The winner of the first battle of the Black and White War was the righteous martial world.

They succeeded in destroying about three-tenths of the heretic martial world’s power in the first battle alone with their overwhelming scale and tactics.

The righteous martial world, which had succeeded in defeating quite a large number of enemies in the ensuing pursuit, was feeling a sense of elation from the victory in the first battle.

“Calm your excitement. The fight is not over yet.”

While almost all the martial artists of the righteous path were enjoying their first victory, a few martial artists, including Cheon Yusin and Namgung Muhyeok, were rather watching the situation with a cool head.

Among them were Zhuge Yeop and the alliance’s general managers, Dokgo Jeokmyeong and Zhuge Goun.

“According to the information from the Beggars' Sect sent by Gu Daepil… the Heretic Path's Alliance is said to be regrouping on the plains about a hundred li away from Pyeongmu.”

“Hmm…!”

Cheon Yusin’s eyes became a little more fierce.

“The fact that they didn’t run away further means that we can’t rule out the possibility of a trap.”

“That’s right.”

Ju Cheon had moved the front line to a place not far from Pyeongmu, as if he were trying to lure the Martial Alliance and the righteous martial world.

Because of this, the righteous martial world, which had raised a victory cry in the first battle, could not continue the pursuit.

“Anyway, time is on our side.”

Unlike the heretic martial world, where supplies were relatively free, the heretic martial world had started the war without considering supplies in the first place.

If the war was not going to end with a single battle, there was a high possibility that the Black and White War would turn into a long-term war.

That meant that the side with smooth supplies would naturally take the initiative in the war.

“But we can’t give them more time.”

Dokgo Jeokmyeong was wary of the Heretic Path's Alliance.

As when he had caused the Acheon, Ju Cheon, who was leading the Heretic Path's Alliance and the heretic martial world, was by no means an easy opponent.

‘He must be up to something.’

Cheon Yusin, who had been lost in thought while accepting the opinions of the general managers and Zhuge Yeop, asked Namgung Muhyeok.

“What do you think, Namgung Family Head?”

“What do you mean?”

“They are waiting for us to come in with their mouths open. Should we push forward like this, or should we take a step back and watch the situation… I want to hear the wise opinion of the Golden Dragon Divine Sword.”

Cheon Yusin asked with a polite tone, unlike his usual self.

Namgung Muhyeok looked at the Sichuan map, which was made based on the information brought by the beggars of the Beggars' Sect.

On the map, the powers of the heretic and righteous paths, made of wooden pieces, were placed.

“There must be a reason for their retreat. We shouldn’t go in rashly.”

“I think so too. Then… when do you think is the right time?”

Namgung Muhyeok was lost in thought for a moment.

Cheon Yusin waited patiently without rushing Namgung Muhyeok so that he could think enough.

And after some time, Namgung Muhyeok, who had been lost in thought, carefully opened his mouth.

“How about two days later, at the hour of the rabbit?”

“The hour of the rabbit… what is the reason for choosing that time?”

“In Sichuan in this season, the sun rises at the hour of the rabbit. That time when the dawn brightens into morning… is the moment when the enemies are most likely to be off their guard.”

It was a very reasonable statement.

Moreover, the Heretic Path's Alliance and the heretic martial world did not know when the Martial Alliance and the righteous martial world would attack.

Even if they set up a guard, there was a high possibility that they would stay up all night with their eyes open.

On the other hand, the Martial Alliance, which could decide the time of the surprise attack, allowed the martial artists to rest enough.

“The Beggars' Sect will take care of collecting the corpses, so let everyone rest enough.”

Conscious of the spies, the time of the surprise attack was secretly shared only with the leaders of the Martial Alliance.

Meanwhile, Ju Cheon, who had ordered a retreat in the first battle and had withdrawn, drank the water that Mu Yu had brought and moistened his throat.

“How long can we last with the supplies we have?”

“Three days is the maximum.”

Since they had not packed proper supplies in the first place, three days was the limit for the heretic martial world with the supplies they had.

Of course, martial artists could be active for a longer time than ordinary people without eating or drinking, but the story changes if that activity is war.

There was bound to be a difference between a martial artist who had taken enough rest and food and one who had not.

Especially in the case of a war, there was a high possibility that morale would drop.

“Alliance Leader.”

“Speak.”

Mu Yu lowered his body as much as he could and carefully opened his mouth as if he were walking on thin ice.

“I have served you, Alliance Leader, from the moment the Heretic Path's Alliance was born until now.”

“Yes, you have.”

“Yes. I can’t say for sure that there is no one in this Central Plains who knows you, Alliance Leader, more than I do. But this Mu Yu still does not have the skill to grasp your intentions, Alliance Leader. So will you give me a lesson?”

Although his tone was polite and every word was sincere, in the end, what Mu Yu wanted was Ju Cheon’s true heart.

Mu Yu, who had watched the first battle from a distance, also felt that the tide of the war was turning towards the righteous martial world.

Nevertheless, Mu Yu was not worried.

‘Because we have the Blood Demon.’

The Blood Demon, Ma Seongun.

He was close to a natural disaster.

A disaster itself that could not be stopped by human power.

Numerous deaths were created by Ma Seongun’s steps and hands.

This was the same for the righteous martial world.

Although it was known that an individual could not defeat a group, he was different.

‘If Ma Seongun had just caught the leaders of the righteous martial world, he could have completely turned the tide of the war.’

If he had killed the White Moon Divine Lord, Cheon Yusin, starting with the Golden Dragon Divine Sword who had stepped forward.

The winner of the Black and White War would have been the Heretic Path's Alliance.

But Ju Cheon had ordered a retreat, and Ma Seongun, who had promised to follow his three commands unconditionally, had no choice but to turn back.

‘I have to find out the reason.’

Mu Yu was questioning Ju Cheon, risking his life.

Why he had ordered a retreat.

And at his question, Ju Cheon answered with a smiling lip.

“To win.”

“To win… will you give a lesson to this insufficient Mu Yu.”

“Even if you are cut ten times in a fight with an enemy, if you can cut off his neck once… who is the winner?”

“Of course, it is the one who cut off the neck.”

“That’s right. From now on, the Martial Alliance will win meaningless victories. But they will not know that a blade is approaching their own necks.”

‘Does he mean he has a hidden card? Without me knowing?’

Mu Yu pondered what Ju Cheon’s hidden card was, even as he retreated.

And in the place that Mu Yu had left, a completely unexpected person appeared.

He was a man who had covered his head with a robe.

“Let him in.”

At Ju Cheon’s order, the man who had been blocked from the entrance walked up to Ju Cheon with an uneven stride.

“The trembling of your heart can be felt from your walk.”

“There was an unusual statement written in the letter I received.”

The man took off the robe he had been wearing, and Wiso’s face was revealed.

The Hao Sect Master had appeared in front of the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader.

“Truly excellent.”

As Ju Cheon showed a satisfied smile, Wiso also smiled awkwardly.

“I did not rise to this position just by luck.”

“Yes. It must be so.”

“I have one thing to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“How… did you get it.”

Wiso’s face still looked as if he couldn’t believe it.

Nevertheless, the reason Wiso had come here, risking danger, was because his opponent was Ju Cheon.

‘He is not a person who enjoys empty words. A person whose words carry weight.’

Wiso believed Ju Cheon, and so he stood in this place.

“It’s not important how I got it. What’s truly important is where I put it, and when I will use it.”

Since he was right, Wiso nodded his head like a machine.

“What is the reason you were looking for me?”

“I am giving you a chance.”

“A chance?”

“The ending I have drawn definitely needs a protagonist. And one of them is currently missing. Isn’t that right?”

Wiso could instinctively feel that one of the protagonists that Ju Cheon was talking about was Jin Sohyun.

From the Heretic Path's Alliance’s point of view, he should be an enemy that they should hope never appears.

Why was Ju Cheon looking for Jin Sohyun?

“What is the reason? Why do you want Jin Sohyun.”

“Then you, the Hao Sect Master, tell me. Who else can defeat Ma Seongun, who is now called the Blood Demon, surpassing the Blood-Sucking Sword Demon, and is revered like the Heavenly Demon of old?”

There was no one.

This was a question that had been tormenting Wiso since Jin Sohyun had disappeared.

‘There is no such person.’

The martial prowess and talent of Jin Sohyun, as he had experienced and judged, were unmatched by anyone in the Central Plains.

Was that why?

Wiso stared at Ju Cheon with a strange gaze.

‘Is the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader also afraid of Ma Seongun. But I can’t find any emotion in his eyes.’

No emotion could be found in his empty eyes.

As if he had read Wiso’s psychology, Ju Cheon laughed loudly and stood up from his seat.

Just by standing up, Wiso felt a great pressure.

It was so much that it was hard to breathe.

“Phew… phew…!”

In front of Wiso, who was holding his lungs, Ju Cheon said.

“Your job is to bring Jin Sohyun to this battlefield. You have only two chances left. If you go beyond that, I will no longer be able to hold back the Blood Demon.”

“…”

Wiso felt it.

That he had little time left.

‘Only two battles left!’

He had to find Jin Sohyun within that time.

***

Hwiing—!

Something that was neither a bird nor a beast fell below the dizzying cliff.

He was a young man.

A man who was falling with his long black hair flying.

If anyone had seen it, they would have felt pity, thinking that he was ending his own life, pessimistic about his own life.

But right at that moment.

“Heup!”

The man twisted his body and kicked the cliff with his two feet.

Tadat—!!

With the tremendous speed of the fall, the man’s two feet kicked the cliff and moved, and his appearance was like a dragon falling from the sky.

The man stepped on the cliff with his two feet, and just before he completely fell to the ground, he kicked the ground powerfully with his two feet.

Peong—!

The pieces of rock that had broken off from the cliff fell to the ground.

The man spun three times in the air and then landed on the ground.

If there had been someone who had watched that amazing feat, they would have taken out their pocket money and would have paid for watching the feat.

But this was a remote mountain where no one was.

Jin Sohyun, who had performed a feat that was close to divine, let out a short sigh and ran up the peak.

Jin Sohyun, who had run up the high peak, which was impossible for an ordinary person to even climb, in just a moment, sat cross-legged on the top of the Heavenly Torch Peak.

“Phew—!!”

Every time he inhaled and exhaled, the pure energy of the mountain swept through Jin Sohyun’s entire body.

And he expelled the turbid energy that had accumulated in his body through the pure energy of the mountain.

In Jin Sohyun’s body, which had not even contained a slight amount of turbid energy, a terrible turbid energy had accumulated due to the battles so far.

And now.

The pure energy was gathering in Jin Sohyun’s body and was expelling the turbid energy.

Sss—!

The turbid energy came out through Jin Sohyun’s pores.

Jin Sohyun, who had been going through that process for a long time, untangled his cross-legged posture and stood up.

“Kaak—!”

Jin Sohyun, who had spat out the black lump of turbid energy, lightly loosened the muscles of his body.

“I have to be faster.”

Once again.

Jin Sohyun, who was standing in front of the cliff of the Heavenly Torch Peak, looked down at the dizzying cliff.

At some point, Bieunggaek and Ma Seongun were standing side by side next to him.

The two performed the Shadowless Divine Step and ran ahead, and Jin Sohyun followed them.

“Faster.”

To walk faster than them.

Jin Sohyun fell below the Heavenly Torch Peak again.

(End of Chapter)