Chapter 99

Chapter 99

“……That might be so.”

There were many meanings contained in Youngho’s words.

It was a display of the talents he had personally nurtured until now. At the same time, it also meant that even without Cheonung’s protection, there were now many who would stand guard over Youngho.

“You truly make me think, you wretched disciple.”

Youngho chuckled.

“Isn’t it fine? A disciple like this?”

“I shouldn’t even entertain the words.”

Though Cheonung spoke so, a faint smile had risen to his lips.

“What do you intend to do from here on? Will you spend your days doing nothing but training again?”

“Indeed…….”

Youngho stared at the ceiling for a moment before grinning.

“In a year’s time, I plan to cut away the rotten leaves.”

For an instant, Cheonung’s hand twitched. There was no way Youngho would fail to notice, but he let it pass without comment.

“……Why a year from now?”

“I have to drive the brats as hard as possible until then. Otherwise, they might die.”

Cheonung fixed him with a sunken gaze and spoke.

“Do you understand what it means to fight an organization? No—before that, do you understand the Unorthodox Faction?”

It was darker and more somber than ever before. An ordinary person might have hesitated at least a little before answering, but Youngho spoke without the slightest pause.

“The Unorthodox Faction are beasts.”

“…….”

“No—worse than beasts. If it benefits them, if it lets them survive, they cling to that side. That is the Unorthodox Faction.”

Looking at his own hand, Youngho continued,

“Let’s think of the Unorthodox Alliance as a tree. A tree full of vitality, its leaves fresh and clear. But even those leaves will one day rot.”

It was an obvious statement. Even a tree could not escape the passage of time. But that was not the meaning he intended.

“In my eyes, the Unorthodox Alliance is the root that supports the tree. The root has not rotted. But the leaves above it are slowly decaying.”

At some point, everyone had begun focusing on Youngho’s words. Not only Cheonung, but even Youngho’s subordinates who had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

“If even one leaf rots, from that spot the decay spreads to the others. And the way to prevent the other leaves from rotting is…….”

“To cut them off?”

“Yes. Even insignificant little pests could infect large leaves like the Gold-Blood Hall or the Green Forest.”

“…….”

“It may have sounded complicated because I compared it to a tree, but a festering wound must be cut out. Before it infects the whole body.”

The Heavenly Demon and Youngho had engaged in a spar. More precisely, it had been Youngho blocking five moves of the Heavenly Demon—but those who witnessed the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming Martial Might likely thought this:

It was impossible to win.

If they were of the Orthodox Sect, they would not submit and would resist, even if only slightly. Their chivalry and righteousness had not yet faded.

But the Unorthodox Faction was different. Even now, there were likely forces of the Unorthodox Faction attempting to make contact with the Demonic Cult.

Their knees were light without end, and for the sake of survival, they would commit any deed.

Youngho smiled coldly as he spoke.

“I will cut away the rotten leaves you cannot see, Master. It will benefit the Unorthodox Alliance—and you as well.”

“…….”

Cheonung said nothing. He merely gazed at Youngho in silence.

Soon, after giving a single nod, Cheonung opened his mouth.

“I will not stop you. More often than not, the path you walked had been the right one. Still, remember this, my disciple.”

Cheonung slowly pointed a finger at Youngho.

“You are no longer someone who can be replaced by anyone.”

“I will always keep that in mind.”

“That will suffice. I will inform Yonghu. His mind must be in great turmoil as well.”

It could not be helped. The Jinju Eon Clan, which had been thought to be entering the Demonic Cult, had instead been annihilated by the Demonic Cult itself.

As Youngho fell into thought, Cheonung quietly left him alone.

Now Pungwol would begin to move in earnest. To kill Youngho, he would not hesitate to use any method, and it was certain he would employ more vicious schemes than ever before.

‘One year remains.’

He had to act within that time. Even if not Pungwol, the Demonic Cult would soon begin to move.

‘For now, I’ll set that aside.’

Youngho sprang to his feet and opened the door.

“I should assess the situation.”

With a low murmur, Youngho’s body vanished.

Once his body had nearly fully recovered, Youngho surveyed the surroundings.

‘The Demonic Cult has entirely withdrawn, and most of the Unorthodox Faction has left as well. Only the Orthodox Sect remains, protecting the common people.’

It was unprecedented. That such massive damage had occurred at the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering—and publicly, it was said to have been committed by the Jinju Eon Clan, a central pillar of the Orthodox Sect.

‘This is troublesome…….’

On the day the Heavenly Demon and Youngho had sparred, many must have felt fear.

Not only fear of the Heavenly Demon, but fear of Youngho as well.

Youngho’s strength had surpassed common sense. That someone who had only just passed the age of Coming-of-Age would emit a presence far stronger than even the Murim Alliance Leader or the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance.

Among the hot-blooded members of the Unorthodox Faction, there would surely be those wishing for an Orthodox–Unorthodox War. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Sect must have been frightened in advance by Youngho’s monstrous display.

If this continued, the morale of the Unorthodox Faction would rise too high.

He had tried to avoid displaying his power as much as possible, and yet……

‘That Heavenly Demon ruined everything. Isn’t there some Orthodox fellow stronger than me passing by?’

Of course, there was no such possibility.

Concealing his presence, Youngho wandered near the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering Grounds, which had been utterly devastated.

‘Hm?’

Then, as if he had stumbled upon a windfall, Youngho revealed his presence and spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

At the familiar voice, the man turned around in surprise.

“You are……?”

Kang Yongchong widened his eyes, rubbing them as though he could not believe what he was seeing.

“Flame Dragon…?”

“It’s been a while. It seems the matter was resolved well.”

Youngho extended his hand for a handshake. The martial artist standing right beside Kang Yongchong moved reflexively.

Though he stopped almost immediately, having moved without thinking—

“……!”

Cold sweat trickled down the escort’s face as a fist hovered right before it.

“You stopped well. Otherwise, your nose wouldn’t have remained intact.”

His tone was chillingly indifferent. From Youngho’s perspective, it was only natural.

He had not paid the slightest attention to Kang Yongchong’s escort in the first place.

Meanwhile, the martial artist who felt danger so intense that every hair on his body stood on end sensed the cold sweat running down his spine and thought,

‘I clearly heard he was injured!’

Though he had not yet reached the Transformation Realm, he himself was one who had one foot set within that State.

And yet he could have been taken down this easily?

‘Calm down. The opponent is someone who endured the monstrous martial arts of the Heavenly Demon.’

Even if the Formation had concealed his Martial Presence, it was not to the extent that one could fail to feel the pressure contained within it.

And above all, when the Formation had burst apart, as a martial artist he had faintly sensed that terrifying presence.

Kang Yongchong’s escort immediately lowered his head to show apology.

Yet Youngho, as if he had no interest even in that act, extended his hand to Kang Yongchong.

Kang Yongchong, wearing a delighted expression, clasped Youngho’s hand with both of his own and spoke.

“Is your injury all right now?”

“It has improved to some extent.”

Reassured by Youngho’s calm demeanor, Kang Yongchong smiled.

“Flame Dragon… no, should I now call you Mad Black Sword Ghost?”

“My epithet changed again?”

Youngho let out a short, incredulous laugh. Kang Yongchong gave an awkward smile.

“Considering the Martial Might you displayed last time, would that not be natural?”

“It was nothing special.”

“Even if I am not well-versed in martial arts, I know how extraordinary it is to endure and survive a sincere attack from the Heavenly Demon.”

“That’s the problem. I cannot face the Heavenly Demon alone.”

Youngho’s words were true. Though this time he had induced the Heavenly Demon to use Hardened Force Manifestation, making it appear as though he had endured tremendously, the reality was different.

If the Heavenly Demon had not used that still-crude Hardened Force Manifestation and had continued fighting solely with his fists, Youngho would have lasted only about twenty moves before being sent flying.

No matter how remarkable Hardened Force Manifestation was, if the one wielding it lacked proficiency, it was inferior even to the Three Calamities Sword Art.

‘If Namgung Cheon and the others coordinate an attack, we can barely hold out….’

For now, Namgung Cheon and the other Junior Disciples were not strong enough. It could not be helped.

Perhaps sensing something in Youngho’s tone that he could not grasp, Kang Yongchong did not bring up the spar with the Heavenly Demon again.

“Did you come looking for me?”

Youngho shook his head.

“No. I did not even know you were here. I just happened to see you while passing by.”

“I thought perhaps Mad Black Sword Ghost intended to entrust me with a commission.”

“Ah. I was about to, starting now.”

“Ah….”

At Youngho’s unchanged manner of speech, Kang Yongchong let out an involuntary chuckle.

“You know Chowon, right?”

“Yes. I saw her sparring with the Orthodox Dragon. She no longer looks like the young girl she once was.”

“She has grown quite a bit. So, if you have time, could you forge a sword for her?”

“No.”

But the one who answered Youngho was not Kang Yongchong.

Youngho glanced briefly at the martial artist who had earlier tried to draw his sword at him, then looked back to Kang Yongchong.

“It seems you do not have time at the moment?”

“Th-that is….”

As Kang Yongchong was about to speak, his escort stepped forward, placing himself between the two and separating them.

“Mad Black Sword Ghost, you are of the Unorthodox Faction.”

“Yes, that is correct. So step aside. I have no desire to speak with you.”

Kuuung—!

A powerful shockwave flowed from the martial artist’s body. For an instant, it was strong enough to make the ground tremble.

It was not a phenomenon born of Internal Energy—merely the act of stamping his foot once upon the earth.

Yet Youngho spoke to him with an indifferent expression.

“What is your name?”

“Heo Un.”

“Right, Heo Un. I will say it once more. Step aside.”

“Please withdraw. There are no weapons to be given to one of the Unorthodox Faction.”

For Heo Un, this was an exceedingly bold act.

The one before him might be called a Junior Disciple, yet he had already far surpassed that realm.

At least, that was what Heo Un believed. After all, Youngho had received acknowledgment from the Heavenly Demon.

“Hm….”

Youngho seemed to ponder briefly before looking at Heo Un again.

“Who gave that order?”

“…….”

Heo Un could not answer. Originally, his role was merely to escort Kang Yongchong and drive away pests clinging to him.

But if asked who had given that order…

“It is my personal judgment as his escort.”

“Is that so? Well, I am in a bit of a hurry this time. I will speak with the innkeeper.”

“That is not permitted.”

Youngho gazed at Heo Un for a moment, then nodded.

“Fine. Then speak with the innkeeper first instead of me. It may be better for both of us to meet again tomorrow.”

At Youngho’s repeated, seemingly meaningless words, Heo Un could not hide his puzzlement.

‘He is retreating this easily?’

Impossible. At the very least, the Youngho who had fought the Heavenly Demon was not a man who would give up so readily.

But that question was soon answered.

Seeing Kang Yongchong’s face flushed red as he restrained his anger to the utmost, Heo Un sensed that something had gone wrong.

The moment Heo Un tried to speak, Kang Yongchong’s Lion’s Roar resounded so powerfully that even Youngho, already far away, could hear it clearly.