Chapter 228: Holding One’s Breath, Gritting One’s Teeth (3)

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Three men and one woman emerged from the darkness. They all looked to be in their early to mid-twenties, and the long journey had clearly worn them ragged.

They carried weapons at their waists and on their backs. Their robust auras proved that they had undergone considerable training.

The eldest-looking of them, who carried a sword at his waist, stepped forward.

"I'm Hwangbo Jung-Geol. We lost our way and were drawn to the light. Would it be all right if we rested here for a while?"

"Please, sit."

Such was the way of the world. Martial artists from fallen sects couldn't expect to receive any respect.

"Thank you."

Hwangbo Jung-Geol's face brightened. Turning around, he beckoned to his companions, who had been lingering awkwardly behind.

Moreover, most of those lying on the ground were unarmed civilians.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol introduced them as Jeong Yun-Hoe, Nam Jung-Gyeong, and So Yu-Gyeong. He was a descendant of the Hwangbo Clan, one of the Five Great Clans , and the others were likewise children of renowned martial families from Shandong Province.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol had a massive build and hands as broad as pot lids, making for a thoroughly intimidating figure. Jeong Yun-hoe had a lithe frame and bright, clear eyes and looked exceptionally sharp. By contrast, Nam Jung-Gyeong had a plain, artless face and a gentle gaze that gave off a warm impression.

So Yu-Gyeong, the only woman, scowled. She was clearly upset about having to camp outdoors so suddenly. Consequently, her lovely, rose-like face looked as though it had sprouted thorns.

Yu-Gyeong's lips curled into a sneer.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol laughed heartily. "Haha! Thank you! You've saved us. We'll be sure to repay this kindness someday. If you're ever in Jinan, come to the Hwangbo Clan and ask for me, Hwangbo Jung-Geol."

They all looked to be in their early to mid-twenties, and the long journey had clearly worn them ragged.

"I will," Jin Mu-Won readily agreed, though he and Hwangbo Jung-Geol both knew the statement was nothing more than a formality.

"Come to think of it, I haven't caught your name. Who are you?"

"I am Dan Cheon-Woon."

"Forgive my rudeness, but might I inquire as to your sect, Master Dan?"

"I hail from the Peacock Sect."

"The Peacock Sect?"

Clearing away the heaped corpses, he found a man who looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties.

"You've likely never heard of it. Hardly anyone knows of it."

He fidgeted uneasily as he saw how Hwangbo Jung-Geol and the others conducted themselves.

"I've heard of it." So Yu-Gyeong unexpectedly cut into the conversation. "I heard stories about it when I visited Hunan Province. There was a small sect that settled in Yeongju, but it's gone now, its line of succession severed."

"You're well-informed. I'm the last surviving Peacock Sect martial artist."

"So you lost your sect and now you're wandering the world?"

"You could put it that way."

Yu-Gyeong's lips curled into a sneer.

Jin Mu-Won could see her expression clearly despite the darkness, but he paid it no mind. Dan Cheon-Woon was not his true self. More importantly, he was not the type to concern himself with such trifles.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol laughed heartily. "Haha! Thank you! You've saved us. We'll be sure to repay this kindness someday. If you're ever in Jinan, come to the Hwangbo Clan and ask for me, Hwangbo Jung-Geol."

Such was the way of the world. Martial artists from fallen sects couldn't expect to receive any respect.

Countless bodies lay strewn across the road, and the crows tore at their flesh.

As the war with the Silent Night dragged on, more than a few sects had been annihilated. Most disciples of those sects were absorbed into others. Those without skill, however, could not settle anywhere and ended up drifting through the world. It seemed Yu-Gyeong had decided that Jin Mu-Won was one such case.

He and the sullen So Yu-Gyeong both looked enraptured, as though the scent had bewitched them.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol and Jeong Yun-Hoe likely thought the same. They were all scions of prestigious families. Having only ever socialized with disciples from families or sects equal to their own, they were quick to look down on those from weaker sects.

Nam Jung-Gyeong was the lone exception. He fidgeted uneasily as he saw how Hwangbo Jung-Geol and the others conducted themselves. They were guests at someone else's campfire, after all, yet they were disrespecting their host.

Jin Mu-Won noticed, but said nothing. Their connection would last only a single night. They would never cross paths again after today.

"Master Dan, might you share some of your food with us? We've wandered all day and haven't had a bite to eat," Hwangbo Jung-Geol asked, his eyes fixed on the pot in front of Jin Mu-Won.

Jin Mu-Won nodded without a word.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol chuckled and dragged the pot over to himself. When he lifted the lid, a savory aroma drifted out. He and the sullen So Yu-Gyeong both looked enraptured, as though the scent had bewitched them.

"I've heard of it." So Yu-Gyeong unexpectedly cut into the conversation. "I heard stories about it when I visited Hunan Province.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol hurriedly served the porridge to his companions. By the time he was done, next to nothing was left for the host.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol and the others flushed with embarrassment, but they were truly famished. Avoiding Jin Mu-Won's gaze, they buried their faces in their bowls.

Jin Mu-Won didn't blame them. Clearly, these people had been born with silver spoons in their mouths. They bore every hallmark of people who had never camped outdoors in their lives.

Usually, travelers would make at least some minimal preparation for camping when planning a long trip. These people, however, showed no sign of having done so..

They're just a group of jianghu greenhorns.

Jin Mu-Won turned his attention away from the trio and began eating the meager portion of porridge left for him. Missing a meal or two didn't bother him, so he wasn't overly upset by the lack of food.

He entered a silent world where no sound could invade. The only things that existed were himself and a single sword.

Hwangbo Jung-Geol and his group, on the other hand, still looked disappointed even after eating a lot of porridge. Realizing there was nothing more to be had, though, they soon started chatting among themselves.

"I hear the fighting in Fu County is really something, huh?"

"They say hundreds fall every day. If they're driven back from Fu County, the Mount Hua and Zhongnan sects will be in danger, too. Heaven's Summit continues to pour in all its forces."

"As fierce and dangerous as it is, it's a land of opportunity for us. If we can make a name for ourselves there, we might just land a spot in the Demon Hunters."

Upon hearing Hwangbo Jung-Geol's words, Nam Jung-Gyeong's expression darkened. However, Jeong Yun-Hoe and So Yu-Gyeong nodded along with him.

Their goal was to join the Demon Hunters. Every young martial artist in the current murim who had learned even a little martial arts dreamed of joining the elite group. Nevertheless, gaining entry was no easy matter.

To join, a vacancy had to open first. Even when a spot or two opened up, countless people scrambled fiercely to claim it. Needless to say, the higher one's reputation in the jianghu, the better one's odds of being chosen.

"What do you suppose it'd feel like being in the Demon Hunters?"

"Countless people would surely gaze at us with envy."

"Just the thought of risking our lives on the fiercest of battlefields sends a thrill through my whole body."