Screech.
The sound of the boat scraping against the sand was unmistakable. After a moment, a man in red slowly disembarked from the halted boat.
"… Jang Ilso."
Baek Cheon's face twisted in anger at the sight.
The instant he saw that man's face, his blood seemed to boil. He longed to rush over and stab the man in the throat with his sword right then. The other disciples standing beside him felt the same, their shoulders trembling.
At that moment, Baek Cheon's eyes met Chung Myung's steady gaze. Seeing that silent and motionless figure, Baek Cheon exhaled the breath he had been holding.
From a distance, Jang Ilso, with his smiling face, and Chung Myung, with an expressionless face, locked eyes.
As the two men, whose attire and expressions contrasted starkly, faced each other, everyone on the island held their breath.
Jang Ilso snapped his fingers, and the ring that had fallen to the ground was drawn back into his hand. He slowly placed the ring onto his long, slender finger and glanced at the Black Dragon King.
"… You have turned into a rag."
His gaze fell on the Black Dragon King's severed shoulder. Jang Ilso frowned as if he had seen something distasteful. Then, he smiled gently and looked at Chung Myung.
"So, what now, Mount Hua's Sword Saint? Do you really need his head?"
Chung Myung sneered openly at Jang Ilso's gentle tone.
"I need it."
Chung Myung's foot pressed down on the Black Dragon King.
"Ughh…"
A suppressed groan escaped the Black Dragon King, who couldn't even resist.
"This?"
Jang Ilso shrugged his shoulders slightly in an exaggerated manner.
"You belong to a sect where talent pours down like rain, so you probably do not understand my feelings, but it isn't easy to find someone like him in the Evil Sect."
"…"
"Whether it's a bug or a crippled person, I have to pick up and use whatever I can. Isn't that a pitiful thing?"
"You seem to have your mouth running as ever."
"I'm glad you acknowledge that. It is your specialty."
Jang Ilso chuckled.
"So… how about you endure killing him?"
"…"
"The Black Dragon King, who lost his arm and is now a crippled person, wouldn't be a threat to you. So if you just leave him here, I will pick him up and use him."
"Why should I do that?"
Chung Myung's cold gaze seemed ready to pierce Jang Ilso at any moment. He glared at him for a moment before chuckling.
"No, no, I can do it."
He glared at Jang Ilso, baring his teeth like a wolf under attack, filling it with all the hostility he could muster.
"If you are willing to give up even that worthless head as payment, then I can."
"Hahahaha."
Jang Ilso slowly stroked his white throat.
"Oh my, I didn't know this head was so valuable. It's something even Mount Hua's Sword Saint wants to covet."
His pale eyes were clearly filled with madness. Just looking at those eyes would be enough to scare a person with little courage.
"But that is difficult. No matter how insignificant a head is, it is still precious to trade life with a bug."
The Black Dragon King trembled under Chung Myung's feet. Even though he was barely breathing, thanks to Jang Ilso, this kind of treatment was too cruel for him, who was the absolute ruler of the Yangtze River.
But he couldn't even open his mouth.
The moment he let out his anger, Chung Myung's sword would cut off his head without hesitation. Having faced Chung Myung himself, the Black Dragon King knew. This guy wasn't a man who hesitated to kill.
"Then tell."
Chung Myung spoke in a toneless voice.
"Tell me with that smart mouth of yours. Why should I let this guy live? And why should I…"
His gaze pierced right through Jang Ilso.
"Be sparing you?"
Jang Ilso's red lips curved into a clear, unsettling smile.
'Creepy.'
This was no joke. Whenever he met those eyes, a chill always ran down his spine.
'I thought you would return as a tiger.'
This was more of a monster than a tiger.
Jang Ilso's pure white hands, hanging down the sleeves, tightened, and the rings rubbed against each other, making a rattling sound.
Jang Ilso glanced down at his hands. His eyes darkened for a moment.
When one adorned the entire body with jewelry, one could gauge one's condition most accurately. The fact that his hand was clenched involuntarily meant he was currently feeling an extreme killing intent towards Chung Myung.
'Do I want to kill him?'
Right here? In such a place?
Was it worth throwing away everything he had planned so far just to kill him? Was Mount Hua's Sword Saint such a threatening person?
His mind hadn't finished assessing Mount Hua's Sword Saint yet, but his instincts were clearly telling him so.
He had to kill Mount Hua's Sword Saint right there, at that moment, at any cost.
Instincts control the will to live. Right then, his instincts saw that little swordsman as a clearer threat than anyone Jang Ilso had ever met.
Jang Ilso laughed softly and covered his face with his hands.
He didn't want to show anyone the killing intent that might be on his face. He covered his face, but the cold light flowed through his eyes, revealed between his long fingers.
I want to cut him down.
I want to cut off that head and soak my hands in his blood,
But…
"The price…"
Of course, Jang Ilso rejected the voice of his heart.
Unable to control his impulses, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, and acting only according to his instincts. That is what the pigs he detested the most did.
"What do you want, Mount Hua's Sword Saint?"
"…"
"Tell me what you want. I will give you anything that I can. Even if it's…"
A smooth, poisonous voice lingered in Chung Myung's ears.
"Even if you don't have to bow your heads to the floor and beg for your life, it is an infinite mercy of mine ready to send you off this island."
"This…"
The moment those words were spoken, all of Mount Hua's disciples began to emit a blue-green killing intent. Their eyes were red, and they had extended their legs, holding their swords as if they were ready to rush at Jang Ilso at any moment.
"Do not act rashly."
The one who suppressed the atmosphere, which seemed like it would explode at any moment, was Un Geom. As soon as he finished speaking, the anger that had been sweeping through the Mount Hua disciples vanished.
It couldn't be anything else.
Un Geom's words were always heavy, but they were even more so in front of the Ten Thousand People Clan and Jang Ilso. No one could be more angry in front of Un Geom.
The swordsmen of Mount Hua, who had regained their composure, shut their mouths tightly. But their swords were still aimed at Jang Ilso, emitting a bright blue light.
At that moment, Chung Myung spoke again.
"Jang Ilso."
"Hmm?"
Chung Myung's eyes held no emotion.
"Do not mistake the situation."
Jang Ilso looked at him with a deep smile.
"Mistake? Me?"
"You have no idea."
At that moment, Jang Ilso's face changed slightly. Chung Myung's words sounded meaningful, not like empty talk.
Chung Myung continued.
"Why do you think you didn't lose your head even after setting foot on this island?"
Jang Ilso looked down at Chung Myung and stayed silent.
"Did you think I couldn't kill you? Did you think that I would accept your offer to save one more person?"
Chung Myung laughed, showing his teeth.
"You stupid, Evil Sect bastard, you think the world only goes around the way you want it to."
Jang Ilso smiled brightly at the harsh words and stroked his chin.
"Then what is the reason?"
"…."
"May I ask what the great intention of Mount Hua's Sword Saint, who protects the harmony of the Central Plains, is to spare this vicious Evil Sect leader?"
Despite the provocation delivered with laughter, Chung Myung didn't react at all. He simply spoke.
"It is tiring to tell an idiot such an answer, but a Taoist also must guide you. Wash those ears and listen carefully, you moron. There is only one reason why I won't kill you."
"…."
"Because it isn't my decision."
Jang Ilso frowned.
It was a very small change in his expression, but those who had seen Jang Ilso up until then could clearly see it. It was the first time a suspicious expression had appeared on his face, which always looked too confident.
"… What are you talking about?"
"Even a three-year-old would know what it means."
Chung Myung coldly retorted.
"I should explain it to a fool like you, after all. I am just a sword of Mount Hua. There is only one person in the world who decides who Mount Hua's Sword will be aimed at."
"…."
At that moment, Jang Ilso's gaze moved. Beyond Chung Myung, to the person behind him.
"If you want to save your pitiful life and go back, bow your head and pray to the sect leader. If not him, no one here will be able to save you."
Clench.
The Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword next to the Black Dragon King's throat scratched the sand. It was as if the sect leader had ordered the sword to cut off the head of Jang Ilso right then.
A faint sense of bewilderment crossed Jang Ilso's face, which had always been smooth as if he was drawing.
'You are moving according to the orders of the sect leader?'
Did it even make sense?
Of course, he belonged to an Evil Sect, and they were a Justice Sect. Unlike the Evil Sect, where power dictated everything, he knows that Justice has its own set of rules that must be followed. Hadn't Jang Ilso used that fact to his advantage?
But that was just the story of ordinary people.
There was no way someone as extraordinary as Mount Hua's Sword Saint could be controlled by that dull and lacking sect leader. Even when spoken objectively, wasn't Hyun Jong not even in the category of ordinary?
And yet, Mount Hua's Sword Saint, who was arrogant enough to look down on the Nine Great Sects and the leaders of the Five Great Families that ruled this world, held such vicious intent and displayed killing intent in the face of Jang Ilso, the leader of the Four Precepts Alliance, following the orders of Hyun Jong?
Jang Ilso was so shocked that he almost chuckled. But the strange statement was soon proven to be true.
Despite Chung Myung's ridiculous words, no one in Mount Hua wavered their eyes. Not even a hint of suspicion crossed their minds.
That meant they were taking Chung Myung's words seriously. It wasn't just a simple improvisation, but that Mount Hua's Sword Saint had held those words all along.
The moment he realized that Jang Ilso broke into a cold sweat. It had been years since he felt so flustered and nervous.
'Then I guess I did enter the cave on my own feet.'
He thought the subject of the negotiation would naturally be Mount Hua's Sword Saint. That was why he had come there alone. Mount Hua's Sword Saint, with his extraordinary intelligence, would not be able to ignore the fact that Jang Ilso died; there would be a loss for Mount Hua.
But… what if the one to negotiate was Hyun Jong?
Jang Ilso twisted his lips and burst into laughter.
'Maybe this could be my grave.'
He slowly straightened his back and walked confidently towards Hyun Jong, who was watching him.
Flutter.
The hem of the long robe flapped wildly. Jang Ilso, having slightly adjusted his attire, bowed deeply toward Hyun Jong, executing a perfect bow without any flaws.
"Jang Ilso of the Four Precepts Alliance."
Jang Ilso looked at Hyun Jong with eyes like the waning moon.
They had already met once before, yet he was as polite as if he were meeting Hyun Jong for the first time.
"I greet you, the leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance and sect leader of Mount Hua."
Hyun Jong let out a low sigh and bowed to Jang Ilso, who greeted him.
"I am Hyun Jong, the Alliance leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance and sect leader of Mount Hua. Nice to meet you, Hegemony Lord."
As expected, the man was extremely polite.
However, the coldness of the blade hidden within swept through the hearts of all who watched the scene.