“What is this?”

The leaders of the heretic path, who had rushed to Ju Cheon’s return, began to question him.

“The register with our names on it! Why did you hand it over to those righteous path bastards!?”

“That’s right!”

“Don’t tell me! You’re planning to sell us out now!?”

Ju Cheon raised his hand, which was filled with weariness, towards the leaders of the heretic martial world who were making a fuss.

Although it was a lightly raised hand, the power contained within it was by no means small.

Ju Cheon’s hand grabbed the face of the leader who had started to question him first, and then crushed it.

Kwadeuk—!

At the gruesome sound of bones being crushed, the faces of the leaders who had rushed in with him turned pale.

Ju Cheon threw the corpse of the dead leader as if he were throwing away trash and said coldly.

“I am curious about your intentions. Why shouldn’t they know your names?”

“Th-that’s…”

“Are you afraid of defeat.”

“…”

The leaders had to turn their heads, unable to meet Ju Cheon’s gaze.

At that, Ju Cheon continued to speak.

“It seems there are still some jackals who are looking for a way to live. Do you know why the heretic path has not been able to conquer the Central Plains until now? It’s because…”

Ju Cheon’s fingertip pointed to the leaders who had rushed to question him first.

His fingertip was like the tip of a sword, so the leaders’ teeth chattered.

“It’s because of bastards like you. What I need are warriors. Not thieves. The register with your names on it has been handed over to the Martial Alliance. So what will happen if we are defeated in this war.”

“The Martial Alliance’s… extermination order.”

How could they not know.

After winning the Righteous-Demon War, the Martial Alliance had issued an extermination order to prevent the creation of a second Ming Cult.

As a result, those who were even slightly related to the Ming Cult were all killed, regardless of their reason or position.

The reason why the Poison Sect, which had shared a meal with the Ming Cult, had survived until now was because they had gone into hiding as soon as the Ming Cult’s defeat in the Righteous-Demon War had become apparent.

And they had only revealed themselves after living as if they were dead for decades.

“Do you want to live. Then fight. The only way you can live now is to win the war.”

Only then did the leaders of the heretic path realize the reason why Ju Cheon had made them write their names in the register.

Of course, nothing changed even if they had realized.

Now, to save their own lives.

They had to risk their lives and fight in the war.

“Don’t worry. I and the Heretic Path's Alliance will be with you. And.”

The place where Ju Cheon’s gaze landed was Mu Yu.

“The Blood Demon will be with you.”

“The Blood Demon?”

“Was there someone called the Blood Demon?”

“Who is it?”

In front of everyone who was puzzled, Ma Seongun, who was wearing a bright red martial arts uniform and a robe, appeared.

He stood on the front line with his dark red hair and bright red eyes.

“That person is the Blood Demon!?”

Gulp—!

The martial artists of the heretic path, who had seen the Blood Demon in front of them, felt a sense of awe.

Even from a distance of ten zhang, they could feel a killing intent that made their skin tingle.

“Ma Seongun.”

Ma Seongun, who had at some point become the Blood Demon, stood facing Ju Cheon.

If it had been the original Ma Seongun, he would have knelt on one knee and would have shown his respect to the Alliance Leader.

But the past Ma Seongun no longer existed there.

“Blood Demon… it’s a title that suits you perfectly.”

“That’s not important.”

“Yes. That’s not what’s important.”

Ju Cheon pointed to the Martial Alliance and the righteous martial world with his hand.

“You can go and feast to your heart’s content, but you must keep one thing.”

“What is it?”

“My command.”

“…”

“From now on, until my breath runs out, I will only give you three commands. Other than that, I will guarantee your freedom, so just three times. You must follow my commands unconditionally.”

Although he did not know what the command was, Ma Seongun nodded his head.

“Good.”

Ju Cheon finally turned his body and faced the righteous martial world and the Martial Alliance.

“The time has come for the long wait to finally sprout.”

In the contradiction of having to risk their lives to live.

The heretic martial world began to move.

***

“The Heretic Path's Alliance has begun to move.”

“Prepare!”

In response to the approaching Heretic Path's Alliance and the heretic martial world, the Martial Alliance and the righteous martial world also finished their preparations to fight.

Some for revenge.

Some for honor.

Some for justice.

Although their individual causes were different, the martial artists of the righteous martial world who had gathered to win the war clenched their fists hard and prepared to draw their swords.

“Draw your swords!”

At Cheon Yusin’s shout, thousands of blades shone under the sunlight pouring down from the cloudless sky.

Cheon Yusin, who had drawn his sword last, aimed the tip of his sword at the approaching Heretic Path's Alliance and the heretic martial world and said.

“For the righteous cause.”

At his shout, the remaining martial artists responded hotly.

“For the righteous cause!”

***

“It has begun.”

The Hao Sect Master, Wiso, watched the Black and White War, which had begun with the future of the martial world at stake, from a distance.

The black wave that was pouring in and the white wave that was fighting against it clashed chaotically like the sea in a raging storm.

Wiso could not take his eyes off the war, where the future of the Hao Sect was also at stake.

It was then.

Several men with nimble builds in black clothes came to find Wiso.

“How did it go.”

Wiso asked a question as if he had known they would come, and the men in black answered in unison.

“We could not find him.”

The three answered the same at the same time.

At this, Wiso bit his lower lip.

“You couldn’t even find a trace?”

At Wiso’s question, one of the men in black answered.

“They say that a young man with both arms fractured and with large and small wounds all over his body was brought to a doctor’s office near Jungganghyeon.”

At this, Wiso looked at him with excitement.

“What did you say? That person?”

“According to the doctor, he was a man with a beautiful appearance like a woman… but he disappeared before the treatment was even finished.”

“Damn it…! But that’s enough.”

Wiso let out a sigh of relief, even though he was annoyed.

The clash between the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon, Ma Seongun, and the Flying Heaven Sword Ghost, Jin Sohyun.

Wiso had dared to predict that the side to which the winner of the decisive battle belonged would be the winner of this martial world.

And he had bet on Jin Sohyun as the winner of the decisive battle.

But the result had flowed in a completely unexpected direction.

‘Jin Sohyun was defeated and fled…’

Since he was the disciple of Bieunggaek, who was called the number one divine thief in the world, if he had set his mind to running away, there would be no one who could follow him.

Except for Ma Seongun, who had devoured Bieunggaek and had taken his martial arts.

‘It would have been impossible to escape from Ma Seongun in such a seriously injured state.’

In footwork, the two arms were as important as the two legs.

Because it was the two arms of a person that maintained the balance of the body and allowed the body to move elastically by applying a reaction.

But Jin Sohyun had succeeded in escaping from Ma Seongun with both arms fractured.

What that meant was.

‘It means that Ma Seongun was injured to the point where he could not chase Jin Sohyun. And he must have been chased by the martial artists of the alliance who were with him.’

Wiso saw through the false rumor that Jin Sohyun had been defeated by Ma Seongun and had fled at once.

‘There is still hope. The problem is…’

Wiso’s gaze landed on the one being, stained with blood, who was rampaging on the battlefield.

‘There is not even a trace of being seriously injured.’

He was Ma Seongun, who was now called the Blood Demon.

He must have been seriously injured in the fight with Jin Sohyun, but there were no visible wounds.

‘Does that strange power of Ma Seongun… even heal wounds quickly?’

To find this out, Ma Seongun had to have a visible wound, but that did not seem to be the case.

In fact, the masters belonging to the righteous martial world were being torn apart and killed by Ma Seongun’s hands in succession.

Their swords and blades could not even reach Ma Seongun.

“For now, the Martial Alliance will be at an advantage, but as long as they can’t kill Ma Seongun, the momentum of the heretic path will not be broken.”

In fact, in terms of scale alone, the righteous path overwhelmed the heretic path, but the aspect of the war was very tense.

This was all thanks to Ma Seongun’s performance.

“I have to find Jin Sohyun.”

Wiso stood up from his seat, feeling that Jin Sohyun was the only way for the righteous path to defeat the heretic path.

At that, a few more men in black with nimble builds appeared in front of him.

“Sect Master! I have something urgent to tell you.”

“To me?”

“That’s right.”

“Hurry and speak.”

“The First Guest of the Ghost Star Travelers is looking for you, Sect Master.”

“The First Guest!?”

Wiso was greatly surprised.

At the same time, he was flustered.

‘The First Guest didn’t die.’

It was surprising enough that he hadn’t died, but what was more surprising was that he had come to find Wiso.

Wiso hurriedly left to greet the First Guest.

Although he could not rule out the possibility of a trap, for now he had to meet the First Guest first.

‘The First Guest, of all people, would not betray me.’

With the belief in the First Guest in his heart, he arrived at a place where an old man with a haggard appearance, as if he had been severely tortured, was standing.

“First Guest!”

“…Sect Master.”

“Are you okay?”

Wiso hurriedly checked the First Guest’s condition.

Fortunately, there were no signs of his tendons being cut or his dantian being destroyed.

“What happened.”

For the puzzled Wiso, the First Guest briefly explained what had happened last time.

Thanks to that, Wiso, who had learned how he had escaped from Mu Yu’s grasp, was even more confused.

“So… the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader just let the First Guest go?”

“At least, that’s what I experienced.”

With these words, the First Guest took out a letter from his bosom.

It was the letter that Ju Cheon had handed him.

“And he told me to deliver this to you, Sect Master.”

“A letter…”

Wiso’s fingertips, who had received the letter, trembled.

What on earth was he trying to convey.

Wiso, who had opened the letter with a deep breath, read its contents and his body trembled greatly.

So much so that he dropped the letter he was holding.

The First Guest, who was surprised by his strange behavior, picked up the fallen letter and read its contents.

But there seemed to be no special content.

“The wind of the heavens will fell the dragon… if you want to avoid this… come and find me?”

Although it was a phrase that the First Guest, who had lived his whole life with a sword as his companion, could not understand, Wiso stared at the letter that the First Guest was holding with a face that had turned pale, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“…Sect Master. Please explain to me. What on earth is the letter I have brought?”

But as if he could not hear the First Guest’s voice, Wiso looked at Pyeongmu, where the Black and White War was taking place, and muttered like a person who had lost his mind.

“Heretic Path's Alliance Leader…”

***

The place that Jin Sohyun had arrived at, avoiding the public eye, was a nameless peak.

No, this peak must have had a name.

But Jin Sohyun did not yet know what to call this peak.

“It’s high, so high.”

Jin Sohyun said, kicking the peak that was so high it seemed to touch the sky, with the sole of his foot.

“Heavenly Torch Peak.”

It was the name of the peak that Jin Sohyun had personally given today.

Heavenly Torch Peak, because it was a peak so high it seemed to touch the sky.

His two arms were not free, his whole body was full of wounds, and he had lost all his flying swords.

Now, all that was left was a body full of wounds.

Jin Sohyun lowered his gaze below the Heavenly Torch Peak.

Below the dizzying cliff, the world looked like a dot.

“If Master Bi had seen this, he would have said I was crazy.”

No, whoever came, they would have nothing to say to Jin Sohyun except that he was crazy.

And why not? What he was about to do now was crazy enough.

“Ahu… I don’t want to do it.”

Jin Sohyun, with his two hands behind his back.

Below the Heavenly Torch Peak, which was so high it seemed to touch the sky.

Fell.

(End of Chapter)