Chapter 187
—The sand of the Yangtze River! The chivalrous men of the martial world! Among them! The most! Shining one is me! Let's go! Let's go! To the martial world! Upholding justice!
—The number one in the world! The number one in the world! The chivalrous man is coming! If you don't want your head to be broken! Will you move out of the way?!
A song with lyrics that were so sharp that they were strange. (In fact, the trap is that So-ah arranged it as he pleased.)
This song, composed by a musician with the nickname 'Luoyang Nightingale', was once a popular song that was an unprecedented hit among all the late-stage masters who were in the martial world, and So-ah would sing this song passionately whenever he made a lot of money.
Just like now.
"Hey! Stop it, just stop. My ears are going to fall off, you brat. And are those lyrics even correct? 'If you don't want your head to be broken, will you move out of the way?' Didn't you just sing it as you pleased?"
Jeon Woo-chi, while looking at So-ah's appearance with a cheerful gaze because it was funny, tilted his head and asked about the lyrics that seemed to have been strangely changed.
"I added some spice to the lyrics. Kekekek."
"Well, that's not what's important. Anyway, I think you're really a money ghost. You've been singing that song all day since you made a lot of money, right?"
"Because I like it. I'll give you a share too, brother. Money is so good. You can wear good things, eat good things, and buy good things. If you have a lot of money, brother, you'll be able to buy the magical tools and treasures that you're dying for!"
Jeon Woo-chi was dumbfounded, but when he heard it, it wasn't entirely wrong.
'Wait... why didn't I think of that? If I have a lot of money, I can collect the rare magical treasures that are scattered all over the world, right?'
Unlike martial arts, which had to be mastered with one's own strength, sorcerers who were related to abilities could easily draw out their abilities through magical tools.
Even Jeon Woo-chi, after meeting his master, Baek In-hwa, again, had dramatically increased his magical power through the [White Peak Pavilion], had gained enlightenment through the [Heavenly Secrets Manual], and was still using the carpet and the Heavenly Will Brush usefully.
'Ah! Should I also try to earn money diligently like that money ghost...'
As expected, the power of money was great.
Whether it was a martial artist or a Taoist.
...there was no one who was not a match for money.
Just then.
"Oh! Your two eyes are full of greed."
So-ah, who had read Jeon Woo-chi's mind, curled the corners of his lips and sneered.
"Th-That's not it. I'm a Taoist, a Taoist. What..."
Jeon Woo-chi shook his head and denied his sincerity, but,
"Those who say they don't like money are usually cunning... a person has to be sincere, what's so bad about money!"
...as expected, So-ah sharply criticized Jeon Woo-chi.
"You brat. Who said I don't like money? I like money too. But I'm saying that I won't become a money ghost who is obsessed with money like you!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"That's a pity. If you had the heart, I was thinking of starting a big business as soon as I finish dealing with the Blood Cult bastards. I was going to make you rich just by having you work under me as I tell you. To the point where you can buy all the magical treasures you want."
If someone were to say this, they would burst into laughter.
'Magical treasures' were things that were priceless, so to be rich enough to buy as many as you want was, in a word, to say that he would make him a semi-chaebol.
But.
...if the target was So-ah, the story was different.
'That brat would really do that and more...'
Although he knew that So-ah had a keen eye for business, Jeon Woo-chi became certain while carrying out the 'Great Tiger Sect Extortion Operation' this time.
'It's only a matter of time before So-ah becomes a chaebol!'
Especially in his cunningness of handing over all the sales to the employees of the businesses that the Great Tiger Sect had run, raising their efficiency by making them work hard, and then planning to sell them at a premium with the concept of 'rights money' later, he clicked his tongue.
"Are you really going to make me rich enough to buy magical treasures as I please?"
"It's strange! The gentleman who didn't budge like a Buddha statue seems to be tempted by the talk of magical treasures, right? Kekeke."
"You. You can't tease your brother, really."
"When did I ever tease my heavenly brother Woo-chi?"
"It seems like you're teasing me even now."
"Aww! No way!!"
'Hah... damn it! I'm starting to get completely swayed by So-ah.'
Jeon Woo-chi wanted to cry.
He knew it well.
The fact that once So-ah started to cross the line, he would try to eat up anyone, regardless of their status.
'I've been eaten too...'
He regretted it deeply.
The past days when he had given So-ah an opening under the pretext of being close and informal.
He should have treated such a devil-like brat while maintaining a safe distance from the beginning.
Why did he struggle to get closer to such a brat?
But regret was already too late.
From now on, So-ah's attitude towards Jeon Woo-chi,
'If it becomes like this, it's a complete mess... tsk.'
...was clearly going to become more miserable.
***
Potala Palace, Western Regions—
"...That's what happened, Cult Leader."
The heart of the man who had to deliver the bad news to the Blood Demon, Tae-ho-gong, who had gone so crazy that it was hard to tell if he was a madman or a normal person, was just gloomy.
His hands and feet trembled without him realizing it.
At the same time, he focused all his nerves and only watched the Cult Leader's expression.
'Please... be safe...!'
When he thought about it, there was no such ridiculous situation.
The so-called Cult Leader of the cult would often have bloodshot eyes and would beat the cult members to death, and would dig out the intestines of the living and drink their blood...
Despite being a person with a high status and position, the man's life and death depended on the Cult Leader's mood.
His heart sank with a terrible fear.
But.
"Kekekeke... kekekekeke... kehahahahaha!!!"
The Blood Demon, Tae-ho-gong, who was expected to burst into a roar of fury, on the contrary, burst into a loud laugh!
'...?'
The subordinate was puzzled.
The news he had delivered was a serious and gloomy news that threatened the very existence of the White Lotus Cult.
How could the Cult Leader burst into laughter after hearing that various forces of the martial world, including the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, had united through the diplomatic power of a person named Jin So-ah and were currently advancing to subjugate the Gansu cult branch, which could be said to be the largest force of the cult?
But it did not take long for the man to realize the reason.
"It's better this way! You trashy things!! I will make it so that you can't even find a trace of them anywhere in this vast universe!"
Although his face was smiling, the Blood Demon, Tae-ho-gong, was grinding his teeth.
'The Cult Leader... perhaps he was waiting for this moment! He was hungry for slaughter! He wanted to slaughter the world with his own hands!'
That was how the Blood Demon, Tae-ho-gong, appeared in the eyes of his subordinate.
He, like a beast mad with slaughter, had his two eyes dyed with a blood light.
"Listen!"
"I obey!"
"I will head to the Gansu cult branch right now. All the cult members who are staying in the Western Regions must absolutely defend the Potala Palace from the remnants of the Western Regions martial world while I am gone!"
"I obey! How should the escort personnel be organized?"
"I will go alone."
"A-Alone, you say?"
"The Western Regions martial world has a history of thousands of years. If I leave my post with the palace's soldiers, how can I defend the Potala Palace?"
At the Cult Leader's words, the man was quite shocked inwardly.
Because recently, the Cult Leader had never been in his right mind.
But the current Cult Leader was showing a cold and rational judgment.
"I will do so, Cult Leader. Then when will you depart?"
"Now."
The Blood Demon flapped his robe and rose from his throne.
The corners of his lips were still twisted in a sinister way.
***
[Chief Jang! It's time for dawn to break.]
[Damn it! In the end, we couldn't stop those brats!]
[But it wasn't a complete loss, was it?]
[No. This is as good as a defeat. The number of monsters and zombies we lost has exceeded the number of minor injuries of the allied forces.]
[There will be another chance. Let's retreat for now. If the sun rises like this, the blood zombies will melt in the sunlight.]
[Let's do that.]
In the bamboo forest, which was quite far from the battlefield of the desperate struggle that was unfolding in Gorang-hyeon.
...the chief of the White Lotus Cult and the sorcerers were controlling the blood zombies and the demonic beasts while repeatedly chanting spells, and at the same time, they were observing the situation of the fierce battle through their eyes.
Their hearts were heavy.
The battle did not go as they had planned, and to make matters worse, the eye of dawn was gradually about to reveal itself.
Although monsters such as the Human-Faced Spider were not affected by the distinction between day and night, since the blood zombies had a flaw of collapsing as soon as they saw the sun, they had no choice but to take the step of retreating.
***
"What's wrong with these guys all of a sudden?"
"Are those guys running away now?"
"Catch them! Let's kill them!"
So-ah's friends, who had seen the blood zombies and the demonic beasts trying to retreat from the battlefield under the control of the sorcerers, were planning to pursue them and attempt a complete annihilation.
But.
"Do not pursue, everyone wait!"
The military strategist, Zhuge Hyuk, stopped them.
"Ah! What a pity."
"We have to catch them all and deal with them."
"Aww!"
In the end, Han Baek, Seok Won, Eon Yeong-je, and others who had missed the demonic beasts expressed their disappointment.
But.
"Ugh..."
"Here! Can someone give me some golden sore medicine! The senior sister's injury is serious!"
"The... the blood... the blood won't stop!"
Their feelings, which had looked around, soon changed from fighting spirit to worry.
Because they had not reached their physical limit even once from the beginning until now, So-ah's friends were able to fight well, and thanks to that, there was no one who had suffered a major injury other than minor external injuries.
But that was a story limited to them.
Among the martial artists who were maintaining their formation in other rows, there were not a few who were seriously injured.
When they realized that it was not a peaceful situation where they could express their disappointment at not being able to annihilate the demonic beasts, they were blaming themselves for their carelessness when.
"Phew! While treating the injured, let's all focus on maintenance!"
Only after confirming that the demonic beasts and the zombies had completely disappeared did Zhuge Hyuk let out a sigh and check the condition of his allies.
***
"Still, it's a relief that the situation is better than I thought. Let's exclude those with serious injuries from the ranks and send them to the doctor, and let's have those with minor injuries treated as soon as possible and continue the march."
"We should do that."
At some point, the fierce battle had also entered a lull.
The leadership, including Abbess Hongryeon, Zhuge Hyuk, Hong In-geol, and Baek In-hwa, began to handle the situation by consulting with the chiefs of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Although they had been flustered by the unexpected surprise attack, the first battle was a moment that ended in a clear victory for the allied forces.
Just then.
"O-Over there!"
Someone pointed to the rear with his finger and let out a short exclamation...
"It's a huge crowd..."
"They're not enemies, are they?"
Soon, everyone in the room witnessed about 1,000 martial artists approaching them.
In that moment.
"It's Myo-seon and the children of our sect! Hohoho."
Abbess Hongryeon, who had raised her vision, identified the identity of the group and burst into laughter.
"But I don't see So-ah."
"That's right. Instead, he has appeared with the King of the Green Forest, Jang Beon-pal, and the King of the Waterway, Jang Beon-ha... it's truly strange."
"Hohoho."
When Myo-seon, who had left to handle the bloodbath of the Sichuan Iron Fist Sect with So-ah and Jeon Woo-chi, appeared with unexpected people, they were surprised and at the same time, pleased.
***
"Kehkehkeh! Chun-mae!! I have brought a total of a thousand bandits, after persuading the King of the Waterway, to help you!"
[Are you crazy? How dare you say the word Chun-mae? You're crazy to want to die, right?]
[Ah... I-I'm sorry, Chun-mae... I was so happy to see you that I said it without realizing...]
[Again! Again! Do you really want to die?]
[I'll shut up.]
Abbess Hongryeon's face was dyed with anger.
Yes.
It was true that Jang Beon-pal, who had appeared with 1,000 allies, looked pretty at the moment.
So if he just stayed quiet, she was thinking of treating him like a human, but.
...as soon as he appeared, as if he had been waiting, he was shouting 'Chun-mae' with that big mouth of his!
In an instant, everyone in the allied forces looked back and forth between Jang Beon-pal and Abbess Hongryeon's faces.
One was restless,
...and the other was as cold as the frost of a winter day.
'Ah! That makes me even more curious.'
Myo-seon was on the verge of going crazy with curiosity about the great epic hidden in the words of her master, Abbess Hongryeon, and Jang Beon-pal, and that brat 'Chun-mae'.
(End of Chapter)