252 Chapter 1140: Still, What Can You Do? (Part 5)

He was completely out of breath. Air poured out over and over again, almost as if he were vomiting. Yoon Jong gripped his sword so tightly it almost broke.

'He's exhausted too. If I can just get lucky and land a blow!'

Fire shot out from his eyes.

"Uraaaah! Dieeee!"

Lunging forward, he swung the sword forward with all his might. However, even in this situation where he poured out all his strength, Yoon Jong knew deep down.

That 'lucky blow' would never come when it was needed the most.

Pah-aat!

Chung Myung's sword extended like a flash and instantly deflected Yoon Jong's sword.

And then.

Tuuuuung!

The handle of the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword flew in again and again, mercilessly digging into his jaw.

"Kkuuk…."

Yoon Jong's vision was filled with dimming sky.

'Damn it....'

Thud.

Finally, Yoon Jong, who had held on until the end, collapsed to the ground like a rotten straw mat. Chung Myung sheathed the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword and clicked his tongue briefly.

"You're fussing."

"…."

"What? Revenge? Revennngggge? These guys are so confident! Do they think they can change the outcome by taking a shot and charging in full of enthusiasm? If that were the case, why bother training!"

Chung Myung snorted at the disheveled group.

"You're a hundred years way off! You kids!"

"…."

"Ah, no progress at all."

Chung Myung turned his body. The two leaders and elders who had been watching the scene with stern faces left the battlefield along with him.

As soon as they turned the corner from the training ground, they all collapsed to the ground.

"Ah, my goodness…."

"I really thought we were going to lose."

Even Meng So and Tang Gunak, who had been observing with stern faces, were leaning against the wall of the training ground.

"…That was dangerous."

"This time, it was really dangerous."

Tang Gunak shook his head helplessly.

On the surface, it may seem like an easy victory as usual, but this time it wasn't easy at all. With a small number, if they had given in to the momentum even once, it would have collapsed uncontrollably. If they had hesitated, they would have been the ones who collapsed on the ground.

In that sense, today they fought really well, but…

"However, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

"Yes?"

Tang Gunak slightly furrowed his brows as he observed Chung Myung, who was still responding energetically compared to the others.

'I really don't know when it will end.'

Stamina was one thing, but continuously fighting like this would undoubtedly wear down a person's spirit. Where on earth did one find the mental strength to maintain composure like that?

"It's just my thought... Perhaps today..."

"Would it have been better if we had lost?"

"Hmm."

Tang Gunak nodded silently.

Of course, no martial artist liked losing. Regardless of when or in what situation, ultimately, a martial artist desires victory. So, whether the opponent was their own disciples or the followers of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, Tang Gunak, too, didn't intentionally want to lose. However...

'The situation is the situation.'

The disciples probably made up their minds today. Putting aside the pent-up emotions with those they've been fighting and clashing with, did they not make a decisive resolution today? However, since the result hasn't changed, their enthusiasm may have waned.

Usually, in times like this, people tend to blame each other. When things go well, everything is joyful, but when things don't go well, it's human nature to start blaming others.

"That's my opinion too. Even if we lost, wouldn't we have conveyed the significance of fighting together and combining strengths?"

Meng So supported Tang Gunak's words while stroking his chin.

Upon hearing this, Chung Myung chuckled.

"I understand what you're saying."

"Hmm?"

"It seems like you're underestimating your disciples. It's not like they would have collapsed just because I goaded them. In reality, they wouldn't have faltered even if they had faced a tougher opponent."

"...What are you talking about?"

"See for yourself."

Chung Myung gestured towards the training ground with a nod of his chin. Tang Gunak and Meng So quietly approached the corner of the training ground and peeked their heads out.

"In the first place, the siege was flawed! We couldn't withstand it with the Beast Palace!"

"No, it's true that the Beast Palace bought us time!"

"What's the point of buying time? We'll collapse anyways! To stop those monsters, we needed to strengthen our defense! Either the Mount Hua or the Ice Palace have to abandon their attack and focus on defense!"

"But then the other side can comfortably attack without any sense of crisis! In that case, it's just delaying time; ultimately, we can't win. Don't you know the best defense is a good offense?"

"That's just being idealistic!"

The scattered individuals had gathered in the center and were fervently debating. Empty wind spilled from the mouths of Meng So and Tang Gunak.

"Ugh, damn it. My jaw still hurts from getting hit."

"But maybe because I've been hit so much, I can endure it now."

"...That doesn't sound like something to be proud of."

"Anyways!"

Jo Gol's eyes lit up.

"Did you see how our Tang Gaju-nim was panting today?"

"I saw it!"

"His breath was really heavy, wasn't it? He seemed like he might collapse any moment? Kuk kuk kuk!"

When Tang Gunak flared up, tensing his body with strength, Meng So casually grabbed his shoulder, restraining him.

"And how about the Beast Palace Master? Hey! Because he's so big, when his shoulders shake, it's like an avalanche!"

This time, Tang Gunak silently reached out and grabbed Meng So's trembling wrist.

"It didn't do anything particularly impressive, but it was really worth trying."

"At this rate, it won't be long before I get in a proper punch!"

"So let's gather again! First, let's figure out what to do with those useless Nokrim guys!"

"Now, wait a moment. What about the Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword?"

"Isn't he the biggest problem?"

"Well, the Mount Hua people will figure something out. Let's not worry about that."

"No, why are you passing it on to us! What are we supposed to do with that!?"

Listening to the escalating conversation, Tang Gunak and Meng So subtly stepped back. The expressions on their faces revealed a sense of absurdity.

"Right?"

"Ugh..."

Rather than Tang Gunak, Meng So seemed more surprised.

'These guys....'

Suddenly, the Beast Palace members were naturally mingling with them. The Beast Palace was located in such a remote place in Yunnan that there was little interaction with ordinary people. Wasn't it a chronic problem with the Beast Palace who only lived only with wild animals that they couldn't get along well with outsiders?

Now, those palace members were having a friendly conversation with the outsiders, sitting half-scattered.

'I can't figure it out.'

It made him wonder whether that Chung Myung had performed some kind of magic.

"In the first place, parents don't know their children well, and teachers don't know their disciples well. You should know them well, but it's strange."

Looking at the smiling Chung Myung, Tang Gunak and Meng So nodded their heads.

"So, instead of worrying about those guys, it might be better to worry about yourselves. If you lose, you might embarrass yourself."

"That won't happen."

"Inconceivable!" [ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ]

Chung Myung laughed lightly, turned his body, and stretched.

"Well, that remains to be seen."

Meng So and Tang Gunak shook their heads as they looked at Chung Myung walking languidly.

* * *

"Oh, my. There isn't a single part of my body that isn't sore."

"Gol-ah... You should cover your top in the dining hall."

"Is that a problem between men?"

"There's Soso, isn't there?"

"Ah, Soso, we're like family."

"Sahyung."

"Huh?"

Tang Soso smiled brightly.

"I've never had a younger brother like Sahyung."

"...."

"If I had a younger brother like Sahyung, I would have buried him with my own hands a long time ago. Sahyung, you're lucky you weren't born into the Tang Family."

"...I'm always thankful for that."

Sincerely.

At that moment, Baek Cheon stood up from his seat. Jo Gol asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Huh? Sasuk, where are you going?"

Normally, Baek Cheon would wait until everyone finished their meal, even if he finished first. It was strange for him to suddenly get up during a meal, making him curious.

"It's nothing. I have a place to check for a moment. Eat."

"Yes, Sasuk."

Baek Cheon quietly left the restaurant. The remaining people paid little attention and soon became busy chatting among themselves.

Baek Cheon walked slowly along the river. His gaze was casually fixed on the flowing river.

"Huuu."

A sigh escaped his lips.

The reason he took the time to come to the riverside was that the frustration he had been feeling lately had grown quite a bit.

'How did that guy manage all this?'

So far, Chung Myung had led the Mount Hua Sect. However, recently, Chung Myung hadn't interfered with what was happening inside the sect.

Of course, Chung Myung might not have the luxury to pay attention to the internal affairs of the Mount Hua Sect, considering that he had to deal with the overall affairs of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. One could think that way.

However, Baek Cheon knew. Chung Myung wasn't the type of guy who moved like that. Even if he had to cut down on sleep, Chung Myung was the kind of guy who did what needed to be done when he felt the need.

That he was ignoring the internal affairs of the Mount Hua Sect like this...

'Now he probably wants us to handle it on our own.'

Baek Cheon sighed deeply once again.

He didn't feel burdened by leading the Mount Hua Sect itself. Of course, he didn't think he could handle it like Chung Myung, but he didn't need to do as much as Chung Myung did in the first place.

Moreover, he wasn't leading the Mount Hua Sect alone. Weren't the Sajaes and Sajils helping him? Furthermore, even the monk Hye Yeon was secretly paying attention to whether his workload was too much for him...

'It'd be embarrassing to whine.'

So, there was no particular burden in playing the role of the chief disciple in the Mount Hua Sect. It was what he should've done in the first place. The work he had left to Chung Myung for a while was now finally coming back into place.

That wasn't the problem.

There was a separate reason that made Baek Cheon feel stifled.

Baek Cheon briefly gripped the handle of his sword and then let go of it weakly. 

'Stagnant.'

The problem was himself. Over the past three years of seclusion, he had grown significantly. However, after that, despite experiencing numerous events, he hadn't felt his skills improving fast enough.

At first, he didn't worry too much. That was a problem that time would solve. But at some point, Baek Cheon found out.

'There's no time.' 

Watching Chung Myung and Jang Ilso fight against the bishop, Baek Cheon realized sharply. The time when they would risk their lives fighting for each other would come sooner than expected.

And when that moment came, there would be nothing Baek Cheon could do.

"Huuu." 

Even as he exhaled a deep breath, the oppressive feeling didn't go away.

Baek Cheon was strong. Objectively, he was undoubtedly strong.

Namgung Dowi, who had received all of Namgung's expectations, Tang Pae, confirmed as the next head of the Tang Family, were frankly not his opponents. 

Right now, he might be able to suppress even Jin Geumryong within ten moves. Baek Cheon had grown into a formidable force without opponent in the same bracket.

However, the reason he felt stifled was that even with his level of skill, he wasn't particularly helpful in the large-scale battles between these huge forces.

'What should I do?' 

He lacked skills, but he also lacked time. At this rate, there may come a day when he had to watch other disciples dying in front of his eyes.

And perhaps that time was closer than he thought.

That worry and anxiety led Baek Cheon to this place. Maybe looking at the clear river would ease his mind a bit. But even looking at the flowing river, his mind didn't receive any ease. On the contrary, it became more suffocated.

Repeatedly breathing out deep sighs, he continued to walk along the riverbank. How long had it been since he had walked like this, aimlessly?

'Huh?'

Baek Cheon's steps suddenly stopped. Tilting his head, he listened carefully.

'What is this sound...?' 

His eyes sharpened.

'The sound of weapons clashing?'

At this late hour, in a place like this?

With a sudden alertness, Baek Cheon rushed quickly to where the sound of clashing weapons was coming from.