The Legend of Red Cloud - Chapter 111

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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 111. Gaining Nothing, Losing Everything
Pungryoo’s eyes opened slowly, his gaze utterly serene.
There was no trace of the dizziness or brilliance that masters who had transcended the first stage of enlightenment typically displayed.
Yucheon Chu-hon, feeling a faint disappointment at this, heard Yun Yeo-ok’s anxious voice reach his ears.
“Are you all right?”
Pungryoo nodded at her question, then his expression shifted to confusion as he noticed the person standing beside her.
“Who…?”
At Pungryoo’s question, Yun Yeo-ok and Yucheon Chu-hon turned their heads, their faces clearly startled.
At the point where their eyes fell stood an elderly man with hair completely white.
Nam On gazed back and forth between Pungryoo and his own reflection in the bronze mirror, letting out a heavy sigh.
Fortunately, his Dantian, which had been completely drained, could be refilled through breathing exercises, but his transformed appearance had not returned to its former state.
It seemed to be an aftereffect caused by the loss of his vital essence as his Internal Energy bottomed out.
What was even more frustrating was that even after suffering such damage, he could not ascertain Pungryoo’s level of Internal Energy.
Moreover, when he examined his own wound with the weapon to gain a chance to verify Pungryoo’s condition, he observed no remarkable changes within Pungryoo’s body.
Despite absorbing that enormous vital force, Pungryoo’s Dantian remained as rigidly hardened as before, and no Internal Energy could be detected anywhere in his body.
Having witnessed the absorption of the wildly spinning Dragon Fist Wind, Nam On had searched for any other Qi that might be present, but he could sense nothing from Pungryoo.
Not even that unpleasant dark Qi that Nam On had struck moments before.
What he could confirm was only the Qi Meridians and Blood Vessels that had become incomparably healthier than before, and the muscles that had strengthened considerably.
Thus, Pungryoo had merely become “healthy” by draining Nam On’s Internal Energy and vital essence, along with Yun Yeo-ok’s tremendous Internal Energy.
Of course, that healthiness was remarkable enough to approach an Exceptional Degree, yet to one whose Dantian had solidified from Demonic Deviation, clean Blood Vessels without a trace of waste and wide-open Qi Meridians like unobstructed channels were utterly useless.
In the end, it had all been wasted effort, with nothing but loss to show for it.
“Sigh…”
Ryu watched Nam On withdraw his hand, releasing a deep breath, his face full of apology.
He had learned through Yun Yeo-ok’s account that Nam On’s sudden change in appearance had originated from him.
Of course, Yucheon Chu-hon, upon receiving Yun Yeo-ok’s Transmission of Sound, had told Pungryoo not to worry since he had carelessly interfered and made a mess of it himself, but from Pungryoo’s perspective, it was impossible to think of it so simply.
In any case, thanks to Nam On’s sacrifice, he had managed to escape from his inner world that had been trapped by that black Dark Qi, not only recovering from his injuries but becoming even healthier than before.
And so…
“What might I do to repay you?”
At Ryu’s question, Nam On’s gaze passed through Pungryoo to the woman standing slightly behind him—Yun Yeo-ok.
In that instant.
Zing!
Yun Yeo-ok’s killing intent, sharp enough to make the back of his head tingle, focused entirely upon Nam On.
At his alarm, Yun Yeo-ok’s harsh Transmission of Sound reached him.
-Don’t you dare look at her! Turn your eyes away before I pluck them from your skull!
Nam On, startled, hastily averted his gaze as Yun Yeo-ok’s Transmission of Sound continued.
-I told you once already: if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I’ll haul in not just you but every blood relative you claim as family, and I’ll gut them all where they stand and hang them to dry. Don’t forget it. And above all, don’t let a hint of it show in front of this person!
-Yes, understood.
-Don’t use Telepathy either!
At Yun Yeo-ok’s sharp retort, Nam On pressed his lips shut, looking chastened.
Nam On still vividly remembered.
Even in that chaotic situation, he had been subdued in mere days.
Moreover, having directly experienced Yun Yeo-ok’s overwhelming Internal Energy as it passed through him into Pungryoo’s body, he had to acknowledge that his opponent existed in a dimension beyond his reach.
Furthermore, the way Yucheon Chu-hon bowed without hesitation had made it clear that she was likely someone from the Haenam Geom-mun.
This realization had only doubled Nam On’s fear.
Even though Yucheon Chu-hon was one willing to use any means to achieve his goals, he carried himself with honor and dignity.
It was clear that such a man would bow so deeply not merely for strength, but for something more.
The problem was that Nam On had no shield capable of stopping the tyranny of Yun Yeo-ok, who was likely a hidden master of the Haenam Geom-mun.
In fact, Nam On himself was the foremost master of the Cheonmyeong Namun, so there was nothing to expect from his own organization.
Moreover, if she truly was a hidden master of the Haenam Geom-mun, the Moonwave Sword Sovereign, the head of the Rim Clan, would likely not intervene.
That meant neither Nam On nor the Cheonmyeong Namun could expect aid from anywhere should Yun Yeo-ok rampage like a madwoman.
This was why Nam On could not simply brush aside the threat she had made.
Having stepped into the path of Kangho, he had already resigned himself to the fact that death could come at any moment when facing a stronger opponent, but his children were another matter entirely.
Unlike his father, his son had devoted himself to scholarship, entered government service, and now lived in the Imperial Capital—he feared disaster might reach even his son’s family.
Above all, he could never allow any threat to come upon his young grandson and granddaughter, precious as the apples of his eyes.
And so he had no choice but to comply.
Startled into silence by Yun Yeo-ok’s coercion, Nam On heard Ryu speak.
“If there is something you desire, please speak it.”
At Pungryoo’s repeated offer, Nam On answered carefully.
“After things settle here, if you would visit the Cheonmyeong Namun for a brief moment, that would suffice.”
“Is it only a visit you ask for? Or is there something more…?”
Nam On shook his head at Jeok Sa, who trailed off uncertainly.
“Just drop by, that’s all. I need to introduce you to the family head anyway, so it’ll give some account for the time we’ve spent here.”
To be honest, Pungryoo’s mere visit to Cheonmyeong Namun could not fully explain the time Nam On had spent at the Mun Chang-so Family, the personnel deployed, or the costs incurred.
But knowing that with Yun Yeo-ok backing him, he couldn’t ask for more, he’d settled on making do however he could.
Jeok Sa, unaware of Nam On’s true thoughts, decided the man had a broader heart than he’d first believed.
“Once the matter here is resolved, I shall do so.”
Nam On, hearing Jeok Sa’s ready consent, returned to his quarters with drooping shoulders.
The next day, Nam On departed the Mun Chang-so Family with sagging shoulders and made his way back to Cheonmyeong Namun.
The family received word of his sudden return with considerable surprise.
The decision had come so abruptly, and because everyone involved had kept tight-lipped about what had transpired with Pungryoo in the guest quarters, the Mun Chang-so Family knew nothing of it whatsoever.
Moreover, Nam On had pulled the hood of his traveling cloak deep over his face upon his return, so the family remained ignorant even of the changes to his appearance—his sudden homecoming seemed to them nothing more than inexplicable whimsy.
In any case, when Nam On returned, all the tracking specialists sent from Cheonmyeong Namun, including Gyeongcheon Chu-gwi, departed with him.
Despite their failure to achieve any notable results, the Mun Chang-so Family expressed considerable regret at their departure.
They feared the opportunity to find So Cheon—of whom they had yet to discover even a trace—was slipping away.
Over a month had already passed since the family’s daughter, So Cheon, had been abducted.
Though the Mun Chang-so Family refused to abandon hope, the people of Kangho had already classified the “Mun Chang-so Family Abduction Case” as an unsolved mystery.
It was during nights when So Gwang Yeo’s sighs grew ever deeper that Yun Yeo-ok discovered a man being held captive in the Yucheon Cheol House.
Given her nature—one who could never let a wrong pass unavenged—she could not simply overlook having nearly been drained of her martial power and left to die.
Moreover, she was certain that all of this had occurred because of that cursed Baramil Sect wretch who had attacked Pungryoo.
Yucheon Chu-hon thought she was merely taking out her frustration on someone else since she couldn’t confront Pungryoo directly, but regardless, Yun Yeo-ok believed it firmly.
Therefore, she resolved to uncover clues about the man who had attacked Pungryoo, no matter what it took.
Now it was not only Pungryoo’s vengeance she carried, but her own as well.
The moment Yun Yeo-ok entered the underground dungeon of the Yucheon Cheol House, she began beating Sam Il mercilessly, and with his pressure point suppressed, he could not so much as cry out—only endure the relentless assault.
Once Yun Yeo-ok had pounded Sam Il into a tenderized mass and released his pressure point, the information she extracted proved quite intriguing.
“So your master—that thief—hid secret teachings and treasures in the Five Colored Pond at Ak Dong Ho?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Sam Il answered through a pulped, unrecognizable face, his voice hollow with terror, while Yun Yeo-ok pressed her questions relentlessly forward.
“And the man who attacked my husband went there?”
“Yes. My—that accursed Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu—he was determined to monopolize it for himself, and he deceived me and departed several days ago.”
“Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu? You’re telling me the culprit is Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu?”
“Yes. I am certain.”
At Sam Il’s answer, Yun Yeo-ok turned to look at Yucheon Chu-hon, who stood behind her.
“Have I misjudged Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu? I thought he was just a thief with decent skills.”
Yucheon Chu-hon also tilted his head in confusion at her question.
“I’ve heard he’s skilled enough at concealment, but as for martial prowess… this is the first I’ve heard of it.”
The rumors surrounding Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu’s martial skill fell short even of first-rate.
He was barely spared from being called third-rate.
Yet such a man had felled Pungryoo.
Having seen how Pungryoo fought—powerless though he was—Yun Yeo-ok would stake her life that a Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu matching the rumors would have found it impossible.
Therefore…
‘He must have picked up fragments of the Baramil Sect’s teachings somehow.’
Had he been one of the Baramil Sect from the start, rumors about Gwi Hyeong Sin Tu would never have spread in such a manner.
But none of it mattered.
Now that she knew, she would pursue him and kill him.
A void.
As Yun Yeo-ok rose to her feet, grinding her teeth, a terrifyingly cold dark Qi shimmered in her eyes.
***
Jeok Sa sat cross-legged atop a moonlit mountain peak.
He had sought this place not to practice in some cramped room, but somewhere with an open horizon on all sides, where he could practice Wind Practice.
According to So Myeong, the son of So Cheong-jin, this was said to be the place with the purest Qi in the surrounding area.
As if to prove it, the winds blowing from all directions were crisp and clean.
The Wind Practice he had begun lightly in that place was flowing in a direction entirely contrary to his expectations.
How to describe it?
The volume of wind responding to his Wind Practice and adhering to him had increased explosively compared to before.
Moreover, the heart of Wind Practice lay in drawing small winds close to the body, synchronizing blood flow and speed to create resonance in the muscles, yet strangely, the instant he began Wind Practice, the surging winds bored directly into the interior of his body.
It became impossible to keep them on the outer surface as before.
As soon as he began Wind Practice, the wind flowed naturally across his skin and inward, circulating through his blood and traveling to every corner of his body as if it had always been that way.

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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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