To think that human affairs are like a new horse, Jongri Hong suddenly thought that it was a perfect saying for the current situation.

Life is a law where good and bad things always change and are unpredictable.

The martial world, in a broad sense, is a part of life, so it is the same.

“Exterminate all these villains!”

The Yugeom Emperor suddenly jumped onto the boat and slaughtered the river pirates.

A stern command that poured out as he cut off the heads of two people in one go.

It was imbued with a dignity that raised the morale of his allies and lowered the morale of his enemies.

Jongri Hong was slightly amazed.

‘To think that he is close to the Ten Great Masters of the world, indeed! There was a master of the world even on the outskirts of the martial world!’

It was not an easy task to be said to be close to the Ten Great Masters of the world.

A strong person who could rise to the realm of entering the divine with just one enlightenment at any time. No, some had barely set foot in the realm of entering the divine.

Wasn’t the Fighting God, Gwak Yong, such a man?

‘Although I thought I was also making progress, I am still far away.’

He could not just admire the Yugeom Emperor’s martial prowess.

“Die!”

A river pirate swung his hook with a shout. Jongri Hong’s blade flashed.

Seogeok!

The moment the sword flashed, the river pirate’s head rolled on the deck. To think that he was lacking, Jongri Hong’s skill was also unusual.

‘The river pirates are being helpful.’

A slight smile appeared on Jongri Hong’s lips.

Looking at the faces of the people fighting on the boat now, it was rather the river pirates who were bewildered.

“To think that the Unorthodox Alliance members are forming a coalition in nearby Fujian, was this all a scheme to attack the Zhejiang martial world!”

Every time the Yugeom Emperor’s sharp voice rang out, the river pirates’ heads soared.

Was it just the Yugeom Emperor?

The pursuit team that had followed him were all renowned martial artists in Zhejiang.

Among them, those who had boarded the boat now were the elite of the elite.

No matter how advantageous the river pirates were in a fight on a boat, it was not an easy fight.

Jongri Hong’s gaze turned sharply.

The largest boat, and the man with a huge physique next to the Yugeom Emperor, who was clashing with him.

‘The River King, Wang Jeonyu!’

At the characters written on the flag, Jongri Hong’s expression twitched slightly.

‘The leader of the Black Assembly? Have the Unorthodox Alliance members finally formed a coalition in Fujian? Wang Jeonyu is the leader instead of the Great Dragon Gang leader?’

His head spun rapidly.

‘The Unorthodox Alliance’s coalition, and the River King, who has become the leader, has come out leading a fleet. Why on earth? Why are the Unorthodox Alliance members aiming for this girl?’

He was aiming for her because he knew that Jeon Soyong was a divine maiden.

But why the Unorthodox Alliance?

“How dare the Unorthodox Alliance bastards kidnap my child and try to destroy Zhejiang!”

The Yugeom Emperor let out a roar and swung his sword.

Kagagagang!

“What the hell are you talking about! Zhejiang martial world or whatever!”

Wang Jeonyu also struck back with his greatsword, his face contorted like a fierce god of evil.

The boat shook as the sword and the greatsword became entangled with each other.

Although he did not know the detailed circumstances, Jongri Hong did not miss the fact that this was a chance.

“This is a favorable situation for us. While the river pirates and the pursuit team are fighting, we will seize this boat and escape!”

It was a matter of taking advantage of the situation while the two were fighting.

At Jongri Hong’s order, the Tae-eul swordsman, who had been cutting down the river pirates, rushed out to grab the boat’s rudder.

A few river pirates blocked him, but they could not endure the sword that the Tae-eul swordsman swung for long and fell.

But it was then.

‘Huh?’

Jongri Hong’s eyebrows twitched. A man who had appeared like a ghost at some point blocked the Tae-eul swordsman.

Jongri Hong’s expression changed not because of the man’s strange appearance. Even if he was wearing a mask, something was out of place.

‘He’s different from the river pirates.’

A feeling as calm as a lake. A completely different energy from the river pirates who roughly steered their boats, riding the rapids.

When Jongri Hong felt a strange sign, the Tae-eul swordsman did not stop and went forward.

“Get out of the way if you don’t want to die!”

The opponent was a river pirate who was not worth sparing. The Tae-eul swordsman swung his sword mercilessly, filled with killing intent.

Sweeeek!

The Tae-eul swordsman of Jongnam, who was compared to the Arhats of Shaolin and the Plum Blossom swordsmen of Mount Hua.

Sharp and fast. A path and a speed that were difficult to block easily.

But at the following scene, Jongri Hong’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

Kwadeuk!

“….!”

Was that how a puppet with its strings cut would be?

The Tae-eul swordsman’s body, which had been thrusting his sword with great momentum, staggered and fell.

Jongri Hong’s face hardened.

If there was an attack, there was a defense. But there was no exchange of offense and defense.

‘He struck his acupoints in one go?’

In a fight between martial artists, distance was very important.

It was natural that the attack distance of a martial artist with a sword was longer and the range was wider.

But the opponent had not drawn his sword. He had only stretched out his arm.

It was an obvious story, but the length was much shorter. A sword was an extension of the hand. That was the reason why the weapon called a sword was born.

When one thrusts a distance of one zhang with one’s hand, half the speed and time was enough for a sword.

But he had shattered all that common sense in one go.

Although the other Tae-eul swordsmen had not seen it, Jongri Hong had seen it clearly.

‘He momentarily stepped on a footwork, struck his acupoints, and returned to his original position.’

It was a speed that was so fast that it was invisible to the eye. An overwhelming speed that ignored all physical length and distance.

‘Even if he used his internal energy, is that possible?’

It was possible.

But to make the whole body’s movements extremely fast, how free and easy must the use of one’s internal energy be?

What was more surprising was the fact that he had subdued him, not killed him.

‘If it were me?’

Jongri Hong could also do it. But he would have cut his neck with his sword, not struck his acupoints.

Because it was more difficult to subdue than to kill.

As the terrifying Tae-eul swordsman was subdued in one go, the river pirates who had been cornered brightened up.

“It’s the Black Heart Gang leader!”

“The Black Heart Gang leader has come!”

“Please save us! That old man, he’s an enormous master!”

“Black Heart Gang?”

Jongri Hong’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had a hunch because of the strange atmosphere and the fact that he had subdued the Tae-eul swordsman without killing him.

He had thought for a moment that the opponent might not be a river pirate, but it was a misunderstanding.

Because the river pirates’ faces had brightened as if they had been saved.

‘Not only Wang Jeonyu, but there was a guy like that among the river pirates. No, the Black Heart Gang leader… have the Unorthodox Alliance members really joined forces?’

Thinking so, Jongri Hong drew his sword without hesitation.

“Get out of the way. We are just trying to get out of here, we don’t want to continue the killing.”

“I don’t want to harm you either. But leave the child.”

“…”

Jongri Hong’s face turned cold. Their purposes were clear, and they could not compromise. Since he had confirmed the fact, negotiation was impossible.

It was then.

“The Sword Empress of the Putuo Sect has come!”

“It’s the Sword Empress!”

The joyful voices of the pursuit team, and the contrasting despairing voices of the river pirates were heard one after another.

Jongri Hong’s head turned sharply. The Sword Empress jumped in between the Yugeom Emperor, who was fighting fiercely with Wang Jeonyu, scattering her sword qi.

“So it was the Unorthodox Alliance bastards who kidnapped Soyong!”

The Sword Empress had also made the same misunderstanding as the Yugeom Emperor.

“What the hell are you talking about, you damn Orthodox Path bastards!”

Wang Jeonyu shouted with a dumbfounded face and swung his greatsword widely.

But the Sword Empress’s intrusion was fatal.

“These Orthodox Path bastards!”

The number of wounds on Wang Jeonyu’s body increased rapidly. It was close. It was amazing that his head had not fallen off right away.

Rather, since Wang Jeonyu and the river pirates were blocking the pursuit team, the Sword Empress’s appearance was not a welcome sign for Jongri Hong.

Because the Sword Empress had also come to take the child.

Jongri Hong shook his head and drew his sword.

“Then there’s no choice.”

Jongri Hong immediately thrust his sword.

Of course, there was a moment’s hesitation.

The man standing silently.

It was only a matter of time before the Sword Empress subdued Wang Jeonyu and came this way.

‘I have to catch him before then.’

It was not easy. But there was no place to retreat to anymore. Jongri Hong also clenched his teeth.

Kwaang!

Jongri Hong’s figure, after stepping on the pavilion, rushed forward like a shot.

It was not a simple linear movement. His figure spun and added a strong rotational force to the thrusting sword. The whirlwind that raged around the sword tore through the atmosphere and let out a strong sound of something breaking through the air.

Sweeeeeeek!

An overwhelming scene as if a small whirlwind were pouring directly onto one person.

But the man who received it was indifferent.

‘There is a point in a whirlwind, and that point is the center.’

Cheon Mubaeck’s sword shot up and became entangled. It pierced through the strong resistance of the whirlwind and dug into the center.

Kagagagang!

The blades clashed loudly and sparks flew brilliantly.

“…Ugh!”

After dozens of exchanges in a single bout, Jongri Hong stepped back without realizing it.

‘A master…!’

Jongri Hong’s gaze, which was looking at Cheon Mubaeck, trembled violently.

He could feel it with just one bout. Far from being on par, he was a step above him.

The fact that the great elder of the Jongnam Sect had acknowledged that he was a step above meant that he was a strong person who had at least reached the realm of entering the divine.

‘An enormous master! A guy like this is a member of the Unorthodox Alliance?’

Even the Yugeom Emperor, who was said to be close to the Ten Great Masters of the world, would not be at this level.

At least, he could see a possibility of how he might win against the Yugeom Emperor, but now it was different.

‘I can’t see a way to win!’

Jongri Hong’s eyes trembled.

“Who on earth are you…”

He was definitely not a member of the Unorthodox Alliance. Even more so, not a river pirate.

He was another unidentified master who was aiming for Jeon Soyong.

As Jongri Hong’s face contorted as he felt that things were getting out of control.

Soyong’s innocent voice, who was in the Tae-eul swordsman’s arms, flowed out.

“Don’t fight! He’s a good person!”

“….What?”

Jongri Hong flinched for a moment.

Soyong, who had been quietly held since the fight had started, had opened her mouth for the first time.

And to say that the opponent, who was clearly an enemy, was a good person.

Although one could think of it as a childish, innocent thought, Jongri Hong suddenly felt something strange.

Jeon Soyong, who had been lying in a sickbed her whole life, had followed Jongri Hong and the Tae-eul swordsmen unusually well, even though they were strangers. Because she was born with the fate of a divine maiden, Soyong had shown an unusual closeness and favor to those with immortal energy.

So…

‘Wait a minute. He feels an immortal energy from a member of the Unorthodox Alliance?’

Did that even make sense? If he felt an immortal energy, he would be a miraculous Taoist. Or else…

In an instant, a shock like a thunderbolt struck Jongri Hong’s mind, which had been spinning rapidly. His narrowed gaze swept over the man’s whole body.

Somehow, a familiar body type, although his face was covered with a mask, his well-braided hair and the line of his neck that was revealed below the mask. The way he held his sword was not unfamiliar.

He felt an immortal energy. But he was not a Taoist. Then it must be that the immortal energy had seeped into his body through a special occasion.

“If it’s an occasion where immortal energy seeps into the body, it must be something enormous… like a sacred object.”

Flinch.

At that moment, he felt the opponent flinch.

Jongri Hong’s face contorted strangely.

“Heavenly… Dragon Sword Hero?”

* * *

Cheon Mubaeck thought.

‘I don’t have time…’

What if his identity was revealed to Jongri Hong?

Although Cheon Mubaeck did not like Jongri Hong, in any case, the Jongnam Sect was a giant Orthodox Path sect.

One of the Nine Great Sects. And a sect that could not be rashly treated by any sect among the Nine Greats now, as it had suffered no damage during the Righteous-Demonic War.

A sword that could check the Demonic Path that was trying to revive, starting with the Blood Demon Valley.

That was the reason why Cheon Mubae-ck had subdued the Tae-eul swordsman without killing him.

Because he was an Orthodox Path sect, in any case.

But what if Cheon Mubaeck’s identity was revealed here?

In a situation where he had joined hands with the river pirates?

His thoughts continued like a tail and he made a judgment.

“I don’t know such a person.”

To pretend not to know.

“…”

At the calm voice, even Jongri Hong, who had been suspicious, wondered if he had misunderstood for a moment.

“Right! That sword! I’ve seen it, the splendid decoration!”

The cloth that had been hiding the scabbard decorated with gold leaf had fallen off because he had clashed with Jongri Hong.

How could Jongri Hong forget the sword that clearly drew the viewer’s attention if it was not covered?

“Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero! What on earth are you doing right now! Are you fighting with the Orthodox Path, joining hands with the river pirates?”

“Anyway, I’m not that kind of person.”

“…No!”

Jongri Hong beat his chest as if he were frustrated. That frustrating way of speaking and the sudden change in his sloppy attitude.

No matter how he looked at it, it was him. It was Cheon Mubaeck, who had taken the sacred object with his eyes wide open at Mount Hua.

“To join hands with the Unorthodox Alliance! Is that something the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero, who is a hero of the world, would dare to do!”

“Is it okay for the great elder of the Jongnam Sect to kidnap the precious daughter of a prestigious Orthodox Path sect?”

“…!”

At the stiffly hardened Jongri Hong, Cheon Mubaeck’s calm voice was inserted.

A flashing gaze that could be seen beyond the mask. That was no different from admitting that he was Cheon Mubaeck. Therefore, Jongri Hong’s body rather hardened.

“It’s the same for both of us if our identities are revealed, so let’s pretend we don’t know and do our own thing. Anyway, I’m not the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero. Huh? Give me the child.”

“Why on earth do you want this child?”

“Child, isn’t it related to the Five Sacred Objects?”

Jongri Hong’s face changed subtly for a moment. Cheon Mubaeck, who had been staring at him, did not miss it.

‘I don’t know if a person is also included in the sacred objects, but it’s related.’

But for Cheon Mubaeck, he had no time.

“I don’t have time, so send the child quickly. It’s dangerous if we leave her like this.”

“Hmph. You’re worried that it’s dangerous when I’m in a position where my neck will be cut off by the Sword Empress if you don’t get out of the way?”

“The Sword Empress is not the problem.”

Cheon Mubaeck became serious.

The most threatening thing to Jongri Hong now was the Sword Empress with a monster-like divine might, who was pinning Wang Jeonyu to the deck.

If he were caught by the Sword Empress, even the great Jongri Hong would have no choice but to offer his neck, saying, ‘Please cut it.’

“The Sword Empress is not the problem? No matter how much you are, you can’t beat the Sword Empress. That’s the same for me.”

At that, Cheon Mubaeck said as if he were saying something strange.

“I’m not saying you’re in danger, I’m saying the child is in danger.”

“The child? The Sword Empress was also going to take this child as her disciple, and the pursuit team how…”

“In the mess I’ve overturned, there’s a guy who’s just waiting to take the bait.”

Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes, which were looking far away, beyond the riverbank, flashed.

“The Poison Demon is coming.”

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep