Return of the Mount Hua Sect

The last place his eyes landed on was, of course, Jang Ilso.

‘Jang Ilso, I’m sure you wouldn’t dare accuse me of being cowardly.’

Exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses is the nature of Evil Sects. It makes no difference whether it is an enemy or an ally. It’s not the one who stabs in the back who is bad, but the one who exposes their vulnerability who is foolish. That’s the way of Evil Sects.

Jang Ilso knew this fact better than anyone else and took advantage of it to come this far. Even if he were to die here and become a wandering spirit, he would have no right to resent Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold’s gaze slightly lowered. As the fluttering sleeve came into view, his eyes darkened gloomily.

If he hadn’t lost this arm, he might have made a different choice at this moment. Licking Jang Ilso’s feet and groveling before him isn’t very pleasant, but there is no reason to refuse if there is something to be gained.

Pride wasn’t all that important to him. He wouldn’t sell it cheaply, but if the right price were offered, there wasn’t much he couldn’t sell.

But… The moment he lost this arm, everything changed. For him, who uses the right-handed sword, losing that dominant arm meant that he could no longer live as he had in the past.

If he were in Jang Ilso’s position, what would he have done to Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who lost his power? How on earth did Jang Ilso deal with him who had lost most of his force and only had a position as leader of Black Ghost Fortress that he couldn’t protect?

‘There’s nothing to think about.’

He would have approached him like an old snake and whispered that he would let him protect everything he had now only if he followed him. From the moment Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who had no other choice, offered his loyalty, he would have slowly and leisurely taken away everything he had.

Later, when Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold no longer had any use, he would be simply disposed of.

The moment Jang Ilso escapes from this place, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold has no other options. He has to choose between dying right now or waiting for the day when everything is taken away by Jang Ilso and dying miserably.

And Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was not inclined to ponder between these two losing choices. Worrying about two options that only result in loss is not his style.

What he chose was the third path. By removing Jang Ilso from his position, the whole situation is overturned.

Jang Ilso’s death will drive the barely unified situation in Gangnam into chaos, and the situation in Gangbuk, which was slowly uniting against the enemy named Jang Ilso, will also be thrown into chaos.

What other way is there for someone with a relative weakness to survive, if not to drive the world into an era of chaos?

‘This is an opportunity that will never come again.’

It was an opportunity close to heaven-sent.

If the cultists they were dealing with had not stopped fighting and retreated as soon as Dan Jagang appeared, the current Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold would not have had any power left to deal with Red Dogs and Mount Hua.

And of course, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold had no intention of missing the opportunity.

“Your mistake was one.”

His icy gaze turned to Mount Hua and Red Dogs, who were sharpening their blades at the approaching Black Ghost Fortress.

“You underestimated me too easily, Jang Ilso.”

And his misjudgment will decide the fate of the opportunist Jang Ilso.

The encirclement tightened even more.

‘This isn’t good.’

Baek Cheon’s eyes darkened.

If the entire force were to rush at once, the situation might be better. In the chaos, there would surely be an opening.

However, except for the ten standing at the forefront, it seemed like they had no intention of even crossing swords with them.

It’s clear. This formation isn’t set for killing. It’s to ensure no one escapes.

He can feel the intention not to let a single rat live, even if it means risking increased damage due to not being able to put all of their effort into the offense.

It may be too much for Jang Ilso and Chung Myung, who are on the verge of collapse, but Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold is a man who does not tolerate even the slightest change in the work he commands.

‘Or maybe it was their presence that made Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold so cautious.’

Whatever the cause, the result is the same.

Baek Cheon casually dropped one shoulder and bent his knees. It looks like he will jump out to one side at any moment. However, as soon as he lowered his shoulders, the elites of Black Ghost Fortress who were filling the back row slowly approached the direction his shoulders were facing.

‘…They look like soldiers.’

Their coordination isn’t the kind you see once or twice. They must have been professionally trained for such an encirclement. As if practicing for a hunt.

Baek Cheon instinctively licked his lips. There’s no denying this situation is perilous. To be extremely cold, one should say that everyone here is now halfway to death’s doorstep.

Yet, strangely, there was no fear.

“Sasuk. Shall I go first?”

And it seemed to be the same for Sajil as well. Baek Cheon asked calmly, glancing at Jo-Gol, who was trembling as if eager to rush forward at any moment.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Scared?”

Jo-Gol chuckled as if he had heard the most ridiculous thing.

“Would they be as strong as the bishops we’ve faced?”

“….”

“I’ve seen with my own eyes humans running at the bishops who don’t even look a tiny bit like them. Wouldn’t it be so pathetic of me to be scared by those guys?”

Baek Cheon grinned.

“Right. I guess so.”

Other Mount Hua disciples also slightly raised their swords as if they agreed. Then, Baek Cheon spoke sharply in a cold voice.

“But it’s enough for those two to lose their heads. Don’t lose your reason. What we need to do isn’t to fight these guys, but to break through.”

“Yes.”

Everyone’s complexions hardened.

‘Each one isn’t particularly problematic, but…’

The problem is the number and how they are positioned. At first glance, it may seem like they are just loosely surrounding the area, but the peculiar and slow movements clearly indicate some sort of formation. Carelessly engaging them could lead to serious trouble.

But….

‘It’s not something that can be solved half-assedly!’

Baek Cheon made up his mind and tightened the grip on his sword.

‘Good! First, I rush in first and open the way!’

It was the moment Baek Cheon was about to infuse his legs with internal energy and dash forward.

“Oho?”

“Heok!”

Baek Cheon was startled by an excited voice suddenly heard from behind him and turned around.

“Wow, this is interesting.”

“Yes?”

Im Sobyeong was holding a fan wide open and flicking it gently. It seemed like he didn’t care about the bewildered Baek Cheon at all.

“Just a moment, just a moment… Just a very brief moment…”

He muttered something to himself and began to look closely at the people who had laid out the siege. Those two eyes were like birds eyeing their prey.

“Eight Trigrams (??(八卦)), Inverse Reasoning (??(逆理)). And Fantasy (??(奇幻))… No, is it Three Talents (??(三才)) mixed in there too?”

Baek Cheon blinked his eyes in a daze.

At that moment, Im Sobyeong folded the fan he had opened and slammed it on his hand.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. It’s a sophisticated formation unbefitting of them. These Evil Sects bastards.”

“Huh?”

“Now. Now. Look, Dojang.”

Im Sobyeong gestured towards Black Ghost Fortress.

“The key is not the ones in front, but the ones loitering in the back. If you all charge in a straight line, those in front will solidify their defense and retreat, while those in the back will encircle the attackers from both sides. At least attacks from five directions (??(五方)) will come in. What would happen then?”

“…Yes?”

When Baek Cheon asked blankly, Im Sobyeong frowned. Baek Cheon lowered his head at the disdainful look in his eyes filled with contempt as if to say, ‘How can Mount Hua Sect disciple punk not understand something so simple?’

‘No, one would have to be taught to know….’

The only thing he learned from Mount Hua Sect is ‘If a fight breaks out, hit the head first’ and ‘People don’t die that easily, so just charge in’, so what was he supposed to do with that?

“…If you charge, you’ll be jointly attacked and perish.”

“Aah.”

He should have said it so simply from the beginning. Baek Cheon nodded, his expression cleared.

“It seems that Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold has studied Mount Hua and Myriad Man Manor quite a bit. Aren’t Mount Hua and Myriad Man Manor both boar-like sects representing righteousness, charging in without thought once a fight starts?”

“…No, that’s a bit….”

Of course, it’s not that wrong, but… he should also think about the perspective of those who hear that from the bandit leader….

“It may seem like a hasty siege, but actually, they’re prepared to respond appropriately. If we can’t restrain our impatience and charge, they’ll surround us and cleanly cut off our heads, and stab our bellies. Huhuhuhu. Of course, I wonder if there would be a stupid person who would just rush in after seeing that….”

The shoulders of a man who happened to stop just before charging forward shrank. Suddenly, his neck felt cold and his stomach ached.

“As expected of Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. It’s different from something the likes of Black Dragon King. He is someone who clearly understands the art of war. He might be the worst enemy for Mount Hua and Myriad Man Manor. Huhuhu.”

Im Sobyeong’s eyes sparkled. No wonder… He seemed like a very excited person who had finally met his expertise. In this situation.

‘This yangban is really out of his mind too.’

Why do such characters always gather around Mount Hua?

“But!”

Tak!

At that time, Im Sobyeong slapped his fan down on his palm again.

“That’s a story for when I’m not around.”

He smiled meaningfully and then subtly pushed Baek Cheon forward.

“If they attack from all sides, just hold your ground there. Even if you see an opening, you must not rush out. The moment anyone breaks out, they will surround that person, even if it means showing their backs. If we go in one by one to save them, we’ll all be annihilated.”

Baek Cheon heard those words and shouted urgently.

“Yoon Jong!”

“Yes, Sasuk!”

“Put a leash on that rascal Jo-Gol!”

“Yes!”

“No, why me….”

“Shut up and stick next to me!”

“…Yea.”

Baek Cheon glanced back at Im Sobyeong and said.

“…But, will the situation get better if we just hold on? The longer we wait, the more disadvantaged we will be in numbers, right?”

“Of course it is. But….”

Im Sobyeong glanced somewhere and smiled.

“I’ll tell you about that when the time comes.”

“….”

“Here they come. Talk later! Just hold your ground for now. You can do that much, right? You’re Mount Hua Sect after all?”

At that moment, the elites of Black Ghost Fortress that had been tightening the circle from the front lowered their posture and began to rush towards Mount Hua Sect.

“Well, that’s….”

A broad smile appeared on Baek Cheon’s lips.

“Of course!”

Paaaaat!

The moment Baek Cheon swung his sword, the disciples of Mount Hua who were guarding around him simultaneously shook their swords. The red plum blossoms they had let out bloomed splendidly in front of the charging elites of Black Ghost Fortress.