Chapter 473 – The Wheel of Blood Moves Again (2)

With the Cult Leader emerged from seclusion, the Demon Cult regained vitality.

Since Sang Han-cheon had already made full preparations to march, their movements starting the war had no hesitation.

Intelligence that the Cult Leader emerged and the Demon Cult started moving also reached Blue Sky Alliance. Immediately Blue Sky Alliance's leadership meeting was convened.

Cho Yeon-woon, So Cheon, Hae So-wol, Cheong-un and others all gathered. From outside, people thought they'd fiercely debate establishing countermeasures, but actually the atmosphere inside wasn't so urgent. Rather it was even relaxed.

They were leisurely drinking tea.

Longjing tea, hard to obtain after the great disaster, brought vitality to their exhausted minds and bodies. Truly luxury enjoyed after long time.

After the Demon Cult seized Central Plains' south, quality tea imports completely stopped, so for them who'd had to drink cheap tea, this moment was most precious.

"Phew! Good. Too good."

"Silver Family Manor's Young Lady seems to have paid special attention."

"Why not? His lover is here, so even tea quality changes."

"When will those two hold their wedding?"

"They say after war ends."

"Then for Jin-bo and So-cheong's sake too, we must end the war quickly."

Thud!

Cho Yeon-woon set his teacup on the table. Then others also tossed remaining tea into their mouths setting down cups.

They silently looked at each other's faces for a moment. Their faces were full of trust's light.

During the past year, they'd prepared truly desperately.

They'd created Iron Blood Hell Training Hall raising individual martial power, and built communication networks and close cooperation relationships with sects throughout Central Plains. Plus unexpectedly even Divine Demon Alliance's cooperation.

They'd done everything they could. Though they couldn't know how war would turn out, they'd completed all possible preparations on their end.

Anyway since they'd prepared everything assuming war with the Demon Cult, now that the Demon Cult attacked, there was no reason to prepare anew or move busily.

Just do as usual.

That was their mindset.

Convening the leadership meeting wasn't to prepare special emergency measures but merely time to have leisure. Having run urgently without breathing room for the past year, such time was truly precious to them.

They chatted and giggled for a while.

They burst into laughter even at trivial banter they'd never normally laugh at.

"Hahaha!"

Among them, Cho Yeon-woon laughed most freely until tears welled in his eyes.

While laughing, he carefully looked at Blue Sky Alliance leadership's faces. Thanks to them during the past year, he could prepare and come this far.

Though he didn't know how many would survive after war ended, Cho Yeon-woon clearly had reason to remember their faces.

After the laughing storm passed, silence came to the room. The dreamlike time had passed. Time to return to harsh reality.

Most preparations were finished but one unsolved matter remained.

So Cheon asked about that point.

"Amitabha! By the way, how will you handle places like Jinzhou Yan Family or Hebei Peng Family? Alliance Leader."

Both Jinzhou Yan Family and Hebei Peng Family were families possessing martial power and wealth strong enough to enter the Five Great Families.

Right after Namgung Family, fellow member of Five Great Families, was annihilated by the Demon Cult's rough waves, they locked their gates forbidding outside entry. Choosing gate closure.

Gate closure was no different from publicly declaring martial sect's external activities forbidden. Abandoning qualification and activities as martial sect, they thought there'd be no reason to clash with the Demon Cult.

Many martial artists cursed their cowardice.

Like Wudang Sect, choosing gate closure unavoidably after suffering great damage from the Demon Cult was understandable, but choosing gate closure from fear of the Demon Cult was unforgivable no matter what reason they gave.

Sects choosing such cowardly gate closure weren't just Jinju Yan Family and Hebei Peng Family. Among Central Plains' prestigious sects too, sects giving up fighting the Demon Cult weren't few.

Especially among mid-tier sects such tendencies appeared often. Rather small sects' martial artists fought desperately to death, while those with much to protect completely gave up fighting, trying to maintain current wealth and power through gate closure's expedient.

Some sects even switched to the Demon Cult's side. Sects that sided with the Demon Cult jumping on trends, turning into enemies, were also quite many.

Blue Sky Alliance secretly sent envoys to sects that chose gate closure requesting cooperation. But many sects still hadn't sent any answer.

Silent refusal. But So Cheon and Blue Sky Alliance's leadership hadn't given up yet.

Though Blue Sky Alliance had raised power much during the past year, winning great war with the Demon Cult without their help was impossible.

Cho Yeon-woon answered simply.

"I'll handle that myself."

"How?"

"I already have a method in mind."

"What method?"

Instead of answering, Cho Yeon-woon looked at the large flag hanging in the barracks.

Hundred Battles Flag.

A shabby flag made by mending countless tears and rips with needle and thread, patching with scrap cloth.

Hundred Battles Sect's final pride, an object like Cho Yeon-woon's symbol. Cho Yeon-woon had never once kept the Hundred Victories Flag away from his side.

Mixed emotions crossed Cho Yeon-woon's eyes looking at the Hundred Battles Flag.

'Master.'

Cho Yeon-woon came outside alone.

Below his feet Blue Sky Alliance slumbered in darkness.

Too shabby to call an alliance. But Cho Yeon-woon wasn't ashamed of that appearance.

Though he didn't know how others' eyes saw it, during the past year he'd truly run hard. Here contained his blood, sweat, and passion intact.

"You've succeeded, Cho Yeon-woon. Blue Sky Alliance's Alliance Leader. Damn!"

He quietly sighed.

Before people he showed relaxed smiles, but actually he felt crushed about to collapse under tremendous pressure. What sustained him was people's expectant gazes and responsibility to continue his sect Hundred Battles Sect's teachings.

"Huuu!"

"You'll make the ground sink. Why such heavy sighs?"

The moment Cho Yeon-woon sighed again, a familiar voice came from behind.

Cho Yeon-woon wasn't surprised, saying.

"Jin-bo came."

"My! Those sighs are so big. I could hear them from the kitchen so I couldn't concentrate."

The one appearing behind Cho Yeon-woon was precisely Bang Jin-bo.

During the past year, Bang Jin-bo had matured further. Now grown enough to call adult rather than boy. Still loving cooking though, he wore an apron.

Cho Yeon-woon grinned.

"Can you hear my sighs all the way there?"

"Yes! Very loudly."

"Ridiculous."

"I know, ridiculous."

"Huuu! Sorry."

"Is it that hard?"

"Hard rather than, how should I say, just feeling a bit tired? Someone like me as Blue Sky Alliance's Alliance Leader. Isn't it really funny? I think of myself as Drunken Cloud Dragon, but others call me Azure Dragon Divine Hero. Sometimes I'm so ashamed of myself I want to crawl into a mouse hole."

"That just means you've grown that much. Nothing to be ashamed about. What serious worry I thought."

Bang Jin-bo pouted his lips.

Instantly Cho Yeon-woon's eyebrows shot up.

"Hey, I'm serious."

"You don't know how amazing you are?"

"What?"

"Others calling you Azure Dragon Divine Hero isn't just nice talk. Because you're that amazing. Sometimes even I see that side of you as unfamiliar. That you have such responsibility and leadership. Sometimes I think the old you was freer and better, but I still like the current appearance too."

"Stop! It's embarrassing."

"I'm embarrassed too. Anyway just stay as you are now. Whatever the result, you did your best. They say exhaust human affairs, await heaven's decree."

"Shut up!"

"Wasn't that last line good?"

"Not good at all. Well, thanks to you I relaxed though."

"Hehe!"

Bang Jin-bo burst into his characteristic laughter. Looking at his face made him grin. So he laughed.

After laughing heartily, he felt refreshed.

He remembered when he first met Bang Jin-bo.

Back then Bang Jin-bo had lost his father, plus being fat lacked confidence. Naturally timid. That such a child grew to this extent, even comforting him instead, seemed truly unpredictable.

Cho Yeon-woon casually draped his arm over Bang Jin-bo's shoulder. And quietly whispered.

"Any special food tonight?"

"No."

"Hey! You dare dismiss the Alliance Leader like that?"

"Fine! I'm being generous. What do you want?"

"Suddenly I want Five Spice Pork."

"This late?"

"Can't you?"

"Fine. Wait a bit."

"Thanks."

"Tch!"

Bang Jin-bo pouted his lips again. But it wasn't an offended expression at all.

Then Cho Yeon-woon suddenly remembered something asking.

"By the way, where's Ho?"

"He went up to the mountain peak earlier."

"Alone?"

"Yes!"

At Bang Jin-bo's answer, Cho Yeon-woon looked at Lesser Mount Hua's peak.

***

Dam Ho stood alone atop Lesser Mount Hua closest to the full moon.

The full moon illuminated the whole world. But moonlight alone couldn't fully remove darkness. Therefore far more places looked dark than bright.

Dam Ho gazed down at the world containing that darkness in his eyes.

He couldn't read heaven's energy like Taoist Hyeon-so. What he could do was only felling enemies with two fists, far from such profound studies. But even he could feel the dark energy encroaching on the world.

Recently the darkness encroaching on the world was expanding its force more explosively. The world before being encroached by darkness looked precarious like a candle about to go out.

Then a man appeared behind Dam Ho soundlessly. The man appearing suddenly as if space-traveling knelt on one knee toward Dam Ho.

"Master!"

He was precisely Gi San-wol.

Gi San-wol quietly looked at Dam Ho's back.

Dam Ho's build was ordinary. His build wasn't tremendous, nor was he tall. Yet he felt huge.

As if a vast ocean filled his back. So he couldn't easily look away.

Dam Ho turned around looking at Gi San-wol. Then Gi San-wol bowed his head deeper.

When he first met Dam Ho and pledged loyalty, it contained somewhat selfish calculation. He'd thought he could leave after repaying debt for being rescued from Avici Hell. But spending a year with Dam Ho, he'd truly been won over by the man Dam Ho. So he'd vowed to go with him to the end.

Whether Dam Ho knew his heart or not, he opened his mouth indifferently.

"Him?"

"As expected. He's started moving."

"You're certain?"

"Certain, Master."

Gi San-wol answered putting power in his voice. At that, Dam Ho silently nodded.

Dam Ho's eyes sank deeper.

Seeing that appearance, Gi San-wol felt his lips go dry. Though he'd spent the past year with Dam Ho, he still wasn't used to such appearances.

Suddenly he recalled a memory from a year ago.

When he first met Dam Ho in that hellish space where even time's flow couldn't be felt.

If an ordinary person, going mad and committing suicide already wouldn't be strange. Yet Gi San-wol gritting his teeth and enduring was because of vengeance toward Heavenly Evil Cult.

After coming into the world, he moved tracking Heavenly Evil Cult's whereabouts.

Though others couldn't find Heavenly Evil Cult that cut tails and hid, he was different.

He was a soul magician raised by Heavenly Evil Cult. Therefore he knew them better than anyone.

During the past year, Gi San-wol tracked Heavenly Evil Cult and finally could find traces.

As the Demon Cult moved, they too started moving.

As if they'd been waiting.

"They are…"

Gi San-wol speaking quietly unknowingly widened his eyes.

Because moonlight pouring over Dam Ho's shoulders looked like huge wings.

The Righteous Alliance warriors stood firm.

“We cannot do that. We also received orders, so we hope you’ll understand.”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples’ faces turned red with anger.

“How dare!”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples raised their killing intent.

This was before none other than Mount Hua Sect’s sect leader.

If asked to name the sects after Shaolin Temple in the martial world, the vast majority would pick Wudang Sect and Mount Hua Sect.

Yet ordinary warriors of the Righteous Alliance, not even the Martial Alliance, were blocking that Mount Hua Sect’s leader and being stubborn. Moreover, with just over ten warriors.

This could only be taken as blatantly humiliating Northern Li Sword Immortal.

Mount Hua Sect consisted of Northern Li Sword Immortal and his six disciples.

Even without multiple disciples stepping forward, one could easily handle about ten warriors.

“Do you all want to die!”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples threatened. The Righteous Alliance warriors flinched and shouted.

“W-we came on the Alliance Leader’s orders! Touching us is challenging the Alliance Leader’s authority.”

“Do you think the Alliance Leader alone can suppress our sect!”

“Enough. No need to say that much.”

Northern Li Sword Immortal stopped them.

“Tell the Alliance Leader. I’ll visit after the duel ends.”

That Northern Li Sword Immortal spoke this far was already remarkable. It would be reasonable to withdraw now, but the Righteous Alliance warriors, though terrified, ultimately didn’t move aside.

“We cannot do that!”

“Either withdraw from here or please come with us to meet the Alliance Leader!”

Twitch.

Northern Li Sword Immortal’s eyebrows twitched with displeasure.

“I’ve conceded this far for the Alliance Leader’s sake.”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples also couldn’t endure anymore.

“These bastards!”

The Righteous Alliance warriors, though intimidated by the force, drew their weapons. The Mount Hua Sect disciples finally exploded.

“You draw swords against us? You really want to die!”

Northern Li Sword Immortal said with a frown.

“Don’t harm them.”

Still, they were in the same boat as the Righteous Alliance, so they couldn’t act rashly.

Northern Li Sword Immortal’s disciples rushed at the Righteous Alliance warriors barehanded. They broke arms and legs with joint locks and sealed acupoints to immobilize them. Northern Li Sword Immortal’s disciples were already renowned experts in the martial world. Mere warriors holding weapons couldn’t possibly match them. Though they resisted with swords, several were subdued in an instant and collapsed to the ground.

“Hmph.”

Deep wrinkles formed between Northern Li Sword Immortal’s brows.

“Unbreakable Heavenly Sword…”

Unbreakable Heavenly Sword Baek Li-jung’s handling of this matter, complicating his state of mind before a duel that required full concentration, was very offensive. Moreover, he didn’t like that they forgot the favor of supporting the Righteous Alliance and tried to lord over them.

“After breaking the Namgung Family’s sword, I’ll have to teach you a lesson too.”

Northern Li Sword Immortal wasn’t interested in his disciples subduing the Righteous Alliance warriors. He was thinking of Baek Li-jung in a bad mood when he suddenly felt a strange sensation.

“Hmm?”

A suspicious light flashed through Northern Li Sword Immortal’s eyes.

* * *

“…”

A martial artist belonging to the Righteous Alliance asked.

“Is this really alright?”

The scholar before him, Mun-su, showed him a note.

“The amount shouldn’t be insufficient.”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.”

The martial artist swallowed dry saliva looking at the note with a large sum written on it.

“Really… you’re telling me to kill Northern Li Sword Immortal’s youngest disciple?”

“Correct. The youngest disciple, Gyo-un.”

“Northern Li Sword Immortal is facing a duel with Sword King. If his most cherished disciple dies in such a situation, he’ll be greatly affected mentally and the duel will be ruined. Perhaps the duel itself…”

“That’s not for you to worry about. These days… your family is in difficulty, isn’t it?”

“Yes…”

“If you sacrifice alone, your family can survive.”

“But even though he’s Mount Hua Sect’s youngest disciple, I won’t be able to ambush and kill him. If it’s before Northern Li Sword Immortal, it’s even more difficult.”

“You’re a loyal person, and I know you once received training as an assassin. That’s why I chose you.”

Mun-su took out a medicine bottle the length of a finger.

“An amount that can be used only once. Just grazing the torso, not the limbs, will be sufficient. Your movement technique is excellent, so you should be able to do that much.”

The martial artist opened the bottle cap and smelled it.

“This is that thing that’s popular these days.”

“That’s right.”

After thinking briefly, the martial artist received the note.

“Understood. Please take good care of my remaining family.”

* * *

“Stand back!”

Northern Li Sword Immortal shouted and raised his hand. Long sword energy extended from his fingers.

The assassin who had mingled among the Righteous Alliance warriors leaped toward the chest of Northern Li Sword Immortal’s youngest disciple, Gyo-un. Fumbling as if falling, then suddenly leaping with movement technique like lightning, Gyo-un was caught off guard while careless.

The assassin held a sharp dagger in his hand.

Gyo-un even had his back to Northern Li Sword Immortal, so Northern Li Sword Immortal couldn’t help.

The assassin struck Gyo-un’s chest with his shoulder to break his balance and stabbed the dagger into his belly.

Even in that brief moment, Gyo-un struck the assassin’s head with the edge of his hand in mutual destruction.

Crack!

The assassin’s head shattered and exploded.

Gyo-un fell backward and sat down hard.

The assassin remained standing just as he was stabbing the belly. The dagger held in his hand was the same.

Gyo-un touched his belly but wasn’t stabbed by the dagger. On the assassin’s back of hand and elbow… thick needles were embedded so he couldn’t use his arm.

“Huff… huff.”

Gyo-un gasped. He knew how precarious the situation just was. The assassin’s dagger reeked of poison. He almost suffered greatly.

“Wh-who…”

Gyo-un stammered.

Northern Li Sword Immortal turned his head and stared at one place.

“Come out!”

It was a voice thoroughly imbued with fury.

From one side of the bushes, Jin Ja-gang walked out.

Jin Ja-gang was holding several needles in his hand then shook his wrist. Instantly, the needles disappeared from between his fingers into his sleeve.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples shouted in surprise.

“Who are you!”

Northern Li Sword Immortal said with a rigid face.

“It’s the Poison Dragon.”

“P-Poison Dragon?”

Northern Li Sword Immortal asked.

“What’s going on?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Since you invited me as an observer, I’m merely doing what needs to be done so the duel can properly take place.”

“Who orchestrated this?”

“I don’t know. However, I was suspicious that someone was trying to interfere with the duel.”

Northern Li Sword Immortal’s mouth shut tight.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“There should be no particular problems ahead. However, it would be good to be cautious until the day of the duel.”

But suddenly Northern Li Sword Immortal uttered unexpected words.

“How arrogant.”

“…?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Northern Li Sword Immortal.

Northern Li Sword Immortal was even angrier than when his disciple was ambushed. Flames shot from his eyes.

A roar burst from Northern Li Sword Immortal’s mouth.

“Did I, Northern Li Sword Immortal, appear so weak as to enter the duel location under the Poison Dragon’s protection!”

Jin Ja-gang frowned and looked at Northern Li Sword Immortal. Northern Li Sword Immortal’s eyes were burning wide open like a tiger’s.

“If you looked down on me to that extent, you’re mistaken!”

Northern Li Sword Immortal was one of the Three Swords and facing a duel with one of the Two Kings. Two people strong enough to be counted among the ten fingers of currently active martial artists.

Yet on the way to that duel, he received help from a much younger junior. Moreover, listening to what he said, didn’t it seem he’d been watching them from long ago!

How much Northern Li Sword Immortal’s pride was wounded was difficult to express in words.

“What meaning would the duel with Sword King have like this! It’s no different from already losing before entering!”

This was a difficult part for Jin Ja-gang to easily understand. However, it wasn’t a mind he couldn’t comprehend.

Though standing at opposing points with Jin Ja-gang, if he hadn’t had pride as a martial artist to begin with, he wouldn’t have come out to fight Sword King when Mount Hua Sect had suffered damage.

“If I was rude, please forgive me.”

“Not needed.”

Northern Li Sword Immortal angrily pointed at the captured Righteous Alliance warriors.

“Release them!”

The disciples hurriedly released the acupoints and raised them one by one.

Northern Li Sword Immortal shouted with blazing eyes.

“Who instigated this!”

“The Alliance Leader…”

Northern Li Sword Immortal’s finger passed like lightning across the warrior’s throat. The warrior’s head rolled off as is. The disciples raised the next warrior.

The warrior who realized the situation was turning serious hurriedly made excuses.

“P-please spare me. We don’t know anything.”

This time Northern Li Sword Immortal slit the throat without even asking.

Jin Ja-gang stopped him.

“Stop. Those people don’t know anyway.”

Northern Li Sword Immortal didn’t listen to Jin Ja-gang and beheaded three more. He was truly thoroughly angry.

The Righteous Alliance warriors didn’t even know what Northern Li Sword Immortal wanted them to say and just begged for their lives before their heads flew.

One of them, when his turn came, urgently shouted.

“The one who led us is waiting east of Xiang River!”

East of Xiang River!

Yuelu Mountian is located on the western bank of Xiang River. The opposite side.

Northern Li Sword Immortal commanded his disciples.

“You all go ahead! I’ll cut that person’s head and send it to Unbreakable Heavenly Sword, then go to the promised location!”

Jin Ja-gang slightly moved his foot to try blocking Northern Li Sword Immortal’s front.

Northern Li Sword Immortal released and gripped not the sword finger he used barehanded but the sword from his waist.

His eyes burned fiercely.

“I invited you with Sword King’s agreement, but if you block my front, I’ll cut you down first. You said you hope the duel succeeds? Then it would be good not to follow me.”

Jin Ja-gang knew he could no longer stop Northern Li Sword Immortal and stepped aside.

Northern Li Sword Immortal fluttered his robe and leaped up, stepping on high tree branches.

Jin Ja-gang stared at Northern Li Sword Immortal’s back with a frown.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples looked at Jin Ja-gang’s back with uncomfortable eyes. The only one grateful to Jin Ja-gang was Gyo-un who survived death.

“Thank you.”

“It’s fine.”

Jin Ja-gang picked up the dagger the assassin had used and confirmed it was Five Poisons Absolute Extinction Pill.

“Let’s go ahead and wait.”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples naturally trusted Northern Li Sword Immortal.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples and Jin Ja-gang went to Yuelu Mountian’s lake and asked the Namgung Family’s understanding.

Namgung Rak gladly accepted.

Since Mount Hua Sect had finally appeared, the martial artists who flocked to watch were filled with anticipation.

Among them were Yeong-gwi, Son Bi, and those who came from the Tang Family. Jin Ja-gang exchanged greetings with them, then waited in the middle of the bridge as an observer.

The sun passed midday and crossed over the western mountains. Sunset glowed and dusk settled.

Duels aren’t held after sunset. Those who had waited all day for Northern Li Sword Immortal dispersed regretfully.

However, the next morning too, even after noon passed and evening came, Northern Li Sword Immortal didn’t appear.