It was not until Jang Ilso moved away that Black Dragon King, who rose slowly to the top of the cliff, approached.
“What a shame.”
“....”
“I should have killed you right here.”
Tension and veins bulge across Namgung Hwang’s entire face.
“...You will surely die by my hands, Black Dragon King.”
“How would you do that when you can’t even cross the Yangzte?”
Eudeududuk.
A sound resembling grinding emanated from Namgung Hwang’s clenched teeth. Black Dragon King burst into laughter when he saw him shaking because he couldn’t hold back his anger and humiliation.
“Begging for your life and barely escaping, yet still holding onto your pride! Right, that’s the Righteous Faction alright. Hahahahaha!”
That was it. It would have been less shocking if he had made a more explicit insult, but Black Dragon King went down the cliff neatly ignoring Namgung Hwang, leaving only the laughter behind.
“Hmm.”
The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold in a mocking manner as he stared at Heo Dojin.
“Looks like I made a profitable venture.”
“....”
As the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold turned, Thousand-Faced Gentleman clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. You guys are so cold-hearted.”
“...Amitabha.”
Thousand-Faced Gentleman saluted as Bop Kye softly chanted with a pale complexion.
“I have witnessed the martial arts of Shaolin, Monk.”
“...Hao Sect’s Sect Leader martial art is also... incredible.”
“May we cross hands again in the future.”
Thousand-Faced Gentleman smiled bitterly. Then added implicitly.
“You too are going to have a hard time now. As you can see, our Ryeonju is a very difficult person to handle.”
No one could respond.
Paegun Jang Ilso.
Of course, there would have been no one who would dare to ignore him until now, but from today, the world’s view of him will completely change.
At least after this moment, it was clear that no one would dare to refer to anyone other than Jang Ilso as the greatest of the Evil Faction.
“Then.”
Thousand-Faced Gentleman turned his body for the last time.
“Let’s go!”
“Yes!”
The martial artist of Evil Tyrant Alliance, who left a blatant mockery and ridicule, began to descend the cliff without hesitation.
What was left for those remaining was nothing but despair.
Those who had climbed the cliff finally realized that they hadn’t had a proper battle with the pillars of opposing Evil Tyrant Alliance. Unlike their miserable appearance, there was not a speck of dust on their clothes.
The realization brought further humiliation.
“...Heo Dojin.”
Namgung Hwang, who had been glaring at the departing figures while biting his lips, turned to look at Heo Dojin. The malice in his eyes was unsettling.
The malice in those two eyes was so cruel that it was hard to believe that they were looking at an ally.
“Do you know what you’ve done?”
“....”
“We’ve begged the Evil Faction for our lives. No matter how you dress it up with truce or ceasefire bullshit, the essence remains the same!”
Heo Dojin looked up at the sky without saying a word.
“What are you planning to do to resolve this? How are you going to pick up the honor that has fallen to the ground, you damned bastard!”
Heo Dojin said in a low voice as the excited Namgang Hwang tried to raise his voice again.
“Then why didn’t you stop me?”
“What?”
“I said you should have stopped me then.”
“....”
As Namgung Hwang clenched his teeth, Heo Dojin shot him a cold look.
“There were plenty of opportunities to intervene. No, there wasn’t even a need for that. If you’d led your men and attacked just one person, there would have been another war, no matter of negotiation. Then I’ll ask.”
“....”
“Did you really not know that and kept silent?”
“This....”
Namgung Hwang’s hands trembled. His head seemed to be burning with rage.
“You spoke of honor?”
A clear sneer appeared at the corner of Heo DoJin’s mouth.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility. You all will eagerly criticize me, so naturally, all the blame will fall on me.”
“...Amitabha.”
Bop Kye closed his eyes and chanted the Buddha’s name repeatedly. He too couldn’t bear to look at Heo DoJin directly.
“But speaking of honor...”
On this cliff, the ones who have the right to discuss virtue.......
Then Chung Myung started talking.
“...Why did you do that?”
“....”
“Why?”
Heo Dojin chuckled.
“I wonder....”
And he muttered with empty eyes.
“Why indeed?”
“You crazy bastard!”
Peoook!
Chung Myung’s fist struck Heo Dojin in the face. As Heo Dojin tumbled backward, Chung Myung climbed on top of him and began to pound his face.
“Why! Why did you do that! Why!”
Peok! Peok!
“You’re doing the same shit again! Again! You dog bastard!”
Chung Myung howled like a beast and beat up Heo Dojin. Wudang’s disciples were screaming and tried to intervene, but their steps were forced to stop when Heo Dojin, who fell to the ground, raised his hand.
“Why!”
Chung Myung grabbed Heo Dojin by the collar and pulled him. Their foreheads collided with a thud.
Heo Dojin looked at the sky with empty eyes, blood trickling from his busted lips.
“I was...”
A low voice leaked out.
“...just trying to save my disciples.”
“....”
“That’s... all.”
Chung Myung’s body was trembling.
“You...!”
Holding Heo Dojin by the collar with one hand, he lifted his other fist. The fist began to garner a formidable energy.
“Sto- Stop!”
“Euaaaaaaaaaa!”
Kwaaaang!
A loud noise erupted. Chung Myung’s fist was lodged in the ground right next to Heo Dojin’s face.
“Damn it...”
Chung Myung who let go of Heo Dojin rose weakly. But even after he stood, Heo Dojin was only staring blankly at the sky.
“F*cking bastards...”
Glaring at Heo Dojin, the other disciples of Ten Great Sect, and the disciples of the Five Great Family present on the cliff, Chung Myung turned his body.
As he stumbled, Baek Cheon quickly grabbed his arm and helped him up.
“...Let’s go back, Chung Myung-ah.”
“....”
“This isn’t our place. Let’s go to Sect Leader. To Mount Hua... Right, let’s go back to our Mount Hua.”
Five Swords all nodded as Baek Cheon spoke. They looked at the sects present with a face that said they had had enough. No one could meet eyes with such Five Swords.
When they were in a hurry to protect their own lives, Mount Hua Five Swords fought against Jang Ilso.
So how could they dare to utter the word ‘majority’ in front of the Five Swords?
It’s valor to fight against a strong enemy. It’s chivalrous not to retreat even when you can’t win. Fighting only when you can win is neither valor nor chivalry; it’s merely intimidation.
‘We have listened to and learned it countless times.’
But there is a difference between simply knowing and doing it.
Five Swords stood and fought; they could not.
Jin Hyun looked up at the sky with eyes of despair and soon clenched them shut.
“Let’s go, Chung Myung.”
Baek Cheon helped Chung Myung up. Jo-Gol also helped Chung Myung on the other side.
“Yes, Chung Myung.... Let’s go back. I don’t want to stay here any longer.”
Jo-Gol’s muttering penetrated the ears of those who remained on the cliff. As if he was speaking directly into their ears, so vividly clear.
Then Chung Myung opened his mouth.
“Sasuk.”
“Huh?”
“My sword... Give me my sword.”
“...Why?”
Baek Cheon asked back with a discontented face. It clearly meant not to talk to them anymore. But Chung Myung looked at that face still and shook his head.
“Not yet....”
Chung Myung’s gaze headed down the cliff. His eyes became utterly cold.
“There’s still something left for me to do.”
Blood trickled down Chung Myung’s chin and dripped onto the cliff.