Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 198

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (2)

Swoosh!

The assassin dashed through the Jade Heaven Alliance like a streak of light.

Lim Ji Moon couldn’t take his eyes off him for even a moment, fearing that if he did, the assassin would disappear without a trace.

Nor could he call upon the martial artists of the Jade Heaven Alliance. That would reveal that the assassination had taken place inside the secret court.

The assassin seemed familiar with the layout of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Despite the many guards within the Jade Heaven Alliance, the assassin expertly navigated through blind spots unseen by the guards.

‘He clearly has an intricate understanding of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s internal geography.’

The assassin’s movements and decisions were impossible without intimate knowledge of the layout, including the mechanisms and internal geography of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Most frightening was the assassin’s qinggong.

Lim Ji Moon was confident in his own qinggong, yet the distance between him and the assassin was growing. At this rate, he would lose him without a chance.

Lim Ji Moon clenched his teeth.

Failing to prevent O Se-ui’s assassination was one problem, but letting the assassin escape would be an even bigger issue.

He had to decide the outcome before the distance between them grew any further.

Whoosh!

The sword that had been sheathed at his waist was drawn.

The dazzlingly well-forged sword was a masterpiece that the Secret Court had gone to great lengths to obtain.

The expectations the secret court had for Lim Ji Moon were fully embodied in this single sword.

“Chaah!”

Lim Ji Moon shouted as he executed his sword technique.

It was the technique of the Meteor Flying Sword, specifically the Meteor Slicing the Dark Sky.

Swoosh!

Like a meteor cutting through the night sky, a sharp sword energy streaked across the air, aiming directly at the assassin’s back.

Embodying the essence of extreme speed, the Meteor Flying Sword seemed impossible for the assassin to evade.

At that moment, something unexpected happened.

Whoosh!

Without slowing down, the assassin twisted his body, deflecting the sword’s energy. At the same time, the assassin scattered something into the air.

Swish!

With the sound of air tearing, something sharp flew towards Lim Ji Moon.

” Knives!”

Clang!

With superhuman vision and reflexes, Lim Ji Moon managed to deflect the incoming knives.

“Ugh!”

The force behind the small knives was powerful enough to impact him, causing him to stagger.

In that brief moment, the assassin disappeared into the darkness.

“Damn it!”

Lim Ji Moon arrived at the spot where the assassin had disappeared, his face filled with frustration.

The place where the assassin disappeared was near the wall of the inner court.

Blocked by the tall fortress walls, and with powerful mechanisms and traps installed nearby, it seemed nearly impossible for someone to escape without leaving any trace.

“A secret… passage.”

Recalling his memory, Lim Ji Moon remembered that a secret passage did indeed exist here.
Long ago, he had inspected the mechanisms and traps of the Jade Heaven Alliance with Maa Doo Won, head of the Creation Pavilion, and Lee Gwak, a martial artist from the Outer Hall. They had confirmed the existence of secret passageways.

According to his memory, there was definitely a secret passage in this location.

“But how could an assassin possibly know?”

The existence of the secret passageways was highly classified, known to only a handful of people. So much so that almost no one in the leadership of the Jade Heaven Alliance was aware of their location.

Lim Ji Moon quickly opened the secret passage. A narrow, dark tunnel revealed itself.

Lim Ji Moon rushed down the secret passage with all his might.

Many passages had been closed off during the maintenance of the mechanical traps years ago. However, essential passages were preserved.

The passage used by the assassin was one of those places. Although traps had been laid throughout, they had not been activated, suggesting that the assassin had used some method of getting around them.

Lim Ji Moon frantically followed the trail of the assassin.

Thud!

He reached the end of the passage and opened a discreetly hidden door, revealing a landscape entirely different from the inside of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

“Outside the alliance?”

Lim Ji Moon looked around in dismay. However, there was no sign of the assassin. He had vanished without a trace.

Yet, Lim Ji Moon did not give up and searched the area extensively. After nearly half an hour, he could not find any trace of the assassin.

Ultimately, Lim Ji Moon had to accept that he had lost track of the assassin.

“How am I going to face my sister?”

As he sighed and looked up, he saw a shabby house surrounded by a tall fence. Oddly, the scene felt familiar.

“Isn’t this brother Lee Gwak’s house?”

It had been a long time since he had any reason to come to this part of town, and he had forgotten about it. But now, facing it, memories forgotten for over six years began to resurface.

Lee Gwak’s house was securely closed. The appearance of planks nailed over it suggested it had been officially sealed by the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Lim Ji Moon briefly considered tearing off the boards to enter but then shook his head.

Now was not the time to dwell on memories of the past. He needed to return to the secret court and devise a plan with Lim Sobo.

Lim Ji Moon sighed once more and left the place.

Behind him, Lee Gwak’s house remained silent and deserted.

***
Surrounded by the scenic beauty renowned throughout the region, Hunan Province, where Jade Heaven Alliancewas located, had always been famous for its picturesque landscapes.

Centered around Dongting Lake, one of the most scenic spots in the Central Plains, rivers and canals intertwined like a spider’s web, making it possible to reach Dongting Lake from anywhere in Hunan Province by boat.

Thus, Lee Gwak and his party also boarded a boat shortly after leaving Yeongju. There was no need to exert themselves by traveling on foot when the boat could easily take them to Dongting Lake.

The boat they boarded, capable of carrying several horses and carriages, boasted an impressive size.

Indeed, the boat was so large that even after a certain merchant loaded about ten carriages and twenty horses, there was still space left below deck.

Lee Gwak stood on the deck, taking in the surrounding scenery.

The boat was passing near Hengshan, and the view was as beautiful as if a painter had devoted decades to capturing its essence.

A mix of emotions crossed Lee Gwak’s face.

It would only take two more days to reach Dongting Lake once they passed Hengshan. Two days to reach the Jade Heaven Alliance.

It was his return after six years.

He prided himself on having hardened his heart over the years, but as he neared the Jade Heaven Alliance, he felt an inexplicable flutter in his chest.

Regardless of the circumstances, he had spent most of his formative years in the Jade Heaven Alliance. His memories were deeply intertwined, making his emotions complex and difficult to articulate.

As Lee Gwak was lost in thought, the boat briefly docked at a pier near Hengshan to pick up other passengers.

As soon as the boat moored, dozens of people lined up to board.

“Phew! I finally got on the boat.”

“If we missed this boat, we would’ve arrived at Dongting Lake much later. Lucky indeed.”

The newly boarded passengers exchanged relieved and cheerful conversations.

Missing the boat to and from Dongting Lake meant an indefinite wait for the next opportunity, as the trips were not scheduled regularly.

Most of the new passengers appeared to be merchants or ordinary travelers, but not all. There were also several martial artists, recognizable by their weapons.

As the Jade Heaven Alliance approached, the number of martial artists naturally increased. Among them were elderly martial artists as well as young faces that seemed new to the Jianghu.

One particularly lively young girl stood out.

“Uncle, the boat is really big. Wow!”

The girl, who looked to be about eighteen, was extremely cute. She was running around the deck with a look of wonder on her face.

“Sehwa, stop making such a fuss and come here.”

A stern-looking middle-aged man called out to her.

“Uncle, aren’t you amazed? How can such a big boat float?”

“What’s so amazing about that? Stop bothering the crew and come here. A girl should behave modestly, not run around wild like an untamed colt. Who would want you acting like that?”

“Bah! I’m not getting married anyway, so it’s fine.”

The girl stuck out her tongue at the middle-aged man.

Unable to help himself, the man burst into laughter.

No matter how stern he tried to be, he couldn’t handle his niece. She had a naturally bright demeanor and a knack for lifting people’s spirits.

The middle-aged man was Yoo Sang-myeong, head of the prestigious Hengshan Yu Family Manor.

The Hengshan Yu Family Manor was a branch of the ancient Hengshan sect, it filled the void left after the main sect’s downfall in the Great Heavenly Blood War a century ago.

The cute girl’s name was Yoo Sehwa, Yoo Sang-myeong’s niece.

Yoo Sehwa was a girl of boundless curiosity. She was constantly scanning the deck for anything that might pique her interest. Her eyes landed on a man leaning against the deck, gazing at the scenery.

He was notably taller than the others, with a melancholy look in his eyes.

That was Lee Gwak. Yoo Sehwa found herself inexplicably drawn to his gaze and watched him for a long time.

“What are you staring at?”

Had Yoo Sang-myeong not spoken, Yoo Sehwa might have continued to stare at Lee Gwak for much longer.

“Just looking.”

“Hmm! He must be going to the Jade Heaven Alliance to seek admittance. After all, most of the young martial artists on this boat are headed there with that goal in mind.”

Recently, there had been a noticeable increase in martial artists seeking to join the Jade Heaven Alliance. This included young martial artists as well as older ones, though realistically, it was challenging for older martial artists to be accepted.

Starting as a low-ranking martial artists wasn’t appealing to those who had spent some time in the Jianghu, given their minor positions. For the Jade Heaven Alliance, it was much easier to accept younger martial artists who were more compliant.

Yoo Sang-myeong thought that given Lee Gwak’s age, joining the Jade Heaven Alliance would not be easy.

Beside him, Yoo Sehwa kept chattering.

“Uncle, have you heard about a martial artist called Sura Blade making a name for himself in the Jianghu recently?”

“I’ve heard rumors. But rumors tend to be exaggerated. A young martial artist defeating the mad dragon Woo Mun Pae and the Gatekeeper Assassin Moon Gwang? That’s hard to believe.”

Yoo Sang-myeong shook his head.

Even if Woo Mun Pae were set aside as a young martial artist, Moon Gwang was a veteran difficult to defeat. The chances of a young martial artist winning against such a top-tier fighter were slim, at least according to Yoo Sang-myeong’s common sense. That’s why he found it hard to believe.

Rumors in the Jianghu were often exaggerated, and the community had a particular tendency towards sensationalism. Any slightly exceptional young martial artist would be instantly idolized.

That’s why Yoo Sang-myeong never took the Jianghu’s rumors at face value. However, his niece Yoo Sehwa felt differently. She gazed dreamily into the distance and said,

“I wonder if we’ll meet him if we go to the Jade Heaven Alliance this time?”

“If he’s there, perhaps we will meet him. But whether he’ll come to the Jade Heaven Alliance or not, I’m not sure.”

Yoo Sehwa’s certainty made Yoo Sang-myeong burst into laughter.

Girls immersed in the Jianghu often became enthralled when a new martial artist made a name for themselves. His niece, Yoo Sehwa, was no exception.

She admired a young martial artist who had earned the nickname “Sura Blade” based solely on rumors she had heard within the Jianghu, without knowing who he really was. He might well be a sinister figure in reality, but Yoo Sang-myeong refrained from expressing such thoughts.

The dangers of the Jianghu can only be understood through personal experience. No amount of warning could dissuade a girl full of dreams.

Instead, Yoo Sang-myeong changed the subject.

“Why do you pay so much attention to this martial artist named Sura blade when you have Ji Moon?”

“Well, that’s because…”

Yoo Sehwa stumbled over her words.

Seeing her in a tight spot, Yoo Sang-myeong looked at her teasingly, prompting her to raise her voice in defense.

“Ji Moon and he are different. He’s just…”

“Just?”

“A subject of curiosity. So, you must never tell Ji Moon about this, okay?”

“Ha! Got it.”

Yoo Sang-myeong laughed heartily at his niece’s flustered demeanor.

While the young martial artist Sura Blade was merely an object of curiosity, Lim Ji Moon was the young swordsman for whom she had feelings.

Their trip to the Jade Heaven Alliance was, in fact, to see Lim Ji Moon. Officially, they were responding to Lim Sobo’s summons, but it was an added bonus for Yoo Sehwa to see Lim Ji Moon’s face.

The thought of Lim Sobo darkened Yoo Sang-myeong’s expression.

‘I wonder what urgent matter Sobo has that she’s calling us like this.’

Yoo Sang-myeong had a deep connection with Lim Sobo’s master, Yeo Joong Wol. He regarded Lim Sobo, Yeo Joong Wol’s disciple, almost like his own niece and had frequent interactions with her.

Naturally, Lim Sobo and Yoo Sehwa were as close as sisters. So much so that when Yoo Sang-myeong mentioned he was going to the Jade Heaven Alliance to assist Lim Sobo, Yoo Sehwa pleaded to come along.

If Lim Sobo was asking for help, it must be a matter of great importance.

His heart couldn’t help but feel heavy.
***
After leaving Hengshan, the boat sailed for two more days before arriving in front of a vast lake.

“Dongting Lake.”

“We’ve finally arrived.”

Murmurs started among the passengers on the boat.

The vast horizon of the lake, reminiscent of the sea, was none other than Dongting Lake.
Lee Gwak looked at Dongting Lake with a solemn expression. A massive fortress could faintly be seen beyond the horizon.

Lee Gwak murmured,

“Jade Heaven Alliance.”

It was his return after six long years.

Nam Woo Gyeong and Cheol Gwang Woo joined him by his side.