The events that transpired on Black Forest Isle quickly spread across the world.
The Beast King, having issued a warning to those unruly ones who dare to forget that the Martial World is ruled by the strong, made it clear that they would not be allowed to roam free.
Rumors circulated that, wielding thunder and lightning, Thunder Name Zhonja had eliminated Gu Mo-seol and the rogues of Black Forest Isle, and thus, Ho Cheon-an’s title shifted from Beast King to Thunder Name Zhonja.
The people longed for the existence of an absolute expert who could eradicate the remnants of the Blood Sect, known for their brutalities fueled by faith in the Blood Monster and Entities.
Many hoped that Thunder Name Zhonja would bring peace to this Martial World, but not everyone was merely placing their hopes on him.
Some speculated that Thunder Name Zhonja would soon become the second Blood Ancestor.
Considering how he not only controlled multiple Entities but had also eradicated the Blood Monsters and taken down an expert like Hyeong-gyeong, who could possibly stand in his way if he revealed his ambition to dominate the world?
However,
Thunder Name Zhonja’s actions afterward turned many pessimists into silent witnesses. From Shandong to Hebei and even Liaoning, he quietly continued to clean up the remnants of the Blood Sect without any indication of desiring world domination.
Little by little, the name Thunder Name Zhonja was becoming a symbol of hope in the Martial World.
*
On a mountain path somewhere in the world.
Ho Cheon-an sauntered towards Shanxi, riding on the leisurely pace of Entities.
Having raced faster than a horse, it seemed like the slow journey was becoming quite boring for Mi-ho, who kept yawning, while Seo Gong had completely fallen asleep in Ho Cheon-an’s arms.
As Ho Cheon-an gently patted the back of Seo Gong, who had colorfully dozed off, he reminisced about their recent travels.
After parting from Seo I-ryeong, Jo Yong-sang, and Namgung Bin, Ho Cheon-an had continued north, collecting the Entities in the hands of the remnants while providing everlasting rest to the Blood Monsters throughout Shandong, Hebei, and Tianjin.
Three Entities were retrieved.
The bat Entity, collected in Shandong, had chosen independence instead of continuing the journey with Ho Cheon-an. After all, even an Entity would find it difficult to endure the light during the day.
Thus, only two Entities had joined the journey.
Squeak.
The wild boar Entity dubbed Hwa-jeo.
Biiiiiiii-
And the Hawk Entity named Cheon-eung.
Ho Cheon-an lifted his head to confirm that Cheon-eung was flying about gracefully before yawning again from fatigue.
He was quite pleased with the ride provided by Hwa-jeo.
Talking about Seo Gong, who had shrunk, and the earth-digging Hwang Dan was unnecessary; Seok Woong was inconvenient as his back moved awkwardly in all directions. Mi-ho was stable on foot, but every time only Ho Cheon-an rode, she excitedly bounced around like a fox, which was beside the point.
Muk-geum had a decent ride, but its horns were reminiscent of a dense forest, blocking his view.
On the other hand, Hwa-jeo was big enough to offer a nice view, moving smoothly for its size, which made riding it feel secure.
With a leisurely journey incorporating steady movement, Ho Cheon-an mentally checked his travel route to shake off the fatigue.
Although they might not find the Blood Monsters struggling to wander, the journey of cleaning up the remnants of the Blood Sect that had a base was nearing its end.
The Shi Mountain Blood Sect in Shaanxi and the actual base of the Blood Sect in Xi’an’s Mo Mountain Blood Sect.
‘If I settle these two places, the remaining Blood Monsters should be dealt with by the Martial Forest Alliance.’
Ho Cheon-an thought of Seo I-ryeong and Jo Yong-sang. Jo Yong-sang had now become Hyeong-gyeong, and if Seo I-ryeong completely understood the principles appearing on Muk-geum’s horn, she could also achieve Hyeong-gyeong. The two of them would manage to handle the remaining remnants of the Blood Sect well.
Chirp, chirp?
As Ho Cheon-an was lost in thought, Seo Gong groggily raised his body. Ho Cheon-an patted Seo Gong’s head and mumbled.
“Looks like we have guests approaching.”
His voice, filled with internal energy, resonated even in the ears of those hiding in the bushes. Soon, three people popped out from the thicket and kneeled down flat.
“G-Greetings, Thunder Name Zhonja!”
“We apologize for disturbing your path!”
“Ho ho, it’s fine.”
Ho Cheon-an spoke calmly, but the people hiding in the bushes could not relax at all. With a fox that seemed capable of obliterating a torso with a single bite right in front of them and a massive bear that could split a person into two with its claws, how could anyone relax?
“P-Please help us, Elder!”
“There are remnants of the Blood Sect lurking in the nearby village!”
The three people gulped, nervously gauging Ho Cheon-an’s reaction.
They had heard the rumors that Thunder Name Zhonja was eliminating remnants of the Blood Sect, but it was uncertain whether such a high-level expert who manipulated many Entities would lend a hand in a remote village.
Yet, despite their heightened tension, Ho Cheon-an calmly nodded.
Although regions without Blood Sect Entities were usually plagued by remnants possessing Blood Monsters, there was little he could do.
It would be a different story if he accidentally sensed a Blood Monster nearby, but he could not pinpoint the remnants of the Blood Sect waiting in hiding.
However, things had changed now that Cheon-eung was following along the journey.
People who spotted Cheon-eung began to realize that the rumored Thunder Name Zhonja was passing nearby and started to seek help.
Ho Cheon-an’s decision to slow down the pace of the journey was also to accommodate this situation.
If he maintained the previous speed, which was faster than a galloping horse, even ordinary martial artists would struggle to keep up, let alone ordinary folks.
“Let’s go.”
*
The three who had sought out Ho Cheon-an swallowed hard.
It took Ho Cheon-an hardly any time at all to eliminate the remnants of the Blood Sect that had been terrorizing the village.
Including the time where the Blood Monster that had been crushing dozens of martial artists and wooden fences fell quietly to the ground.
“T-Thank you, Elder!”
“Were there any remaining remnants of the Blood Sect nearby?”
“Those were all of them!”
The villagers bowed repeatedly. Ho Cheon-an, feeling the burden of the gazes looking up at him like a deity, pressed the Black Rib down while speaking.
“Then I shall take my leave now. If there are no further issues, I’d like to depart.”
“E-Excuse me? But… please do have a meal before you leave. We’ll prepare a feast fit to break our table!”
“I’m grateful for your kindness. If there are no issues, I’d prefer to leave now.”
When the villagers remained silent, avoiding each other’s gazes, Ho Cheon-an judged there were no issues, nodded his head, and turned to leave.
Just then.
“Um, excuse me… do you happen to know the alias Half-Moon Blade or Whale Sword?”
At the villager’s question, Ho Cheon-an came to a sudden halt.
“What did you just say?”
Hearing Ho Cheon-an’s intense reaction, the young villager turned pale.
“I-I’m sorry! The elders in the village said they were acquainted with Thunder Name Zhonja!… They said if I mentioned the alias, you would surely recognize it… It was… a slip of the tongue!”
“Where are they now?”
“I-I’ll guide you there.”
Following the fearful young man, Ho Cheon-an’s heart raced frantically.
He had failed to prevent the clash between the Sacheon Righteous Faction and the Outcast Faction forces, and the Outcast Faction that invaded Sacheon City was attempting to seize the Sacheon Outcasts, which was the foundation of the pretext laid out by Sadoryeon.
Thus, the Sacheon Outcasts had thrown away Black Rib and had truly sunk into darkness, leaving Ho Cheon-an clueless about their survival.
‘Could they still be alive…?!’
The young man led Ho Cheon-an to two houses bound by a wall, and as Ho Cheon-an gazed at the astonished faces of the inhabitants, he swallowed hard. The people he was seeing might be strangers, but their faces resembled Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang.
“Where are the elders?”
“Th-they’re sunbathing in the yard.”
At that, Ho Cheon-an couldn’t wait for the homeowner’s directions and walked straight to the yard. His face twisted upon seeing the two sitting in side-by-side rocking chairs.
“You’re… alive.”
“Kid, did you think we were going to die?”
“We’re still a hundred years away from dying, you fool!”
Half-Moon Blade Jeong Sam.
Whale Sword Yeo Jin-sang.
The two with snowy white hair welcomed Ho Cheon-an with laughter.
*
“Look! The children and grandchildren are here!”
“I raised my kids better than you did!”
Ho Cheon-an immediately felt the passage of time. Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang’s children had grown up and were now raising kids of their own. Ho Cheon-an beamed as he watched the lively children, chasing one another, peeking out from behind their parents’ legs.
That child hiding behind the door must be one of Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang’s grandchildren.
“They each take after you well.”
“Ho ho ho! Right? They’re all handsome and beautiful just like me!”
These guys haven’t changed a bit. Ho Cheon-an smiled sincerely. How can it feel like this to be welcomed in the same way as before? He couldn’t help but keep on grinning.
Amid the lively reunion, the three filled their cups.
“Wow. So did Jeong Cheol get wiped out or is he still alive? We haven’t had any news since then, so I thought maybe he was meditating to become the world’s greatest expert or something?”
“Well, it’s typical of you.”
Ho Cheon-an smiled wryly at their banter.
“You know my situation well. But what about you two? How have you been?”
“Oh, the same old story. I managed to escape Sacheon before the chaos erupted and stripped myself of Black Rib, becoming an Outcast. But man, was it dreadful in Sacheon? The wandering martial artists had such a hard time just making a living that I ended up headed for Shanxi.”
“But all of a sudden, the Blood Sect starts flexing its muscles from Shanxi? I heard rumors that they were kidnapping people to turn them into monsters and that giant Entities were messing with the martial artists. I thought it was time to get the hell out of there and wound up hiding in this hick town.”
“…I see.”
Though it was a brief summary, Ho Cheon-an could imagine the hardships the two had faced. The process of escaping Sacheon while avoiding Sadoryeon, the stealthy establishment they made in Shanxi, and the numerous events that led to them settling in this remote place.
As Ho Cheon-an gazed into the eyes of Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang, filled with turmoil, they burst out laughing.
“What are you looking at, you punk? You’re the one with the most pathetic life here, kid!”
“What?”
“Tsk tsk. By the look of you, you probably haven’t even gotten married, let alone have kids. What’s the use of being famous throughout the Martial World? You’ve become an old bachelor!”
Crack.
At the raw attack, a thick vein pulsated on Ho Cheon-an’s forehead.
“…You rotten scoundrels? Even if you’re about to die, you still think you’re in your prime?”
“Look at you! An old Outcast without a home! You should be ashamed and live right!”
“I’m Thunder Name Zhonja! Got it?”
“THUN-DER NAME ZHON-JA.”
“Wow, oh my gosh, I can’t breathe!”
“You bastards…!”
Chirp.
Amid the banter, Seo Gong, who had been lying at Ho Cheon-an’s feet, looked up at him. Though Ho Cheon-an’s forehead was bulging, he seemed like he was genuinely enjoying it to Seo Gong.
In that case, let him have his fun.
Seo Gong thought and buried his head back down.
*
Ho Cheon-an decided to stay for a few days at the home of the two.
“Hey Jang Family! What did I say when I said I was friends with Thunder Name Zhonja?”
“I-I’m sorry, Elder!”
“We’ve eaten with the guy! Drank with him! Got requests and done jobs with him! We’ve done it all!”
And immediately regretted it.
The two, hopping around, inadvertently made a fool of themselves in front of the villagers who hadn’t believed their words.
As they displayed their shameful identities, Ho Cheon-an pressed his Black Rib down even harder.
“Ahahaha! This is quite refreshing!”
“You should have seen it! During the Blood Sect’s strategy meeting, I said that since I was friends with you, we absolutely wouldn’t pass by this village. But those guys looked at us like we were crazy!”
“…Haaa.”
Ho Cheon-an could only shake his head. Watching the two laugh, they soon wheezed for breath. Seeing them, he couldn’t help but smile wryly. Though they had low levels, these once-strong martial artists could no longer keep up with the passage of time, even struggling during a stroll around the village.
Ahhh!!
Chirp!
A loud scuttle interrupted as children, tangled up with Seo Gong, rushed into the yard. The kids rushed towards Seo Gong to catch his tail, and the feline expertly danced around, tantalizingly dodging their attempts.
“Get ‘em! Catch it!”
“Ah! Too fast!”
The children threw themselves to grab Seo Gong’s tail, but Seo Gong wouldn’t allow even one of them to hold it. Finally, all the kids crashed onto the ground, while Seo Gong, gazing up at the sky, proclaimed victory and fled.
The kids, now filled with excitement, jumped back up to chase him again.
Seeing this, Jeong Sam chuckled.
“That little guy is quite spirited, isn’t he?”
“Even though he’s small, he probably could beat you guys easily.”
“Look who’s talking, you little punk.”
Engaged in this silly conversation, Ho Cheon-an noticed a child peering from behind the wall, hiding while watching Seo Gong chase the other kids. Perhaps sensing Ho Cheon-an’s gaze, that child swiftly ducked back.
“Who is that girl?”
“Ah… she’s a child who’s temporarily staying with us.”
“Staying?”
“Well, in this tumultuous world.”
Must be a child with a story. Ho Cheon-an nodded, understanding. In such chaos, it wouldn’t be surprising for a child to be separated from their parents.
“A noble act to help her.”
“She might think it’s trivial, but even an expert at the pinnacle of power can live comfortably! I’m just giving a helping hand because I have some spare time.”
Seeing the two awkwardly trying to justify themselves made Ho Cheon-an snicker.
Just then, Seo Gong returned, having evaded all the children. Ho Cheon-an laughed and gave him a light tap on the head.
In that moment,
The previously hiding child peeked her head out. Seeing Seo Gong proudly raise his head, she mustered some courage and timidly approached.
Ho Cheon-an stepped back, making it easier for the child to reach Seo Gong.
With that support, the girl slowly extended her hand toward Seo Gong. Her hand halted just short of touching him.
“I-I want to… touch the tail.”
Tap!
Finally, a child with some manners showed up!
Seo Gong nodded smoothly and let the girl rest her hand on his tail. As her hand made contact with the soft fur, her face lit up with joy.
“Wow! I’m touching an Entity!”
“So am I! I want to touch it too!”
“Y-You shouldn’t do that! You need to ask!”
Hearing Nabin’s words, the other children paused and then individually asked Seo Gong, who nodded and permitted them to touch.
Surrounded by a throng of children, Seo Gong turned into a pile of sticky rice cakes while the onlooking Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang smiled. The children’s parents chuckled, but Ho Cheon-an’s face remained tense beneath Black Rib as he focused on Nabin.
*
After lunch ended, as they sipped herbal tea instead of alcohol, Jeong Sam nudged Ho Cheon-an.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? Did you chew on something bad during lunch? Your face looks off.”
“What’s this all about? Speak up!”
Prompted by the quick-witted banter of the two, Ho Cheon-an hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.
“It’s about that girl, Nabin.”
“What about her?”
“I felt her pulse for just a moment, and… it might be a heart condition.”
Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang exchanged looks, then sighed.
“I mentioned she has some background, right? The truth is, Nabin was roaming around with her mother. Then, when they stumbled into this village, her mother, unable to hold on due to her weakened state, passed away.”
“That…”
“Afterward, we took her in, but despite feeding her well, she remained frail. I thought it was just family lineage. So… Nabin probably suffers from a heart condition.”
An orphan at such a young age. Ho Cheon-an sighed, recalling Nabin’s face.
“Are you thinking of taking her in?”
“What?”
“You should at least take on a disciple by now.”
The completely unexpected suggestion caught him off guard.
