Chapter 231. Final Battle (1)

People continued to gather in the northern region of Shanxi Province.

Every one of them had come with the will of chivalry in their hearts. Yet as their numbers increased, problems naturally began to arise.

“Hahaha. It is somewhat embarrassing to say it with my own mouth, but I am counted among the Seven Swords of Jiangxi and am known by the sobriquet Great Fortune Sword.”

“Oh? Truly impressive. I too pride myself on being counted among the five best blade wielders in Shaanxi.”

When people introduced themselves to one another, it was common for duels to follow naturally.

Regardless of their dedication to chivalry, they were all martial artists of the Jianghu. Each one possessed a strong competitive spirit.

What began as friendly sparring sometimes ended with someone injured or with tempers flaring.

When Sama Hyeon heard this news, he quickly gathered several people.

The head of the Seomoon Clan, the head of the Pyo Clan, the Shaolin Abbot, the Beggars’ Sect Leader, the Mount Heng Sect Leader, and even Jin Yuseong and his companions.

After assembling only those who held some renown in the Jianghu, Sama Hyeon spoke.

“I know this is a rude request, but I have a favor to ask.”

“First, tell us what this favor is. Only after hearing it can we decide.”

When the Beggars’ Sect Leader stepped forward to answer, the others also nodded.

“As you have all seen or heard, disputes have begun to arise as more people gather.”

At this rate, they might collapse into internal chaos before even fighting the Demonic Cult.

“So I would like all of you to help reduce their excess energy.”

“Reduce their energy?”

“Hahaha! You mean we should duel with them! That sounds excellent!”

Hwangbo Ak shouted excitedly, and Sama Hyeon smiled faintly.

“Dueling is fine, but what about guiding them in training?”

“You mean we should teach them the secret techniques of our sects?”

“There is no need to teach the unique techniques of your sects or clans. Surely many among them admire you. If you gather those people and train together with them, offering some simple advice, it should be enough to calm their hot blood.”

It was a delicate matter.

Even if they were not teaching their sect’s secret techniques, guiding the training of complete strangers was not something that commonly happened in the Jianghu.

However, Jin Yuseong readily nodded.

“I will do so.”

Baek Hyang, Choyeon, and Paeng Daecheol also nodded without hesitation.

Hwangbo Ak grinned and added,

“For me, sparring is training itself. Anyone with the courage to duel me is welcome. I will gladly guide their training. Hahaha.”

Dang Sopyeong wore an indifferent expression.

“If anyone wishes to learn Hidden Weapon Art, I suppose I could assist.”

Among those aspiring to become chivalrous heroes, almost none trained in hidden weapons.

“Hahaha. Brother Dang, are you not already busy tending to the injured?”

Dang Sopyeong had already been treating those who had foolishly injured themselves during duels.

Finally, Nam Geon scratched his head.

“I… I am stupid. I cannot teach others.”

Jin Yuseong shook his head.

“You do not need to teach with words. Simply show them your training. Occasionally accept the challenges of those who wish to duel you.”

Nam Geon did not realize it himself, but the title Vajra Sword already carried considerable fame throughout the Jianghu.

“Hoho. I was already bored while waiting for the Demonic Cult bastards to appear. Playing with a few youngsters should pass the time nicely.”

With Jin Yuseong’s group and even the Beggars’ Sect Leader agreeing, the others eventually accepted Sama Hyeon’s proposal.

From that day onward, the aspiring chivalrous heroes who had gathered in northern Shanxi began their formal training.

More than a thousand people had already gathered, so they spread out across several nearby villages, including Ying County.

Those who had suddenly become instructors traveled between the villages, conducting training sessions that lasted half a day each.

“With half a day, ten thousand sword swings should be manageable.”

Jin Yuseong demonstrated with his sword before walking among the people, correcting their stances.

The others also guided training in their own ways.

Among them, the teachings of the Mount Heng Sect Leader proved especially useful.

“When heading north, you will often face enemies on horseback. Today I will teach you how to fight mounted opponents.”

Not only Hwangbo Ak but other instructors also shouted similar things.

“Anyone who wants a duel, come forward!”

It was all to temper the fiery spirits of the martial artists.

After rolling about in training for half a day, the martial artists who constantly picked fights became noticeably calmer.

By the end of training they were so exhausted they could barely walk, yet none complained.

This was an opportunity to receive guidance from famous masters whom they would normally struggle even to speak with.

Anyone devoted to martial arts would never refuse such an opportunity.

Although they had finally calmed the fiery spirits of the chivalrous heroes, another problem remained.

Supplies.

As more and more people arrived, the resources of the northern Shanxi villages alone were no longer sufficient.

Surprisingly, however, no major crisis occurred.

Every few days, dozens of wagons arrived in northern Shanxi.

Those wagons bore the banner of the Great Cloud Merchant Group.

Among the wagons sat a young woman.

At a crossroads in northern Shanxi, the wagons split off and headed toward several villages.

A few of them made their way to Ying County.

Not long afterward, Gung Seola arrived at an inn in Ying County.

Behind her, guards of the Great Cloud Merchant Group carried several large chests.

Inside the inn, she spotted Nam Geon sitting with a gloomy expression, rubbing his stomach.

She shouted energetically.

“Great Hero Vajra Sword!”

Nam Geon looked at her in shock.

“W-Why are you here?”

“I came to prepare food for all of you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the people behind her brought the chests forward.

Inside were rice, wheat, and various food supplies.

Nam Geon’s eyes widened enormously.

He had already been depressed from hunger.

The innkeeper, equally delighted, quickly took the supplies and began cooking.

As soon as the dishes were ready, Nam Geon devoured them ravenously.

Gung Seola watched with a satisfied smile, as if merely seeing him eat was enough to fill her stomach.

“Is it delicious?”

CHOMP CHOMP.

“It is so delicious!”

“Hehe. From now on, I will make sure that Great Hero Vajra Sword always has plenty to eat.”

It seemed she had begun to understand how to coax Nam Geon.

Jin Yuseong, who had been eating quietly, asked her,

“But Young Lady Gung, are you truly alright?”

“What do you mean?”

Jin Yuseong pointed to the sword sheath at Nam Geon’s side.

The sword was made from Cheongun Iron, an extremely rare metal.

Gung Seola had secretly diverted money from the merchant group to purchase it and gift it to Nam Geon.

She smiled sweetly.

“Thanks to Great Hero Vajra Sword, everything is fine. In fact, my father was very pleased.”

“…You mean he has decided to accept Nam Geon as a son-in-law?”

Nam Geon, who had been enthusiastically eating, suddenly began coughing violently.

“Cough! Cough!”

He gulped down water to settle the food caught in his throat.

Watching even that sight fondly, Gung Seola shook her head with a bitter smile.

“That was not what I meant. While I was staying with the Seomoon Clan to avoid my father, an unexpected opportunity arose.”

That opportunity was precisely the current situation.

She had secured a contract granting the Great Cloud Merchant Group responsibility for supplying the coming war against the Demonic Cult.

All thanks to Sama Hyeon.

“Young Master Sama truly seems to be a wise man.”

Entrusting the supplies to the Great Cloud Merchant Group was not the end of it.

Sama Hyeon had anticipated that such problems would arise once people gathered in large numbers.

The reason he remained at the Seomoon Clan for a while instead of heading straight to Ying County was precisely this.

Only after organizing the supply system did Sama Hyeon depart for Ying County.

In fact, the current supply convoy did not involve only the Great Cloud Merchant Group.

Members of the Seomoon Clan, young talents of the Twin Heroes Alliance, and even beggars of the Beggars’ Sect accompanied the wagons.

They had effectively turned the chivalrous heroes heading north into a kind of escort force.

When Gung Seola praised Sama Hyeon, Jin Yuseong also smiled faintly.

He had known Sama Hyeon’s true worth long ago.

And that worth was now gradually spreading throughout the Jianghu.

***

Several days later, the Shaolin Abbot gathered everyone together.

“We have received word from those who went north.”

“Have they finally found a trace of the Demonic Cult?”

At the Beggars’ Sect Leader’s question, the Shaolin Abbot nodded.

“It is said that although they are Han people, there is a tribe in the far north that has lived there for several decades.”

Among the nomadic tribes, many harbored resentment toward the Han.

Moreover, the north was a place where the law of the strong devouring the weak still ruled.

“Several tribes attacked them, yet every one of them was defeated and forced into submission.”

The members of that Han tribe reportedly possessed terrifying martial prowess.

“They have not acted rashly, but have steadily expanded their influence. Furthermore, the leader of that tribe bears the surname Hyeokryeon.”

Externally, he was called Khan, but within the tribe he was secretly referred to as the Cult Leader or the Supreme One.

“And recently, the tribe led by Hyeokryeon has been subjugating nearby tribes one after another. They are preparing for a decisive battle with the Central Plains.”

“So those bastards heard that we were gathering and have already begun moving!”

The Beggars’ Sect Leader shouted angrily, and Jin Yuseong spoke as well.

“We must attack them as quickly as possible before they gather more forces.”

Sama Hyeon nodded and turned to the Shaolin Abbot and the Mount Heng Sect Leader.

“Send word for those who went north to return. Once preparations are complete, we will head north immediately.”

No one objected to Sama Hyeon’s decision.

Everyone already understood.

Among those present, his martial strength might be the weakest, but his ability to read the flow of events surpassed them all.

Afterward, Sama Hyeon continued issuing various orders.

He organized supply systems for the journey north.

He also divided the thousands of gathered chivalrous heroes into structured units.

Sama Hyeon had already prepared these formations based on their approximate strength, preferred weapons, and affiliations.

And the next morning.

Thousands of chivalrous heroes from the Central Plains left northern Shanxi and began marching toward the grasslands.

As they advanced northward, new people joined them along the way.

They were Shaolin monks and Mount Heng Taoists who had previously gone ahead.

At first, the Abbot and Sect Leader welcomed their return.

But at some point their reactions changed.

“Amitabha.”

The Abbot murmured the Buddhist invocation with a bitter expression.

“I will never forgive those bastards!”

Baekyeongja, despite being a Taoist, openly displayed his fury.

Some had not returned.

It meant they had been captured while investigating the Demonic Cult.

Dreaming of avenging those who had gone before them, they continued marching.

Though called the northern grasslands, the land was bleak and desolate.

Their path did not run straight.

Vegetation appeared only in scattered patches.

They advanced along winding routes, following water sources.

Guided by the information known to the Mount Heng Sect and the reports sent by the advance scouts.

One day, as they marched north—

Beyond the horizon that seemed like nothing but flat land,

A vast force appeared, scattering clouds of sand as it approached them.

Jin Yuseong narrowed his eyes and enhanced his vision with internal energy.

The corner of his mouth lifted.

“The trash has come to us on its own.”

A large banner fluttered within his sight.

Upon it were written the words.

[True Light Cult]

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