Chapter 160 - The Black Flame Dragon Quelling the Chaos (5)

"AAAGH!"

Snake Evil screamed, looking at Sword Evil's blade that had dug deeply into his thigh.

While the Dark Blood Gang panicked at the sudden situation and did not know what to do, Sword Evil, who had flown five jang away, stood up bleeding.

"The bank notes... I'll kill you..."

"Snake Evil was the one who hit you, so why are you killing me?"

Sword Evil looked once at the agonizing Snake Evil and spoke.

"... I'll beat up Snake Evil later, but for now, I'm going to kill you."

I nodded.

"That makes some sense. Assuming you can catch me, of course."

Before Sword Evil and the Dark Blood Gang members could move, I unleashed the World-Traversing Lone Footwork and leaped into the sky.

BOOM!

While the topsoil surged like a wave and obscured the charging Sword Evil's vision, I stepped on a pavilion and escaped straight out of the Dark Blood Gang.

I could hear the screams of Sword Evil desperately trying to give chase.

"My bank notes!!"

I mean, why is he constantly treating a person like an object?

I headed straight to Haomun's branch.

Time was short, but there would be some leeway before the news from the Dark Blood Gang reached the Yujang Sect.

Still, just in case, I increased my speed and headed to the drapery, but I couldn't help but tilt my head.

"Huh?"

It was the middle of the night, so I was prepared to wake up the drapery owner, but the drapery was lit up, and Haeryeong was standing out front.

"What is going on?"

"I figured you would come, so I was waiting."

As expected, not just anyone could be the first disciple of the Sect Leader of Haomun.

"I apologize, but I am out of time, so I will get straight to the point."

"Yes. Please speak."

"Please spread a rumor. Tell them that the Yujang Sect and the Orthodox sects have pooled their money to hire assassins, and that they are scheduled to begin operating in earnest."

"Will they believe that?"

"They probably won't. But it doesn't matter. I just intend to make them nervous."

If it were the Orthodox faction, they wouldn't care much even if such a rumor circulated.

On the other hand, from the perspective of the Underworld, who considered hiring assassins a given, this choice would seem rational, so they would feel the pressure.

"What do you plan to do after that?"

"It is already like riding a tiger; it's too late to stop the Underworld factions of Yueyang. Instead, I plan to trip them up."

"... Are you thinking of a 'sparring match showdown'?"

"Yes."

Worry clouded Haeryeong's face.

"Even if a sparring match showdown takes place, the Eight Evils will probably come out. The Eight Evils are not easy opponents."

Having faced them myself, I knew. If the two of them, who had coordinated for a long time, hadn't let their guard down, my trick of Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees wouldn't have worked.

"I have thought of a countermeasure."

"... Understood. Is there anything else you need?"

"By any chance, how many people in Haomun know how to use martial arts?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Several Orthodox sects have collapsed from this incident, and the Underworld sects will face the aftermath as well. Isn't this an opportunity to lead your people and seize the rights and interests?"

"... Would that be alright?"

Haeryeong seemed deeply embarrassed about piggybacking on the feast I had prepared.

If this tug-of-war between the Underworld and the Orthodox faction was going to keep repeating, it would be better to divide Yueyang into three.

That way, neither the Orthodox faction nor the Underworld could move hastily.

At the very least, small and medium sects wouldn't be swept away in the aftermath of the storm.

I deliberately reassured her.

"Didn't you agree to share the profits with me? Without this level of reward, I wouldn't have the motivation to work either."

* * *

I returned to the Yujang Sect so fast I was gasping for breath.

Unlike when I left, this time I just made a sound and landed inside the Yujang Sect.

THUD!

There was a murmur outside the Yujang Sect due to the sudden commotion, but no one took any action.

"My goodness! Young Master Jin, what were you doing?"

"Pardon?"

"What are all these wounds? Goodness, what happened to your hand?"

Only then did I inspect my body, seeing that not only my left hand but also my arms and legs were full of wounds.

Then again, considering I had faced two of the Eight Evils, getting off with only these wounds was a good defense.

"It's nothing much. More importantly, what is everyone doing right now?"

"We've been taking turns standing guard and sleeping, just as Young Master Jin instructed."

Having slept even in snatches, their fatigue should have lifted a bit.

"Please wake everyone up and tell them to prepare to fight."

"Pardon?"

"Tell them not to spread out this time, but to all gather here at the Grand Equestrian Ground."

"Did something happen?"

"They will make their move soon."

Seong Moran went to wake the people up, half in doubt, while I roughly finished my first aid.

The people gathered, and the air in the Grand Equestrian Ground settled into stillness.

Then, a moment later, a commotion began outside the wall.

"What kind of bullshit is that!"

"An intruder? A fire?"

"What? Who?"

The commotion, seemingly searching for someone, grew louder and soon began to sound like a roar, and the rough fighting spirit was enough to transmit over the wall and into the Yujang Sect.

GULP.

Watching the unusual situation unfolding outside, the people gathered at the Grand Equestrian Ground swallowed thickly and adjusted their grips on their swords.

CRASH!

The already half-broken wall collapsed, and Underworld figures, led by a man wielding a sickle, burst into the Yujang Sect.

"Jin Sowoon!"

As the Underworld members sought me out without warning, Seong Moran and the rest of my group stared at me all at once.

Their eyes seemed to ask what on earth I had been doing this time.

I began to gather the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm in my hands.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE.

"H-Huh?"

"T-That's..."

Perhaps because they had already tasted the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm once, the warriors of the Dark Blood Gang hesitated and refused to step forward.

Only the man with the sickle stepped forward before us without fear.

"Was it truly you who launched a sneak attack on the Dark Blood Gang?"

"What are you talking about?"

At my nonchalant reaction, the man with the sickle ground his teeth.

"News just arrived from our main gang. That an intruder burned down the Mukjon Pavilion."

"Oh my! Did such a thing happen? Shouldn't you hurry back to check?"

"Jin Sowoon!!"

"Move one more step. I will let you taste the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm you experienced yesterday all over again."

The man with the sickle flinched but did not step forward.

"Do you think one hand can fend off ten?"

"Bring your Vice Gang Leader. I have something to say."

Instantly, the man's face crumpled.

"... Why are you looking for the Vice Gang Leader and not the Gang Leader? I said there was a fire; I never mentioned the Gang Leader's death."

I tried my best to act surprised and replied.

"Oops! My mistake."

"... So it really was you who assassinated the Gang Leader."

At the sickle-wielding man's words, the people of the Yujang Sect let out a silent scream.

Geumpyo, Eunho, and Dongryong looked as if they were about to faint at any moment.

"Relay this to the Vice Gang Leader. If he does not come tomorrow, tell him that even if the Yujang Sect is annihilated, the next one to die will be him, the Vice Gang Leader."

GRIND.

The tense air lingered for a moment.

Staring at me as if he would break his teeth grinding them, the sickle-wielding man soon turned around and went back.

Once the bout of tension passed, the Yujang Sect members as well as the Taiyi Sect kids slumped to the ground.

"Phew... I thought I was going to die of fright."

At Geumpyo's words, I withdrew the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm and clicked my tongue.

"If you are afraid of mere Underworld thugs like them, do you think you can survive a life in Jianghu?"

However, for some reason, the people's expressions contorted weirdly.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"... Hm?"

Geumpyo looked at me in disbelief.

"We mean you were scary, Senior Brother. 'Oops! My mistake??' What on earth was that? That creepy line. I almost peed my pants."

Eunho trembled and chimed in.

"Hyung, did you see him smirk when he said that? I seriously thought he was a ghost."

Calling their Eldest Senior Brother a ghost, seriously.

"..."

Tsk.

Was it really that weird?

* * *

Day broke, and a small table was placed in the front courtyard of the Yujang Sect.

It was brought over from the Murim Alliance's Yueyang Branch, and around the table sat three chairs.

The future of the Yujang Sect would be decided at this simple setting.

I had sought out the Yujang Sect Leader early in the morning to inform him of what he needed to say and the terms to negotiate today.

However, the Yujang Sect Leader adamantly refused.

"This is not a matter I am capable of handling. Please go out in my stead."

"Pardon?"

"If it weren't for you, the Yujang Sect would have already been annihilated, and everyone here would be wandering spirits. Therefore, the one who steps up to that position should be you, not me."

Of course, he wasn't wrong, but this was a setting where the sect's survival was at stake.

It was not a place where a disciple of another sect should step forward.

"I do not know how to face Underworld factions with overwhelming power compared to mine. But you dealt a blow to the Dark Blood Gang and even took the life of the Dark Blood Gang Leader. The one sitting in this seat right now must be you, not me."

"..."

"Do not worry. Just because I did not make the choices does not mean I will evade the responsibility."

Since he put it that way, I had no choice but to nod and speak.

"Understood. In that case, there are two things I would like to ask."

"What is it?"

I stared into the Sect Leader's eyes, which were still wavering weakly.

"How much are you willing to stake?"

"..."

"I must know what you can wager before I can negotiate."

After contemplating for a moment, the Sect Leader nodded once and looked straight into my eyes.

"... I will stake my neck and the signboard of the Yujang Sect."

"Father!"

"""Sect Leader!"""

Jang Ujae and the Yujang Sect disciples stepped forward in shock, but the Sect Leader raised his hand to stop them.

"I desire nothing else. Just please ensure that the people of our Yujang Sect do not die simply for being from the Yujang Sect."

His haggard appearance remained the same, but his eyes, at least, were burning passionately.

It was the resolve to fulfill the responsibilities of his position to the very end.

Looking into his eyes, I somehow felt a strong intuition that today would by no means be the end of the Yujang Sect.

Because the heads of the sects that maintained their lineage to the very end even after the Orthodox-Demonic Great War usually had eyes just like that.

At that moment, Jang Ujae, standing beside him, spoke with the exact same look in his eyes as his father.

"If so, then I will wager mine too!"

"Ujae!"

"Father! I cannot drive only you to your death. Representative Jin! I too will share the responsibility."

Jang Ujae's attitude and gaze were so stubborn that the Sect Leader couldn't even think of stopping him anymore.

"Understood. I have firmly accepted both of your lives. Then, I will ask my second question."

I took a breath.

Because it was a question that could potentially offend not only the Yujang Sect Leader but also all the members of the Yujang Sect.

"Sect Leader, are you capable of securing a victory against an expert from the Dark Blood Gang?"

Asking to state a measure for evaluating one's martial strength was an act that prodded at the most fundamental pride of martial artists.

It was no different from the nasty provocations Underworld thugs or street ruffians used when trying to rub an opponent the wrong way.

"..."

Sure enough, the glares from the Yujang Sect warriors were not pleasant.

Even so, it had to be done.

Because a strategy could only be perfectly formulated when one had accurate information.

"Who... must I face?"

The Sect Leader spoke as if he already knew what I was planning.

He's quite quick to catch on.

"The Vice Gang Leader."

"...!"

Even though the Dark Blood Gang Leader had died because bravado ruled his head, that didn't mean the skills of the Dark Blood Gang Leader or the Vice Gang Leader could be underestimated.

They were, after all, the heads of an Underworld sect that had survived for fifty years in Yueyang, which was dominated by the Wudang and Mount Cangshan Sects.

The disciples of the Yujang Sect seemed to think it was impossible as well, their complexions turning ashen.

'Is it too difficult, as expected?'

A sparring match showdown needed to be fought with just the involved parties as much as possible.

The moment the members of the Eight Evils all entered the sparring match showdown, the outcome would essentially be over already.

In any case, even if the Eight Evils were given the minimum number of slots, if someone from the Yujang Sect actually lost, that would be a serious problem too.

Faced with the Sect Leader's lack of an answer, I looked at Namgung Seonhwa.

The second card I could play right now.

At the very least, they wouldn't be able to raise objections if Namgung Seonhwa participated in the sparring match showdown.

While I was rolling over various plans like that, the Yujang Sect Leader broke the silence.

"I can win."

"Pardon?"

Oops, I was too surprised.

Startled by the words I had unknowingly blurted out, I tried to recover, but the Sect Leader nodded as if it were fine.

"It is alright. In the world, it is known that my skills are not that exceptional. But I possess a hidden technique that I have kept secret my entire life."

The Sect Leader paused for a moment and looked back at the people of the Yujang Sect.

He took a breath and spoke in an unwavering voice.

"Therefore, formulate the strategy assuming that I will win."

In an instant, the surrounding air shifted. The faces of the Yujang Sect members looked overwhelmed with emotion.

I found myself nodding.

Had he been practicing the Jianghu proverb to always hide three-tenths of your skill?

The Yujang Sect Leader looked different to me anew.

"Then that settles it. If we just have one more person from the Yujang Sect..."

"Representative Jin!"

As expected, the first one to answer was Jang Ujae.

He looked at me with unwavering eyes and gave a slight nod.

He certainly wasn't strong, but his gaze and actions were filled with fearless courage and conviction.

It was no coincidence that those without factions in the Murim Academy followed Jang Ujae.

"Then it is settled."

The moment I nodded, a clerk from the Murim Alliance approached and conveyed that everyone had gathered.

Just as I was about to move my feet toward the negotiation table,

"Wait, isn't a sparring match showdown fought with a total of three people?"

The Sect Leader asked in a puzzled tone.

I stopped walking for a moment, looked at him once, and spoke.

"I will be stepping up."

* * *

The Dark Blood Gang, Black Axe Palace, Ghost Sword Pavilion, Spear Ghost Sect, Blood Death Sect, Seo-ak Sect... and so on.

Nine Underworld sects leading this affair in Yueyang came swarming.

Nearly three thousand people were gathered just around the Yujang Sect area.

Those doing business nearby cleared their stalls, and those who had opened their windows locked them tight, afraid they might accidentally make eye contact.

But the funny thing was that among them were those who had experienced the Demonic Spirit Plateau incident with me.

They waved their hands and raised their swords to highlight their presence, as if meeting an old friend.

'Crazy bastards.'

I slowly approached the table.

At the seat of honor sat Dang Hyeokjae with a deep scowl, and directly across sat a man who appeared to be the Gang Leader of the Dark Blood Gang, baring his teeth and growling.

Behind him stood Sword Evil and Snake Evil, the latter with his leg wrapped in bandages.

Beside them stood the Palace Master of the Black Axe Palace, along with Spear Evil, Tiger Evil, and Axe Evil.

It was truly a blatant signal that they would wipe out the Yujang Sect if this meeting went south.

"Where has the Yujang Sect Leader gone, and why are you coming out instead?"

"I have been delegated all decision-making authority by the Sect Leader. You wanted to see me anyway, didn't you?"

The Vice Gang Leader of the Dark Blood Gang, So Gyeongchu, made a face like an evil spirit.

"Do you think negotiations are possible after you dared to pull such a stunt on the Dark Blood Gang?"

"If so, why did you crawl all the way out here?"

"C-Crawl out...?"

Dang Hyeokjae, who had been frowning, gasped in shock and sent a sound transmission.

[-Could you please watch your words?]

Of course not, especially in a setting like this.

I lightly ignored the sound transmission and continued.

"You all came all the way out here because you also realized something was going wrong."

"... Watch your mouth, brat. We might just decide to wipe everything out right in the middle of this."

"As if that were possible."

"What?"

"The moment you lot stop acting as individual sects and begin to take collective action, the Murim Alliance will step in earnestly. The Underworld Alliance hasn't even been established yet. Do you think you can really wage a war against the Murim Alliance?"

"..."

Dang Hyeokjae's face turned pale white.

"Furthermore, even the Underworld Alliance would find it difficult to accept those who provoked the Murim Alliance as founding members. After all, the Underworld Alliance cannot ignore the Murim Alliance."

So Gyeongchu's face stiffened rigidly.

BANG!

Startled slightly by the sound of my hitting the table, So Gyeongchu looked enraged.

Everyone's attention focused on me.

"What I am saying is that you lot are backed into a shitty situation right now."

"..."

I could feel the initiative gradually falling into my hands.

I leaned back and leisurely changed my tone.

"I will give you an opportunity. Let's end the war between the Dark Blood Gang and the Yujang Sect with a sparring match showdown."

"Do you think I'll accept that?"

I quietly stared at So Gyeongchu.

"..."

Clasping my hands together to cover my mouth, I continued to glare at him until he felt uncomfortable.

"I am in a very foul mood right now."

I took in the members of the Eight Evils and the heads of the Underworld sects one by one with my eyes.

"You mercilessly attacked opponents who had declared surrender, and you chased down and killed those who had lost their will to fight."

TAP- TAP-

I paused my speech for a moment and tapped the table a couple of times with my fingers.

"... What I'm saying is, right now, in my eyes, you bastards don't look like humans, but like beasts."

"You little punk!"

"Hey! Watch your mouth!"

So Gyeongchu and the heads of the various Underworld sects showed their displeasure, but it didn't matter.

From the very beginning, the reason I wanted to create the Underworld Alliance was to prepare for a greater evil together, not because I intended to swallow a rotten apple while putting up with it.

"If the Yujang Sect ends up being annihilated at the hands of the Dark Blood Gang, I will drop everything and kill the Gang Leader, Vice Gang Leader, Hall Leader, and Vice Hall Leader of the Dark Blood Gang. Any one of you, I'll kill you all. In the exact same way I killed your Gang Leader."

"... Does the Dark Blood Gang look that easy to you!"

"You've seen it, so you know. My stealth technique is difficult for anyone to detect, and my movement technique cannot be tracked by anyone in the Dark Blood Gang, not even Snake Evil. You all will have to endure uncomfortable and anxious nights of sleep for the rest of your lives."

"..."

So Gyeongchu turned his head to look at Snake Evil.

Snake Evil merely glared at me with a murderous expression but said nothing.

That was practically proof that my words were undeniably true.

"If you pull a stunt like that, it will be hard for you to operate within the Murim Alliance too."

I let out a scoffing laugh.

"If I had worried about my activities in the Murim Alliance, would I have orchestrated something like the Underworld night raid in the first place?"

"..."

So Gyeongchu, who glared at me for a long time, swallowed a groan.

"And the result of the sparring match showdown?"

"If the Yujang Sect loses, they will hand over their grounds, sect, signboard, and businesses, and leave Yueyang. You will never hear the name Yujang Sect anywhere ever again. If the Dark Blood Gang loses, you will compensate the Yujang Sect for the damages caused by the war and deliver condolence money to the families of the deceased."

"..."

"I hope you won't spout bullshit about this being unfair."

"You punk! You've got a filthy mouth."

I pointed at Snake Evil and Sword Evil with my chin.

"If it weren't for those two, the Gang Leader wouldn't have been the only one to die yesterday."

"..."

"Do not even think about filling all three spots with the Five Evils you invited. At least two spots must be taken by the warriors of the Dark Blood Gang. Don't forget that this is a war between the Yujang Sect and the Dark Blood Gang."

So Gyeongchu looked at the man holding the sickle.

The man with the sickle gave a slight nod.

"Fine."

"The decisive battle will be held here in a week."

"We will hold it right now."

"Do you plan to leave the corpses of the Dark Blood Gang unburied?"

"... Then three days from now, right here."

Three days... Three days... No matter how I thought about it, the schedule was tight.

However, seeing the dissatisfied expressions and murderous glares of those Underworld figures, even that timeframe seemed borderline.

I nodded.

"Very well."

Standing up from my seat, I walked toward the Yujang Sect, but then turned back again and pointed at Snake Evil.

"By the way, why did you insist on bringing that crippled foot along?"

Snake Evil glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.

What are you looking at, and what are you going to do about it anyway?