Chapter 968. The Fight You Started (Part 3)

In the midst of swirling droplets of blood, a sharp-edged sword, honed to a sinister level, precisely cleaved through the center. The graceful cut of the sword swiftly slit through the exposed throat of a pirate without hesitation.

Paaah!

The beheading was so perfect that there was no sense of resistance under Chung Myung's fingertips. Those who witnessed this scene couldn't help but shudder at its eerie precision.

The righteous sect members would never fully empathize with the pirates who witnessed this sword. Only those who had experienced it could truly understand.

Killing someone was not an easy task, even for those familiar with murder. When a person was about to take another's life, there would always be a slight hesitation, a flicker of doubt deep within their heart. It was a natural human instinct that could not be overcome by mere willpower or determination.

However, there was none of that hesitation in Chung Myung's sword.

Even in the moment of taking a person's life, there was no hint of hesitation or wavering. The sword was wielded by someone who could kill without remorse.

The pirates couldn't help but feel a chilling sensation as they watched the sword in action. The coldness of the blade was as if their blood had frozen.

"Ugh..."

Perhaps it was fortunate that the pirates had no time to feel that deep terror properly.

Crash!

Chung Myung charged towards the pirates, causing the deck to explode as he confronted them.

"Uwaaaah!"

Overwhelmed by fear, they screamed and fired harpoons in a frenzy. It didn't come from an intention to strike down the opponent but rather an instinctive movement to block the opponent's approach, preventing him from coming closer.

No matter the intent, the sight of dozens of harpoons aimed at one person was undoubtedly terrifying.

However, the young swordsman with icy determination in his eyes only raised one corner of his mouth and smiled.

Sssuut.

It was an image that could be described as surreal.

Fight or flight; there were probably dozens of different ways to respond to the opponent's attack. However, Chung Myung chose the most reckless yet efficient method.

Sssuut.

Between dozens of harpoons, Chung Myung aimed for a small gap like a phantom.

Kagak!

He slightly deflected the incoming harpoons from the side, twisted his shoulder to slide past others, and thus, he carved a path through the forest of harpoons. It was as if he was dancing his way through them, creating space for himself.

The pirates widened their eyes.

At that moment, they were faced with a lone ghost who was smiling brightly among the multitude of harpoons.

Swish.

The sword, aimed slightly downward on the left, moved slightly forward.

The initially slow sword strike exploded, drawing a perfect straight line. Instantly, a red sword strike severed the throats of the pirates one after another. One pirate couldn't even muster the courage to flee and let out a beast-like scream.

Paaah!

No, he tried to scream. But before his scream could fully escape his mouth, Chung Myung's sword beheaded him.

In an instant, five bodies were split in half. The upper bodies, unable to withstand the force of the sword, were cut off and flew into the air, spinning like tops.

Sprays of blood rained down from the sky over the Hang River.

One sword claimed the lives of over a dozen people. The lower halves that had not yet fallen to the ground spewed blood, and the pirates staggered backward.

There were still dozens of comrades left on this ship, facing only one enemy. But what meaning did these facts hold at this moment?

Chung Myung looked around, his gaze unchanging, even after being covered in splattered blood. His jet-black hair stuck to his still red face.

His pitch-black pupils showed no sign of emotion as he stared at the pirates.

"Ugh... Ugh!"

Ahhhhh!

The collapse had begun.

The pirates screamed in agony, turning their backs on Chung Myung. They did whatever they could to flee, desperately running away at an unprecedented speed.

There was only one thought in their heads.

I want to live.

Coexisting with that demon in the same space only meant death. For the pirates who understood this fact, the only realistic goal was to escape the clutches of the demon.

There was no room for the thought of returning when they fled. Would those who had come to understand what real terror was have the luxury of other thoughts?

With their minds emptied, they donned life vests and leaped out of the ship into the river. Once they jumped into the water, the demon would no longer be able to chase them.

Unfortunately, the demon that had seen blood once had no mercy.

Paaah!

Without the slightest hesitation, the sword moved. It slashed the backs of the pirates who had decided to leave. It struck the ankles of those rushing to the deck, cutting through their spines when they fell.

Crrrack!

Bouncing back to the deck, Chung Myung pulled out his sword one by one towards the fleeing pirates. The crescent-shaped sword cut ruthlessly through their bodies, as if to punish those who had exposed their backs to him.

"Ahhhh! Ugh!"

"Kyaaah!"

The screams of the pirates pierced through the air as they were impaled by the sword in mid-air.

Splash! Splash!

The screams of the skewered pirates resonated miserably over the Yangtze River. Sadly, those who had finally reached the water, the one place where the demon's sword could not reach, could not feel joy.

Thud!

Chung Myung's gaze, back on the deck, turned to the pirate who was still trembling. This pirate couldn't jump out because his ankle had been cut. His face had turned pale, and he stammered, trying to speak.

"Ho... how... can anyone....run away..."

Chung Myung chuckled.

"Is it only us who should show mercy after fighting to death and then you turned your backs to run away? Are you talking about justice?"

As he approached the trembling pirate step by step.

"Th-that..."

"Of course, that can happen. There might be those kinds of people. But..."

Pfoosh!

Chung Myung's sword pierced the pirate's heart without mercy.

"That's not me."

The pirate gazed blankly at the sword lodged in his left chest.

Paaah!

As the sword was pulled out, his lifeless head dropped to the ground. Without any more hesitation, Chung Myung, with his head held high, checked that there was no one left on the deck and propelled himself into the air without any regrets.

Thud!

Then, he thrust forward through the water and grinned.

He was heading towards not the other Mount Hua disciples, but another ship approaching the Mount Hua discples.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

The Black Dragon King's voice exploded with anger.

"What are these miserable bastards doing! These damned idiots!"

His eyes were bloodshot.

Although the Mount Hua Sect was freely crossing the Yangtze River, the pirate forces of the Black Dragon King, whom he was so proud of, were doing nothing to stop them.

Even the arrows fired from above and the harpoons stabbed from below were of no use. Even the white thunder cannon they had carefully set up had been destroyed in no time.

There was no way to understand how this could happen.

Even the Namgung Sect and even the Shaolin Sect feared the Yangtze River, and yet, how could the Mount Hua Sect dominate the fight over the territory of the Yangtze River?

"The planks!"

The Black Dragon King shouted so loudly that his throat felt like it was about to burst.

"Destroy the planks, you idiots! Don't face them, break the planks! They are nothing if you just drag them into the water! Target the planks in front of them!"

Certainly, his judgment was correct.

Sometimes, even the tiniest element can make a huge difference. It was clear that all this chaos originated from the small wooden planks that the Mount Hua Sect was stepping on.

However, no matter how sound the judgment was, it was useless if it wasn't swift.

Plum Blossom Island, which had seemed so far away, had become so close that one could reach it in an instant if one ran on the flat land. By the time the Black Dragon King shouted, the head of Mount Hua Sect's charge had already almost reached the island.

"These damn brats!"

The Black Dragon King raised his scimitar, exuding a spirit that seemed as if he would destroy the Black Dragon Ship.

Goooooooo!

The aura at the end of his sword began to grow stronger. The bloodshot eyes of the Black Dragon King precisely targeted Baek Cheon, who was leading the front of the Mount Hua Sect disciples.

"Dieeeee!"

Quaaaaaaang!

His scimitar came down ferociously from above!

The energy burst towards Baek Cheon explosively. The sword that was soaked in the flowing sword energy, the King of the Black Dragon, proved that the name 'Black Dragon King' was indeed the symbol of terror on this Yangtze River.

Quaaaaaaang!

The surging energy ripped through the atmosphere and, with its destructive force alone, drew a long line on the surface of the Yangtze River.

The Black Dragon King was convinced that this energy could change the situation. With his flimsy sword, he could never hope to block it.

At that moment, Baek Cheon, who had been rushing in a straight line, slightly deviated to avoid the oncoming energy. But that was it.

Baek Cheon, although he clearly saw the attack, looked forward again and ran even faster.

In this absurd situation, the Black Dragon King swallowed his frustration just when a new hope appeared.

"Ah—mi—ta—bha!" 

A voice was heard.

It could be heard from anywhere in the Central Region, but it was the voice that could never be heard on this Yangtze River.

"What?"

Soon, someone soared up in front of the energy that was flying toward Baek Cheon, shining like a beam of light. From him, a golden, vibrant halo radiated like the sun.

'Shaolin?'

The Black Dragon King opened his eyes wide.

"Taaaaaaaaa!"

The soaring Hye Yeon raised his clenched fist powerfully forward.

Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woong!

The White Treasure Divine Power (白步神拳) he released clashed with the flying energy.

The energy that had been stretching straight towards Baek Cheon bent upward, and it collided with the pirate ship from the opposite side, which had been tightening its encirclement around the Mount Hua Sect's disciples.

Quaaaaaaang!

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

"No, the water's coming in! Stop it! The ship's sinking!"

The power of the energy was truly tremendous, and it split through the hull of the pirate ship below, causing the Yangtze River's blue water to surge inside like a whirlpool.

However, the sight of the pirate ship meant nothing to the Black Dragon King. His gaze was solely fixed on one person who was bouncing away after being pushed by the force of his energy.

This person was dressed in black robes, much like the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect. But even so, their identity was not clear.

There was only one question in his mind.

'Why is Shaolin here? Why?'

But there was no one here to answer his questions.

On the other hand, Baek Cheon, ignoring the Black Dragon King's energy due to his trust in Hye Yeon, pushed forward and advanced.

Kaboom!

Shortly after, Baek Cheon's body, as if to break the deck, soared into the air. He leaped over the surging Yangtze River and became a black line cutting through the blue sky.

And finally...

Kwoong!

Baek Cheon's feet touched the ground, not the wood.

Right here, on Plum Blossom Island.

"..."

The pirates who confronted him at the edge of the island looked at him with horrified expressions.

Baek Cheon, who had bent his body upon landing, slowly raised his upper body and opened his mouth.

"In the name of our Sect Leader."

The pirates remained silent.

"Defeat the pirates and rescue the Namgung Family."

Baek Cheon raised his sword, aiming it forward.

"Move out!"

At that moment, Mount Hua's swordsmen who had just arrived at Plum Blossom Island rushed past Baek Cheon and charged towards the pirates.

"Agh!"

"Crush them!"

From the tips of their swords, red energy burst forth in unison. The energy soon bloomed beautifully and intensely on one side of Plum Blossom Island.

Beautifully captivating.