Chapter 1073: Who Made a Mistake? (Part 3)

"Taaaaaaaaap!"

Jo Gol's thrust cut through the air like a hawk stalking its prey. In this situation, where speed and precision were his trademarks, his quick sword shone brighter than anyone from the Mount Hua Sect.

Yoon Jong stood next to Jo Gol, who was jumping around like a fish out of water, and shouted from time to time.

"Don't go out, man!"

"Ah! I know!"

Every time Jo Gol's foot twitched, Yoon Jong, like a ghost, sensed the movement and grabbed the leash.

Jo Gol bit his lips. He knew he had to hold his ground. It wasn't the time to step forward to cut off the enemy's breath. But no matter where he looked, enemies surrounded them.

'I can't breathe.'

The difference in numbers was too great. No matter how many they knocked down, it felt endless. Even though they were minimizing the consumption of their inner energy, they were still human and couldn't fight endlessly without getting tired.

If they continued this war of attrition, wouldn't they be the first to fall?

'Just a little more…'

"Endure!"

"Damn!"

A dual cry erupted from Jo Gol's mouth.

He could clearly see the clumsily wounded men rejoining the battle line. If they could definitively cut off the enemies' breath, the situation might improve, but there was no way to stop the injured from joining in this defensive position.

"What is a Taoist if he can't endure?"

"I know, damn it! Anyway, stop the nagging!"

Jo Gol gritted his teeth and shook off the sword. Unable to stretch his leg, he had no choice but to use the sword more accurately.

Watching Jo Gol's sword become sharper, Yoon Jong sighed quietly with a hard expression.

'You have to hold on.'

It's not as if Yoon Jong didn't understand why Jo Gol was so desperate. He also wanted to leap forward right now, but why would the impatient Jo Gol let him?

'It feels like we're sinking deeper into a swamp.'

Breaking through a swarm of enemies was not an easy task. But holding on against such enemies had a different kind of difficulty. Most of all, the lack of a clear way to end the fight made him anxious.

With each consecutive swing of the sword, couldn't they keenly feel their inner energy draining away? If the disciples of Mount Hua were not unusually high in inner energy for their age, they might have succumbed to anxiety and self-destruction by now.

Thud!

At that moment, a powerful clashing sound echoed.

Paaaaaaaah!

A crimson light emitted from the sword, instantly weaving through the air. It swept away not only the dozens rushing from the front but also those charging from the sides.

"Kraaah!"

The release of the sword was only a swift stab, making it challenging to inflict fatal injuries. However, it was possible to inject cold water into the momentum of the enemies charging fearlessly.

Yoon Jong observed the one who released the sword. Baek Cheon gritted his teeth, once again exhaling the sword. Recognizing the weary state of the Five Swords, he had forced himself to ventilate the atmosphere even if it was too much for him.

And one after another.

"Ooooh!"

Into the space opened by Baek Cheon, a golden light surged. Hye Yeon supported Baek Cheon, not missing any opportunity to pierce his energy.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

From Hye Yeon, who always maintained a steady breath, rough breaths were pouring out of her mouth.

Others were no different. Yoo Iseol, who was as light as the wind, and Tang Soso, who never lost her cheerfulness, were gradually becoming heavier and duller. Protecting those behind them while enduring the relentless enemy assault consumed more stamina than expected.

"Baek Cheon Dojang! Let's change the front line!"

Namgung Dowi, who was nervously watching from behind, shouted. However, Baek Cheon did not look back.

'You guys are all dying!'

His determination was high, but it wasn't a fight Namgung Dowi could endure. If it were his usual self, he wouldn't know. He had exhausted all his internal strength trying to break through here.

When Baek Cheon glanced back, he locked eyes with Im Sobyeong. That was all, but looking forward again, he shouted.

"Hold on!"

Swinging the sword as if shaking it off, he grinned.

'Trust!'

He didn't trust Im Sobyeong.

He trusted Chung Myung's judgment in bringing Im Sobyeong here. He wouldn't have brought Im Sobyeong without any consideration. If Chung Myung trusted him, there is no reason for them not to trust him.

At that moment.

"Kahaaaaaat!"

Red hunting dogs rushed to the places where Mount Hua's disciples had faltered.

"Hongyeon?"

Baek Cheon, surprised, opened his eyes wide. He urgently turned towards Jang Ilso, who had been fighting but was now looking in this direction. Jang Ilso was smiling strangely while fighting. Despite the precarious situation where he seemed to be in danger of losing his life while attaching more than a hundred Hongyeons on this side, his face still overflowed with composure.

'Thank you for the gift. Damn it!'

Baek Cheon, who spat that thought internally, refocused on the battlefield.

"Clench your teeth and protect Chung Myung!"

His sword cleaved through the air like an illusion.

"This..."

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's face distorted completely.

Unable to overcome their impatience, the Hongyeon lunged into the side of the Black Ghost Castle, who had leaned forward. The tension in the situation was about to collapse entirely.

'Damn it.'

Originally, this situation shouldn't have occurred. There should have been Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold in the middle, and he would never have let it collapse so listlessly.

But now, even if he were the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, he had no way to intervene. He was too excited, and blood rushed to his head, making the voices shouting from behind inaudible.

Thanks to their intensely repeated training, they still retained formation, but the collapse of that was also a matter of time.

Moreover, he saw it clearly.

"Jang Ilso!"

Jang Ilso stepped forward as if tempting him, one step at a time. There was no need to think about what his appearance must have looked like in the excited eyes of the Black Ghost Castle.

In a situation where the infamous Jang Ilso, who had lost strength, was sticking his neck out, who wouldn't lose their reason? It was an unprecedented opportunity to cut off the reins of Jang Ilso, the leader of Myriad Man Manor and the mainstay of Evil Tyrant Alliance, with his one's own hands.

The carefully prepared ambush, now slipping out of his hands, was tilting and shaking freely.

'These idiots!'

If only they did their roles as instructed, this situation would never fail. Why did they act so foolishly and jump around like that?

'No.'

Certainly, at this moment, Jang Ilso was putting his life in jeopardy. However, in return, he was creating a clear crack in Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's encirclement. There may not be enough strength to break through that crack at the moment, but...

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's gaze sharply turned toward Mount Hua.

'If that guy finishes his qi gathering?'

Then, wasn't it too obvious what would happen? If they missed capturing them here, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's fate was as good as sealed. It would lead to such a pathetic situation that he would be better off ending his own life.

"Deploy all the remaining personnel."

"But the plan..."

"Hurry!"

"Yes!"

The reserve forces standing in front all rushed forward. As they were left as a trump card, they should be able to prevent the crack occurring over there...

'No, it's not enough...'

Clank.

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold involuntarily bit his lips. They alone couldn't completely resolve the issue. That place was originally where the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold should've been.

'What should I do?'

Even after juggling around various scenarios in his mind, a conclusion didn't come easily.

'Is it better for me to jump in now?'

If Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold intervened, stabilizing the encirclement wouldn't be a big problem. Although more than half of his strength had been lost, his strategic acumen hadn't disappeared.

'First, even if it's a bit risky...'

Just as Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, unable to resist the temptation, was about to step forward...

'Wait.'

His foot stopped in mid-air.

'Why is Jang Ilso doing this?'

Jang Ilso was currently shaking the encirclement, using even his own life as bait. Why?

To rely on the Mount Hua guy to break through the encirclement once he wakes up? Was Jang Ilso truly someone who would entrust his life to others in such a situation?

"Ha... Haha."

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold laughed as if finding the situation absurd.

It seemed he understood why Jang Ilso had resorted to such antics. The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold looked at Jang Ilso, who was riding the thin line of death with an exceptionally cold gaze.

"The purpose... was me from the beginning, Jang Ilso."

What the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold hated the most were plans that didn't go according to his will. Jang Ilso must have expected that if he made the situation go awry, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold would personally intervene.

The clear crack created by Jang Ilso was not originally a means to escape the encirclement. It was a lure designed to pull in Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. Ironically, if Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold hadn't lost one arm, he would have immediately thrown himself towards the crack without hesitation. However, losing confidence in his own power allowed him a moment to reconsider.

Paradoxically, at this moment, what saved his life was Danjagang. The arm Danjagang severed saved the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's life.

"...That was a good move, Jang Ilso."

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's eyes quickly regained their cold composure. Jang Ilso's ability to set such traps even in such situations was remarkable, but it also meant that, in essence, Jang Ilso had no other choice but to use his life as bait.

'I won, Jang Ilso.'

A chilly smile appeared on Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's lips.

"Wichung."

"Yes."

"Deploy all remaining guards."

"My lord?"

"It's fine. At most, it's just a desperate move."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold clenched the sword at his waist. There was no trace of the hesitation from a moment ago.

"Even if he finishes gathering his qi, it doesn't matter. As long as we don't give him any openings, we can kill them all. Deploy!"

"Yes!"

Following Wichung's orders, all the guards around the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold rushed into the front lines.

The effect was immediately apparent.

Paaah!

The Black Ghost Castle's top forces, who had just rushed in, forcefully pushed back the disciples of Mount Hua who were struggling and attacked the Hongyeon as if clearing away debris.

It was a moment when the chaotic front suddenly regained its color.

"Persistent bastards."

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold shook his head. It was uncertain who initiated it first, but it was evident that both Im Sobyeong and Jang Ilso were on the same wavelength. Those who couldn't have anticipated such an event happening in advance seemed to have prepared strategies in advance, responding to each other as if they had planned it.

If the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's courage had been a little lacking, Jang Ilso's last move would have pierced through his neck.

However, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold no longer cared about what the ultimate move of Jang Ilso was. It was best to leave it as an eternal question along with Jang Ilso's death.

"It keeps you from letting your guard down until the very end."

In any case, in this fight, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold won. Whether it was due to his full abilities or the gift from Danjagang, luck is also a skill in the world of martial arts, isn't it?

"Kuk!"

"These bastards!"

The disciples of Mount Hua, who were fiercely resisting, began to retreat.

The now composed Black Ghost Castle pressed and pushed them without haste. Hongyeon, who had been leaping around, began to spray blood from various wounds.

Seeing the perfectly stabilized formation, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's smile deepened. Now, all that remained was to enjoy watching those who were dying in a pathetic state.

"In the end, the one who laughs last wins. Isn't that right, Jang Ilso?"

At this moment, what the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was most curious about was Jang Ilso's expression. Now that his last gamble, thrown along with his life, had turned into a failure, what expression would Jang Ilso wear?

However...

In that moment, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold saw it.

Even surrounded by Black Ghost Castle, as if his neck was about to be cut at any moment, Jang Ilso's gaze was solely fixed on the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. He had ...a sinister smile.

"What...?"

Suddenly feeling a chill running down his spine, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold unconsciously looked around. But no matter how much he scanned his surroundings, there was nothing threatening.

'Has he gone mad?'

With a gaze filled with doubt, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold stared at Jang Ilso, who continued to wear that eerie smile.

"Wichung!"

"Yes!"

"Go and cut Jang Ilso's throat and bring it here!"

"...Are you talking about Jang Ilso?"

"That's right! Finish him off with your own hands!"

"My lord."

"Hmm?"

"Is there really a need to go that far?"

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who had been observing the front, furrowed his brows for a moment. What an inappropriate remark in such a situation...

Suddenly, he flinched.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was momentarily taken aback, his shoulders jolting.

"You?"

Feeling that something was off, he instinctively turned his head, or rather, tried to.

Swish!

Before that, an immense pain surged through his side. A cold dagger pierced through the flesh, tearing at him with excruciating pain.

"Kuaak..."

Choking on his breath, overwhelmed by the pain that turned his mind white, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold began to tremble like a bamboo in the wind.

What had happened? What...

Struggling to turn his trembling head, he finally saw it. With his hand thrust into his side, Wichung was chillingly smiling.

"You..."

The first thought that crossed his mind was 'betrayal.' However, that thought vanished faster than when it first occurred. If Wichung was a traitor, would the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold have kept him close?

"You... It's not Wichung..."

Not Wichung, but someone who could perfectly imitate his appearance without arousing suspicion from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

There was only one person in the world who could do that.

"Thousand-Faced..."

Black blood welled up from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's mouth.

"Thousand-Faced... Gentleman..."

Wichung, no, the leader of the Hao Sect, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, replied.

"It's been a while, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold."

The voice was filled with laughter.