Chapter 402

Chapter 402
## Chapter 402. The Reason for the Struggle (2)

—

Even if one gathered every single martial artist across the vastness of the *Kangho*, their numbers would fall short of the sheer multitude of the Gaebang disciples. I had never anticipated experiencing the legendary tales whispered among warriors so directly and vividly.

“Attack!”
“Put an end to him!”

Beggars adorned with knots around their waists swarmed forward, brandishing their wooden clubs. Did these fools mistake me for a stray dog? In response, I unleashed the Myriad Transformations Matchless Fist with both hands.

*Pop-pop-pop-pop!*
*Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!*

Multitudes of fist shadows burst from my hands, striking every vulnerable point on the bodies of the eight beggars.

“Keu-heuk!”
“Eo-eok!”

Having no time to form a defense against the sudden onslaught of the fist technique, the beggars coughed up blood and lost consciousness on the spot. Though I felled eight of them with a single execution, another octet immediately charged to take their place. While the leading four advanced with clubs just like their predecessors, the quartet positioned behind them appeared to be gathering internal energy for palm strikes.

The exact moment the rear four unleashed their palm force, I executed the Lotus Flower of the Floating Cloud Divine Art, forcefully dragging the front four toward my position.

“Uh-oh!”
“N-no!”

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The individuals pulled forward inadvertently served as human shields, taking the full brunt of their own comrades’ palm force and collapsing unconscious instantly.

“Just as expected from a bunch of beggars. Are you truly incapable of telling your allies apart from your enemies?”

“D-damn it, do you think we did that on purpose!”

“Th-that’s right! You must be employing some sort of wicked sorcery!”

When I offered a light taunt, their furious, unthinking retaliation perfectly matched the typical behavior of a beggar. Thus, I gave them a thorough mental restructuring using the Myriad Transformations Matchless Fist. Ha, I genuinely believe I possess an exceptionally benevolent character.

*Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!*

“Ensure you are reborn under better circumstances instead of being a beggar in your next lifetime.”

“For a traitor to the Murim Alliance like yourself to look down upon the Gaebang……!”

*Thwack!*

“What did you say? Speak up, I can barely hear you.”

You see, because you fail to secure proper sustenance while begging for scraps, you cannot even articulate your words properly. Kicking the head of the final remaining opponent, I lifted my gaze to survey the environment. Even though sixteen men had been neutralized in the blink of an eye, my ability to sense auras warned me that more individuals were stubbornly closing in.

Ever since the beggar operating under the guise of a slash-and-burn farmer ignited the signal flare, these isolated skirmishes had persisted for half a day. The true complication lay in the fact that with each passing hour, the volume of approaching beggars multiplied exponentially. The vast majority were low-ranking beggars possessing either no knots or a single knot, making them simple enough to handle, but the ceaseless waves of attacks were bound to gradually drain my endurance.

Furthermore, up until this point, the opposition consisted mainly of those swinging clubs devoid of internal energy or deploying the Lotus Palm, which was merely the foundational palm technique of the Gaebang. However, beggars bearing two knots were now beginning to surface.

Their objective was blindingly obvious. They intended to stall our progress here until the trailing pursuit party closed the distance, or until the primary forces of Wudang and Jeomchang managed to intercept us. Just how poorly governed is this nation for the sheer influx of these beggars to feel completely limitless? It invoked the sensation of crying out, *‘The real fight hasn’t even commenced!’* even after continuously striking them down.

Glancing over at Dam-ak’s state, it was a total disaster. Deprived of any meaningful rest up to this point, his complexion had turned as pale as a terrified youth’s, largely because the guards were forced to move frantically to evade the onslaughts, occasionally abandoning their defensive formations to execute counterattacks.

Yet, pausing to rest at this juncture would be nothing short of lunacy.

“I am going to accelerate our pace.”

“……Will that be acceptable?”

The Black Way martial artists likewise appeared thoroughly exhausted by the unending swarm of beggars, clicking their tongues in sheer exasperation.

“For now, let us restrict ourselves to the absolute minimum retaliation and keep running.”

Inevitably, as time marched on, a confrontation with either the trailing pursuit party or the primary force was guaranteed. Given that reality, advancing even a single step further constituted our finest course of action.

*Sseugeogeok—*
*Sseugeogeogeo—*

I severed the path through the adversaries blocking our frontline without showing an ounce of leniency. Those who initially hesitated out of terror after witnessing their companions perish drenched in blood quickly underwent a frantic shift in demeanor, charging forward like raving lunatics.

*Ching-ching-ching!*

Some hurled stones or thrust forward with spears gathered from unknown origins. Others inadvertently shot their fellow beggars with poorly aimed arrows, while some launched assaults utilizing pitchforks evidently plundered from local farmsteads. They were deliberately attempting to drag the engagement into a chaotic fight (*nan-jeon*), an environment where formal martial artists suffer the greatest disadvantage.

“Kill! Eliminate them!”

The forces I had bypassed without fully neutralizing due to our accelerated pace formed a dense wall of containment, striking out from every conceivable angle. A beggar who had collapsed from a sword wound tenaciously dragged himself along the earth to grasp a guard’s ankle. The guard promptly delivered a kick to rid himself of the nuisance, but in that split second of vulnerability, three other beggars seized the opening and lunged with their weaponry.

This was the very strategy the Gaebang favored above all else, a military doctrine uniquely suited to their endless numbers: Human Wave Tactics.

The precise tactic that had remained undefeated until the emergence of the Jiangshi from the Demonic Cult was now being deployed in full force. The coordination of the guards began to falter under the pressure.

“Ji-Jin-gong-ja-nim!”

The Black Way martial artists, their faces drained of color from the overwhelming tide of beggars just like Dam-ak, called out to me in utter desperation. Tuning into their cries, I concentrated my internal energy directly into my palms.

*Rumble—*

With the energy prepared, I unleashed the palm force.

“Drop to the ground!”

Though it was an abrupt shout lacking context, the Black Way martial artists, who had already detected the immense power gathering in my hands, precipitously ducked their heads.

*Kwakwakwakwakwang!*

A palm strike possessing cataclysmic power rippled outward across a semi-circle, utterly obliterating the immediate vicinity.

“What in the world is this strength……”

While the beggars who managed to escape the destructive radius of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm stood frozen with vacant expressions, I offered them a brief piece of counsel.

“Were you truly ignorant of the fact that my greatest expertise lies in combating an entire multitude alone?”

*Rumble—*

Without a moment’s delay, I discharged a second sequence of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.

*Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!*

Once more, the cataclysmic force of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm swept through a half-circle, clearing the terrain. While the capacity to inflict immediately fatal trauma diminished slightly with such a wide spread, no alternative method surpassed this for area-wide suppression. Moreover, a substantial portion of the beggars gathered in this area completely lacked internal energy.

“Aaaaack!”
“Keu-heuk!”
“Kwek!”

The battlefield subjected to the dual strikes of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm descended into utter chaos, with countless maimed bodies rolling across the dirt like withered autumn leaves.

“Move out!”

Leaving behind the groaning and shuddering forms of the defeated beggars, I bolted forward while scanning the path ahead. Truly, because I had cleared them out in a single sweeping motion, the concentration of adversaries had thinned dramatically.

“Press onward! His reserves of internal energy must be completely depleted!”

“He originates from nothing more than a third-rate sect! He cannot possibly sustain this conflict!”

Even in their diminished state, these beggars attempted to instigate another chaotic fight, desperate to capitalize on what remained of their superior numbers. But tell me…… which fool just uttered the phrase ‘third-rate sect’? Is it due to their status as mere beggars that they lack all awareness? They are entirely oblivious to the fact that the person who has endured chaotic fights until he is utterly sick of them is none other than myself.

*‘I am a seasoned professional at chaotic warfare from my previous existence, you miserable bastards!’*

Naturally, since that was a reality I could not openly voice, I kept the thought suppressed internally and unsheathed the Red Light Sword.

*Sseugeok—*
*Sseugeok—*
*Sseugeok—*

I executed only the most precise, streamlined movements, utilizing minimal exertion over the briefest paths. I was no longer the helpless Jin So-un of my past life, who faltered constantly due to a lack of internal energy. With an abundance of internal power surging dynamically throughout my entire frame, there were absolutely no constraints binding my physical actions.

“Ugh!”
“Keu-heuk!”
“Kyaaaack!”

Though the patterns were brief and understated, every single adversary collapsed under the weight of mortal injuries. These combat forms, starkly distinct from the limitations of my previous life, felt extraordinarily unburdened and gratifying. In that precise instant, a Gaebang beggar shoved his head directly into the trajectory of the Red Light Sword. I swiftly unfastened the scabbard resting at my hip and struck the fellow across the skull.

*Thwack!*

Utilizing the falling form of the unconscious man as a launching platform, I advanced another stride and swung the Red Light Sword along a wide perimeter. A tumultuous gale suppressed the entire area. In my previous existence, the constraints of meager internal energy and shallow comprehension restricted me to the Small Heaven Sword Technique, but now I could summon the Great Heaven Sword Technique with absolute fluidity and precision.

*Chrrrrrrrrk!*

The Red Light Sword moved with the velocity of a lightning-fast blade, yet within that single sequence, an intricate array of shifting variations and illusory blades manifested. Such an assault could easily be countered by anyone operating at a second-rate proficiency, but it was fundamentally impossible for a no-knot or one-knot beggar to withstand.

“U-heok!”
“Ack!”
“Maintain the line, do not retreat!”

Not a single beggar possessed the fortitude to advance when dozens of gleaming sword edges flickered directly before their vision, brushing past their throats. Overwhelmed by panic, the weaponless no-knots recoiled, inadvertently shoving the one-knots ahead of them. This caused the tangled masses of one-knots and two-knots to tumble forward in heaps, turning them into helpless targets for the Red Light Sword.

*Sseugeok—*
*Sseugeok—*

I lost track of how many limbs were severed in the fray. Within this mountainous woodland where the vibrant greenery of spring was blooming, a crimson torrent had already commenced its flow.

*Rumble—*

To serve as a grand finale to the engagement, I unleashed the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm to conclude the matter.

*Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!*

The beggars, wearing expressions of pure terror as though they had been cast into the depths of purgatory, collapsed listlessly onto their knees. The massive throng wavered in disarray before ultimately scattering completely.

“Break into a run!”

We surged rapidly through the opening they left behind.

“Pursue……! Do not let them escape!”

“Stand back up, you pathetic excuses for beggars!”

The pursuit had not been entirely abandoned, yet none of the adversaries possessed the audacity to rely blindly on their numbers as they had previously. Instead, they merely trailed us from a significant distance, ignoring the frantic commands of their commanders. Regardless, even if I managed to distance myself from them, I was well aware that the scouts concealed along our route would verify our trajectory, so I refrained from expending unnecessary energy to shake them off.

“Heok, heok!”
“Hoo! Hoo!”

Moreover, our circumstances remained precarious. Although the individual combatants we faced were unremarkable, the guards who had just endured the unrelenting pressure of the mass chaotic fight were respiring heavily, visibly confronting their psychological and physical limits. Recognizing that my continuous monitoring might be causing him anxiety, one of the guards inclined his head toward me.

“D-do not be concerned. We are fully capable of maintaining the pace.”

I gestured toward his forearm and remarked.

“Perhaps you ought to address that wound first?”

“Forgive me? What do you……”

Following my prompt, he glanced down at his arm and only then noticed a shattered fragment of a blade embedded deep within his flesh.

“When exactly did this occur……”

“My apologies for not granting you the necessary window to tend to your injuries. For the time being, apply this medication immediately.”

The moment I proffered the Gold Sore Ointment, the guard extracted the metal fragment while maintaining his stride, struck his own pressure points to staunch the flow of blood, and layered the Gold Sore Ointment heavily over the laceration. The companion running parallel to him promptly rent a section of his own martial garments to bind the wounded arm securely.

“Hold out just a bit longer, at the very least until we rendezvous with the main force.”

I recognized that they had reached the absolute nadir of their endurance from the compounding exhaustion of relentless pursuits and the strain of chaotic warfare, yet those were the only words of encouragement I could offer. If we faltered at this critical juncture, every sacrifice made would be rendered meaningless.

“Ah, why…… for what reason, precisely what am I accomplishing……”

Dam-ak, his face entirely devoid of color, let out a tortured murmur upon witnessing the grim spectacle. Lacking the breathing room to offer him solace, and possessing no desire to indulge his despair, I pressed forward without acknowledging his distress.

Fortunately, the concentration of beggars ceased to multiply further. They had likely deduced that relying on simple superior numbers was no longer an effective strategy, as their human wave tactics were fundamentally designed to overwhelm traditional *Kangho* martial artists. Instead, the specialized pursuit team that had been tracking our movements began to close the gap once more. They managed to close the four-day lead I had painstakingly established in a mere three days.

*‘What is their game?’*

Yet, something felt entirely amiss. The tracking party exhibited none of the aggressive maneuvers to restrict our path that the Gaebang beggars had employed. Observing their passive stance, I signaled the guards.

“Decompress our velocity.”

“…….”

Whether they had already deduced the implications of that directive from our prior discussions, not a single guard displayed a look of relief. We gradually decelerated our pace, ensuring we kept a calculated distance from our stalkers. When the pursuers refrained from closing in despite our reduced speed, my suspicions were confirmed.

*‘Their primary force has established a position.’*

Otherwise, there was absolutely no rationale for those individuals to allow us passage so passively. In all likelihood, their main contingent was waiting in ambush at the Heavenly Bridge situated at the terminus of this mountain path. From the very inception of this flight, I had designated that precise location as our final battleground.

Turning to the guards, I spoke.

“The end of this trail brings us to the Heavenly Bridge.”

“……Understood.”

They offered solemn nods, remaining entirely composed as though facing nothing out of the ordinary. Feeling a twinge of unease at their stoicism, I proffered an extra word of reassurance.

“I am truly sorry. Nevertheless, I shall expend every ounce of my ability.”

Their expressions flickered with brief astonishment before reverting to a tranquil resolve as they replied.

“Even if the outcome proves unfavorable, do not let guilt burden your spirit. We are merely fulfilling our designated duties, and Jin-gong-ja remains an honorable figure of the White Way.”

“…….”

“Even so, we shall eternally carry the memory that you chose to step into the valley of death (*sa-ji*) alongside us.”

Confronted by those resolute gazes, I found myself completely devoid of an answer. It was at that precise moment.

“What exactly are you implying?”

Dam-ak, picking up on the ominous undertone of the exchange, demanded clarification, but there was no luxury of time to provide it. The distinct sensations of ‘their’ presence had already entered the perimeter of my aura-sensing.

Despair Valley loomed ahead, a profound abyss whose depths remained shrouded from view, appearing capable of consuming everything in existence. A solitary, precarious path stretched across the void, faintly bridging the chasm. To this majestic manifestation wrought by the sheer scale of the natural world, mankind had reverently assigned the title of the Heavenly Bridge.

And presently, occupying that very Heavenly Bridge, roughly twenty individuals clad in identical uniforms stood perfectly motionless. Even from a distance, the rigid, oppressive energy emanating from them made their identity unmistakable…….

*‘The Wudang Sect!’*

The men held an identical stance, hands clasped behind their backs with their swords secured to their sides, as though their physical posture had been synchronized through rigorous training. The character for ‘Maengho’ (Brave Tiger) was delicately stitched onto their cuffs. Exceptionally, a relatively youthful man occupied the absolute vanguard of their formation, rather than the individual who appeared senior in years.

A disciple of the Wudang Sect who, by all estimations, appeared no older than myself.

“Ha……!”

The moment my eyes locked onto his features, I could not prevent a sharp intake of breath.

*‘Why on earth is that bastard, Hyeon-yeong the Wudang-susin, stationed here……’*

The Maengho Unit, operating under the broader Baek-un Unit, were already incredibly troublesome adversaries to contend with, but an even more formidable obstacle had now materialized. The shadow to Yong So-ah, and the colossal force that sustained the Wudang Sect from the darkness as their hidden protector.

The Wudang-susin, Hyeon-yeong. In my previous lifetime, while some remained oblivious to the name Hyeon-yeong itself, absolutely no one was ignorant of the formidable entity known as the Wudang-susin.

“Are you the esteemed Young Hero Jin So-un?”

Observed from this proximity, his facial features and the cadence of his voice struck me as remarkably unexceptional.

“As your eyes inform you, we represent the Wudang.”

Yet, I did not permit myself to lower my guard. He was a master who concealed an immense, profound extraordinariness beneath that veneer of simplicity. Without producing even the faintest whisper of a footstep, he shifted a single pace laterally, clearing an open path beside him.

“Step forward and join us. The Jeongdo-hoe is prepared to expunge all previous transgressions as though they never occurred.”

“Transgressions, you say?”

“Precisely. We are well aware that Young Hero Jin possesses an exceptional spirit and an unyielding commitment to righteousness, and that you are destined to offer monumental service to the Murim Alliance in the days to come.”

“Does a transgression not typically define an incident where one inflicts detriment upon others entirely devoid of malicious intent?”

Without betraying a solitary hint of disturbance, his mouth moved deliberately.

“The Jeongdo-hoe does not possess so petty a perspective as to demand accountability from someone who faltered momentarily while under the influence of an insidious enchantment.”

Ah, so if I choose to capitulate right now, they intend to ignore the reality that I obstructed the designs of the Jeongdo-hoe and attempted to facilitate Dam-ak’s evasion? In exchange, I am expected to turn a blind eye to the impending conflict that will result in tens of thousands of lives being obliterated on the field of battle?

“Allow me to pose a query then. Was the conduct of the Jeongdo-hoe merely a transgression as well?”

“…….”

For the initial time, a microscopic trace of fluster crossed Hyeon-yeong’s features. Is his resemblance to Yong So-ah so profound that he even mirrors those subtle reactions?

“You launched an assault against an emissary who arrived under the explicit invitation of the Murim Alliance, tracked him like a beast, and went so far as to orchestrate an assassination attempt. Does Wudang truly believe such actions can be dismissed as a mere lapse in judgment?”

Glancing toward the vacant space he had cleared beside him, I let out a mocking chuckle.

“By any chance, was that sycophantic Cheong-su Jin-in the one who relayed that proposition?”

*Twitch….*

Directly behind Hyeon-yeong, the ranks of the Maengho Unit tensed their statures, looking poised to strike at a moment’s notice. Conversely, even though his immediate superior had been insulted, Hyeon-yeong’s visage betrayed even less sentiment than it had a moment prior.

“Young Hero Jin. I shall present a single inquiry.”

He simply pressed forward with his speech, preserving an absolute, chilling equilibrium. His tone carried a dreadful, unyielding serenity.

“Do you truly…… possess the confidence to stand against Wudang, the entire Jeongdo-hoe…… and by extension, the collective might of the Murim Alliance and the martial world itself?”

“That is a question I have encountered so frequently it has grown entirely tedious.”

*Ssssrng.*
*Uuuuuuuu.*

The edge of the Red Light Sword assumed a deep crimson hue, and an eerie, unnatural wail echoed through the space.

“Direct that inquiry to that sycophantic Cheong-su Jin-in. He will inform you exactly what manner of reply I provide.”

Simultaneously, the profound martial arts of the Sword Demon were unleashed.

White Moon Ascending Heaven Third Style.
Second Style.
Extreme Strength (*Geuk-gang*).

Substantial concentrations of condensed sword force surged forward, manifesting as a solid defensive barrier. The Wudang Maengho Unit unsheathed their blades in a unified flash. Yet, Hyeon-yeong, occupying the vanguard, reacted ahead of them all. The Nine Palaces Linked Sword, infused with the esoteric geometry of the Nine Palaces, manifested, forcefully redirecting the trajectory of the oncoming sword force masses.

*Kreeeeeeeeek——*

The discharged energy broke free from my direction, veering precisely where his movements steered it, before violently impacting the solid earth below.

*Kwakwakwakwakwang!*

Just as a dense plume of dust prepared to billow upward, the Maengho Unit and Hyeon-yeong advanced in perfect unison.

White Moon Ascending Heaven Third Style.
First Style.
Extreme Speed (*Geuk-kwae*).

That blistering blade technique that had once severed hordes of attacking demons along with the very air surrounding them in a single stroke.

*Sswwaeeek—*

Accompanied by a sharp, clear ring piercing the wind, the strike once more cleaved through the space. Two operatives of the Maengho Unit caught within the trajectory of the Extreme Speed collapsed heavily onto the ground, their outer garments staining crimson across their chests. Seizing upon that momentary transition, Hyeon-yeong and the Commander of the Maengho Unit surged directly toward me.

Rather than retreating, I advanced another step and delivered the full force of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.

*Kwakwakwakwakwang!*

The bridge anchoring the gap across the abyss, forged of compressed stone and earth, shuddered violently, appearing on the precipice of total structural failure. Toward the adversaries who recoiled in profound tension from the raw fury of the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm, I unleashed the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Decisive.

As eight distinct variations of the ten-thousand swords manifested, the Twin Heaven Sword Decisive began its deployment, and with every subsequent motion, substantial waves of sword energy blasted in every direction.

*Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!*

“Aaaaack!”
“Keu-heu-heuk!”

I sensed my immense reserves of internal energy being heavily depleted in a brief flash, yet not a single regret crossed my mind. The forces of the Wudang Sect were already being systematically corralled toward the far boundary of the bridge.

*Fwooosh—*

Maintaining the momentum, I channeled the Sacred Fire Demon-Destroying Hand and integrated the Myriad Transformations Matchless Fist. With each successive wave of fist shadows, a searing, brilliant flame erupted, aggressively driving the Wudang martial artists backward.

Nevertheless, no further fatalities occurred following the execution of the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Decisive. Instead of actively contesting my offensive, they prudently gave ground and concentrated their entire focus on absolute defense. I felt no dissatisfaction, however. This precise scenario was exactly what I had intended from the outset.

*Tududuk, tudududuk.*

From the structure of the bridge, which vibrated violently under the constant impacts of sword energy and force, fragments of masonry and heavy boulders broke free, plunging into the thousand-foot abyss below. The moment the Wudang Sect stepped back to stabilize their positions without relinquishing their containment formation.

I sent a concentrated mental transmission to the guards simultaneously.

—*Execute.*

*Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!*

The instant my command echoed, the guards stationed near the terminus of the bridge detonated their concealment canisters in unison, instantly scattering along divergent paths. Just as the Wudang members, who had been restricted to defensive postures, attempted to pivot and intercept their escape.

I menaced their front by executing the Mutual Destruction Fist enhanced by the Sacred Fire Demon-Destroying Hand.

“Wh-what is this…… heok!”

“What……!!”

The Wudang Sect personnel recoiled in pure alarm, mirroring the exact behavioral patterns of their high-ranking leadership. True to form, the greater an individual’s mastery, the simpler they are to manipulate through deception.

Altering my vector instantaneously, I swept down to scoop up Dam-ak, whom a guard had left positioned on the earth. Securing him firmly as he struggled for respiration on the verge of unconsciousness.

“Wh-what in the world are y——!”

I launched my physical form directly off the precipice into the vast void below.