“Has the confirmation been completed?”

At Ju Cheon’s question, Mu Yu nodded his head only after reconfirming the register meticulously.

“Yes. A total of one hundred and fifty-five leaders have written their names.”

Their names and affiliations, which they had proudly recorded.

Ju Cheon, who was looking at their names, which they had written down in anticipation of a glorious path, with empty eyes, smiled faintly.

“The Martial Alliance?”

“They are gathering in Pyeongmu. They are moving without a break, as if they are afraid of ambushes or traps.”

The united power of the Martial Alliance was truly great.

A white wave, the size of which could not be compared to the black wave that had stained the Central Plains, was gathering in Pyeongmu.

A scale that was enough to fill about half of the vast field.

Ju Cheon picked up the register on the table and handed it to Mu Yu, and Mu Yu took it and handed it to Seolpyeong.

As Seolpyeong, who had received the register, left, Mu Yu sat down and caught his breath.

“In terms of scale alone, the power of the Martial Alliance is overwhelming.”

It was not for nothing that the Martial Alliance had become the hegemon of the Central Plains martial world.

The potential of the so-called prestigious sects and families that had been protected for hundreds of years.

And the martial factions and families belonging to the righteous path that followed them.

Although the justice they protected was different, their will was the same.

To drive out the heretic martial world from this land.

“Mu Yu.”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”

“We will surely be defeated in the first battle. And we will lose in the subsequent battles as well.”

“…Yes?”

Mu Yu looked at Ju Cheon with a face that did not understand.

He still could not completely understand the person named Ju Cheon.

Even his empty eyes and his incomprehensible actions.

“Don’t worry, Great General Manager.”

Ju Cheon, who had been calling Mu Yu by his name, called him by his title.

“We will win in the end.”

That was enough.

Mu Yu clasped his hands and bowed his head deeply.

“This Mu Yu is prepared to burn this one body for the Heretic Path's Alliance at any time.”

“How is the blade we have sharpened?”

“It has become sharp enough to cut steel with just its edge. The preparations… are complete.”

“Then let’s go and greet our guests.”

Ju Cheon stood up.

Behind him, four women approached and put a black robe on him.

A long black robe with an imugi and a thorn bush, which symbolized the Heretic Path's Alliance, embroidered on it.

Wearing this, the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader raised his hand.

“Listen, Alliance. The time for the start of the war has dawned.”

“Yes!”

In front of Ju Cheon, the martial artists of the Heretic Path's Alliance lined up.

“Stomp your feet and stretch out your hands. For our enemies have come.”

It was the beginning of the start of the war.

***

“I’m going out! Get out of the way!”

“I told you, you can’t!”

“Get out of the way!”

At Cha Seol’s shout, the bandits made way, their words and actions different.

“Why, why is this happening?”

The Great Luo Soul Capturing Art.

Cha Seol, who was already manipulating the majority with her Soul Seduction Art, walked powerfully along the open path.

‘Big brother.’

The rumor from Mount Qingcheng had also reached the bandits who were hiding deep in the mountains.

At this, Cha Seol had said that she would find Jin Sohyun and had tried to leave the mountain and run to Mount Qingcheng.

Kang Seopyeong had blocked Cha Seol’s path.

“You’re a real ghost.”

“Uncle Kang…”

“He told me. That if anything happened to him, I should take good care of a little girl named Cha Seol.”

“Please move.”

“I made a promise, so you have to stay by my side.”

“Move!”

Even at Cha Seol’s shout, Kang Seopyeong did not budge.

Kang Seopyeong, who was standing with a relaxed face, touched his ear with his fingertip.

His ear was full of cotton.

And his gaze did not meet Cha Seol’s eyes.

‘At this rate…!’

Without going through the eyes and ears, even with the Great Luo Soul Capturing Art, which was the best and worst Soul Seduction Art, Kang Seopyeong could not be moved.

“Eek! I said move!”

Cha Seol wanted to get through Kang Seopyeong somehow, but Cha Seol, who was an ordinary girl except for her Soul Seduction Art, could not get through the general fortress master of the Green Forest.

Kang Seopyeong touched Cha Seol’s vital points, and Cha Seol, whose whole body had stiffened and could not even speak, was taken away by Gwan O.

“Now what are you going to do?”

Next to Kang Seopyeong, who had sent Cha Seol back, Jeokmyeon approached.

In the meantime, Kang Seopyeong took out the cotton balls he had put in his ears.

“What did you say?”

“Are you going to pretend not to know Young Master Jin at this rate?”

“Jeokmyeon, was it? Tell me. What kind of person is Jin Sohyun?”

“Among the men I have seen… he was the strongest man.”

“Yes. But that bastard lost. He lost to the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon. So what should we do now? We have to stay low and watch who will win between the righteous and heretic paths.”

“Are you saying… you’re just going to watch at this rate?”

“My thoughts haven’t changed. For the Green Forest to move, Jin Sohyun must be there.”

“In that case…”

Kang Seopyeong’s voice was heard from behind Jeokmyeon, who was turning around.

“So.”

Jeokmyeon stopped and looked back.

Kang Seopyeong shrugged his shoulders.

“We have to find Jin Sohyun.”

***

“…Jin Sohyun was defeated.”

The news that Yeom Yoa had brought. A shadow was cast over the faces of the young late-stage prospects who had gathered in one place.

Although not everyone acknowledged it, most of the late-stage prospects knew.

That Jin Sohyun was the Flying Heaven Sword Ghost and the legendary achievements he had accomplished.

And that Jin Sohyun… had been defeated by the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon.

“Straighten your faces.”

Yeom Yoa said.

“Jin Sohyun’s defeat does not mean the defeat of the righteous martial world. What is truly important to us now is our fight.”

The disciples of the Four Daoist Daoist Temple.

The disciples of the White Tiger Daoist Temple and the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple had all gathered at the branch of the Martial Alliance under Yeom Yoa’s order.

Among them were Cheon Gasung and Cheon Yerang, who belonged to the White Moon Palace.

And Namgung Seoru and Namgung Seong of the Namgung Clan, Peng Sopyeong of the Hebei Peng Clan, and Moyong Susu of the Moyong Clan.

Zhuge Myeong of the Zhuge Clan.

And Mujin of the Wudang Sect and Dohye of the Shaolin Temple.

Of course, in other branches, the disciples belonging to the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple and the Black Tortoise Daoist Temple had also gathered.

The reason they had gathered in one place was only one.

Yeom Yoa clapped her hands and focused the disciples’ attention in one place.

“We are the last line of defense, and the last bastion.”

If the Martial Alliance and the righteous martial world were to collapse to the Heretic Path's Alliance and the heretic martial world, the only ones who could protect the Central Plains martial world were them.

The new sprouts that had just succeeded in germinating.

The flowers that had not yet bloomed.

There was only one thing that Yeom Yoa could say for the children who had not yet grown.

A cold but necessary word that someone had to say.

“Sharpen… your swords.”

***

Pyeongmu.

On the vast plain, a black wave and a white wave wriggled.

On the snow-covered land of Sichuan, a hot heat that was not suitable for winter was felt.

In the breath of the martial artists, tension, excitement, and fear were mixed.

Among the martial artists who were holding the flag of the Martial Alliance high, a man walked out and walked to the center of Pyeongmu.

The one who had stepped forward, even refusing the escort of the Geumcheon Guard.

“Although it is temporary, I am Cheon Yusin, who is in charge of the Martial Alliance Leader’s position.”

The White Moon Divine Lord, Cheon Yusin.

At his appearance, the heretic martial world was agitated.

From between the wriggling black wave, a man appeared.

He walked straight towards Cheon Yusin with a very relaxed appearance.

And then.

The two men came so close that they could feel each other’s breath.

“I am the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader, Ju Cheon.”

“As I said, I am Cheon Yusin.”

“The fallen royalty of the frontier cut off the head of the Ming Cult and crawled into the Central Plains, and now even to the center of the Martial Alliance… you are a truly great person, Cheon Yusin.”

“What can I do? The North Sea Ice Palace has fallen, and the old-timers of the Central Plains have no intention of giving up their seats. I have to find my place like this.”

“Is your purpose the revival of the North Sea Ice Palace?”

“Hahahaha!”

Cheon Yusin laughed.

“Of course not. I have no interest in what has already fallen. I plan to make the White Moon Palace, which I have built with my own hands and my own strength, the best prestigious family in the Central Plains. Last time, I killed the young sect master of the Ming Cult, so now I plan to cut off the head of the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader… what do you think?”

“That’s a good idea. Ah, there is something I want to give you.”

As Ju Cheon flicked his finger, Seolpyeong came running.

At this, the martial artists of the Martial Alliance were about to move, but Cheon Yusin raised his hand.

“Don’t act rashly!”

While the martial artists of the alliance were holding their positions at the alliance leader’s order, Seolpyeong, who was standing next to Ju Cheon, handed him the register he was holding with both hands.

It was a register with the names and affiliations of the leaders of the heretic path, which they had personally recorded a while ago.

“It’s a register. It contains the signatures of the leaders of the heretic martial world who are showing their fangs and claws over there.”

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s a gift.”

With these words, Ju Cheon turned around as he was.

Although it was a very dangerous act to show his back to the enemy, there was no hesitation or fear in Ju Cheon’s actions.

Cheon Yusin, who was holding the register, returned to his place.

Dokgo Jeokmyeong, who had been waiting anxiously, personally took the register from Cheon Yusin’s hand.

“…This is?”

“A register. With the names of the leaders of the heretic martial world who have participated in this war written on it.”

“Why would the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader give this to us…?”

Cheon Yusin grasped Ju Cheon’s intentions at once.

The register signed by the leaders of the heretic martial world had come into the hands of the Martial Alliance Leader.

That meant.

“It means that this war has now become a war that neither side can turn back from.”

The righteous and heretic paths.

It had now become a war where neither could retreat.

(End of Chapter)