Chapter 1034
Yoon Jong, looking at Jang Ilso on the boat, felt it was new.
It’s truly bizarre. No matter the conversation or situation, everything changes the moment this person appears.
It was the same when he saw that man in the past at Mount Hua, at the entrance of the great mountain, and when he met the man at Black Dragon Water Fortress and Plum Blossom Island.
Yoon Jong thought he felt that way because he always encountered Jang Ilso in dramatic situations, but at this moment, he fully understood. Jang Ilso alone changes the atmosphere around him simply by being there.
Jang Ilso slowly raised his hand amid a strange silence that might become turmoil at any time.
His hand, hidden under the broad, ornate sleeve, was revealed, and the multicolored rings dazzled Yoon Jong’s eyes.
“This…”
Jang Ilso covered his mouth with his hand and widened his eyes.
“Was it not the right moment for me to interrupt?”
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It wasn’t a particularly strange thing to say.
However, a sense of discomfort was created as a result. Hearing ordinary words come out of Jang Ilso’s mouth felt as uncomfortable as a monk swearing at Buddha.
Stepping off the boat, Jang Ilso leisurely walked toward them.
Splash.
The sound of him stepping on shallow water pierced everyone’s ears.
Jang Ilso stopped at a reasonable distance, bowed lightly towards Hyun Jong, and then opened his mouth.
“If you’re having a private meeting… I could step away for a while and then come back. I do have that much sense.”
He smiled mockingly.
Unknowingly, Baek Cheon got angry and tried to respond, but Chung Myung’s calm voice was quicker.
“If you had any sense, you wouldn’t have shown your miserable face here alone, won’t you?”
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“Hm?”
Chung Myung grinned, baring his teeth.
“Or perhaps? Are you sick of that head of yours and can’t wait to separate them from your body?”
“Haha.”
Jang Ilso laughed briefly.
“Please don’t be so hot-headed. We’ve become quite acquainted, haven’t we?”
Five Swords ground their teeth. However, Chung Myung, without changing his expression, coldly retorted.
“I’m sorry, but try to understand our position too. Just breathing the same air as someone like you makes me feel sick.”
“That’s a bit disappointing to hear.”
“So, put your nonsense aside and start talking. What do you want to say?”
Jang Ilso’s smile deepened. Everyone unconsciously bite their lips in that strange atmosphere.
In the background of the dark night, the presence of Jang Ilso, alone in vivid red, was profound. It was more intense than any of their previous encounters with him.
“You know the situation, right?”
“Thanks to someone kindly informing me.”
Jang Ilso exaggeratedly shrugged at Chung Myung’s words.
“That’s quite the headache.”
Chung Myung remained silent, but Baek Cheon seemed unable to hold back his boiling anger.
“So you prance around acting all high and mighty, and you can’t even handle Magyo by yourself? It looks like Evil Tyrant Alliance is nothing special after all.”
Five Swords looked back at Baek Cheon with surprised eyes. The anger they felt towards Jang Ilso was no different from each other, but they couldn’t bring themselves to scoff at him.
However, Baek Cheon seemed not to be pressured by Jang Ilso’s presence.
No, perhaps it was his way of reacting because he felt overpowered. Because Baek Cheon is that kind of person.
“…Tsk, tsk.”
Jang Ilso looked at Baek Cheon with an expression of disapproval, then turned his gaze to Chung Myung.
“Children of Mount Hua have no manners. Interrupting while an adult is talking. Shouldn’t you discipline them a bit?”
“You seem to be unaware.”
“Hm?”
“At Mount Hua, we teach to show respect only to those who deserve it.”
“… .”
“I’d rather show respect to a passing dog than to you.”
“Hmm. That sounds like you’re saying I’m not as good as a dog.”
“You understand well.”
Jang Ilso raised the corners of his mouth and laughed. For a moment, Baek Cheon unconsciously strengthened his hand holding the sword.
However, Jang Ilso just shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal.
“People from noble Righteous Sects even swear in a very dignified manner. To think you regard me so highly.”
“….”
“Honestly, I’m a bit moved?”
“Stop running your mouth.”
The smiles on the two’s lips become even deeper. But those two eyes were staring at each other as sharply as a blade.
“Can’t handle even Magyo…”
Jang Ilso repeated Baek Cheon’s earlier words, then sighed exaggeratedly and looked down.
“Well… It’s not that wrong. That’s true. But…”
He glared at Chung Myung and Baek Cheon beyond with cold eyes.
“You should know. When I can’t handle Magyo, it’s not just us who burn. That fire will… burn all of Jungwon. Across the Yangtze, into Henan, and then Shaanxi.”
“Don’t talk nonsense and just get to the point. What do you want?”
At Chung Myung’s question, the smile on Jang Ilso’s lips grew ominously darker.
“I don’t need much. Just about one sword will do.”
“Sword?”
Jang Ilso nodded slowly.
“It’s hard to explain, but, It seems my sword doesn’t quite work on those guys.”
Chung Myung’s face slightly hardened.
“Then there’s nothing we can do, right? Even if it is unfamiliar and dangerous, the only option is to borrow a sharp sword. I’m going to drive it down the throat of that crazy guy who is a bishop or something….”
Jang Ilso narrowed his eyes finely and gazed at Chung Myung.
“An exceedingly sharp blade, that is.”
Chung Myung’s face was now extremely cold.
From the beginning, he also expected Jang Ilso to come asking for salvation.
‘Because he’s from Evil Sects.’
If it’s an ordinary demonic cultist, they would be able to do something. However, if a bishop really appeared as Jang Ilso said, and if that bishop is the ‘real’ bishop that Chung Myung knows, then Evil Sects bastards will never be able to catch him.
Because demonic arts that go beyond the limit tear evil arts to pieces.
If what symbolizes Righteous Sects is Chivalrousness, and what symbolizes Evil Sects is desire, what symbolizes Magyo is none other than malice (??(惡意)).
Not malice toward Evil Sects, but malice toward humans.
It is difficult for even Chung Myung to understand the principles, but in any case, demonic arts suppress normal martial prowess, preventing it from manifesting its true power.
Through numerous fierce battles in the past, they had come to know this fact.
However….
‘He has never dealt with it directly, but he figured it out only through inference….’
Reluctantly, Chung Myung had to admit that Jang Ilso was a truly chilling character.
However, what is scarier may not be the brain that grasps everything, but the determination to go beyond the Yangtze without any doubt about one’s thoughts.
“A sharp blade, huh…”
Chung Myung, who was deep in thought, revealed his teeth.
“I don’t know if stupid Evil Sects bastard will understand, but a renowned sword requires qualifications even from those who wield them.”
“Hm?”
“You are not worthy to wield such a sword.”
“Well. We’ll see about that?”
Jang Ilso giggled. Then suddenly his laughter ceased.
“Let’s end the poor metaphors here, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.”
“….”
“I need you to decapitate that crazy bastard. The more time it takes, the worse the situation becomes. The sooner you make a decision, the better.”
“Do you think I’d join hands with someone like you?”
“No, no. That’s not it, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.”
Jang Ilso shook his head.
“This is not about holding hands. You deal with the bishop as you do, and I deal with the bishop as I do.”
“….”
“You didn’t forget, right? You owe me your life once?”
Chung Myung ground his teeth softly. Jang Ilso’s shoulders shook as if he was holding back laughter.
“What? Are you going to treat the debt you owe to the insignificant Evil Sects as if it never happened?”
Chung Myung glared at Jang Ilso with cold eyes.
“So what if I do?”
“Hm?”
When Jang Ilso tilted his head, Chung Myung spoke calmly.
“What are you going to do if I say I don’t have any debt to pay Evil Sects? Are you going to kneel down and beg?”
“Kneel? Hahahahahahahaha!”
Jang Ilso suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.
His laughter mixed with internal strength rang out on the riverbank. Five Swords staggered momentarily from the momentum transmitted.
“Kneel? Kneel, you say? This Jang Ilso? Hahahahahaha!”
Jang Ilso laughed as if he almost shed tears. He laughed loudly, his ornate accessories clashing noisily. It was a strangely eerie sight.
Jang Ilso, who had been laughing for a long time as if it were absurd, looked at Chung Myung seriously. There was a sparkle in his eyes. His slightly red eyes shined even more distinct against his pale white skin.
“Right. You’re telling me, this Jang Ilso, to kneel and beg?”
“….”
“Sure.”
Chung Myung’s face hardened. However, Jang Ilso smiled even more leisurely and deeply.
“If you wish, I shall.”
Step.
Jang Ilso took a step toward Chung Myung.
“Kneel down.”
Another step.
“Bow your head to the ground.”
The distance between Chung Myung and Jang Ilso became so close that they almost touched.
“If more is needed…”
Finally, Jang Ilso, who came close to Chung Myung, spoke in a whisper with a voice filled with strange fervor.
“Or even lick those shoes and beg for it. Please help me. Please. Please. Please.”
Baek Cheon, as if spellbound by the whole scene, unconsciously stepped back.
It felt like the hairs on his whole body were standing on end.
He understands in his head that all of those actions are Jang Ilso’s characteristic exaggeration. But understanding didn’t mean he could accept it. Just hearing that voice gave him an eerie feeling, as if a cold snake was running through my body.
‘What exactly is this guy…’
Step.
With one last step, Jang Ilso looked down at Chung Myung.
“If you wish, I can do that as much as you want. Is that enough?”
That moment.
Chung Myung reached out and grabbed Jang Ilso by the scruff of his neck, pulling him down. Jang Ilso’s body bent down and Chung Myung and Jang Ilso’s eyes were level with each other.
Chung Myung, who was glaring into the eyes of Jang Ilso’s eyes pulled close, and growled.
“Listen carefully. You damn bastard.”
“….”
“I couldn’t care less about any debt. Even if you don’t ask me, I was going to go with my own feet. So, keep one thing in mind. Neither I nor Mount Hua are moving because of you or anything like that.”
Kung!
Chung Myung pushed Jang Ilso’s chest. Jang Ilso stumbled back a couple of steps and laughed.
“Of course, you would.”
“Get yourself ready properly. You’re going to have a hard time handling us.”
“Of course…”
Jang Ilso, who was about to nod his head with a sneer, paused for a moment. Then he looked at Chung Myung with a puzzled expression.
“Us?”
“Yes, us.”
“….”
“You said it was necessary, right? Sword that cut off the bishop’s head.”
“…I did.”
“These people…”
Chung Myung pointed to the people standing behind with his chin.
“Is that sword.”
That voice clearly penetrated Baek Cheon’s ears. He clenched his fists without realizing it.
“…It doesn’t look particularly sharp.”
“You can look forward to it.”
Chung Myung grinned, showing his teeth.
“Since I have forged it myself. It’s sharp enough to cut the bishop’s neck, and someday, yours too.”
“…I’m really looking forward to that.”
Jang Ilso looked at Five Swords with newfound interest. He smiled strangely, making it difficult to guess his intention, and after a while, he slowly turned around as if his business was over.
“Departure is when dawn breaks.”
“….”
“Then… See you again. Cubs of Righteous Sects.”
Jang Ilso walked away from them as slowly as he had come.