The pirates, brandishing their weapons, clashed with the Blue Sky Swordsmen and shouted.
"These guys who begged for their lives and lived are shamelessly showing their faces here again! Those Justice faction guys don't even know shame!"
"If it were me, I would bite my tongue and die!"
The pirates faced the Blue Sky Swordsmen, mocking and ridiculing the Namgung family. The Blue Sky Swordsmen, standing there with firm resolve, couldn't help but blush at those words.
They still had vivid memories of the moment they suffered in this very place, the moment they begged for their lives from the despicable Evil Sect!
"Hold your ground!"
Just as their swords were about to exert excessive strength due to the humiliation, a loud voice erupted from behind them.
The Namgung family's young lord, Namgung Do-Wei, was running forward like a ray of light, holding the Namgung family's signature iron sword.
"It is shameful to commit a mistake, but it is even more shameful to be caught up in it and not make up for it! Don't be ashamed of standing here; be thankful that you can stand here!"
At those words, the Blue Sky Swordsmen's eyes sharpened like blades.
How could they forget the humiliation? That misery of having to break their will to survive?
For the past three years, the Blue Sky Swordsmen had swung their swords only for this moment. For the moment, to redeem the humiliation and restore the spirit of the Namgung family!
"DIEEEE!"
At that moment, a menacing pole sword flew towards Namgung Do-Wei's face. Namgung Do-Wei's dark eyebrows twitched.
Kwaaaah!
His sword, swung like lightning, instantly cut the flying pole sword in two and sank into the body of the pirate who wielded the weapon.
"Kuak!"
The pirate's face was filled with shock for a moment.
Crack!
The sword, thrust with great force, instantly split the pirate's body in two. The pirate's torn body flew apart, splattering red blood everywhere.
Even as the blood rained down, Namgung Do-wei shouted without blinking.
"I will lead! The Blue Sky Swordsmen, follow me!"
"Yes!"
Namgung Do-wei charged forward without hesitation.
His determined face no longer showed the same fierceness as before.
'I am a worthless person.'
He thought he could catch up, and that would be enough. He might be behind the Mount Hua Swordsmen now, but he was also a man of the Namgung family. He believed that if he tried and tried again, he would one day stand on the same level as that man.
He was confident he could work harder than anyone else and endure more persistently than anyone else.
So he thought that was enough.
Now, he believed he could run a little faster to catch up to the talent that Chung Myung had, and if he kept his bearing for the rest of his life, he would eventually stand in Chung Myung's place.
But…
'That isn't even funny.'
Now, he knew how foolish that thought was.
'That is not something you can do just because you have strength.'
If Namgung Do-wei had been as strong as Chung Myung, would he have been able to confront Jang Ilso there?
If he had been that strong, would he have fought alone in that place where everyone was paralyzed by fear for their own lives?
Not even a single answer would be 'yes.' It was impossible for Namgung Do-wei.
In fact, he froze, unable to act even when Chung Myung faced Jang Ilso, when peace was made, and when Chung Myung's fist slammed into the face of Wudang's sect leader.
It was an embarrassing thing for the sword of the Namgung family, which existed to protect the people's morale.
'He isn't that kind of person because he is strong. And that is why he is strong.'
He could excuse being defeated in martial arts, but there was no room for excuses for being defeated as a human.
Whether they were strong or weak, they only had one life. Whether they could risk that life had nothing to do with being incompetent.
That day, Namgung Do-wei realized to his bones how foolish he had been.
"I will not say that I am the strongest!"
This was something he said to the person guarding him and, at the same time, to himself.
"It is okay to lose with your sword! But at least don't lose your spirit! We are the Blue Sky Namgung Family!"
"Yes!"
The Blue Sky Swordsmen dashed ahead towards the pirates in one breath. Their sword, more resolute than ever, began to slaughter the pirates in an instant.
At the forefront, Namgung Do-wei's sword was shining brighter than anyone else's.
The corners of the abbot's lips trembled. His eyes, looking at Beop Gye, were filled with shock and anger.
"…is this true?"
"Yes, abbot! I just got word that Namgung Hwang, the lord of the Namgung Family, is leading the Blue Sky Swordsmen and rushing to the mouth of the river."
The Gentle Crow Beggar glanced towards the door. The beggar who had told Beop Gye of this news was leaning forward, unable to enter the room, and the moment his eyes met with Gentle Crow Beggar, he nodded.
It meant that it was all true.
"Namgung Hwang. Namgung Hwang is…"
The Gentle Crow Beggar, who had been mumbling softly, laughed. His face looked more empty than amused.
'With that man's temperament… Right, it is possible for him to do this.'
If he were to judge on his violent temper, Namgung Hwang was second to none in the world.
He must have been seething inside from the humiliation he had suffered in the Yangtze River War three years ago, and now that he had heard the news that the Four Precepts Alliance had crossed into the Yangtze River and set foot on the northern lands…
The Gentle Crow Beggar let out a deep sigh.
This was clearly a mistake on the Beggars Union's side. Information by itself held no meaning. It was only meaningful when you could predict what would happen later based on that information.
He should have expected that something like this could happen when the Four Precepts Alliance set foot on the Northern lands, but he realized it belatedly after hearing the news that the Namgung family had moved.
'No, no. How many people in the world could have predicted something like that in such an urgent situation?'
Since he had to pay attention to everything happening in the world, he had no choice but to postpone the reaction of the sect, which had gone into seclusion for a while.
As he was trying to soothe his bitter emotions by making excuses that weren't excuses, the angry voice of the abbot pierced the ears of the Gentle Crow Beggar.
"What on earth is Lord Namgung thinking! He went to the Yangtze River! Is he going to fight the Four Precepts Alliance all by himself?"
The abbot looked at Beop Gye with a face that screamed his disbelief. Even if he yelled at him, the situation wouldn't change, but he couldn't handle the situation that was starting to run wild and break free of his control.
'He is losing it.'
Where was this place, where one sect decided to attack on its own?
At the mouth of the river. No, Plum Blossom Island was literally a powder keg. The eyes of the entire Murim world were focused on it, and the conflicts of all the forces were focused there.
It was hard to understand how that insignificant island could become such an important place, but it was an undeniable fact that it had become a natural hotbed where the pride and interests of the Nine Great Sects and Four Precepts Alliance clashed.
But how could they attack such a place without any consultation with others?
If this incident were to lead to an all-out war between the Four Precepts Alliance and the Nine Great Sects, how would they handle the aftermath?
"What on earth was he thinking! Just what!"
Kakak!
The prayer beads in the abbot's hands rubbed together with a sharp sound. It felt as if everything in the world was slipping out of his control.
"If this incident causes the entire world to suffer, the Namgung family will have to bear all the blame for the sins! How could someone who is the head of a family and the leader of the Five Great Families be so reckless!"
Angry voices erupted one after another, but no one dared to speak up.
However, the Gentle Crow Beggar couldn't help but sigh.
Reckless?
Right. Maybe it was true.
But at least in the Murim world, such behavior wasn't considered reckless.
'It is called courageous.'
Wasn't fighting evil without caring about one's own harm or personal interests the very definition of valor?
The Namgung family did what those who used the name of Justice emphasized so much. Even so, if they started by criticizing him like this, it would be admitting that everything they had emphasized so far was nothing more than a façade.
The Gentle Crow Beggar, who couldn't bear to listen to the abbot's criticism any longer, opened his mouth.
"Abbot."
The abbot looked at the Gentle Crow Beggar, unable to wipe the anger from his face.
"It is true that the Namgung family did something unexpected, but there is no point in blaming him now. What is important is what happens from now on."
He paused for a moment so that the abbot could sort out his confusion. Then he spoke in a steady voice.
"What do you plan to do now?"
It was a question that pierced his heart.
"The Namgung family has opened up the floodgates. Now we must choose. Will we help them and destroy the pirates, or will we declare that it was the Namgung family's arbitrary actions and stand aside?"
The abbot closed his eyes tightly at the question.
If he thought about it logically, supporting the Namgung family would be the right decision. But what if they supported the Namgung family, and then the Four Precepts Alliance came rushing into the Yangtze River?
'From then on, it would truly be an all-out war.'
Once an all-out war started, they could not stop it with their own strength. Whether they won or lost, they would inevitably suffer enormous damage.
"… Elder."
The abbot's response was delayed, so Beop Gye spoke first.
"Isn't it possible that all of this is Jang Ilso's plan?"
"You think it is a plan?"
"Yes, a plan. Didn't everyone get dragged into the Yangtze River three years ago with the movement of the same pirates?"
The Gentle Crow Beggar unconsciously frowned, but he wiped off the expression as if he had never shown it. His true feelings were not as such.
'That is because they were blinded by ambition for fame and fortune and rushed to the Yangtze River without considering what was right or wrong!'
There was a lot he wanted to say, but he had no choice but to hold back. This was Shaolin, and the person in front of him was the abbot and elder of Shaolin.
"That probably won't be the case."
"Why? If it is Jang Ilso…"
"It would take too long to explain, but now is not the time to waste time talking about such things. In any case, everything that is happening now is most likely the Black Dragon King's sole decision."
At that moment, a hollow laugh escaped from the abbot's mouth.
"Sole decision…."
It was ridiculous.
'These two impatient people are driving the situation to hell.'
The Black Dragon King and the Emperor's Sword.
It cannot be denied that both were significant figures with solid positions in their forces. However, that didn't mean that the influence of those two people was great enough to shake up the situation in the Central Plains.
However, coincidentally, due to the unilateral actions of two individuals occurring simultaneously, both the Nine Great Sects and the Precepts Sects Alliance were drawn into an unwanted war at an inopportune time.
'Is this what war is like?'
At least, that wasn't what the abbot thought. The war he knew involved leaders clashing fiercely with their own forces.
But the current state of the world was entirely different from what he knew. Everyone was acting as they pleased. How on earth could these situations even lead to an all-out war?
"I don't know why you are worried."
At that moment, Peng Yeop frowned and said,
"I don't like that the arrogant Namgung family is acting on its own, but if the situation has already unfolded, the only option left is to support them."
However, Jong Ri-Hyung seemed to disagree with that idea.
"I think Lord Peng needs to calm down a little. If we rush to the Yangtze River now, the other Four Precepts Alliance members, not just the pirates, will have no choice but to move. Then it will be truly irreversible."
"But if we just watch and the Four Precepts Alliance moves first, it will be too late to support. The Namgung family will collapse first."
"I know. I know, but it isn't something we can act on rashly."
"How can this be rash!"
The two men's argument quickly ignited, and the abbot's face darkened.
Common sense dictated that the priority should be to support the Namgung family and drive out the pirates. If the Peng family and Kongtong helped, it wouldn't be that difficult.
But what if the Four Precepts Alliance moved north, and an all-out war broke out?
Would the sects in this place really be able to deal with the Four Precepts Alliance? The Four Precepts Alliance, led by Jang Ilso?
'We are lacking.'
If both the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families had supported Shaolin, there would be no need to hesitate. But right now, it was difficult to handle the Four Precepts Alliance.
Even if they somehow won, they would have to face the remnants who had been observing the situation and were planning to take on both sides.
The abbot, lost in thought, bit his lip tightly.
'Why are you hesitating so much?'
Shame was his burden, but death was for others. Then, shouldn't they, as Buddhists, naturally choose shame?
"Anyway…"
When he finally spoke, everyone's eyes were on him. It seemed as if his words still held power.
"Even if we rush to the Yangtze River right now, it would be too late. By then, the decision would have been made between Namgung and the pirates."
"Hmm. That is true."
"Then, we will have to prepare for the aftermath."
The abbot slowly rose from his place.
"Give me until the end of the day."
"You said the end of the day?"
Gentle Crow Beggars looked at the abbot, puzzled. What could he change in a day in this situation?
"Yes. One day is enough."
"Excuse me, abbot. What do you plan to do?"
"… I will head to Shaanxi."
"S-Shaanxi? Could it be…?"
Everyone's eyes widened. The abbot quietly nodded.
"Yes."
His eyes were unwavering and firm.
"I must meet the Heavenly Friends Alliance and Mount Hua's Sword Saint in person, right now."