Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 194

Toppling the Legend (1)

Yongzhou was a city located at the southernmost tip of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s territory.

It was also the place that those in the Southern Jianghu must pass through to reach the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Because of this, the Jade Heaven Alliance had established a special branch in Yongzhou to manage it.

People entering and leaving Yongzhou were monitored and recorded by the martial artists of the Yongzhou branch. If anyone suspicious appeared, people from the branch would immediately come out to investigate or apprehend them, making the city’s public order exceptionally good.

Lee Gwak and his group unpacked their belongings at an inn in Yongzhou.

Thanks to Nam Woo Gyeong, they were able to enter Yongzhou without any special procedures. In addition to the Jade Heaven Alliance’s branch, there was also a branch of the Hao Clan in Yongzhou .

Although the Hao Clan’s military strength could not compare to the Jade Heaven Alliance, their information network surpassed that of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Thanks to them, Lee Gwak and his group were able to unpack at an inn in Yeongju and rest for the first time in a long while.

As soon as they arrived in Yongzhou, Nam Woo Gyeong went straight to the Hao Clan branch.

There was much to investigate and many special instructions to give, so he had to move personally.

Not long after Nam Woo Gyeong left, Cheol Gwang Woo came looking for Lee Gwak.

“Brother, I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to visit a bookstore.”

A puzzled expression appeared on Lee Gwak’s face. Cheol Gwang Woo and bookstores seemed mismatched in his mind.

Scratching his head, Cheol Gwang Woo explained his reason.

“I thought I’d try to find some Buddhist scriptures.”

“Buddhist scriptures?”

“Yes! I figured that by directly reading the scriptures, I might better understand the principles of Buddhism.”

He thought he could control his madness to some extent, but the fact that he was losing his mind to a mere drug made him feel devastated. So, after thinking all night, he decided to read the Buddhist scriptures himself.

Lee Gwak smiled warmly.

He couldn’t be sure how effective reading the Buddhist scriptures would be, but he was glad that Cheol Gwang Woo had such a thought.

“Alright! Be careful on your way.”

“Yes! Brother.”

Cheol Gwang Woo bowed to Lee Gwak and then left.

Left alone in the inn, Lee Gwak made his way down to the first floor.

Perhaps because it was still early, the dining room on the first floor was quiet. Lee Gwak sat down at a suitable place and ordered food and alcohol.

While waiting for his order, Lee Gwak sorted through his thoughts.

‘In the end, there was no trace of the pursuers.’

This meant that O Se-ui had either shaken off the pursuers or had safely escaped.

Just thinking about O Se-ui made Lee Gwak frown deeply. The mere thought of the name made him uncomfortable.

Because of O Se-ui, the Shenyang Escort Service of fifty people was annihilated. Losing its owner and most of its escorts, it was as good as destroyed.

O Se-ui must have known that this would happen. The person who used the escort service to shake off the White Light Sect’s pursuit couldn’t have been unaware of such a fact.

Even though deception and exploitation are common in Jianghu, there are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

O Se-ui had crossed that line by far.

No matter how important the information he possessed was, it couldn’t have been more valuable than the lives of fifty people from the escort service .

If he ever met him again, Lee Gwak wanted to ask.

Did it really have to be this way?

If possible, he wanted to make him pay.

If it was really possible.

“Sigh!”

Lee Gwak let out a soft sigh.

He had thought that becoming stronger in martial arts would make everything in the world easier. But the world was not so simple.

The distinction between good and evil was ambiguous, and nothing was clear-cut.

It was almost impossible to tell the truth from the lies based solely on the situation before one’s eyes.

In a world of conspiracies and lies, the only thing one could rely on was one’s own steadfastness and sharp eyes.

“Excuse me…”

At that moment, someone cautiously approached Lee Gwak to speak.

When he snapped out of his reverie and looked back, he saw familiar faces.

“May we join you?”

The one speaking was Ji Yeo-wol. Behind her, Ji Sang-hwan had a shy expression, eyes closed.

“Sure, have a seat.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

With Lee Gwak’s permission, Ji Yeo-wol sat down with a bright smile.

After their encounter in the forest, Ji Yeo-wol made an effort to grow closer to Lee Gwak. Despite Ji Sang-hwan’s attempts to dissuade her, it was futile.

From a certain point, Ji Yeo-wol couldn’t take her eyes off Lee Gwak. Even after entering Yongzhou, she remained focused on him.

They could have chosen a different inn, but she insisted on staying in the same inn as Lee Gwak. Her attention was entirely fixed on him.

‘How wonderful would it be to travel the Jianghu with Brother Lee Gwak?’

Just the thought made Ji Yeo-wol’s face flush with excitement.

At that moment, Ji Sang-hwan pinched Ji Yeo-wol’s side.

‘Get a hold of yourself, please! Brother Lee Gwak isn’t someone you should be involved with.’

‘Hmph!’

But Ji Yeo-wol ignored his pleas with a snort.

Once Ji Yeo-wol set her mind on something, nothing else mattered to her.

The conversation paused when the food and drinks arrived.

As Lee Gwak was pouring himself a drink, he looked over at Ji Sang-hwan.

“Will you have a drink too?”

“Uh? Yes!”

Ji Sang-hwan inadvertently raised his voice, which made Lee Gwak chuckle.

“Don’t be so tense. Take this.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

Ji Sang-hwan eagerly reached out for the drink. Lee Gwak filled his cup to the brim. Then, Ji Yeo-wol extended her cup.

“I’d like a drink too, Brother.”

“Just have some tea.”

“Why?”

“Drinking can wait until you’re a bit older.”

“Hmph! I’m already grown up.”

Ji Yeo-wol pouted her lips. However, Lee Gwak ignored her and lifted his cup.

Lee Gwak had quickly realized that Ji Yeo-wol harbored some affection for him. It was nothing more than a young girl’s crush, not a deep emotion.

Even if her feelings were deeper, it was time to stop it here.

Regardless of her feelings, there was no space for her in his heart. As if forgetting her pout, Ji Yeo-wol smiled and asked.

“But why are you going to the Jade Heaven Alliance, Brother?”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Who are you looking for? Can you tell me too? With the help of our Ji family, it shouldn’t be difficult to find someone in the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“My lover.”

“What? What do you mean?”

Ji Yeo-wol’s lips trembled at Lee Gwak’s unexpected response. She was deeply shocked.

Lee Gwak continued ruthlessly, despite knowing the young girl was hurt.

“The person I gave my heart to is there. That’s why I’m going.”

“Ha-ha! You’re joking, right?”

“Why would I lie to you?”

Lee Gwak was harsh.

But he had to be.

Not because he disliked Ji Yeo-wol or because she was unattractive, but to not give her any false hope from the start.

Ji Yeo-wol had lived a very sheltered life and didn’t understand the harshness of the world. She also had a tendency to expect everything to go her way.

Recalling how rude Ji Yeo-wol was at first revealed a lot about her personality. That’s why Lee Gwak didn’t give her any chance.

Ji Yeo-wol’s speechless face was filled with tremors. Tears welled up in her eyes, and although he felt a pang of guilt, he didn’t regret it.

Bang!

At that moment, Ji Yeo-wol slammed her small hand on the table and raised her voice.

“Who is this lover? Is she prettier than me? Does she come from a better family? Does she…”

“In my eyes, she is more beautiful than anyone in the world. Even if she has nothing and nowhere to rely on.”

“Ugh!”

“The heart doesn’t always follow appearances or backgrounds.”

“I can’t accept that.”

Tears finally rolled down Ji Yeo-wol’s cheeks.

Lee Gwak quietly sipped his drink.

It wasn’t easy for Lee Gwak to say these things. But it was for the best.

Ji Sang-hwan grabbed Ji Yeo-wol’s arm and said, “I told you. You and Brother Lee Gwak don’t match.”

“Shut up! What do you know about Brother Lee Gwak?”

“It’s really shameful to see you like this.”

“Shameful? Me?”

“Yes!”

Ji Sang-hwan nodded.

Ji Yeo-wol looked as if she had been hit over the head. She never expected such words from her own brother, making the shock even greater.

Ji Sang-hwan clenched his eyes shut.

He really didn’t want to say such things to his only sister. But even if he disliked it, it had to be said.

Ji Yeo-wol needed to understand.

Not everything in the world goes the way she stubbornly wants it to.

Just as tears were about to spill from Ji Yeo-wol’s eyes, the inn’s door burst open, and a group of people entered. The atmosphere in the inn instantly turned cold.

The newcomers had an unsettling aura about them. Among them was an elderly man in his early sixties, accompanied by about a dozen martial artists who seemed to be his followers.

A dominating energy flowed from the elderly man, overwhelming his surroundings. He scanned the room with cold eyes before walking directly towards Lee Gwak’s table.

‘He’s exuding internal energy.’

‘Who is this old man?’

From the moment the old man appeared, the air in the inn grew chillier, creating a subtle tension.

The old man addressed Lee Gwak directly.

“May I take a seat?”

“All the seats are taken…”

Lee Gwak hinted at a refusal, but the old man’s gaze then shifted towards Ji Yeo-wol and Ji Sang-hwan.

“Gulp!”

Seeing the old man, Ji Yeo-wol forgot her tears and hiccupped from fear, such was the terror in the old man’s eyes.

“Haven’t you finished your business yet? I would like to sit if you’re done.”

“Uh, we’re done. We were just leaving…”

Feeling the ominous atmosphere, Ji Sang-hwan quickly took Ji Yeo-wol by the hand and stood up. A smile appeared on the old man’s face.

“Now there’s a seat.”

He sat down without further seeking Lee Gwak’s permission, and his followers lined up behind him like a screen.

“Ah! It would be better for you to wait outside the inn.”

Lee Gwak, still holding his drink, suggested to Ji Sang-hwan and Ji Yeo-wol.

Though he didn’t know the old man’s identity, the malice in his gaze was unmistakably clear to Lee Gwak.

As soon as Lee Gwak finished speaking, Ji Sang-hwan and his sister hurried towards the exit.

That’s when the old man flashed a grim smile.

“Who said you could leave? No one in this inn leaves without my permission.”

“Ah!”

The killing intent in the old man’s voice froze Ji Sang-hwan and his sister in place. They had never felt such a terrifying presence in their lives.

It was as if they were frogs paralyzed by the stare of a snake, unable to move a muscle.

Then, there was a moment.

Clang!

Lee Gwak set his cup down on the table, making a clear sound that echoed through the room. The killing intent that had bound Ji Sang-hwan and his sister vanished without a trace.

Lee Gwak then told them, “Now, you can go.”

As Ji Sang-hwan and Ji Yeo-wol nodded in a daze and began to move, their minds were blank, incapable of any thought.

That’s when one of the martial artists following the old man blocked Ji Sang-hwan and Ji Yeo-wol’s path.

“No one can leave without the elder’s permission—”

The martial artist’s face suddenly turned pale, as if needles were piercing his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

Lee Gwak was merely looking at him indifferently, but that gaze felt like it was crushing the martial artist’s heart.

‘What?’

Every vein in his body was bulging and cold sweat was pouring down like a waterfall. The martial artist forgot his duty to block Ji Sang-hwan and Ji Yeo-wol, instead shaking uncontrollably. The old man clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Useless…”

By then, Ji Sang-hwan and Ji Yeo-wol had disappeared outside the inn.

The old man’s gaze shifted back to Lee Gwak.

“To subdue a child with just a look. You’ve studied well.”

“And who are you to come here and cause such a commotion?”

“Me? An old man extremely annoyed by a slippery loach.”

“A loach?”

“Yes! So slippery it wriggled away, and I ended up empty-handed. That’s why I’m in a particularly bad mood.”

“That’s unfortunate. But if you’re angry about something else, why take it out here on innocent people?”

“Hmph! Because those who aided that loach to slip away are here.”

“Are you referring to me?”

“I sense the traces of Demon Soul Powder on you. Probably from when you killed those children in the forest.”

“Demon Soul Powder?”

Lee Gwak lifted his head to meet the old man’s eyes.

Lee Gwak realized the old man’s identity.

“So, you’re the one responsible for the annihilation of the Shenyang Escort Service”

“That’s right.”

The old man readily admitted to Lee Gwak’s accusation.

Lee Gwak looked directly into the old man’s eyes and asked, “And who might you be?”

“My name is Moon Gwang. I was once known by the nickname ‘Gatekeeper Assassin’ among the Eastern martial artists of the Jianghu. Do you recognise my name?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Then you won’t feel wronged dying by my hand.”

Gatekeeper Assassin Moon Gwang smiled.