“Uh...”

Southern Island’s disciples stared blankly at the back of the one who stepped forward.

Mountain Breaking Sword, Namgung Do-Wei.

Once, he was more renowned here than anyone. He was once considered a saint who would one day lead the Justice faction. He now stepped forward to protect them.

“Namgung...”

A low sigh escaped Namgung Do-Wei’s mouth.

‘This isn’t good.’

His stamina was lacking. Even though he had trained so much.

Then again, he hadn’t spent much time with Mount Hua. The path of martial arts learning isn’t easy enough to show explosive growth in such a short span.

But still, Namgung Do-Wei didn’t hesitate to step forward.

‘Because I’ve already been through it.’

Fighting enemies I couldn’t handle.

Resisting and holding on in situations verging on despair.

That’s why he could step up. He could face them. And he could protect them. Unlike the Namgung Family of the past who didn’t know what to do and floundered.

If he failed to protect them this time, it would mean he hadn’t moved an inch from Plum Blossom Island in the past. Namgung Do-Wei could never accept that.

Kkkuuu.

Namgung Do-Wei gripped the hilt of his beloved sword so tightly his knuckles went white.

“Strike!”

But the enemy, as if not going to give Namgung Do-Wei time to catch his breath, wiped away that brief look of dismay and quickly surged toward him.

There were three attackers. No different from the number who would face Jo Gul or other Mount Hua disciples. Namgung Do-Wei’s gaze darkened.

‘I’m grateful they rate me highly, but...’

Woooooong!

His sword unleashed a grand, resonant sword light.

The Namgung Family’s swords have been famed through generations. Especially those used by the direct line are heirloom blades worthy of their renown. Not because the Namgung Family is extravagant.

Because they need swords that can withstand the power they channel. Ordinary blades would shatter instantly under the internal force granted by Namgung swordsmanship. Only well-forged heirloom blades can endure it.

Paaaat!

The blood-clad men raised their three swords and dove at Namgung Do-Wei like hawks hunting prey. Three red streaks of blood light seemed poised to pierce him.

At that moment, light of resolve flared in Namgung Do-Wei’s eyes.

‘Target them!’

Kuuuuung!

He stomped down with a powerful stance.

‘You chose poorly!’

Kwaaahhhhh!

Namgung Do-Wei swung his sword diagonally in an instant. From the blade that shone white, tremendous sword qi poured out like a waterfall, as if a white sheet had been unfurled into the air.

The sword qi covered an absurdly wide area, completely blanketing the front of the diving blood-clad men.

“What...?”

The blood-clad men widened their eyes for a moment. Before they could react, the sword energy swept over and consumed them.

Kwaaahhhh!

There were not even screams. The blood-covered men became lumps of gore and were flung away like shot arrows, tumbling. It was an overwhelming sight—so much so that everyone’s gaze in the battle fixed on Namgung Do-Wei.

Namgung Do-Wei drew a deep breath. The hand holding the sword trembled from the sudden depletion of his internal qi.

But those watching him now wouldn’t see that. They would only see his calm, composed expression.

“I’ll hold the front!”

He deliberately squared his shoulders. His formidable presence made the blood-clad men involuntarily hesitate.

Then, the blood-clad man standing at the center narrowed his eyes.

‘Is he from the Namgung Family?’

The matchup wasn’t favorable.

Their weapon was the triple sword. They had trained to specialize in exploiting an opponent’s openings. So, to them, greenhorns lacking combat experience were easy prey.

No matter how great a swordsman, openings always show on the battlefield, and inserting a sharp triple sword into those openings could fell an enemy easily.

But that sword technique was different.

It was more like artillery than swordsmanship. The body holding the sword might have openings, but what opening is there in flying sword qi? Once distance opened and sword qi combat began, all that remained were thin triple swords that couldn’t bring out real power.

Top-tier affinity. That’s probably what the term is for. Others aside, the blood-clad men had no proper way to deal with Namgung Do-Wei.

At best they’d sacrifice themselves until his pouring internal qi ran dry and attempt to stall, but this situation didn’t allow that.

Then the method is...

The central blood-clad man flicked his finger.

“Ignore him and...”

His finger pointed at Southern Island’s disciples behind Namgung Do-Wei.

“Stick close to the Southern Island brats. He won’t be able to ignore his allies and keep firing that sword qi, right? Then he’s just an ordinary swordsman.”

There was no chorus of answers. The moment the order fell, the blood-clad men’s feet moved in unison. That alone showed how thoroughly trained they were.

Swaeaek!

They surged forward at once. Their direction had subtly changed, not toward Namgung Do-Wei’s front, but to his flanks.

If Namgung Do-Wei were fully ignored, some would inevitably be swept by sword qi coming from the flanks, but they didn’t consider that sacrifice at all. No, they ignored that fact entirely.

If an order was given, they simply followed.

They were rigorously upholding that absolute principle, most important on the battlefield, yet hardest to maintain.

“Ugh!”

Namgung Do-Wei’s face contorted for an instant as he realized the enemy’s strategy. No matter how much sword qi he scattered, if the enemy advanced like this, he couldn’t possibly stop everyone passing by.

As Namgung Do-Wei urgently tried to swing his sword aside, a familiar tearing sound reached his ears.

Whiiiiik!

Puuuuooong!

A fist-sized pellet flew to the right and exploded, releasing a pink cloud of poison. The charging blood-clad men hesitated and slowed at the sight of the spreading poison.

Swaeaekaek!

From within that poisonous cloud, countless tiny needles rained down.

Kakang! Kagagakang!

The blood-clad men wildly swung their swords to bat away the incoming needles. Even if the needles were clean, once they’d passed through that poison cloud they’d be soaked in toxin.

They knew better than anyone how deadly poison was on the battlefield. That’s why they couldn’t ignore even tiny needles.

“Of course, the Tang Family is...”

Through the rising poison cloud, Tang Pae walked out slowly, as if he could never be poisoned by his own toxins.

“It’s true I’m treated worse than the Namgung Family, but that doesn’t mean I’d let Evil Sect scum like you look down on me.”

Kagagak!

The throwing needles held between his fingers scraped together, emitting sharp metallic sounds.

At that moment, semicircular rows of blades flew and scattered like a swarm of butterflies at the blood-clad men rushing from the opposite side.

“Ugh!”

Kagagakang!

They weren’t loaded with great power, but each moved vividly as if alive, like dozens of butterflies flitting through a forest.

To ignore such a bizarre attack and charge on was suicide, nothing more, nothing less. In the end, even the rushing men had no choice but to stop.

Pat-pat.

Im So-Byeong walked out, fanning his fan softly and tutting.

“So you’re from the Lower District Sect.”

“......”

“Let’s see: triple swords, masks, blood-clad... The sword style looks like Hungry Wolf Pursuing-Soul Sword. Are you the Lower District Sect’s Pursuing-Soul troops, then?”

The blood-clad men glared at Im So-Byeong in silence. Receiving that look, Im So-Byeong snorted and smiled.

“Honestly, I don’t know what goes on in the Evil Sect’s heads. They clench their mouths to hide their identities, yet what are they thinking wearing the same clothes, wielding the same weapons, and using the same martial arts? Maybe they’re expecting you to be offended if we don’t recognize them?”

At Im So-Byeong’s biting words, Tang Pae on the other side let out a snort of laughter.

“Aren’t you lot from the Evil Sect too?”

“Oh ho. When did I wash my hands of that? Don’t keep bringing up the past.”

Im So-Byeong joked and waved his fan.

But despite his exaggerated, comical gestures, his gaze was fixed solely on the enemy, as if intent on analyzing every scrap of flesh.

“I didn’t think the Green Forest King would defend Southern Island.”

“If you don’t have gums, your teeth ache. At least with these brutes around there’ll be one less blade plunged into my body.”

Im So-Byeong glanced to the side and then shook his head.

“Well, it’s not like... I’m not doing it because I’m scared of someone, don’t misunderstand.”

“...No one misunderstood.”

“Tsk.”

Im So-Byeong slowly lowered the fan he had been holding.

“The Lower District Sect’s Pursuing-Soul Troops. The Evil Sect usually has at least one pursuit unit like that. Lower District Sect tends to have many pursuing squads. Just consider them one of those.”

“Oh, so how do we deal with them?”

“How would I know?”

Im So-Byeong shrugged.

“They’re not just one pursuing squad, but many. And I’m a civil official, not an informant. I only know that such brutes exist.”

“...You’re not a civil official but a bandit, right?”

“Six of one, half dozen of the other.”

“...I should keep my mouth shut.”

“And at times like this, doesn’t the Evil Sect look better than those proud Justice faction folks?”

“Huh?”

Tang Pae looked puzzled, and Im So-Byeong glanced back.

“A fellow who’s not much younger steps up to protect them or whatever, but the rest are just watching from behind, trembling.”

A blatant sneer crossed Im So-Byeong’s face.

“When weaklings injure a sahyung they acted like they’d tear them apart, but when they meet even a dangerous opponent they become so meek. Those vaunted Justice faction folks aren’t so great. The Evil Sect is different in motivation, but we’ve got guts.”

The Southern Island disciples’ faces twisted at those words. Only then did they realize what they were doing and a wave of shame washed over them.

It took only one sentence to turn that shame into wrath.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. Just sit back there and watch nicely.”

At Im So-Byeong’s words, Southern Island’s disciples simultaneously flared murderous intent.

“Who said we were trembling!”

“We just panicked for a moment!”

“Yeah! What do you take Southern Island Sect for!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Im So-Byeong chuckled and said.

“Then don’t just flap your gums—prove it with those swords.”

“You...!”

Southern Island Sect’s disciples, eyes filled with venom, charged forward at Im So-Byeong.

Namgung Do-Wei, Tang Pae, and Southern Island Sect’s disciples led by Im So-Byeong raised a terrifying killing intent toward the blood-clad men.

As the momentum they had nearly crushed revived, the blood-clad men’s expressions hardened in an instant.