Chapter 395 : Alliance (3)
Chapter 395: Alliance (3)
The revival of the Yoo Clan.
It was something I wanted, something Master wanted, and something Yoo Cheong also wanted.
“I-I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do well here.”
Yoo Cheong sounded a little hesitant.
This guy lacked confidence in his own talent.
That was likely due to Master’s influence.
‘Master always ran around like a deadbeat father... No, now that I think about it, that old man really was a deadbeat.’
Clicking my tongue, I thought of my drunkard of a Master, who wasn’t here.
“Let me say it again. Yoo Cheong, you have talent. Have confidence in yourself.”
“Y-Yes, hyungnim!”
“There’s no need to bear it all on your own. It’s not just your burden—many will help you.”
The others would take care of themselves just fine.
I turned my gaze to Jin Yeowoon, who still wore that sulky face.
Then, with a deliberately annoying smile, I provoked him.
“Are you okay where Chulsoo hit you?”
“Who’s saying I lost to him?!”
Jin Yeowoon roared in fury, as if he were about to breathe fire.
I snorted with shameless ease.
I didn’t even say he lost, yet that was his reaction?
“But if you brought out the Asura Spirit and still got pushed back, then that’s a loss.”
“……”
Tremble!
Jin Yeowoon’s shoulders began shaking with humiliation.
In an instant, the attendants turned wide-eyed toward us.
Their eyes clearly asked, ‘When the hell did that happen?’
“Oh, I just arranged a little duel recently.”
Truthfully, even if Jin Yeowoon had been obedient lately, had I suddenly told him to ditch the Young Clan Leader classes and shut himself away here, he likely would’ve rebelled.
To move him according to my will, I had to provoke his ambition and competitive spirit.
As part of that, I summoned Ma Chulsoo—currently the most prominent among the Heavenly Demon Cult’s younger generation after me—and set him against Jin Yeowoon.
And neither of those two ever refused a martial duel.
There was already no love lost between the Jin and Ma Clans.
– “Ma Chulsoo of the Blood Dragon Heaven-Slaying Sword. That title is too generous for a Ma Clan brat. Today, I’ll turn that ‘Blood Dragon’ into an earthworm.”
– “Jin Yeomyung. Mind if I kill your little brother?”
– “Ha! Go ahead and try if you can!”
Thus began their duel, which ended, in truth, with Ma Chulsoo’s victory.
Jin Yeowoon held his ground at first.
But after about thirty seconds, when Ma Chulsoo unleashed the Blood-Eyed Manifestation, the first level of Heaven-Slaying Star, Jin Yeowoon was completely overwhelmed.
Even bringing out the Asura Spirit, he couldn’t match it.
Against the firepower of Heaven-Slaying Star, his Asura Spirit was still too immature.
Of course, Jin Yeowoon didn’t collapse—he remained standing until the end—but if Ma Chulsoo hadn’t held back at the last moment, Jin Yeowoon would’ve been in serious danger.
Their difference in cultivation stage alone had already sealed the outcome. His defeat was inevitable.
“Hyungnim.”
Jin Yeowoon glared and asked,
“If I train here, can I really beat that damned bastard?”
I chuckled lightly and shook my head.
“No.”
“W-What!? Are you messing with me right now!?”
“If it’s ‘just this,’ then no.”
Even the main Thousand Day Pass wouldn’t suddenly make him reach the level of the Extreme Demon Realm.
“There’s a next stage waiting.”
“Next stage?”
“You’ll like it. Even you will have to stake your life.”
Demonic Spirit Fusion Stream.
I planned to reconstruct that ultimate formation here.
“I’ll give you a small taste.”
I extended just my index and middle fingers and gently pressed them on Jin Yeowoon’s shoulder.
And then—
“…Huh?”
Thud!
Jin Yeowoon staggered, suddenly collapsing as a nosebleed streamed from him.
“Y-Young Clan Lord!?”
The Jin Clan guards nearby rushed forward, but I waved them off.
“Well?”
“S-Suddenly… a power I couldn’t endure flowed through my shoulder…”
He was someone who could withstand even the immense pressure of the Asura Spirit, but this—this would be too much.
The power gathered at my fingertips, despite its calm appearance, was near infinite in scale.
Withdrawing the power, I patted his shoulder.
“Make sure your body is ready. This means you should prepare to accept that power later.”
Jin Yeowoon’s physique now had grown to the point that he towered over me by more than a full head.
But that was only thanks to the Jin Clan’s bloodline—a natural blessing.
Jin Yeowoon had never once pushed his body beyond its limits.
“With your talent and skills, you’ll obviously surpass the accomplishments of my other subordinates. But you’re going to be the future Clan Head of the Great Demonic Jin Clan. You’re not going to be satisfied with just that, right?”
Jin Yeowoon dumbly nodded his head.
“In consultation with the Right Guardian, we’ve planned additional special training just for you, so give it your best.”
I patted his shoulder once more, then turned my body around.
It was finally time to depart for real.
“Hyungnim.”
Just then, Jin Yeowoon’s voice called from behind.
“Why don’t you take the Clan Head seat, when you have that kind of power?”
There was a hint of frustration in his voice.
He must have sensed a glimpse of how far I’d risen.
That’s why he was asking the same question again.
“I’ve told you over and over, haven’t I?”
Turning my body slightly, I offered him a faint smile.
My answer to that question had always been the same.
“All for one person.”
“……”
“That’s all.”
Upon hearing that, Jin Yeowoon let out a hollow laugh.
“Like I said back then, hyungnim, you’re more insane than anyone I’ve ever known.”
And so, I returned from the vicinity of the Thousand Day Pass.
When I returned to the expedition unit, Gu Chil pulled something from his chest and offered it to me.
“Young Master, a letter from the Black Lotus Union arrived by courier.”
“A letter…”
Judging by the date on the letter, it had been sent three days ago.
The sender was none other than Jegal Eun.
The letter contained a fairly lengthy message, but its most important point was this:
“You’re saying you’re going to ambush the Evil Overlords of Heaven in three days?”
Which meant, the ambush was scheduled for today.
I carefully reread the letter.
It explained the reasons for their confidence in detail, the biggest being that So Cheon had successfully assassinated the newly appointed Evil Overlord.
I was dumbfounded.
“So the real culprit was So Cheon, huh?”
The question “why?” kept circling in my head.
Why would such a passive guy take such a reckless gamble with his life?
“No, that’s not what matters right now.”
That could be confirmed later when I met So Cheon in person.
“What matters now is that they’re fighting the Evil Overlords of Heaven alone… They must have some confidence in victory.”
The real problem was what came next.
“The Murim Alliance is plotting behind their backs to strike the Black Lotus Union. They’ve already deployed the Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad, and the Jongnam Sect plans to support them…”
Thankfully, Jegal Eun had prepared a countermeasure.
She mobilized the Mount Hua Sect and Gongdong Sect to keep the Jongnam Sect in check.
“The plan is to stall the Jongnam Sect until the Black Lotus Union can finish its duel with the Evil Overlords of Heaven. She really managed to persuade both sects well. That should hold back the Jongnam Sect, but…”
That still left the Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad as a problem.
The issue the Black Lotus Union faced was settling the battle before that squad arrived.
Even so, even if they managed that, things could still fall apart.
The title of ‘strongest in the Murim Alliance’ wasn’t earned through gambling.
Even if they defeated the Evil Overlords of Heaven, if they were worn down and half-crippled, the Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad would wipe them out without resistance.
“……”
I calculated our expedition unit’s route and estimated arrival time.
And quickly reached a conclusion.
“Too late.”
It was safe to assume the Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad had already departed quite some time ago.
Even if we moved out right now, considering their speed, we’d be too late no matter what.
“Of course, the expedition unit is still necessary. If the Murim Alliance has made a move, it won’t just end with the Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad.”
I made a quick decision.
“Ma Chulsoo, Lady Pa.”
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll need to head to Shaanxi ahead of the others.”
The two of them frowned.
Well, it was only natural to react badly when the leader suddenly said he was leaving at the start of the mission.
I briefly summarized the situation, telling them the Black Lotus Union had ambushed the Evil Overlords of Heaven.
Surprisingly, their reaction was positive.
“To ignore the Cult’s reinforcements and initiate the fight themselves…”
“Not bad. That’s how a true warrior should act.”
They seemed to approve of how the Black Lotus Union had abandoned defense and taken the initiative to strike.
“Come to think of it, wasn’t the Master of the Black Lotus Union called the Demonic Sword Flower?”
Pa Yeongyeong tilted her head.
“Then why haven’t I ever seen her on campus? Is she from the Cheon Clan?”
A few years ago, the name ‘Three Demonic Blossoms’ originating from the Evil Overlords of Heaven had circulated within the school.
But that name had faded soon after.
Too many major incidents happened on campus afterward for that title to continue gaining attention.
“…You’ll find out later.”
Baek Sang-ah’s identity still needed to be kept strictly confidential.
Of course, someone in Pa Yeongyeong’s position could likely figure it out if she tried.
“Is that so? Well, I’ll probably find out eventually.”
Lacking any particular interest beyond combat, she soon lost interest in Baek Sang-ah.
“Anyway, I get that you need to go ahead.”
“Yes, please lead the troops well as the First Vice-Commander, Lady Pa.”
“Leave it to me!”
Pa Yeongyeong thumped her chest and shouted.
“...Tch!”
Ma Chulsoo, on the other hand, glanced at her with eyes full of defeat.
Apparently, their duel had ended in a draw until Pa Seolyeong had quickly concluded negotiations with me and declared the results.
I grabbed one of Ma Chulsoo’s shoulders firmly and laughed.
“Just in case, I’m warning you—if you throw a tantrum and ruin the expedition’s morale, I won’t forgive you.”
Ma Chulsoo scowled.
“Tch! Do I look like a kid to you?”
“Yeah, you’re not the type to do that.”
Direct descendants of the Six Great Demonic Clans often caused trouble driven by their pride.
Well, since I said that much, they should understand by now.
‘Alright then.’
Although the official leader of the expedition unit was the Demonic Faction Lord Jin Yeomyung, I couldn’t use that identity while traveling alone through the Central Plains.
I pulled out the Black Sky Master Mask, which I had kept sealed away inside my robes until now.
‘This familiar and nostalgic feeling.’
Though honestly, it was neither familiar nor nostalgic.
After a very long time. It was time to return as First Strategist Black Thunder Myeongjin, military officer of the Black Lotus Union.
“They’re nothing more than a disorderly mob! Kill them all!”
The second day of battle.
The clash, which had begun with a surprise attack from the Black Lotus Union, entered a lull due to fierce resistance from the Evil Overlords of Heaven.
In the battles of martial artists, one full day was usually enough to decide the outcome in some form.
Surprisingly, apart from the opening phase, the Evil Overlords of Heaven managed to hold their ground against the ambush from the Black Lotus Union.
This was because they were a tier above the Black Lotus Union in overall strength.
“Their command structure is still intact.”
Seo Muwon looked a little uneasy under the pressure of the Evil Overlords of Heaven's fierce resistance.
“Still, their movements aren’t as organic as before.”
Jegal Eun, looking at the map that showed the battle status in real time, spoke with conviction.
“They’re definitely linking up under the premise of buying time.”
Even if the Cult Leader was dead, the elder-level officers were still standing strong.
“They’re just barely preventing the worst outcome—being crushed separately…”
“That’s about right.”
Jegal Eun pointed at a spot on the map.
There was a large game piece labeled Yaksha.
“As long as we can’t do something about the Yaksha Heavenly Blade Unit, we won’t be able to collapse the Evil Overlords of Heaven in a short time.”
Amazingly, the Yaksha Heavenly Blade Unit had withstood the combined assault of Saber King and Plum Blossom White Sword the day before with minimal damage.
They continued to function as the central unit controlling the overall formation of the Evil Overlords of Heaven.
Their performance certainly lived up to their reputation as the strongest force of the Evil Overlords.
“If this drags on to the end, we’ll definitely win. But…”
“The Murim Alliance is the problem, right?”
“Yes, they must know that too. That’s why they’re trying to stall time however they can.”
At that moment, Baek Sang-ah, who had been quietly observing the battlefield, finally spoke.
“Eun-ah, what’s the status of the Black Sky Aerial Unit?”
“They’re on standby. Waiting for the most opportune moment.”
“Deploy them now. I’ll lead them personally.”
Jegal Eun’s expression clouded at Baek Sang-ah’s words.
“Unni, don’t push yourself again…”
Wisdom Talent also agreed.
“She’s right. Ryonju, you have a tendency to overstrain your body.”
In truth, for any battlefield, the leader charging to the frontline carried more risk than reward.
It was the best way to raise the morale of the troops, but if they were struck down by the enemy’s focused attacks, everything could collapse in an instant—a double-edged sword.
That’s precisely why, on the first day of the ambush, only Saber King and Plum Blossom White Sword had taken the field.
“It’s not that I’m pushing myself or straining.”
In a quiet voice, she adjusted her Black Sky Master Mask.
“It’s just that I don’t want to waste the opportunity that Master So Cheon risked his life to create.”