Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 166

Different paths, but not different intentions (1)

Lee Gwak lifted his head and looked back.

Sa Yeon-hee was nowhere to be seen.

Although he had walked with his head down, Lee Gwak’s senses were not so dull as to miss her presence. However, he had pretended not to notice because she was from the Martial Sword Troupe.

Lee Gwak suspected that the Martial Sword Troupe and the Nine Shadows Fleet were somehow connected.

The base of the Nine Shadows Fleet was only a day’s sail from Haenam Island, effectively under the umbrella of the Martial Sword Troupe, one of the ten sects.

No matter how elusive the Nine Shadows Fleet had been, leaving no trace behind, it was impossible for an organization like the Martial Sword Troupe not to be aware of its existence.

Lee Gwak’s thoughts were heavily influenced by the Sea Martial Festival.

During the festival, no ships were allowed to enter or leave Haenam Island. However, the Nine Shadows Fleet, as if mocking such common knowledge, freely came and went from Haenam Island.

Moreover, Dam Il-cheon, the leader of the Nine Shadows Fleet, roamed Haenam Island openly with his followers.

Such activities could not have been possible without the protection of the Martial Sword Troupe.

Above all, Lee Gwak’s conviction was solidified by the Martial Sword Troupe’s actions following the fire at the workshop.

The Martial Sword Troupe announced that the fire was caused by a worker’s mistake and resulted in the death of everyone in the workshop. People, preoccupied with the upcoming martial arts competition, did not question the announcement.

To them, what mattered was the outcome of the competition, not some fire.

Lee Gwak suspected that someone of considerable rank in the Martial Sword Troupe was aiding and protecting the Nine Shadows Fleet.

This was Haenam Island.

Out of every ten people on the street, eight were somehow connected to the Martial Sword Troupe. Caution was paramount.

Such prudence was one of the reasons Lee Gwak had survived thus far.

Lee Gwak calmly organized his thoughts and returned to the Jangmyeong Inn.

The Innkeeper looked curiously at Lee Gwak, who was returning in the middle of the day.

“It seems you spent the night outside yesterday.”

“I had some business to attend to outside. Is my room still available?”

“Of course. We haven’t touched it since you left yesterday.”

“I’ll rest in my room for a bit and come down for dinner later. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

The Innkeeper nodded as if it were a matter of course.

Lee Gwak passed by the Innkeeper and went up to his room on the second floor. As he opened the door, Lee Gwak slightly furrowed his brows.

His room was neatly arranged. At first glance, it seemed just as he had left it. However, Lee Gwak’s keen eye did not miss that the room had been subtly disturbed.

Someone had entered his room the night before, while he was in the Haewang Archipelago.
They had rearranged everything without leaving a trace, but they couldn’t fool Lee Gwak’s eyes.

Lee Gwak approached the window.

There were clearer signs of intrusion at the window. Someone had disturbed the dust accumulated on the windowsill.

‘Was it Dam Il-cheon?’

Yuk San-ok, the vice-leader of the Nine Shadows Fleet, had mentioned that Dam Il-cheon had entered Haenam Island to kill Lee Gwak.

If Lee Gwak hadn’t gone to the harbor with Seop Yu-saeng and witnessed the fire, he would have undoubtedly been ambushed by Dam Il-cheon and his men.

Lee Gwak opened the window wide and looked outside. The view of the village, with its connected roofs, was clear at a glance.

Dam Il-cheon must be hiding somewhere out there.

Lee Gwak stood by the window, gazing outside for a long while before closing the window.
***

The final highlight of the Sea Martial Festival was Ok Cheon-hwa of the Golden Sword Pavilion.

He emerged as the champion of the martial arts competition.

Along with the title of “Young Hero of the South Sea,” he earned the special privilege to be personally tutored in martial arts by the Martial Sword Troupe.

The arrival of a new young hero was met with unreserved cheers from the crowd. The martial prowess displayed by Ok Cheon-hwa was truly remarkable. Among his peers, there was no one
who could even come close to comparing.

Already possessing extraordinary strength and talent, Ok Cheon-hwa’s opportunity to formally learn martial arts from the Martial Sword Troupe was envied by many.

Standing on a high platform, Ok Cheon-hwa looked down at the people with an exceedingly arrogant expression. Yet, not a single person spoke ill of him.

Ok Cheon-hwa had achieved glory through his own efforts, without anyone’s help. To be jealous of him was considered mean-spirited.

At the finale of the Sea Martial Festival, the winner of the martial arts competition, Ok Cheon-hwa, took a victory lap around Haenam Island, accompanied by the masters of the Martial Sword Troupe.

“Wow!”

“Look here, Junior Ok!”

People cheered, and women flirted with Ok Cheon-hwa.

Ok Cheon-hwa enjoyed the reactions of the crowd with a calm expression.

‘Finally, it’s all come together. Now!’

He clenched his fist tightly.

All the hardships he had endured were for this moment. A bright future lay ahead of him.

The procession escorting Ok Cheon-hwa passed by the Jangmyeong Inn, allowing Lee Gwak, from his room’s window, to get a clear view of him.

Lee Gwak watched Ok Cheon-hwa with his arms crossed.

Ok Cheon-hwa looked young and handsome. Winning the martial arts competition, it seemed as though a smooth path lay ahead of him.

However, Lee Gwak knew well that life doesn’t always go as planned. Though Ok Cheon-hwa was in a place of glory now, no one could predict when he might face a turning point.

With Ok Cheon-hwa’s victory, the Sea Martial Festival came to an end, and the ban on entering and leaving Haenam Island was lifted.

If Lee Gwak decided, he could leave Haenam Island at any time.

Lee Gwak packed his belongings and left his room.

His possessions were minimal, just a small bundle of essentials for the journey and the sword he carried in his hand.

The Innkeeper, seeing Lee Gwak coming down the stairs, asked,

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes!”

“It’s going to be crowded at the harbor if you leave now. Why not stay a little longer?”

“I’ve been held up here too long because of the Sea Martial Festival. It’s time to go.”

“I see. Well, if you ever come back to Haenam Island, please visit us again.”

“Sure!”

“Safe travels.”

The Innkeeper bowed deeply to Lee Gwak as a farewell.

Lee Gwak, with a gentle smile, stepped out of the guesthouse.

Upon exiting, the first thing he encountered was the scorching sunlight. However, Lee Gwak continued on with a composed expression.

Having frequented the path during the five days of the Sea Martial Festival, Lee Gwak was intimately familiar with the local geography.

Instead of taking the busy main road, Lee Gwak chose a quieter path through the dense forest. Just a short walk down the path revealed a spacious hill with a panoramic view of the sea.

The gently curving hill, unobstructed and picturesque, especially with the harbour full of ships and the endless horizon, moved Lee Gwak deeply. But Lee Gwak couldn’t find it in himself to
smile.

“Sigh!”

A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

Thud!

Lee Gwak placed the bundle he had been carrying on his back onto the ground. He stood motionless, like a statue, gazing only at the sea.

The strong sea breeze tousled his hair and clothes, but Lee Gwak remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the sea.

Rustle!

Suddenly, amidst the sound of the wind, the noise of something moving was heard, followed by a voice.

“Is this the grave you’ve chosen for yourself?”

Turning towards the direction of the voice, Lee Gwak saw an old man with a stooped back, leaning on a staff and glaring at him.

The old man was Gong Ji-sim. Behind him stood his disciple, Dam Il-cheon, and twenty martial artists lined up.

These twenty martial artists were the elite forces specially trained by Gong Ji-sim. They were prepared for Dam Il-cheon in case he gained entry to the Martial Sword Troupe as a formal disciple, needing loyal warriors to assist him. Naturally, their martial arts were exceptional, and
they were particularly skilled in cooperative fighting techniques.

These were the true forces of the Nine Shadows Fleet.

Their eyes, filled with killing intent, glared at Lee Gwak. If looks could kill, Lee Gwak would have been sliced into thousands of pieces by their fierce glares.

Despite their arrival, Lee Gwak was not perturbed.

This situation was something he had anticipated. Those who had infiltrated the inn wouldn’t easily give up on pursuing him.

Lee Gwak had expected someone to be watching and had deliberately come to this secluded place, prompting Gong Ji-sim and his men to appear as if on cue.

For them, today was the last chance to eliminate Lee Gwak. If he left Haenam Island to return to Jianghu, their opportunity to kill him would diminish significantly. Thus, Lee Gwak was certain they would seek him out today.

Lee Gwak looked at each of their faces before his gaze settled on Gong Ji-sim.

“Who might you be, old man?”

“My name is Gong Ji-sim.”

“Gong Ji-sim?”

“Yes! I am the master of that boy you humiliated.”

“Then you must be the true master of the Nine Shadows Fleet.”

“That’s right. The Nine Shadows Fleet is like my own child.”

“So, you’ve sent your ‘child’ ahead, I see.”

“What do you mean?”

Gong Ji-sim’s voice trembled slightly.

Lee Gwak silently observed him.

Suddenly, Gong Ji-sim’s eyelids fluttered.

He had been feeling a bad premonition for days, and now it seemed to be becoming reality.

“Is the lack of contact with Haewang Archipelago because of you?”

“…”

“You!”

Gong Ji-sim’s eyes blazed with anger.

Sometimes, silence served as an answer. This was one of those times.

The combination of a bad premonition and Lee Gwak’s silence convinced Gong Ji-sim.

“How did you do it?”

“What do you think?”

“You dare to play word games with me?”

Unable to contain his anger, Gong Ji-sim trembled with fury.

Then, Dam Il-cheon, who had been standing behind him, stepped forward.

“There’s no need to wait any longer, Master. We’ve completely lost contact with the Haewang Archipelago. It’s clear that this is his doing; we must eliminate him and return.”

For several days, there had been no contact from the Haewang Archipelago. This was unprecedented, and Dam Il-cheon’s anxiety was substantial.

Like Gong Ji-sim, Dam Il-cheon deeply wished to become an official disciple of the Martial Sword Troupe. However, he did not consider the Nine Shadows Fleet as mere expendables.

Having been with them since childhood, he felt a familial bond. That’s why he reacted so sensitively to Lee Gwak’s words.

A viscous killing intent appeared in Gong Ji-sim’s eyes.

“If something has happened at Haewang Archipelago because of you, you will not die a peaceful death. I will make sure you die the most brutal and painful death imaginable.”

“Those who have lost their families to you probably feel the same.”

“You?”

“Now that you’re in their shoes, how does it feel?”

“Old man!”

Suddenly, Gong Ji-sim roared like a lion. Lee Gwak’s words cut the last thread of his restraint.

The grass around them trembled wildly with the force of his qi-infused voice, as if the entire hill was crying out.

Gong Ji-sim shouted, “Kill him!”

At his command, the twenty martial artists charged at Lee Gwak in unison.

Unlike the disorderly thugs of the Nine Shadows Fleet, these martial artists were uniformly armed with swords.

They rushed forward with terrifying speed, their bodies bent low.

Gong Ji-sim had taught them the Haenam Single Sword Technique, a swordsmanship influenced by the distant lands across the sea. It was an extremely offensive technique, weak in
defense, which led to its disuse within the Haenam Sect long ago.

The Haenam Single Sword Technique was considered too dangerous for anyone at the pinnacle of martial arts to learn. However, its offensive power was among the highest in the Haenam Sect.

Whoosh!

A fierce sword wind slashed towards Lee Gwak.

Like the teeth of a hunting wolf, the warriors’ swords were deadly.

Snap!

In an instant, Lee Gwak stamped the ground.

He darted forward in an even lower stance than the martial artists unleashing the Haenam Single Sword Technique.

It was the Revolving Steps.

Leaving only a faint afterimage, Lee Gwak vanished from the warriors’ sight. Even with their trained eyes, they couldn’t catch his movements.

Lee Gwak reappeared amidst the warriors.

“What?”

“Damn!”

Exclamations of surprise escaped the warriors’ mouths.

Swoosh!

The sound of Lee Gwak drawing his blade was especially clear to their ears.

A chill ran down their spines, as if a cold breeze was tickling their necks.

Sensing danger, the martial artists instinctively scattered in all directions like grasshoppers.

Shh!

A sound of tearing wind softly resonated.

Silence fell.

Thud, thud!

Breaking the silence was the sound of something collapsing.