Chapter 1136: Still, What Can You Do? (Part 1)

"Damn it!"

A string of curses involuntarily escaped Jo Gol's mouth. With all his might, he swung his sword forward.

Clang!

The moment the swords collided, the muscles in his wrist twisted. Though he managed to suppress a scream, there was no way to avoid being thrown backward by the impact.

'Kuk!'

As his body shot backward like a shell, someone blocked his back and supported him.

There was no need to turn his head to confirm. Sensing the presence of Yoon Jong behind him, Jo Gol instinctively moved his foot. The moment he stepped on Yoon Jong's knee, Yoon Jong lightly bounced up, lifting Jo Gol upward.

"Uryaaaaah!"

Jo Gol soared up and, in the meantime, Yoon Jong charged forward.

Rushing ahead, Yoon Jong observed the opponent in front of him. Chung Myung's frighteningly cold eyes sent an eerie shiver through his chest.

"Uk!"

Despite the pressure, Yoon Jong's sword was swung with utmost delicacy. Unlike his burning chest, the sword was perfectly executed.

His sword overlapped with Jo Gol's sword as it descended. A swift and sharp blade that perfectly contrasted with Yoon Jong's sword!

But.

Bang!

Chung Myung's sword moved like lightning and simultaneously struck both swords. It was faster than Jo Gol's and more delicate than Yoon Jong's.

And the power within was incomparable.

"Kuk!"

A painful groan escaped. This much was already expected. How many times have they dealt with that damn bastard in the first place?

As both of them were thrown backward, plum blossoms bloomed from their swords. Since they seized the initiative, that guy would undoubtedly counterattack. So, for now, they needed to tie his feet...

'Huh?'

At that moment, Yoon Jong's eyes widened.

As he took a step back, the Namgung Dowi came into view with his swords unfolded. If he continued sweeping his sword, he would undoubtedly be swept away by the trajectory.

In a panic, Yoon Jong turned his sword aside. Seizing the opportunity, Chung Myung dove into Yoon Jong's flank.

"No, no!"

Kwoooong!

Yoon Jong, who was kicked away, flew like a kite without a string attached. In disarray, Jo Gol, left alone, somehow managed to swing his sword. But what power could be put into a sword suddenly turned askew in panic?

"Kwueeeeek!"

With a kick to the face, Jo Gol made a pig-like squeal and bounced away.

And at that very moment.

"Ah!"

Namgung Dowi, realizing his mistake, widened his eyes. In an instant, Chung Myung, who had swiftly dealt with Jo Gol and Yoon Jong, was now charging towards him with an indifferent, almost chilling gaze.

"Eeek!"

For a moment, his knees trembled, but Namgung Dowi desperately put strength into his legs and swung his sword forcefully.

Namgung's sword was completely different from Mount Hua's sword. Strong and heavy!

But...

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Namgung Dowi's face contorted miserably.

The moment the swords clashed, his sword was effortlessly pushed back. Despite using all his strength, Namgung Dowi couldn't withstand the force of Chung Myung's casual deflection.

In a somewhat absurd move, Chung Myung, without changing his expression, delivered a punch to Namgung Dowi's jaw.

Pwoooook!

Namgung Dowi bounced away like a ball.

Paaaat!

Chung Myung, striking the ground fiercely, chased after the tumbling Namgung Dowi.

Suddenly.

Grabbing Namgung Dowi's shoulders, Chung Myung held the limp, half-conscious body in front of him and charged towards Tang Pae.

"Damn it!"

When Chung Myung charged, Tang Pae, who had a throwing knife in each hand ready to throw at any moment, hesitated for a moment and stiffened. His eyes shook as if experiencing an earthquake.

Chung Myung, with Namgung Dowi acting as a shield, was rushing towards him. How could he throw knives under these circumstances?

If Tang Pae had been a bit more composed, he could have either created some distance first, thrown a hidden weapon that could avoid Namgung Dowi and hit Chung Myung, or if all else failed, sprayed some poison.

But faced with an unexpected situation, Tang Pae hesitated for a moment because he couldn't find a way out. When facing someone like Chung Myung, even a moment's hesitation was fatal.

Paaaat!

The sword that extended from between Nangung Dowi's armpits charged towards the Tang Pae in a flash. Terrified, Tang Pae twisted his body to the side. But at that moment, Chung Myung, still holding Namgung Dowi, threw him towards Tang Pae.

Tang Pae, momentarily stunned, closed his eyes tightly and flew away from the approaching Namgung Dowi. If he accepted that, wouldn't the aftermath be too predictable?

'Ah, fuck.'

However, Tang Pae quickly regretted that choice.

Chung Myung was already waiting where he had thrown himself to escape Namgung Dowi. As if he knew he would make that choice.

He should have just taken that hit and sacrificed his dignity...

Kwang!

"Ahh!"

Tang Pae, who had his jaw kicked, flew like a cannonball and rolled on the ground. Tumbling around, he ended up beside the already sprawled Namgung Dowi.

Thud.

Chung Myung, who had landed on the ground, looked around indifferently.

"Kkuuh..."

"Ah, I'm dying..."

The situation was simply miserable. Those who had been completely crushed without even resisting were all moaning while clutching somewhere.

Watching their pitiful appearance, Chung Myung sighed quietly.

"No... Chung Myung..."

Jo Gol tried to say something, but quickly shut his mouth. Chung Myung's expression was unusually stiff.

With a cold gaze, Chung Myung looked at the fallen and opened his mouth.

"It's the third day."

Hearing those words, Jo Gol silently lowered his head.

"Three days have passed, but nothing has changed. No, it's even worse than the beginning."

The faces of those who heard those words distorted. No, wasn't that something obvious? They had been beaten for three days straight, so it was only natural that they were more tired and weaker than before.

However, their thoughts disappeared like smoke the moment Chung Myung's next words came out.

"It seems like you're mistaken about something. If this were a real fight, do you think you'd have another chance?"

It wasn't because those words contained a profound meaning. It was because the emotions in his voice were so heavy that hearts sank, and shoulders trembled.

"Do you believe it will somehow work out?"

"...."

"Do you just think that if you do whatever, it will somehow be resolved? That someone will clean up the Evil Tyrant Alliance for you, and someone will handle the Demonic Sect for you?"

The surroundings fell into a dead silence.

"And then, if you're unlucky enough to encounter a strong enemy, you'll just die, right?"

His voice was too dark and heavy.

Even those who were silently harboring complaints couldn't look Chung Myung in the eyes at this moment. Someone who usually cursed and got angry, now calmly spoke words without emotion. So it sounded darker and heavier.

"Sure, go ahead. You'll find out that the truly frightening thing isn't dying but surviving."

"...."

"Surviving and realizing that the person you fought and cursed with until yesterday will never come back."

Chung Myung, who had been staring at everyone with cold eyes, turned around.

"I don't know if idiots like you can understand what I'm saying."

He sheathed his sword and left the training ground. Tang Gunak, Meng So, and the elders, who had been watching the scene, also left the training ground with stern faces.

Even after they all hid their figures, silence lingered in the training ground for quite a while.

After a while.

"Uh...."

"You're good. Damn it."

The moment Namgung Dowi tried to say something, curses poured out of Im Sobyeong's mouth.

"Damn it, I have no words to refute how good you are. That's why people who talk too much are the first to die, because they get stabbed in the back."

 [I was very confused by this part, and I'm sad I couldn't translate it right...T_T ]

Namgung Dowi looked at Im Sobyeong with a bewildered look. Wasn't it a feat to say that Chung Myung said the right thing so sarcastically?

"Ah, damn it!"

At that moment, Jo Gol shouted loudly in frustration.

"I don't understand! We didn't get beaten so miserably even when we fought among ourselves! But why is it such a mess now!"

Jo Gol's anger seemed valid at first glance.

Mount Hua had mixed swords with Chung Myung for several years. Of course, one couldn't be confident about pulling out Chung Myung's true power, but even so, it shouldn't be so easy to be defeated like this.

Moreover, with the added power, logically, the fight should become even more superior. It was frustrating because the situation was getting worse.

But that was Jo Gol's perspective. Other sects had no choice but to perceive it differently.

"So you're saying we're doing something wrong?"

When Tang Zhan clenched his teeth, Jo Gol glared at him with eyes full of murderous intent.

"Are we doing something right, then...."

"Stop it."

"No, Sasuk! He said something wrong...."

"I told you to shut up."

Jo Gol shrugged his shoulders.

Yoon Jong was a person who rarely showed his anger to anyone other than Jo Gol. But there was someone who showed anger to him even less, and that was none other than Baek Cheon.

Baek Cheon was now looking at Jo Gol with cold eyes.

"No... I..."

Jo Gol bowed deeply. Baek Cheon, observing his gesture, turned his gaze to Yoon Jong and asked,

"You didn't know there was someone behind you?"

"...I knew."

"Then why did you draw your sword like that?"

Baek Cheon questioned him coldly.

"Because you thought he could avoid it? Because you didn't care? If your skills are lacking, you should know your place and step back, shouldn't you?"

"Well, that's..."

"Since when did such arrogance grow inside you?"

"I'm sorry."

Yoon Jong couldn't muster the courage to refute and bowed his head deeply.

Baek Cheon, who looked coldly at the disciples of Mount Hua, including Yoon Jong, scanned the disciples of other sects. Those who met his gaze involuntarily lowered their heads.

Baek Cheon slowly stood up from his seat. At that moment, everyone's attention focused on him.

Everyone felt anew the weight of Baek Cheon, the senior disciple of Mount Hua.

Except for Im Sobyeong, there was no one with greater influence here than Baek Cheon.

No, perhaps Baek Cheon's influence might be greater than Im Sobyeong, the King of Nokrim. The position of the next Sect Leader of Mount Hua was enormous, especially within the world of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

When such a person deliberately expressed his anger, everyone hesitated to make a sound.

Even Tang Pae, the young lord of the Tang family in Sichuan, Namgung Dowi, the actual lord of the Namgung family, Beast Palace, and Ice Palace, and even Im Sobyeong, all looked at Baek Cheon without uttering a word.

"Everyone..."

Baek Cheon spoke. Everyone listened intently, expecting a sharp rebuke.

However, at that moment, Baek Cheon bowed deeply to everyone.

"I apologize."

Everyone looked at Baek Cheon with bewildered expressions. The surroundings fell into an eerie silence.