Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Blank…….
Youngho wandered through the marketplace absentmindedly, lost in thought.
‘Why?’
Why had it been him? Why had he been the one to undergo Regression?
The question lingered. And he felt regret. If this fortuitous opportunity called Regression had been granted not to him but to Namgung Cheon, the current situation would have been far better.
He did not know exactly how it would have improved. But at the very least, the Namgung Cheon he knew would have found some way to make things better.
Eeeeeee—.
It felt as though a ringing echoed in his ears.
Thump.
He felt his heart pounding.
Why him? Why had he returned to the past? There were far too many things to think about. The doubts that had piled up within Youngho until now began to erupt like an explosion.
What would change just because he had Regressed? He did not even know the reason he had been sent back.
Had the Immortals caused his Regression so that he would save the world from the Heavenly Demon?
Why in the world? Why him—the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance?
The emotions he had suppressed for two years began to surge like a raging torrent.
Could Namgung Cheon not have Regressed instead? Or at the very least, could not the greatest expert of the Orthodox Sect have done so?
Without realizing it, he clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh, and soon bright red blood dripped down.
His mind was in turmoil. But it was better not to dwell on matters of Regression now. It would only become a deadly poison and torment his sanity.
Youngho had nightmares every single day.
When the Heavenly Demon’s brutal hand had torn the skin from his disciple’s face. When the Heavenly Demon had driven his fist forward the moment Namgung Cheon showed a lapse of exhaustion.
At that time, Youngho had been able to do nothing. He had wanted to move. Even if only for a moment, he had wanted to save his disciple—to save Namgung Cheon.
But in the end, he had done nothing.
Before Regression, and even in his dreams, he had done nothing. That helplessness was something only those who had experienced the same could empathize with or understand.
Rather, to truly understand it would mean becoming miserable oneself, and so Youngho did not even dare hope for a savior who would understand him.
‘From the beginning, there was no way anyone could possibly understand me.’
He had to get a grip.
“You damned Iron Fist Sect bastards!”
“You materialistic dogs of the Azure Sword Sect!”
Just as Youngho steadied his mind, right before his eyes, the disciples of the Azure Sword Sect drew their swords while the disciples of the Iron Fist Sect raised their fists.
At the sight of a fight breaking out before him, Youngho grinned and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
‘My mood was already foul. This works out nicely. I’ll beat those bastards instead.’
Just as Youngho was about to slowly approach them—
“What do you think you’re doing right now!”
A handsome man with a bright, upright face rushed forward with a shout. Wearing black martial robes embroidered with plum blossoms and a white hero’s headband, his very appearance alone felt like a weapon.
‘Wow. A true chivalrous warrior.’
Anyone would have called him exactly that. The man glared fiercely at the disciples of the Azure Sword Sect and said,
“What do you think you’re doing!”
“D-Dojo Head, it’s just that….”
“Put your swords back immediately. If you do not, I will report this to the Elder.”
At those words, the disciples of the Azure Sword Sect turned pale and hastily sheathed their swords.
The disciples of the Iron Fist Sect also seemed uncomfortable standing awkwardly with their fists raised and were about to lower them when—
“Why bother stopping the fight? You came here to brawl anyway, so you should at least fight a little.”
Baekcheong appeared, holding a wine bottle by the neck.
“Third Young Master.”
Recognizing him, the disciples of the Iron Fist Sect all saluted him respectfully.
“Is your Sect Leader well?”
“He is in good health.”
Baekcheong let out a small scoff and said,
“He reached the Transcendent Peak Master level, so of course he’s healthy. So? Still not going to do it?”
“Well, that is….”
“I’m not trying to insult the Iron Fist Sect, but just today alone, this makes the fourth clash with the Azure Sword Sect. Are you still going to hold back?”
At that, one of the disciples ground his teeth.
“Honestly, if this keeps up, I worry the Iron Fist Sect’s standing will decline.”
“That’s—!”
As Baekcheong spoke provocatively, the disciples of the Iron Fist Sect all flared with anger.
He was not wrong. Just today, they had clashed with the Azure Sword Sect four times. But each time, they had managed to avoid a situation where blood would be shed.
For members of the Unorthodox Faction, they had endured far too much. Normally, even a single confrontation would have resulted in bloodshed.
Realizing this, the disciples of the Iron Fist Sect once more emitted a menacing martial presence.
As dozens released their martial presence at once, it felt as though a single absolute master was unleashing an overwhelming aura.
As the situation suddenly shifted, the man with the white hero’s headband stepped forward and spoke.
“I apologize. We will ensure that such unpleasant incidents do not occur again.”
Baekcheong sneered at him.
“Unjeong, I’ve heard that line more than ten times already.”
The man—Unjeong of Mount Hua—looked at Baekcheong with clear displeasure.
“This is a matter solely between the Iron Fist Sect and the Azure Sword Sect. It is not something for a third party to interfere in.”
“And yet you’re helping the Azure Sword Sect. Mount Hua can interfere, but the Unorthodox Alliance can’t? What’s the difference?”
At that, Unjeong’s hand twitched.
Baekcheong was not wrong. This was solely a matter between the Iron Fist Sect and the Azure Sword Sect. If Mount Hua intervened here, it would give the opposing side justification to do the same.
Those watching their standoff began to whisper.
“This might turn into something bigger than expected.”
“Of all people to run into. Their luck is terrible.”
People treated Baekcheong like a pest. Yet even so, he did not lose his smile as he said,
“Or how about this? Why not settle it fairly with a sparring match right here?”
At Baekcheong’s suggestion, Unjeong’s eyes turned icy. The surrounding crowd began whispering again.
“Why did the atmosphere suddenly change?”
“You didn’t attend the last Dragon–Phoenix Gathering?”
“It’s my first time.”
“Did you know that Unjeong of Mount Hua was overwhelmingly defeated by the third disciple of the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance?”
“What? Something like that happened?”
“They say it was so fierce that because Dojo Head Unjeong refused to surrender, he almost died.”
Unjeong and Baekcheong were Martial Artists. No matter how quietly people whispered, every word reached their ears.
Creak.
Without realizing it, Unjeong ground his teeth and shot Baekcheong a fierce glare. But Baekcheong merely watched him with a faint smile, clearly enjoying the situation.
“I’m not suggesting that you and I have a sparring match. I simply hope that the Iron Fist Sect and the Azure Sword Sect settle this fairly through a sparring match and reach a conclusion quickly. Or else….”
At that moment, a faint Killing Intent flickered in Baekcheong’s eyes.
“Unjeong, are you saying you want to have a sparring match with me?”
As Baekcheong sneered, a vicious martial presence began to pour from Unjeong’s body. Anyone else would not have fallen so easily for such provocation.
But his opponent was none other than Baekcheong. The humiliation he had suffered at the last Dragon–Phoenix Gathering had become poison to him now, as he longed to repay it.
The moment Unjeong slowly moved his hand toward the sword hilt to draw his blade, a voice was heard from fairly close by.
“This bastard is still pulling this crap?”
Youngho, who had slipped past the senses of the Flying Phoenix Unit guarding Baekcheong, instantly took position behind him.
Smack!
With a sharp cracking sound from Baekcheong’s head, his body went limp like a kite with its string cut.
After lightly knocking Baekcheong unconscious, Youngho released Killing Intent toward the Flying Phoenix Unit members who were about to draw their swords at him—careful that not the slightest harm would reach the common people.
Stop.
Had they moved even a fraction further, they would have died. The Killing Intent was that chilling.
Looking at the Flying Phoenix Unit frozen stiff like statues, Youngho grinned.
“Your instincts are sharp.”
A cold sensation spread from their throats to their toes and the tops of their heads, as if their necks had truly been severed.
Not only the Flying Phoenix Unit members but even their leader trembled, unable to approach Youngho.
Pointing swords at him here was already problematic—but more than that, Youngho’s overwhelming martial presence shackled both their bodies and minds, leaving them unable to move even a single step.
And above all…
Even if they sacrificed the entire Flying Phoenix Unit, they had no confidence they could win. Youngho was that strong.
‘I heard he had changed, but to this extent!’
The Flying Phoenix Unit Leader, Bangjuk, wiped the cold sweat flowing down his temple and spoke.
“Why is the Fifth Young Master here?”
“I’m participating in the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering as well. More importantly, here.”
Youngho casually lifted Baekcheong like a sack of luggage and tossed him. Startled, Bangjuk barely managed to catch him.
“Have you lost your mind?!”
Smack!
Seizing that brief instant of carelessness, Youngho struck Bangjuk’s head with the edge of his hand.
In a mere handful of moves, Bangjuk was subdued and, like Baekcheong, fell unconscious.
“Thanks for letting me vent. Now hurry up and take them.”
Witnessing Youngho’s ruthlessness in knocking out even their leader, the Flying Phoenix Unit members could not utter a single word. Carrying Baekcheong and their leader, they exchanged nervous glances before fleeing.
Watching them go, Youngho clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk. For the Flying Phoenix Unit of the Unorthodox Alliance to be this feeble… what a disgrace.”
After finishing his muttering, Youngho turned back and cupped his fist toward Unjeong.
“I apologize for creating an unpleasant situation. The Unorthodox Alliance will not interfere in this matter. The Murim Alliance will do the same, I presume?”
At those words, Unjeong’s expression stiffened.
“That will be the case.”
Ordinarily, such a decision was not something a mere junior disciple could determine. The Murim Alliance was not an organization that could be swayed by someone of that standing.
Though Baekcheong had provoked him, it had been Unjeong himself who had been about to move first.
No matter that he was a second-generation disciple, he was still a disciple of Mount Hua.
The moment Unjeong became entangled in this matter, Mount Hua would move—and that could escalate into a confrontation between the Murim Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance.
If it went any further, it would only invite the dreadful outcome of another Orthodox–Unorthodox War.
Realizing his own rashness, Unjeong chose to prioritize containing the situation.
Youngho gave a light nod and, as an elder, offered a word of advice.
“Next time, it would be better to observe the situation a bit longer before intervening.”
“Thank you for the advice.”
Unjeong knew he had made a mistake this time and quietly accepted it.
Seeing Unjeong display such a thoroughly Orthodox demeanor, Youngho let out a faint scoff inwardly.
‘Hypocritical bastard.’
In the future, Unjeong would become one of the hypocrites of the Orthodox Sect. There had been more than a few times when Youngho had trembled with disgust at Unjeong’s hypocrisy.
But people changed. The virtuous could turn wicked, and the reverse was also true.
After all, Youngho himself was proof of that.
And Youngho knew exactly why Unjeong had become a hypocrite.
‘As long as he doesn’t go through that process.’
There would be no grand catastrophe, but a series of small incidents would erupt one after another. Youngho could not remain by his side every time, but perhaps simply revealing his presence would allow something to take root in him.
In truth, had Youngho not intervened just now, Unjeong might have released Killing Intent at such an obvious provocation—something unbefitting of the Orthodox Sect.
“May I ask your name?”
“My name is Youngho.”
“Pardon?”
“I said Youngho.”
At those words, Unjeong could not hide his confusion.
“You said Youngho?”
“Yes.”
“Not Jeonghyeon?”
“Jeonghyeon would be… my First Senior Brother.”
“Then…?”
“I am the Alliance Lord’s fifth disciple.”
Unjeong’s eyes widened in disbelief.
‘The fifth?’
Not the second?
He had heard rumors that the Alliance Lord had taken in a fifth disciple. But he could not believe that the person before him was that very disciple.
‘How in the world did he manage it?’
Youngho had deceived even his senses, taken position behind Baekcheong, and knocked him unconscious.
‘Surely he hasn’t been learning martial arts for many years?’
Seeing Unjeong unable to hide his bewilderment, Youngho merely smiled faintly.
“If you have nothing further to say, I will take my leave. And.”
With a cold gaze, Youngho looked toward the disciples of the Azure Sword Sect.
“Do refrain from provoking others first so persistently.”