Chapter 112
Sssaaa—.
The battlefield, which had been dyed in madness only moments ago, cooled as if icy water had been poured over it.
The bandits’ bodies stiffened, unable to comprehend the situation that had unfolded in a fleeting instant, and the Asura Squad Members, not missing that gap, killed them.
“We believed in you, Young Master!”
Starting with Jongpal’s shout, the momentum of the Asura Squad began to change.
With their general dead, it was only natural for the soldiers under him to fall into disarray.
Even if it were the Heavenly Demon himself, he would not have been able to control the aftermath caused by that.
In an instant, the morale of the Asura Squad soared, and they pressed the bandits and the Demonic Practitioners even harder.
At that moment, a cold voice rang across the battlefield.
“Stop.”
Ordinarily, the bandits would have had no reason to heed Youngho’s words. However, after killing the Green Forest King and, by all appearances, nine experts in the Transformation Realm who had come from the Demonic Cult, there was no one who could ignore him.
As expected, the movements of the bandits and the Asura Squad halted simultaneously, as if by prior agreement.
With an emotionless gaze, Youngho slowly swept his eyes over the bandits and spoke.
“To be honest, my desire to kill you is as vast as Mount Tai, but if you withdraw, I might let you leave with your bodies intact.”
For an instant, a strange light flickered in the bandits’ eyes.
It was not the promise of being spared that stirred them, but the realization of what Youngho stood to gain by saying those words.
To anyone’s eyes, Youngho’s injuries were severe. Yet there were still at least seven thousand bandits remaining.
The word opportunity brushed across the bandits’ minds.
‘No matter that he bears the title Mad Black Sword Ghost, he cannot hide his age.’
‘He’s still a brat! To reveal his own weakness so openly.’
Sly smiles curled onto the bandits’ lips.
Seeing the ominous air return to them in an instant, Youngho let out a faint chuckle.
“As expected of Unorthodox bastards. You’re sharp when it comes to reading the situation.”
He glanced down at the corpse of the Green Forest King lying at his feet and continued.
“Unfortunately, unlike that vermin called the Green Forest King, I tend to cherish my subordinates.”
Crush!
Youngho burst the Green Forest King’s heart in his hand and said,
“I’m not saying this for myself, but for my subordinates. If you think I’m lying, you’re welcome to test it.”
Koo-woong—!
A crushing Killing Intent pressed down upon their shoulders. The Killing Intent pouring from Youngho’s entire body was something even the Asura Squad Members on his side could barely endure.
Their breaths caught in their throats. Still, the Asura Squad Members were far more accustomed to Youngho’s Killing Intent than the bandits.
“Kuh-huk!”
Some coughed up blood.
“Uweeegh!”
Others vomited the blood rising up their throats and fainted.
It was an overwhelming sight.
Setting aside the fact that he inflicted internal injuries with mere Killing Intent alone, Youngho was currently dominating the entire surroundings.
“I’m perfectly fine. Wounds like this will heal in less than half a day once I leave them to my personal physician.”
Retracting his Killing Intent, Youngho continued.
“But my subordinates aren’t as strong as I am. They might die soon.”
He spoke with a presence as if he would charge out at once should anyone fail to heed his words.
“Get lost.”
Even a fool could understand. Youngho was still in full command. His attempt to drive the bandits away was solely for the sake of his subordinates.
The bandits no longer had any will to fight.
With the Green Forest King dead, there was nothing more they could do here.
“Oh, your condition doesn’t seem too bad?”
Right then, Hyeonu returned and greeted Youngho. His voice was no different from usual.
Clear and refreshing, a voice that put others at ease.
Yet in stark contrast to that relaxed tone, the horrific wounds covering Hyeonu’s body revealed how fierce the battle he had fought must have been.
“You won?”
“Yes. Though I suffered many injuries, I won. And I gained enlightenment as well.”
“Can you move?”
“Yes, I can move.”
Youngho clicked his tongue once as he looked at the bandits still within sight.
“Tsk.”
Soon, he spoke toward the Asura Squad.
“Those who can’t move—carry them! Move, quickly!”
At that, Hyeon-gang rushed over to Youngho in haste and said,
“That’s not possible! If they move now, some of them might die—!”
“Hyeon-gang.”
“Please reconsider just once more.”
“No.”
“Why!”
“You alone don’t have enough hands.”
Only then did Hyeon-gang realize it. No matter how exceptional his medical skill was, alone he could only treat them one by one.
In a situation where people were dying by the moment, maintaining composure was exceedingly difficult.
Though Hyeon-gang had done better than most in remaining calm, his thinking had still been shallow.
“Then what on earth should we do…?”
“There’s no time. We head to the Medical Pavilion of Hwa Ryeong right now.”
“Ah!”
Come to think of it, this was Shaanxi. And in Shaanxi, there were not only two of the Nine Sects and One Gang.
The Medical Pavilion of Hwa Ryeong.
The main branch personally operated by the Divine Physician, hailed as the Immortal of Medicine.
“Let’s hurry!”
The Asura Squad, having overheard the exchange between Hyeon-gang and Youngho, rose while supporting the injured.
“To the Medical Pavilion of Hwa Ryeong at once! Taoist Hyeonu, we would appreciate it if you could accompany us.”
“Of course.”
Hyeonu supported two Asura Squad Members who could not move, one under each arm, and stepped forward.
Youngho turned to Kang Hosan.
“Hosan.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Can you endure?”
“I feel like I might pass out at any moment.”
It was only natural. The Green Forest King’s palm strike could endanger one’s life even with a direct hit. Blocking it with his right arm meant that an indescribable agony must now be coursing through him.
Looking at Hosan’s right arm, from which blood streamed steadily, Youngho let out a deep sigh.
“Get on my back and sleep for a bit. Chowon, stop the bleeding in Hosan’s arm. Just wrap the bandage tightly around the shoulder area. Don’t even touch the injured part.”
Kang Chowon, clearly aware of how critical Kang Hosan’s condition was, nodded with a hardened expression.
It was to the point that one could not even bring oneself to speak to him, as he appeared to be in such a grave and urgent condition.
Myeonghye, who had caught up with Youngho at some point, quietly stood beside Myeongjeong and spoke.
“Senior Brother Sect Leader. Since when have you been here?”
“……I arrived about One Dakyung before the Mad Black Sword Ghost reached this place.”
“You didn’t help?”
“We are of the Orthodox Sect. Do you think it makes sense for us to help the Unorthodox Faction?”
“They are subordinates of the Mad Black Sword Ghost.”
“Even so, we must not help.”
She understood the reason. The Orthodox Sect and the Unorthodox Faction could not mix. More precisely, individuals might associate with one another, but if that extended to entire groups…
‘It would be the worst.’
Not only would it be harmful to each other, they would also be influenced negatively by one another.
Even so, Myeonghye thought it would be better to place Youngho in their debt…
‘Senior Brother Sect Leader would never allow that while watching with open eyes.’
“Myeonghye.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Have you identified what that Shockwave of Qi earlier was?”
“It is presumed to be the Mad Black Sword Ghost’s, but I believe further investigation is needed.”
“Hmm….”
Myeongjeong stroked his long beard for a moment before speaking.
“It cannot be helped. We must send a letter to the Mount Zhongnan Sect. He clearly said he was heading to the Medical Pavilion of Hwa Ryeong, so let us go there as well.”
For an instant, Myeonghye’s face stiffened.
“Sect Leader. May I ask why you intend to send a letter to the Mount Zhongnan Sect?”
Her usual playful expression was gone. Only seriousness remained, and unease lingered in her eyes.
“No matter how gentle the temperament of the Mad Black Sword Ghost is said to be, that is by the standards of the Unorthodox Faction. In any case, an Unorthodox member has caused a disturbance in Shaanxi, so we have no choice but to monitor him.”
“In my opinion, that would not be right. Even if we could not help the Mad Black Sword Ghost now, what we do next is what truly matters.”
Myeongjeong could not hide his surprise.
It had been a long time since Myeonghye had expressed her opinion so clearly and seriously.
However, he shook his head firmly.
“No. We monitor first. Take the elders of the Mount Hua Sect and monitor the Mad Black Sword Ghost. I shall observe the situation for about three days before returning to Mount Hua.”
Even the fact that he intended to observe the situation for three days was astonishing.
Myeongjeong was the Sect Leader of the great Mount Hua Sect. And yet he intended to leave his post vacant for three days…
‘While the Sect Leader is away, the Pavilion Master of the Jaegyeong Pavilion will suffer for it.’
It was always the Pavilion Master of the Jaegyeong Pavilion who filled in during the Sect Leader’s absence.
Seeing that she could not break Myeongjeong’s stubbornness, Myeonghye let out a deep sigh.
“Understood.”
“Then let us depart.”
Soon after, the Mount Hua Sect followed behind the Asura Squad.
“……This is serious.”
Hwa Ryeong spoke with a rare hardened expression.
Hyeon-gang, who already knew how severe Kang Hosan’s injuries were, nodded with a grim face.
“……How serious is it?”
At Kang Hosan’s question, Hwa Ryeong let out a low murmur.
“To speak frankly, it would be better to amputate.”
“……What?”
Amputate? Amputate?
For the word amputation to leave Hwa Ryeong’s lips, it meant that his right arm was damaged beyond imagination.
Kang Hosan asked again in a trembling voice.
“……Are you saying my arm must be cut off?”
“Yes. This is merely my personal opinion. To be precise, you have two choices.”
“……Please tell me.”
There was hesitation, but it was not long. He might not want to hear it. If the Divine Physician had uttered the word amputation after diagnosing him, then both choices would be exceedingly painful.
Even so, Kang Hosan overcame his fear and asked her to speak—what that thread of hope might be.
“Your spirit is admirable. I find you to be a likable child.”
Hwa Ryeong idly handled her surgical instruments as she spoke.
“To begin with, the fragments of bone in your arm are scattered in complete disarray. Even removing them will be an extremely difficult task. The damage is so severe that if it were not Hyeon-gang or myself, it would be unthinkable.”
“Th-then…?”
“Be patient. I will tell you. Simply put, your arm must either be amputated or you must undergo surgery.”
“Then I will choose surgery—!”
“And if the surgery fails, the chance of you dying is ten in ten.”
“……!”
At that shocking statement, not only Kang Hosan but also Horyeung and Youngho stiffened, while Kang Chowon was on the verge of tears.
“That can’t be…!”
“If the surgery fails, the pain will not remain confined to your arm. It will spread throughout your entire body.”
Kang Hosan felt goosebumps rise across his skin in an instant.
‘This pain… spreading through my entire body?’
Even now, the pain in his right arm was unbearable. Had he not endured Youngho’s training, he would have long since fainted.
But if this pain were to spread beyond his arm and throughout his whole body?
He had no confidence he could withstand it.
The mention of death likely meant that he would choose death himself, unable to endure the agony.
His vision darkened.
“Oppa….”
At the tearful voice of the girl, Kang Hosan instinctively turned to look at Kang Chowon.
Her face was a mixture of grief, guilt, and countless complicated emotions.
With a resolute expression, as if steeling himself, Kang Hosan spoke.
“What is the probability that the surgery will succeed?”
“Five in ten. No—if I am generous, perhaps six in ten. There is a dependable one here who can keep pace with my surgery.”
Hwa Ryeong said this while looking at Hyeon-gang. However, Hyeon-gang’s gaze remained fixed solely on Kang Hosan’s right arm.
“If the surgery succeeds, with a little rest, you will soon be able to wield a sword again. But if it fails…”
Death.
And not an honorable death in battle, but suicide brought on by unbearable pain.
Kang Hosan moved his lips before finally opening his mouth.
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