Kwaaaaaaang!
The disciples of Mount Hua staggered, their eyes wide as they took in the aftermath of the raging explosion.
"Th-That…"
Every time Dan Ja-Kang unleashed his powerful qi, the earth cracked and the terrain twisted. Yet, amidst the terrifying explosion of demonic enhanced qi, Jang Ilso did not retreat an inch; he stood firm against Dan Ja-Kang.
Even in the face of an attack that could topple Mount Tai, Jang Ilso tenaciously clung to Dan Ja-Kang.
It was truly a perilous tightrope walk.
No, even that phrase couldn't fully capture the deadly stunt.
Even the disciples of Mount Hua, who harbored nothing but malice toward Jang Ilso, felt their hearts drop every time the dark demonic qi seemed to graze his body.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of exchanges occurred. If he made even a single mistake, that dreadful demonic qi would strike him directly at close range, and at that moment, half of Jang Ilso's body would be blown away.
And Jang Ilso himself knew this far more clearly than the disciples of Mount Hua. Yet, he pressed Dan Ja-Kang relentlessly as if he felt no fear toward the man.
As if…
"Th-That… Chung Myung is…"
At Jo Gul's groan, Baek Cheon nodded unconsciously. The fighting style Jang Ilso was showing now resembled exactly the figure they knew well.
'To think there's another person in the world who can do that.'
Even Baek Cheon, who had endlessly observed and learned from Chung Myung, dared not attempt such an absurd feat. The reason Baek Cheon couldn't try that method wasn't because he was weak.
It was because knowing it didn't mean he could do it.
In a situation where unseen attacks are being exchanged, standing that close and not allowing a single attack from the opponent is a matter of sense before learning. And no matter how much one refines their senses, human senses cannot escape their innate limits.
In terms of boldly unfolding the knowledge of learning in accordance with the right means, Baek Cheon was actually a lot better than Chung Myung. However, no matter how hard Baek Cheon tried, it was impossible to imitate Chung Myung's animalistic nature of sense.
Yet now, Jang Ilso is facing the high priest just like Chung Myung.
At that moment, Yoon Jong, who had been watching dazedly, spoke with a strained voice.
"Isn't that… too dangerous, he…?"
That tightrope act, which squeezed even the hearts of the onlookers, finally made the disciples of Mount Hua voice their concern for Jang Ilso.
They knew.
That if someone could do the same, Jang Ilso might even be better than Chung Myung now.
But strangely, watching that scene didn't calm their hearts. It felt as if Jang Ilso's head might explode and scatter his brains at any moment.
'Is that really possible?'
Cold sweat broke out and their whole bodies felt sticky.
"If Jang Ilso gets hit like that…"
At that moment, a chilling voice whispered in their ear.
"You blabber as soon as you appear, you foolish pups of the Justice sect."
Baek Cheon reflexively turned his head to look at the speaker.
Ho Ga-Myung, a soldier of the Evil sect, continued speaking without taking his eyes off the fierce battle between Jang Ilso and Dan Ja-Kang.
"If you don't know, shut your mouths and watch. You're not worthy to judge that man with your petty mouths."
Baek Cheon felt a surge of anger at those words but it quickly faded—not because of Ho Ga-Myung's presence, but because of the expression he wore.
As far as Baek Cheon knew, Ho Ga-Myung was like an extension of Jang Ilso's limbs.
He had heard that even before the Ten Thousand People Clan existed, the names of Jang Ilso and Ho Ga-Myung spread together.
Then to Ho Ga-Myung, Jang Ilso must be an irreplaceable existence. Yet how could he wear such a calm expression while his lord risked his life on that tightrope?
Then Ho Ga-Myung shifted his gaze and coldly looked at the disciples of Mount Hua.
He had no desire to speak with them, but…
"You seem to trust Mount Hua's Sword Saint more."
Baek Cheon didn't answer, but Ho Ga-Myung continued as if no answer was needed.
"That's because you've witnessed with your own eyes the miraculous victories the Mount Hua's Sword Saint has achieved in his time."
Baek Cheon opened his lips to retort but then closed them firmly.
That wasn't the only reason they trusted Chung Myung. But if Chung Myung hadn't repeatedly won battles that seemed impossible to them, they wouldn't blindly trust him like they do now.
"How many years have you watched that? Five? Ten?"
"…"
"Listen carefully, you pups of the Justice faction."
Ho Ga-Myung spat out the words.
"The Hegemony Lord Jang Ilso has crushed those stronger than himself for over twenty years. If there had been even a single defeat, the name Jang Ilso would have been forgotten as just another wandering warrior."
"…"
"He survived because he never lost, and he conquered because he never lost. Whether the opponent is strong or not, it doesn't matter."
For a moment, Baek Cheon felt a chill down his spine.
Of course, they also trusted Chung Myung excessively. But Ho Ga-Myung's trust in Jang Ilso was on a different level.
'Isn't that closer to a cult belief than trust?'
It was more like faith than trust. Without questioning reasons or circumstances, he simply believed.
But… when you think about it, wouldn't it be like that?
If they continue to watch Chung Myung win repeatedly like this for over ten years, wouldn't they become fanatical about him in terms of victory?
Just like Ho Ga-Myung, who has watched everything and blindly trusts Jang Ilso.
Then Ho Ga-Myung spoke decisively.
"At least I cannot even imagine the Hegemony Lord losing."
Shaken by that firm and blind faith, Baek Cheon involuntarily looked back at Jang Ilso.
The giant who had risen to the pinnacle of the Evil Sect with those two hands.
A few strands of torn hair fluttered in all directions.
Disheveled, Jang Ilso spat blood and charged forward relentlessly. Both his shoulders had long since darkened from the pressure of the demonic qi.
His body was a wreck, obvious to anyone.
But the glimmers in his eyes through the messy hair were far more vivid than at the start of the battle.
Kwaduk!
Dan Ja-Kang's hand scratched Jang Ilso's wrist, literally tearing off a handful of flesh. Even a mere graze left a deep wound exposing bone.
Tearing flesh from bare skin surely caused pain, but Jang Ilso showed no reaction and persistently targeted Dan Ja-Kang's head.
'Crazy bastard.'
From behind Jang Ilso, Chung Myung suddenly let out a hollow laugh.
It wasn't a provocation on the battlefield; such genuine disbelief laughter was rare.
That much, Jang Ilso's current display was unbearably intense.
'Is that how I look when you watch me from behind?'
One doesn't know when doing it oneself. People cannot objectively see themselves in action. It's an experience no one else can have. Chung Myung's sole impression from watching himself fight from a third-person perspective was one thing.
'…You survived well until the end.'
While doing such things. Now he seemed to understand why those who saw him fight all felt distant from him. And he clearly understood how his opponents felt.
Of course, Jang Ilso was not perfect.
He was a swordsman, but Jang Ilso was a warrior who used fists. No matter how much he tried to be alike, fundamental differences existed between them. Those differences pushed Jang Ilso to the brink of death repeatedly.
But that didn't matter. Because Chung Myung was supporting him from behind.
It also didn't matter that Chung Myung had never supported anyone before. He could understand. He sensed how the one always behind had protected Chung Myung—not with eyes, but with feeling.
Yes, the scene he was witnessing now…
Was the very scene Tang Bo saw a hundred years ago.
Breathing and harmonizing. Every breath, every movement, even the slightest muscle twitch must be felt as if touched. One must perfectly unify with the one before them and predict movements before they happen.
'You pulled off this dreadful stunt well, damn bastard!'
Though it was displeasing that the one needing such protection was given by that damn Jang Ilso, somehow it didn't feel as bad as expected.
Thanks to that, he could engrave in his eyes a scene he could never have known alone.
Pwaaah!
Chung Myung's sword shot forward. Immediately after, Dan Ja-Kang and Jang Ilso fiercely reached toward each other. Chung Myung's sword, moving just a moment earlier, pre-empted Dan Ja-Kang's attack direction, blocking it and slashing flesh with a precise strike.
An extreme thrust putting everything into a single sword strike. This was closer to secret sword techniques than swordsmanship.
Other secret techniques? Well, I use them if needed. I just like this one. Why? Got a problem?
'Stupid bastard!'
Only after standing behind did he understand.
For killing an opponent, subtle secret techniques are much more useful in action. If combined with Dan Ja-Kang's poison, hitting the opponent's body with secret techniques is the priority.
But that alone can't protect the one in front. To block an enemy, qi must be applied, and to threaten an enemy, it must be visible to their eyes.
The paradox that the secret sword technique, which should be more secretive and swift than any weapon, must be thrown visibly to the enemy's eyes. Within that paradox, the twelve swords, the Twelve Secret Swords, were perfected.
Grit.
Chung Myung bit his lip until it bled.
'Why do I realize everything so late, this idiot…'
Even on the battlefield, where he was painfully lonely and sometimes utterly isolated, countless people stood behind him. Without them, Chung Myung would have long since become a cold corpse on the battlefield, never having cut the Heavenly Demon's neck.
At that moment, Dan Ja-Kang let out a terrible roar and raised his arm. Jang Ilso did not just watch. He instantly penetrated inwards the qi and, in the blink of an eye, delivered twelve fist attacks to Dan Ja-Kang's upper body.
"Kkeuruk…"
Blood gushed again from Dan Ja-Kang's mouth. Yet, even as he spat blood, his eyes gleamed with even darker bloodlust.
"Heaven… Heavenly Demon's Second Coming."
At that moment, Jang Ilso's gaze sharply rose upward.
Unlike a swordsman's attack, a fist master's strike can be endured with defensive enhanced qi. That difference was dragging Jang Ilso to the depths of hell at this moment.
"Demons-Bow-And-Pray!!"
A massive demonic qi, the size of a house, burst from Dan Ja-Kang's fingertips and fell simultaneously over Jang Ilso and Chung Myung's heads.
At that moment!
Taoist hyung!
'Yes!'
Chung Myung dashed forward as if he already knew.
'Is this how you do it?'
Chung Myung's sword shot out like a flash, transforming into a secret sword technique and flying toward Dan Ja-Kang's neck.