Chapter 439

Chapter 439 – One's Own Sect's Safety Takes Priority Over the World (2)

Cho Yeon-woon's eyes widened. His bloodshot pupils, burst with capillaries, shook as if an earthquake had occurred. ​

Squeeze! ​

He clenched his fist so tightly that blood drained from it and fresh blood flowed between his bent fingers. ​

"Brother." ​

Eun So-cheong beside him called with a worried expression, but he couldn't even react. ​

His face looked as if he'd witnessed something he absolutely shouldn't have seen. ​

His expression, which never lost composure in any situation, had disappeared long ago. Since this was Cho Yeon-woon's first time showing such an appearance, Eun So-cheong was even more flustered. ​

It wasn't just Cho Yeon-woon. All surviving suicide squad martial artists wore similar expressions. ​

What they were feeling now was extreme helplessness and despair. ​

The emotion people feel when hitting an insurmountable wall no matter what effort they make. ​

After Dam Ho, Cho Yeon-woon was feeling that emotion again, one he thought he'd never feel twice. ​

How should one describe the scene unfolding before their eyes? ​

A hellish tableau. ​

A sight too horrible to witness. ​

No, they'd seen that much countless times. ​

Just that much couldn't silence and despair these people. ​

For those living in a mountain of blades and forest of swords, such scenery was too familiar. ​

Only one man had been added. ​

Just that, yet the scenery changed. ​

An alien landscape and aura as if not of this world silenced them. ​

Crackle! ​

The white light flickering from his body disappeared like a lie, but its afterimage still lingered vividly in their eyes. ​

Like a massive mountain standing alone on a plain, he stood there. And one man knelt before him on one knee, looking up. ​

"Yul… cheon!" ​

From the kneeling man's mouth flowed a rough voice like a wounded lion's groan. ​

His face was stained with humiliation and rage. ​

His appearance biting his lips tightly as if unable to accept his defeat was even tragic. ​

He was precisely Jeong Cheon-ak. ​

His appearance was utterly miserable. His right arm had vanished without trace from the shoulder, and a large hole gaped blackly charred through his abdomen. ​

He barely kept his upper body from collapsing with his half-broken Heaven Sky Saber, but even that looked precarious. Yet he desperately endured and looked up at the mountain-like man before him. ​

"Kuuk! Yul-cheon!" ​

The large man looking down at him was precisely Geom Yul-cheon. ​

Jeong Cheon-ak's eyes looking up at Geom Yul-cheon were filled with rage and disbelief. He couldn't believe his defeat. ​

"How could you have such martial arts……" ​

"Didn't I say I had a fortuitous encounter?" ​

"Kuuk! A fortuitous encounter. Kuhahahaha!" ​

Suddenly Jeong Cheon-ak burst into wild laughter. ​

Clearly his and Geom Yul-cheon's martial arts had been equal. Both sides' martial power maintained an exquisite balance. Therefore it was impossible for either to subdue the other without any damage. ​

Yet that impossible thing had happened. Jeong Cheon-ak was miserably destroyed, nearly dying, but Geom Yul-cheon looked fine. ​

Of course that didn't mean he was completely uninjured, but at least his injuries were incomparably minor compared to Jeong Cheon-ak's. ​

Having considered Geom Yul-cheon a rival for so long, Jeong Cheon-ak found accepting such complete defeat even harder. ​

Drip! ​

Suddenly red blood flowed down Jeong Cheon-ak's cheek. Blood flowing from his torn eyes mixed with bitter tears to become bloody tears. ​

Bloody tears shed by a man who considered himself a great hero. Even Geom Yul-cheon, who had maintained a long rival relationship, couldn't help but feel solemn. ​

"Cheon-ak. I'm sorry." ​

"Kuhuh! What's there to be sorry about? The weak die and the strong live, that's the martial world's law. Don't insult me further, Yul-cheon." ​

"……" ​

"I am a martial… artist. I don't regret my life……" ​

Jeong Cheon-ak's voice gradually faded and his head dropped. ​

That was the end of Jeong Cheon-ak, leader of the Ten Soldiers. ​

"Cheon-ak!" ​

Instantly Seomun Ha-gyeong's desperate voice echoed. ​

Her appearance was no less miserable than Jeong Cheon-ak's. She had suffered great wounds fighting Shin Mu-wol. After defeating her, Shin Mu-wol was now facing Ji Su-hyeon. ​

Seomun Ha-gyeong glared at Eum Yu-kyung and Geom Yul-cheon with eyes filled with venomous poison. ​

"You all killed Cheon-ak……" ​

To her, Jeong Cheon-ak was more than just the Ten Soldiers' leader. ​

His death dealt a great blow to Seomun Ha-gyeong's heart veins. Already gravely wounded by Shin Mu-wol with failing breath, Seomun Ha-gyeong's breath ceased from that shock. ​

Geom Yul-cheon closed his eyes. ​

Though they'd parted because their ideals and paths differed, they were once friends who shared the same place and ate the same food. The fact that he'd killed such people with his own hands devastated him. ​

Eum Yu-kyung approached Geom Yul-cheon's side. ​

"Yul-cheon." ​

"I'm fine." ​

When Geom Yul-cheon reopened his eyes, no trace of regret or remorse remained. ​

Geom Yul-cheon suddenly looked down at his fist. ​

A fist not much different from before. ​

But it had changed. A tingling sensation like lightning flowing through his body and a distant exhilaration. ​

Definitely sensations and feelings he couldn't feel before. ​

Changes that occurred after learning the Divine Cult's protective martial arts. Only Eum Yu-kyung, Shin Mu-wol, and Myeong-cheon knew that fact. ​

"Chyaat!" ​

Shin Mu-wol finished the fight by delivering the final strike. Myeong-cheon's subordinates were also overwhelming the subordinates the Ten Soldiers had brought. ​

A great victory. But no one smiled. ​

Those they'd defeated were once their comrades, family-like existences. They couldn't allow themselves to be intoxicated by victory or smile after defeating them. ​

Geom Yul-cheon suddenly raised his head to look somewhere. Where Cho Yeon-woon and the suicide squad martial artists were. ​

'They didn't leave.' ​

Like it or not, the Ten Soldiers were brothers from the same root. He hadn't wanted to show outsiders their fraternal battle. So he'd hoped they would leave on their own, but unexpectedly they still remained. ​

His gaze suddenly turned toward Cho Yeon-woon. The two men's gazes collided in midair. ​

'Drunken Cloud Dragon.' ​

He naturally knew Cho Yeon-woon. ​

Anyone with even slight interest in the current martial world couldn't not know Cho Yeon-woon. Especially martial artists belonging to the Divine Cult. ​

When the Divine Cult invaded Mount Hua Sect three years ago, the one who stood out most was precisely Cho Yeon-woon. Though there was also Dam Ho, he was treated as an exception everywhere. ​

Cho Yeon-woon appeared to be grinding his teeth. His pupils no longer wavered. Eyes that had been colored with shock were now filled with fighting spirit. ​

Though he'd clearly witnessed his martial prowess, that man was burning with fighting spirit. That sight was deeply engraved in Geom Yul-cheon's mind. ​

Geom Yul-cheon walked toward Cho Yeon-woon. The still-surviving suicide squad martial artists flinched. But no one avoided or averted their gaze. ​

They glared at Geom Yul-cheon while grinding their teeth. ​

Though not one truly knew Geom Yul-cheon's identity, they too felt it. That their opponent was no ordinary figure. ​

Shudder! ​

As Geom Yul-cheon approached closer, the trembling they felt intensified. But no one retreated and endured. Cho Yeon-woon was at that center. Because he stood and endured, everyone endured as one. ​

Thud! ​

Finally Geom Yul-cheon stood before Cho Yeon-woon. ​

Geom Yul-cheon was so massively built that even Cho Yeon-woon had to look up. That build alone overwhelmed the suicide squad. ​

"Why didn't you leave?" ​

Geom Yul-cheon asked. ​

Though he merely posed a question, tremendous pressure seemed to press down on Cho Yeon-woon's shoulders. But Cho Yeon-woon endured the pressure on his body and answered bluntly. ​

"Because I had to confirm with my own eyes." ​

"Confirm?" ​

"Your forces' strength." ​

"Why?" ​

"Because we'll someday be enemies." ​

Cho Yeon-woon's answer seemed unexpected as Geom Yul-cheon momentarily lost words. ​

"I didn't know the righteous faction had martial artists like you besides Dam Ho." ​

"You know him?" ​

"I consider him a friend." ​

"A friend, you say." ​

"We share a common enemy. That's why we could become friends." ​

"If the common enemy disappears? Could you remain friends to the end even then?" ​

"……" ​

Cho Yeon-woon's question seemed to catch him off guard as Geom Yul-cheon couldn't easily answer. After a moment he spoke with difficulty. ​

"Your tongue is truly sharp." ​

"I hear that sometimes." ​

A cold atmosphere hung between the two men. ​

One was the righteous faction's greatest young prodigy, the other the demonic path's greatest weapon. The two instinctively guarded against each other. ​

Especially the sense of crisis Cho Yeon-woon felt was tremendous. ​

The Geom Yul-cheon he saw was absolutely not someone who would remain under others. He was someone who would definitely reach the peak no matter how long it took. ​

Geom Yul-cheon's very existence was a great threat to the Martial Alliance and righteous martial world. And he had a premonition that his presence would grow over time. ​

After looking at Cho Yeon-woon briefly, Geom Yul-cheon stepped aside. ​

"Since you've confirmed, now return to the Martial Alliance. There will be no more pursuers after you." ​

Cho Yeon-woon gazed at Geom Yul-cheon for a moment. As if engraving his face in memory. ​

After a moment he cupped his fists to Geom Yul-cheon. ​

"Thank you for saving my life. I will definitely repay this debt." ​

"No need to worry. I didn't particularly step forward to save you." ​

"But the fact remains that thanks to you, my life was saved. I too will save your life once." ​

"I'll remember." ​

"Then……" ​

Cho Yeon-woon passed by Geom Yul-cheon. The suicide squad martial artists followed behind. ​

Those following Geom Yul-cheon opened a path for Cho Yeon-woon and the suicide squad to pass. ​

Eum Yu-kyung also stepped aside and watched the passing suicide squad martial artists. Her gaze stopped on the small girl following Cho Yeon-woon at the very end. ​

"So-mae." ​

"Sister!" ​

The one answering with a gentle smile was precisely Eun So-cheong. ​

Eum Yu-kyung had once hidden in the carriage Eun So-cheong rode to shake off the Five Elements Demon Squad's pursuit. Both remembered that connection. ​

"I'm glad you're safe." ​

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I survived." ​

"I've barely repaid my debt. I hope you return safely." ​

"Thank you, sister. I want to talk more but……" ​

"I understand So-mae's heart. So don't worry." ​

"Yes!" ​

"And……" ​

Eum Yu-kyung's voice briefly cut off. She looked at Geom Yul-cheon and Myeong-cheon for a moment, then whispered in Eun So-cheong's ear. ​

"If possible, don't go to the Martial Alliance." ​

"What?" ​

"While you and Great Hero Cho were being pursued, the Divine Cult began advancing toward the Martial Alliance. There will soon be a major offensive." ​

"That's……" ​

"Rather, hide somewhere else safe." ​

"Understood. Thank you, sister." ​

"Not at all! You would have found out anyway. Anyway, please take care." ​

"You too. I'll be going now." ​

After thanking Eum Yu-kyung, Eun So-cheong ran to where Cho Yeon-woon and the suicide squad were. ​

Eum Yu-kyung couldn't take her eyes off Eun So-cheong's small figure until it disappeared from view. And Geom Yul-cheon was watching such Eum Yu-kyung's back. ​

Then Myeong-cheon approached Geom Yul-cheon's side. ​

"Is it alright?" ​

"What?" ​

"Letting them go like this. If they return safely, they'll definitely grow to become pillars of the righteous martial world." ​

"That's right." ​

Geom Yul-cheon nodded. ​

A martial artist's growth isn't achieved only through good martial arts and diligent training. ​

Experience like this time, risking life and battling numerous masters, would make them grow dramatically. Considering their position and talent in the current martial world, they would definitely become top-level masters. ​

Especially Cho Yeon-woon's growth was beyond imagination. ​

Though Geom Yul-cheon and others opposed the Divine Cult due to the Heavenly Evil Cult, they always had thoughts of the Divine Cult in their hearts. ​

For the Divine Cult's sake, it would be better to kill them now and eliminate future troubles. Myeong-cheon was telling Geom Yul-cheon precisely that point. ​

Geom Yul-cheon said indifferently. ​

"He is Dam Ho's friend. That reason alone is enough qualification for him to return alive." ​

"But……" ​

"We may someday fight them. No, it will definitely happen. But that's a matter for that time. I don't want to become a coward who kills those with bright futures because I fear future threats." ​

"I'm sorry, brother. For saying unnecessary things." ​

"It's fine. You can naturally say such things. Because that's the most efficient method. But trust me. I'm not that weak." ​

The leisure of one who'd obtained world-dominating power. ​