Chapter 1590: So, Who Exactly Are You Talking About? (Part 10)

Soutehrn Sea Sun Palace's Sun Sovereign, Jinyoung, stared ahead with eyes that seemed to smolder. [i forgot what spelling i used earlier]

The Ten Great Sects and the Evil Tyrant Alliance were entangled like two snakes fighting. It was a sight as delightful as a fisherman catching a big catch while passing by. 

'The lord of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, Jang Ilso.'

The face of the Sun Sovereign gradually stiffened. Upon coming here and surveying the battlefield, he surprisingly felt 'awe.' An emotion he believed he would never feel towards anyone else in his lifetime.

He didn't know all the processes leading up to the current outcome. However, he was also a leader of a sect and a ruler of a certain region, guiding the flow of events.

Creating such a spectacle would be undoubtedly challenging. And this meant, from now on, the person he must deal with was an extremely dangerous existence. But for now, the immediate situation in front of him was more crucial.

"Continue the advance! Let the ignorant ones in the Central Plains know the greatness of the Sun Palace!"

"Yes!"

The Sun Palace warriors charged fiercely. The ground heated up under the blazing aura they emitted.

"Oh!"

"Kill them all!"

They advanced relentlessly, wielding their strength without sparing any effort.

One person quickly approached the Sun Sovereign and bowed. Not a member of the palace but the Thousand-Faced Gentleman Dam Yeohae, who had been placed next to him. [oh...i didn't know that...lol...]

"Sovereign. Military instructions... No, a request. Scatter half of the rear forces and surround the enemy."

"Received orders?"

The Sun Sovereign's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes, in writing."

His gaze shifted. A large green flag fluttered, and next to it was a diagonally tilted red flag.

"...Interesting. Non-martial folks."

He spoke as if belittling, but his gaze was heavy.

"Surround them. Don't let a single rat escape."

"Yes, Sovereign!"

The warriors swiftly moved according to his command.

Having confirmed their actions, the Sun Sovereign slowly unclenched his hand and began walking forward.

"This is not a situation where you will be reward for merely filling in numbers."

Externally, they may offer support, but internally, they would treat them as if they only put a spoon on a fully set table. It was necessary to establish some dignity.

"Where..."

He quickly scanned the surroundings. Soon, one person caught his eye. A man praying desperately, his sharp eyes cutting through the confusion.

"Interesting."

The Sun Sovereign's eyes shot a fiery glare.

"Go!"

The boiling blood of the Peng Family suddenly cooled down.

A crack appeared on the cold mask covering Peng Yeop's face. His hands holding the sword trembled slightly.

'I made such... such a mistake.'

No matter how desperate, there were things one shouldn't do. The awareness that he might be able to cut off Jang Ilso's neck blinded his eyes and deafened his ears.

"Retreat..."

The moment Peng Yeop thought of those words, Kongtong swayed quickly. Then, it began to disperse.

Peng Yeop froze. It seemed to be the worst move made at the worst moment.

"That stupid...!"

Peng Yeop bit his lips tightly. Well, it might be fortunate. Thanks to Kongtong's foolish act, the attention diverted slightly from them.

"Rescue the disciples! Escape from here."

"Gaju-nim, it's not easy! The formation now..."

"Are you telling me to abandon the kids?"

Peng Yeop shouted fiercely.

Numerous gazes were directed at him. Eyes filled with guilt and resentment. Eyes with thick layers of remorse and blame.

After all, it's your fault that you brought the Peng Family here and created this situation!

Those eyes brought back a scene from Peng Yeop's memory. Different eyes from these. The gaze of someone who never blamed him even when betrayed by someone he trusted.

If that person, his brother, were here, what would he have said?

Peng Yeop chuckled incongruously for a moment. There was nothing to think about. The answer was already decided.

"As long as I'm alive, such a thing cannot happen, even if it means my death. Elders, step forward and take care of the disciples. Let at least one more person survive and escape from this place! You, too, are part of the Peng Family. Do not tarnish the name of the Hebei Peng Family!"

"..."

No response came, but Peng Yeop remained steadfast.

"Quick!"

Those who saw his resolute face finally bit their lips and nodded.

"Yes!"

Peng Yeop clenched his teeth as if breaking a sword.

The deed was already done, and it couldn't be helped. But at least, it must be rectified. That was his duty as the family head.

At that moment.

"The lord of the Hebei Peng Family."

Peng Yeop, who was about to kick the ground and move forward, turned his head with a start.

A man with a splendid golden attire appeared. Despite being flashy to the point of frivolity, there was a subtle grace flowing from his face.

"...Who are you?"

Peng Yeop asked sharply, on guard.

"At this level, I think it would be enough to save some face."

In the face of the dismissive tone that countered his forceful statement, Peng Yeop gritted his teeth. However, he couldn't act entirely according to his own inclinations because he had already guessed the identity of the opponent.

"...Sun Sovereign?"

"A ruler would be more appropriate. Hoping for such courtesy from the wild beasts of Kangho might be too much, though."

"...?"

"Come here, wild man. I need your neck."

At those words, the Peng Family members surrounding Peng Yeop shouted angrilly.

"How dare him!"

"What does this foreigner dare!"

But Peng Yeop, the one insulted, raised his hand to silence them.

"Gaju-nim!"

"Go."

"But..."

"Go and take care of the kids! They must escape from here!"

"...!"

"Go!"

"Yes!"

Those who were guarding his back, after making up their minds, rushed away, leaving Peng Yeop behind.

Watching their departure, the Sun Sovereign Jinyoung laughed approvingly.

"Not bad. A family head with an unyielding spirit to lead a clan. There's a reason why the reputation of the Peng Family reaches even the palace."

"...Ha."

Peng Yeop chuckled dryly.

It was a compliment he had wanted to hear all his life. But no one had ever said it to him. Now he was hearing it through the mouth of an enemy who aimed for his life.

"Thanks for the praise. But the Peng Family's blade is even more formidable."

"Hope so. That way, I'll have something to boast about."

Goooong.

The Sun Sovereign's hand emitted a distinctive aura. The hand, initially yellow, soon turned red, and almost pure white light enveloped the palm.

From there, a hot heat rose, fiercely heating Peng Yeop's face.

Raging Yang Energy.

Unlike the Northern Sea's Frozen Qi, which could not fully revive its purification, the Southern Sun Palace's Raging Yang Qi was perfectly operational at this moment.

"Sun God's Palm...(太陽神掌)"

"You know it well."

The Sun Sovereign's eyes blazed as intensely as his hand.

"Well, you'll experience it with glory. You'll be the first Central Plains person to die under my Sun God's Palm."

At the same time, an immense heat poured toward Peng Yeop. Heat so intense that it seemed like even his hair would burn. In the midst of that, Peng Yeop grasped his sword with all his might.

His heart might break at any moment. However, that cannot happen.

Peng Yeop gritted his teeth. He must endure it. Only by enduring could he rescue the disciples and buy enough time to open an escape route.

"I am... the head of the Peng Family!"

Peng Yeop fiercely swung his sword, cleaving through the air.

"Aaargh!"

"Let go, let go! Damn bastards, let go!"

Screams echoed pitifully even in Beopjeong's vicinity.

Ravenous wolves were ravaging the disciples of the Ten Great Sects. Surrounded on all sides, the disciples of the Ten Great Sects were struggling, not knowing what to do.

It seemed that the encounters so far, where they had never faced a proper opponent, were all falsehoods.

Was it their original intention?

No. The cause was... one. The giant flag that clearly asserted its presence even in the darkness.

That flag transformed the enemies into different entities than they were just a while ago.

It was not just a vague order to block and endure; it was a clear command with a purpose. Just that alone could change a person.

Even those thoroughly trained continued to obey the command until the moment of their death.

"Aaargh!"

Once again, the desperate scream of someone pierced the ears of those in the martial arts hall.

'Ho Gakmyung...'

From the beginning, they shouldn't have considered them ordinary Evil Sect members. Even though they were well aware of it...

Preparation had not been neglected. They had definitely prepared for it. However, that preparation had already become useless.

"Peng Gaju, Sect Leader Jongli..."

Moreover, those who had to handle this situation under his command were all restrained.

The situation against Sect Leader Jongli, caught by the Hao Sect, already seemed dire, and Peng Yeop, who appeared to be facing the Southern Sea Sun Palace's leader, didn't look good either.

Even Beopgye, no different from his limbs, was struggling against the blade energy pouring out from Jang Ilso's subordinates.

In comparison to the commanding flag that conveyed clear orders to everyone, the voice of a person reachable only in close proximity seemed utterly insignificant.

And now, Beopjeong was in a situation where even that voice couldn't be utilized.

People's bodies were torn apart while their heads were bound.

Even in the midst of this difficulty, the disciples fought bravely to reduce the number of enemies, but the limit was clear. The situation had already spun out of control.

If things continued like this, all that would be left for them was defeat.

"Is this to your liking?"

Jang Ilso's soft voice grazed past his ear.

Whether it was mixed with scorn or not couldn't be discerned now. After all, every word from that man was laced with poison.

"...Amitabhul."

The gaze of Beopjeong, fixed on the battlefield, turned to meet Jang Ilso.

The situation was dire, with enemies closing in. However, the look in Beopjeong's eyes was surprisingly calm, more so than expected.

"Is this the move Siju prepared?"

Showing interest, Jang Ilso's eyes glinted.

"Hmm, it looks better than I thought. Are you giving up on everything? I thought you would resist a bit more."

Beopjeong calmly responded with a composed voice.

"Siju. I acknowledge that the Evil Tyrant Alliance is more formidable than I anticipated."

Then, after a brief pause, he continued.

"But I, too, did not take this war lightly."

"...Huh?"

"I know you, in a war, are unparalleled. It is natural for you to have a hidden move."

"..."

Jang Ilso's smile gradually faded. Even in the midst of chaos, his face, which hadn't lost its smile, slowly stiffened.

"Amitabhul."

Beopjeong quietly uttered.

"Even to the extent of rushing into death without knowing that, you are not foolish. I did not know it was the Sun Palace, but it was already expected that you must have hidden a move."

"...So?"

When Jang Ilso asked quietly, Beopjeong sternly glared at him and replied.

"If this is your entire plan, today you will die, and the Evil Tyrant Alliance will lose its name."

The words from Beopjeong held assurance and intimidation. They were not lacking in conviction or dominance. It was just a matter-of-fact statement conveying a predetermined fact.

Jang Ilso couldn't help but ask.

"...Did you know already?"

"Amitabhul."

"You already... already knew."

The corners of Jang Ilso's lips trembled slightly. The face he hadn't shown to anyone until now.

"Did you make preparations?"

When Jang Ilso asked sharply, Beopjeong calmly stared at Jang Ilso with a calm gaze.

"Is there any reason for this humble monk not to do so?"

It was an answer that contained everything Beopjeong wanted to convey.

Arrogance? No, it wasn't that. There was nothing to gain by boasting in this situation.

Jang Ilso looked at Beopjeong as if he had lost his words.

Beopjeong had silently regained his composure, and it seemed like he had regained all the calmness he had lost earlier.

Jingle.

Between Jang Ilso's fingers, a few remaining rings clinked anxiously against each other.

Slowly, Jang Ilso's blood-dried lips opened.

"That... Preparation you're talking about."

Dried blood fell like powder, revealing the red color of his lips once again.

"You're not talking about the Zhuge Family, who's rushing here right now, are you?"

Beopjeong's jaws dropped, and his eyes widened as if confronted with horror.

"What...?"

Jang Ilso, savoring Beopjeong's reaction, spoke slowly as if enjoying the moment.

"Or perhaps... did you mean to say something about waiting for the Moyong Family to join forces with the Zhuge Family while hiding their appearance from the beginning?"

The trembling of Jang Ilso's lips increased slightly. It wasn't because of confusion or despair; it was because he couldn't contain his laughter.

"H-how..."

Jang Ilso, who had seemed to regain composure, now looked pale and lifeless.

"How?"

Jang Ilso chuckled slowly as he asked. He looked like a demon holding a person's neck.

"Did you think I would believe those words, that they wouldn't arrive on time?"

Jang Ilso's eyes widened.

"To deceive the enemy, they say you should start by deceiving your allies. Yes, you did well. It was quite a brilliant move for old-fashioned righteous sect bastards to leak information in reverse, believing that what you were leaking would get to me. But you see..."

Jang Ilso's thumb brushed against his lips. The blood on his lips spread eerily.

"If I don't fall for it, what's the use? Hmm?"

Clink!

Jang Ilso's ring rubbed against something rough. The resonance was completely different from before.

"Take a guess. What do you think is happening to them right now?"

Beopjeong fell into contemplation at the sound, as if his heart had been torn out and devoured.

❀ ❀ ❀

'What the...!'

The face of the Zhuge Family's genius strategist (神算子), Zhuge Jaan (諸葛滋案), turned pale.

This was truly an unthinkable situation.

The forces of the Evil Tyrant Alliance were all on that battlefield right now. Moreover, the forces that Jang Ilso had kept hidden were confirmed to have left Hubei and moved elsewhere.

Paegun Jang Ilso would definitely win once the situation was determined.

So, all they needed to do was assume defeat and plan their strategy accordingly. If another piece is placed on the opponent's board when a piece has already reached the top, their strategy becomes useless.

It had to be done that way.

There were no more available pieces for Jang Ilso. This wasn't just a miscellaneous piece, but a fully-fledged expert piece made up of skilled players.

Unless experts suddenly fell from the sky, that was the common sense and natural outcome.

But...

Right now, there are mysterious masked individuals blocking the path of both the Zhuge and Moyoong in front of the two families. Unknown individuals who thoroughly blocked the two families, which should've immediately headed to the battlefield.

They wielded swords with a vivid blue aura.

Zhuge Jaan shouted in a voice resembling the cries of someone facing their fate.

"Who in the hell are these damn bastards?!"

It sounded like the wail of someone who had seen the end of their destiny.