Chapter 1386: Thinking Lightly Of People (Part 1)

"Oooooo!"

At the forefront, a Myriad Man Manor member, eyes bloodshot, swung his sword towards Chung Myung.

Kaaaaang!

The powerful strike carrying his soul was casually met by a thin, swift sword, causing the force to dissipate instantly. It was an eerie sensation, as if striking an iron wall with a sword.

However, there was no time for him to savor this feeling. The sword, flowing diagonally along the blade pattern, stabbed into his throat.

Swish!

"Krrrk…."

The Myriad Man Manor member, eyes filled with astonishment, reflexively tried to grab the sword embedded in his throat, but before his hand could reach it, the sword twisted. With a dreadful sound, his breath was mercilessly cut off.

"Huaaaaak!"

Seeing blood, the excited Myriad Man Manor members intensified their attack on Chung Myung.

Paaaat!

And what met these Myriad Man Manor members was a radiant and swift sword. Like a dazzling display, dozens of shadows split from the sword, shooting towards the attacking members. But much more precise and faster than Jo Gol's sword!

Squish! Squish! Squish!

The bodies of those rushing were quickly pierced with holes. Their physical forms crumbled as if collapsing, unable to even scream.

Instantly, an open space widened around Chung Myung. However, that space was soon filled again by those rushing towards him. It was like water rushing back to fill a place where black ink had been poured.

"Dooooo!"

Namgung Dowi, seeing this scene from behind, shouted loudly. Even at this moment, Myriad Man Manor members were relentlessly attacking Chung Myung. The scene of hundreds pouring towards only one Chung Myung was like a tidal wave heading towards a hole in the ground.

It was a terrifying sight never seen before. Just watching it made his heart feel as if it was being squeezed.

"Ah, don't…!"

Thump!

Someone reflexively grabbed Namgung Dowi's shoulders as he tried to dash forward. When he turned around, Hye Yeon stood there with a determined face.

"Do not act recklessly!"

"No, right now the Dojang is…"

"Do not forget your mission, Namgung Siju!"

Namgung Dowi flinched. Hye Yeon was right. His current mission was not to save Chung Myung but to delay the pursuit of these people as much as possible.

And Chung Myung, too, must be thinking the same way. Trying to help Chung Myung here would be a foolish act. What he needed to do was build a barrier here, block the enemy, and quickly join the main force that had moved away.

"Kahaha!"

And realistically, it was impossible to help Chung Myung. Even though they surrounded him, the remaining forces were fiercely rushing towards Namgung Dowi and Hye Yeon.

"Hap!"

Namgung Dowi swiftly swept away the sword, emitting a forceful aura. The white sword energy, carrying powerful inner strength, gushed out and turned the rushing Myriad Man Manor members into pulp.

However, the space created by their bloodthirsty attack on Chung Myung was instantly filled by other Myriad Man Manor members. No, perhaps even more had poured into that space.

Hye Yeon shouted firmly.

"Let's step back!"

"M, Monk! Right now…"

Before Namgung Dowi could finish his sentence, he felt a strong force from Hye Yeon's grip on his shoulders. While feeling a dizzying sensation, their bodies had already moved more than ten steps back.

The culmination of the Gunkang Buddhist Fist Technique. However, the enemies, unfazed by the god-like technique, explosively poured out their cold energy, relentlessly chasing them.

"Wooooong!"

Hye Yeon waved both hands in all directions. Along the golden-tinted tips of his fingers, palm-shaped forms consecutively appeared in the air. Resembling Avalokiteshvara, those hands effortlessly blocked attacks pouring in from all sides.

'Cheonbulso!'

It was a technique boasted by the Shaolin across the world. The Myriad Man Manor members, unable to approach the unfolded wall of strength, hesitated. No, even before they could approach, the power emanating from each hand shadow pushed them back.

"Iik…!"

At that moment, the Myriad Man Manor members who were pushing forward opened their eyes wide. The shadowy figures that had appeared like illusions vanished in a dazzling light, replaced by a strong white sword energy that engulfed them.

Kwaaaang!

Hye Yeon's unleashed internal energy surged forward as Namgung Dowi's sword energy rushed. Decades of training seemed to seamlessly connect in perfect succession! However, the faces of those who successfully executed this succession were not particularly bright.

After all, other Myriad Man Manor members were rushing in as soon as they created distance. Over a thousand Myriad Man Manor members rotated around Chung Myung, and rotated again. They could keenly feel their malice and obsession with not letting go of Chung Myung.

And at that moment.

Hwaaaaak!

From the midst of the black and red waves, a splendid plum blossom bloomed. Like a plum tree that takes root in dirty soil and slowly blooms.

"Dojang! What in the world...!"

Namgung Dowi exclaimed in astonishment.

It was splendid. Incredibly powerful. It was sword energy that could only evoke admiration. It was chilling to think that a person could create such a spectacle with a sword.

But everything came with a price. The sacrifice for that sword energy was an enormous amount of inner strength. Chung Myung, whose body was not in normal condition, was not using a sword suitable for unfolding such a situation.

"Siju!"

Hye Yeon, too, looked at the blooming plum blossom in bewilderment.

Chung Myung usually unfolded sword techniques that were so efficient to be considered extreme. He was not someone to waste inner strength unnecessarily. But now, the sword Chung Myung was unfolding seemed excessively splendid. It seemed extravagant.

This was like... didn't it seem like he was trying to capture everyone's attention at the tip of that sword?

At this point, it was natural to be bewildered, thinking that Chung Myung would pass out.

"It's too late! Siju, what are you thinking!"

A lion's roar erupted from Hye Yeon's mouth.

Over time, they had accumulated a lot of shared experiences. Hye Yeon had placed utmost trust in Chung Myung accordingly. So much that Namgung Dowi couldn't even imagine.

However, Chung Myung's current response was so peculiar that it shook even that profound trust.

At that moment, Namgung Dowi screamed.

"Monk! Over there!"

As if cutting through the splendidly blooming plum blossoms, a single black line rose in the air. The identity of that line was Chung Myung, unfolding a technique with extreme polarity. The faces of the two who realized this were momentarily relieved.

There was no Jade Shatter (옥쇄) or anything like it. [?] The Chung Myung they knew would never do such a reckless thing. He was just a bit later than expected; he was smoothly withdrawing his body from inside.

Hye Yeon shouted.

"Let's also retreat!"

"If we endure a bit more, he can join us!"

Hye Yeon fell silent at Namgung Dowi's words. It made sense. If they helped Chung Myung and withdrew together...

But at that moment, Hye Yeon's gaze wavered. The black line drawn in the air was moving in a somewhat strange direction. If it were chasing the main force, it should naturally be coming toward them. Even if it was intended to confuse the enemy's pursuit, it shouldn't deviate significantly from the north.

However, the black line was clearly moving away from them.

"What's going on!"

Before they could understand the situation or pursue, the Myriad Man Manor members completely enveloped Hye Yeon's field of view.

"Oh, ohhhh!"

Hye Yeon desperately exerted power. The power thrown while in a state of unpreparedness was not as powerful as the force he usually emitted, and it was impossible to subdue the Myriad Man Manor members all at once.

"Dieeee!"

The lower body of someone struck by Hye Yeon's power contorted entirely. But they didn't lose consciousness. Even as they fell, they relentlessly swung their knife.

Crack! Crackle!

The enemy's swords consecutively struck Hye Yeon's body, which had elevated its inner strength to the extreme polarity. Even though it was no exaggeration to say his external skills were unparalleled under the heavens and that his Shaolin martial arts skills (功夫) protected him to some extent, facing the swords, his skin inevitably split, and blood sprayed uncontrollably.

"Kuk!"

Hye Yeon, without collapsing, exploded the Lion's Roar while stamping his foot. He repelled the enemies rushing like a torrent with the transcendent ability (無上大能力) deployed in an instant.

However, it was only for a moment. Soon, the enemies started rushing at them again.

"Back, move back!"

The situation changed in an instant. If they made even a slight mistake, they would be surrounded and killed before they knew it.

"Kryuk!"

Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi's bodies were pushed back like fragments floating on a swift current, one after another. It wasn't their lack of will but the inability to withstand the enemy's offensive.

And what entered the eyes of these two was the rapid movement of the Myriad Man Manor members, like black water.

"Dojang!"

A roaring shout erupted from Hye Yeon's mouth.

The rear of the forces pushing them was all turning in one direction. Even without confirming with their eyes, it was obvious what was at the end of that flow.

Chung Myung.

He was drawing the enemies in, heading in a completely different direction from where the Mount Hua Sect and Southern Island Sect were escaping.

"Damn it! You damned bastard!"

Rare profanity burst out of Hye Yeon's mouth. He tried to somehow turn the situation around, but it was already impossible. Just not getting swept away by those rushing at them was burdensome enough. He had reached his limit.

Kwoong!

The fist struck like a hammer, instantly throwing off the barrier before his eyes. With that momentarily secured line of sight, Hye Yeon saw clearly. The elites of the Myriad Man Manor, wearing red armor, were all running in the opposite direction from where they were supposed to go.

"Sijuuuuuuuuuu!"

A cry that could be described as desperate burst out. The voice would never reach Chung Myung so far away.

The eyes of Ho Gakmyung, observing the situation, were eerily calm.

"Commander, the enemies have divided their direction! What should we do?"

"We will also split our forces."

"What? Our goal is..."

"When the safety of the main force is secured, that Plum Blossom Sword Demon will try to shake us off and escape by any means necessary. But if he still thinks the main force is in danger, he'll try to catch more of us, even if it's more dangerous."

"..."

"It's a predetermined course. Do as you're told."

"Yes!"

Ho Gakmyung bit his lip slightly.

'I should have done this earlier.'

It was a mistake to recognize the Mount Hua Sect and Chung Myung as a single entity. It was so simple for to divide them like this.

'That's why I'm so loyal to Ryeonju.'

Jang Ilso was a person who could draw the picture he wanted so easily, even from a distance.

"When people are cornered, they look for an escape route. But if there are only two choices, they follow only the better direction they think of."

Although he had heard this saying countless times...

Ho Gakmyung was curious.

If there were only two possible outcomes, would the Plum Blossom Sword Demon choose his own life, or would it be the lives of those few disciples who were not even his blood brothers?

"In any case, you will crumble because of this, Plum Blossom Sword Demon."