Chapter 1509: Some People Settle Things Through Words (Part 4)

Kwaaang!

Jo Gol instinctively increased his speed, driving the ground with force.

But it was far. Too late.

Even with his extraordinarily swift sword, known as the Light-Splitting Sword, it was impossible to close this distance in an instant.

In the slowed-down time, the scene of a single staff falling behind Baek Cheon, carrying a powerful internal strength, was clearly visible.

'Ah, no....'

Just as Jo Gol inadvertently tried to close his eyes.

Kaaang!

From somewhere, a sword flew like a flash and pushed away the staff that was almost reaching Baek Cheon's head.

"Ah, Sago!"

Jo Gol shouted with a mixture of trembling and relief. Yoo Iseol, who had appeared next to Baek Cheon unnoticed, was calmly attacking the opponent.

She extended her hand, grabbing Baek Cheon's swaying shoulder and lifting him.

Baek Cheon, who had momentarily lost consciousness, looked at Yoo Iseol and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"....Thank you."

"Just doing my part."

Baek Cheon grabbed his chest with his left hand, stood up again, and adjusted his posture.

"It seems I got careless for a moment. No need to worry."

"Yes."

Yoo Iseol nodded without saying a word. However, Jo Gol, watching from a distance, was still confused.

'Sasuk getting into trouble with such an attack?'

Of course, people had different conditions every day, and even a great master may have had days when they couldn't fully demonstrate their skills.

However, even considering that, the Baek Cheon he knew wouldn't easily succumb to such an attack.

Moreover, what was even stranger was not Baek Cheon but Yoo Iseol.

Thanks to Yoon Jong, Jo Gol had a moment to catch his breath and could observe Baek Cheon's situation. But Yoo Iseol had no such advantage. How did she know that Baek Cheon was in danger and came flying to help faster than Jo Gol?

Unless she knew in advance that Baek Cheon would be in danger...

"Stop daydreaming, idiot!"

"Ah, sorry!"

Jo Gol quickly replied, biting his lips. Now was not the time to be lost in thought. After all, this was a battlefield, wasn't it?

Jo Gol, with a worried look, turned towards Yoon Jong and quickly ran to him. Now he had to trust Yoo Iseol, who was by Baek Cheon's side.

"Uwaaaaah!"

A powerful energy emanated from Jo Gol's sword, stronger than usual, as if trying to draw in all the elders around him.

Observing the explosive energy spreading from his sword with a side glance, Baek Cheon bit his lower lip tightly. At that moment, Yoo Iseol's short words were heard.

"Move back."

"No."

Baek Cheon shook his head defiantly.

"I just got careless for a moment."

"Stubborn."

"Seriously."

Baek Cheon tightened his grip on the sword and confidently stepped forward.

Yoo Iseol, as if indicating that she would no longer stop him, closed her mouth. Instead, she took her position next to him.

Baek Cheon let out a bitter smile.

'It's causing trouble.'

He knew Yoo Iseol's fighting style. She didn't engage in direct combat, instead swiftly entering the battlefield to confuse her opponents before swiftly and sharply attacking with minimal movements.

The fact that she was now firmly standing on the ground, blocking the opponent's attacks, was clearly felt. It expressed her intention to help Baek Cheon.

Wooong.

Baek Cheon pushed his internal strength into the sword with all his might.

"So, it was just a moment of carelessness!"

Hwaaaah!

Red petals spewed out from the tip of the sword like branches.

On this particular day, the unusually brilliant and red plum blossoms bloomed as if they could wither at any moment.

"Wooohoo!"

And in response, a golden light burst from behind Baek Cheon like sunlight.

"Dangerous!"

"Avoid it!"

Kwaaaang!

The golden power shattered the defensive wall into pieces. With this level of impact, it would be impossible to hide the fact that a battle was taking place here.

"This guy!"

The elders who noticed this fact glared at Baek Cheon with resentment. Baek Cheon chuckled briefly.

"You beggars claim to be the most upright because you have nothing. But looking at the elders, it seems that's not entirely true."

"What?"

Strangely, laughter kept coming out.

The situation was still dire. Everyone was just barely holding on, waiting for Chung Myung to quickly deal with Ilho Shin Gae.

But strangely, Baek Cheon felt calm and light-hearted. Unlike those who were overwhelmed and didn't know what to do when at an overwhelming disadadvantage.

'I don't know.'

Whether this feeling was due to his confidence in the path he was walking, or maybe...

Glancing sideways, he saw the spirited figure of Chung Myung leaping like a ghost.

"...Let's go with the former."

Baek Cheon muttered quietly and smiled, infusing his sword with internal strength once again.

"Push harder!"

"Yes!"

Baek Cheon, biting his lips, extended his sword with determination.

Kaaang!

The sword, which swiftly bounced the incoming staff, pierced the arm holding the staff like a snake. In an instant, the red snake that had bitten through the wrist and elbow, insatiable, ruthlessly tore apart the shoulder of the Beggar's union elder.

"Kuk!"

In an instant, the open elder whose arm was torn grimaced in pain. But there was no time to feel the pain. This time, the red snake with bared fangs flew towards his face.

"Heuk!"

The elder, whose arm was torn in an instant, quickly lowered his body, rolling on the ground.

Lazy Donkey Roll. It was a technique that was said to be the most shameful among martial artists, but he wasn't embarrassed at all.

Kwang!

But unfortunately, Chung Myung was also someone who did not consider the situation. The lowered elder was kicked in the chest and sent flying.

The elder spat blood from his mouth and crashed into the hall's wall. Dust billowed from the pierced wall.

Having cleanly dealt with one elder, Chung Myung disappeared from the spot as if he had never been there.

Kwaang! Kwang!

However, frighteningly, three single staffs fell from where he had stood. The attacks were so powerful that if they hadn't avoided it in time, his body would've been shattered.

"Damn it!"

The ones who had only attacked the ground were flustered and quickly got up. At that moment, what they saw in front of them was not Chung Myung but dozens of sword energies flying towards them.

Instinctively twisting their bodies to avoid it, the elongated red sword energy barely grazed in front of their faces.

It was dangerous. If they had been a little late, their necks would have been pierced. The moment the feeling of danger and relief intersected, the elder opened his eyes.

'What...!'

The sword energy that barely grazed the face suddenly swelled as if it were exploding, creating countless petals. It was as if a bomb had exploded in front of their faces, scattering fragments in all directions.

If they had the skill to respond to such a situation, they might not still be stuck in the position of mere Beggar's Union elders.

"Uaaaaaah!"

Petals as sharp as blades bit into the bodies of the elders. In an instant, the elders, whose whole bodies were covered in wounds, staggered briefly in battle and collapsed to the ground.

Kakak.

The end of Chung Myung's sword, lowered to the ground, scratched the floor. Taking a deep breath, Chung Myung, who was catching his breath, looked back at Ilho Shin Gae.

'It's not over yet, huh.'

In this world, beggars were plentiful, and likewise, there were many Beggar's Union elders. However, even he did not anticipate that they would remain in such abundance.

While each elder's martial prowess was only a level higher than the top disciples of prestigious sects, the problem lay in the sheer number of these elders. Even with just half of them, they could fill this vast battlefield.

However, the burden on Chung Myung was not to be compared to the shock that Ilho Shin Gae felt. Ilho Shin Gae, like someone who had completely lost his senses, alternately gazed at Chung Myung and the Beggar's Union elders sprawled all over the place.

Chung Myung was strong. But Ilho Shin Gae was also strong.

So, even if Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword was strong, it was expected that he could compete to some extent. Maybe it wasn't impossible for Ilho Shin Gae himself to win.

But the presence of Chung Myung that he saw in front of him today made everything he had considered and believed so far a mere delusion.

Just as Chung Myung said.

He was only a king among dogs, boasting and living his life. In front of these wide fields, in front of the tigers who risked their lives and fought for territory, he was nothing more than a joke.

"Are you going to keep hiding like that?"

Chung Myung's cold question made Ilho Shin Gae flinch.

There was no sense of superiority in Chung Myung's gaze. It was not because he was wary of Ilho Shin Gae. In the first place, that person didn't even consider him an enemy.

Realizing this fact, Ilho Shin Gae bit his lower lip without realizing it.

He couldn't fight. He didn't have the courage to face that person in battle. No, to begin with, it wasn't courage; it was mere recklessness.

'Alright. I'm just a dog.'

A dog with no courage to fight alone. But that didn't mean he had been defeated.

"You seem anxious."

Dogs had their own way of fighting. Even a great tiger could be overwhelmed and bitten to death by a pack of hunting dogs.

Ilho Shin Gae silently assessed the situation. The Mount Hua groups were doing their best to resist, but that was all they could do. They could never win.

"Your purpose is probably to kill me before they fall."

"..."

"I have no intention of getting involved in your petty pride. I won't mix hands with you before you kill all the other elders."

Chung Myung smirked at those words.

"Are you saying that if all the elders die, only you can become the Sect Leader? You are a more disgusting person than I thought."

"No, that won't happen."

"What?"

"I certainly didn't anticipate the appearance of Mount Hua here. However... I did consider the possibility of the Sect Leader leading those who follow it and resisting."

Chung Myung narrowed his eyes for a moment.

"Did you think that I would exhaust my tricks with this? Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword?"

A sincere smile appeared on Ilho Shingae's lips.

"You've underestimated me too much. That's your mistake."

* * *

Kwa-a-a-ang!

The wall of the Beggar's Union headquarters exploded, shaking the entire headquarters with a tremendous roar.

"...Will you just watch like this?"

Someone asked. The elders who had been watching in dismay as they escaped from the total collapse of the guild turned to look at one person.

Chumyeongae. The one who briefly confronted Ilho Shin Gae.

"...Then what should we do?"

"We have to do something..."

"Should we help the outsiders and kill the elders? Or should we help the elders and kill the outsiders, letting the Beggar's Union commit sins?"

"Well..."

Chumyeongae shook his head helplessly.

"I have no choice. I... "

"But, Elder. The result seems obvious if it continues like this. No matter how much those Mount Hua swordsmen are charging, that's all they can do. They can never win against so many elders. Then, we lose the only one who can deal with Paegun, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung."

"..."

"Isn't that a bigger sin?"

Chumyeongae closed his eyes tightly.

He knew. If Chung Myung died here, the Beggar's Union would've committed an unforgivable sin. But could he fight against the elders of the same sect?

Stuck in a dead end, he thought of another person.

'If it were Jao Gae...'

No, it was a meaningless thought. Jao Gae wasn't here. No matter how much he thought, there wouldn't be an answer.

"Let's watch."

"Yes?"

"If the heavens are watching, they will give us an answer as a result. Hasn't Chung Myung and Mount Hua's Five Swords achieved what everyone thought was impossible many times over?"

"But..."

"If the situation is really dangerous, they should be able to withdraw their bodies at least. No, I should hope for that."

Just as Chumyeongae was about to exhale a sigh of helplessness, at that very moment,

"Ah, Elder! Elder!"

A desperate voice reached his ears. Chumyeongae frowned and turned his gaze. A ragged beggar was stamping his feet, looking back and forth between him and the entrance to the headquarters.

"Right now, to the council! We need to report to the council!"

"...I can't enter the headquarters right now. What's going on?"

"At the gate, something is happening at the gate...!"

"The gate? What's happening at the castle gate? Speak calmly!"

As Chumyeongae composed himself, the beggar, swallowing his dry saliva, shouted.

"Shaolin! Shaolin has come!"

At that moment, astonishment filled Chumyeongae's eyes.