeong rarely left En Ha Seong except for matters of utmost importance. His pride as master of En Ha Seong, one of the Five Great Sects in Honam, made that difficult, and besides, most people came to him seeking favors rather than the reverse.
Eun So Cheong glanced around the room.
Though invisible, the Iron Sword Unit—Eun Il Myeong’s personal guard—would be stationed nearby. He never moved without them.
Eun Il Myeong spoke to Eun So Cheong.
“Let us borrow this room for a while.”
“What?”
“Nowhere else would be suitable for this meeting.”
“Father, but——”
Before Eun So Cheong could speak, the door flew open and one of the Iron Sword Unit warriors rushed in to report to Eun Il Myeong.
“They have arrived.”
“Already?”
A flash of consternation crossed Eun Il Myeong’s face.
He hadn’t prepared anything yet, and here they were—it caught him off guard.
Before he could even issue orders to his men, the visitors entered.
“Ha ha! Master En Ha Seong.”
A middle-aged man in a soft crimson scholar’s robe stepped into the inner chamber, his laughter warm and easy. Three others followed in his wake.
They were Nam Goong Chang, O Gun Ui, Nam Goong Su, and Hae So Wol.
“Mm!”
“I am Nam Goong Chang of the Namgoong Clan. It is a pleasure to meet you this way, Master En Ha Seong.”
“Eun Il Myeong of En Ha Seong bows to the great martial master Nam Goong Chang.”
Eun Il Myeong cupped his fists in salute.
‘There it is.’
Cho Yeon Un’s eyes gleamed.
Though he had learned that warriors from the Five Great Sects and Five Great Families were gathering in Ak Yang, he had not expected to see an elder of the Namgoong Clan—a central pillar of the Five Great Families—here in this place.
It was too much of a coincidence to dismiss as mere chance.
O Gun Ui stepped forward to offer his greetings.
“I am O Gun Ui of the Haenam Sect. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
O Gun Ui’s introduction, following Nam Goong Chang’s, was enough to plunge Eun Il Myeong into confusion.
After the Namgoong Clan came the Haenam Sect.
En Ha Seong’s reputation was great enough to overshadow all of Honam, but the Namgoong Clan and Haenam Sect—their names shook the entire realm.
Either way, they were figures far beyond what En Ha Seong could handle.
Nam Goong Su and Hae So Wol stepped forward in turn, cupping their fists.
“Nam Goong Su of the Namgoong Clan pays respects to Master En Ha Seong.”
“Hae So Wol of the Haenam Sect offers greetings to the great master.”
“Most welcome. Please forgive me that this is not my own residence—I cannot offer you the grand reception you deserve.”
They exchanged the customary courtesies.
On the surface, the atmosphere was warm and cordial. Yet beneath it ran an invisible current of tension.
Eun Il Myeong spoke first.
“May I inquire what brings you esteemed guests to seek out this humble one?”
Nam Goong Chang smiled at this.
“We merely stopped by to pay our respects.”

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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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