"Good. It's proceeding according to plan. Everyone is doing well."
I wore a satisfied smile as I looked at the two letters that had flown to the Qingcheng Sect. Is this how it feels to have children or raise disciples in the future? My senior brothers were performing their assigned missions perfectly, and it was said they were doing even better than I had requested.
'First, it's said that the hunger of the Ei Sect has been resolved to so extent.'
Senior Brother Un Jeong and Senior Brother Un Mi were reportedly working in harmony with the Ei monks, climbing up and down Mount Ei every day, breaking through the siege to go down to the market, buying food, and transporting it to the Ei Sect. Initially, there were only a few warriors who could act as bait, but once their hunger vanished, the Ei monks were able to find strength, and thanks to that, the number of baits increased. An increase in bait ant the siege had beco that much more lax. It is said that it has now beco much easier to climb up and down the mountain.
Among so of the Ei monks, as they were gradually regaining their strength, opinions were erging that they should try fighting the Four Evils Alliance bastards, so in my reply letter, I told them to absolutely avoid fighting. Now is not the ti for the Ei Sect to fight anyone. It is still a ti to recover more physical strength, build more power, hold out until the end, and endure. Fighting is sufficient by launching a pincer attack when soone goes to help them.
'And it's a relief that the work on the Sichuan Tang Family's side is also proceeding step by step.'
It was said that the Four Evils Alliance's Shadow Annihilation Bag, which had been harassing the Sichuan Tang Family, had Gu Gung-hwan as its mainstay, and after his death, they were unable to exert any strength at all. To be precise, they were reportedly struggling to imitate the operations Gu Gung-hwan had perford, but the operations were neither ticulous nor were they anything but very lax. Thanks to that, the Sichuan Tang Family is currently achieving victory after victory in battles with the Shadow Annihilation Bag experts, and in that process, Senior Brother Un Cheol and Senior Brother Un Shik were said to be achieving distinguished rits. Senior Brother Un Cheol always took a position in the most dangerous places, was the first to cut down enemies, and was said to handle the strongest. I was a bit worried about Senior Brother Un Cheol, but I felt like I knew why he was doing that.
'Confidence in his own skill is gradually developing. And now must be a ti when he wants to fight strong opponents to his heart's content.'
I was exactly like that when I was at about the senior brother's skill level. It's not that fighting is enjoyable or that I want to do it so much, but as I handle increasingly stronger opponents, I would want to confirm how much my strength amounts to. However, in the Shadow Annihilation Bag now, Gu Gung-hwan, who was the greatest expert, has died at the hands of the Sichuan Tang Family Head. Therefore, since there likely wouldn't be anyone stronger than him nearby, he is increasingly engaging in dangerous fights.
'I should have a good conversation with Senior Brother Un Cheol when I return.'
Since it's sothing I've experienced once, I know well how to overco it at such a ti. There are roughly two ways to overco it. The first is to quench that current thirst by having a fight that one can be satisfied with, or otherwise, to et an opponent one cannot resist and realize that one still has a long way to go.
'I should have a sparring match with the senior brother after a long ti.'
And the thod I chose was the second thod. And the irresistible opponent is precisely . In that process, I might inevitably end up beating the senior brother, but it would be much better to be hit by than to wander around looking for strong enemies for no reason and get stabbed by an enemy's blade.
"Unhwi Dojang. An opponent has co."
Just as the organization of the events that had occurred until now was finishing to so extent while looking at the letters sent by my senior brothers, a Qingcheng Taoist spoke to . I stood up abruptly.
"Yes. I was waiting. Let's go."
The Qingcheng Taoist took the lead, and I followed behind him. In fact, I know well where he is going, and I can find it on my own. Because the aning of an opponent having co was that a Four Evils Alliance expert who would share a life-and-death duel with had arrived. While staying at the Qingcheng Sect for nearly fifteen days, I had already handled seven Four Evils Alliance experts and killed them all. To be honest, it wasn't a very difficult fight. It was because there wasn't a single powerhouse of the level of Jang Hoeng, whom I had killed first. Strictly speaking, Jang Hoeng was not from the Four Evils Alliance but was an expert of the Four Evils Heaven led by Gal Ryeok-hyeok. The Four Evils Alliance, centered around Dokgo Ju-gwak, tried to take Sichuan through the operations of a strategist whose identity is still unknown. The martial arts level of the warriors other than Dokgo Ju-gwak cannot actually be said to be that outstanding. However, Dokgo Ju-gwak was taken away by the Demonic Fire Hall Master fellow, and since I am breaking all the operations, in the end, what remained was only a large number of warriors with ambiguous martial arts.
"He's finally here."
"I wonder what kind of appearance he'll show today. I'm looking forward to it."
"Such a talent should have co from our Qingcheng as well."
As I entered the martial arts field, I could hear the whispering of the Qingcheng Taoists who were already waiting for . In the seven sparring matches including Jang Hoeng, I had consistently shown only an overwhelming appearance. Thanks to that, my reputation and expectations were close to the peak. As I stepped onto the dueling platform, a man was already up there. Seeing that I didn't know his na or face, he seed to be a Four Evils Alliance expert I had never t in my past life and who wasn't very famous.
"What is the honorable na of the person who will be my opponent today?"
I asked politely, pretending to be even more well-mannered on purpose. The reason for doing this was to continue making my impression good to the Qingcheng Taoists, and another was to put pressure on the enemy. In fact, when I ca out like this, the Four Evils Alliance warriors also used to show courtesy without realizing it. This too, in a way, could be called a mistake of the Four Evils Alliance fellows. If this fight were just a dogfight where they killed each other, they wouldn't have to show courtesy, but since they were pressuring Qingcheng by advocating a fair duel as warrior against warrior, they couldn't completely abandon the etiquette of a warrior. If they did as they pleased.... that would be the start of an all-out war.
"I am called Jeong Muk."
"Nice to et you. Shall we start right away?"
"Wait. Before that, I have sothing to say."
"Yes. Please speak."
I showed a relaxed attitude. The aura shown by the Four Evils Alliance expert in front of now falls far short of mine. After killing Jang Hoeng, as the next strongest person and the next strongest person ca, only increasingly weaker warriors could not help but co.
"Our Four Evils Alliance... will not challenge Qingcheng anymore after ."
"What does that an?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. If even I die, the Four Evils Alliance will withdraw from this vicinity entirely. We will pull back our warriors near Dayi, Kangding, and Danba, which were originally Qingcheng's territory, and will never try to harm Qingcheng again."
I clenched my fist inwardly and cheered. Finally, the answer I wanted had co out.
"Good. That is the answer we wanted."
I could see the man biting his lip without realizing it. It goes without saying, but it seems the Four Evils Alliance hadn't even thought it would turn out like this. Just looking at that man's attitude now shows it. He ca to this place knowing he would die. With the mission to announce that the Four Evils Alliance would withdraw with his life as the last.
'I shouldn't... have sothing like sympathy for such a person....'
I let out a deep sigh and spoke to him again.
"Then must we surely fight today?"
"......?"
"Surrender. Then we'll consider it a loss, and we'll decide to conclude the fight between the Four Evils Alliance and the Qingcheng Sect here."
"......! Are you saying you won't kill ?"
"Yes. To be honest, you also know well that you are no match for , don't you?"
His head shook very slightly and then stopped. At my words, he almost nodded his head without realizing it, then quickly regained his senses and stopped moving his head.
"N-no. My mission is to be the last to die here.... If I return without fighting like this, I don't know what kind of state I'll be in...."
I took a step toward him and spoke in a soft voice.
"Why do you only think you must return?"
"Pardon...?"
"Think carefully. The Four Evils Alliance has now failed to take Qingcheng. And if you look into it a little, you'll know, but the capture of the Sichuan Tang Family or the Ei Sect will also have mostly failed."
"......."
"Why do you insist on staying on a sinking ship? Those who can live should live. It is not a shaful thing at all to run away from a clearly visible ruin. Rather, it could be called a wise thing."
He couldn't answer imdiately and wore a dazed expression. At that expression, I almost let out a giggle, but I didn't erase my expression full of gentleness and regret.
"Do you think... the Four Evils Alliance will be ruined?"
"Yes. I think so."
"May I ask why you think so?"
"The Four Evils Alliance has already failed to seize Sichuan. The Shadow Annihilation Bag dealing with the Sichuan Tang Family is almost annihilated, and the Ei Sect will not collapse even if a hundred years pass like that. And Qingcheng too, as long as I am protecting it, no one will be able to do anything."
The Four Evils Alliance warrior nodded. It seed what I said sounded very plausible.
"Now, once this situation stabilizes, what will happen next? Qingcheng will organize warriors and go about wiping out the surrounding Four Evils Alliance warriors, and the Sichuan Tang Family is said to have already restored almost all of its previous territory. And most decisively... reinforcents from the Martial Alliance will be coming this way step by step even at this hour."
"M-Martial Alliance!"
"I don't know if you know, but I ca from the Wudang Sect. The support of the orthodox martial world has already begun from ."
"......!"
Looking at his expression, it seed he didn't yet know that I was a warrior from the Wudang Sect. I intentionally hid my identity from them. To be precise, it wasn't that I hid it, but while there were a few who fought and realized I was from Wudang, it would be more accurate to say they died while fighting and couldn't tell the Four Evils Alliance my identity.
"So run away while I'm giving you the last chance. I don't know how the Four Evils Alliance handles traitors, but it would be better to run away out of Sichuan Province entirely if possible."
"Out of Sichuan Province...!"
"Well. For now, we'll spread a rumor that we killed and disposed of you. That way you won't be pursued by them."
"T-thank you."
"And even if you run away, please do not use that strength you have for bad things, but use it for right things and beco a new person."
I gave a grin and then spoke one more thing with a firm expression.
"Otherwise, you might et once more at so point. At that ti... I have no intention of letting you go."
The Four Evils Alliance warrior, having understood my words at once, opened his eyes wide, then soon bowed his waist toward and perford a fist-and-palm salute.
"I thank you for the magnanimity you have shown. I will withdraw from the Four Evils Alliance as of today. I will not be seen in the future."
"Still, just in case, shall we introduce ourselves? I am Unhwi of the Wudang Sect."
"I am Son Gi-se of the Four Evils Alliance... no, forrly of the Four Evils Alliance."
"Good. Warrior Son. I hope to see you again if our destinies cross soday."
He bowed his head slightly in response to my words, then without looking back, he descended the dueling platform and left the Qingcheng Sect. I watched him return for a long ti, then looked at the Qingcheng Sect Leader with a bright face. He had a face of relief, as if the water that had risen to his chin was receding.
(End of Chapter)
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