Chapter 255 – Finding One's Place After Coming Full Circle (2)

The Murim Alliance headquarters existed in Yueyang by Dongting Lake.

Though the Murim Alliance was established here not long ago, its scale was tremendous enough to be called the greatest under heaven.

Numerous palace complexes visible above the high walls showed the Murim Alliance's might. When the Murim Alliance was first established, they filled positions by drafting forces from each sect, but now their influence had expanded enough to raise their own warriors.

Especially with war breaking out against the Demon Cult, warriors and wanderers seeking refuge came to the Murim Alliance voluntarily. Thanks to this, the number of warriors stationed at the Murim Alliance already exceeded ten thousand.

The Murim Alliance's might had reached its peak. But separately from that, ugly scars remained on the Murim Alliance's walls and halls. They were traces of severe damage from the Demon Cult's recent surprise attack.

The Demon Cult's attack came like lightning. No one had expected their surprise attack. Fortunately Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san led the elites to respond quickly and repel the enemies, but they still suffered heavy losses.

The number of warriors who died or were injured that day alone exceeded a thousand. It was truly enormous human casualties.

Setting aside human casualties, the biggest problem was that the Murim Alliance's dignity had fallen to the ground. Because of this, the Murim Alliance's atmosphere was very depressed.

After the Murim Alliance was attacked, Namgung Chang who had been at Shaolin quickly returned with his forces.

The Murim Alliance's leadership was gathered in the Alliance Leader’s hall. The expressions of the leaders including Nam Cheon-san were extremely gloomy.

Since the great war with the Demon Cult broke out, the Murim Alliance had achieved nothing notable. Rather, they lost the Shaozhou branch, and couldn't provide any help when Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect suffered bloody catastrophes.

The Murim Alliance's reason for existence was protecting the murim from the Demon Cult, but by failing to respond properly they only lost trust. Because of this, the Murim Alliance's leadership felt a great sense of crisis.

Silence filled the hall. Including Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san, no one easily opened their mouth.

That's how gloomy the atmosphere was.

After a long time passed, the first to speak was Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san.

"Military Advisor."

"Please speak, Alliance Leader."

"You must have had a hard time visiting Shaolin."

"What hardship? I just went and came back, that's all."

Namhung Chang smiled bitterly.

Leading support forces to Shaolin was entirely his judgment. He had predicted the Demon Cult would launch a major offensive against Shaolin.

Actually, the information he had gathered using the Murim Alliance's intelligence organization also said so.

Shaolin was the core of the murim. If Shaolin fell, it would be no different from half the murim falling. So he went to protect Shaolin, but the Demon Cult struck unexpectedly at Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect.

Namgung Chang had no excuses even with ten mouths. Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect were members of the Nine Great Sects. Their collapse meant the contraction of Murim Alliance forces.

Nam Cheon-san looked around the hall's leadership with heavy eyes.

"You all must know. That our Alliance faces its greatest crisis now. Because we achieved nothing notable in the war with the Demon Cult, talk about questioning the Murim Alliance's usefulness is slowly emerging from some corners of the murim."

"Who dares?"

"Is this true, Alliance Leader?"

The leaders who had kept their lips tightly sealed raised their heads and looked at Nam Cheon-san. At their appearance, Nam Cheon-san softly sighed.

"Sigh! It's true."

"Who dares speak of the Murim Alliance's uselessness? Such people are traitors destroying the Murim Alliance's authority. They must be rooted out immediately."

The one raising his voice was Jang Hak, appointed as the Murim Alliance's Outer Hall Master. His title was Heroic Wind Blade. He gained such a title for wielding a ruthless blade.

"Right. Such people are of no help to the Murim Alliance."

"When we should unite as one, they plot division. We must never forgive them."

Several warriors agreed with Jang Hak's words. Nam Cheon-san shook his head at this.

"That's not what's important. What's important is that the Murim Alliance has shown nothing in this fight. Like this, what warriors would follow the Murim Alliance? Military Advisor."

"Yes, Alliance Leader."

"What do you think?"

"It is as you say, Alliance Leader. We cannot continue like this."

"Then what should we do? Setting aside other matters, Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect have taken heavy damage. They are both pillars of the Murim Alliance. Shouldn't we support them somehow?"

"Regarding support for the two sects, we should be somewhat cautious."

"Cautious? Are you saying we should just leave them be like this?"

"Both sects have powerful potential. Even without the Murim Alliance's support, they can survive by their own strength."

"Military Advisor."

Nam Cheon-san raised his voice. Anger appeared on his face. But Namgung Chang's expression showed not a trace of wavering as he looked at him.

"Please speak, Alliance Leader."

"How can you say that now? Though Zhongnan Sect's damage was relatively less, Mount Hua Sect took tremendous damage. According to intelligence, almost all their elders died and only young disciples barely survived. If we just ignore them, Mount Hua Sect will disappear into the back pages of history."

"I understand your concern well, Alliance Leader. However, for us to support Mount Hua Sect, we must accept massive bleeding."

"Bleeding?"

"Between Yueyang where the Murim Alliance is and Huayin County where Mount Hua Sect is, is over several thousand li. Physically and geographically, to support them we must expend massive human and material resources. Even accepting such enormous bleeding to support Mount Hua Sect, restoring their spirit in the short term is impossible. Then perhaps we should divert the resources and forces for supporting Mount Hua Sect elsewhere."

"What?"

Nam Cheon-san's face twisted.

Now Namgung Chang was blatantly refusing support for Mount Hua Sect.

'Hah! Blinded by grudge against Fist Demon. To refuse support for Mount Hua Sect like this.'

The Murim Alliance's Military Advisor needed to maintain colder reason than anyone. Yet because of personal grudge, Namgung Chang was giving nonsensical answers. The problem was that many were agreeing with Namgung Chang's opinion.

"Sigh!"

Nam Cheon-san unconsciously sighed.

Namgung Chang looked at such a Nam Cheon-san and continued speaking…. "Mount Hua has tremendous potential. Even without the Murim Alliance's help, they will surely rise by their own strength. So let's divert the forces for supporting Mount Hua elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?"

"With that level of forces, we can surely find the Demon Cult's headquarters."

"Hmm!"

"The moment we find the enemy's headquarters, we launch a major counterattack. That is the only way to restore the Murim Alliance's dignity."

Namgung Chang's confident voice echoed in the room, and everyone listened to his words.

***

After the great clash at Mount Hua, the war between Demon Cult and righteous sects entered a temporary lull. The Demon Cult suffered unexpected heavy losses at Mount Hua. Above all, four of the Seven Great Demon Masters being killed by Dam Ho was a major blow.

Four of the Seven Great Demon Masters dying was an enormous shock even to the Demon Cult. Time was needed to overcome the shock. Because of this, the Demon Cult restrained external activities and took time to reorganize their forces.

For the Murim Alliance and martial sects who had been heavily pressured, it was news as sweet as rain on dry fields. Thanks to this, they too could have leisure to gather their scattered forces.

Namgung Chang quickly returned to the Murim Alliance and reorganized forces, and Shaolin Temple and other Nine Great Sects and various family sects also gathered their forces while temporary peace came to the murim.

However, people knew. That when this brief peace they were enjoying passed, an unmanageable great storm would blow. Still, many enjoyed and rejoiced in the brief peace.

But there were sects and people who couldn't enjoy the peace. The warriors of Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect who suffered the greatest damage were like that. The fall of Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect brought contraction to Shaanxi's murim.

Small and medium sects and warriors restrained external activities, and because of this Shaanxi's murim entered a long dark age.

Huayin County where Mount Hua was located also lost vitality. There was no life in the faces of people walking the streets, and streets and inns that would normally be bustling with people were empty.

A shabby carriage was entering such Huayin County streets. As if having traveled a long way, dusty haze was thickly gathered on the carriage roof.

As they entered Huayin County, someone revealed their face as the carriage window opened.

"Hmm!"

The one letting out a contemplative sound seeing lifeless Huayin County was Sage Hyeon-so. Jong Ri-yeon was riding beside Sage Hyeon-so.

"Mount Hua has lost its spirit."

Sage Hyeon-so let out a sigh.

Muk Il-gwang returning to Mount Huang was just half a month ago. As soon as he heard from Muk Il-gwang that Mount Hua Sect had suffered heavy damage, he immediately set out to return.

Though they rode horses without rest, it took half a month. During that time, his heart had rotted with worry.

Mount Hua was his everything. Though he left Mount Hua due to conflict with Sage Hyeon-cheon, there wasn't a moment he didn't think of Mount Hua.

While passing through Huayin County toward Mount Hua, Sage Hyeon-so's face wouldn't brighten. Jong Ri-yeon watched such an Sage Hyeon-so's face with a worried expression.

The entire way here, Sage Hyeon-so hadn't properly slept even once. Naturally she couldn't help but worry.

That's when the driver spoke.

"We've arrived, Sage."

The driver was Muk Il-gwang. Having traveled far in a short time, exhaustion was evident on his face. But his eyes shone clearer than ever.

"Hah!"

Sage Hyeon-so who got off the carriage let out a sigh.

The sight of Jade Spring Temple, Mount Hua's gateway, completely destroyed entered his eyes. Usually numerous Mount Hua Sect warriors stayed at Jade Spring Temple, but now only ruins remained.

No human presence was felt, only evil energy was full. At the unfamiliar sight and eerie feeling, Sage Hyeon-so closed his eyes tightly.

"How did Mount Hua…"

"Are you alright, Sage?"

"I'm fine."

Sage Hyeon-so tried to maintain a composed expression at Jong Ri-yeon's question. But his pupils contained undeniable wavering.

Sage Hyeon-so and Jong Ri-yeon got off the carriage. The children Sage Hyeon-so cared for followed behind.

Sage Hyeon-so led Jong Ri-yeon and the children up Mount Hua.

Mount Hua's difficult paths represented by Thousand Chi Hall and Hundred Chi Gorge remained the same. The beautiful scenery also remained the same. But there were no people.

Usually by this point climbing up, they would have seen at least dozens of Mount Hua Sect disciples. Though Mount Hua was wide and high, disciples were stationed throughout.

Sage Hyeon-so found Mount Hua's silence unfamiliar. The Mount Hua remaining in his memories was always full of vitality. But such scenes had become distant memories.

Sage Hyeon-so climbed Mount Hua while trying to maintain a calm expression. But as he climbed Mount Hua, his expression gradually twisted, and finally when he arrived at Blue Dragon Ridge he was shedding tears.

"Original Heavenly Lord…"

Mount Hua Sect that had become like ruins spread before his eyes. The classical halls were either miserably collapsed or burned with only traces remaining. Sage Hyeon-so was speechless at the miserable scenery so different from the Mount Hua in his memories.

"Senior Uncle!"

A group ran from a ruined Taoist temple in the distance. Sage Hyeon-so recognized them.

"Woon Kyung, Myung Kyung."

The ones running like wind using lightness skills were Woon Kyung and Myung Kyung. They immediately bowed their heads upon reaching Sage Hyeon-so.

"Senior Uncle!"

"You've returned."

Their shoulders trembled slightly.

All the sect's elders had died. Now the fact that they were Mount Hua Sect's greatest elders weighed heavily on their shoulders. In such a situation, when Sage Hyeon-so who could be trusted and relied on as an elder appeared, their emotions unconsciously became excited.

Tears flowed automatically upon seeing Sage Hyeon-so's face.

"It's alright. It's alright."

"Senior Uncle!"

"Sob!"

Sage Hyeon-so patted their backs.

At that warm temperature and voice, the two felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Sage Hyeon-so's heart also ached as if being torn. But he couldn't show sadness before the sobbing disciples.

He tried to speak calmly.

"Decades ago too, Mount Hua Sect suffered bloody catastrophe. Even when everyone said it was impossible, Mount Hua Sect rose. Having risen once, what's to stop rising twice? Don't be sad. Your senior brothers in the afterlife wouldn't want you crying."

"Yes, Senior Uncle."

"Sorry for showing such an unseemly sight."

Only then did Woon Kyung and Myung Kyung gather their excited emotions.

They realized.

What a great blessing it was to have an elder the sect could trust and rely on. Just the fact that Sage Hyeon-so was beside them made their hearts feel full.

Woon Kyung and Myung Kyung looked at Sage Hyeon-so's face. Only then could they see the mystical energy in Sage Hyeon-so's eyes…. The mystical energy-filled gaze that couldn't be seen even in Sage Hyeon-geom or Sage Hyeon-cheon made Woon Kyung and Myung Kyung's hearts comfortable. They thought if Immortals really existed, they would have eyes like this.

'Has Senior Uncle realized the Way?'

Such a thought suddenly came. If they had such thoughts just from eyes, everyone would call them crazy. But the two couldn't erase such thoughts. That's how deep the mystical energy contained in Sage Hyeon-so's eyes was.

Only then could they understand Dam Ho's words.

Sage Hyeon-so clearly wasn't someone who could step forward and lead the sect like Sage Hyeon-cheon or Sage Hyeon-geom. But just his presence alone was enough to unite Mount Hua's disciples.

Baek Li-jung’s expression remained unchanged upon seeing Gu Ryun.

“Who are you?”

Gu Ryun was not disturbed.

“Ah, just an axe and blade wielder who rolled around battlefields.”

Baek Li-jung spoke as if coaxing a child.

“If you came out of the military camp, you should retire and live quietly as a hermit. What is there to gain by lurking around the martial world? Get lost.”

“I can’t do that.”

Gu Ryun smiled broadly.

“If you have the skill, why don’t you try to retire me here?”

At that moment, Baek Li-jung’s body became blurred. Leaving a hazy afterimage, he crossed over ten zhang and appeared before Gu Ryun.

“Ugh!”

A scream rang out from the path Baek Li-jung had taken. An Evil Sect member was collapsing while vomiting blood. The large saber the Evil Sect member had been holding was now somehow in Baek Li-jung’s hand.

Gu Ryun squinted his eyes. Baek Li-jung’s lightness technique was beyond imagination.

Baek Li-jung, standing before Gu Ryun, raised the large saber. Looking down at the short Gu Ryun with expressionless eyes, his appearance was intimidating beyond measure.

“Do you know how to use a blade?”

Gu Ryun hastily raised his shield to block in front.

CRASH!

Lightning had struck.

* * *

Venerable Woo-am sat in lotus position with his eyes closed in front of a small hermitage.

From the energy felt inside, the time for Dan Ryeong-gyeong to emerge was imminent. However, if he remained here, Baek Li-jung would come all the way here.

This was an extremely important time for Dan Ryeong-gyeong. She wasn’t simply overcoming poisoning, but adapting anew to her body changed by the severed arm.

That’s why it had taken longer than expected.

‘I’ll have to leave without seeing her to the end. If I’m alive, we’ll meet someday.’

Venerable Woo-am quietly stood up without making a sound.

‘Since your people are shedding blood to protect you, I too should lend a hand.’

Venerable Woo-am looked at the hermitage where energy was boiling and sent his regards in his heart before leaving.

Where he headed was the opposite direction from the hermitage where Dan Ryeong-gyeong was, toward Elder Sky Peak, the highest peak of Qingcheng Mountain.

* * *

Baek Li-jung’s large saber grazed past the shield and embedded in the ground.

Gu Ryun had used the mystery of deflection to deflect the large saber.

Gu Ryun smiled with satisfaction. His shield technique was the strongest. Though Indestructible Heavenly Sword was a renowned master, even he couldn’t surpass his shield technique!

“Even Thunder Brand Sword couldn’t pierce my shield. How would you be any different! Hahaha!”

At that moment, Baek Li-jung’s gaze changed slightly.

“Thunder Brand Sword, you say?”

Baek Li-jung’s lips curled up, beginning to bare his teeth.

“To compare me with such an insignificant fellow…”

Baek Li-jung picked up the large saber again and struck down.

THUD!

Baek Li-jung’s large saber was caught by the shield’s subtle movement and embedded in the ground again. In the meantime, Gu Ryun drew his blade and stabbed at Baek Li-jung. However, Baek Li-jung’s speed in striking down again was faster.

“Ugh!”

Gu Ryun had to raise his shield again.

CRASH!

The large saber scraped past the shield more forcefully than before. Holding the shield with one hand and enduring, his forearm rang out. This meant Baek Li-jung had struck with more force.

But even after striking with such force and missing, his posture should have wavered, yet the moment the large saber seemed embedded in the ground, looking at Baek Li-jung, he had already pulled out the blade and was holding it up high.

Therefore, Gu Ryun couldn’t find any opening to counterattack.

THUD! CRASH!

The pressure became stronger. Gu Ryun had to somehow make Baek Li-jung reveal an opening to counterattack.

However, since Baek Li-jung kept simply striking from top to bottom without other techniques, it was difficult to use other moves.

‘This time I’ll deflect it more to the side!’

Gu Ryun used deflection as carefully as possible to adjust Baek Li-jung’s large saber to miss much more to the side. The moment Baek Li-jung’s large saber caught on the shield, he added his own force to push it sideways. No, he tried to.

However, the moment the saber blade touched and caught on the shield, Gu Ryun realized he couldn’t do so.

‘If I move more, my arm will break!’

The force Baek Li-jung had put into the large saber was too enormous.

If you try to forcibly change a huge water flow, the terrain collapses. You can slightly twist the water flow to avoid a direct hit, but you can’t artificially change it completely.

THUD! THUD!

Baek Li-jung continued swinging the large saber. He had already swung it dozens of times but wasn’t tired or slowing down. From beginning to now, he kept striking the same trajectory at the same speed with the same force.

Gu Ryun had no choice but to keep blocking.

Baek Li-jung sneered with his eyes full of mockery.

“You don’t know how to use a blade at all?”

“Damn it!”

Gu Ryun ground his teeth while gripping the shield firmly with both hands. Now it was do or die.

Baek Li-jung swung the large saber the same way.

Gu Ryun exerted all his strength to raise deflection to its peak.

Surprisingly, this time Gu Ryun didn’t deflect Baek Li-jung’s large saber to the side but received it completely.

Crack crack crack.

All his joints shook and his bones trembled as if they would shatter. Due to the pressure of internal energy Baek Li-jung had put into the large saber, his internal organs shifted toward his back and his spine bent as if it would dislocate.

Gu Ryun’s body was instantly soaked with sweat.

However, Gu Ryun cheered.

It had worked perfectly.

Right now Baek Li-jung must have felt the unpleasant sensation of cutting tough pork fat with a dull blade.

Ultimate deflection, Perfect Return!

Perfect Return came from the story of a person named Lin Xiangru of Zhao who went to the King of Qin and returned safely without having his precious jade stolen.

Like returning a borrowed item intact, he returned the force Baek Li-jung had poured out back to Baek Li-jung!

Gu Ryun sent the load his entire body had received to his legs and stamped the ground with his right foot. He brought his crouched body forward and pushed with his shoulder supporting the shield.

“I am the Eight Flying Demon Hero! Remember my name clearly!”

If Baek Li-jung didn’t let go of the large saber, the saber would break and injure Baek Li-jung, and if he let go of the saber, he would push with the shield to crush Baek Li-jung’s entire body.

However.

Through the gap in the shield, Gu Ryun saw Baek Li-jung raising the large saber to the sky again.

‘Wh-when?’

Cold sweat ran down his spine.

Baek Li-jung neither let go of the large saber nor stepped back. He swung the large saber exactly the same as before. Since Gu Ryun was pushing the shield with all his might, he couldn’t properly deploy deflection.

CRACK!

Baek Li-jung’s large saber embedded directly into the shield. The force contained in the saber and the force of Gu Ryun’s extending shield collided. The two forces didn’t cancel out but confronted each other within Gu Ryun’s body.

However, the force Baek Li-jung had struck down with this time was stronger. Not by much. He had just added one more measure of force. But because of that one measure, the force contained in the saber completely suppressed the force that had been bursting out from within Gu Ryun’s body and entered.

Since Gu Ryun had been sending all the load to his right leg, both forces concentrated on his right leg alone.

BURST!

Gu Ryun’s right shin and ankle exploded completely. Tendons and blood vessels burst, exposing bone, and the bone also couldn’t withstand the force and broke.

Gu Ryun fell to his knees. However, he gritted his teeth and didn’t scream.

Gu Ryun looked up at Baek Li-jung with horrified eyes.

‘What a monster!’

Only then did Baek Li-jung ask back.

“Who did you say you were?”

Gu Ryun’s face was drenched with sweat.

Baek Li-jung raised the large saber and asked again.

“Who did you say you were?”

Gu Ryun ground his molars to pieces.

The fierce blade energy surrounding the large saber glinted in the sunlight.

Just when he thought he would die.

Suddenly a clear voice was heard. No, it didn’t just sound but echoed throughout all of Qingcheng Mountain.

Blessed one, jeweled lord!

Sitting in the Jade Clear Heaven

On the Seven Treasure Platform with countless celestial immortals gathered

The ultimate way of the Jade Emperor

And the profound and deep way was carefully examined and spoken…

Someone was reciting Taoist scriptures.

The clear voice peacefully calmed the hearts of listeners.

Except for one person.

Baek Li-jung’s eyes narrowed as if they would tear and his pupils turned toward Qingcheng Mountain’s peak. Every hair on his body stood on end.

Baek Li-jung slowly walked up the stairs.

Gu Ryun couldn’t miss that opening.

CLICK!

Blades sprang out from Gu Ryun’s shield. Gu Ryun struck Baek Li-jung’s calf with the blade as he passed by.

STAB!

The blade embedded in Baek Li-jung’s calf and came out. Blood spurted.

However, Baek Li-jung didn’t even look at Gu Ryun. He just continued climbing the stairs. Even though blood marks remained with every step on the stairs.

Gu Ryun struck the shield with his fist.

“Damn it!”

He realized why Baek Li-jung hadn’t even considered him.

Evil Sect members tried to block Baek Li-jung’s path, but Gu Ryun shouted to stop them. Baek Li-jung’s target wasn’t Dan Ryeong-gyeong but Venerable Woo-am.

While the Evil Sect members hesitated, Baek Li-jung was already past the Qingcheng sect’s Taoist temples heading further up.

However, there was an even bigger problem.

Thunder Brand Sword from the Martial Alliance, who had once withdrawn, had returned to the lower mountain gate.

Gu Ryun sealed his acupoint and tied it with string, then stood up supporting himself on his shield.

Then he shouted with a blood-mixed voice.

“Fairy Maiden! When exactly are you coming out! Do you plan to let us all die here?”

* * *

Baek Li-jung continued climbing the mountain path.

Walking, yet running.

But his speed was never slow. Rather, it was much faster than ordinary martial artists’ running speed.

Every time he exerted force, blood drops burst from his injured ankle, but Baek Li-jung wasn’t even aware of it.

His thoughts were full of the opponent he was about to meet.

It wasn’t fear or terror about the fight. If it were, he would have raised his body condition to its peak and faced him with a perfect body.

Confronting the past.

Meeting him meant having to face again the past he had deliberately postponed and turned away from.

Not his body but his heart was painful and agonizing. Baek Li-jung was doing his best to control his mind so as not to fall into qi deviation from being unable to overcome his emotions.

Finally, Baek Li-jung arrived at the summit of Elder Sky Peak.

There was a clearing large enough for about twenty people to stand comfortably and a small pavilion was built.

And in that pavilion, Venerable Woo-am sat with his eyes covered by red cloth, waiting for Baek Li-jung.

Baek Li-jung didn’t approach close to the pavilion but stopped about ten steps away.

HISS!

A long sword mark was drawn on the ground in front of his toes. If he had taken one more step, his foot would have been severed.

Venerable Woo-am had somehow extended his arm long to the side. Transparent vapor rose from the tips of his index and middle fingers.

Baek Li-jung, looking down at his feet, asked slowly in a sunken voice.

“You seem… to fear me?”

Venerable Woo-am shrugged his shoulders.

“Well. I remember beating you up but not being beaten. Didn’t you lie unable to get up for months, defecating blood?”

Baek Li-jung raised his palm. At that moment, the pillars of the pavilion where Venerable Woo-am was exploded and the pavilion collapsed completely.

CRASH!

Baek Li-jung clenched his bloodshot palm and smiled with killing intent.

“So you should be afraid. Now I’ve come to erase that memory.”