CLS-Chapter 275

 Chapter 275

Gwangmu-ryang looked at Wei Jeong-han with a slightly hardened face, his previous composure now seeming meaningless.

“The Righteous Hero Sword Wei Jeong-han… Should I say it’s an honor to face you?”

“I appreciate the high praise, but I’m not particularly pleased to hear such empty words from a Demonic Cult bastard. Just having a conversation with you lot makes me feel disgusted, so let’s skip the chatter and get to the blade work.”

“Hahaha, just as I’d heard.”

Gwangmu-ryang laughed as if delighted.

‘Indeed, a man recognized by the higher-ups.’

In terms of pure martial power alone, the Righteous Hero Sword didn’t measure up to the Plum Blossom Sword Sage. So he wouldn’t be able to match Gwangmu-ryang either. But the reason the Righteous Hero Sword had earned such a name and reputation wasn’t simply because his martial power was strong.

His unwavering resolve to never retreat and his boldness in disregarding his own life had made his name resound even within the Cult. While there were others who had inflicted greater damage, no warrior had left a more intense impression.

The Cult’s principle was only one thing: strength.

But that strength didn’t simply mean power. Though it was crude to express in words, if one had to choose a single word, it would have to be steadfastness.

And Wei Jeong-han was the man who best embodied the steadfastness that the Divine Cult pursued.

That’s why Gwangmu-ryang was showing respect to Wei Jeong-han, even though he was the Divine Cult’s formidable enemy.

“I’ve heard many rumors about you.”

“I’m sure you have. The Demonic Cult scum I’ve slaughtered alone would pile up into mountains.”

“Hmm.”

Though Wei Jeong-han continued his provocations, Gwangmu-ryang wasn’t easily drawn in.

“I wanted to meet you. There was something I wanted to confirm as well.”

“Confirm?”

“That can wait for now. What I want to know right now is something else.”

“……”

Black demonic energy began streaming from Gwangmu-ryang’s body.

“The Righteous Hero Sword Wei Jeong-han… Let’s see if you’re truly the man I’ve heard about!”

Facing Gwangmu-ryang who charged forward spewing pitch-black demonic energy, Wei Jeong-han drew his sword and pointed it at him.

***

“……How should we handle this?”

Cold sweat began flowing down Eon-hyo’s forehead.

“What are you doing?”

When Ho Cheol-san called out in an urgent tone, Eon-hyo answered with a reluctant voice.

“I’m contemplating which way to go.”

“Which way?”

“Toward the fighting, or toward fleeing.”

“……You bastard!”

Ho Cheol-san was about to scold Eon-hyo when he closed his mouth.

‘Damn it.’

The situation was indeed ambiguous. They were martial artists, and as martial artists, they should naturally rush forward into battle in such situations, but the circumstances were too poor to rashly choose combat.

‘We’d be no help.’

Ho Cheol-san bit his lips tightly.

No matter how well they had performed in the Later Generation Disciples’ Martial Competition, they were still just youngsters who had barely passed their coming of age. Meanwhile, those currently fighting at the front were the core members of Mount Hua and renowned figures from various regions.

Even with those several times stronger than them holding the front lines, the situation wasn’t good. No, to be precise, they were being pushed back one-sidedly without even being able to lift a finger.

“……Was the Demonic Cult this strong?”

The battle line that had started at the main gate had already been pushed past the martial arts stage to the main hall. Behind the Demonic Cult members in black robes who pressed forward mercilessly, corpses lay scattered, spilling blood.

In such a situation, what help would it be if they joined the front lines? They’d be fortunate if they didn’t just get in the way.

Though they had learned that martial spirit was more important than anything else, now wasn’t the time to display martial spirit.

Ho Cheol-san clenched his fists tightly.

‘Think realistically.’

What was needed now wasn’t emotion but reason. And hadn’t reason always been what he considered his greatest weapon? Having quickly finished his calculations, he shouted.

“Is that something a warrior should say! Aren’t you also a member of the Orthodox Alliance!”

At Eon-hyo’s surprised gaze looking at him, Ho Cheol-san’s body trembled.

‘Damn it, this isn’t right.’

His head was screaming to run away, but his body was rejecting that.

“Once you start running, you’ll keep running. In past wars, didn’t our seniors stay not because they weren’t afraid! They didn’t fight only when their skills were sufficient! They didn’t engage in battle only when they had a chance of winning!”

“……No, sir.”

“If you can’t stake your life at a time like this, what did you learn martial arts for! If your life is important, if self-preservation is so precious to you… then go. I won’t stop you either. But if there’s a warrior’s soul within you, reflect on what you just said and steel your resolve!”

“Yes!”

Eon-hyo’s eyes became resolute at Ho Cheol-san’s blood-boiling cry.

‘Damn it!’

Ho Cheol-san drew his sword and turned his body.

He knew it was a foolish act. Thinking rationally, he should immediately move to the best escape route. That would increase the probability of preserving his life, even if just slightly.

But Ho Cheol-san chose to join the front lines.

‘I’m also an inevitable warrior, it seems.’

Feeling his blood boil within his chest, Ho Cheol-san charged toward the front.

“Ho Cheol-san is here, you Demonic Cult bastards!”

“……It was a mistake.”

Jang-il looked at the battlefield with a devastated face.

Focusing too much attention on the Green Forest had been the mistake. When the Green Forest so openly revealed themselves, he should have suspected there was another intention, but he failed to do so.

It wasn’t that there was no room for excuses.

No one in the world would have thought that the Demonic Cult would appear here. Who would have imagined that the Demonic Cult from distant Xinjiang would suddenly appear here?

It wasn’t simply carelessness.

The Demonic Cult was the Demonic Cult.

The reason they had driven the Central Plains into terror wasn’t simply because they were strong. It was because their way of acting was different from that of the Central Plains.

They moved while slaughtering everything in their path. Under their will to purify all things in the world with sacred fire, they never left enemies behind when moving.

Considering the chaotic state of the Demonic Cult’s situation, no one could have thought that they would break their own principles to secretly infiltrate the heart of the Central Plains and cause trouble.

‘Still, it’s just an excuse.’

If one only thought about what anyone could think and took measures anyone could take, there would be no need for information organizations or strategists. Their job was to focus on possibilities others couldn’t think of and provide perfect countermeasures.

In that sense, this incident could be said to be a disaster created by Jang-il’s complete blunder.

“Get a grip!”

Jang-il clenched his teeth tightly.

Regretting was something anyone could do. But if he only regretted now, he would be doing nothing but repeating mistakes again. What he needed to do now wasn’t regret his past mistakes, but clean up what had already been committed.

Jang-il narrowed his eyes and surveyed the battle situation.

Everyone was fighting their own battles, but no matter how positively he tried to view the situation, it had reached a point where it couldn’t be seen favorably.

‘Confronting them is a bad move.’

In a situation where their overall strength was being overwhelmed, any strategy would be meaningless. The best response they could take now was to evacuate from this place with minimal casualties.

After that, if they could receive support from surrounding sects and the Orthodox Alliance, they would be able to suppress those numbers of Demonic Cult members without difficulty.

‘I need to meet the Sect Leader.’

Jang-il gritted his teeth and began running toward the head table. Blood from his lips, which he had bitten hard, trickled down.

***

“Oh, Mother!”

“This way! Come this way, child!”

A woman holding a newborn baby stretched out her hand to grasp the child’s hand.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

“Aaaaak!”

The screams coming from behind made her heart urgent.

‘They’re demons.’

The Demonic Cult members cutting down warriors with expressionless faces looked no different from the demons she’d seen only in dreams.

“G-get out of the way!”

“Stop getting in the way and move aside!”

The fleeing people looked like those being chased by wild beasts. They pulled at those in front while shouting. The desperation written on their faces made her heart even more anxious.

‘We shouldn’t have come here……’

It had been a mistake to come see the festival being held at Mount Hua. Her husband, who had strongly insisted they come here to catch up after a long time, was nowhere to be seen. Considering his usual bold personality, he was probably fighting somewhere over there.

“Ow!”

The child who had been running while holding her hand fell to the ground and rolled around.

“Hwa-ah!”

She quickly turned and caught the child.

“Oh, Mother!”

Her face was colored with panic.

The child was limping. She had probably twisted something properly when she fell, or something was broken.

“Come here!”

She pulled the child toward her. But supporting another child with one arm while holding a newborn baby with the other wasn’t an easy task.

“Hurry! Hurry!”

Her heart began to grow anxious. Even at this moment, those demons were approaching them. At this rate…….

At that moment, a woman in pure white clothing suddenly appeared from the side wound bandages she held around the child’s leg.

“Try standing up.”

“Yes?”

“Slowly.”

The child nodded and stood up from where she sat. After shaking her leg several times, the child looked at her mother and said.

“I can walk.”

“Th-thank you.”

The face she confirmed when she turned her head to express gratitude was like that of a fairy. It was so beautiful it seemed not of this world, and that face drew a smile.

“Go. Quickly.”

“Yes!”

Watching the woman run away holding the child’s hand, Jin Ye-ran let out a deep sigh.

‘The situation is too bad.’

She knew exactly what she had to do. As long as there were patients, a physician never showed their back. That was her belief.

‘Where else.’

As she turned her head to see if there were others to treat, her eyes widened greatly.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

Another head fell to the ground.

Devastating advance.

The balance of power hadn’t matched from the beginning. Though those who had climbed Mount Hua were fighting their own battles, they were insufficient to stop the Demonic Cult’s invasion. Blood soaked the ground, and martial spirit fell to the earth.

“Wh-where should we flee! Behind us is a cliff.”

“……It’s over. We’re all going to die.”

The common people who had been pushed back to behind the main hall and confirmed there was nowhere left to flee began uttering words filled with despair. Those human butchers would never spare them.

“Keukeuk, there seems to be nowhere left to run.”

As the last person protecting them fell, despair also appeared on their faces.

“Know the honor of becoming sacrifices that will make the Cult’s name resound throughout the world again!”

As the Demonic Cult members holding curved sabers began charging, everyone squeezed their eyes shut. And it was at that very moment.

“No! Of all the many places, why did you come here to cause trouble, you damned bastards!”

A crooked and irritated voice burst out from among the common people.