Chapter 1061: Is This How It's Done? (Part 1)

Kwaaaaang!

In the aftermath of the swirling explosion, the disciples of Mount Hua staggered backward, their eyes wide open.

"That, that...!"

Every time Danjagang unleashed his strength, the ground exploded, and the terrain twisted. However, even within the explosive burst of manipulated demonic energy, Jang Ilso stood unwaveringly against Danjagang.

Facing an attack that could even topple a mountain, Jang Ilso clung to Danjagang with determination.

It was truly a tightrope walk.

No, it was a stunt so dangerous that it couldn't be expressed adequately with such words.

Even the disciples of Mount Hua, who harbored nothing but ill will towards Jang Ilso, could not help but feel their chests tighten with anxiety every time the sinister demonic energy seemed to graze Jang Ilso's body.

Even in the blink of an eye, dozens of exchanges occurred. Within them, a single mistake could lead to the deadly demonic energy hitting Jang Ilso at point-blank range, and in that moment, Jang Ilso, his body and limbs, would be torn apart.

And Jang Ilso, the person most aware of this fact, was relentlessly pressing on Danjagang as if he couldn't sense the fear.

As if...

"That, that... Chung Myung is..."

At Jo Gol's moaned words, Baek Cheon involuntarily nodded. The fighting style Jang Ilso was demonstrating now closely resembled the familiar moves of someone they all knew well.

'I never thought there would be another person in the world who could do that.'

Even Baek Cheon, who constantly observed and learned from Chung Myung, couldn't dare attempt such outrageous maneuvers. It wasn't because Baek Cheon was weak; it was simply something beyond his capabilities.

Even with all the effort, it couldn't be done just by knowing how.

To stay so close in the midst of unseen attacks, never allowing the opponent's strikes to land even once, was a matter of innate sensory perception that went beyond the teachings of martial arts. And no matter how honed one's senses were, the limits of congenital abilities couldn't be surpassed.

In terms of boldly displaying the correct teachings of the Plum Blossom Martial Arts, Baek Cheon actually had an advantage over Chung Myung. However, no matter how hard Baek Cheon tried, he couldn't mimic the animalistic senses Chung Myung possessed.

Yet, Jang Ilso was now facing Bishop like Chung Myung.

At that moment, Yoon Jong, who had been silently watching, spoke as if suffering.

"Too... Too dangerous, isn't it? That...?"

The acrobatics on that line, which even made the hearts of onlookers tighten, ultimately led the disciples of Mount Hua to express concern for Jang Ilso.

They knew.

If he could pull off the same feat, Jang Ilso might even surpass Chung Myung at this moment.

However, strangely, his heart didn't calm down when witnessing that scene. It felt like Jang Ilso's head would burst open, splattering brain matter at any moment.

'Is that really possible?'

Cold sweat broke out, and his whole body became sticky.

"If Jang Ilso ends up making a mistake..."

Right at that moment, a chilling voice reached his ears.

"Blabbering as soon as you show up. You foolish righteous sect disciples."

Baek Cheon reflexively turned his head to look at the speaker.

It was Ho Gakmyung, the military commander of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. He spoke without taking his eyes off the clash between Jang Ilso and Danjagang.

"If you don't know, shut your mouths and watch. You're not someone with the authority to assess him with your pitiful opinions."

Baek Cheon momentarily felt a lump in his throat, but his feelings quickly subsided. Not because of Ho Gakmyung's presence, but because of the expression he wore.

As far as Baek Cheon knew, Ho Gakmyung was a being inseparable from Jang Ilso.

Certainly, even before the Evil Tyrant Alliance, rumors about Jang Ilso and Ho Gakmyung had spread before the name 'Evil Tyrant Alliance' even existed.

So, for Ho Gakmyung, Jang Ilso must be an irreplaceable existence. Yet, how could he maintain such a calm expression while watching his lord risking his life on this tightrope?

At that moment, Ho Gakmyung subtly shifted his gaze and coldly looked at the disciples of Mount Hua.

Although he had no desire to mingle with them...

"Do you think Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword is more trustworthy?"

Baek Cheon didn't respond, but Ho Gakmyung continued as if no response was necessary.

"It's probably because you've witnessed the miraculous victories Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword has achieved over the years, right?"

Baek Cheon didn't try to argue, and his lips started to move to say something but were quickly sealed shut.

The reason they trusted that guy, Chung Myung, wasn't just that. But undoubtedly, if Chung Myung hadn't shown them consecutive victories in battles that seemed impossible, they wouldn't blindly trust him as they do now.

"How many years have you been watching that? Five years? Ten years?"

"..."

"Understand it clearly, you fools from the righteous sects."

Ho Gakmyung spat out his words.

"For over twenty years, Paegun Jang Ilso has always trampled on those stronger than himself. If there had been even a single defeat in those twenty years, the name Jang Ilso would have been forgotten like the name of an ordinary beggar."

"..."

"He survived because he didn't lose, and he conquered because he didn't fail. Whether the opponent is strong or weak, it doesn't matter."

For a moment, Baek Cheon felt a chill down his spine.

Of course, they also excessively trusted Chung Myung. However, the trust Ho Gakmyung had in Jang Ilso was different from theirs.

'Isn't that actually closer to demonic sects?'

It was more like faith than trust. Believing without questioning reasons and situations.

But... when you think about it, wouldn't they end up that way too?

If, over the next ten years or more, they continued to watch Chung Myung win battles like he does now, wouldn't they eventually become fanatical in their belief in Chung Myung when it came to the aspect of victory?

It's like Ho Gakmyung, who, having watched all of that, blindly believes in Jang Ilso. At that moment, Ho Gakmyung spoke like driving a nail.

"At least I can't even imagine Paegun losing."

Baek Cheon, who was shaken by that firm and blind belief, unknowingly turned to look at Jang Ilso. A giant who had climbed to the peak of the Evil Sect with those two hands. A few strands of cut hair fluttered in all directions.

Jang Ilso, who had become a mass of disheveled hair, ran forward, spraying blood. His shoulders had long since turned dark red from the pressure emitted by demonic energy. A body that had become a mess. But the eyes glimpsed between the disheveled hair, unlike at the beginning of the battle, were far more determined.

Crack!

Danjagang's hand clawed at Jang Ilso's wrist, literally tearing off a chunk of flesh with just a graze. Even though it was just a brush, a deep wound remained, to the point where bones could be seen.

Tearing flesh from the bare body would undoubtedly cause excruciating pain, but Jang Ilso showed no reaction and continued to relentlessly focus on Danjagang's head.

'Crazy.'

Such a thoughtless laugh escaped from Chung Myung's mouth, supporting Jang Ilso from behind. It wasn't for the purpose of provocation on the battlefield, but it was rare to laugh so sincerely and absurdly.

That's how intense and unmatched the sight Jang Ilso was showing right now was.

'Is that what I look like when I'm being watched from behind?'

He didn't know when he did it. People can't objectively see themselves. An experience that no one else can have.

Chung Myung could only observe his own fighting style through the eyes of an outsider.

'... He managed to survive to the end with such antics.' 

While doing such things. Now, he seemed to understand why those who saw him fight all felt a sense of distance from him. And the enemies facing him would surely have felt that way as well. 

Of course, Jang Ilso wasn't perfect. He was a sword master, but Jang Ilso was a fist master. No matter how hard they tried to become alike, there was a fundamental difference. That difference pushed Jang Ilso to the brink of death in every moment. 

But it didn't seem to matter much. Because what supported him was Chung Myung. 

It wasn't important that Chung Myung had never experienced supporting someone before. Because he could understand. He had always been there, feeling how Chung Myung had protected him with senses, not eyes, over the years. 

Yes, the sight he was seeing now... 

It was the sight that Tang Bo had seen a hundred years ago. 

Breathing and harmonizing. You should feel as if you can touch a breath, a movement, and even the slightest movement of muscles. Perfectly assimilating oneself with the person in front, predicting and understanding the movement before it happened. 

'He pulled off this insane act so well, you bastard!' 

Although it was unpleasant to have to protect that damn Jang Ilso, somehow, the feeling wasn't as disgusting as he thought. 

Thanks to that, he was able to engrave into his eyes the sight that he could never have known alone. 

Paaat! 

Chung Myung's sword stretched out. Right after that, Danjagang and Jang Ilso fiercely reached out towards each other. Just for a moment, Chung Myung's sword, which had advanced first, preemptively seized the direction of Danjagang's attack and blocked it, then pierced through the flesh with a well-anticipated attack. 

A single thrust staking everything on one sword. It was closer to a dagger technique than swordsmanship. 

- Different dagger technique? Well, if you need it, use it. I just like it. Why? Do you have any complaints? 

'Stupid bastard!' 

He only understood it when standing behind. 

For killing an opponent, subtle dagger techniques were much more useful. If you could combine it with Tang Bo's poison, you could somehow hit the opponent's body with the dagger techniques. 

But that alone won't protect the one in front. To block the enemy, force must be applied, and to threaten the enemy, it must be visible to the enemy's eyes. 

It was an absurd paradox that the dagger, which should be fired more secretly and quickly than any other weapon, must be thrown in the sight of the enemy. Completed within that paradox was the Twelve Daggers technique.

Uhk! 

Chung Myung bit his lips until they bled. 

'Why the hell am I realizing this so late, you damn idiot...'

In the profoundly lonely and at times, even desolate battlefield, there were countless individuals standing behind him. If they hadn't been there, Chung Myung wouldn't have been able to cut the throat of the Heavenly Demon; instead, he would have become a cold corpse strewn across the battlefield long ago.

At that moment, Danjagang let out a terrible scream, raising his arm. Jang Ilso couldn't just stand by and watch. Swiftly penetrating inside, Jang Ilso twisted twelve attacks into Danjagang's upper body in the blink of an eye.

"Kkuk...!"

Blood spurted out from Danjagang's mouth once again. However, even as blood was forcibly ejected from his mouth, Danjagang's gaze became even more intense, glowing with a deep bloodlust.

"Heav...Heavenly Demon."

In an instant, Jang Ilso's gaze sharply rose upward. Unlike the swordsman's attack, a fistman's strike could be withstood through vigorous internal energy. This difference was dragging Jang Ilso down to the depths of hell at this very moment.

"Ten... Thousand... Blessings!"

A palm-sized ball of energy spewed from Danjagang's fingertips and descended simultaneously over Jang Ilso and Chung Myung's heads.

At that moment!

- Taoist hyung!

'Yes!'

As if already knowing, Chung Myung surged forward.

'Is this how it's done?'

Chung Myung's sword shot out like a flash of light, flying towards Danjagang's throat with a single stroke of a dagger technique.