Chapter 64
Reunion 2 (1)
-You may not carry the Tang surname, but this proves you’re regarded as equal to the Tang clan’s direct bloodline.
-I will save you at least once.
The words of the Poison King and Clan Head Tang Se-hwang had been true.
The hidden weapons fired from Rainstorm Plum Blossom completely engulfed the two shadowy assassins in an instant.
Puh-puh-puh-puh—thud!
Even though they had mustered all their internal energy to attack Kang Yong-un, the hidden weapons pierced their bodies as though cutting through tofu.
That was the true destructive power of Rainstorm Plum Blossom—Tang Sect’s hidden weapon, specialized in breaking through energy defenses.
“Arghhh!”
“Ghhkk—!”
The two assassins, unable to launch even a single proper attack, crashed to the ground and immediately began to turn black.
They had been poisoned.
Tremble.
“Y-you bastard!”
Geum-ryeong shook with rage.
Never had he imagined one of the Tang Sect’s Eight Deadly Hidden Weapons would be used here.
“Well done, my friend!”
“Great Hero Kang! Hold on just a little longer!”
“Brother Yong-un, I’m coming to you right now!”
“You fiends—!”
The martial artists of the Seven Murder Factions continued to close in.
‘Damn it all…’
Geum-ryeong felt his blood run dry.
‘If that brat isn’t killed here and now, this will become a huge problem…’
Worse still, he couldn’t act himself.
Kang Yong-un’s internal energy had already invaded him.
Chzzzz.
Bit by bit, Yong-un’s qi burrowed into his dantian, eating away at his own.
‘I need to leave right now.’
Only by finding a safe place to circulate his qi could he drive the brat’s energy out.
If not, he’d either lose his martial arts forever—or worse, become crippled.
And yet…
‘That brat looks like he could collapse from exhaustion if I just nudge him with a finger…’
The temptation weighed heavily.
It was obvious at a glance that Kang Yong-un was in no normal state.
But then—
Smirk.
Yong-un was smiling.
He kept his left hand extended, as though insisting he still had something left.
That made it a dilemma.
‘What if he still has another Tang Sect hidden weapon?’
Losing more men to that would be a disaster.
Meanwhile, the assassins of the Seven Murder Factions were closing in, preparing to surround them.
‘Damn. At this rate, I’ll be the one to die before Kang Yong-un does.’
His arm was already severed, his qi scattered by Yong-un’s energy. Battle was impossible.
“Damn it.”
The situation was utterly rotten.
In the end, Geum-ryeong had no choice but to order retreat.
“Withdraw—!”
Whoosh! Boom—!
He unleashed his movement technique, fleeing at full speed. The assassins followed him silently.
Heh.
“I… I endured…”
With a faint smile, Kang Yong-un’s eyes slowly closed.
He had lost too much blood.
Thud.
His body crumpled.
“Yong-un!”
Tang So-baek rushed like flying wind, catching him in his arms.
“Stay with me, Yong-un. It’s me, So-baek.”
“So… baek… ghhh—!”
Yong-un’s consciousness completely gave out.
“Stop right there, you fiends—!”
A murderous voice echoed after the fleeing assassins.
“How dare you attack Great Hero Kang?!”
It was Tang So-so.
Her fury was made clear in the shout that followed.
“So… cute—!”
It was a bizarre cry, completely out of place, but accompanied by such terrifying killing intent that even the Seven Murder Faction’s fighters trembled.
She had mastered the Poison Cauldron Keeper’s technique.
“Arghhh!”
“Ghhhk!”
“Aaagh!”
The assassins’ screams echoed as they fell behind.
Even if some tried to use illusions, against So-so infused with the Poison Cauldron’s spirit, they didn’t stand a chance.
“You bastards! How dare you gang up on my betrothed?! Die—!”
Following her, Dam-oh of the Beggars’ Sect, eyes rolling madly, swung his cudgel in a frenzy.
Thanks to the Poison Cauldron’s aura rattling their minds, the assassins couldn’t even muster their illusions.
Thwack. Thud-thud!
“Arghhh!”
“Ghhkk!”
Two more assassins fell, cut down.
“Stop right there—!”
“Freeze, you sons of bitches—!”
So-so and Dam-oh’s voices grew more distant as they chased.
“This isn’t the place, Tang Hero. We must take Great Hero Kang to a physician at once.”
A calm but firm woman’s voice took charge.
“Ah! Deputy Strategist—!”
It was none other than Zegal Hye-ryeong, acting under Grand Strategist Zegal Sun-hu’s orders.
“An’gang County is close. Take Great Hero Kang there immediately.”
“Yes, Deputy.”
Tang So-baek lifted Yong-un and leapt away at full speed.
Whoosh!
He shot toward An’gang County with all his might.
“Disciples of Mount Hua and Brothers of Zhongnan, please assist Tang So-so and Dam-oh. It’s too dangerous for the two of them alone. I beg you.”
“Understood, Deputy.”
“Hua Sect’s swordsmen are already covering them. We’ll join as well.”
“Zhongnan Sect too shall follow at once.”
The others rushed after So-so and Dam-oh.
Finally catching her breath, Zegal Hye-ryeong turned toward An’gang, where Yong-un had been taken.
‘I was too late.’
She had already tracked Yong-un’s movements through Jin-sang and the Tang Clan.
Even if she didn’t know his exact goal, she had known he would head north.
‘I should have realized the Apostates would target him…’
But she had wasted time visiting Hua Sect and Zhongnan in succession.
It was only then she heard word from An’gang.
‘Truly an incredible man.’
How had Yong-un discovered the Apostates hidden in An’gang, Sun-yang, and Pyung-ri Counties?
And not only discovered them—he had faced them alone.
‘Even if these weren’t their main bases, there must have been many skilled enemies. Yet he not only confronted them—he forced them to abandon the area entirely?!’
She had learned what had transpired over the past ten days.
‘Every report only proves Great Hero Kang’s astonishing abilities.’
The Hao Sect had been the first to spread the word, thanks to their spy network in government offices.
They had even shared information freely, without asking for anything—simply hoping Kang would be saved quickly.
‘When did he even form ties with the Hao Sect?’
Jin-sang’s merchants had been the second to help, spreading word almost as fast.
For Jin-sang, who looked down on most sects, to willingly step forward—how remarkable.
‘The more I learn, the more mysterious this man becomes.’
His accomplishments were immense.
He had saved the magistrate of An’gang and his two sons.
Then in Sun-yang, he forced the Apostates to flee and saved another son.
In Pyung-ri, though the magistrate and his two sons perished, the Apostates were rooted out completely.
And just now—he had even cut off the arm of what seemed to be one of their leaders, despite being surrounded.
‘Only three or four months since we parted at Sahak-ryeon, and he’s already grown so much.’
Her heart pounded as she recalled it.
‘I must secure him.’
He had to be brought into the Martial Alliance.
Thump-thump.
Her chest beat wildly with expectation.
***
At An’gang County, the five finest physicians had gathered.
All for one man—Kang Yong-un.
-Save him at any cost.
That was the magistrate’s command.
Constables on patrol had recognized Yong-un in Tang So-baek’s arms and immediately reported it.
“Great Hero Kang—!”
Physician Jang’s eyes widened as he pulled out his prized silver needles, focusing as though treating an emperor.
“Unbelievable…”
Physician Sung gasped at Yong-un’s wounds.
“His body is shredded like rags, yet he still breathes?!”
There were no less than twenty-four deep, grievous wounds.
“He still breathes, but tch tch tch… how could he possibly survive?”
Clicking his tongue, he hesitated. He didn’t want to risk being the one who failed.
But Jang glared fiercely.
“Shut up and disinfect, then suture, you damned quack—!”
“What did you say?! Jang, you—”
“I told you, shut your mouth and work!”
Having known Yong-un, Jang took charge as if he were chief.
“This man destroyed the Ghost Blade Gang. He’s the reason you don’t pay them ten taels of silver every month. He saved your purse, you fool! So stop whining and get to work!”
“T-this man…?”
“Ahem. I’ll help.”
“Me too—let’s move quickly!”
Jang’s words struck home.
How could they turn away the one who had freed them from the Ghost Blade Gang?
Together, they worked as one.
They washed the wounds with boiled water, disinfected with liquor, stitched carefully with silk thread, and applied their finest salves before bandaging well.
Physician Jang worked the hardest.
After inserting needles, he rushed to his own shop, returning with a thirty-year-old ginseng root he had been saving.
“Good heavens, Jang…”
Physician Sung gawked.
“That’s a thirty-year ginseng! Far too costly—you’ll never recover the fee—”
To talk of fees now?!
‘Damn it. Who asked you about money?!’
Jang felt bile rise in his throat.
It was as if he were seeing himself in a mirror.
He suddenly understood how much Yong-un must have loathed his own greed.
‘Damn. Was I really like that…?’
Just imagining Yong-un forcing down disgust made him grimace.
He swore, suddenly and sincerely.
“Damn it all.”
“Wh-what? D-damn it?”
But he quickly spun it into persuasion.
“You heard the magistrate, didn’t you? He said save him no matter what. That means he’ll cover all the costs, you idiot! Use this chance to dig out your best herbs!”
“W-well…”
“I’ll bring my dried Guji Herb. Excellent for restoring energy flow.”
“I have Golden Spirit Grass. I’ll fetch it.”
Physicians So and Yu rushed off.
Even Sung, shaken, scrambled to contribute.
“T-then I’ll bring Hundred-Year Snow Lotus Fruit. Its yin pairs well with your yang-heavy thirty-year ginseng root.”
He bolted out.
Smirk.
Physician Jang smiled with satisfaction.
“Wake soon, Great Hero Kang.”
He whispered sincerely into Yong-un’s ear.
“I was truly a fool…”
Then, with a warm cloth soaked in water, he gently wiped the blood from Yong-un’s body.
