Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 503

September 14, 2023 • 12 min read • 868 views

Chae Moo-ok spoke sternly.

“I am a disciple of the Four Suns Clan. Are you telling me to abandon the Four Suns Clan and join the Black Tooth Sect? I’m not such a disloyal person.”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant…..”

Chae Moo-ok’s steadfast stance left Lee Joo-eun slightly flustered. However, he quickly regained his composure and spoke calmly.

“I’m not asking you to abandon the Four Suns Clan. The Black Tooth Sect is a group temporarily united to overcome the chaos of the world. It’s not a formal martial arts school, so temporarily joining it wouldn’t be a big problem. The Black Tooth Sect was established to support the Golden Heavenly Hall. So, if you join the Black Tooth Sect, you are likely to hold a key position in Golden Heavenly Hall.”

“But let me ask you.”

“Yes?”

“Do I have a particular reason to join the Black Tooth Sect? Wouldn’t it be better to join the Golden Heavenly Hall directly?”

“Of course, you can do that. But joining Golden Heavenly Hall is not easy at all. The admission process and qualifications are extremely strict. It would be much easier to build up your merit in the Black Tooth Sect first.”

Lee Joo-eun made it sound like he had done this before.

Chae Moo-ok furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Lee Joo-eun. Despite his intense gaze, he was not intimidated and smiled.

Lee Joo-eun believed that Chae Moo-ok would choose the Black Tooth Sect. After all, many martial artists who had passed through here had chosen the Black Tooth Sect.

Golden Heavenly Hall was a gathering of top martial artists.

Before the emergence of the Silver Lotus Hall, the Golden Heavenly Hall was the dream of every martial artist. Merely belonging to the club elevated one’s status immensely. But getting into the club was never easy, then or now.

Strict qualifications were required even to apply for membership, and many failed to clear the threshold.

For those who couldn’t directly enter the Golden Heaven Hall, gaining merit within the Black Tooth Sect and waiting for an opportunity was a viable strategy.

Using this logic, Lee Joo-eun had persuaded many martial artists and successfully recruited them into the Black Tooth Sect. The Black Tooth Sect had grown in this way and formed a force not to be ignored.

Lee Joo-eun extended his hand.

“Take my hand, and I promise to help you enter the Golden Heavenly Hall within a year.”

“Humph! If you take that hand, you will surely regret it.”

Another voice intervened.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in colorful martial arts attire.

He was as intimidating as a wild boar.

His appearance slightly distorted Lee Joo-eun’s face.

“Oh Cheon-woong?”

“Didn’t we agree to approach him together? You broke our agreement by getting here first.”

“Ha ha! Did we make such an agreement?”

“……”

“Cough, cough!”

Embarrassed, Lee Joo-eun coughed.

Oh Cheon-woong looked at Chae Moo-ok.

“I’m Oh Cheon-woong from the Great Spirit Sect. Let me make it simple. It would be much more beneficial for you to choose our Great Spirit Sect. Our sect is connected with the Silver Lotus Hall.”

“Ha! Is it the Silver Lotus Hall this time?”

“Forget all the suggestions that the rascal made. If you join the Black Tooth Sect, you’ll just be used and thrown away, and you’ll never get into Golden Heavenly Hall. But our Great Spirit Sect is different. If you establish a reputation in the Great Spirit Sect, I guarantee that you will definitely be able to join the Silver Lotus Hall. I, Oh Cheon-woong, have that much ability.”
What Oh Cheon-woong said wasn’t much different from what Lee Joo-eun said.

If Lee Joo-eun’s gaze was like a snake, Oh Cheon-woong’s was like a wild boar.

He believed that Chae Moo-ok would naturally accept his proposal.

“Hoo!”

Suddenly, Chae Moo-ok let out a big sigh.

His face was twisted.

He was on his way to participate in the Kangho Great War, betting the fate of his clan. He had planned to fight his best and establish a great merit no matter which side he chose. He thought that was the only way to save his failing clan.

But he didn’t anticipate receiving such a proposal before even arriving at the Poyang Lake.

What made him feel bitter was the obvious greed in the eyes of the two men who proposed.

It was clear they weren’t approaching him with pure intentions, but rather were proposing to satisfy their own ambitions.

Chae Moo-ok may not have had much experience in the world, but he wasn’t naive enough to be fooled by such a hollow proposition.

“Both of you, please leave. I have no intention of joining either the Black Tooth Sect or the Great Spirit Sect.”

“You have made a foolish decision. It would have been better for you to accept my offer.”

“You are a wild one. Seeing you try to take the hard way when there’s an easy one, it doesn’t seem like your life will be very long”.

As if they had made a promise, Lee Joo-eun and Oh Cheon-woong spat out harsh words at the same time. However, Chae Moo-ok was not shaken.

“No matter what you say, my decision won’t change. Please leave now. Aren’t others unable to eat properly because of you?”

“Don’t be like that, think about it one more time. The world is not an easy place.”

“Do you have confidence that you won’t regret that decision? The martial arts world isn’t generous enough to accept the whims of the powerless.”

Despite Chae Moo-ok’s words, the two men showed no signs of backing down.

Their goal was to recruit even one more talent, no matter what. They had no intention of giving up until their goal was achieved.

Bang!

At that moment, Chae Moo-ok slammed the table with his fist.

He was furious at the two for continuing to ignore his opinions and only speaking for themselves.

“Let me make this clear. I have absolutely no intention of joining either the Black Tooth Sect or the Great Spirit Sect. Now, please step back.”

“What a rash one… No wonder the Four Suns declined, with a grand disciple like you failing to read the currents,” Lee Joo-eun sneered.

“Like master, like student. Both ends are blocked,” Oh Cheon-woong added with a smirk.

At that moment, the thread of reason in Chae Moo-ok’s mind snapped.

He could tolerate himself being insulted, but he could never tolerate his master being called names.

“Apologize.”

“What?”

“What did you say, kid?”

The two men looked dumbfounded.

They had faced many, but a brazen individual like Chae Moo-ok was the first.

“Insulting me is something I can tolerate. But insulting my master is absolutely intolerable. Even if the Sect has fallen and is no longer the same, that’s no reason for you to insult him. Please apologize.”

“I can tolerate insults against me. But insulting my master is absolutely intolerable. Even if the Four Suns Clan has declined and is not as it used to be, that does not give you the right to disrespect my master. Apologize,” he demanded.

“Oh, you think you’re some great martial artist because we’ve been so lenient,” Lee Joo-eun’s tone completely changed.

He had absolutely no intention of apologizing to Chae Moo-ok.

Taking back words once spoken was not an option.

He spoke to Chae Moo-ok.

“You’re just a naive kid. Don’t expect to hear the word ‘apology’ from my mouth. You’re just a kid with high pride but nothing else… Spit!”

The spit he launched landed precisely on the table in front of Chae Moo-ok.

In an instant, Chae Moo-ok’s eyes changed.

Lee Joo-eun’s act was not just disrespectful to him, but also to his companions.

“Wipe your spit.”

“What?”

“Wipe it all off with your sleeve, Don’t leave a trace.”

“This brat……”

“If you can’t apologize, I’ll have to force you.”

“What? Are you saying you’re going to challenge me?”

“Why, are you scared?”

“Ha! This is ridiculous.”

“Chae Moo-ok of the Four Suns Clan requests a lesson from Lee Joo-eun, the Grand Leader of the Black Tooth Sect. Please grant this humble junior a lesson.”

Chae Moo-ok assumed a formal fighting stance.

Now the one who was flustered was Lee Joo-eun.

His opponent had formally requested a duel. As a senior, it was quite cowardly to refuse a junior’s challenge.

If he rejected Chae Moo-ok’s request, surely many would ridicule him. But accepting the challenge was not easy either. If he lost, his reputation would take a significant hit.

His eyes were shifty.

“You’re not afraid of a humble junior’s challenge, are you?” Chae Moo-ok provoked.

If he tolerated such words, he would be admitting his defeat as a martial artist.

“Fine! I accept your challenge.”

In the end, Lee Joo-eun had no choice but to accept the duel.

Chae Moo-ok’s gaze now turned to Oh Cheon-woong.

“You’re next.”

“What?”

“You disrespected my master as well, didn’t you? I wish to duel with you too.”

“Boy, your audacity is out of this world. Enough with your nonsense. You need to know your place.”

“Are you scared?”

“What?”

“Are you avoiding the challenge because you’re scared of a kid? Speak honestly. If so, I will withdraw my request for a duel.”

“Ha!”

Oh Cheon-woong let out a sigh in disbelief, his face filled with irritation.

“Fine! If you beat Lee Joo-eun, I’ll accept your request.”

“Don’t forget that promise.”

“Hmph! Just make sure you don’t run away.”

Oh Cheon-woong snorted and brought a chair to sit down.

Chae Moo-ok turned his back to Oh Cheon-woong and faced Lee Joo-eun.
Lee Joo-eun spoke.

“Come at me. As your senior, I’ll let you go first.”

“Don’t regret it.”

“Regret? What is that?”

It was the moment when Lee Joo-eun snorted in derision.

BANG!

With a powerful shockwave, Chae Moo-ok’s fist stretched out straight. It was the collapsing fist.
It was the simplest initial technique that every martial artist knew. However, the power of the collapsing fist that Chae Moo-ok unleashed was anything but simple.

BOOM!

“Guh!”

With a stifled groan, Lee Joo-eun’s body was thrown backward.

Despite blocking Chae Moo-ok’s fist with his hands crossed, the powerful impact had penetrated his entire body.

His forearms, which were struck by Chae Moo-ok’s fist, were swollen. If the impact had been a bit stronger, his bones would have surely broken.

“What, what the?”

Taken aback by the unexpected power of the collapsing fist, Lee Joo-eun quickly drew his sword.

That’s when Chae Moo-ok’s full-scale offensive began.

Thud!

His fists rained down like heavy stones.

Lee Joo-eun swung his sword to block Chae Moo-ok’s attacks. Despite the collisions of the sharpened sword and fist, not even a single bruise was left.

“What?”

“Ha!”

Chae Moo-ok’s leg shot up in the air in an unpredictable trajectory and then came crashing down on Lee Joo-eun’s head.

“Darn it!”

Lee Joo-eun hastily raised his sword to protect his head.

Crash!

At that moment, the heel of the foot collided with the sword.

Lee Joo-eun had expected Chae Moo-ok’s ankle to be cleanly severed. However, reality was different from his expectations.

BOOM!

With a loud noise, the sword shattered into pieces.

Without any time to evade, Chae Moo-ok’s leg continued its trajectory, blasting into Lee Joo-eun’s collarbone.

“Arggh!”

With a scream, Lee Joo-eun rolled on the ground.

His collarbone, which was hit by Chae Moo-ok’s kick, was shattered into small pieces. He tried to withstand the pain and rise, but the inability to apply strength to his arm made even sitting up difficult.

“Huh?”

Oh Cheon-woong jumped up in surprise. Although Lee Joo-eun was only a big fish in a small pond, he was by no means an easy opponent.

Even Oh Cheon-woong had to give his all to face him. Yet, Chae Moo-ok had subdued such an opponent so easily.

It was an incredible martial prowess that far exceeded his imagination.

‘Damn it!’

If Chae Moo-ok had the martial prowess to overpower Lee Joo-eun so quickly, it would be difficult for him to handle as well. His and Lee Joo-eun’s martial abilities were not much different.

The fact that Lee Joo-eun was overpowered in an instant meant that there was a high probability that he would be overpowered in an instant as well.

‘I need to attack him now.’

He gripped the large sword hanging on his hip.

“Die!”

Oh Cheon-woong attacked Chae Moo-ok directly.

Chae Moo-ok was unable to notice Oh Cheon-woong’s ambush and was left defenseless.

The great sword, swung with all his might, was a hair’s breadth from Chae Moo-ok’s neck.

“You can’t do that.”

Bam!

At that moment, a refreshing voice intervened, and someone blocked Oh Cheon-woong.

Do Yeonsan’s fist, filled with powerful qi, shattered Oh Cheon-woong’s large sword as if it were made of glass.

“Ugh!”

Oh Cheon-woong staggered from the impact, as if he had been hit by a giant hammer.

Do Yeonsan dug into Oh Cheon-woong’s space and placed his palm on his chest.

Boom!

A powerful shockwave erupted from Do Yeonsan’s palm, wreaking havoc inside Oh Cheon-woong.

“Kuargh!”

Oh Cheon-woong vomited blood and fell to his knees.

Do Yeonsan looked down at Oh Cheon-woong and said,

“Wow! Despite your appearance, you’re quite dishonorable. This is why you can’t judge a person by their looks.”

“You, you?”

Humiliated, Oh Cheon-woong trembled.

“What are you doing? Attack him…”

He tried to order his men to attack, but all he saw were his men sprawled on the ground and an old man sitting casually among them.

The old man who had subdued his subordinates before Lee Joo-eun and Oh Cheon-woong could even notice was Sal-No.

Sal-No asked with a smile, “Why?”

At that moment, Oh Cheon-woong tightly closed his eyes.

‘I… I’ve messed with the wrong person.’

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