Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 211
Returning Home, Yet No One to Welcome 2
Drip!
Yong Cheon-Myeong filled his cup to the brim with alcohol.
In front of him, Gu Mun-hoe and Go Jeon-ok sat in a cautious manner. Though rarely ever mindful of others, they couldn’t help but be cautious now.
Despite quietly drinking, discomfort was clearly visible on Yong Cheon-Myeong’s face.
Gu Mun-hoe and Go Jeon-ok knew the reason behind Yong Cheon-Myeong’s displeasure.
‘It’s because of Lee Gwak.’
‘Could Gwak have shaken the Young Master’s spirit to such an extent?’
While many discreetly watched Yong Cheon-myeong, most were aware that he hadn’t gained much from his encounter with Lee Gwak.
Yong Cheon-Myeong, being the prime successor of the Jade Heaven Alliance, was known to possess exceptional martial prowess, even among the Ten Lesser Skies.
The fact that he couldn’t easily subdue Lee Gwak was a shock.
Though this incident didn’t tarnish Yong Cheon-Myeong’s reputation, it significantly boosted Lee Gwak’s fame.
His way of the blade was as cruel and fearsome as a Sura. Thus, his nickname the “Sura Blade.”
Now, there was no one in the Jade Heaven Alliance who didn’t know the Sura Blade Lee Gwak. Even if they didn’t recognize his face, his name was deeply engraved in their hearts like a brand.
Bang!
Yong Cheon-Myeong slammed down his glass in frustration.
‘What exactly happened to him in the last six years?’
The thought of Lee Gwak made the scar on his face throb.
Everything had changed since he got this scar.
His personality, his circumstances, his destiny…
That’s why he couldn’t forgive Lee Gwak.
Lee Gwak had left the only blemish in his otherwise perfect life. To become perfect again, he had to erase Lee Gwak from this world.
‘But not now.’
Despite seething with anger, he hadn’t lost his reason.
There was something more important than Lee Gwak at the moment.
Yong Cheon-Myeong looked at Gu Mun-hoe.
“Is the Puppet Fish ready?”
Go Jeon-ok slightly furrowed his brow at the unfamiliar term.
Gu Mun-hoe smiled and replied.
“Yes! Fortunately, we were able to get in touch and prepare it.”
“Release the Puppet Fish.”
“I will carry out the order.”
“Make sure everything is perfect.”
“Of course. There will be absolutely no harm coming to the Young Master from this.”
After bowing to Yong Cheon-Myeong, Gu Mun-hoe left the room.
Go Jeon-ok bit his lip, watching Gu Mun-hoe’s retreating back.
“Jeon-Ok.”
That’s when Yong Cheon-myeong called, and Go Jeon-ok hurriedly responded with a full smile.
“Yes, please speak.”
“Do you know Lee Gwak?”
“Yes! Naturally, since we are both from the Outer Hall.”
“Dig into him. His sect, his master, his family, anything that could be a weakness. Bring me everything you find.”
“Understood.”
“And make sure to silence him.”
“Pardon? What do you mean… Nevermind. I will do as instructed.”
Go Jeon-ok quickly changed his words when he saw Yong Cheon-Myeong’s displeased expression. This keen awareness was one of the reasons why Go Jeon-ok rose to his current position.
“Jeon-Ok!”
“Yes!”
“What would you do if I ordered you to kill Lee Gwak?”
“I would naturally have to kill him.”
“Even though he’s from the same Outer Hall? Isn’t he your friend?”
“Being from the same affiliation does not mean we are friends. I have no friends. The most important thing to me is carrying out your orders.”
Go Jeon-ok emphasized his loyalty by slamming his head against the table.
Yong Cheon-Myeong looked at Go Jeon-ok with a sneering smile.
“Leave now.”
Yong Cheon-Myeong dismissed him with a gesture as if shooing away a fly.
Go Jeon-ok bowed deeply once more before leaving.
Left alone, Yong Cheon-Myeong finished the remaining alcohol and then rose from his seat. His destination was a bedroom within the Celestial Palace.
Surrounded by high walls, his bedroom boasted such tight security that not even birds dared to enter.
Upon entering the bedroom, Yong Cheon-Myeong was greeted by a beautiful woman waiting for him.
Once the highest-ranking artiste of the Musical Performance Hall.
A woman who used to touch the hearts of many with her beauty surpassing flowers and her heavenly voice.
Now, she was imprisoned in a cell without bars, staring at Yong Cheon-myeong.
The woman looked at Yong Cheon-Myeong with moist eyes.
“My lord.”
“You filthy bitch.”
His response was filled with contempt.
Once so deeply loved, she no longer appeared beautiful to him.
“He has returned.”
“Pardon?”
“Your first love. The one you thought dead is alive. Your heart must be fluttering.”
“Who? Are you talking about Lee Gwak?”
“Is there anyone else?”
“I’ve already forgotten him a long time ago. You are the only one for me now.”
“Ha! Trying to deceive me again? You’re going to…”
“Sob! What must I do for you to believe me?”
The woman, Geum Yul Seon, cried sobbingly. However, Yong Cheon-myeong’s gaze remained cold.
＊＊＊
“Now I understand.”
A girl who looked about five or six years old smiled brightly.
Though young, she was incredibly beautiful. Underneath her glossy black hair, her deep and clear eyes were so mystical that they could captivate anyone who looked into them, and her red lips under her pert nose were as vivid as overlapping flower petals.
Dressed in snow-white clothes, her fluttering movements resembled the robes of a celestial being.
In front of the mysterious girl lay an open book titled ‘Three Yin Divine Blade’.
The Three Yin Divine Blade was the martial art of the long-extinct Samyin Sect. Although the Samyin Sect didn’t leave a significant mark in the Jianghu, the Three Yin Divine Blade left a profound impression.
The Three Yin Divine Blade, based on Three Yin True Qi, was simple in form but extremely powerful. Its strength increased when performed at night, leading some to mistake it for an assassin’s art.
It was so difficult to master that hardly anyone within the Samyin Sect had fully succeeded, leading to its decline and eventual disappearance.
The girl closed the book and murmured “Phew! I’m glad I can keep my promise to Cheong.”
She cautiously looked around.
She was in the spacious training grounds of a large mansion, where no presence could be felt, making the place eerily quiet, as if she were the only one there.
Despite the spooky atmosphere, the girl showed no fear. After putting the book in her bosom, she ran to a room in the mansion.
“Cheong!”
“Did you come?”
Inside the room, a boy of the girl’s age greeted her from the bed.
The boy was as strikingly handsome as the girl. The intelligence in his eyes, located beneath his black eyebrows, and his firmly closed lips under his pert nose suggested a stubborn character.
The only regret was the boy’s pale complexion, showing clear signs of illness.
The girl sat down on the boy’s bed without hesitation.
“It seems you’ve realized quite a bit.”
“Yeah! It was really hard at first, but now I think I’m getting it.”
“Really?”
“Did I do well? Hehe!”
The girl looked at the boy, seeking praise. A faint smile appeared on the boy’s lips.
“You did well. I thought it would take a little more time, but as expected of my sister. You’re truly amazing. So, you’ve achieved about three stars of accomplishment. Much faster than what we aimed for.”
“Hehe! Once Cheong gets better, you’ll learn martial arts even faster than me. You’re a genius, aren’t you?”
“You’re amazing too. The hardest part of mastering the Three Yin Divine Blade is grasping the concept at the beginning. Once you understand the essence, you can learn the martial arts much more smoothly.”
The boy was sincere.
The Three Yin Divine Blade wasn’t something that could be easily mastered. If someone had been able to achieve greatness with it, the Samyin Sect wouldn’t have disappeared into the annals of history.
The boy’s eyes softened.
Seeing his sister smiling so brightly in front of him naturally made him smile too.
The girl was beautiful. And she was born with a brilliant talent.
Her talent for the martial arts was so astounding that the boy had never seen anyone better in his life.
The girl’s name was Lee Soo-ah.
The boy’s name was Lee Cheong.
They were twins born from the same mother.
Soo-Ah was born first, followed by Lee Cheong.
Though born on the same day and around the same time, their destinies were markedly different.
Lee Soo-ah was a beauty with a brilliant mind and exceptional martial arts skills, an all-round talent.
On the other hand, although Lee Cheong had excellent looks and intelligence, he was born with a weak body and suffered from a serious illness, spending most of his days in bed.
It was usually Lee Soo-ah’s responsibility to take care of Lee Cheong. However, she never showed any signs of reluctance.
“Cough!”
Suddenly, Lee Cheong coughed. Lee Soo-ah’s face changed.
“Are you okay? You should lie down.”
Lee Soo-ah hurriedly laid Lee Cheong down on the bed. He didn’t resist and allowed her to take care of him.
Even lying down, Lee Cheong coughed for a while.
Lee Soo-ah frantically searched through the medicine cabinet next to the bed. Soon, she held a pill wrapped in paper.
She quickly made Lee Cheong take the pill and drink some water. Then, his complexion improved significantly.
“Phew! Thanks, sister.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine! Really, you don’t have to look at me like that.”
“Phew!”
Only then did Lee Soo-ah breathe a sigh of relief.
The pill she had given Lee Cheong was called “Life-Continuing Pill.” It temporarily eased Lee Cheong’s pain and alleviated his symptoms but could not cure his illness.
Only because of the Life-Continuing Pill could Lee Cheong continue living. Without it, he would have died long ago.
“I’m sorry, sister. Because of me, mom and you…”
“Don’t talk like that. We’re family, aren’t we?”
“Phew!”
Lee Soo-ah sighed.
It was a sigh too deep for a child, laden with heavy worries.
The amount of Life-Continuing Pills needed to sustain Lee Cheong for a year was over fifty. A vast amount of herbs was required to make even one pill, and it was impossible to obtain them from anywhere else.
Because of this, Lee Cheong’s mother had to work tirelessly.
A heavy shadow fell on Lee Cheong’s face. Thinking of his mother made his heart ache as if it were pricked by needles.
Lee Soo-ah held Lee Cheong’s hand tightly and smiled.
“Everything will be alright.”
“Thanks, sister.”
Lee Cheong tried to smile too.
There was still pain in his lungs, as if they were being torn apart. But he tried not to show his suffering.
He knew that showing his pain would cause his sister and mother more heartache than himself.
The trials had made the young twins mature early.
Lee Soo-ah suddenly asked, as if remembering something.
“But why did you want me to learn the Three Yin Divine Blade?”
“It’ll be necessary when you go outside someday.”
“I’m not going outside.”
“You have to. We can’t live like this forever. For your sake, and for mom’s.”
“But…”
“It’s not right now that you need to go. But surely, there will come a time when you have to.”
Lee Cheong looked outside the window with a gaze uncharacteristic of a child.
Inside this vast mansion, there was no one but them, but outside, countless eyes were watching.
Their only granted freedom was within the confines of this mansion.
Lee Cheong dreamed of freedom.
He himself was too weak to leave, but he wanted his sister to escape this narrow cage. So, he always kept an ear out for news from the outside.
Fortunately, Lee Cheong had a talent for this.
Even when he was lying on his bed, he managed to catch every rumor or news without fail. Lee Soo-ah was amazed at Lee Cheong’s ability to connect with the outside world in a way she couldn’t understand.
Cheong’s deep eyes seemed to see places Lee Soo-ah couldn’t, which made her uneasy. She feared that his extraordinary talent might be the reason for his short life.
Ssssh!
Suddenly, someone opened the door and entered the room.
Lee Cheong’s eyes widened.
“Mom!”
The mature atmosphere that had prevailed moments ago vanished, and Lee Cheong reverted to the pure innocence of a child.
Lee Soo-ah also turned her head following Lee Cheong.
“Mom!”
Lee Soo-ah’s reaction was no different from Lee Cheong’s.
She silently opened the door and entered, immediately embracing the woman who had come in. The woman gently hugged Lee Soo-ah back, smiling softly.
Lee Soo-ah remained motionless in the woman’s embrace for a while. The woman gently stroked Lee Soo-ah’s hair while looking at Lee Cheong.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“Are you… going out to work again? You’ve just returned.”
Lee Cheong’s voice trembled slightly.
A shadow fell across the woman’s eyes. The fact that she had to leave her children and go out was incredibly unsettling, but she had no choice.
She spoke honestly.
“This time, it might take a while.”
“Can’t you not go?”
“You know that’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry! Because of me, mom has to do such things…”
Tears welled up in Lee Cheong’s eyes. The woman gently caressed his face and replied.
“Don’t worry about me. As long as I can save you two, I don’t care what happens to me. While I’m gone, Soo-ah, take good care of Cheong. Can you do that?”
“Yes!”
Lee Soo-ah nodded while still embraced by her mother.
‘Sigh.’
The woman sighed quietly, out of the children’s hearing.
To save her son, she had to kill others – a cruel fate.
Once she left, she wouldn’t be able to hear any news from the outside, let alone about her children, for a while.
She hated the thought of leaving her young children to go out, but she had to. It was the only way to prolong her son’s life.
‘This is also my karma. A trial I must endure.’
The woman bit her lip.
Her name was Han So-Cheon.
She was a martial artist who lived the life of an assassin.