Thread Lightly on Thawing Ice

Prologue

Dust swirled in the air around a jagged cliff.

Facing off were two figures—one, a man cloaked in mystery behind a

silver mask; the other, Ye Kang-oh, the youngest disciple of the Black
Sky Lord.

“You won’t be able to retreat any further.”

Ye Kang-oh’s voice cut through the air like frost, sharp and biting. Such
fierceness was a rare sight in him. After all, it was Ye Kang-oh whose
name echoed in rumors, whispering of a virtuous scholar emerging from
Black Sky Clan.

But in this moment, at this desolate cliffside, the aura radiating from
Kang-oh rivaled even that of his master, Ye Jin-rang, the lord of Black
Sky.

The masked man wordlessly adjusted his spear. Ye Kang-oh’s words were
true.

There was no room left to retreat.

Ye Kang-oh was the first to spring off the ground. Dark sword energy
surged in torrents from his sword.

Despite only wielding his spear, the masked man managed to block
Kang-oh’s attack. Once could perhaps be considered luck. However, the
masked man continued to face his opponent without a single sign of
faltering.

For Kang-oh, it was a rare experience to have his attacks repeatedly

blocked. Nevertheless, he pressed forward, relentlessly advancing his
onslaught.

The sun frantically chased the trajectory of Kang-oh’s sword strikes. The
swordsmanship of the prized disciple of the Black Sky Master, who is said
to control half of the martial world, was filled with deadly and intricate
maneuvers. Had there been an onlooker, they might have gasped in
horror, imagining the masked man’s gruesome end with the relentless
rain of brilliant white sword lights.

This was no mere sparring match. It was a one-sided pursuit, a relentless

offense met only by silent defense.
Having not launched a single counterattack and merely falling back, the
masked man was soon cornered at the edge of the cliff. Yet, the contrast
could not have been sharper—the hem of his white robes fluttered only
faintly, his breathing steady and serene, while Kang-oh’s eyes were
bloodshot with intensity.

The man’s refusal to even part his lips sparked a searing frustration
within Kang-oh, as if the scorching heat of a thousand-year drought had
suddenly consumed him.

With each clash, the ground beneath the two warriors seemed on the
verge of crumbling. And yet, neither Ye Kang-oh nor the masked man
moved even an inch from the perilous cliff edge.

One step—just a single step—and they would plunge into the abyss.
Despite this, the man, wielding only a spear to block Kang-oh’s sword,
showed not the slightest hint of fear.

He was unbearably bold, with a strength far beyond measure.

It wasn’t just confidence emanating from him, as though even if he were

to fall from this cliff, he would survive. There was a deeper resolve—a
refusal to let even his foe, Kang-oh, fall to his death.

Ye Kang-oh understood this. This wasn’t merely a fight to defeat his

opponent; it was a confrontation in pursuit of truth, a test to uncover
something deeper.

Behind the mask, the man’s calm eyes met Kang-oh’s. Eyes so familiar,
and so achingly missed.

Ye Kang-oh summoned his inner strength.

Zzziiiing—

The sword in Kang-oh’s grip, Dansa, resonated with him, as though

responding to the fierce energy surging from its master. The sword, in
turn, began to blacken, as if it were being reforged from obsidian.

For the first time, there was a reaction. The masked man’s brow twitched
at the sight of the darkened aura—a force beyond mere sword energy, a
sign that Kang-oh had now unleashed his true inner power.

This was the final strike. However, it was not aimed at taking his
opponent’s life. Kang-oh spread his fingers in the Golden Palm
technique, blocking the man’s spear with one hand. His palm split open,
blood dripping down.

In that fleeting moment of hesitation from the masked man, Ye Kang-

oh’s sword slashed through his mask.

Clang—

As the mask split in half, a face appeared that seemed too perfect to
belong to this world.

Skin as white as porcelain, as if with the lightest touch it would leave

traces of powder. A sharp, beautifully defined nose, perfectly shaped
lips, and delicate features so intricately crafted, they appeared to defy
time itself. What was once hair black as night was now like the snow on
the northern peaks—pure white. Though still beautiful, an air of fragile
melancholy now clung to that beauty, as if he might dissolve into the air
at any moment.

As the mask fell away, beneath the slowly fluttering eyelashes, eyes
were revealed—eyes that gleamed with a radiant brilliance resembling
polished black jade.

A face so close to an artistic masterpiece that it seemed a shame only Ye

Kang-oh and the sun had witnessed it.

And yet, as this breathtakingly handsome figure stood before him, Ye

Kang-oh’s expression slowly crumbled.

There was no way he could fail to recognize that face. Not because of its
supreme beauty, rivaling the legends of Songok and Ban-ak, but
because it was the face of the man who had once been Ye Kang-oh’s
protector.

“You… is it really you?”

Before him stood Dan Woo-hyo, the long-missing Master of White Virtue
Palace, a man whom the entire martial world believed to be lost. Dan
Woo-hyo, the man Ye Kang-oh, the youngest disciple of the Black Sky
Lord, had revered and loved above all else.

“Was it always you, all this time?”

Despite Kang-oh’s repeated questions, Dan Woo-hyo remained silent.

The frustration inside Kang-oh was unbearable. It was as though a

wildfire raged in his chest, burning him from the inside out.
It was strange. Kang-oh could only think that this was all so terribly
strange…

When the masked fiend who claimed to be the Lord of the White Virtue
Palace first appeared, the entire martial world was thrown into chaos.
Yet, only Kang-oh had seen behind the facade of this so-called leader of
the righteous sects, recognizing a shadow of his former slave, Woo.

Since that moment, Kang-oh had obsessively chased after the masked
man, slowly recovering fragments of his lost memories. He pursued,
hoping it wasn’t true, praying that the clues would not lead him to this
terrible conclusion. And yet, despite his desperate rejection of the truth,
he found this confrontation unavoidable. He dragged Dan Woo-hyo to
this very cliff, and now everything was painfully clear. The memories he
had long buried poured over him, bringing with them forgotten emotions
like a tidal wave.

Ye Kang-oh flung his cherished sword aside over Dan Woo-hyo’s

shattered mask. Bitter laughter trembled from his lips.

“How many times… how many nights have I repeated to myself that it
couldn’t be you? That it shouldn’t be you?”

Dan Woo-hyo stood quietly in front of the anguished Kang-oh, his eyes
tracing slowly over the younger man’s twisted expression. Even as he
looked at him, Dan Woo-hyo found himself wishing to see him more.
There had been a time when he thought he would spend his entire life
longing, never fully encountering him again. But Kang-oh had stubbornly
followed him this far, forcing their paths to converge once more. The
one-sided pursuit had ended in Dan Woo-hyo’s defeat.

For Ye Kang-oh, the day they had stood on this cliff had been lost in the
endless void of his memory. But now, it was as vivid as if it had
happened yesterday. He remembered clearly how he had shielded Dan
Woo-hyo, taking the blade meant for him, and then falling from the cliff,
knowing he might never return. He had done it out of a desperate wish—
that Woo-hyo might forever remain brilliant, untouched by the world’s
cruelty.

But reality had diverged from the path that young Ye Kang-oh had once
desired.

Pushed along by the relentless torrent of fate, Kang-oh had forgotten

Dan Woo-hyo, caused him suffering, and in the end… lost him altogether.
The past caught up with Kang-oh. Regret that crushed his lungs and the
ensuing agony burst from his lips.

“That lowly commoner… He never once dreamed of a future with you!

So why are you here? Why? Why…!”

Woo-hyo, who had remained silent throughout Kang-oh’s bitter lament,

gave a bitter smile.

That’s why he could throw away his life so easily. He probably didn’t
even think of it as a sacrifice.

“Is that why you did it?”

Woo-hyo’s question was as cold as it could be, and Kang-oh gritted his
teeth. It was an interrogation about what happened that day, ten years
ago, at this very place.

At that time, Kang-oh had no regrets about his choice.

He thought it would be enough if Woo-hyo could remember him, even

just as a fleeting memory in his heart. Even if he took the hand of some
beautiful lady and went through with a marriage, he wanted him to
remember that there once was some lowly wretch who died for him…

It was an act driven by only one desire.

Because he didn’t believe in love. He never expected they would have a

future together. Yet, why was that person standing before him now?

How had he crossed through memories stained with tears and blood,
descending from the highest place to the lowest to reach him?

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 1 – Black Sky Clan

“You can’t even do this properly! How could I possibly face Black Sky
Lord now?!”

The Third Overseer’s kicks rained down on his body. He curled up tightly,
enduring the blows. He had gotten used to suppressing the groans of
pain. Complaining about the pain only led to more beatings.

Why was he being beaten today…?

It was becoming difficult to even remember. Sometimes there was a

reason for the beating, and other times there wasn’t. Despite this, no
thought of resisting came to his mind. If he just let his arms hang down
and submitted, sometimes he would even forget that he had been
beaten. He felt like he was becoming dull. But it was all too vague. If he
drank the water from the river that flows through the underworld, would
he finally be able to erase those vivid memories from his mind?

Is it something that can be erased?

It wasn’t like this from the beginning.

“I’m sick of punishing you now. Get out of my sight and clean yourself
up.”

The man spat on the ground with a ‘pthooh’. The Third Overseer, in
charge of the servants of the Black Sky Clan, especially loathed Woo.
This reflected the will of his master.

Ye Jin-rang, Lord of Black Sky.

One of the two powers that divide the martial world, he was the current
the Grandmaster of the Demonic Sect.

Woo owed him something greater than life itself. However, even though
Ye Jin-rang had shown him grace, that did not necessarily mean kindness
or favor.
When Third Overseer, who had poured out contempt and violence, finally
left, Woo slowly and shakily rose to his feet. His slender body, having
been thoroughly beaten, ached all over, with not a single spot spared
from pain. Nevertheless, it was impossible to continue lying on the floor
as he had been given an order to wash, and remaining there any longer
would invite a harsher punishment from the overseers.

Woo limped as he walked, his steps uneven. Normally, walking was

difficult for him, but after the beating, it had become all the more
excruciating. Each step felt as though he were walking over shards of
glass.

There was a time when he’d never imagined his life would turn out this
way. After all, he had been a man molded from glory.

But that was nothing more than a distant memory now.

Limping along, Woo arrived at a shallow stream. During heavy rain, the
water could become deep enough to sweep a person away, but normally
it only reached up to the knees. He slowly took off his tattered, wet
clothes and spread them over a rock, then waded into the stream.
The water was cold enough to chill him to the bone. In the past, Woo
would have hardly been affected by heat or cold, but his once strong
body had long since fallen into decline. His entire body shivered from the
cold, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. It wasn’t just that—every
time the water touched the wounds from the beatings, the stinging pain
was unbearable, and his exhausted legs begged to give out beneath
him.

But Woo stood his ground. Expecting care and support from others was
nothing more than a distant dream. Only the babbling sound of the
water accompanied Woo.

Rustle―

At that moment, a sound came from the forest. Woo froze, realizing that
someone had approached so closely without him noticing.

“Damn… I’ve taken the wrong path.”

A young man emerged from between the trees. Though his appearance
was masculine, his lips were unusually red. His thick eyebrows and deep,
dark eyes exuded an alluring sense of mystery. It was undeniably broad
daylight, yet looking at him made one confused, as if it were night.

There was an eerie, decadent charm about him.

With broad shoulders, long limbs, and a fierce aura emanating from his
entire body, he seemed to resemble an ancient warrior god from a
primordial age. He was wrapped in a dark red garment, and underneath
it, his sleek yet sturdy muscles were distinctly visible.

A distinctly masculine scent filled the air, and there was something
about him that stirred desire in those who looked at him. But what truly
captivated Woo was not just his beauty.

‘You’ve grown well.’

Woo, who had been unconsciously staring intently at the man, was
startled by his own unbidden thoughts. He suddenly prostrated himself
flat against the ground. The fact that he was naked, still in the middle of
bathing, or that dirt was once again covering the wounds he’d barely
managed to clean through his pain, didn’t matter. Right now, Woo felt as
if his soul was being ripped from him.

‘Why now, of all times?’

In over ten years of living in the Black Sky Clan, Woo had never once
crossed paths with him, even by chance. That’s why this encounter
struck Woo like a bolt of lightning.

“Are you a servant?”

The man, looking at Woo who was lying face down, frowned as he
observed the naked body before him. It wasn’t because he was
uncomfortable or disgusted by the sight of another man’s body. It was
because Woo’s body was in an utterly devastating state.

Under the sunlight, Woo’s back was a mix of old scars and fresh wounds.
There were even severe marks resembling whip scars. That wasn’t all.
There were reddish-purple bruises, as if blood had just rushed to the
skin, scattered in places across his body, as if he had just been beaten.

Although Black Sky was infamous both inside and outside the martial
world, such cruel treatment towards a servant who hadn’t learned
martial arts was unheard of. The man generally wasn’t someone with
much interest in his surroundings, but this had gone too far.

“Yes, Third Disciple.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“H-how could a lowly person like me, who lives under the grace of Black
Sky Lord, fail to recognize his youngest disciple?”

Woo shamelessly spoke a lie, not even bothering to wet his lips before
uttering it.

Ye Kang-oh, was the most cherished disciple of the renowned martial

master

Ye Jin-rang, known as the greatest figure in the demonic path. He was an

extraordinary talent among talents, known far and wide as the next
generation leader of Black Sky.

However, Woo didn’t know Ye Kang-oh because he was Ye Jin-Rang’s

disciple. In fact, Woo had known Ye Kang-oh even before meeting Ye Jin-
Rang.

Woo didn’t know how to handle this unexpected reunion. He couldn’t tell
if what he was feeling was joy, sorrow, or perhaps regret. The only thing
he was thankful for was that Ye Kang-oh had no recollection of him. Even
if Ye Kang-oh had fragments of memory, he would never associate them
with the current Woo.

The past and the present were as different from each other as day and
night, and sometimes even Woo found himself to be unfamiliar to his
own self.
As he prostrated himself to the ground, he noticed the dirt that had
stained his hands. His current state, crawling on his knees like an insect
across the earth, didn’t make him feel particularly miserable anymore.
However, the distance between him and Ye Kang-oh was something he
couldn’t help but clearly perceive. Ye Kang-oh was someone who had
already left, a person from the past — nothing more than an old
connection. Although a chance encounter had brought them together
again, it was just that: a coincidence. There would be no more meetings
after this.

Woo made a conscious effort to maintain his composure.

“Who inflicted those wounds on your body?”

Ye Kang-oh asked.

“Ah, nothing happened. It’s just that… I was punished because I’m not
good at my tasks,” the servant said, bowing low with his forehead
almost touching the ground. Seeing the servant’s appearance, Ye Kang-
oh frowned.

“I asked because those who disregard the rules of Black Sky Clan must
be punished. There’s no need for you to make excuses for them. Now
speak. Who is the offender?”

Woo’s lips began to tremble. At first, no sound came out properly.

“That… uh… so, it’s…”

Ye Kang-oh observed Woo stumbling as if his tongue had frozen, and

concluded that it would be difficult to extract a confession from the
servant. Just as he began to wonder if he should personally grab each
member of Black Sky Clan and interrogate them, Woo finally squeezed
his eyes shut and opened his mouth.

“He, I need to go to Black Sky Lord. He, he told me to wash up quickly,

but I’ve been too, too slow…”

“And you claim to be my Master’s servant?”

Ye Kang-oh’s expression turned cold. While it wasn’t a situation where
one could boldly lie, it was hard for him to take the servant’s words at
face value.

Though many in the martial world had criticized Ye Jin-rang’s rough

personality, the master he knew had a deep sense of warmth. If this
servant truly served Black Sky Lord, they wouldn’t be walking around
covered in so many signs of abuse. Ye Jin-rang wouldn’t have allowed it.

At least, that’s what Ye Kang-oh thought.

“Y-Yes. I may be just a low-ranking servant, but I serve Black Sky Lord.”

“Is that so? Then lead the way.”

“Pardon?”

Woo reflexively questioned back, desperately hoping that he had

misheard. Despite knowing that he was not in a position to do so, he was
startled enough to instinctively ask again. He almost raised his head in
surprise.
Ye Kang-oh let out a sigh at the servant’s frustrating response.

Unconsciously, Woo shrank upon hearing the sigh above him. This was
because, in situations like this, a hand or foot would usually come flying
toward him. Seeing Woo curl up defensively, Ye Kang-oh narrowed his
eyes. Could it be that Woo actually believed he’d hit him, thus causing
him to shrink back like that?

“I was about to go see Master. You will guide me.”

Ye Kang-oh’s somewhat softened voice flowed out.

“Y-yes!”

Woo hurriedly stood up. Although he was completely naked, he did not
seem to feel any sense of shame, and moved to put on the clothes that
had been left on the rock. His back, so frail that it lacked even a trace of
muscle or flesh, looked pitiful.

After unexpectedly encountering Woo, this was the first time Ye Kang-oh
was able to see his face. Woo’s skin was twisted, as if he had been
burned, and the features buried in his disfigured flesh were so grotesque
that they made people hesitate to look. However, rather than showing
any contempt or disdain toward Woo, considering him the ugliest man in
the world, Ye Kang-oh simply tightened his lips.
He found it increasingly perplexing, especially since he had initially
decided to eliminate the one responsible for mistreating this servant.

It truly made no sense. Black Sky, after all, was a powerful clan formed
by gathering the remnants of the evil martial arts factions and the
Demon Sect, and its leader, Ye Jin-rang, who was also Ye Kang-oh’s
master, did not just take in any servant. Even if they weren’t particularly
handsome, they were chosen for their neat appearance and proper
conduct.

However, the man who claimed to be the servant of the Black Sky Lord
had a grotesque face and stuttered when he spoke. That wasn’t all. His
gait showed that he was limping, and his hunched posture revealed a
slightly curved back.

“What is your name?”

The question, thrown out as if it had just come to mind, startled Woo.
Even though Kang-oh might have asked it casually, to Woo, it felt like a
burning stone taken straight from molten lava.

Was it okay to say?

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 2 – Black Sky Clan

“I-I’m called Woo.”

Woo stammered out a reply, and Kang-oh nodded.

“Understood. I’ll remember that.”

Asking a servant for their name had been a half-impulsive act. Yet Woo’s
eyes were blank, as if he hadn’t expected such a question. It was as
though Woo knew Kang-oh well, or at least gave that impression.

Kang-oh’s intuition was generally right. But this time, he hesitated. He

had absolutely no memory of this servant. If Woo served his master,
Kang-oh might have met him in passing, but this was the first time he’d
ever seen him.

Though Kang-oh was usually indifferent to his surroundings, if someone

walked differently from others, he’d normally remember it, even if only
vaguely…

Woo caught a glimpse of Kang-oh’s serious expression and hunched over

even more. Every one of Kang-oh’s reactions weighed on his mind. Had
he been a complete stranger, Woo might not have been this shaken.
Though he hadn’t eaten much, his stomach felt uneasy. The tension
tightened his chest, and though he walked ahead, he fought the urge to
frequently glance back. It had been years since he’d been so conscious
of his limp, which was why his steps were slow.

But Kang-oh, without a word of complaint, adjusted his pace to match

Woo’s. Kang-oh, who could easily outpace him just by taking longer
strides, without even the need for any martial techniques, said nothing
about the sluggish pace, which made Woo feel both guilty and
appreciative. It revealed something about Kang-oh’s character.
Evidently, Ye Jin-rang had trained his disciple diligently.

No, Kang-oh had always been kind from a young age.

Reflecting on memories long buried, Woo’s steps slowed even more. At

that moment, Kang-oh, who had been quietly following behind, finally
spoke.

“Are your legs in much pain?”

“Pardon? Ah, no, not at all. If my slow pace is frustrating, I can walk
faster.”

Woo stammered as if he was ready to prostrate himself on the ground at

any moment. Kang-oh furrowed his brows.

“No, I only asked because I wondered if you’re having a hard time

walking because of me.”

Indeed, cold sweat was beading on Woo’s neck. Kang-oh, who had been
walking slowly behind him, spoke up, realizing that he might be
pressuring someone who was injured to hurry.

“It’s fine. This lowly one is only causing trouble for Young Master. I am
deeply sorry.”

Woo bowed his head deeply. It was true that he wasn’t in good condition,
but he had grown accustomed to pain over the past few years, and this
level of discomfort was something he could endure. Patience had
become Woo’s companion as he continued to live out his current
circumstances.

“…….”

As Kang-oh looked down at Woo, his mind felt far from at ease.
Strangely, he even had the impulse to carry this servant himself. It was
unlike him, the Third Disciple of Black Sky Clan, who had never shown
any interest in observing his surroundings or interacting with others.

The fact that they were almost at their master’s residence was perhaps
the only relief.

Ye Jin-rang, the Lord of Black Sky and the grandmaster of the demonic
arts, was standing at the entrance of his residence. The courtyard of
Black Sky Lord was adorned with rare and exquisite flowers, making it
difficult to distinguish whether this place belonged to the mortal realm or
the celestial. Yet among the scenery, the most beautiful presence was
none other than Lord Ye Jin-rang himself. His appearance, unlike his
fearsome reputation of being the number one in the demonic world, was
incomparably graceful. His sharp eyes were the only indication that his
personality was not ordinary.

With his hands behind his back, the man strolling through the garden
noticed the approach of his youngest disciple merely by sensing his
presence. He raised his head and smiled.

“It’s Kang-oh, isn’t it?”

That smile was so radiant that, for a moment, it became difficult to tell
the difference between the flowers and the person. Moreover, although
advancing in martial arts often slows the aging process, Ye Jin-rang
appeared almost as if he had reversed time, looking like a youthful
young man. Considering the fact that he had already passed the age of
fifty—an age referred to as ‘Zhitianming’ (knowing the will of Heaven)—
his youthful appearance made him seem nearly otherworldly, almost like
a mythical creature.

“Master.”

Kang-oh bowed deeply to show respect to his master. However, he was

immediately lifted back to his feet by Ye Jin-rang, who had silently
approached him.

“No need for all the formalities,” Ye Jin-rang said warmly. Despite being
known for being prickly in almost all aspects of life, Ye Jin-rang had
always insisted that his youngest disciple dispense with such formalities.
Yet Kang-oh never failed to show proper respect whenever he
encountered his master, for his position within the Black Sky was a
unique one.
The Third Disciple’s status in Black Sky was indeed special in many
ways. One day, Ye Jin-rang had suddenly appeared with a boy, bruised
and battered, and had taken him as his disciple. But that wasn’t all; he
had even bestowed upon the boy a new name and his own last name.

Considering that Jin-rang’s two prior disciples were both from prestigious
families, the unparalleled favor shown to Kang-oh, who had no such
background or connections, was exceedingly unexpected. Even the
oldest Grand Disciple, rumored to be a prodigy among prodigies, had not
been granted his master’s surname. The Black Sky Lord doted on Kang-
oh to such an extent that it was no wonder rumors began circulating that
the Third Disciple was being groomed as a potential successor.

For Kang-oh, who had no interest whatsoever in taking his master’s seat,
the rumor was troubling. He tried to act as if he was well aware of his
limitations. While it was said that the Grand Disciple was a warm-
hearted man, who could truly know his inner thoughts? All Kang-oh could
do was conduct himself properly, even if Ye Jin-rang treated him
informally.

“And…”

Ye Jin-rang’s gaze slowly drifted away from Kang-oh and moved to Woo,
who was standing beside him.

“Did you bring Kang-oh here?”

“Y-yes.”

Woo, who had immediately prostrated himself with his forehead to the
ground upon Ye Jin-rang’s arrival, stuttered in response. His faltering
words made it seem as though he was overwhelmed by Ye Jin-rang’s
imposing presence. However, Ye Jin-rang knew that Woo’s stiff demeanor
was not because of him, but rather due to Kang-oh.

“It seems even a worm can be of use sometimes. You may leave for
today.”

“Th-thank you.”

Kang-oh’s brow furrowed. Although Ye Jin-rang was known for his harsh
and abrasive personality, this was the first time Kang-oh had seen him
treat a servant so disdainfully. After confirming that Woo had left, Ye Jin-
rang turned back to his youngest disciple, reading discomfort clearly on
Kang-oh’s face.
“Is there a problem? If that one behaved in an unsatisfactory manner
towards you, tell me right away. I’ll make sure to discipline them.”

“No, it’s not that. I simply wanted to express my gratitude for being
kindly guided here despite their discomfort.”

“That’s their duty. It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

Jin-rang, who was generally kind to the youngest disciple, was

determined to cut off Kang-oh’s interest in Woo. With the immense
power Jin-rang wielded, he had no need to pay attention to others’
opinions, and his emotions were expressed directly and candidly.

Kang-oh sensed that Jin-rang’s attitude toward Woo hadn’t just formed
overnight. For the Black Sky Lord to so openly dislike someone… Jin-
rang, upon feeling displeased, never hesitated to remove the source of
discomfort immediately. Yet, how was this person still alive? Not only
that, from piecing together what he had said and Jin-rang’s attitude, it
seemed Woo was even serving as Jin-rang’s servant.

That man Woo was by no means ordinary.

“Is that so? I met him by the stream, and his body was covered in
wounds.”

Generally obedient, Kang-oh kept bringing up matters concerning Woo,

causing Jin-rang’s expression to visibly harden. After a brief pause, Jin-
rang seemed to recall what Kang-oh had said earlier and asked about it.

“…So, you say you want to show your gratitude? How do you intend to
do that?”

“I think it would be best to send him some medicine for his wounds and
let him rest until he fully recovers.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Jin-rang nodded without hesitation. He had no desire to send medicine to

Woo or let him rest, but at the moment, it was more important to divert
Kang-oh’s attention from the man.

“…You’re not questioning it.”

Kang-oh murmured, as if puzzled. Though his voice was quiet, almost

like talking to himself, Jin-rang’s sharp hearing picked up his words.

“What are you referring to?”

“Master’s servant was injured badly enough to require wound medicine.
Yet, you haven’t asked how that happened, which I found a bit
surprising.”

“That is because…”

“Oh no,” Jin-rang muttered, biting his tongue. In his frantic effort to
remove Woo from Kang-oh’s presence, he had inadvertently displayed
his usual harshness in front of his youngest disciple.

“May I search for the one who mistreated Master’s servant?”

“There’s no need for you to involve yourself in such a trivial matter. I’ll
send my men to investigate.”

Jin-rang wanted to stop him, knowing that the situation had escalated
because he had allowed Woo’s mistreatment to continue unchecked.
However, his youngest disciple was uncharacteristically resolute.

“The fact that someone dared to lay a hand on someone who hasn’t
learned martial arts, and in the domain of Black Sky Clan no less, is a
serious offense. Moreover, that person is your servant, master. Please
allow me, as your disciple, to personally ensure that Black Sky Clan’s
principles are upheld.”

Kang-oh, having made the traditional hand gesture of respect and

bowing deeply, showed no intention of rising until he received
permission. Jin-rang bit his lip anxiously.

Had it been any other disciple, he would have coldly dismissed the
request. But this was Kang-oh. Jin-rang had a particular weakness for his
youngest disciple. People assumed the Black Sky Lord held possession of
everything in the world, yet in truth, very little remained in the palm of
his hands. After years of hardship, it was Kang-oh who had unexpectedly
come into his life like a miracle.

So Jin-rang had no choice but to yield to Kang-oh, even if it went against

his normally unyielding nature.

“Do as you wish.”

“Thank you. Then I shall take my leave now.”

Jin-rang waved his hand dismissively to send Kang-oh away. Even though
he had granted permission for Kang-oh to investigate Woo’s affairs,
there was no denying the turmoil within his heart. The fact that the
paths of those two had crossed once again unsettled him deeply.

How much effort had he put in over the past ten years to make sure that
Kang-oh and Woo wouldn’t meet?

And yet, in the end, they had met again. If fate truly existed, it was
brazenly audacious. Jin-rang clenched his fist tightly. Blood started to
drip from his palm as his fingernails dug into his flesh.

The moment Kang-oh, like iron drawn irresistibly to a magnet, had

shown such a keen interest in Woo after their reunion, Jin-rang’s heart
had sunk.

“My Lord!”

The servant, always stationed nearby to attend to the Black Sky Lord,
cried out in alarm upon noticing the pool of blood forming on the ground.
Jin-rang frowned. He hadn’t even realized he had torn open his own
palm. It was an old habit—hurting himself in fits of rage. A habit he
thought he had discarded after taking in Kang-oh as his disciple, but it
returned with full force the moment Woo and his youngest disciple
crossed paths again.

“Be quiet. It has healed, so stop the fuss and summon the Third
Overseer.”

The palm, which had long since healed, only bore faint scars. It was only
possible due to his exceptional healing abilities, a mark of the profound
level of skill he had attained. Even the scars soon disappeared, but Jin-
rang’s eyes were bloodshot as he gazed down at his hand.

He almost regretted not being able to see that bastard’s offspring suffer
directly. If there is any justice in this world, it would be fitting for that
person’s son to live in misery, having lost both name and honor, now
reduced to a pitiful existence like that of a wretched beast.

For now, however, it was crucial to separate Kang-oh from him. Never
again would he allow them to be entangled. Jin-rang resolved to summon
the Third Overseer to send Woo somewhere beyond Kang-oh’s sight.

Although it meant deceiving Kang-oh, Ye Jin-rang was convinced without

a doubt that this was the right thing to do.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 3 – Black Sky Clan

Kang-oh immediately began his investigation. Although he was returning
from a mission dispatched outside of Black Sky Clan and was
considerably fatigued, he had a gut feeling that resting right now
wouldn’t be the right choice.

Thanks to his capable subordinates, gathering information about a single

servant wasn’t that difficult. In just a few short hours, Kang-oh started
flipping through the prepared report.

Woo had started working at Black Sky Clan eight years ago. The most
surprising thing about this servant’s background was that it was none
other than Ye Jin-rang who had brought him to Black Sky Clan.

Since Ye Jin-rang seldom ever brought anyone directly to Black Sky Clan,
there was an uproar in Black Sky Clan ten years ago when Kang-oh had
arrived. Similarly, there should have been a commotion when Woo was
brought in, but there was no such disturbance eight years ago.

It was as if it had been deliberately concealed.

Kang-oh furrowed his brows and turned to the next page of the report.
Shadows flickered on the paper under the candlelight as the night
deepened.

Woo had soon been entrusted to the Third Commandant and came to
serve the Lord of Black Sky. What piqued Kang-oh’s curiosity was that, of
all people, the Third Chief Steward had been assigned to handle Woo.

In the Black Sky clan, there were three overseers managing the internal
affairs, and among them, the Third Overseer was infamous for having
the most ruthless and cold-hearted nature. If Jin-rang had personally
brought Woo to the Black Sky Clan, it would imply that there was some
level of interest. So why would he entrust him to the Third Overseer?
There was the impartial and firm First Overseer, and the quick-tempered
yet bold Second Overseer as well, weren’t there?

According to the information that followed, it seemed that initially, the

Third Overseer also showed some leniency toward Woo. This was
because Woo had been directly entrusted by the Black Sky Master.
However, one day, Woo made a mistake, and the Third Overseer,
without realizing it himself, struck him. Even when Jin-rang saw this, he
did not tell the Third Overseer to stop. From that day onward, the Third
Overseer’s abusive behavior rapidly escalated.
This so-called ‘special treatment’ only isolated Woo further from the
others, and for eight years, he lived in the Black Sky Clan without
blending in, completely alone.

The records were sparse, barely a few sentences in length. Enough to

summarize his life, yet it felt dusty and barren, like the sand in a desert
—substantial yet empty at the same time.

“Strange…”

Ye Kang-oh had been curious about Woo since the moment they met. His
background was unknown, and there was no clear reason why their
master had personally brought him in as a servant.

This man, Woo, clearly held secrets far beyond what was visible.

The most puzzling thing was his master’s attitude. Though he had
eventually agreed to investigate who had abused Woo, his master had a
lingering expression of unease. Considering how Black Sky Lord had
always been endlessly lenient with his youngest disciple, his demeanor
now seemed out of place.

Wasn’t it as if he was afraid of the backlash if he hadn’t permitted the

investigation?

Kang-oh burned the report in the candle flame. Acting against his
master’s wishes was not something that would leave him feeling
comfortable either. So perhaps it was best to put the issue of that
servant to rest here. After all, he wasn’t some grand martial artist, nor
was he a descendant from a prestigious family. He was simply a lowly,
crawling servant.

As the report turned to ashes and was about to scatter, Kang-oh’s hand
hesitated. Strangely, the unburnt character for “Woo” (愚) caught his
attention. Who would use a character meaning ‘foolish’ for a name?
Unless it was a child descended from parents filled with deep
contempt…

Or, was that even his real name in the first place?

Kang-oh paused at the thought. He had clearly tried to steer his mind
away from any interest in Woo, yet the servant kept popping into his
head.

In Buddhism, they say that even a brief brushing of sleeves forms a

karmic connection, but this felt different—odd. It wasn’t like Kang-oh to
be so concerned about others. The extent of his interest in people
usually ended with wanting to test himself against a powerful martial
artist once he heard about one. But considering Woo’s emaciated,
mistreated body, there was no part of him that resembled a trained
warrior. He was just thin, weak, and an ordinary person who had been
subjected to abuse.

“Keep a close eye on the Third Overseer. If you see him lay their hands
on any assets of Black Sky Clan, make sure to stop them.”

“Yes, my lord.”

At Kang-oh’s command, his subordinate, who had been standing by,

bowed deeply and vanished. His movements were as ethereal as mist.
This subordinate was a member of the Honamdan, a group Kang-oh
personally recruited and trained within Black Sky. Kang-oh had selected
him in response to his master’s recommendation that it was time to
gather loyal men. Though many assumed he harbored no interest in the
position of the next leader of Black Sky Clan, the majority he chose were
individuals from minor factions or without any strong backers, people
with extraordinary talent above all else.

To avoid appearing as if he was vying for the next leadership position,

the Honamdan operated discreetly in the shadows. Despite serving a
master who seemingly had no ambition, the Honamdan were devoted to
the Third Disciple, Ye Kang-oh. In return, Kang-oh did his best to reward
their devotion.

Oddly enough, everything in Black Sky felt like something he had gained
through immense debt. It was like enjoying wealth and glory at the
expense of having pawned away something precious, always leaving a
bitter taste in his throat. He never shared this sentiment with his master,
Ye Jin-rang, nor with his Honamdan subordinates.

Thus, though Kang-oh enjoyed the Black Sky Lord’s favor, he was often
regarded as being extremely cautious for someone of his age. Simply
put, it felt as though he was wearing the clothes of another person.

How, then, could he truly develop any interest in his surroundings? Both
his current station and his master’s favor seemed like dreams from
which he would eventually awaken. The only thing Kang-oh found
meaningful was the martial prowess he had cultivated through his own
efforts. As a result, Ye Kang-oh’s widespread fame, which echoed within
and outside of Black Sky, was primarily earned through battles against
masters from other sects.

True to his reputation as the Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan, Ye
Kang-oh was known for his ferocious and wild temperament, as well as
the notorious rumor that he enjoyed the sight of blood. This was despite
the fact that he always sent a formal challenge notice before any duel,
ensured there were at least two witnesses, and conducted the matches
with proper decorum.

If one were to line up all the great martial artists of the White Path that
were said to have perished at the mercy of the ruthless Ye Kang-oh, the
procession would stretch from Anhui Province to Luoyang. Yet, in truth,
no one had actually died.

It was simply the fate of the Black Sky Clan to carry such rumors, as it
stood as the symbol of the Black Path martial world. In contrast, the
prestigious White Virtue Palace, which represented the White Path, did
not have such rumors following it.

There was a time when the Black Sky Lord and the White Virtue Palace
Lord had stood shoulder to shoulder to drive out the Blood Cult from the
Central Plains. Back then, all of the martial world, both Black and White,
united in opposition to the cult. In that era, any esteemed and right-
minded martial artist, regardless of their faction, would share a drink
together in the spirit of righteousness and fellowship. This was not so
long ago—it was during the prime of Jin-rang, Ye Kang-oh’s master, that
this great war took place.

Nevertheless, the nature of people in the martial world was fickle. Just
because the martial techniques pursued by each side were different,
they divided the Black Sky Clan and White Virtue Palace into opposing
factions. The increasingly apparent conflict between the Black Path and
the White Path cast doubt on whether the Martial Alliance could endure
into the next generation.

Much like when the Celestial Demon Sect had once threatened the
martial world, many speculated that it would not be long before the
Black Sky Clan severed ties with the Martial Alliance and reestablished
itself as an independent force.

If only White Virtue Palace’s missing master were present, they could at
least discuss possibilities for an agreement. However, that person had
disappeared from the martial world ten years ago. The story of the
mother who searched for the suddenly vanished master was widely
known. Whenever Ye Kang-oh saw White Virtue Palace consistently
sending out search parties despite it being clear the master must have
died after such a long absence, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of
jealousy.

That missing palace master likely wouldn’t know the feeling of being as
directionless as Kang-oh, drifting like a floating plant. After all, wasn’t
there a family searching desperately for them? On the other hand, Kang-
oh had no one between heaven and earth—truly a person alone in the
world. Although he held his master’s affection, everyone spoke of Ye Jin-
rang as a capricious man. They claimed that he could smile sweetly like
a flower today and transform into a fierce devil by tomorrow. Of course,
Kang-oh trusted his master. Still, he desired a stronger bond, something
more powerful to anchor him to this world.

“Foolish. So foolish…”

Was he not, like the servant Woo, a fool for being dissatisfied with what
had already been bestowed upon him?

His thoughts returned, circling back once again to Woo. Clicking his
tongue, Ye Kang-oh realized there were still embers left in a flame he
thought he could snuff out with just a press of his thumb. At this rate,
even if he tried to forget, the memory would keep haunting him, leaving
his heart ill at ease.

Although his master hadn’t looked upon it favorably, there was no way
he would stop Kang-oh’s investigation now that permission had been
granted.

With the justification that the discipline of Black Sky Clan needed to be
restored, if anything, he would receive praise — certainly not any
scolding.

Kang-oh blew softly, and the candle flame flickered out. As if it had been
waiting for this moment, the pitch-black darkness crept in, slowly
engulfing Kang-oh like a predator closing in on its prey.

It was a silent night.

“From today, your living quarters have changed.”

Early in the morning, Third Overseer appeared at the servants’ quarters
and said this to Woo. Woo harbored doubts about the statement but
didn’t voice them. After all, the change in his residence must have
involved Jin-rang’s intervention, making it pointless to argue.

Having already met Kang-oh, Woo figured that sooner or later, there
would be consequences.

Pressed by the Third Overseer to leave immediately, Woo barely had

time to gather his few belongings. He was practically shoved out, feeling
the eyes of the other servants clinging to his back. Though Woo had
lived in the same building as the other servants, due to his ‘special
circumstances,’ he had used a room of his own. Occasionally, Black Sky
Lord would summon Woo to run errands, so none of the other servants
had dared approach him. Despite being of the same rank as them, his
distinct treatment was all too evident to the others.

Woo had never been in a place where he easily mingled with others, so it
took him some time to fully realize his isolation. And even when he did,
the realization did not particularly bother him. It was just a recognition
that he was now wrapped in a suffocating solitude, closer even than the
clothes on his back.

Once, he had considered himself a noble crane, preening its white

feathers—a white heron that would not flock with crows. However, in
reality, Woo was the dirtiest and most wretched of all. His once lofty
pride had been doused in filthy water, and his entire life had been
negated. The only thing driving him forward, trapped in helplessness
from which he could not lift a finger, was the lash of guilt.

“A life born of sin must inevitably be spent paying for it, don’t you
think?”

That was the only reason Woo kept steadily putting one foot in front of
the other, even as he was pushed around by Third Overseer and nearly
collapsed to the ground. It was Woo’s stubborn determination that kept
him moving.

The place where Woo had been taken was a small mountain that
belonged to the Black Sky Clan. Before him stood a shabby hut, barely
seeming capable of keeping out the rain, let alone a strong gust of wind.
Its precarious state was so evident that even Woo considered the
possibility of its collapse. The Third Overseer shoved Woo towards the
front of the hut.
“From now on, you’re to live here.”

“Yes, yes.”

“To think there’s no greater source of worry for the Black Sky Lord than
you, and yet you’re still clinging to that wretched life of yours.”

“……”

“If you had even an ounce of shame, you would’ve already taken your
own life. It’s a shame you’re no better than an animal.”

The Third Overseer spat on the ground with contempt. Woo lowered his
head deeply.

It was almost laughable. Third Overseer despised Woo, but what he

couldn’t understand was why Ye Jin-rang, despite his disgust, still kept
Woo close. The Third Overseer’s harsh treatment of Woo stemmed solely
from his loyalty to Black Sky Lord. Even if Ye Jin-rang didn’t outwardly
express it, the Third Overseer could always read the displeasure on his
master’s face every time they encountered Woo. Thus, without a shred
of doubt, the Third Overseer believed Woo to be in the wrong, and in Ye
Jin-rang’s stead, he took it upon himself to torment Woo.

The slapping and hitting had begun years prior. At first, there had been
reasons, but now, even those had vanished.

Because he happened to be in sight, passing by, or just appeared

unpleasant…

The unreasonable hatred only deepened with no sign of subsiding. Yet,

Woo quietly complied.

“From today, you will chop the trees on this mountain.”

“Yes.”

“Do not come down until you’ve cut down every single tree on this
mountain. The rice is inside the hut.”

At the tree stump the Third Overseer pointed to, there was an axe driven
into it with all its teeth gone. The blade was so rusted that just by
looking at it, it was clear that using it to cut trees would likely injure his
hands first. Still, Woo understood that even being given a tool at all was
something to be grateful for.
After the officer left, Woo entered the hut to check the rice. As he had
expected, it was half rice and half sand. It had been mixed so thoroughly
that there was no way to simply scoop out only the edible portion. He
was fortunate that there were still some grains he could eat at all.

It seemed that he would have to strip away the tree bark and start from
scratch. Otherwise, even if he stayed up for half a month straight, he
wouldn’t be able to separate it all.

Woo picked up the axe and headed toward a nearby tree. Though all the
muscles in his body had vanished and the internal energy that used to
fill his core was now gone, the calluses on his palms still remained. They
were a byproduct of his life as a servant.

The hands that once played the zither or penned poetry had become
rough and coarse, but Woo understood that this was the outer shell that
now best suited him.

“Shall we begin?”

The early sunset clung to his shoulders like the weight of fatigue. The
lengthening shadows signaled that the day’s work had come to an end.
He needed to light the fire before it got any later. Though they were on a
hillside deep within the Black Sky Clan where wild animals were unlikely,
knowing the personality of the Third Overseer, it wouldn’t hurt to be
cautious.

That person was the kind of man who would go so far as to capture wild
dogs alive, just to release them to torment Woo.

As Woo rubbed the tree bark to start the fire, a thin smile tugged at his
lips. It was amusing to him that he was still clinging to life so
desperately, despite how miserable and wretched it had become. Only
now, in moments like these, did any sort of smile grace his typically
hardened, dry expression.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 4 – Black Sky Clan

There was nothing left that made life worth living, but the body, as
though by instinct, still sought to survive. It had become frankly
tiresome.

But how could he seek death? Woo’s life did not belong to himself.

Woo placed the tree bark, which had just started smoking, carefully
between the dry branches and blew on it vigorously while fanning the
flickering embers. Soon there was a sudden crackle, and sparks flew. By
now, the surroundings had grown dark. As the fire, bright red and
growing, greedily opened its maw, Woo crouched closer to the only
warmth given to him. It was painful to get too close, hot enough to burn,
but for now, it was the only way to fend off the solitude that had come
with the night.

In the distance, the howl of a wolf echoed. Woo swallowed a sigh. He had
clearly underestimated the cruelty of the Third Overseer. How had he
managed to choose a mountain where wild wolves still roamed, even in
the dark realm of the Black Sky? Woo could only marvel at the Third
Overseer’s almost unnatural ability to be this merciless.

Woo shot to his feet, preparing for the possible encounter with the
wolves. In his haste, he momentarily lost his balance and staggered. He
barely managed to stand straight again and then looked down bitterly at
his injured leg, letting out a wry laugh.

After over twenty years as a martial warrior, the habits ingrained in him
often caused lapses like this when moving quickly. It had been ten years
since he ended up in this condition, but sometimes, he would forget
entirely about his current state. Not only his leg, but even his back would
hunch, and his posture would involuntarily stiffen into that of an old
man’s stance.

Still, considering he had fallen from the sheer, towering cliff of the
world’s edge and only injured his back and one leg, it was nothing short
of a miracle. He assumed vaguely that it was his nearly indestructible
body, honed to the brink of achieving Diamond Body, that had allowed
him to survive.

However, no matter how strong a martial artist may be or how great his
mystical skills, it is impossible to fortify one’s internal organs. Hence,
after the fall, he had no choice but to lie bedridden for months, if not
years. That was when he received help from Ye Jin-rang until he could
stand up and walk on his own.

Despite his noble status, the Black Sky Lord personally took care of Woo.
He set the broken bones, cleaned the pus from the torn wounds, and
applied medicine to help them heal. Woo owed him an unpayable debt of
gratitude—not only because Ye Jin-rang personally nursed him back to
life but also because he had accepted Kang-oh.

Rustle—
Lost in thought, W00 flinched at the sudden sound. For a moment, he
thought it might be a wolf, but if it were a real animal, it would have
already attacked by now. However, the presence felt too real to simply
be a trick of the wind.

Was it just a feeling? Woo, struck by an odd sense of déjà vu in the

situation, slowly turned his head toward the source of the noise.

“I’ve lost my way again… May I share your fire?”

Ye Kang-oh, the third disciple of Black Sky, stood there shrouded in the
night.

“H-How did you get here?”

Woo asked, utterly shocked. He immediately bit his tongue, regretting

the question that slipped out unwittingly. Revealing his turmoil at Ye
Kang-oh’s unexpected appearance at a place he shouldn’t be was a
serious mistake. Woo, who was usually well-practiced at maintaining
composure, was so stunned because, as fate would have it, he had just
been thinking about Kang-oh.

“I was trying to find my way when I saw the firelight and followed it.”

Lies.

Woo could tell immediately. While their encounter by the river yesterday
was likely a coincidence, meeting Kang-oh again here, after being
practically exiled to this remote mountain lodge, could only be
interpreted as intentional on Kang-oh’s part.

“You were just passing by, you say?”

Kang-oh nodded. Just then, a distant wolf’s howl echoed.

“There was a report of a wolf sighting.”

It was clearly an improvised excuse, but Kang-oh’s face remained calm.

He asked with a deliberately puzzled tone. “By the way, didn’t you say
yesterday that you were serving your master?”

“Yes.” Woo nodded quickly, bowing his head.

“Then why were you transferred to this place?”

“I… I made many mistakes, so I’ve been punished.”

Woo’s lie was far worse than Kang-oh’s, evidenced by his visible
discomfort. Kang-oh clicked his tongue as he quietly observed Woo. He
had already told his master that it would be best to give Woo some time
off to recover and provided medicine to treat his wounds, but he hadn’t
been particularly optimistic that this would be honored.

Still, the fact that Woo had been banished to this remote place was
strange.

Even more curious was the fact that Kang-oh himself had gone through
such lengths to track down this insignificant servant. Kang-oh’s
subordinate had reported that the Third Overseer had brought Woo to
the mountain. Upon hearing this, Kang-oh had immediately risen from
his seat.

Fortunately, Kang-oh had placed eyes near the Third Overseer in

advance, allowing him to learn that Woo’s location had been moved.
However, Black Sky’s territory was vast, and finding Woo in a desolate
mountain, devoid of people, was akin to searching for a needle in a
haystack.

The whole situation left Kang-oh baffled by the actions of Ye Jin-rang. It

seemed as though he allowed an investigation into Woo but chose to
reprimand the victim rather than the culprit, the Third Overseer.
Moreover, leaving Woo within the Black Sky territory instead of
completely disposing of him raised more questions—as if his master
couldn’t eliminate Woo outright nor abandon him completely, leaving
him just within reach.

Kang-oh couldn’t even understand why Woo’s residence had been

changed. Thus, instead of delegating the task of watching over Woo to
his subordinates, Kang-oh decided to do it himself. He remembered that
his master had always backed off when Kang-oh intervened.

“So, you’re being punished. What kind of work were you assigned?”

“I-I was just told to chop wood in the forest… or something.”

With that, Kang-oh casually turned his head and noticed an axe stuck in
the tree stump. Being an expert martial artist with far sharper eyesight
than ordinary people, Kang-oh immediately realized that the axe was too
dull and rusted to function properly. He couldn’t help but laugh.

This… this almost feels like Master is intentionally tormenting this lowly
servant, doesn’t it?
“How did you come to serve Master?”

Woo’s lips quivered slightly before he replied.

“When this lowly one was on the verge of death, he… saved me.”

The answer seemed like something Woo had prepared in advance.

“Indebted for saving your life, huh… Is that why you can’t leave despite
being mistreated?”

“M-mistreated? No, that’s not….”

Startled, Woo quickly lifted his head and shook it vigorously.

“When we first met, I saw your body. Are you trying to lie to me?”

“T-that was p-punishment. It was because I… I was too s-slow.”

Woo bit his lip.

The stammering started after his near-death experience. He could form

sentences in his mind, but getting them out verbally had become a
challenge. Since there were hardly any chances to communicate with
others, he never considered it a problem. But right now, in this moment,
he wished he could just bite his tongue and pretend the injury was the
reason he couldn’t speak. No matter what excuse he gave, it would
sound like an explanation, or worse, a justification. Especially with Kang-
oh’s sharp gaze seemingly piercing right through him.

“A person who lashes out just because someone is slow has no place in
Black Sky.”

“Ah… it’s not like t-that…”

As he was questioned further, cold sweat started forming. His mind

turned blank, and apart from shaking his head desperately, he found it
difficult to even respond to Kang-oh’s questions. What’s happening to
me? Why is this happening?

There was once a time when he was so brilliant that people called him “a
genius among geniuses.” He had been surrounded by scholars and
received extensive education. It was said that Woo, when taught one
thing, could learn one hundred. But now, it felt as if his mind was frozen,
completely numb to any coherent thought.

As Woo stiffened in fear, Kang-oh closed his mouth. Even someone like
Kang-oh, who rarely mingled well with others, could tell that Woo’s
reaction wasn’t normal. Moreover, Kang-oh wasn’t someone with such a
cruel nature that he would intimidate a chick who was already frozen
stiff from fear.

“Thank you for allowing me to warm myself by your fire. This is to repay
you.”

Kang-oh stood up and retrieved a vial of medicinal ointment from his

pocket, placing it in Woo’s hand. It was something he’d packed on his
way out, just in case. He hadn’t thought he’d actually end up giving it
away…

At first, Woo jumped up, as if burned, and exclaimed, “I can’t accept

this!”

For the first time, Woo didn’t stammer. But before he could even realize
it, his only focus was to return what Kang-oh had offered. He reached
across the fire without hesitation, so hurried that he didn’t even care to
check what he held in his hand.

“Careful!”

Kang-oh grabbed Woo’s wrist roughly, pulling him aside. He tore away
Woo’s sleeve and threw it to the ground, stomping out the fire that had
caught on.

“What on earth is this?”

A furious voice burst out from Kang-oh. He couldn’t believe the situation.
First, he hadn’t expected Woo to reject the gift out of goodwill. Second,
Woo had recklessly tried to return the item, even risking the flames.

“Please… take this.”

Despite everything, Woo kept his head bowed low and tried to return
what Kang-oh had given him. On Woo’s arm, where there was none
before, a burn from the fire was slowly taking form. Kang-oh had handed
him a balm for healing, and Woo, in trying to reject it, ended up burned
instead.

Kang-oh couldn’t understand Woo. It was as if returning the item was

more important to him than avoiding harm altogether. Woo hadn’t even
looked at what was in his hands. Foolish. No, too foolish. This didn’t
seem to be mere stupidity. It was almost as if… Woo was broken in some
way.
“Fine. I got it.”

Kang-oh scoffed coldly as he snatched the balm back from Woo’s hand.
He considered just walking away, punishing his three subordinates, and
never again concerning himself with this odd manservant. That’s what
he thought. But instead, Kang-oh opened the vial of ointment and
gripped Woo’s arm.

“What…?”

“Stay still.”

Cool ointment touched his skin, and Woo reflexively shivered. He

recognized the scent. ‘Is this… gold ointment?’ It wasn’t an imitation but
the real, top-quality kind. Otherwise, Woo wouldn’t have recognized the
fragrance so clearly. After all, Woo had always been surrounded by the
finest things.

Realizing that Kang-oh was applying such a high-grade ointment on him,

Woo tried to pull his arm away. But with his current strength, it was
impossible to escape Kang-oh’s grip.

“Stay still.”

Kang-oh growled lowly once again. Woo flinched.

“Who would dare reach their hand into the flames? If you wanted to
return it, you could have just said so.”

“It’s too much for me…” Woo mumbled, bowing deeply.

Kang-oh, who had just finished applying the medicinal salve to Woo’s
wounds, stood up. Woo didn’t seem willing to accept the treatment
willingly, so Kang-oh even planned to apply it all over his back. He knew
this kind of kindness wasn’t like him. But he couldn’t simply leave Woo in
this state.

“It’s not a burn ointment, but it’s still effective,” Kang-oh said, circling
around to Woo’s back.

He noticed goosebumps rising on the back of Woo’s neck through his

messy hair. Being a martial artist, Kang-oh hadn’t realized it, but this
servant was likely freezing in the cold night of the wild mountain. Why
was it that all the details calling for his concern seemed so clear to him
now?

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 5 – Black Sky Clan

Kang-oh furrowed his brow, feeling uneasy about the sight of the servant
who tried so hard to avoid making eye contact. He couldn’t begin to
guess what kind of ill will his master might harbor towards such a frail
human as this.

Ye Jin-rang was unpredictable, prickly, and impulsive. He held a position

so high that he had no need to mind others, and he possessed the power
to back it up. People often spoke of the Black Sky Lord in hushed tones,
calling him a terrifying and ruthless man, but Kang-oh knew better—his
master wasn’t the type to hold grudges. Jin-rang’s straightforward nature
meant that if he had a problem, he was the type to resolve it
immediately.

If Jin-rang had belonged to the White Path, people would have described
him, even with his short temper, as a bold and forthright man. Alas,
because he was one of the leaders of the Black Path, even a sneeze from
him would give rise to sinister rumors. For this reason, Kang-oh had
become increasingly curious about the relationship between his master
and the servant, Woo. If Jin-rang didn’t like someone, he would have
easily taken their life, no more difficult than snapping the neck of a sickly
chicken. Why, then, did he keep this servant alive and continue to
torment him? Kang-oh, daring as it might seem, began to feel a budding
distrust towards his master.

After all, Ye Jin-rang was the one who had saved Kang-oh when he was
on the verge of death, who had taken him in as a disciple despite their
lack of any prior connection, and who had even given him his name. Ye
Jin-rang was undeniably a benefactor. And yet, the more conversations
Kang-oh had with the servant Woo, the more this gnawing sense of
unease grew. Of course, he couldn’t openly investigate his master’s
affairs—not when he was a disciple of the Black Sky Lord himself. In the
Black Sky clan, it was nearly impossible to act without Ye Jin-rang
noticing.

Still, Kang-oh wanted to rid himself of this seed of doubt as quickly as

possible. If he couldn’t get answers from Jin-rang directly, then he would
have to get them from Woo instead.

“I’ll be in the area for a while. I need to hunt down a certain wolf.”

Kang-oh didn’t even need to give this excuse, especially to a mere

servant, but the words tumbled from his lips anyway.
“A w-wolf, you say… understood. If there is anything I can do to help…
please let me know, without hesitation.”

Woo bowed his head as he stammered his response. At the same time,
he wanted to slap himself. Help? How could he possibly help? What could
he even do? With his weak and sickly body, the best he could hope for
was not getting in Kang-oh’s way. In fact, wasn’t his goal to minimize all
contact with the man? So why had he just spoken as though they might
interact again in the future? Was there still some lingering attachment?

“Rest well.”

“I… Understood…”

Woo hesitated for a moment, lost in thought, trailing off because he

realized he shouldn’t have spoken so rashly. He knew the Third Overseer
weren’t likely to appear anytime soon, so how could he pass along word
of Kang-oh’s arrival? Setting the woods aflame might force the Third
Overseer to come, but the fire would be uncontrollable—no matter how
skilled Kang-oh was, he could easily be caught in the blaze and gravely
injured. All Woo could do was hope that Jin-rang would soon realize his
youngest disciple had shown up in these lowly hills.

Kang-oh, meanwhile, quietly closed his lips. Woo had remained prostrate
on the cold ground since gratefully bowing after his wounds had been
treated, showing no signs of rising. It seemed Kang-oh’s presence only
caused discomfort to Woo, and though this fact sat uneasily with him, he
didn’t want to leave the ailing man to lie on the hard, cold floor any
longer.

The longer this dragged on and the longer he stayed, the more obvious
it became that Woo wouldn’t be able to rest. Kang-oh sighed and quietly
left the scene, his form vanishing from sight.

Even after Kang-oh’s shadow had completely disappeared, Woo

remained prostrate on the ground. He dared not raise his head, timidly
gauging if Kang-oh had truly left, afraid that he might meet eyes with
the man. After more than a decade of keeping his distance, he found
himself overwhelmed by the warmth in Kang-oh’s touch—the warmth
that had now laid bare Woo’s inescapable regret and the joy he couldn’t
hide. He didn’t want Kang-oh to see these feelings in his tear-filled eyes.

Crackle, crackle—

Amidst the silence, only the sound of flames burning remained.

Hearing the faint chirping of insects in the distance, Woo decided Kang-
oh had indeed left and slowly rose to his feet, collapsing into a weary
heap shortly afterward. The pain from the fresh burns on his arm hit him
all at once, but Woo didn’t let a single groan escape his lips. He merely
curled up, hugging his knees tightly until the pain subsided.

After some time had passed, Woo finally judged that he could stand up
and headed inside the hut. Although there was some mold, there was
still a blanket and even a straw mat to lie on. The hut, which was so
flimsy that its only role had been to block the wind, now somehow
resembled a home.

“….”

Woo, who was curled up and trying to force himself to sleep, suddenly
recalled the touch of Kang-oh’s hand on his back. It was warm. Just like
in the distant past. He should never have let go of that hand from the
start. No matter how harshly he pushed Kang-oh away, telling himself
that it couldn’t go on like this, he knew that Kang-oh wouldn’t be
discarded in the end. Having been born with everything in his grasp, how
could he understand loss? Woo’s mother was a woman who constantly
gave him more, fearing he might lack anything. Even if she had to take it
from others, she didn’t hesitate if she thought it belonged to Woo.

Woo had received all sorts of education, but in the end, he was nothing
more than a fool for all that learning. Recently, Woo had found himself
thinking a lot about the past, but he grit his teeth and shook off those
memories. He had no intention of going back, so what was the point of
constantly recalling it? When he closed his eyes, he caught the musty
smell of the blanket. There was also the cool herbal scent of the wound
ointment he had applied to his body. There was no familiar silk bedding,
no incense brought from the Western Regions, but somehow, tonight, he
felt like he might easily fall asleep.”

When Woo finally woke up, it was the tail end of the morning. Crawling
out of the hut, Woo was utterly shocked to see the sun approaching
midday. Never before had Woo slept so long. Normally, Woo would toss
and turn in discomfort and then wake up at dawn to start wandering
around. Though the body complained of fatigue from the lack of proper
rest, Woo would start the day’s tasks without ever lying back down. But
to sleep late? If the triplet guards had come by, he’d have been in deep
trouble.

Jumping to his feet in a hurry, Woo headed to the spot where he had
seen the axe the day before. He had been ordered to clear all the trees
from the hillside, which meant he’d have to be at it the entire day.

Still, it was uncertain whether he could finish before the year ended. To
make matters worse, after using the axe a bit yesterday, he had realized
the handle was rotted and creaked, and the rusty axe blade had grown
so dull that a job that should take one strike took ten. And that wasn’t
even the end of it; at any moment, the iron blade and wooden handle
could separate completely. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t
chop wood with his bare hands. He couldn’t tell whether the trees would
be felled first or if the axe would break first.

Woo clicked his tongue in frustration.

The days were already so short, but now he had slept in too long. Still,
this was also the first time in a long while that he had felt this refreshed,
and a small laugh escaped from his lips as he acknowledged how good
his body felt.

‘That reminds me, I also need to finish making the winnowing basket to
separate the grains from the chaff. But…’

Having lived so long relying on others for everything, Woo wasn’t much
of a skilled craftsman, and the thought of the job ahead left him feeling
hopeless.

First of all, since he needed to eat immediately, it seemed right to make

the sieve first. Woo began weaving the bark that had been peeled the
day before. The roughness of the unevenly trimmed bark caused
splinters to prick his fingertips. To make matters worse, his arm, which
had been burned, kept throbbing with pain. Even though he had applied
a good ointment, the pain was not going to disappear in just one night.
Reaching over the fire had, after all, been a foolish thing to do. At the
time, he hadn’t even realized it… Though clucking his tongue wouldn’t
make the burn go away now.

Sitting hunched over while weaving the bark was starting to make his
back ache as well. Still, it was fortunate that he had applied the
ointment. Suddenly recalling Kang-oh’s touch made Woo’s ears turn red.
What a kind child. They had always been that way.
The finished sieve in his hands looked rather clumsy. Woo furrowed his
brow, doubtful it would even serve its purpose, but he knew there was
no point in asking Third Overseer for proper materials. Bringing over the
rice that had sand mixed in, he placed it on the sieve and shook it. It
seemed like some of the sand was being filtered out. For what couldn’t
be seen, he would just have to spit it out while eating.

He took a small pot from the hut and went to the stream he had
discovered the previous day to fetch some water. Pouring a scoop of
water and the rice, from which he had filtered the sand, into the pot, he
placed it over the fire. Then, he grabbed the lid, which no longer had a
handle, and covered the pot. He sat in front of the fire to watch it.

In the past, Woo wouldn’t have even imagined cooking for himself. At
mealtime, a lavish feast was always prepared for him. Having such a
picky palate, he often left food unfinished, and on days when the side
dishes weren’t to his liking, he would sometimes send the entire meal
back to the kitchen. But now, even rice with sand mixed in was
something to be thankful for.

He had indulged in every luxury imaginable. He had taken it for granted.

However, when Woo realized that his entire life was like that of a cuckoo
chick that had taken over someone else’s nest, the despair, anger, and
sense of betrayal he felt were beyond words.

The blazing fire flickered with red-hot tongues, and even its wavering
seemed to mock Woo’s foolishness. He buried his face in his hands and
rubbed it several times as if trying to wipe away his troubled thoughts.
There was no point in lingering on them, as they offered nothing
beneficial. He had no intention of returning to the fields from that day,
making his thoughts futile attachments to the past.

The hurriedly prepared rice turned out better than expected. Woo, who
was about to scoop the rice into a chipped bowl, suddenly realized that
he had no spoon. He must have underestimated the mischief of the Third
Overseer. It was indeed careless of him to think that a broken-handled
pot lid would be the end of his ploys.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 6 – Black Sky Clan

Ignoring his rumbling stomach, Woo filled the bowl with rice, then
crudely carved a wooden spoon from some wood he had gathered. It
was with this makeshift utensil that he took his first meal on the hillside.
There weren’t any side dishes, only cold water, and he could chew on
grains of sand mixed in with the rice. Still, Woo chewed and swallowed
what he had put in his mouth. Though his table was modest to the point
of being pitiful, somehow, he found it satisfying in its own way.

He thought that once he became adept at chopping wood and got the
hang of things, he could gather wild greens from the nearby hills to
supplement his meals. But then Woo realized a major problem. While he
could identify medicinal herbs and poisonous plants, he had no
knowledge of which greens were safe for consumption. Though it was a
potential solution to survive by foraging medicinal herbs,
overconsumption—even of medicine—could be harmful to the body.

He let out a hollow laugh. After over a decade of living as a servant, he

had thought he had adapted well to this lifestyle, but clearly, he was far
from prepared. His past belief that he could excel on his own,
independent of his status, suddenly seemed absurd.

No matter how sophisticated his poetry was or how masterful his

performance on the zither had been—drawing admiration from everyone
—none of it was of any use now. Or maybe, just maybe, the praise they
had showered upon him was nothing more than an illusion, conjured up
by his status. Now that he had come down to this level, he could see it
clearly. He understood how much people can be like mere tongues inside
a superior’s mouth, ready to play whatever tune needed to please those
who held their fate in their hands.

He had a rather decent knack for discerning traitors and schemers.

However, everyone who interacted with Woo was completely inclined to
cater to his convenience. Those who stood by his side all paid careful
attention to his every move, striving to please him. In the past, how
gentle the world must have seemed!

Swallowing a sigh and finishing his meal, Woo checked the remaining
rice in the pot. It seemed enough to boil water and make porridge for
dinner later. He took up an old axe, with its teeth mostly worn down, and
began chopping wood. Being extra cautious to avoid the tree falling
towards him, he had to strike it dozens of times, and even though he
managed to fell just one tree, his palms were already throbbing, his neck
stiff. His back was screaming in agony, and as his arms heated up from
the labor, the burn he had suffered yesterday made its presence known
once again.
There was a time when, with just a flick of his hand, he could have
cleared half of this mountain side. Whether the axe blade was dull or
how many strikes it would take—these were things he wouldn’t have had
to worry about. His bare hands would have been more than sufficient.
The martial art technique he had mastered, the “Golden Palm Skill”,
allowed him such power that he could split through tough leather, heavy
muscle, and even solid bone with a single strike.

Woo’s finest technique, his “Sword Art”, was centered around the blade.
If he’d had his beloved sword in hand, chopping wood would have been
faster than using his hands, and he would have cleared the mountain
trees without even draining his inner strength.

But now, all that was left of his warrior’s body were slender, emaciated
limbs. It was the result of many long months spent lying completely
immobile. Though the injuries themselves were severe, the two years he
spent bedridden had eroded most of his muscles. Fortunately, his natural
strength and physical frame were still formidable. As time went on, doing
all sorts of menial labor as a servant, some non-martial but practical
muscles were beginning to form.

With such thoughts coming and going in his mind, he managed to cut
down about four trees before the sun began to set. Woo walked down to
the nearby stream to prepare for dinner. How fortunate it was to have a
stream so close to his hut! Sometimes, Woo thought he understood why
Ye Jin-rang had entrusted him to the Third Overseer.

He had a knack for tormenting others just to the brink of death but not
beyond. His arms, which had been overworked all day, trembled as he
carried a water-filled pot, quivering far more than they had in the
morning. It would have been nice if he had at least a simple bowl to
carry the water in, but there was no chance of finding such a thing in this
shack where even a spoon was a luxury. It seemed he would have to
make things one by one as he stayed here.

Woo placed the pot over the fire, and as he watched the roaring flames,
he nodded off. He tried to stay alert, but sleep kept pulling Woo in. His
body, which had only recently tasted good restful sleep, cried out,
demanding more. Pinching his thigh to stay awake, Woo watched the
watery rice slowly turn into porridge. Suddenly, he felt a sense of
emptiness. It wasn’t because the other servants he shared the hut with
were missing. It was because Kang-oh, whom he had only seen for two
days, hadn’t shown up today.
‘It’s a relief,’ he thought. ‘It really is.’

Woo muttered to himself, biting his inner lip, and buried his face
between his knees. Even though he had been scared out of his wits by
encountering Kang-oh in succession, he couldn’t shake the selfish hope
that he might appear again. He had no idea what to do with himself.

As night fell late, the sound of a wolf’s howl could be heard, just as it had
the previous night. Woo, clutching his blanket tightly, realized his own
pitiful state, now feeling terror from nothing more than a beast’s
howling. The warmth that Kang-oh had left behind the night before had
already dissipated over the span of a single day. It was regrettable, but
neither Kang-oh nor that warmth were things he could hope to reach for.
And he shouldn’t, either.

Though the night drew deeper, sleep would not come easily. Even if Woo
briefly managed to close his eyes, he would wake up because of the
aching pain in his body. His back was drenched in cold sweat, and his
hands and feet felt like ice.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Woo groaned in pain, curling his body. It was a night completely different
from the peaceful one before. Forcing himself to sit up, he took a few
sips from a bowl of water he had set aside after boiling it earlier that
evening. The water had turned cold, and yet his body felt hotter in
comparison. ‘I feel like I have a fever…’

The fire, which had calmed down during the night, now only had a few
embers remaining. It was still a dark night, not even nearing dawn yet.
Woo tried to return to his hut, but in the end, he collapsed before the
bonfire. In the past eight years, he had never been this sick. If he had
still been accommodated in the living quarters of the servants, someone
would likely have found his collapsed body by morning, but there was no
such luck for him now. He had no idea whether he would be able to get
up in a few hours—or even in a few days.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

In a dazed state, he felt someone grip his shoulder. Was this a dream or
reality? It was hard to tell. He reached out toward the blurry figure in
front of him, and his hand touched the person’s face. At the sensation of
another’s warmth, Woo’s fingers trembled. He didn’t want to let go.
“Hurt… it hurts…”

His muffled sobs spilled out, dripping with raw sincerity. The man, unable
to shake off Woo’s touch, remained frozen in place, feeling too sorry to
pull away from Woo’s feeble grasp, seemingly weaker than a chick.
Unexpectedly, Woo’s cheeks grew wet with tears of sorrow.

Why doesn’t he hold me? You always held me before…

He was burning with fever, no doubt. That had to be the reason.

Thoughts were going back and forth, as if his mind was flickering
between clarity and disarray. His rationality and pain took turns ruling his
consciousness.

As if he had made up his mind, the man lifted Woo, propping up his
upper body, and brought water to his lips. Although more than half of it
spilled to the side, Woo desperately drank the little that made it into his
mouth, as though it were the nectar of immortality. Then, a small pill
entered his mouth.

“Cough, cough!”

He couldn’t swallow the medicine due to a fit of coughing. He sensed the

man clicking his tongue. In his dazed state, Woo instinctively shrank
back and began to mutter an apology.

“I’m… I’m sorry… sorry…”

Suddenly, something pressed against his mouth, cutting off his apology.
Woo felt someone’s tongue invading his mouth. It wasn’t for any base
reason—simply, the pill was being pushed naturally down his throat.
Unable to properly catch his breath, Woo swallowed it and trembled all
over. At that moment, he felt an awkward yet gentle pat on his back.

‘How dare you. Do you even know who I am to defile my lips…?’

As past and present mingled in his mind, Woo thought this to himself.
Slowly, the lips withdrew. Whether it was heat or tears, his vision
remained blurry. The tender brute lifted his hand to Woo’s nose and
exhaled in relief.

‘Who are you to be so concerned for me?’

The feeling was at once familiar and foreign—the broad shoulders that
could envelop him, the solid strength supporting his body.

“Rest.”
The man’s hand covered Woo’s eyes. Even though he thought it was
absurd to obey someone’s command, like a lie, Woo soon sank into a
deep, dreamless sleep.

The chirping of the mountain birds woke Woo from his sleep. Opening his
eyes, Woo placed a hand on his forehead. It felt like he had a very
pleasant dream, but he couldn’t quite remember it—similar to the way
one forgets the details of a dream right after waking up. Tilting his head
in puzzlement, he stepped out of the cabin and then froze. Something
about the scenery seemed slightly different compared to the day before.

First, the trail leading from the cabin to the campfire was strange. It bore
marks as if someone had crawled along it. Now that he thought about
it… in his half-asleep state… had he perhaps gone to get water?
However, he had no memory of returning to the cabin after drinking any.

Woo reached for his hazy recollections, trying to piece things together.
He clearly remembered collapsing at that very spot and thinking he
might die there, with no one coming to check on him in time. But then,
someone had appeared, given him water, and even administered some
medicine.

As the memory of how the medicine had gone down resurfaced in Woo’s
mind, his face flushed with heat. The lips… They had touched. Though
he knew it was merely to help him take the medicine, he couldn’t help
feeling flustered.

Woo had never allowed anyone to approach him so closely, neither in

the past nor now. Since childhood, he’d had little to no physical contact
with others. The man he considered his father was strict, never so much
as patting Woo on the head. His noble-born mother had left him in the
care of a nanny, never personally cradling or comforting him. Even that
nanny, one of his mother’s close attendants, had avoided showing him
too much affection while raising him.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 7 – Black Sky Clan

Woo was now troubled, unable to figure out the identity of the “lip thief”
who had come to his cabin in the middle of the night. Since the person
seemingly meant no harm, perhaps it was best to just forget about it.
Wasn’t it all just for the sake of treatment, after all? As he tried to shake
off these thoughts and absentmindedly turned his head, he froze again.
The axe lodged in the tree stump was not the one from the day before.

“A… new axe?” He covered his mouth with his hand in shock. There were
only two people who could have visited this place, both of whom would
know about the axe. One was the Third Overseer, and the other was…

“Yes, Kang-oh.”

Woo slowly approached the axe as if entranced, and picked it up. It was
clearly well-polished. The ax head was sharp, and the handle sturdy. As
Woo carefully lifted it, it smoothly slid out with a swishing sound. No
doubt, Kang-oh had seen the previous state of the axe, which was in a
terrible condition the first time Woo came here, and prepared this one.
And when Kang-oh saw Woo collapsed, he must have helped…

Woo hesitated for a moment and then planted the axe back into the
stump. There was no reason to accept it. Even if he had to chop wood
with his bare hands, he wouldn’t use this axe. He couldn’t let himself get
accustomed to comfort. He couldn’t accept Kang-oh’s inexplicable
kindness.

After setting the axe down, Woo picked up the pot and headed to the
stream. Since the night’s exhaustion had drained his body, he needed to
have a meal. Perhaps due to the fever that had risen overnight, his arms
felt particularly weak. There was even a concern that once the pot was
filled with water, the strain might cause him to drop it altogether.

Woo carefully fetched the water and began to walk back toward the hut.
Every step felt precarious, but he couldn’t allow himself to falter. The
harder things became, the more difficult it was to move forward once
he’d stopped. This was something Woo had learned through harsh
experience.

Finally, after reaching the hut, Woo revived the dying embers and placed
the pot over the fire. He took a few handfuls of rice from the sack and
added it to the pot, waiting for it to boil. His mouth felt so dry and
scratchy that he wasn’t sure he could swallow solid food, so he decided
to let it simmer and make porridge.

As he waited for the porridge to finish cooking, Woo kept glancing at the
axe. It was evidence that Kang-oh had been here. Questions swirled in
his mind: Why had Kang-oh come? And inevitably, the question that
gnawed at him was… would Kang-oh come again?
That thought gripped Woo’s heart tightly. He didn’t want to know the
answer. He didn’t want to hope. The heavens had never been so kind to
Woo. While it couldn’t be helped that he had been dealt a harsh fate, the
pain in his heart was something far harder to bear.

This must all be because he was a fragile human. If he had a firmer,

tougher heart, perhaps he would have faced the truth he finally learned,
instead of running away. But what’s done is done, and one cannot undo
the past.

Woo, after blowing on the thin, bland porridge that hadn’t even been
properly seasoned, finished eating and moved to gather more firewood.
Since he couldn’t use an axe, his job was to snap the branches off fallen
trees with his hands. After finishing that, he planned to gather dry
branches from the nearby forest. Having endured the hardships of the
previous night, he also intended to pick any medicinal herbs he came
across as he worked.

He busily went about his tasks, meticulously planning in his head.

Though his weak, sickly body didn’t respond as quickly as his mind
commanded, as long as he persisted, there wouldn’t be much difficulty
in achieving what he set out to do.

Though he didn’t find any herbs nearby that could immediately help with
lowering a fever, Woo did come across a few wild plants near a creek,
ones often used to ward off animals. If he placed them near the hut, the
threat of wolves might be somewhat reduced. He quickly dug them up
by hand and shook the soil loose from the roots. Fortunately, because
they were by the creek, the soil was soft.

What was curious, though, is that even though the smell of humans
should have attracted them by now, the sound of wolves still came only
from far away. Woo vaguely thought that maybe Kang-oh, who often
came and went, was doing something to keep the wolves at bay,
preventing any beasts from approaching the hut.

Woo washed his dirt-covered hands in the flowing creek and, gathering
the wild plants he had dug up, headed back to the hut. After planting
them, spaced somewhat evenly around the campfire, he wiped the
sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. That’s when he noticed
his fingers were once again filthy with dirt. With a swipe, he hastily
scraped them clean on his clothes.
In any case, he would get dirty again while walking around to gather dry
branches, so he planned to clean everything in one go before dinner. As
Woo moved towards the forest, he passed by the axe embedded in a
tree stump. It was such a natural stride, as though he had completely
forgotten about its existence.

He bent down and straightened up repeatedly to gather the scattered

branches, the movement making sweat stream down his face. He could
feel that his stamina was more depleted than usual, likely due to how
strained his body had been the previous night.

“Such stubbornness, truly impressive.”

“…!”

Startled, Woo quickly turned his head towards the voice. Kang-oh was
perched up in the tree. The branches there were especially thick, so Woo
hadn’t noticed his presence at all. Moreover, because Kang-oh trained in
martial arts under Ye Jin-rang, it was no surprise that he could conceal
his presence perfectly.

“Th-Third Overseer,” Woo stammered.

He clumsily dropped several of the branches he’d gathered and threw

himself to the ground, bowing his head.

“Didn’t you like the new axe?” Kang-oh asked, jumping lightly down to
the ground. His clothes fluttered just a bit, and despite the movement,
no dust arose, and there wasn’t the slightest sound as he landed.

“It’s… it’s not that…”

“Let me see your arm.”

From the beginning, it seemed Kang-oh had no intention of listening to

Woo’s excuses, as he extended his hand. Woo bit his lip. It was only at
that moment that he became acutely aware of his filthy hands. Kang-oh
was asking to see his burned arm, but even though he had hastily
brushed himself off, he couldn’t allow Kang-oh to touch his dirt-covered
hand.

Perhaps Kang-oh had already figured everything out, as he didn’t ask

twice. He simply took a step forward and, without any hesitation, took
hold of Woo’s hand and lifted it up. The fact that dirt clung to his hand
seemed to be of no concern to him. Woo simply lowered his head a little
further, feeling regret for not having taken the trouble to wash his hands
in the stream.

Still holding Woo’s hand, Kang-oh rolled up his sleeve and examined the
wound, which had begun seeping pus again.

“With that arm, it’s no wonder your body couldn’t handle using such a
worn-out axe.”

It was a tone as if he had expected it. Kang-oh clicked his tongue and
took out some ointment from his coat. It wasn’t the golden wound
medicine he had brought from before, but rather a remedy for burns,
which he had thoughtfully prepared this time. Kang-oh applied the
ointment on Woo’s burn with his fingers.

“Why, why…” Woo started to ask but trailed off. There was no benefit in
asking Kang-oh questions. It was better to avoid getting involved with
him.

“Why do you stop mid-question?”

“Be… because I’m just a servant,” Woo stammered.

At Woo’s reply, Kang-oh’s brow furrowed slightly. It wasn’t an attitude he

particularly liked. Someone who shrinks and asks permission for every
little thing—it was burdensome. He never would have imagined that a
day would come where he would deal with someone like this on a
personal level.

“I never forbade you from asking questions.”

But despite being told that he could speak if he had questions, Woo kept
his lips tightly shut. Kang-oh, as if already expecting this, finished
applying the ointment and withdrew his hand.

“Use the axe I provided you. If you truly are the faithful servant you
claim, you should not go against your master’s wishes.”

Technically speaking, Woo wasn’t Kang-oh’s servant; he belonged to

Master Jin-rang. But there was no harm in Kang-oh giving Woo orders. If
it had been one of Black Sky Clan’s high-ranking officers, there may
have been an issue with Kang-oh asserting his authority, but Woo was
just a mere servant. Just a servant, no more than someone insignificant
and unimportant.
“The reason I keep coming here… is because I find myself concerned
about you.”

Despite that, his attention kept returning to Woo. On reflex, Woo raised
his head. Kang-oh was looking down at him. Even though his intense
gaze made Woo’s heart pound with nervousness, he couldn’t bring
himself to look away from Kang-oh’s eyes.

“I intend to keep coming until I no longer find myself concerned. So, I

hope you stay in good health, without being bedridden like last night.”

His words implied concern yet came out in a blunt and cold tone, devoid
of any warmth. Woo’s eyes trembled, but not out of joy.

“You… you’re not supposed to be here—”

“I decide where I go and where I don’t. It’s not for you to interfere.”

Kang-oh drew a clear line. Having a good sense of what kind of person
Woo, this servant, was, Kang-oh opted to simply notify him instead of
seeking his approval. After all, whenever Kang-oh tried to explain
anything, Woo would always shake his head vigorously, insisting it
wasn’t right. But now, seeing that Woo’s frantic head-shaking had
calmed down, Kang-oh felt he had made the right choice.

“You follow Master’s orders and take care of the trees in the wild hills. In
the meantime, I’ll indulge my curiosity.”

Woo bowed his head deeply. “I… I will obey.”

With things turning out this way, Woo had little choice but to wait,
praying for either the Third Overseer to show up soon or for Kang-oh to
lose interest in him. His worry deepened.

Kang-oh was waiting for someone on the path leading into the hills. He
had things to check up on, after all. Since the Black Sky Clan’s
messengers had relayed information, it wouldn’t take much longer. While
he waited, Kang-oh’s thoughts turned to Woo.

In truth, Kang-oh had only pretended to leave Woo’s side but had stayed
near his hut. The memory of Woo’s actions—forcing himself to return a
healing salve even while suffering from burns—was still vividly etched in
Kang-oh’s mind, making it impossible for him to simply brush it off.
And after watching for some time, Kang-oh had seen him continuously
chop wood with that dull axe the entire day… There wasn’t anyone
around watching him, so Woo could’ve slowed down a little, maybe
taken a break, but no—his unyielding nature was simply beyond reason.

The previous night, wolves had gathered around Woo’s hut, likely drawn
by the scent of blood and pus. Kang-oh, his eyes gleaming sharply,
unleashed his aura, intimidating them and driving them away. If he had
killed every last one, there would have been no howling left and Woo
would have assumed Kang-oh had no reason to revisit this place.

But even though Kang-oh never had any intention of indulging a

servant’s concerns to begin with, the fact that he was minding Woo’s
well-being in any way made him let out a bitter smile.

His head and heart were functioning in completely different ways. His
body moved on impulse, and his gaze kept gravitating toward Woo.

Could that stubbornness be Woo’s true nature?

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 8 – Black Sky Clan

Unlike the previous night, groans of pain could be heard seeping out of
the hut. They were cries of anguish. Kang-oh, with his keen hearing,
caught the sound of labored, shallow breathing but stayed silent, not
wanting to let Woo know he was nearby. Just then, Woo staggered out of
the hut, drank some water, and collapsed in front of the campfire.

Kang-oh had no reason to hold back anymore. He immediately rushed

over to where Woo had fallen. Woo’s face was horribly twisted in pain,
covered in flushed red patches. The burn on his arm, coupled with the
wound on his back, and the entire day spent working had taken their toll.
His weakened body was screaming for reprieve. The fever was high
enough that Kang-oh worried Woo might die if it kept up.

Turning Woo onto his back, Kang-oh noticed that Woo’s palms had
become severely damaged in just one day.

It was undoubtedly because of that axe. He had gripped it tightly and

swung it down several times… It wasn’t strange at all for him to be
feeling so ill. At this point, it was hard to see him as someone simply
lacking in willpower. Pain easily breaks humans. Only those with a clear
reason to endure beyond the pain are the ones who don’t crumble.
Having cooled Woo’s forehead first, Kang-oh swiftly rummaged through
his belongings and pulled out a medicinal pill from a silk pouch. Ye Jin-
rang often sent Kang-oh out, concerned that his frequent movements
outside might lead him to get hurt, and always made sure to pack
various medicines for him. This particular one was part of that
assortment, designed to reduce fever and boost overall health. It was a
precious remedy, brewed from countless medicinal herbs. Kang-oh didn’t
even feel the slightest hesitation and immediately pushed the pill into
Woo’s mouth.

However, it was unlikely that someone half-conscious could properly

swallow the medicine. Woo, choking, coughed, and the expensive pill
tumbled to the ground. Without a second thought, Kang-oh took out a
second pill from the pouch, placed it in his own mouth, and then pressed
his lips firmly onto Woo’s. The sole intention was to transfer the
medicine.

Yet, the moment their lips touched, Kang-oh felt a strange sense of
familiarity. Had he been in a situation like this before? The odd thing was
that, having been obsessed with the sword his whole life, he had never
kept anyone close—be it a woman or a man.

Even when the noble families of the Black Sky Clan had tried to push
their children onto him, he had deliberately ignored them. He didn’t
want to give the impression to the First Disciple, Mo Yong Yu-un, that he
was trying to form a power base.

Woo’s body trembled. Pushing those thoughts aside, Kang-oh pressed his
tongue deeper into Woo’s throat, making sure the medicine went down.
Semi-conscious, Woo swallowed the pill—along with the water—gulping
it down, although he seemed to struggle for air.

Slowly, Kang-oh pulled his lips away. Strangely, he felt a sense of

disappointment. At this lowly, sickly body? Why on earth?

Standing up, Kang-oh frowned. Every time Woo met him, he would bow
down deeply to the ground, never directly conveying his opinions. And
there was always that frustrating attitude in everything he did…

He was a person whose personality did not align with what he ordinarily
liked. That wasn’t to say he was captivated by the man’s appearance
either. Woo’s face, faintly visible in the moonlight, was far from
handsome or elegant. A large, grotesque scar marred his features, as
though he had been burned. His body was frail as well.
One could imagine feeling some interest if Woo had had the skills of a
martial artist, but that wasn’t the case. Could it be simple sympathy
toward a servant? Kang-oh mocked himself. He was not a man
overflowing with sentiment.

When what he first felt upon seeing Woo’s miserable state wasn’t the
urge to heal him, but the thought that strict punishment should be dealt
to the person who had dared exercise violence in broad daylight without
regard for the Black Sky Clan’s iron rules, it made him question why he
was lingering around Woo in the first place.

Despite being burdened with seemingly countless tasks back at the

Black Sky Clan after a martial duel with a master from the South Sea,
Kang-oh remained in this rugged mountain area. His gaze, which had
cooled in quiet contemplation, once again landed on Woo’s face. Under
the touch of moonlight, there lingered no allure or charm — only a
pitiable spirit peacefully asleep after such an ordeal.

His eyes then fell upon Woo’s hands: blistered, torn, and with even
splinters stuck in his palms. “This is madness… utterly insane.” Kang-oh
muttered to himself, yet despite his words, he carried Woo into the
nearby hut.

After clumsily covering the sleeping Woo with a blanket, he used his
combat abilities to dart to a nearby village and returned with a new axe.
The villagers would surely be puzzled by the missing axe, but since
money had been left behind, they probably wouldn’t mind much.

In fact, it was such a poor axe that even a single silver coin would have
been worth more. However, compared to Woo’s original tool, this one
seemed far more suitable. Kang-oh pulled out the old axe from the tree
stump and set the new one in its place. In the light of dawn, the sharp,
blue-tinged blade satisfied him greatly.

It seemed there would be no more need to substitute a palm for a

wooden hand. It pained Kang-oh to think that Woo had to endure such
harsh conditions simply because they lacked a proper axe. While dozing
off in the tree, Kang-oh optimistically assumed Woo would no longer hurt
his hands. Yet, when Woo woke in the morning and discovered the axe,
he simply glanced at it for a while before snapping branches with his
bare hands to start a fire.
In disbelief, Kang-oh thought,‘Could it be? Is he really refusing to use the
axe?‘ Then he convinced himself, ‘No, he’s just breaking branches for
the fire; there’s no need for an axe for something so simple.‘

However, as the afternoon went by, his doubts turned into certainty. Woo
was acting as if the axe didn’t exist, using his hands to deal with
everything—picking up dry branches and breaking small limbs off the
already felled trees… It was infuriating.

Unable to bear it any longer, Kang-oh revealed himself. Woo trembled

like an aspen tree. He was still reluctant to use the axe. If this was the
case, the only choice was to deal with the person who had ordered Woo
to act this way, right? So, Kang-oh waited. And now, it seemed that wait
would soon bear fruit. Up the mountain path, the Third Overseer of the
Black Sky Clan was riding on horseback.

“Th-third Disciple!” The Third Overseer, who had entered the mountain
where Woo was staying, hastily dismounted and bowed his head upon
seeing Kang-oh’s appearance. Although curious as to why Kang-oh was
here, his body instinctively bowed first before his mind could question it.

“It’s been a while,” Kang-oh spoke with a calm, indifferent expression.

However, there was neither warmth nor surprise at the sudden
encounter in his voice.

‘Has he been waiting for me…?’ Something felt off. The Third Overseer
had lowered himself and acted courteously to Kang-oh numerous times,
striving in many ways to cater to the Third Disciple’s conveniences. But
this was the first time Kang-oh had acknowledged him so openly.

The Third Overseer, much like he would with Ye Jin-rang, the Black Sky
Lord, always showed great respect to the favored third disciple. At times,
he even pondered whether Ye Jin-rang’s favor leaned more toward Kang-
oh than the First Disciple.

Black Sky Lord cherished Kang-oh to such an extent that anyone who
had served under him for a long time could easily notice his affection. Ye
Jin-rang, who never concealed his harsh and unforgiving nature even
towards his first disciple, Mo Yong Yu-un, would unexpectedly turn into a
patient and gentle master of martial arts only in the presence of his
youngest disciple, Kang-oh.

Kang-oh, with a feral intuition, was quick to sense his master’s fondness.
When his following began to grow to a size that could rival that of the
eldest son, Kang-oh withdrew from the Black Sky Clan. This was likely to
avoid giving any impression that he was consolidating power.

From the beginning, the Third Overseer kept a distance from anyone in
Black Sky except for those in Honamdan, a group composed of
individuals from lowly origins who had no interest in power struggles. By
isolating himself with only the Honamdan, Kang-oh was making it clear
that he had no interest in vying for the position of the next lord of the
Black Sky.

What puzzled the Third Overseer was not just Kang-oh, who rejected the
wealth and glory that could easily have been his, but also the fact that
the Lord of Black Sky, who could have easily passed everything onto
him, chose not to. If the lord had simply designated Kang-oh as his
successor, Kang-oh would have no choice but to comply with his
master’s will. Yet, Ye Jin-rang let his youngest disciple do as he pleased.

Ye Jin-rang never asked anything of Kang-oh. Affection, by its nature,

usually demanded some kind of return—whether in equal emotion or
substance. But Ye Jin-rang only gave to Kang-oh, as if he were his own
son.

This left the martial artists within the Black Sky Clan in disarray. While
the next lord of Black Sky was officially the eldest disciple, Mo Yong Yu-
un, it was clear that Ye Jin-rang’s affection leaned heavily towards the
third disciple, Kang-oh. Despite this, the Third Overseer’s loyalty never
wavered. He had always remained steadfast from the beginning, betting
everything on the one who lay closest to the lord’s heart: the third son.

“The Third Overseer, who oversees the internal affairs of the Black Sky
Clan, has certainly come a long way,” Kang-oh muttered as he lightly
moved his lips, grabbing the sword, Dan Sa, which had been resting at
his side.

“Even this place is part of the Black Sky territory. I am here under the
command of the Lord of Black Sky,” responded the Third Overseer.

The Third Overseer’s excessively polite demeanor as he bowed his head

deeply was beyond respectful. The savage face that had once ruthlessly
hunted down Woo, as if capturing a rat, was now perfectly composed,
with no trace of harshness. Kang-oh looked down at the Third Overseer
with an expressionless face.

“While hunting here, I came across a servant who serves my master.”

“…Excuse me? Y-yes, that man named Woo is here.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, the Third Overseer blinked
in surprise, quickly raised his head, and then, bowing repeatedly,
answered.

“And how exactly did he come to be here?”

“That…”

“Did you dare to handle my master’s affairs without permission?”

The voice, as cutting as frost, sent a shiver down the Third Overseer’s
spine. It was a sharp and menacing aura. A martial artist of Kang-oh’s
caliber didn’t need to intend to kill to convey a strong enough murderous
intent to terrify his opponents.

Although the Third Overseer had survived in the Black Sky Clan for twice
as long as Kang-oh, and had endured through much adversity, he wasn’t
skilled enough to withstand the aura of a prodigy like Kang-oh—
especially when Jin-rang had nurtured him with all kinds of elixirs. Thus,
the Third Overseer could only cower.

“Th-that would never happen!”

“Then why was the person, who had been ordered to harvest the trees of
this mountain, carrying a damaged axe?”

At those words—oh no!—the Third Overseer felt his back becoming

drenched with sweat. After all, the order to harvest the mountain’s trees
was just a pretense to get Woo to this location.

The idea to give Woo such a broken axe was the Third Overseer’s own
little trick. If the hands of that man Woo, who had somehow managed to
cross the Black Sky Clan’s leader, were torn apart by the shattered axe,
it would be quite satisfying.

Furthermore, if the blade either flew backward from its loose handle or
fell downward to cut through his foot, it would simply be labeled a “freak
accident.”

“That, well…”

“There’s no way funding for any tasks assigned by the Black Sky Clan
has been misallocated, and if that’s the case, are you suggesting you’ve
embezzled it?”
As Kang-oh pointedly pressed for an answer, the Third Overseer began
sweating profusely.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 9 – Black Sky Clan

“Th-that can’t be true! Before assigning the task, I personally scouted

this hillside… But due to the poor living conditions, I ended up using up
the budget to gather supplies, and… I have prepared subpar items that
do not meet your standards, Third Disciple. Please punish this old fool for
my incompetence.”

The Third Overseer immediately prostrated himself on the ground. His

calculation was that Kang-oh, being the subordinate of the Black Sky
Lord, would likely not punish him if he went to such lengths.

“You admit your fault, do you?”

“……..!”

The Third Overseer gritted his teeth. He had reached this position by
being perceptive. Although he had studied martial arts, his skills had not
improved significantly, so his way of survival was through expertly
aligning himself with powerful figures. Having always been astutely
attuned to the moods of Ye Jin-rang, he quickly realized from months of
observation that Ye Jin-rang despised the servant placed under his
command.

Though Ye Jin-rang never expressed it openly, it was easy to discern that

his hatred for Woo was deeper than an abyss. While Ye Jin-rang never
physically intervened, it was clear that he harbored a desire for Woo to
suffer.

Thus, the Third Overseer began to humiliate Woo in Ye Jin-rang’s

presence. During his first attempt, he had been unsure of the extent and
limits, so cold sweat drenched his back, but Ye Jin-rang did not stop him
—a silent permission to proceed as he had. From then on, opportunities
to catch the attention of the Black Sky Lord began to increase. Normally,
the Black Sky Lord rarely left his quarters and would send orders through
the First Overseer; however, he started summoning the Third Overseer
on occasion.

Seeing this, the Third Overseer, loyally committed to authority, openly

and viciously tormented Woo. He believed things were going well—at
least, until this very moment.
“Just a moment ago, you asked to be punished, but now your expression
is changing rapidly. Are you trying to insult me, the Third Disciple of
Black Sky?”

It was absurd. The Third Overseer, who typically did not wield authority
without reason, suddenly tightened the noose around him for no
apparent reason. He wanted to run to the Black Sky Lord and report all
this. However, the one who had abruptly followed behind Woo after
Black Sky Lord had ordered him to be dismissed was none other than
Kang-oh. Given the circumstances, running to the Black Sky Lord would
not resolve this issue.

It was clear that the Third Overseer had taken an interest in Woo first,
and the fact that this did not sit well with his lord must have led to the
order to get rid of that lowly servant. If he went to the Black Sky Lord like
this, he would not be protected but would instead be held accountable
for how the situation had been handled. Ye Jin-rang’s affection for Kang-
oh had always been unusually strong.

“It’s not… it’s not like that…”

The Third Overseer muttered to himself. “To spare that one’s life and
now endure humiliation like this… I should’ve just killed him…”

For a brief moment, a flash of cold ruthlessness passed through the Third
Overseer’s expression. However, the cruelty was not aimed at Ye Kang-
oh who had been pressing against him, nor was it directed at Ye Jin-rang,
who had overlooked the mistreatment of the servant. No, all of the
malice was reserved for that wretched dog, Woo.

The Third Overseer, as one of the retainers under the Black Sky Clan,
lived in a world entirely skewed towards the powerful. Therefore, he
wasn’t even conscious of the error in his thoughts. The Black Sky Clan,
though it didn’t make frequent appearances, would sometimes summon
the Third Overseer through the First Overseer’s commands. The Third
Overseer, always loyal to those in power, had been free to abuse Woo
relentlessly. He thought he was doing well, right up until now.

“Just moments ago, you asked for punishment, yet now suddenly your
expression shifts so easily. Were you trying to defame me, the esteemed
Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan?”
The accusation was absurd. Normally, the Third Disciple had never
wielded his authority forcefully, so the sudden tightening of the noose
around his neck made the Third Overseer appear strained.

All he wanted was to run to Ye Jin-rang to report this matter. However, it

was Kang-oh who had followed right behind Woo, the very one whom the
Black Sky Lord had ordered to be taken away. Judging by the
circumstances, running to Ye Jin-rang wouldn’t solve anything. The truth
was, the Third Overseer had been the one to take interest in Woo first,
and it was his lord’s displeasure that had prompted the order to dispose
of the lowly servant.

“It’s not… it’s not like that…” he quietly mumbled once again.

“Had I just killed him… instead of sparing his life, I wouldn’t have to
endure this humiliation…”

During the day, a fleeting coldness passed through the Third Overseer.
However, this cruelty wasn’t directed at Kang-oh, who was confronting
him, nor at Ye Jin-rang of the Black Sky Clan, who had allowed the abuse
of a servant. No, it was solely directed at that wretched dog, Woo.

The world of the Third Overseer, a servant of the Black Sky Lord, was
tilted entirely in favor of the powerful. As such, he was completely
unaware of the errors in his own thinking.

“If you believed that the cruelty in your hands, that pushed Master’s
servant to the brink of death, would be covered by thirty years of loyalty,
you were arrogant. You’ve already been rewarded handsomely with
wealth and honor for your years of loyalty. Yet, you used your position to
strike at those powerless before you. Your crime is grave.”

The Third Overseer ground his teeth in frustration. “So, what will you do
with me?”

“We’ll see…” Instead of an immediate answer, Kang-oh, who had been

toying with his short sword as if in preparation to threaten him, calmly
returned it to its sheath.

Fearing his head could roll at any moment, or at the very least lose his
tongue, the Third Overseer collapsed to the ground, terrified. Moments
later, in a daze, he began to touch his neck, still uncertain of his fate. He
shot furtive glances at Kang-oh’s emotionless face, but that expression
provided no clue to the thoughts behind it.
“Did Master order you to do this?”

“That—there’s no way!” The Third Overseer frantically shook his head in

denial. Yet, the momentary disruption in his composure caused his heart
to sink.

Although he felt it was unfair that Kang-oh was pushing him so hard, he
kept his mouth shut. After all, Ye Jin-rang held the real power in the Black
Sky Clan, and the Third Overseer was one of his men. As long as he kept
the secret and avoided Kang-oh’s swift retribution, he believed Ye Jin-
rang would save him.

But the lingering sensation of injustice, coupled with the fear for his life,
caused him to unwittingly react to Kang-oh’s probing words.

He must have known all along. Kang-oh hadn’t been waiting for an
explanation but a reaction, something he could confirm as proof of what
he already suspected.

The Third Overseer was left dumbfounded. By age alone, Kang-oh wasn’t
even half as old as himself. Yet how could his mind be so deep?

“…So, it was as I thought.” Kang-oh muttered to himself while fiddling

with the handle of his sword’s hilt.

There was someone else who truly should be held accountable for this
matter. The fact that this person was none other than his master
weighed heavily on Kang-oh’s mind. Why on earth…?

“P-please, do not say a word of this to Lord Black Sky! I beg you…” The
Third Overseer pleaded. “I failed in my duties and will surely be punished
if you tell him.”

“Did my master command you to push Woo to such extremes?”

“Th-that command was never given. Not a single time,” the Third
Overseer stammered.

“……”

Even though the situation had already been laid bare, the Third
Overseer’s continued denials only further agitated Kang-oh. His hand
moved, as if ready to unsheathe his sword. The Third Overseer shrank
back in fear, trembling as he hastily spoke.
“I-I’m telling the truth! All he did was express discontent about Woo
being his servant. I merely assumed as much… and acted to punish him
in place of Lord Black Sky.”

“What absurd words…” Kang-oh’s voice darkened as he replied sternly.

“By your words, my master never gave any direct orders, therefore he
bears no responsibility. Yet, here you are, acting on what you presume to
be his thoughts.”

Kang-oh had long since sensed that Ye Jin-rang was turning a blind eye
to the situation. He had merely chosen to ignore it. He simply didn’t
want to feel disappointed in his master.

Ye Jin-rang had taken in Kang-oh, who had no ties to anyone, and raised
him. He had given him a name and a family name, and though he told
Kang-oh to call him ‘Master,’ Kang-oh understood it more as being
accepted as family.

For someone like Kang-oh, who had no past or memories, Ye Jin-rang had
showered him with affection, imparting ancient wisdom and knowledge.
It was Ye Jin-rang who had made Kang-oh who he was today. To even
think of doubting him, or feeling betrayed by him, was unbearable.

However, if his master and lifelong benefactor bore any fault, Kang-oh
could not turn a blind eye to it.

“There is something you must do,” Kang-oh finally spoke, carefully

concealing his deep sense of dejection.

“As you command,” the Third Overseer bowed deeply in submission.

Woo, who had been bustling about since the early morning, suddenly
froze at the appearance of an unexpected figure. It was the Third
Overseer. He hadn’t expected him to come to inspect so soon. There was
still quite a lot of food left, after all.

Based on what Woo knew of the Third Overseer’s character, he expected

him to show up only after several days when all that remained was rice
mixed with sand. At that point, the man would likely toss him a sack of
rotten potatoes, watching his hunger-stricken face clutching at his
stomach.

“Th-Third Overseer, sir!”

Woo immediately threw down the branch he was holding and knelt
before the Third Overseer. He had grown used to being beaten, but that
didn’t mean he wanted to provoke a beating needlessly.

The Third Overseer was someone who would raise his hand for all sorts
of reasons, so it was safest not to give him even the slightest excuse.
Falling sick again in these mountains could be a big problem. The last
thing Woo wanted was to receive medicine from Kang-oh, who was
wandering around nearby.

“Ahem, ahem!” The Third Overseer cleared his throat. Woo, not daring to
raise his head, waited patiently.

“Stand, stand up!”

“Excuse me? Uh… yes sir…”

Startled by the unexpected command, Woo hurriedly rose to his feet.

Since he stood too quickly, he stumbled a bit, fearing the Third
Overseer’s hand would immediately lash out. It was typical for him to be
struck for even the slightest tardiness.

But no matter how long he waited, no slap across the face came. Maybe
the overseer was planning to kick his shin instead?

“Ahem, ahem,” the Third Overseer kept clearing his throat, which was
strange enough that Woo cautiously opened his eyes. Since Woo had
always looked up from a crouched position, seeing the older man’s face
at eye level felt oddly unfamiliar. Strangely, the Third Overseer seemed
somewhat… embarrassed.

Woo, giving up on trying to read the Overseer’s expression, lowered his

eyes again.

“I brought supplies.”

“Y-yes.”

“Make good use of them.”

“I…I will.”

The Third Overseer seemed to hesitate, as if he had more to say. Woo

couldn’t understand why the man wasn’t kicking him, raising his hand,
or what was causing his indecision. In fact, the notion of hesitation didn’t
typically align with what Woo knew of the Third Overseer. He never
hesitated when it came to handing out punishment, and Woo always
complied without question.

“I-Is there anything that’s making you uncomfortable?”

“Sorry… what?”

Woo instinctively lifted his head slightly but quickly lowered it again.

“N-No, not at all. Thanks to the grace of the Black Sky Lord…”

“That’s enough. I don’t know what I’m doing trying to talk to you.”

The Third Overseer dismissed his own words with a wave of his hand and
turned his back.

“I’m going now.”

“S-Safe trave—”

Before Woo could complete his bow, the Third Overseer added as if he
had just remembered something.

“Take it slow with the woodwork. Be sure to get enough rest.”

“Pardon? W-what?”

“I’m leaving!”

With that final outburst, the Third Overseer stormed off. The problem
was, he left behind a horse. Woo wanted to shout after him, ‘What about
the horse?’ but by then the Overseer had already vanished, even using
light-footed martial arts to speed away.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 10 – Black Sky Clan

That was peculiar. The Third Overseer always had a chip on his shoulder
about his own limited martial arts ability, which made him reluctant to
show off any skills in front of others. Whether it was swordsmanship or
light-footed techniques, it was very rare for him to demonstrate them.
Yet here he was, not just leaving a horse behind but departing using
light-footed techniques?

And what’s more, supplies?

Everything about this was strange.

Still hesitating, Woo slowly approached the horse left behind by the Third
Overseer. Its back was loaded with all sorts of items. It suddenly made
sense why the Overseer had led the horse by its reins instead of riding
on its back—as it was far too laden with goods.

There was a thick, though somewhat rough, wool blanket. Not first-rate,
but judging by its quality, even a low-level warrior would find it very
useful. A pouch of healing ointment (not the finest, but usable), fever
medicine, two sacks of grain without a speck of sand in them, a bundle
of jerky, two sets of clothes including an inner layer, a multipurpose
small knife, a set of well-crafted chopsticks, and three or four intact
bowls. There was even a sturdy-looking axe and a whetstone.

As if that weren’t enough, a bottle of cheap rice wine dangled from the
horse’s side.

“…”

Woo was no fool.

“Ye Kang-oh, Kang-oh… how could you…”

A sigh almost escaped his lips, but he clenched his teeth and held it
back. Looking back, the attitude of the Third Overseer had been that of
someone frightened. He stammered when he spoke, coughed nervously
every time Woo bent down, and acted stiff, as if someone was constantly
watching him.

Woo couldn’t possibly not know. Because he himself was like that.
Somewhere out there, Kang-oh was watching him. This was Kang-oh’s
handiwork.

There had been a blanket to keep him warm at night, a golden ointment
for wounds he had initially refused to accept, and even a fever medicine
he had needed on the nights he had struggled. There was grain without
any sand in it, preserved meat that could last a while… And judging by
the presence of proper spoons and bowls, Kang-oh must have noticed
the poorly made spoons and chipped bowls Woo had been stuck with.

Furthermore, there were fresh clothes. How could Kang-oh have known
Woo had to remain naked while his garments were washed and dried
due to a lack of spares? Seeing those clothes made Woo remember their
first reunion—how he’d appeared before Kang-oh naked. His neck burned
in embarrassment at the thought.

Amidst all this, he’d noticed the small knife Kang-oh had quietly
provided, likely after seeing Woo’s hands were covered in cuts from
breaking branches bare-handed. And while the axe wasn’t top-grade, it
was solidly made.

Even the fact that none of these items were overly luxurious, but rather
of a convincing mid-to-low quality, was probably Kang-oh’s thoughtful
consideration.

Kang-oh must have noticed Woo hadn’t used the good axe he’d once
stuck into a tree stump. If the Third Overseer had suddenly brought him
high-quality tools, Woo would’ve likely felt suspicious and not used them,
and Kang-oh must have prepared accordingly.

Woo gripped the new blanket tightly, one that didn’t smell of mold, and
bit his lower lip. Strangely, his long-dry tear ducts began to twitch.

“Why even bother with the alcohol…”

Swallowing back his tears, Woo almost let out a laugh in disbelief. He
couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled, yet here he was, his
mouth twitching awkwardly. He kept touching his face, unacquainted
with the foreign sensation. Even now, Ye Kang-oh was probably
watching. For him, it had always been enough to remain as a “foolish
servant.” Seeing how content he was just with that saddened Kang-oh.
Ye Woo was someone who satisfied himself easily. But it was hard to
believe that he had endured eight years of mistreatment like that. No,
perhaps it wasn’t that he was easily content but rather that he had been
changed into someone like that. The environment surrounding Woo had
been harsh.

Ye Kang-oh frustratingly ruffled his hair. If he were to go see the Master,

he would have to leave for a while. Thus, he had ordered all sorts of
things to the Third Overseer. Kang-oh had to ensure that everything
surrounding Woo’s lacking needs, which he had observed, would be
taken care of. Only then he felt his heart would be at ease before
departing.

But, as it turned out, rather than feeling relieved, his heart only grew
heavier. Kang-oh couldn’t quite figure out what this emotion was. He felt
as though if he stayed a little longer, he might be able to understand it.
Nevertheless, since the Third Overseer had rushed back to the Black Sky
Lord, it was time he followed.

If he followed promptly, he might be able to hear Ye Jin-rang’s genuine

thoughts before he had the chance to come up with any excuses.
“Take care,” Ye Kang-oh muttered words that couldn’t be heard by the
other.

Immediately, his figure disappeared quietly into the mountains.

With distance from the Third Overseer and Black Sky Lord, Woo’s days
had become somewhat livelier. Even though he never intended to use
anything that Kang-oh had given him, the bundle soon dissolved and
became impossible to avoid. Woo bitterly smiled at himself, thinking,
“It’s okay, because it was from the Third Overseer.”

Thanks to diligently applying the golden salve for the wounds, the burn
on his arm was almost fully healed. The problem was his back. He
couldn’t quite reach the wound there, so he had to settle for roughly
applying the salve around it. Still, he felt that it was healing properly.

Good tools certainly bring convenience. What would have usually

required twice the effort and double the precautions—cutting down trees
—became much faster and easier once he used the new axe. If the blade
dulled at any point, he just needed to sharpen it with a whetstone. As he
slowly cut down more trees, the distance to the next one grew longer,
and soon, even transporting the felled trees became an arduous task.

Naturally, this led Woo to use the horse. At first, he wondered why the
Third Overseer hadn’t just given him supplies but had left the horse as
well. Now, he was certain it had been done with this in mind. Kang-oh
must have predicted that, due to Woo’s limp, it would be difficult for him
to carry heavy loads, so he likely instructed the horse to be left too. It
wasn’t hard to tell that this was the Third Overseer’s horse; it was far too
fine an animal to merely be used for carrying loads.

Still, there was the issue of feeding and watering it. While bringing the
horse to the stream to drink wasn’t too difficult, it ate a lot of grass.
Naturally, an animal that large required plenty of food to keep moving.
Fortunately, they were in the mountains, where grass grew in
abundance.

People rarely passed by, and it seemed the horse had learned to feed
itself among the dense vegetation. So during the day, Woo would let the
horse roam freely, only tying it near the thatched hut at night and
leaving it some water and fodder. Suddenly, a side of Ye Kang-oh’s
pampered nature seemed to reveal itself, and Woo found it somewhat
amusing. Ye Kang-oh had probably never even visited a stable, so the
thought that horses required specific feed hadn’t crossed his mind. He
must have assumed that simply sending a horse would be helpful
enough, though the supplies sent for the horse were insufficient.

Then again, Woo himself had been no different, waiting for his
subordinates to fetch things, not knowing what it took to raise a horse.
When it came to his own circumstances, Woo had thought little of it, but
seeing Ye Kang-oh act the same way made him find it somewhat
endearing, warming his heart unexpectedly. He could feel that Black Sky
Lord had genuinely lavished care on Ye Kang-oh during his upbringing,
and it made sense. How could one not be delighted when a blood
relative, whom you thought you had none of, suddenly appeared out of
nowhere?

Ye Kang-oh’s situation was completely different from Woo’s. After all,

Woo had believed he had some blood ties, only to discover that wasn’t
true. That despair… The truth that he was nothing but a cuckoo’s chick
erased all his pride and self-esteem. What remained, after everything
had burned away, was merely the ghost of a once-noble belief and
obstinate arrogance.

After sending things via the Third Overseer, Ye Kang-oh hadn’t shown
himself again since. Given the level of attention he had given to mere
servants, it was almost excessive. Thus, Woo neither felt disappointed
nor slighted.

He had tried not to think too much about it. What he had already
received was more than enough. Now, all Woo wished for was for Kang-
oh to enjoy the things he was meant to have from his rightful position
and to live a happy life.

Putting down the ax after chopping wood for a bit, Woo wiped the sweat
off his forehead. He no longer had to worry about his clothes getting
soaked with sweat, as he could now wash and change them daily. Being
a naturally tidy person, not being able to wash his clothes on time had
been quite distressing. He had gotten used to it eventually, but now that
frequent laundering was possible again, it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Having lived through the bitter cold of winter with just a single set of
clothes, Woo felt like his current situation was a dream.

Even his meals had become much more plentiful. He would gather
various herbs, separating the bitter ones and drying the milder ones to
use them later in broths. Cooking rice or congee with some dried meat
provided just the right amount of flavor. In a life where even the thought
of condiments was a luxury, being able to taste something that could be
called “flavor” in his meals made Woo’s palate, once picky, feel
satisfaction.

Everything was going smoothly. It almost felt awkward, as if things were

going too well. He wondered if ten years’ worth of good fortune had
suddenly descended upon him all at once. With these comfortable
thoughts, Woo closed his eyes under the warmth of his blanket.

Late at night, a sudden neighing of horses echoed through the air.

“Neigh!” Woo, deeply asleep, awoke to the anxious sound of the horses
kicking at the ground. When he looked outside the hut, he saw the
glowing eyes of a yellow beast staring back at him.

They were targeting the horse.

“Damn it!”

Woo quickly grasped the situation. Scattered on the ground, there were
signs of the scattered barriers he had laid. The horse, which had been
grazing near the hut during the day, must have eaten the wild herbs he
had planted to ward off wild beasts. Things had been quiet recently, so
he had let down his guard.

With incredible speed, despite his limp, he dashed towards the campfire.
In the short time it took him to move, the horse’s dying scream had
echoed across the area. The wolves had clearly targeted the horse,
knowing it was tied up and couldn’t escape—unlike Woo. The sickening
sound of the wolves chewing through the horse’s flesh reached his ears.

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 11 – Black Sky Clan

Fortunately, the campfire was still burning, not yet extinguished. Woo
picked up one of the firewood logs that had caught fire. The muzzles of
the three wolves that had rushed at the horse were soaked in blood. The
loyal horse that had been carrying Woo’s load trembled violently before
collapsing in a heap.

“Damn it…!” The situation was grim. He was alone, and wolves always
hunted in packs. The three in front of him might not be the only ones,
and even those three surely wouldn’t be satisfied with just one horse.
Woo held the burning log as if gripping a sword, traces of rudimentary
swordsmanship training evident in his stance.
For the moment, two of the wolves were too preoccupied feasting on the
horse, but the third seemed intrigued, turning its bloodied snout toward
Woo when it noticed him moving. It scraped its paw against the ground,
ready to pounce, but seemed wary of the flame in Woo’s hand, keeping
its distance for now.

“Growl!” Another one! Sensing movement behind him, Woo quickly

turned around and struck a wolf lunging at him with the burning log. If
not for some retained instincts or experience, he would have had his
throat ripped open. Another wolf, on the other side of the fire, perhaps
aiming to avenge its companion, charged at Woo. He managed to fend
off the second attack as well.

“Whimper… Whine…” Barely deflecting the wolves’ assault, Woo felt

cold sweat trickling down his face. He could mimic the reflexes of his
prime, but his current body was far too frail to truly follow through. His
inner energy had completely dissipated, and his unsteady legs made this
fight even more arduous.

“Sniff! Snarl!” Perhaps they were satiated from feasting on the horse, or
maybe they felt threatened by the repeated failures in overpowering
him. The two remaining wolves, which had been clinging to the dead
horse, began to move in, slowly forming a tight encirclement. Joining
them was the first wolf that had been knocked over earlier. Woo swung
the burning log wildly, gritting his teeth and glaring fiercely, trying not to
lose his composure. He couldn’t afford to die here. Not here.

The third wave of attacks began. This time, it was a coordinated effort.
One wolf would attack first, immediately followed by another. Woo
managed to strike one with the flaming log and kicked the belly of the
next one with his foot. He nearly lost his balance and fell to the ground
but barely managed to steady himself.

“Damn it, damn this cursed leg!” The four wolves, realizing that Woo was
not as formidable an opponent as he seemed, began closing in tighter.

Woo stood with his back to the campfire, wielding a log to prevent the
wolves from getting any closer, doing his best to cover as many weak
spots in the defense as possible. His plan wasn’t to kill them all, but at
least to set one of them ablaze.

Perhaps sensing their prey’s desperation, the wolves didn’t immediately

attack, but there was an increasingly menacing edge to their howls. The
scent of the horse’s blood must have spread widely, potentially
attracting not only this pack of wolves but other wild beasts as well.

This was truly a perilous situation, a crisis within a crisis. Cold sweat
trickled down his face due to tension, and Woo, unwilling to let even his
blurred vision become a liability, kept his eyes wide open.

With a resounding howl, two wolves revealed themselves. Six of them,

six wolves! Without any significant internal power to rely on, it was
impossible to keep all of them in check. Encouraged by the
reinforcements joining their pack, the four wolves surrounding Woo
leaped at him simultaneously.

The notion that Dan Woo-hyo, the Grand Lord of White Virtue Palace,
would meet his end by being mauled to death by a pack of wolves on a
remote mountain was laughable. And yet, the irony wasn’t lost on him—
he suddenly realized, on the brink of death, that the title and position he
had cast aside ten years ago were in truth integral to his very being.

“Kyaaaa! Kyahhh!”

At that moment, timely assistance arrived.

“You insolent creatures. Having tasted flesh was enough for you, yet you
dare covet a human?”

Under the cold moonlight stood Ye Kang-oh, the Third Disciple of the
Black Sky Clan, wielding his blade. Kang-oh let out a sigh of relief,
grateful that he had arrived in time to aid Woo. Though he had ordered
his shadow scouts to follow Woo, he hadn’t anticipated the sudden
reappearance of the wolves he had driven away moments earlier while
climbing the mountain.

For the past few days, Kang-oh had returned to the heart of the Black
Sky Clan to meet his master, the Black Sky Lord, Ye Jin-rang. Even when
he left Woo’s side, his uneasiness hadn’t subsided, and Kang-oh had
rushed as quickly as possible using his martial arts skills to reach the
Black Sky Clan.

As soon as Kang-oh appeared at the Black Sky Clan, Seo Mun-

geumryeong, who was the First Overseer, came out to greet him.

“Third Disciple,” said the elegant elderly woman.

Kang-oh nodded at her polite address. The fact that Seo Mun-
geumryeong, a close confidante of Ye Jin-rang, had come to receive him
meant that Ye Jin-rang was certainly aware of the incident Kang-oh had
caused with the Third Overseer. Taking a calm breath, Kang-oh spoke.

“Lead me to the Black Sky Lord.”

Seo Mun-geumryeong guided Kang-oh. As expected, Ye Jin-rang was in

his usual quarters. However, it seemed the surrounding area had been
cleared out beforehand, as there was almost no sign of other people.

“You’ve come,” said Ye Jin-rang warmly as he welcomed Kang-oh. Seo

Mun-geumryeong, bowing her head as though she had already received
instructions, withdrew from the vicinity to give them privacy.

Kang-oh hesitated, unsure of how to bring up the topic, and then his
eyes met with Ye Jin-rang’s. Was it just his imagination? Somehow, Ye Jin-
rang seemed uneasy, as if he was gauging Kang-oh’s reaction.

“I heard the story from the Third Overseer.”

In the end, it was Ye Jin-rang who spoke first.

Kang-oh carefully chose his words.

“Disciple, as permitted by Master, conducted investigations and

uncovered an unbelievable truth.”

“Speak,” Ye Jin-rang said, his face calm. However, his inner thoughts
were far from at ease.

“It was about one of the personal servants being continually abused by
one of the overseers managing Black Sky’s internal affairs.”

Indeed, the Third Overseer was not someone who would easily speak up.
Ye Jin-rang wanted to grit his teeth but held back. However, Kang-oh’s
words were far from over.

“It’s something that has been ongoing for eight years. Testimonies were
obtained from other servants who shared the same living quarters. Thus,
I met with the Third Overseer to investigate further.”

“You have a methodical approach in everything,” Ye Jin-rang remarked,

outwardly appreciating his disciple’s thoroughness. Yet he felt uneasy,
knowing where Kang-oh’s investigation might lead. Ye Jin-rang had
merely delayed the problem by removing Woo, but Kang-oh had found
him, and now Ye Jin-rang’s actions were being exposed.
“The overseer claimed that his cruelty was carried out with Master’s
tacit approval. Disciple wishes to confirm this directly with Master.”

“Do you believe the words of the Third Overseer?” Ye Jin-rang

questioned.

“Although they may be mere servants, I cannot ignore it if Master has

continued to overlook the injustices dealt toward them,” Kang-oh replied
firmly.

There was nothing within Black Sky Clan’s operations that Ye Jin-rang did
not know. After all, it was Ye Jin-rang himself who had established Black
Sky Clan by gathering scattered martial sects and demonic cultists. It
was impossible for him to be unaware of what occurred right under his
nose. In fact, hadn’t he given Kang-oh the authority to investigate, while
secretly ordering the Third Overseer to get rid of Woo?

“Would you hold me accountable for a matter involving a mere servant?”

Ye Jin-rang feigned intimidation.

Kang-oh bowed his head. “Master, please help me continue to revere

you.”

It was no less than a veiled threat. Ye Jin-rang chuckled lightly, half in

disbelief. He was stunned that Kang-oh would confront him over such a
seemingly trivial matter. It sent chills down his spine to see that the
indifferent disciple had clearly seen through Woo’s plight. Surely, this
must have been some cruel twist of fate. In the end, was everything
destined to come full circle?

“There are circumstances you are unaware of,” Ye Jin-rang said, tightly
shutting his eyes.

“Then I must learn of them,” Kang-oh insisted, showing no sign of

backing down.

Yes, perhaps it was better to let him think that this only involved those
directly connected to him.

Although Kang-oh had conducted a thorough investigation, he would

only know of Woo as someone who appeared in the Black Sky Clan eight
years ago. It had taken Woo two years to return from the brink of death.
Back then, it had been an urgent matter of barely clinging to life, but in
hindsight, perhaps that had been a blessing. After a long silence, Ye Jin-
rang finally spoke.
“Woo… is the son of my sworn enemy.”

The hatred dripping from each and every syllable was something Kang-
oh had never witnessed in Ye Jin-rang before. It was anger that had
simmered for a long time. It felt like Ye Jin-rang even despised the
ground Woo walked on and the breaths he exhaled. Even if the man had
killed Ye Jin-rang’s parents, Kang-oh hadn’t imagined his master would
chew out his name with such bloodshot eyes. It was as though the
hatred wasn’t directed at the result of vengeance itself but something
much deeper.

“In that case, don’t let him live like this. Kill him,” Kang-oh responded
without hesitation. His words didn’t stem from taking his master’s
grudge lightly—far from it. It was precisely because he placed
importance on his master’s vengeance that he believed it was better to
sever it cleanly. Allowing the man to live and subjecting him to prolonged
suffering seemed more cruel than ending it swiftly in one stroke.

Kang-oh was a martial artist. He knew that humans were capable of

bearing both goodwill and hatred. Even those who were morally upright
could be executed if they were enemies of the Black Sky Clan.

But this… this was different.

Bringing someone into their fold only to subject them to continuous

abuse, and then turning a blind eye to it—Ye Jin-rang’s silence, in truth,
wasn’t just permission; it was complicit encouragement. There was no
way Ye Jin-rang was unaware of the cruelty inflicted by the overseers
who had gone unchecked.

If Ye Jin-rang truly hated the boy so much simply because he was the son
of his enemy, as he claimed, then Ye Jin-rang wouldn’t be able to ignore
Woo entirely. He would obsessively watch his every move to ensure he
suffered as much misery as possible.

And yet, Kang-oh felt that even in the world of martial arts, often defined
by its morally ambiguous and ruthless “dark path,” this was excessive.
This treatment was no form of revenge befitting the Grand Master of the
Black Sky Clan. This was simply… not something the person Kang-oh
viewed as his master would do.

“But at the same time, he is also the son of my savior,” Ye Jin-rang said.

“…”
Kang-oh fell silent. At last, the reason for Ye Jin-rang’s conflicting
emotions, the origin of Woo’s torment, became clear. He could neither
avenge his grudge nor repay the debt of gratitude. Typically, martial
artists treated a grudge as a ledger, with one act of kindness canceling
out one act of hatred. But Ye Jin-rang was unable to do so. The
unparalleled hatred intertwined with helpless frustration seeping from Ye
Jin-rang was far from the Ye Jin-rang Kang-oh knew.

Was Ye Jin-rang not someone who lived the freest and most untamed life
of anyone? The pinnacle of the demonic path, the Black Sky Lord, Ye Jin-
rang. A man who, at the peak of his power, stood side by side with the
Lord of the White Virtue Palace and drove out the Blood Cult.

A man who then gathered the remnants of the unorthodox and demonic
factions to form the Black Sky Clan—a man said to have surpassed the
limits of human capability. How could such a person now find himself
shackled by uncontrollable emotions, unable to make a single move?

“I will not ask you to understand my anger. But… I do feel sorry for
letting you see this human side of your master.” Ye Jin-rang raised a
hand and rubbed his temples, looking troubled. “I won’t make excuses
for my petty actions. But from now on, I will not lay a hand on that man.”

“…”

Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 12 – Black Sky Clan

“Are you… very disappointed in me?” Ye Jin-rang carefully opened his

mouth, asking Kang-oh, who had been silent so far. Kang-oh could feel
his master struggling, even pleading in his demeanor. He could not
understand why Ye Jin-rang was so concerned with his reaction, so
carefully observing his expression. Frankly speaking, meddling in his
master’s grudges and adding his own opinions would be an unforgivable
act for Kang-oh as a disciple.

The reason he came to this meeting today was to plead with his master,
prepared to put his life on the line in doing so. And yet, here his master
was, scrutinizing his every reaction as though it were the most important
thing in the world…

A surge of complex emotions welled up in Kang-oh, making him bite

down on his lip. In one corner of his heart, there was an aching
realization: this person, who was so kind and good to him, could also be
excessively harsh toward others.
“That servant, Woo… I will take him with me.”

“Kang-oh!” Ye Jin-rang exclaimed in surprise.

Kang-oh did not back down and bowed his head. “You won’t be able to
sever the connection on your own.”

After all, it had been an eight-year grudge. For eight long years, the
hatred had only grown. If a resolute man like Ye Jin-rang, who was such
an accomplished martial artist, couldn’t let go of this grudge, Kang-oh
couldn’t even fathom the bottomless depths of that resentment. That
was why Woo needed to be removed from his master’s reach.

Regardless of hate or love, Ye Jin-rang had been Kang-oh’s mentor,

someone who had taught him everything and shown him great
generosity. For that alone, Kang-oh’s allegiance leaned toward Ye Jin-
rang more than Woo, even if it wasn’t something he could freely admit to
himself. His decision to take Woo away with him stemmed from a mix of
guilt and a sense of responsibility.

“I forbid it.”

At Ye Jin-rang’s firm refusal, Kang-oh raised his head. For the first time in
his life, he saw a face on his master that he could only describe as cruel.

“You… you don’t understand. That boy’s mother stole from me. His blood
carries the blood of a thief. Kang-oh… don’t be deceived. I fear that
deceitful, pitiful-looking boy might one day steal you away from me.”

Ye Jin-rang’s voice trembled with anxiety. It was a rare moment of

genuine vulnerability. He reached out and clasped Kang-oh’s hands,
bringing his forehead to rest upon them.

“If I were to lose even you… I wouldn’t be able to endure it.”

“Master…”

Faced with Ye Jin-rang’s exposed frailty, Kang-oh’s eyes widened in

shock. At the sound of his disciple’s distressed call, Ye Jin-rang slowly
composed himself and raised his head. His eyes, possibly from the
intensity of his emotions, looked bloodshot-red.

It might have been the effect of the demonic arts Ye Jin-rang had
mastered.

“This time, I shall step back. But mark my words,” he said as he

tightened his grip on Kang-oh’s arm. “Do not let your guard down. Do
not give even a sliver of your heart. That… is a monster. It was born that
way.”

“…….”

“In my life, there is a debt I cannot repay, so I cannot bring myself to kill
it… but it is the most horrifying of creatures. A monster among
monsters.”

Ye Jin-rang’s effort to ignore Woo was the greatest patience he could

muster. He had restrained himself from intervening in the harsh
treatment of Woo by the Third Overseer not because he was
unconcerned, but because he feared that if he acted, he would
eventually escalate the situation rather than prevent it.

That Woo—more accurately, the very existence of Dan Woo-hyo, the

White Virtue Palace Lord who is now missing—had once forcibly taken
away the most precious thing from Ye Jin-rang.

Jin-rang’s world had fallen into eternal darkness because of Dan Woo-hyo
and his mother, Seol Bu-yong. Jin-rang had very little from the beginning.
His life was a sequence of poverty, and the single joy he had ever tasted
in his life was shattered before he could even fully embrace it. If only it
weren’t for Dan Woo-hyo—if only he weren’t the son of that cruel
princess… Jin-rang’s beloved would still be alive, by his side.

Thus, this hatred was all too justified.

“…I understand,” Kang-oh replied slowly. Ye Jin-rang pulled him into a

tight embrace—the only family he had left in this world.

Kang-oh, having left Ye Jin-rang behind, headed straight for the

mountain.

Worried that something might have happened while he was away, he

summoned one of the members of the Honamdan, whom he had
stationed there, and asked him various questions.

From the answers, it seemed that he had been doing well. He applied
medicine morning and evening with great effort, took care of meals
diligently, and, most notably, had been chopping wood with an ax.
Hearing this news, Kang-oh felt his mood lighten a little, even amidst his
complex feelings. What bothered him was that the items Woo had been
using effectively were all provided through the Third Overseer, but
focusing solely on the outcome, that was good enough.

While climbing the mountain after receiving the report, Kang-oh abruptly
halted as the scent of blood permeated the air. His keen sense of smell
indicated that some kind of battle had taken place somewhere on this
mountain. Normally, he might have assumed it was just animals fighting
over food, but now his nerves were focused on a single issue. How many
could there be on this remote mountain who would spill blood? He had
thought that nothing would happen in the brief time he’d been away,
and yet he’d relaxed and listened to reports idly…!

His tension rose, his fists clenching involuntarily. Was Woo alive? Or…
was it the worst-case scenario? Kang-oh immediately activated his light-
footed movement technique. Moving quickly through the densely packed
trees, his heart filled with unease, he tried to suppress the ominous
thoughts that kept surfacing as he headed toward Woo’s dwelling.

When he finally arrived at the scene, Kang-oh saw Woo gritting his teeth,
holding logs in both hands, and facing off against a wolf. It felt as though
his heart, which had sunk to the ground, finally returned to its proper
place. Without hesitation, Kang-oh drew his saber and swung it at the
wolf that was lunging toward Woo.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

To Woo, it seemed as though a line was being drawn in midair. In that

instant, the wolf attacking Woo had its jaws sliced horizontally, a
testament to Kang-oh’s exceptional combat skills. At the same time,
another wolf lunged at Kang-oh from the opposite side but was met with
a fierce kick.

The wolf, which had only staggered back slightly when Woo kicked it
earlier, was sent flying into a tree in the distance by Kang-oh’s powerful
leg strike. The body of the wolf collapsed onto the ground and twitched a
few times before coming completely to a halt.

It seemed Kang-oh’s internal energy wasn’t yet enough to split the tree
the wolf struck, but his display of power was more than enough.

A fierce and intimidating bloodlust emanated from Kang-oh’s body.

Having lost one of their own in an instant and now faced with the
overwhelming aura of an unexpectedly powerful human, the wolves
were severely intimidated. Kang-oh executed a step forward with such
force that the ground trembled. The resulting vibrations caused two or
three wolves to lose their balance and stumble, while one wolf launched
itself off the ground and charged at Kang-oh.

Kang-oh thrust the short sword straight into the wolf’s throat and swiftly
pulled it out in one motion. The blade had clearly pierced through bone
and flesh, yet the way he shook off his hands made it look as effortless
as cutting through paper. For his age, it was a truly impressive
accomplishment. Woo found it frustrating that with his current skills, it
was difficult to fully follow Kang-oh’s movements. Instead, Woo focused
his attention on the remaining wolf targeting him.

Swinging a burning log, the flames singed the wolf’s hide and scorched
its flesh. Woo, who had one leg shorter than the other, found it
challenging to maintain balance. Using this disadvantage to his benefit,
he pretended to stumble, baiting the wolf into letting its guard down.
Then, without hesitation, he brought the log crashing down on the wolf’s
abdomen.

Thud!

Though Woo wasn’t particularly strong, he had the strength of at least

an average adult male. The wolf, struck squarely on a vital point, fell to
the ground and let out a low growl, unable to immediately rise. Woo
gripped the log tightly and approached the wolf, delivering a final blow
to end its life. Since it was an enemy that had attacked him, he did not
hesitate.

With this, the six wolves were subdued in no time. Kang-oh had handled
five of them, leaving Woo to take down one on his own.

“You’re unharmed,” Kang-oh remarked, speaking belatedly as if

impressed by Woo’s unexpected effort. Woo, flustered by the concern in
Kang-oh’s voice, awkwardly stammered in response.

“Th-thank you. I owe you my life.”

“You fought well,” Kang-oh acknowledged. He wasn’t wrong; had Woo

not held his ground, wielding the burning log, he would have become the
wolves’ prey long before Kang-oh arrived. Woo bowed deeply.

“If you hadn’t come, I would have d-died.”

“I came to this mountain to hunt these man-eating wolves and failed to

complete the task. This is my fault for neglecting my duty, so there’s no
need to thank me so profusely,” Kang-oh murmured. If he had been
determined to follow through with his mission, this wouldn’t have
happened. The thought occurred to him that the situation had escalated
because he had merely driven away the wolf from Woo’s hut instead of
killing it. He fiddled with the hilt of his short sword.

“N-no, truly, I am deeply grateful,” Woo replied, bowing repeatedly. This

time, it seemed his gratitude stemmed not from his typically servile
nature, but from genuine thankfulness. Kang-oh, recalling what his
master had once mentioned, gazed down at the bowing servant with a
complicated expression.

“Pack your belongings,” Kang-oh ordered.

“Are you, are you talking about me?” Woo’s eyes widened at the
unexpected words from Kang-oh. Using the excuse of the Third Overseer,
Woo tried to step back, but Kang-oh responded impassively, as if he had
anticipated it.

“From today, your master is no longer Black Sky Lord but me.”

“What?” Woo quickly lifted his head and asked again. His mouth hung
open wide enough that he wouldn’t have noticed even if a fly entered,
making him look quite foolish.

However, Kang-oh didn’t care. “I told you to pack your belongings… but
it seems like that’s not happening. If you don’t want to do it yourself, I’ll
do it.”

Kang-oh strode forward, brushing past Woo, and began gathering Woo’s
belongings one by one from the hut. Woo limped behind, desperately
trying to stop him, but there was no way for him to match up to a martial
artist’s strength or speed.

“I-I will do it instead!”

“Too late,” Kang-oh replied tersely. He wasn’t the type to be overly

gentle, and he knew that if he gave Woo any leeway, Woo would
continue to refuse. At this point, one might have expected Woo to give
up chasing, but he showed no sign of backing down.

Kang-oh intentionally slowed his pace because he knew that if he walked

at his usual speed, Woo’s injured leg would struggle to keep up.

“Please, I-it’s really something I should be doing…” Woo stomped his

feet anxiously. Kang-oh let Woo’s plea go in one ear and out the other.
After packing the simple belongings into a bundle and tying them up like
a sack, Kang-oh tucked it under his arm. Then, he motioned to Woo.

“We’re heading down the mountain now, so come here.”

“W-we’re not going down by foot, are we?” Woo’s gaze looked nervously
at Kang-oh, sensing that something was amiss.

“I’ll use light-footed techniques. Hold tight.”

Woo bit his lip, fully aware that no matter how much he resisted, Kang-
oh could easily grab him by the waist and move. Running away from a
martial artist as an ordinary person was no different from a rabbit trying
to escape a hunting hawk.

Woo clenched Kang-oh’s clothes tightly, trying his best to hide his
uneasy expression.

“P-please take care of me…”

Without responding, Kang-oh pushed off the ground. At that moment,

Woo tightly closed his eyes. The sensation was vaguely similar yet
entirely different from the fall he experienced ten years ago.

Woo instinctively knew that with this, everything was about to change.

–END OF CHAPTER ONE–