Chapter 448: The One Trapped in Changbai Mountain (1)
The troops of the Yulin were surrounded by three mountains.
After the battle, the place where the troops stayed was stained with corpses, blood, and stench.
Even those who died in this place alone exceeded a total of two thousand eight hundred.
All of the top clans’ heads, except for the 6 leaders of the Forces of Justice, were alive.
“Cough… cough…”
There was a woman who was shedding tears while looking at the bodies of the dead.
The beautiful woman who never cried so much now had swollen eyes. She was Jegal Sohi, the strategist.
“I am sorry. I am really sorry.”
She kept muttering the same thing again and again while looking at the corpses.
People of the Yulin would grieve their deaths, but why was she apologizing?
Two people were looking down at her from the mountain.
An old man with a short beard, Chun Inji, the former Lord of the Demonic Cult.
And next to him, a young man with long hair and calm eyes, looking down on the battle’s outcome, the current Lord of the Demonic Cult, Chun Yeowun.
“Thank you for respecting the wishes of this old man.”
Chun Inji looked at the people who were evacuating powerlessly at the bottom of the mountain.
They were the survivors of Yulin.
Among the clans, the one with the most survivors was the Shaolin Temple.
“There was more blood than I expected. No matter how strong one is, it’s natural that no one wants to be humiliated.”
Chun Inji looked down at the corpses with sad eyes.
In the end, there were more than six hundred people who refused to take that black pill and were killed.
Among them, Seong Jin-kyung, who yelled out, fought till the end.
Among the warriors who surrendered and tried to save their lives, many gave up their pride because they had families.
However, even they didn’t want to take the pill and betray their faction.
“It was their choice.”
For Chun Yeowun, there was no reason to release those people who didn’t obey him.
When he first learned about their plan to send him to the G.o.d of the East, he wanted to annihilate everyone.
However, his plan was unexpectedly changed due to the opposition of two people.
Two days ago,
Jegal Sohi, who entered the barracks of the Lord of the Demonic Cult, fell on her knees.
With tears in her eyes, she begged that her faction be spared.
Since Chun Yeowun was a lord, she thought he might want to reduce unnecessary sacrifices, but Chun Yeowun wasn’t interested in mercy.
[You are a prisoner of war, don’t get involved. Scram.]
Despite Chun Yeowun’s warning, she didn’t give up.
She put her head on the ground.
[I’m aware that you are enraged by it, but among them, most of them are being dragged there regardless of their will.]
6th elder Mong Mu shouted at her insistence.
[Our Lord, with his broad generosity, allowed you to wander around here despite being a prisoner, but you, you are acting like you run this place. Look here. Guards, arrest this woman and take her into custody.]
The cultists came in and tried to take her when she shouted.
[Please! Please just listen to me! If Lord Chun can show even a little generosity, you can divide them and make them surrender without taking their lives!]
Chun Yeowun’s eyes lit up at Jegal Sohi’s words.
She offered strategies for the cult.
[I won’t ask you to save everyone. Please just let those who surrender leave. I will risk my life and a.s.sist you until Lord Chun feels satisfied.]
Watching Chun Yeowun, she knew that he wasn’t someone to show mercy to his enemies.
Preventing a big sacrifice was the best thing she could do.
[Make them surrender?]
Chun Yeowun, who was interested in the plan, stopped them from taking her away.
Only to hear what this plan was.
In that way, she informed the leaders of the tactic which would divide the troops.
Upon hearing it, the leaders in the barracks couldn’t hide their admiration.
If things went as she said, there would be a huge division among the troops.
It wasn’t a bad offer.
But,
[That is a fun trick to use. However, even the surviving factions who surrender would still keep coming back.]
It was declined.
Those who beg for mercy now will aim for revenge later.
Chun Yeowun had no intention of leaving people alive, knowing that he would be their target.
[Lo-Lord Chun!]
[Take her!]
Jegal Sohi, who came to beg with little hope, was dragged out of the barracks.
Then an unexpected person came forward and asked Chun Yeowun to reconsider her opinion.
He was Chun Inji.
Chun Inji, who asked for a private conversation, spoke with Chun Yeowun.
[This grandfather of yours wants you to reconsider the words of that child of Jegal.]
[… which is why I have given those Yulin b.a.s.t.a.r.ds multiple chances already. Any further mercy to them is pointless.]
It wasn’t worth reconsidering, even if it was his own grandfather.
It was Chun Yeowun who provided multiple chances to the Forces of Justice who kept trying to stab him, all for the sake of fighting the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan.
But now, with power on his side, he didn’t have to spare the Forces of Justice.
The fact that those people were camped in Changbai Mountain to annihilate Chun Yeowun’s men and push him into a death battle with the G.o.d of the East.
[I know what you mean, but some don’t come by their own will, as she said. Besides…]
The fact that there were monks of the Shaolin Temple.
Chun Inji didn’t want those monks to be hurt because they were of the same temple that his friend Gu-jung belonged to.
However, the decision rested in Chun Yeowun’s hands.
Chun Inji, who thought that Yeowun wouldn’t change his decision, changed his approach.
[This old man has something to tell you. Do you know the meaning of Wulin?]
[…]
Silent affirmation, Chun Inji continued.
[Let me tell you, killing enemies is not the only skill. If you try to rule everything with power and force, there will be repercussions.]
It wasn’t wrong. There was a saying that a ruler should have virtue.
[It’s impossible to kill all enemies. And subjugating them is the most common way of ruling.]
Chun Yeowun nodded his head at those words.
What his grandfather was telling, he already knew about it.
He, too, didn’t intend to kill the enemies.
Even if he gave them multiple chances, they would keep coming back to take his life.
However, the fact that Chun Inji was talking,
‘I think it’s because of his relations.h.i.+p with Saint Gu-jung, that colleague of his.’
He would probably ask for the members of the Shaolin Temple to be let off.
However, if he killed all the others and saved the Shaolin monks, then the temple would face repercussions in the faction, so he decided to use Jegal Sohi’s idea.
[Hu… understood. Since grandfather has said it, I will show them mercy.]
Chun Yeowun, who read Chun Inji’s intentions, accepted it.
It was to save his grandfather’s face.
[… thank you.]
[I’ll just add one more thing to her plan.]
That was the pills.
Originally, Sohi’s plan ended with returning those who surrendered.
But Chun Yeowun wasn’t that kind.
He made sure that the survivors wouldn’t try anything foolish just because he spared them.
A warning to the Forces of Justice.
Since more than 2000 people took the pill, the Yulin won’t even dream about revenge.
And with that, the place got cleared up.
The dead corpses were all left there, and clearing up didn’t take that long either.
“Now we head to Changbai mountain?”
At the question from Chun Inji, Chun Yeowun nodded.
Having resolved the feud with the Forces of Justice, it was time to head for Changbai Mountain.
They had to get the core of the spirit beast before the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan.
Easter of Shanxi.
Hw.a.n.g-heol, who was wrapped in bandages, moved to the southwest.
Originally, they stayed near Changbai Mountain and tried to make the Yulin and the Demonic Cult collide, but they had no reason to even descend.
“d.a.m.n it, that Yulin!”
It was because he received a message that the other troops of the Yulin were heading for their base.
It wasn’t like the base was empty. There were more than 4000 warriors, including the future candidate for Lord, in there.
If the Yulin was trying for a measly attack, he would have ignored it, but it was said that the Yulin was taking 20,000 warriors.
Literally, the Yulin was indeed las.h.i.+ng out an all-out war.
“Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!”
It couldn’t be overlooked anymore.
Getting the core was important, but not losing their base was even more important.
“By now, the elite ones must be near Shanxi.”
He received a message from the Potala Palace saying that they crossed the Gan Mountain.
Thanks to the alliance with the Forces of Evil, they were moving fast.
“Hurry. Otherwise…”
Their main base would be destroyed by the Forces of Justice.
The two men on horses stopped near a ridge.
Duuuu!
In front of them, a group of up to a thousand people was moving on horses.
Although far away, it was the elite troops of the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan.
“Aha! We aren’t late!”
Their troops were moving faster than predicted.
The two hurriedly rode their horses.
The elites, who noticed them, stopped advancing.
He hurriedly tried to provide the full information about the Forces of Justice troops.
“Where is the Blade Lord?”
At that question, an old man with a white beard and a golden eyepatch on his left eye answered.
“We received an urgent message from the Blade Lord saying that he was heading for the base alone four days ago.”
“Al-alone?”
Come to think of it, there were no Blade Masters except for the Blade Lord.
Which meant that he was alone as he headed for the base.
“Why did you come here? If you received the message, you should know that the base is in danger. You should head to the base…”
“Huhuhu, we are on our way to Changbai Mountain on the orders of Blade Lord.”
“To Changbai mountain?”
Hw.a.n.g-heol was shocked.
Although he knew that Blade Lord was competent, how could he send the clan’s warriors away from the base when Yulin was coming for him.
He was strong, but how could he stop an entire army?
The man in the eye patch smiled.
“Don’t worry too much. Blade Lord said that he will be joining us very soon, so we need to go ahead and do what we were ordered to do.”
Around the same time.
Mount Huang.
There was a huge battle happening.
Around 20,000 warriors close to a country’s military force were engaged in all-out war in the base of Blade G.o.d Six Martial clan.
The battle continued for half a day, and they only managed to survive all their time there.
As the number of warriors was large, there were hundreds of casualties from the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan as they were unaware of the Forces of Justice’s modes of fighting.
“Keep pus.h.i.+ng!”
“Don’t spare your arrows! Shoot!”
People of each faction raised their voices, trying to increase the morale of their own men.
As Mak Wijong said, the elites of the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan were missing from the base.
But, despite that, the Yulin troops seemed to be suffering helplessly, despite a positive result.
If things kept progressing this way, they might be able to capture their base by night.
“Hmph!”
Kwakwakwa!
Yi Mok, who was in charge of the attack, attacked the archers shooting arrows from the mountain’s cliffs with Air Swords.
More than fifty people were killed by his hands.
“Terrifying. The whole mountain has been transformed into their fortress. Great Leader.”
Poong Chungwun of the Mount Hua Clan spoke.
At their attempt to enter the base, due to the traps installed in the mountains, more than 1,000 warriors had suffered.
“They won’t last long.”
The scholars of the Jegal Clan were dismantling any traps.
They did say that 2 hours were needed to check and dismantle the traps, but it didn’t take that long.
‘After capturing the base, we will plan for an ambush on their main forces.’
These were all tactics that Yoo Beom-ryeo had planned for dealing with the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan and even the Demonic Cult.
An all-out war.
If they couldn’t succeed, then the Yulin would fall into their worst times.
“Let’s win this war today and lay the groundwork for justice! Warriors of the Forces of Justice!”
“Wahhh!!!”
At the cry from Yi Mok, all the warriors shouted.
Everyone knew the importance of this war, so they fought hard to break down all the defenses.
Swoos.h.!.+
“Kuak!”
Another man was killed by a master of the Blade G.o.d Six Martial clan.
All the elite members were supposed to be away, but it seemed like there were some people close to the Super Master Level.
‘There.’
At that moment, Yi Mok noticed the person who shot the arrow and was about to launch an Air Sword.
“You are the leader of the Forces of Justice.”
Startle!
An unidentified man in a bamboo hat stood in front of Yi Mok.
‘When?’
He was too concentrated on the war.
He didn’t even notice until the man came extremely close to him.
And Yi Mok was supposed to be one of the five strongest warriors.
“Who?”
Visor!
Poong Chungwun of the Mount Hua Clan was startled at it.
He, too, didn’t realize when this man had appeared.
“It has been a while since someone aimed their sword at me.”
With those words, the man in a bamboo hat lightly swiped his hand.
Great energy released.
Kwaaak! Woahh!
“Kuak!”
“Kuk!”
Startling things unfolded.
As if an unseen road was laid down by the man, a straight line was drawn by the energy.
Crack!
Even the body of Poong Chungwun, who intersected the line, was cut in half.
He couldn’t even get a scream out before his body was torn in two, falling on either side.
Thud
“Leader Poong!!!”
The enemy transcended a human’s level.
If Yi Mok’s eyes weren’t wrong, this man just used invisible energy.
With trembling eyes, Yi Mok asked.
“You… who are you?”
“This is the one who stands at the apex of all martial artists in here, the Lord.”
‘!!!’
The unidentified man was the Blade Lord, the head of the Blade G.o.d Six Martial Clan.