Chapter 165
"You all have to be safe, okay? Sob, sob..."
Yeon So-so could not hide her tears as she watched So-ah, Moyong Hwa, and Moyong Su leave for the Martial Alliance.
Although she was not very worried about So-ah because he was so reliable, various emotions were mixed and welled up at the departure of her daughter, whom she had raised strongly as a daughter of a martial family.
At that.
"Hoho... darling. What a disgrace. You should wish the children good luck on their departure. So-ah has become the commander of the vanguard for the Gansu subjugation, and they say that Hwa-ah and Su-ya will also be selected for the vanguard, so isn't it an honor for the family? Instead, let's send them off with a smile."
Moyong Baek comforted Yeon So-so.
But.
"Forget it, forget it."
Yeon So-so, perhaps because she resented her good-natured husband even in this situation, gave him a scolding with a cold voice.
'This old hag, really!'
Moyong Baek was so dumbfounded that he wanted to snap at her, but it was just a futile fantasy...
As usual, with a dejected voice,
"...Alright."
...he could only mutter timidly.
In his youth, he had lived by shouting at his wife, but recently, he was a henpecked husband, Moyong Baek, who would feel a pang of guilt even if Yeon So-so just narrowed her eyes.
Just then.
"Haha. Aunt... don't worry. First, safety! Second, safety! Would I push my junior sister and junior brother into a place of death? I will definitely protect the two of them, so please don't worry and trust me."
So-ah stepped forward and reassured the sobbing Yeon So-so.
At that, Yeon So-so grabbed So-ah's hand.
"So-ah... you must be careful too. You must not forget that this aunt thinks of you as her real son."
"Of course. I also think of you as my mother, aunt."
"Sob, sob."
It was getting worse and worse.
Yeon So-so, who was usually extremely cautious and had never made a fuss in her life, suddenly hugged So-ah. (In fact, it would be more accurate to say that she was hugged.)
'Phew... my aunt has become much weaker as she has gotten older.'
So-ah, looking at his aunt, felt his heart ache once again.
'Aunt... please wait a little longer. I will make you happier than any noble lady in the world.'
Although he didn't say it, it was his true feeling, and So-ah, vowing that he would definitely achieve it, patted Yeon So-so's shoulder.
Just then.
"Sob, sob! Mom!"
Another unsightly scene was staged.
Moyong Hwa.
She, who had graduated from the Baekmu Academy with excellent grades and was now a respectable official of the alliance, burst into tears, hugging her mother tightly.
But no one questioned Moyong Hwa.
Because at this moment, everyone's eyes were red...
"Now, now! Everyone, calm down. We're not going to die. We're going to work. Jin So-ah. I'll bet my three-letter name and will definitely return safely, so don't worry!"
"So-ah!"
"So-ah. You must be careful. We will always be prepared, so let us know anytime."
Fortunately, So-ah's words, full of conviction, followed, and only then did the people feel relieved.
"I'll go and do it coolly, funnily, and wonderfully!"
With his words, So-ah, Moyong Hwa, and Moyong Su set out on their way.
All the members of the Moyong family looked at the backs of the group, which were getting farther and farther away, with affection.
Then.
Suddenly, So-ah turned his head towards the family members.
And then.
"My disciple?"
"Yes! Master."
...he said to his top disciple, Yi Baek.
"You know without me having to say it, right?"
"As I always say, I will always do my best."
Yi Baek showed a completely unshaken appearance.
On the contrary, from that appearance, So-ah did not doubt that when he returned after this expedition, he would be able to see a more developed disciple.
'No matter how I look at him, he's a cool guy!'
So-ah gave Yi Baek a thumbs-up and then opened his mouth again with a powerful voice.
"Then I'm really going! Goodbye, everyone!!"
***
Around the Hour of the Tiger (around 3 AM)...
Sichuan, Iron Fist Sect—
The Iron Fist Sect was a famous sect in Sichuan, with considerable finances and scale, and had recently been recognized for its all-weather activities, and had been reborn as a powerful force that wielded the greatest influence, excluding the three major forces of Sichuan: the Emei Sect, the Qingcheng Sect, and the Tang family.
In particular, the number of members of the Iron Fist Sect was comparable to that of the Eight Great Families, and it was a large sect, both in name and reality, that had more disciples than the small-scale Moyong family.
But.
Today, a shadow of darkness was cast on such an Iron Fist Sect.
"Who are you?!"
It was an intruder in the dead of night, when everyone was asleep.
The third-generation disciple of the Iron Fist Sect, who was on guard duty, drew his sword, questioning with a warning-filled voice.
"As I've heard, it's a place of considerable scale... if we leave these guys alone, they will become a great future trouble."
But the masked man, who had suddenly appeared by jumping over the wall despite the warning of the Iron Fist Sect disciple, as if he was not nervous at all, just muttered incomprehensible words.
Beep—!
The third-generation disciple blew the whistle that announced the intruder fiercely.
At that, from all over the inside, numerous figures began to run out, holding torches.
"Intruder!"
"Intruder!"
"Intruder!"
The disciples of the Iron Fist Sect, who moved quickly and in an orderly manner and responded to the intruder as soon as the whistle sounded late at night.
Just by looking at their faces, one could guess that they were martial artists who had received considerable training in preparation for an emergency situation.
But even in the midst of that, the intruder was with his arms crossed leisurely in a calm posture, and seeing the lower part of his mask, which was slightly twisted, he was definitely sneering.
Just then.
'...!'
The hundred or so people who had drawn their swords and had rushed out to the garden had to experience a fear that made their hair stand on end.
The masked man in front of them was just one person.
They had thought that no matter how outstanding a martial artist he was, they could easily subdue him.
But the aura and killing intent emanating from the masked man's whole body were so brutal.
'I-I can't even breathe properly!'
The disciples of the Iron Fist Sect felt as if they had become prey before a natural enemy.
An overwhelming numerical superiority.
Despite the one-on-one hundred situation, they could not even breathe properly, let alone attack the opponent.
Soon...
The sect leader of the Iron Fist Sect and a person whose fame was great as one of the ten great masters of Sichuan, Ma Dae-sang, came out to the garden, frowning.
As was known to the public, Ma Dae-sang was a giant of an astonishing size.
Also, his aura was strong, and as if he was not affected by the masked man's terrible killing intent, he had an angry look in his eyes.
"Who are you to invade our sect and emit a killing intent?"
At Ma Dae-sang's question, the masked man let out a low cry of admiration.
"Hah...! They say there are no weak dogs under a fierce tiger. You have the spirit of the son of the former sect leader, Ma Dae-pung."
"How dare you! Where do you get off saying my father's name so carelessly?"
"Kekeke. But that tiger-like spirit is just a futile bravado."
In that moment.
The masked man suddenly took off his mask.
"Y-You are!"
It was a familiar face.
The Martial Alliance Hero Tournament.
On the day Abbess Hongryeon was elected as the Alliance Leader, the face of the vice-leader of the White Lotus Cult, whom he had witnessed, was revealed.
It was the face of the Rain and Heaven Demonic Sword, No Yeong-myeong, who had once dominated the Black Path.
"Kekeke. Are you still calling me 'brat'?"
"Shut up! No matter how strong you are, do you think you can do anything to our Iron Fist Sect by yourself? As it happens, the elite of our sect were about to set out to subjugate you brats. On the contrary, this is great! I will behead you here today and achieve a great merit!"
Ma Dae-sang burst into a loud shout.
At that, as if encouraged by him, the disciples of the Iron Fist Sect, who had been unable to move at all in No Yeong-myeong's killing intent, also composed themselves, sharpened their fighting spirit, and burned with a fighting spirit in their two eyes.
"Kuhaha! Who said that? That I came to the Iron Fist Sect alone."
"What?"
At Ma Dae-sang's question, No Yeong-myeong suddenly extended his hand towards the main gate of the Iron Fist Sect.
In that moment, wasn't the huge main gate, made of ebony wood, shattered into pieces?
'I-I didn't sense any ki wave at all. What on earth is his martial prowess...'
Not only Ma Dae-sang, but all the members of the Iron Fist Sect could not help but be astonished.
But.
They soon had to face an even greater surprise and an indescribable fear.
"Kia-a-a-a-ak!"
What unfolded before their eyes was,
"G-Zombies!"
...a horde of zombies that were letting out a strange cry as they pushed through the powdered main gate.
And.
"Kekekeke. Zombies are zombies. But unfortunately, these cute things are different from ordinary zombies."
"..."
"You Ghost Demon Jiangshi. Run wild to your heart's content."
No Yeong-myeong's one sentence was a fuse and a catalyst.
A light flashed in the eyes of the zombies.
It was a blood light that contained a terrible desire for slaughter.
One day before the expedition to the Martial Alliance headquarters...
The night of the Iron Fist Sect was completely covered with the strange cries of the dead and the screams of the living.
It was a moment when a strange and turbid dark shadow was cast on Sichuan.
***
"Everyone, you've worked hard coming here!"
After running diligently for about 20 days, So-ah's group was able to return to the Martial Alliance headquarters.
So-ah had met up with Myo-seon as soon as he left the family estate and had traveled with her, and in the eyes of Abbess Hongryeon, who was seeing her disciple after a long time, there was an unparalleled joy.
"Master!"
It was inevitable.
Abbess Hongryeon was truly curious about how far Myo-seon had learned the <Sunflower Manual>, and whether that Sunflower Manual really had an excellent effect on the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, and furthermore, whether it could really be called a peerless divine art.
Soon...
She was impressed by the great and deep eye light that was projected through Myo-seon's eyes.
"Myo-seon-ah! Your achievement seems to be great. The pale complexion that was like a white paper due to the Nine Yin Severed Meridians has completely disappeared, and the intelligence in your two eyes seems to be able to penetrate things. Congratulations on your great success."
"Thank you, Master!"
Myo-seon, who was pleased with her master's words of blessing, suddenly knelt down.
Abbess Hongryeon helped her up with a smiling face.
And then.
"And the officials Moyong Hwa and Moyong Su. You two have also come."
She also greeted Moyong Hwa and Moyong Su, who had accompanied So-ah.
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"Yes, Alliance Leader!"
Only after Abbess Hongryeon had finished greeting all three of them did So-ah open his mouth.
"Alliance Leader. Have you been well?"
"Hoho. How long has it been since you left, what could have happened?"
"The family head and the elders of our family have decided not to participate in the Gansu subjugation. Not only can all the people of the orthodox sects not stand in the vanguard, but we also have to disperse the overall power and prepare for an emergency situation."
"Hohoho. Aren't you the commander-in-chief of the vanguard? Of course, you should also design the strategy. You did well."
"Alliance Leader..."
In that moment, So-ah, however small.
...felt a very, very small pang of conscience.
Because even in the midst of summoning the martial artists of the entire Orthodox Path ahead of the Gansu subjugation, due to his own stubbornness, only three members from the Moyong family had set out...
But.
'Aww! No... if all the members of the advance party set out, how will the rear guard be formed? Besides, I can do the work of 100 people, so what.'
Come to think of it, no matter how small the scale of the Moyong family was, it was only right for a few more people to join the advance party.
But in a situation that could become a long-term expedition, the current Moyong family was busy, and it was So-ah's judgment that they could not plan for a continuous expansion of scale without the family head.
But even at So-ah's decision, which could be seen as somewhat selfish, Abbess Hongryeon did not feel the slightest bit of dissatisfaction.
'How many great merits has So-ah achieved so far? Hohohot! Of course I have to understand that much.'
Because with the merit of So-ah alone, the Moyong family had already bestowed a great grace on the entire Orthodox Path.
In that moment.
"A-Alliance Leader!"
Wasn't Abbess Hongryeon's aide, the first-generation disciple of the Kunlun Sect, Jang Hong, rushing into the Alliance Leader's office, shouting urgently?
"Jang Hong, you... what is it? Why are you so surprised?"
It was impossible not to be puzzled.
Because Jang Hong, who had been assisting her ever since Abbess Hongryeon was elected as the Alliance Leader, had never committed such a breach of etiquette.
But.
Right now, Jang Hong did not have the mind to check his manners.
"Alliance Leader! The White Lotus Cult has started to move first."
"What did you say?"
"They have led the Ghost Demon Jiangshi and have attacked the Iron Fist Sect of Sichuan, and as a result, the Iron Fist Sect... the Iron Fist Sect..."
"..."
"...has been annihilated!"
The faces of the people turned pale blue.
So-ah's eyebrows drew into an eight.
'These bastards are crazy!’
(End of Chapter)