“This is nothing...... Aaaah!”

Chung Myung screamed and looked at his leg. Tang Soso was tightening the thread that had sewn the wound with all her strength. The blue veins raised on the back of her hand seemed to show her emotions.

“Tha... Soso.....”

“Why? Does it hurt?”

“...No.”

Tang Soso, with a sulky face, finished stitching Chung Myung’s wound. The long split on his calf was neatly closed in an instant.

“All done.”

Tang Soso wiped her hands with a cloth and looked down at Chung Myung’s leg.

“The treatment is finished. The problem is......”

“If the treatment’s done, then that’s that.”

“...No, sahyung is...!”

“Ah, how frustrating! Staying in the cabin has made me feel stifled. I’m going out for a bit to get some air!”

“Your leg! Don’t ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) use that leg! Hey!”

Chung Myung hopped out of the cabin like a Jiangshi (zombie) on his one intact leg. Tang Soso exhaled heavily.

“What on earth is that man......”

Everyone gave her sympathetic looks.

“How is he?”

On the surface the treatment was neatly finished and Chung Myung seemed fine. But Yoon Jong was not the type to let things slide just because Chung Myung was pretending to be calm.

Tang Soso clicked her tongue and answered.

“He’s fine. The detox is complete, and the wound isn’t that severe compared to the injuries sahyung usually comes back with.”

Namgung Do-Wei looked stunned and stared at Tang Soso upon hearing that.

‘This is less severe than usual?’

His leg had split so deep the bone showed, and more than ten needle-like poisons longer than a finger were embedded in his body.

Then what kind of injuries did he usually come back with? Does that man have a dozen lives?

“Isn’t that something to be thankful for?”

“It is a relief. It truly is, but......”

Tang Soso trailed off for a moment, sighed, and began to speak.

“From physician’s perspective, the worst patient isn’t the one with a huge wound. Those patients, if they’re conscious, can often be helped somehow.”

“But?”

“The truly troublesome patient is the one whose old wounds reopen and worsen. Then it becomes an internal issue, not external. If the blood of a living patient starts to rot, it becomes irreparable.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Yoon Jong nodded slowly with a grave expression.

Until now, as long as Chung Myung stayed alive whatever the wound, it would do. They always tended to his wounds after the battle was completely over.

But now?

‘It’s just the beginning.’

They had only just escaped the Southern Island. Now they had to push through the Southern Lands and head to the Yangtze river. They couldn’t even guess how many more battles of this scale awaited them.

“So it will be difficult for him to fully recover before the next battle.”

“Yes.”

Tang Soso answered bluntly and then said.

“So, sahyung.”

“Huh?”

“If next time Chung Myung tries to run wild, you must stop him at all costs, put a rope around his neck, grab his pant leg, do whatever it takes to restrain him.”

“...Understood.”

“Don’t listen half-heartedly.”

Yoon Jong’s face hardened at the slightly chilling tone in Tang Soso’s voice.

“I know better than anyone that I can’t stop Chung Myung. But this time it’s not something we can let slide. One more time we might manage, but two times? Three times?”

“......”

“He seems to forget each time, but he’s still human. People die from severe injuries. Of course he’ll overexert himself again, and this time really......”

“I know.”

Yoon Jong calmly cut Tang Soso off. She narrowed her eyes slightly, but his expression did not waver.

“Don’t worry. What you fear will not happen.”

“Sahyung......”

“I didn’t swing my sword from behind just to sit idly by. On the coast we had no choice but to restrain ourselves. From now on, I won’t let only that man rampage.”

Yoon Jong was far more resolute than usual. Tang Soso looked at him with a new kind of attention.

By nature, Yoon Jong’s disposition is gentle and moderate. But sometimes he can be firmer than anyone in Mount Hua, just like now.

“...Understood. Sahyung.”

Tang Soso nodded without another word.

Once the mood settled, Jo Gul raised the hands he had clasped behind his head, stretched, and joked.

“Ugh. It’s easier said than done. Just thinking about stopping that bastard is already making my stomach churn.”

“Still, we’re relatively lucky.”

“...Yes?”

Yoon Jong chuckled and said.

“Think about who would normally nag Chung Myung until his ears bled. He can’t even be here now—imagine how frustrated he’d be.”

“Ah.”

Jo Gul let out a short exclamation and snorted with laughter.

“That would definitely get to him—given his personality.”

Another cabin.

Baek Cheon was seated. Geum Yang-Baek’s face showed a flash of surprise at the sight.

Although he had already been through a fierce battle, there wasn’t a spot of blood on Baek Cheon’s clothing. That meant he had fought while still keeping his composure.

‘Mount Hua......’

He thought he had evaluated them highly, set aside as much prejudice as possible, and judged them to the best of his ability.

But the power of Mount Hua witnessed in actual combat made Geum Yang-Baek’s efforts seem pointless.

A person who’s never seen the sea cannot grasp its vastness no matter how much it’s described. Likewise, someone who hasn’t experienced Mount Hua cannot fully understand its power no matter how much they hear about it.

‘If more than a hundred such people gathered......’

No, to be precise, what he saw wasn’t even Mount Hua’s full strength. It was just the feats of a few of Mount Hua’s most renowned.

If the ranks behind them were not Southern Island’s men but those who had trained alongside them through thick and thin, what power would they unleash? Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.

‘I need to revise my evaluation of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.’

Geum Yang-Baek did not think poorly of the Heavenly Friends Alliance. On the contrary, he tended to regard them quite highly.

Even if they hadn’t risked their lives to find Southern Island, he would still have valued the ideals and worth of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.

Still, part of him harbored a deep-seated prejudice that the Heavenly Friends Alliance was formed by those who couldn’t be part of the Nine Great Sects’ mainstream.

But after seeing the coastal battle this time, he realized otherwise.

‘That’s not it.’

They hadn’t been pushed aside; they had joined forces. Seeing that sword and that person made it clear.

“...First.”

At that moment Baek Cheon spoke. Geum Yang-Baek couldn’t help tensing his shoulders.

From the moment they met Geum Yang-Baek had respected Baek Cheon as Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua, but after seeing him fight, his attitude inevitably changed.

“I offer my sincere condolences for the loss of your disciples.”

Geum Yang-Baek slowly shook his head and replied in a solemn voice.

“Please do not worry. It was an expected risk.”

“......”

“And those young ones were likely prepared as well.”

Baek Cheon nodded silently. Geum Yang-Baek cleared his throat suddenly, realizing he had been watching Baek Cheon’s reaction.

No, ‘watching his reaction’ wasn’t the right phrase.

To wait for another’s judgment of one’s actions before judging them right or wrong, that’s what the world calls ‘reading the room,’ isn’t it?

Though no one was peering into his heart, he felt oddly embarrassed.

But anyone in Geum Yang-Baek’s position who witnessed that scene would naturally react the same.

This is why sects in the murim world go to such lengths to have at least one unparalleled warrior in the Sects.

He hid his embarrassment and awkwardness and forced a composed tone as he spoke.

“Acting Sect Leader, thank you as well. It seemed the Mount Hua’s Sword Saint was injured, yet you came to us before checking on him......”

“It is only natural. Even if wounded, how can it compare to those who lost their lives?”

Is that so? Hmm. I’m not sure.

What if other Nine Great Sects had been here instead of the Heavenly Friends Alliance?

Among those sect leaders, was there even one who would comfort Southern Island Sect’s disciples’ deaths before tending to the Mount Hua’s Sword Saint’s wounds?

‘There wouldn’t have been.’

It may be a bit sad, but that’s how the world is.

But Baek Cheon did not check on his own disciples’ wounds; he first comforted the Southern Island Sect’s disciples and came to console Geum Yang-Baek. He may call it natural, but the world calls someone who can do such a natural thing a hero.

Geum Yang-Baek thought anew that Mount Hua’s strength might stem not from force but from such actions.

“However, Sect leader.”

At that moment Baek Cheon looked up and stared at Geum Yang-Baek.

“This is only the beginning.”

“......”

“The disciples of Southern Island are probably very shaken right now. There’s a big difference between vowing to fight with your life on the line and actually doing so.”

Geum Yang-Baek’s expression hardened. It was an irrefutable statement. He himself felt that truth keenly, so how much more would the young disciples?

“All the more, Sect leader, you must soothe and steady your disciples now.”

The usual Geum Yang-Baek would have said at this point that they’d handle it and for him not to worry needlessly.

But now Geum Yang-Baek simply nodded in agreement. He had to admit his experience didn’t match theirs.

“The Four Sects Alliance will pursue them immediately. If so, battles will erupt nonstop from the moment we set foot in Southern lands territory.”

“......”

“Please keep your disciples’ spirits from breaking. We’ll do our part as well.”

“Mm.”

Geum Yang-Baek nodded gravely.

“I will do my utmost.”

“Thank you.”

Watching Baek Cheon bow politely, Geum Yang-Baek forced a smile.

“The situation is difficult... but there’s one advantage.”

“An advantage?”

Baek Cheon looked puzzled. Geum Yang-Baek’s smile relaxed and brightened a little.

“There’s a headwind blowing, fortunately.”

Baek Cheon frowned slightly, as if he couldn’t quite follow.

“To you as Acting Sect Leader they may all look like people from the South Sea, but in fact Guangdong and Southern Island differ in culture and customs in every way. The same goes for boat design.”

“Ah.”

Geum Yang-Baek let out a wry chuckle.

“Southern Island people have seen Guangdong boats, but Guangdong people rarely know how to handle Southern Island boats. So even if they requisition ships, it will take quite some time to get through this headwind.”

“We can expect a bit more time to spare.”

Geum Yang-Baek smiled brightly at Baek Cheon, but Baek Cheon’s expression did not lighten.

“If I may be so bold, Sect leader.”

“...Hmm?”

He shook his head heavily and spoke to Geum Yang-Baek.

“If you think that way, you’re underestimating the Four Sects Alliance, the Ten Thousand People Clan.”

“......”

“They will not loosen the reins of pursuit, no matter what method they use.”

It was a voice full of conviction. Geum Yang-Baek shut his mouth for a moment.

And at the same time.

The scene unfolding in Southern Island proved Baek Cheon’s prediction was not far off.