The Tower.
A kind of forced labor camp that randomly abducted residents from other worlds and forced them to conquer it.
The Heavenly Killing Star had attempted to awaken, yet for Damcheon, ending up there before his self was consumed by murderous intent was a stroke of luck. He had entered the Tower before the blood-soaked flower could fully bloom, and so constraints had been placed upon the Heavenly Killing Star.
The Heavenly Killing Star was designated as a public enemy of murim in every era. If left alone, its eyes would turn and cause a calamity of slaughter—who would dare take the risk of watching over it?
'I was lucky.'
Beyond that, he had met people from various worlds, formed ties, grown stronger, and now he was free from the Heavenly Killing Star.
Clearing the Tower and bidding forced farewells as everyone returned to their own world had been sad, but what could be done?
If one did not return to their original world the moment the Tower was conquered, they would be caught in dimensional collapse and meet a dog’s death.
"At least I avoided ending up a beggar."
The martial prowess he had wielded when conquering the Tower, along with his subspace-enchanted pouch, remained intact.
It was no joke—Damcheon was confident he could handle half of the Ten Great Masters of the martial world alone.
The Tower had abducted people from multiple dimensions. Among them were even those who had been the greatest under heaven in the murim of other dimensions. Of course, since each dimension had different levels of strength, he couldn’t measure exactly by their standards, but he was confident he could fight and defeat at least five of them.
In truth, he was confident he could win even if all Ten Great Masters rushed him at once, but since he couldn’t be certain, he simply said five.
In other words, in this world, he was free.
He could do anything without issue, so long as he didn’t go around causing incidents severe enough to become a public enemy of murim and end up hunted by all under heaven regardless of whether they were orthodox or demonic.
Nothing in this world could stop him.
"...Then what should I do from now on?"
His life had been an endless series of struggles.
Dragged to the Tower since childhood, all he did was brawl. To survive, he learned martial arts, receiving help from others as he stubbornly endured a destiny of death.
Gradually growing stronger like water droplets piercing through rock, he eventually obtained absurd power.
"Maybe I should just enter some wealthy household as a guest and eat and play."
He had fought too much. While climbing the Tower hadn’t been without its enjoyment, fighting occupied too large a portion of his life.
"Or should I hole up somewhere in the mountains and live a life of reclusive retirement?"
He had sufficient wealth for that.
He hadn’t disposed of all the overflowing wealth accumulated while climbing the Tower. Though he had consumed most of it in the final battle, what remained was enough to eat and live for the rest of his life.
Still, he thought he should at least head to a nearby urban area. The moment he left the Tower, he had dropped right onto a mountain.
Fortunately, the place he returned to was a well-paved mountain path.
If he followed it and walked, wouldn’t he arrive at an area thick with the scent of human habitation?
And so Damcheon walked.
"Hehehe. Strip quietly and you won’t be harmed!"
He came upon the sight of an ugly man who appeared to be from the Green Forest threatening people who appeared to be on an escort mission.
***
This escort mission of Wicheon Escort Agency was extremely important. So much so that Geum Wiun, a master recognized in the murim and the head of the escort agency, had stepped forward personally.
It was, one might say, an escort mission upon which the very survival of the agency rested. Not only the agency head, but the escort leaders and escort warriors were all mobilized for this mission.
They were evaluated as belonging to the Ten Great Escort Agencies of the Central Plains, so they were absolutely not weak.
Nevertheless, the one who had forcibly stopped them was Heukhochae, whose fort master was considered second only to the Green Forest King among the Green Forest’s Eighteen Forts.
However much stronger Wicheon Escort Agency was than ordinary small-to-medium sects, Heukhochae was a group of bandits with a weight class matching the martial might of the Five Great Families or the Nine Sects One Union.
Geum Wiun wanted to reach a peaceful agreement even if it meant paying double the passage toll.
"Great Hero Heukho. I have long greatly admired the boldness and manly spirit of the Green Forest brothers. I am willing to pay more passage toll, so would you not let us pass?"
"Bwahahaha!"
At Geum Wiun’s request, a burst of laughter rang out from Heukhochae.
The owner of that voice was a man of enormous stature, a head taller than the others.
"Geum, ah, Geum. If you’re as smart as they say, shouldn’t you know why we’ve blocked the road?"
He who called Geum Wiun thus dismissively was Heukdang, the fort master of Heukhochae.
He was an external arts master known for tearing bears apart with his bare hands and withstanding sword qi with his bare flesh.
He possessed such strength that rumors abounded—had he not been inferior to the Green Forest King, he would have been chosen as the supreme chief.
As if clothes were unnecessary, he had his upper body completely exposed; flexing his thickly furred pectoral muscles, he stepped in front of his subordinates.
"We already know that you’re returning from the Huangbo Family."
"Is that a problem? The Sima Family has maintained close relations with the Huangbo Family for generations."
"Trying to cover the sky with your palm. Did you think we wouldn’t know you handed over a secret manual containing formation methods to the Huangbo Family and received spirit pills in return!"
"...Everyone, prepare for battle!"
He had tried to play it off as calmly as possible.
But when Heukdang shouted that their goal was the spirit pills, Geum Wiun immediately drew his sword.
Simultaneously, the escort warriors immediately reacted to the command and assumed riding stances. Skillfully forming a simple joint attack formation advantageous for defense, they guarded the carriage containing the escort goods.
"Protect the escort goods even at the cost of your lives!"
Geum Wiun spoke from the center, his expression filled with resolve.
At this, the escort warriors steeled their resolve.
Normally, in such a situation, there would inevitably be at least one eyeing an opportunity to flee, but Wicheon Escort Agency provided death compensation to the family of anyone who died while on an escort mission. Since they provided a fairly certain reward even in death, the escort warriors of Wicheon Escort Agency possessed a higher dedication compared to other agencies.
"Kehehe. These slim fellows look like scholars, but their spirit is worth seeing."
Heukdang took a step.
Following their leader, the Heukhochae bandits narrowed their encirclement.
At that moment, as the confrontation between Heukhochae and Wicheon Escort Agency gradually reached its peak—
"Hey."
A young man had appeared at some point.
"...Huh?"
"...Hm?"
Geum Wiun and Heukdang were flustered by the sudden appearance of this person.
A person who didn’t register in either of their senses at all. The fact that they hadn’t even sensed his presence until he was this close made Geum Wiun feel as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
Regardless.
Damcheon made a proposal to Geum Wiun.
"Escort leader sir. It seems to be a dire situation; if I take care of them for you, how much can you offer?"
"W-what are you saying?"
"What else? This. This."
He formed a circle by connecting his index finger and thumb.
An expression anyone would recognize as meaning money.
"I’m not some passing wandering knight. But if I receive fair compensation, there’s no reason I can’t help. I happen to need money right now, so I’ll give you a special discount."
Geum Wiun couldn’t collect his wits.
He was dumbfounded by Damcheon’s claim.
Until now, the masters he had seen were all busy putting on airs and gilding their own faces. They might discover a passing master and beg for help, but someone like Damcheon, who tried to sell his martial prowess for money, was unprecedented.
What should he say in response? While he was too confused to answer, the response came first from the Green Forest side.
"Such a greenhorn wet behind the ears!"
Heukdang’s rage-filled roar swept through the area.
"How dare you interfere with the great Heukhochae’s business. I understand wanting to play at being a wandering knight at a young age, but you must learn when to step in and when to stay out!"
Having spoken thus, Heukdang stomped as if to shatter the ground. Using the rebound, he hurled his body forward and charged at Damcheon like a cannonball.
It happened in an instant.
Heukdang unleashed an external art created based on enlightenment gained from observing the martial artists of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
Like a tiger ambushing people on a mountain path.
He curled his fingers like claws, determined to tear apart the meddling greenhorn.
For two reasons, the expressions of Geum Wiun and the escort warriors hardened at that overwhelming killing intent.
First, Heukdang’s martial prowess was even more profound than expected.
Second, that murderous intent would soon be poured down upon them.
At the impending tragedy, they—!
*Crunch.*
—saw Heukdang’s head flying.
As if torn off by brute force—or perhaps twisted off—the head of the Heukhochae fort master flew, spraying a fountain of blood. If not for the metallic scent of blood spraying in all directions and the *thud* of Heukdang’s headless body collapsing, they wouldn’t have even processed the sight before their eyes.
"......"
Both the escort warriors and the bandits.
They couldn’t close their mouths at the result that had occurred in an instant.
"Ah. Damn."
In that silence, Damcheon muttered awkwardly, standing in an unsteady posture as if he had just thrown a punch.
"I hit him too hard without thinking. I shouldn’t have killed him before getting the money."
For an impression uttered by one who had lightly killed an external arts master with a single punch, it was far too bland.
It was almost horrifying.
Though the neck had been twisted and torn off, not a single drop of blood stained Damcheon.
It meant his body was so accustomed that even unconsciously, he killed his opponent without dirtying himself.
Geum Wiun felt goosebumps at this, yet at the same time—
—he thought it was an opportunity.
One might wonder if Heukdang was such trash because he died so pathetically, but he was undeniably a master spoken of as a candidate for supreme chief of the Green Forest’s Eighteen Forts. Even the head of one of the Nine Sects One Union couldn’t swat him like a bug.
Naturally, the bandits under him in Heukhochae were ones with considerable skill, unlike other Green Forest bandits. Even with Heukdang dead, the remaining strength was enough to kill the escort agency group present.
If Damcheon said he would leave without pay in such a situation?
'Bandits are moths drawn to the flame of profit before their eyes... Even knowing they might die to the reclusive expert before them, they would charge. Without this master who fell from the sky, we are all dead.'
In other words, letting Damcheon slip away meant booking an express ticket across the Yellow Springs Road.
His judgment was made.
His action was swift.
"Great Hero! If you protect us from those bandits, the Sima Family will bestow a great reward!"
"The Sima Family?"
"Indeed. We are escort warriors of Wicheon Escort Agency, transporting escort goods obtained from the Huangbo Family to the Sima Family. If you assist us in this mission, the Sima Family will reward you handsomely."
"I don’t understand. You have the authority to decide the Sima Family’s rewards from within an escort agency?"
"I am the live-in son-in-law of the Sima Family. As the family head’s husband, I have at least that much authority!"
"Oh."
Damcheon was convinced.
His hand flashed like lightning.