Chapter 1216 – 1216. The Ascent To Light
“…This is how we live. We are satisfied with our lives now!”
“Vice Sect Leader. That’s just your opinion. Look around you.”
The Vice Sect Leader slowly looked around.
There weren’t many sect members who rebelled against me and got agitated like the Vice Sect Leader. At most, there were only four or five. The rest avoided the Vice Sect Leader’s gaze and lowered their eyes.
The Black Path Sect.
It was called a sect, but in reality, it was closer to a gang. Those with some skill and rank lived well. They could live lavishly like the Vice Sect Leader. However, the lives of ordinary sect members were not so good.
They didn’t learn proper martial arts, and if a war broke out with another sect, they were the first to die. They weren’t respected by those around them either. Even if they somehow survived, what came after?
The Black Path Sect was basically a place where those who used force gathered. When they got old, they had to leave. There was no point in stubbornly staying; they would only die.
Savings? They spent all the money they earned on alcohol and courtesans, so there was no way they would have any.
They could do farm work? Farmers were also experienced workers. There was no way those who had never farmed before could do it. Even if they tried, most would quit because it was hard and boring.
“I will divide all the remaining assets of the Doyang Sect among you. It’s not a small amount of money. You can live for five years without working. I don’t care if you use that money to enter a martial arts school to learn martial arts, buy land to farm, or open a shop.”
The sect members looked tempted. They had never easily handled such a large sum of money.
However, the Vice Sect Leader was different.
“Don’t try to shake our loyalty with money! The Doyang Sect is our history!”
“Loyalty. Yes. Loyalty is always the problem.”
I grabbed the Vice Sect Leader by the collar. I kicked his shin, breaking it, and slammed my fist down on his shoulder, shattering it.
“Kuh-ah-ah-ah! S-Sect Leader!!”
“Vice Sect Leader. From now on, I will test that so-called loyalty of yours. If the loyalty you speak of truly exists, I will hand over the Sect Leader position to you.”
“Huk, huff, m-my leg…!”
“Don’t whine just because your leg is broken. You almost made me kill you out of annoyance.”
“……”
The Vice Sect Leader, sensing the murderous intent in my voice, shut his mouth. His terrified eyes were pitiful.
“As you can see, the Vice Sect Leader is in my hands. I intend to kill him. If you want to save the Vice Sect Leader, step forward. But only those who are prepared to die in his place. If you show me that so-called loyalty, I will spare the Vice Sect Leader.”
I looked around with fierce eyes. The sect members were busy avoiding my gaze. Even those who usually spent time with the Vice Sect Leader and acted as his lackeys were as quiet as mice.
“Vice Sect Leader. It seems that the loyalty you speak of doesn’t exist here.”
“S-Sect Leader. I was wrong…! I was momentarily out of my mind. I will follow the Sect Leader’s will. P-Please, give me one more chance…!”
“You’ve already been given a chance.”
I clenched my fist. The Vice Sect Leader was close to an ordinary person, so there was no need to draw a sword. This guy had risen to the position of Vice Sect Leader through politics and skill, not martial arts. The Doyang Sect was able to make some money thanks to the Vice Sect Leader’s brain.
“I can’t stand to watch this.”
Former Doyang Sect Leader Eun Tae-mang stepped forward from among the sect members. He was armed with a huge cleaver and black armor.
“A man who is neither man nor woman should stay still as you have been.”
“I can’t do that. I need the Vice Sect Leader, even if no one else does. With the Vice Sect Leader’s brain… the Doyang Sect can overcome this crisis and rise to greater heights.”
“You don’t understand. As of today, the Doyang Sect is disbanded.”
“Hahaha! Do you think the world will go as you please!”
“……”
I ignored Eun Tae-mang and was about to swing my fist. I planned to kill the Vice Sect Leader first and then Eun Tae-mang.
An obstruction came. Eun Tae-mang rushed in and swung his cleaver at me. I took a step back and pushed the Vice Sect Leader forward.
“Hee-eok!”
The huge cleaver stopped right in front of the Vice Sect Leader’s nose. The Vice Sect Leader was terrified and trembled.
Ta-ta-ta-tat!
From outside the training ground, masked men with swords in their hands rushed in and surrounded me. Their coordinated movements showed they were not amateurs. They had the air of those who had learned martial arts and trained.
‘It’s obvious. It must be the Baek San Gold Clan.’
Eun Tae-mang had asked the Baek San Gold Clan for help. The Baek San Gold Clan had already lost influence in Baek San Fortress due to the recent Baek San War. In the current situation, the Baek San Gold Clan was desperate for even the small power of the Doyang Sect, so they were helping Eun Tae-mang.
“Hahaha. The tables have turned! Put down the Vice Sect Leader while I’m being nice! And hand over the Oindan to me! Then I’ll kill you cleanly without torture!”
“Your nonsense is a bit much.”
I drew my sword from my waist and instantly beheaded the Vice Sect Leader. The Vice Sect Leader’s head floated into the air.
Eun Tae-mang’s face contorted in anger.
“You damn bastard! Kill him now!!”
The men surrounding me rushed in at once. I put strength into my abdomen and knees and jumped into the sky. The power of internal energy was immense. I jumped five meters high in an instant.
Eun Tae-mang gnashed his teeth and glared at me. He intended to attack the moment I came down.
I released internal energy towards the soles of my feet. The Yongcheon acupoint on my sole seemed to burst from the simple, crude use of internal energy, but I succeeded in changing direction in mid-air and rushing towards Eun Tae-mang.
Eun Tae-mang raised his cleaver, preparing to counterattack. He was slow. And somewhat clumsy.
‘This guy. The wound he suffered during the duel hasn’t healed yet.’
I used the Challa the moment Eun Tae-mang swung his cleaver. Through the slowed vision, Eun Tae-mang’s movements were clearly visible. My sword and Eun Tae-mang’s cleaver collided. I was at a disadvantage. Unlike Eun Tae-mang, my feet had not yet touched the ground.
But now I had completely grasped Eun Tae-mang. If I knew, I could use it.
I used Eun Tae-mang’s power against him. Using the impact from his cleaver, I rotated my body and used Challa to adjust the subtle movements of my sword.
Ghost Cutting Sword Technique (斬鬼刀法) Rakshasa Flash (羅刹回閃).
The sword energy imbued in the sword rotated, slashing Eun Tae-mang’s body. The reason his body wasn’t torn to pieces was because of the black armor he was wearing. However, it couldn’t prevent his skin from being cut. His body was instantly covered in blood.
“……!!”
Instead of screaming, Eun Tae-mang chose to counterattack. I had to acknowledge his willpower. But the counterattack was meaningless from the moment I saw through it.
I narrowly avoided Eun Tae-mang’s cleaver, landed on the ground, and immediately jumped up again. I slashed his chin with the tip of my sword.
A body that had jumped upwards was bound to fall due to gravity. As I descended, I cut more than half of Eun Tae-mang’s neck. The matter was settled. Eun Tae-mang staggered backward and fell.
“Damn… it…”
Next, I dealt with the rest that Eun Tae-mang had brought. These guys were weaker than Eun Tae-mang. They were a bit annoying because they were clustered together, but there was no problem dealing with them alone.
Ten minutes passed, and the battle was over.
My surroundings were filled with corpses. I didn’t bother taking off the masks of the dead and checking their identities. It was obvious that they were warriors from the Baek San Gold Clan, and I had no intention of fighting the Baek San Gold Clan right now.
‘It’s a bit annoying, but if I go and cause trouble at the Baek San Gold Clan now, my plan will be ruined.’
I walked past the corpses towards the sect members who were still standing in the training ground. Their eyes were filled with awe as they looked at me.
“I’ll say it again. As of today, the Doyang Sect is disbanded. If anyone has any complaints, step forward.”
“We will follow the Sect Leader’s will!”
“Good. As I said, I will divide the money. Take it and get lost.”
After dividing the money among the sect members, I left the Doyang Sect without any regrets. The place I was heading was not the lodging, but the gates of Baek San Fortress. If I stayed in Baek San Fortress, I could be tracked by the Baek San Gold Clan. I planned to leave Baek San Fortress publicly for now and sneak into the lodging at night.
“……”
Thud, thud.
As I walked, I turned around.
Six Doyang Sect members were following me. Even now, after leaving Baek San Fortress, they didn’t seem to be leaving.
“What are you doing?”
The six immediately knelt in front of me. And they bowed their heads deeply, their foreheads touching the ground.
“Sect Leader! Please take us in! We want to be with you! We swear eternal loyalty! Please, take us in!”
Their purpose was obvious.
They wanted to learn my martial arts. To them, I was also a lucky encounter, so they didn’t want to miss it.
‘This is so annoying.’
My irritation surged.
Should I just kill them all? I considered it for a moment. I had just spared them, so it was a bit much to kill them again. I had shown mercy once, so I could do it twice.
“The Doyang Sect is disbanded. I am not the Doyang Sect Leader. You are not members of the Doyang Sect either. Get lost. You find your own way to live.”
“Sect Leader…! No, Han Soo-pyung Great Hero! We will do anything you ask! We will return the money we received! Please, take us in!”
Thud. Thud, thud, thud.
They banged their heads on the ground. Their foreheads were torn and bleeding. They seemed to be emphasizing their sincerity, but I didn’t feel any emotion.
“Six is too many.”
“……Yes?”
“Two seems appropriate.”
With those words, I turned and walked away again.
It was when I took my seventh step. I heard screams from behind. Soon, I heard shouts mixed with curses and the sound of swords clashing.
Ninety-fifth step. I felt a presence behind me. When I turned around, two men covered in blood were kneeling.
“Great Hero!”
“Please accept us!”
“This is really annoying.”
“…Great Hero. We can do anything.”
“If you say you only need one person…”
They glanced at each other with murderous intent. They were tense, as if they would kill each other at any moment if I gave the order.
It was ridiculous.
“Ha, you little maggots. Please, just know your place.”
Before they could open their mouths, the sword drawn from my waist cut their necks. Two heads rolled on the dirt floor.
“Seriously, you make me swing my sword unnecessarily.”
