Chapter 207

Chapter 207

The alliance progressed quickly.

“So, if we follow what you young heroes are saying, Bulgwae is blocking the front of the shop and dealing with everyone heading to the shop.”

“That’s right.”

“And to subdue him, everyone here needs to join forces.”

“Yes.”

“Mm.”

Songbyeok Jin-in, who had been facing Baek Risan with his eyes half-closed, looked at the Cheongseong Sect disciples tensing up beside him and waved his hand.

“There’s no need to be nervous. These young heroes can’t harm us.”

“You’re quite confident.”

“I don’t think someone who came with such a proposal would be foolish enough to do that.”

“……Are you saying that us attacking you would be like throwing eggs at a rock?”

“Isn’t that wrong?”

“It’s not wrong, but it feels a bit unpleasant.”

“Not being discouraged even knowing the gap. That’s proof you’re still young. Huhuhu. At that age, one ought to be that way.”

Looking at Baek Risan’s bold attitude, Songbyeok Jin-in smiled slightly and touched the scabbard of his Cheonggang Sword placed beside him, lost in thought. Countless thoughts rapidly rising through his mind.

“Allying with the Demonic Path….”

“You don’t seem too pleased.”

“I can understand allying out of necessity, but whether we can trust them is a separate matter.”

“Just because they’re Demonic Path doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily betray us. They have their own code of honor.”

“That ‘their own’ is the problem, isn’t it? Their code applies only within their own boundaries. It won’t apply to you, me, or our sect’s disciples. It’s an implicit rule called loyalty.”

It’s a code to avoid losses. Songbyeok Jin-in pointed this out, and Baek Risan swallowed hard before opening his mouth.

“What I trust isn’t the Demonic Path.”

“Then what?”

“The benefits the alliance will bring. The fact that they have no reason to betray us. That’s what I believe in.”

“No reason to betray?”

“For some reason, Jin-in isn’t actively stepping forward, but the fact that Jin-in is strong is something everyone knows. Unless they’re other sect leaders or Ten Heavens-level, it’s hard to cross swords with you.”

Among the leaders of the Nine Sects and One Gang, known for their strength, Songbyeok Jin-in is always counted among the top five in martial prowess. Those who could match him would be Jeokhwa Jin-in of Huashan, Shaolin’s abbot, or perhaps the Wudang Sect leader.

“In front is Bulgwae. Behind is Jin-in. The Demonic Path has no choice. To break through this situation, there’s no method other than joining hands.”

“They could betray us after things are finished.”

“What if we exhaust the Demonic Path’s forces beforehand?”

“You’re saying you’ll deceive the enemy?”

“No. I’ll tell the Demonic Path too. To take the vanguard. They’ll probably accept readily, won’t they?”

“Why would they do that? They’ll be concerned about being discarded after use.”

“Because being eliminated here isn’t complete death.”

Salin-mulgoo.

Kill and silence. Eliminate those who know the truth to eliminate witnesses. It’s common in the martial world. It’s something frequently done in the Demonic Path and implicitly carried out even in the Orthodox Path.

In a normal environment, the Demonic Path wouldn’t have accepted such a proposal. They’d worry that right after fighting Bulgwae, Songbyeok Jin-in would cut their throats.

But now it’s different.

“As long as they don’t die, they can speak. When they reach a life-threatening crisis, they’ll just break their bracelets.”

“The higher Jin-in’s reputation, the more trust it gives them. They can be certain you won’t throw away that reputation by betraying them for such a trivial reason in a place like this. Well, there will be some resistance to being forcibly expended first, but no matter what…….”

Even if they resist, there’s nothing they can do. What other path does the Demonic Path have besides allying to defeat Bulgwae?

There’s only one method. Unless they’re giving up on the opening ceremony entirely here, they have no choice but to accept.

“What will you do?”

“Hmm.”

Looking at Baek Risan’s triumphant appearance, Songbyeok Jin-in stroked his chin and asked casually.

“What if I don’t accept?”

“Without Jin-in, the plan won’t even be established in the first place. I’ll hide somewhere until Bulgwae leaves. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll break my bracelet.”

“You’re quite bold.”

“The person who taught me strategy and tactics was that kind of person. Well, I’m trying to do something too. Will you accept?”

At Baek Risan’s words, Songbyeok Jin-in thought for a moment, then quietly collected his Cheonggang Sword and rose from his seat. The answer that followed.

“Good. To accumulate my disciples’ experience, it would be better to eliminate people like Bulgwae.”

“Then was the reason you haven’t been stepping forward until now to accumulate Cheongseong Sect disciples’ experience?”

“That’s right. Our sect doesn’t covet many things here. We have our own martial arts, and what would a Daoist need with precious swords? At most spirit medicines, but those aren’t that significant either. It’s not like we can cut up spirit medicines and share them.”

“At most, it’s good if we have them; if not, so be it. That kind of feeling.”

No greed. It feels like they participated just to safely accumulate disciples’ experience.

Baek Risan, who felt something similar to Baek Riyun from Songbyeok Jin-in, wore a bitter smile and rose from his seat together.

“I’ve identified the Demonic Path’s strongholds. I’ll guide you right away since night is approaching.”

“Mm, it would be good to finish before sunset. Moving at night is their territory……?”

Kurureureung.

While continuing to speak, Songbyeok Jin-in turned his gaze to the strange signs in the sky and fell silent. Black storm clouds gathering before his eyes, though it had clearly been clear just moments ago.

“Mmm, that is.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Look at that.”

“That?”

Following Songbyeok Jin-in’s words, Baek Risan turned his gaze and was shocked. Something was coming over from beyond the storm clouds.

“That… what on earth?”

An enormously gigantic foot. Empty hands holding nothing. And muscles that looked as hard as steel.

Though thunder clouds are usually said to be summoned by dragons, the master of these thunder clouds isn’t a dragon. A giant of towering height that even a dragon, if one existed, might not compare to.

Just looking at it, the body length alone is dozens of jang. With one swing it could shatter mountains, and with one step it could cross rivers. A massive body whose appearance could be confirmed from anywhere in the zone.

Giant God.

“That’s the Zone Master.”

“Zone……Master?”

“When I stopped by the shop before Bulgwae came to occupy it, he said something like that. That each zone has a separate master.”

“The zone’s master……is that?”

“That’s right. I didn’t know the details since he said he couldn’t tell me yet. I thought the person who achieved the most in that zone would become the Zone Master.”

You can tell just by looking. That’s not simply a decoration or a device to intimidate.

“The reason they didn’t open the gate to the central zone even when we bought the transfer authority must be because we need to catch something like that.”

“……Can we catch it?”

At Baek Risan’s daunted question, Songbyeok Jin-in smiled faintly.

“It doesn’t look like we need to completely defeat it. Look at the necklace around its neck.”

“Necklace?”

“Numbers are written on the necklace. Thirty thousand. Probably points, aren’t they?”

“……Ah.”

It’s the same as the bracelets. If we can just tear off the necklace, the Zone Master will disappear on its own. Of course, tearing it off isn’t actually that simple a matter…….

“Directly killing a giant god of that size seems far more possible. So what will you do?”

“A variable has appeared. Will you join hands with Bulgwae?”

“No.”

Baek Risan, who had recalled the appearance of Bulgwae he had seen earlier for a moment, shook his head.

“Bulgwae is someone with whom negotiation is impossible.”

“Then?”

“We’ll proceed with the plan as is.”

One more process has just been added, that’s all.

“We capture Bulgwae, and immediately after that, we capture the Zone Master.”

At the confirmed plan, Songbyeok Jin-in quietly drew his Cheonggang Sword. And.

“Let’s finish quickly. Time has become even more pressing.”

Right then.

The giant god began to move.

Though it’s famous even among common folk, there is a legend of the Four Divine Beasts in Central Plains.

The Vermilion Bird guarding the south. The Black Tortoise guarding the north. The Azure Dragon guarding the east. The White Tiger guarding the west.

The divine beasts guarding different directions each govern different elements. The White Tiger governs wind, the Black Tortoise governs extreme cold, and the Vermilion Bird governs fire.

And among them, the Azure Dragon that governs the east usually appears as governing two things. Rain and lightning. The incarnation of summoning wind and rain.

In other words, facing an Azure Dragon in sea terrain would be no different from suicide.

That is, if the Azure Dragon actually existed.

“……This is troublesome.”

One gak since leaving the island.

I let out a sigh at the raft that kept being pushed back by the waves even when I pushed it forward. Speed slower than expected.

“Zone Master….”

One gak ago, the Water Dragon descended upon this zone.

Though I say it descended, it hasn’t taken any particular action. It’s just roaming the distant waters, looking for prey. It’s not doing anything unusual yet.

But that’s the problem. The fact that it’s roaming distant waters. That it started roaming especially far from the shop in the center means, in the end.

Isn’t it the same as herding people toward the center?

“Capturing the Zone Master.”

What would be needed to catch a dragon in the sea? Cannons? Or a master who has attained heavenly martial arts?

Neither. What’s needed to catch a Water Dragon in the sea is ground to stand on. Even someone who can use Deungpyeongdosu as easily as flowing water can’t display their full ability while stepping on waves reaching ten jang. Ground is absolutely necessary.

But the Water Dragon lives in water. Hoping the Water Dragon will climb onto an island by itself is no different from casting a fishing line on dry land without water.

So what’s needed is a sturdy boat.

A boat that will never break.

“They haven’t obtained it yet, it seems.”

Daesageom is strong. Because he’s none other than one of the Ten Heavens.

If Daesageom had obtained the boat, he would have launched it to catch the Zone Master without needing to say anything. But there’s still no such boat floating on the sea.

Then it’s safe to say Daesageom hasn’t obtained the boat yet. Blood Sword Gate isn’t on good terms with the Waterway Strongholds, so perhaps he’s having a fight with them.If I could stab him in the back, that would be good.

At this speed, is it impossible?

I thought for a moment and let out a sigh. It wasn’t the time to hesitate about conserving internal energy.

“Can’t be helped.”

Pungnoeshu

Cheonpung

From Yongcheon to Myeongmun. Then along Gokji to Jangsim.

The rapidly surging internal energy poured out roughly through my palm. A massive palm force reminiscent of the great air currents that only those who fly through the sky can know.

Wide in area. Strong in striking power. Pushing away.

Using the recoil, the raft was pushed forward smoothly. Faster than expected.At this rate…….

I could get there quickly.

As I was thinking for a moment, I quietly rose from my seat at the presence I felt. At the same time, red energy filling my vision, blocking the view ahead.

“Bad luck.”

Has it come?

Muttering, I quietly drew my sword.

The next moment.

The raft I was riding disintegrated.

Leaving traces of being cut by something sharp.