Return of the Mount Hua Sect Chapter 1435: You Will Have To Kill Me First. (5)

Jeok Ho’s eyebrow twitched slightly. The first words that caught his ear were the two syllables ‘Southern Edge.’

‘The Southern Edge Sect is here?’

Of course, he had considered that Southern Edge Sect might step forward. No matter how sealed, once the Four Sects Alliance launched a full-scale incursion into Shaanxi, they couldn’t just sit back and watch.

But the Four Sects Alliance had not yet set foot in Shaanxi. Even so, someone claiming to be Southern Edge Sect had deliberately appeared in this Sichuan land. That alone made his insides twist.

What truly unsettled Jeok Ho more than the name Southern Edge Sect was the man standing before him.

He had never even heard the man’s name. That meant he wasn’t renowned in the Central Plains. And judging by his appearance, he was still just a green youth.

Then he could have cut him down in one stroke, but strangely Jeok Ho’s sword intent wouldn’t move as easily as he expected.

Could he be cowed by this child’s momentum? Impossible. He was Jeok Ho, not someone to be pushed around by a kid.

Yet there was one reason he couldn’t easily extend his curved blade.

‘There is no opening.’

It felt as if he faced a massive wall.

Many people swing a blade at a rock, more often than you’d think. But if the condition is that you must split the rock with a single strike, no one would easily lift their sword.

Just like Jeok Ho now.

“Southern Edge Sect’s Lee Song-Baek…”

Jeok Ho bit his lip and glared coldly at Lee Song-Baek. Even standing before him, his eyes were unnervingly calm, showing not a tremor.

“Do you intend to stop us all by yourself?”

“…I never said I was alone.”

Jeok Ho’s eyes widened slightly. Lee Song-Baek met his gaze with an unflinching face.

“There are others who arrived a bit later.”

As if to prove the words, a group swiftly ran up behind Lee Song-Baek.

Wham!

A man in white martial robes sprang up from the ground and landed beside Lee Song-Baek, then glared at Jeok Ho. His intent was different from Lee Song-Baek’s, blade-like.

“I didn’t know you liked being so conspicuous.”

At the man’s words, Lee Song-Baek kept his eyes fixed on Jeok Ho and bowed slightly.

“Sorry, sahyung. I was in too much of a hurry.”

“Ha.”

The man snorted as if displeased, glanced at Jeok Ho, and spoke.

“Indeed, we are a bit late.”

Jeok Ho’s face twisted for a moment. The youth who had glanced at him casually turned his gaze to the rear as if nothing had happened.

‘Th…!’

A kid barely past thirty dared to turn his gaze away from Jeok Ho, something only a fool could do.

Yet Jeok Ho had to admit the arrogant manner oddly fit the youth.

Probably because of his flamboyant appearance.

Although he wore plain martial robes like the man who called himself Lee Song-Baek, this man’s aura was completely different.

If Lee Song-Baek was a steadfast ancient tree, this man was a gilded palace.

What was certain was that, despite their differing intents, both radiated an undeniable force.

‘Is this Southern Edge Sect?’

A chill ran down Jeok Ho’s spine.

If these youths, barely second-rank disciples, were so formidable, how strong must Southern Edge Sect’s elders and primary disciples be?

They said the center of the Nine Great Sects was Shaolin, Wudang, and Southern Edge Sect, and it seemed that wasn’t an empty boast.

Thud! Clang!

Soon dozens of swordsmen lined up around the two men.

“Great sahyung!”

“No need for long words. Take them down…”

“Sahyung. Do not forget the Sect leader’s admonition.”

At the weighty remark beside him, the flamboyant man stopped speaking, clicked his tongue, and said.

“Saving people comes first. Don’t rampage recklessly.”

“Yes!”

Jeok Ho’s eyes calmed of their own accord.

‘Damn.’

Remnants of the Tang Family had passed by Southern Edge Sect and moved away. But Jeok Ho couldn’t catch them; the moment he moved Southern Edge Sect’s sword would seize his ankle.

‘Why now of all times!’

Jeok Ho bit his lip involuntarily at the rising murderous intent, then opened his eyes flashing with killing intent.

‘It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. I only carry out orders.’

A surge of internal qi shot through Jeok Ho’s blade for a moment. A calm voice rang out.

“Stand down.”

Jeok Ho snapped his head to look at the speaker. Jang Ilso had already come close, beyond the struggling elders.

Stand down? He came all this way? For only these few?

Rebellion flared in Jeok Ho’s eyes for a moment. His hand on the blade tightened.

But that momentary fury froze the instant he heard the cold voice that followed.

“Jeok Ho.”

“…”

“Do you not hear me?”

Jeok Ho glanced at Lee Song-Baek and Jin Geum-Ryong, bit his lip, and stomped the ground. Standing beside Jang Ilso, he bowed slightly.

“I’m sorry.”

“No. I understand. My own gut churns from this too. But…”

Seeing Jin Geum-Ryong and Lee Song-Baek and Southern Edge Sect’s disciples arrayed around them, Jang Ilso’s eyes curved oddly.

“It can’t be helped. Desire is fine, but greed invites disaster. Behind a young tiger there is always its mother; she’ll likely arrive soon.”

Jeok Ho’s face hardened. The mother tiger, that would be Southern Edge Sect’s main force. What he’d just imagined, Southern Edge Sect’s main contingent, was now pressing toward this place.

“And those aren’t the only ones coming here. Truly dangerous ones are on the way.”

At that, Jeok Ho closed his eyes.

It was hardly wrong. They might handle Southern Edge Sect, but Mount Hua was likely coming this way now. Perhaps the Tang Family too.

The Ten Thousand People Clan was strong. But strength is relative. Facing the three sects of Mount Hua, Southern Edge Sect, and the Sichuan Tang Family would change the situation entirely. The Four Sects Alliance might have to stage a desperate retreat across the vast Sichuan.

“A shame, but greed is forbidden. Shall we withdraw then?”

“…Alliance lord, your words are most correct. But wouldn’t it be better to slay those rascals?”

Jeok Ho’s eyes turned to Lee Song-Baek and Jin Geum-Ryong. Jang Ilso, too, scanned the two with a strange look as if reluctantly amused.

“Not a bad thought, but you should’ve said it earlier. It’s already too late.”

“Eh?”

At that moment, several figures flew in behind Southern Edge Sect’s swordsmen.

“See? This is why I dislike old men.”

As everyone’s gaze fixed on Southern Edge Sect, a few Tang Family elders who’d joined from somewhere stood guarding his rear.

They had detached at the start of the battle to watch the situation, only to reveal themselves again upon Southern Edge Sect’s appearance.

Watching the Tang Family elders gasp for breath, Jeok Ho asked with a puzzled face.

“They’re only a few, after all.”

“Tsk tsk. This is why you always get trounced.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Arrogance is a shortcut to hell. Of course, a lone Tang Family standing on open ground is nothing; you can trample them as you like. But a Tang Family that has acquired a shield to block your path becomes like a marksmanship master on high ground: a terrible foe.”

“…”

“A marksman becomes greater by cunning. In that sense, those old men will no doubt be formidable, won’t they?”

At those words the elders’ faces flushed red.

“The shield may be small, but it’s not to be trifled with. This won’t go as I please.”

As Jang Ilso exaggeratedly sighed, Jin Geum-Ryong spoke.

“The Evil Sect sure likes to yap, doesn’t it?”

“…Hmm?”

“If you’re so confident, come on. I’ll cut your throat for you.”

Jang Ilso gave a deep, amused smile at the arrogant gaze.

“Kind words. Though it’s less impressive reciting them while you’re half-retreating.”

“What did you say?”

A murderous light rose in Jin Geum-Ryong’s face. Before he could snap, Lee Song-Baek quickly spoke.

“You! Are you unmoved after slaughtering so many people?”

Jang Ilso’s eyes met Lee Song-Baek’s.

“How could I be?”

“Then…”

“I’m pleased. Very much so.”

This time Lee Song-Baek’s momentum flared with killing intent as well.

Hegemony Lord Jang Ilso, the very man who stained the world with blood while Southern Edge Sect sealed it. He wanted to cut his throat on the spot, but…

‘He is strong.’

He knew for certain: the man was brutally strong. His whole body tingled. Honestly, none of them were confident they could cut him down even at the cost of their lives.

Jang Ilso leisurely looked at the rings on his hand and slowly twirled them.

“For mere rabbits, you’re quite cheeky.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“But to correct the manners of a few presumptuous rabbits by becoming a fox caught in a trap would be absurd. Let’s go back before the fearsome tiger arrives.”

“Yes.”

Jeok Ho silently nodded. He still didn’t fully understand, but since Jang Ilso had made the call, there must be a solid reason.

Then Jang Ilso turned with exaggerated motion and mocked,

“And Jeok Ho, as you think, it’s not such a great victory.”

Jeok Ho turned back puzzled, then understood those words.

On the land emptied of rising poisonous mist, the scene differed from his expectations. The Ten Thousand People Clan’s elite who had charged boldly lay strewn, convulsing.

“Gurgle… gurgle…”

Red and black foam kept spilling from their mouths. Those convulsing so horribly that it made one’s hair stand up tore at themselves in agony, clawing their exposed flesh, which quickly blackened.

“Ugh…”

A groan escaped Jeok Ho. When did this happen…?

The fallen numbered as many as fifty. Normally that might not have mattered, but those who’d charged to fight them were the Ten Thousand People Clan’s handpicked elites.

Losing fifty elites while dealing with only about twenty elders meant this battle was by no means profitable.

Seeing Jeok Ho’s reaction, Jang Ilso burst into laughter.

“Did the Tang Family seem laughable to you? For an Evil Sect scum to think so.”

Jeok Ho clenched his face and thought. He’d faced poison countless times in Evil Sect fights and knew how to counter it. But now he had to admit: the poison they’d fought and the Sichuan Tang Family’s poison differed fundamentally.

“D-decontaminate…”

“Hmm?”

At Jeok Ho’s words, Jang Ilso’s gaze darkened slightly, as if scolding him for making such a judgment now.

“…Alliance lord.”

“Tsk tsk. So tender-hearted.”

Jang Ilso stepped forward slowly.

Beneath him lay Tang Family elders cut down and his own subordinates writhing convulsively from poisoning, the men he’d painstakingly raised. Dozens of them suffered convulsions from toxin.

“True tenderness isn’t that. This is Sichuan, and enemies will arrive soon. In such circumstances, tenderness…”

Jang Ilso looked down at his writhing subordinate. The man’s bloodshot eyes desperately followed him, and Jang Ilso smiled with a gentle, merciful expression.

“Yes, I’m here.”

Crack.

Jang Ilso’s foot snapped the convulsing man’s neck in an instant. The subordinate trembled once and then fell still.

Jang Ilso said in a calm voice.

“Now do you understand?”

At that moment the rings on his hands emitted beams of light.

Crack! Crack!

The flying rings pierced the necks of the convulsing men at once.

“Al-Alliance lord…”

“This is what mercy looks like.”

Jang Ilso cast a cold glance over his dying subordinates, then turned to watch Southern Edge Sect’s disciples who still stood sharply on guard.

‘The Southern Edge Sect.’

He’d thought it would take longer even if they’d moved at once upon hearing the news. Apparently that ponderous posterior had proved rather nimble.

“This is what makes the world interesting. There’s always a variable.”

Lee Song-Baek and Jin Geum-Ryong.

And the massive force approaching from afar. Having taken them all in, Jang Ilso turned his gaze without hesitation.

“Well then…”

Just as Jang Ilso was about to speak leisurely, he widened his eyes and sharply turned his head.

Jeok Ho and the Red Dogs were startled by the reaction. They knew Jang Ilso rarely reacted like that.

“Oh dear…”

Jang Ilso’s eyes twisted slightly.

Soon a vicious killing intent shot forth. Not only Jang Ilso but everyone turned to look in that direction. The place the murderous aura swept from…

Something revealed itself at the edge of the desolate ground.

It was so far it appeared only as a dot, but Jang Ilso knew exactly what it was.

“Yes, I knew it. We might have died here if we hadn’t.”

Jang Ilso laughed and spun around. Then a dreadful roar thundered from the distance.

“Jang Ilsoooooooo!”

The roar was so fierce it froze everyone, but Jang Ilso alone shrugged it off with a joke.

“Alright, withdraw. Before that tiger’s fangs sink into my throat.”

The sword aiming at his neck.

Seeing the sword called Chung Myung, Jang Ilso tilted one corner of his mouth upward.