“Hahaha. Did you see their expressions?”

“I did. I saw them. I have eyes. How could I not see that? Even a ten-year-old would be able to understand that.”

“Hahaha! Right. Right!”

At the Righteous Gate, located to the north of Xi’an, there were roars of laughter.

“Those Mount Hua bastards couldn’t shut their mouths!”

Some of the members from a couple of Southern Edge sub-sects had gone to corner Mount Hua and Huayoung Gate but were now just partying.

“Right!”

Jo Hobang, the Gate Leader, grinned and shouted,

“What do they think Xi’an is? It is a place where those Mount Hua fools cannot set foot in.”

“Yes, you are right. We need to show them that!”

The others all applauded and agreed.

“If Southern Edge hadn’t closed its gates, would Mount Hua or anyone else set foot in Xi’an? It seems like a swarm of wolves has sneakily entered in hopes of finding some scraps, but that is impossible as long as we are still here!”

“Now they must know that this is Xi’an!”

Their voices were all delighted.

Although they respected each other, calling each other master, they had their own sub-sects to look after. So how could they let someone else casually enter?

Moreover, now that everyone had teamed up to drive away the enemy, it was inevitable that they felt closer.

“But why did the Gate Leader leave so early?”

“I think it is because of the closed gate thing.”

“Hmm.”

Jo Hobang nodded his head; the event of the gates closing was something the sub-sects were even consulted about.

“Did they have to do that?”

It wasn’t easy for a large sect like Southern Edge to close its gates. No matter how great their intent was to pursue their martial arts and take them a step higher, there was no way one would easily decide to stay away from the world.

“If they do so for one year, the damage will be huge, so why did they make such an extreme choice?”

“Well, how can people like us know their will? We just need to believe and follow them.”

“Hmm.”

As Jo Hobang sighed, Yu Hae-Sang, another Gate Leader, smiled and poured him some alcohol.

“The tougher such times are, the stronger we need to be. How happy will they be when they realize we firmly defended our Xi’an when they opened their Gate?”

“Yes. Right.”

Jo Hobang felt at ease and nodded his head as he drank once again.

Ak!

He put his glass down firmly as he said,

“Then, be it Huayoung Gate or someone else, we need to drive them out.”

“Of course. But will that be easy? Mount Hua is supporting them. Even if they are just disciples, it wouldn’t be too difficult if Huayoung Gate decides to stick for a year with them.”

“Huhu. Those are the words of someone who doesn’t know things.”

“Uh?”

“Doesn’t Mount Hua have pride and honor to protect? As time goes by, rumors will spread that Mount Hua has opened a branch in Xi’an but has to let their own disciples in. How can they handle that?”

“Ahh. You are right.”

“I am telling you. It is a month at most. If we continue to push them for a month, they will have to run from Xi’an in no time. Hahahah!”

Jo Hobang laughed out loud and so did the others gathered there.

At that time…

Kwaang!

“What!”

“Who is that!”

Everyone who was enjoying their drinks got up.

Well, they were gate leaders, so they quickly understood the situation and looked right toward the gate.

“T-this?”

Everyone was shocked.

Even so, the front gate which had been in good condition a second ago, was now shattered.

“Huayoung Gate?”

Someone called the gate name. Well, needless to say, it was only Mount Hua or Huayoung Gate which could do such things to them.

“N-No! Over there.”

However, after seeing the people entering the Gate, the leaders all realized they were wrong.

Of course, it was true that Mount Hua’s people had a weird up-and-down character, which was questionable, but these people had an entirely different character.

It was edgy and chaotic.

A kind of feeling they wouldn’t casually experience.

“Who are you?”

Jo Hobang shouted. But despite hearing his angry shout no one answered.

Instead…

Thud!

The signboard split in half, and it was thrown forward.

“…”

Jo Hobang was angered by this.

A signboard was an object which symbolized the sect, and he knew what it meant for one to cut it down and throw it.

“How dare you do that after knowing what this place is!”

Jo Hobang shouted using qi.

Although there was an intention to intimidate his opponent, it was rather to let the disciples around him know how serious this situation was.

And maybe it worked, seeing how the disciples that were inside made their way out.

“Gate Leader!”

“Who is that!”

And at once, with sharp shouts, they drew their swords.

Righteous Sect, which had been silent till now, was currently raging with anxiousness.

But then…

“Tch tch.”

Breaking the tense air, a man slowly walked out.

“Man, I don’t know why, but all you sects speak the same way.”

The men surrounding had let their giggles leak out.

“I think I heard this a few hundred times in my life. Just what are these bastards made of?”

“Right. If someone breaks in through your gate, you should know they have a clear purpose. All you have to do is draw your blade and fight.”

Yeop Pyung smiled as he stepped forward,

“You are all going to be smashed.”

“You…?”

“… Gate Leader…”

At that moment, a groan came from the mouth of Yu Hae-Sang, who was next to Jo Hobang,

“Y-Yeop Pyung!”

“… what did you say?”

“R-Red Snake Blade Yeop Pyung!”

Jo Hobang’s eyes widened as if they had been torn apart when he recognized who his opponent was.

“The Red Snake Group of the Thousand People Clan?”

“Yes, it seems like that.”

He looked at the man with stiff eyes.

Why did such a clan even appear in the lands of Xi’an and attack them?

‘This is bad.’

The Thousand Peoples Clan was something that even Southern Edge itself would have a hard time fighting against, how could a sub-sect win over them?

If it was this group that was known to have the opponents with the most skills, then Righteous Gate could not fight them.

Jo Hobang broke into a cold sweat.

“W-what is your clan doing here?”

Hearing that, Yeop Pyung chuckled.

“Did you think we are here to say hello? Fucking rat trying to use your head.”

Jo Hobang bit his lip at those words.

Of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t know why they were here. The fact that Xi’an was a city that everyone wanted was known to all.

However, no one had ever set foot into Xi’an because of the name Southern Edge had brought to it.

‘We should have thought of this possibility!’

Now that the wall which protected the city had closed its gates, any enemy could come to invade them. Originally, the sub-sects were prepared for such things.

But…

‘All because of those Mount Hua bastards!’

They were all distracted due to the Huayoung Gate and forgot about their real enemy.

Jo Hobang’s eyes darkened.

“What do you think you are doing? Can you handle us!”

“I don’t think you should worry about that.”

“If their gates open, you know you will not be safe, right?”

At his words, Yeop Pyung giggled,

“Bang Seung.”

“Yes, Captain!”

“After all, these people are like this. I didn’t know they cared so much about their enemies. Are they all Buddhas or something?”

“They should be worried about themselves.”

“I know.”

Yeop Pyung smiled like this was funny.

“What are you doing? If I keep hearing this nonsense, I will sleep.”

The enemy troops who watched them had pulled their blades out at the same time.

Chang!

The sound of footsteps getting close could be heard at once, and this made their hearts pound.

“Oh!”

Yeop Pyung, who looked at the scene of people watching him with blank faces, said.

“Do not kill them. If you kill them today, tomorrow will be annoying. A lot of people will die for nothing.”

“Can we cut off their limbs?”

“Just break them if possible. Minimize the possibility of them moving, so they fall.”

“Yes!”

“Kill them!”

“Uh?”

The enemy troops rushed ahead at once but then stopped and looked back at Yeop Pyung.

“…. Ah, it turned into a habit. Smash them!”

“Yess!”

They put on fishy smiles as they began to rush again.

“Y-You people!”

“Gate Leader! We need to avoid this for now!”

While Jo Hobang was panicking, not knowing what to do, the enemy troops began to wipe his people out in an instant.

“Ackkkk!”

“Ackkkkk! My hand!”

This was no equal fight at all.

Even if they did call themselves a sub-sect of Southern Edge, they were not equal to the disciples of Southern Edge. It wasn’t like they were people who knew how to deal with trained warriors.

And on top of that, they were all drinking a while back, and now they were expected to run and fight?

“I-Ignorant bastards!”

“Do we chase them?”

“Leave those who run away.”

Yeop Pyung glanced at those running away.

“As long as they don’t leave Xi’an, they cannot run away.”

And looked at the situation, he frowned.

“But we still cannot kill them?”

“Definitely not.”

“Well… if we are only going to beat them, what are we fighting for?”

“This is Xi’an, when people die in large numbers, this place turns into a graveyard.”

“… what is so scary about turning into a graveyard?”

“Think about it. If we don’t kill them, then we can continue to roam around Xi’an. And their eyes would tremble each time they saw us.”

“Hmm. That isn’t so bad.”

Yeop Pyung nodded his head and looked at the Southern Edge mountain in the distance.

‘Those bastards closed their gate?’

The reason why they did that was unknown, but well, that would be the worst choice they had made.

When Southern Edge unlocked its doors, there would be no people left in Xi’an who could call themselves a Southern Edge sub-sect.

“Y-You people… aren’t afraid of the aftermath?”

Jo Hobang, who was losing his mind, yelled as he was shivering.

Yeop Pyung smiled as if this looked funny to him.

“You are really a kind one. Even now, you are worried about what will happen to us.”

“S-Southern Edge! They will never forgive you.”

“Huhu… Bang Seung.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t I say it was fine to break a limb?”

“You want me to?”

“Hm!”

He hurriedly walked to Jo Hobang.

“Do you know what I hate the most? It is a fox acting kind.”

And he finally revealed it.

Pulling out his sword in an instant, he smashed the man with the back of his sword.

Kwaang!

Jo Hobang rolled on the ground from the pain. As he fell down unconscious, Yeop Pyung clicked his tongue.

“You cannot even take one hit and you are talking to us?”

He glanced at his men taking the lead.

“Hurry up! We have two more places to go!”

“Yes!”

A sly smile appeared on his lips.

‘I will destroy Xi’an completely in three days!’

At that time…

“… they weren’t kidding.”

“Oh my, this is…”

The disciples of Mount Hua were watching this situation from the roof of a distant building and frowned.

Baek Cheon stood up and began to stretch his body.

“Aren’t we supposed to help?”

“… but there is no blood being spilled.”

“Still, those people are attacking…”

Baek Cheon and the rest of the disciples glanced at one side with anxiety.

Kulkulkul.

“Kuaaaaa!”

“…”

“Alcohol tastes best! As I thought, watching a fight makes it taste sweet! Heheheh!”

‘Oh, heavens.’

Why did they call this bastard a Taoist?

Well, this was a mistake they had to rectify.

Everyone shook their heads, watching Chung Myung drink.

“Chung Myung.”

“Uh?”

“Can we really leave it like this?”

“If not?”

“… no, we can, but our opponents are from the Forces of Evil…”

“Who said to leave them alone?”

“Uh?”

Chung Myung took another sip and frowned.

“I’ve never let a man of that group live till now, they will not be walking out.”

“Then we should go…”

“Ah, but.”

“Uh?”

At Baek Cheon’s question, Chung Myung spoke,

“Oh My. I overdid myself. My back hurts. So let’s take it slow.”

“….”

“Hehehee.”

Chung Myung smiled, looking at the sky.

“This is the time! Admiral Yi Dok!”

Right? My sahyung?

-You rotten moron! A taoist…

What?

I don’t hear the dead’s words?

Ehehehehe…