Baek Cheon sighed as he looked at Chung Myung coming back.

‘Well, he was always someone who couldn’t be controlled.’

Chung Myung was the most reckless human on Mount Hua. No one who had ever been an enemy of Mount Hua would deny that.

But he sometimes did things that were hard to understand. And this wasn’t something that only happened every day or two.

Chung Myung, who approached them, quickly relaxed his cold expression and shrugged his shoulders,

“Ahem! This is how you are supposed to handle these people, this!”

“…”

You don’t get to say that!

If I had done that, you would have viewed it differently.

Baek Cheon sighed and frowned,

“Still, isn’t this too cruel?”

“Uh?”

Scratching his cheek, Chung Myung glanced at the Red Snake Group, who were looking at Yeop Pyung. Opening his mouth,

“Sasuk, Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“Do you know what the least cruel thing to do is?”

“… don’t know.”

“To kill them.”

“…”

Baek Cheon went silent.

Chung Myung was speaking in a playful tone, but this was no joke. He wasn’t making this up.

“How is that any less cruel?”

“Is it crueler for one to die or two to die?”

“That… of course, two is crueler.”

“Then how many people do you think they will kill in the future?”

“…”

Baek Cheon had a stiff face.

He didn’t think of that.

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung, who was trying to better explain it, just shook his head.

This was not something that could be understood with words. Baek Cheon would also come to know, that these were people who harmed others for happiness. And Chung Myung was someone who couldn’t just let those who harmed and killed people walk away without a thought.

He sighed.

“Well, I am not going to say anything like that. You need to have a reasonable heart and hands to do the right work…”

And he looked at Baek Cheon with serious eyes,

“Hold warmth in your heart. But there is no need to have warmth in your sword.”

“…”

Hyun Young chimed in, trying to help,

“I have the same thoughts. If a Taoist doesn’t have kindness in their heart, how can they be called a Taoist? The good of Mount Hua isn’t just about acknowledging, but even cutting down evil.”

“Ah…”

“Even if people respected the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, do you think he got all that fame without slaughtering numerous evil and vicious people? It wasn’t because he lacked warmth and kindness or lack of thought for others. Isn’t this his reasoning? His way?”

“Yes!”

The instant Baek Cheon heard mention of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, his eyes shone.

But Chung Myung, who saw this, didn’t like it.

‘We said the same thing, so how are there two different reactions!!’

This was why people ended up using their swords to communicate ideas to the brain!

‘But….’

Haven’t I used my sword a little too much in one night?

‘It should be just once or twice a day.’

When did he say something better? Chung Myung was thinking about when he should speak up, when Baek Cheon said,

“You are talking about the punishment of that Black Moon Gate, which was notorious in Luoyang.”

“Right. Even though he wasn’t a person who killed easily, he never forgives those who harass people! Do you think he hesitated and second-guessed himself on the days he saw the hordes of bandits and the like trying to plunder the civilians?”

One of the few things handed down Mount Hua. The incident in Luoyang was a legend-like story. So if one was a disciple of Mount Hua, they were bound to know it.

But…

‘T-that!’

Chung Myung had an awkward expression.

-You bastards! Can’t you see people drinking here!

Uh…

That?

Uh…

Chung Myung tried to erase the memory which was coming to mind.

‘Right. That was the result of that.’

Let’s forget about it.

Come on, forget it.

“And…”

Hyun Young frowned as he moved back to the topic at hand.

“It would be better for Mount Hua to be a path where there are ways to not see pain or death caused by our hands.”

At these words, the disciples turned to Hyun Young.

Of course, they knew that Hyun Young was the most realistic and logical of the elders, so they didn’t expect such names to come out.

“So, even if the same things happen in the future, I would hope for your hands to be clean.”

“Yes, Elder!”

The answer came as a roar, but not everyone had gathered their thoughts. Yet, either way, Chung Myung wasn’t going to force violence onto them.

Anyone living in Kangho would have to think about it. A person with a sword cannot avoid killing or death all their life.

Chung Myung wouldn’t say that whatever they thought was wrong. But he knew they had their own values like he had his, and Chung Myung didn’t always need to have the absolute best ideology.

Just…

“Try thinking a bit more.”

“…”

“I mean, so you won’t regret it.”

Everyone quietly nodded at Chung Myung’s words.

“…”

From the surprised entrance of Mount Hua, to the defeat of their opponents, Nam Ja-Myung watched all of this while feeling complex emotions running within him.

‘Even the Red Snake Blade was defeated?’

Dozens of sub-sects had abandoned their places and didn’t dare to fight. And among those who stayed, didn’t they just want to live?

But, that enemy, Yeop Pyung, wasn’t defeated by Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon but by the Righteous Sword of Mount Hua, Baek Cheon.

‘When did Mount Hua become this strong?’

At the very least, he had to be a little good.

Yet he had defeated Yeop Pyung; how could people call him second to Chung Myung?

Nam Ja-Myung’s eyes turned around and noticed Yeop Pyung fallen and the members retrieving their captain.

And…

‘Ah…’

Those who had sensed how odd and unexpected this situation was, began to poke their heads out through their doorways.

Nam Ja-Myung’s face turned stiff.

Until a while back, he was too concerned with driving the men out, but with that being resolved, there was more to worry about now.

“D-did it end?”

“… T-they are still there?”

“Look. It looks like their head has fallen?”

“Well, then, did the disciples of Mount Hua do all of this?”

Nam Ja-Myung was now flustered as he heard these words.

So far, it had just been sticking their heads out, but now a few had courageously walked out.

“That… Disciple. Can we come out?”

When someone asked, the disciples of Mount Hua nodded their heads calmly.

“Yes, that is totally fine, but do not get too close to them. We don’t know what they will do, so be careful until they are all out of Xi’an.”

“T-thank you!”

Everyone who heard that felt sure that it was Mount Hua who had defeated the Forces of Evil.

And as if it to prove that, the Red Snake troops lifted their captain and the dead members and began to leave without even a growl back at the people.

“How dare they walk away so leisurely! Fuckin bastards! They need to have their bones broken and crawl from here! Cut them off!”

When Chung Myung yelled, the troops who were leaving felt so scared that they began to run from them.

“They are defeated!”

“W-We lived! We lived!”

“Those petty bastards are leaving!”

When the situation was taken as a signal of their win, doors opened up, and the people of Xi’an began to flock in like clouds.

They pointed and cursed at the backs of the fleeing people.

“T-that! Those bastards who wouldn’t have stepped in if Southern Edge hadn’t closed its’ gates!”

“Right!”

“Damn it! Why speak of Southern Edge right now?”

“Uh?”

Some groaned, and some screamed.

“Did Southern Edge close its gates, or did the sub-sects close their gates? Where are the sub-sects of Southern Edge when it was time to protect us?”

“Right!”

“Damn it, just how much have I paid them all these years!”

“Does it make sense to run away without even informing us of this? They are still referred to as the Forces of Justice! They should have done something!”

Anger from all sides.

The reason people wanted to learn martial arts was to protect themselves. And the reason why the martial sects were placed where they were, was to support the people, protect them, and teach them how to protect themselves when the time came.

However, Southern Edge’s sub-sects had run away as soon as danger came close. Who were they supposed to trust when the sub-sect they trusted all this long had abandoned them? Who to turn to when the ones they trusted had abandoned them?

The angry people were like a fire.

“If the main sect didn’t close its gates…”

“Don’t speak shit! Why would the sub-sects act like this if the main sect hadn’t taught them that? They are like this because they are how Southern Edge made them!”

“…”

“Of course, this wouldn’t have happened if Southern Edge hadn’t closed its gates. But where is the guarantee that the next time a bigger and stronger enemy comes that Southern Edge will not abandon Xi’an and run away?”

“… isn’t that too much?”

“It is said that one can tell about the parents by taking a look at their children! I can tell what kind of place the one on top is by looking at the lowers ones. And I am quite disappointed with all of them due to this!”

Many agreed with this. There weren’t many people who openly expressed their hate as they still felt shackled to Southern Edge’s influence, but a clear distrust had begun to grow within them.

“On the other hand, what about Mount Hua? Didn’t they risk their lives to protect us despite just entering Xi’an?”

“… that is because Southern Edge is closed now?”

“Stop with that nonsense! Even if they hadn’t shut their doors, if it were Southern Edge, would they have tried to fight in this situation, where only second-class and third-class disciples were sent? I didn’t believe it when I heard southern edge’s disciples were being pushed back by Mount Hua, but now I guess I have to?”

On the other hand, stares poured in on Mount Hua.

Why wouldn’t they?

The disciples of Mount Hua were very young in terms of age. Those much younger than the ones sent from the Forces of Evil had moved to protect Xi’an.

If they hadn’t rejected their sub-sect here, then maybe they wouldn’t have felt this grateful. But everyone who came here knew the truth. They had turned their backs on Mount Hua.

Yet these kids risked their lives for them.

“They told us not to be involved with Mount Hua, and they did all sorts of evil things to get that done! And when it came to face the danger, they put their tail between their legs and ran! Is this what any human would do?”

There was a mixture of goodwill toward Mount Hua and hostility to the middle-aged man. Nam Ja-Myung closed his eyes at this.

‘I am finished.’

Power wasn’t everything. It was only useful when people believed that the power was being used in the right direction.

As long as things turned out like this, the words of distrust around Southern Edge would cross over Xi’an.

From the people’s point of view, the ones they paid would never look after them.

‘These fucking assholes. This is why I stopped them! How do I show my face to Sect Leader now?’

Now knowing he couldn’t control their actions, Nam Ja-Myun sighed.

Most of them were busy showing anger against Southern Edge, but some of them were already approaching Mount Hua to express their gratitude.

“Thank you. Thank you very much. We all lived thanks to you.”

“Eh. You don’t have to say that.”

Chung Myung answered firmly, sticking his stomach out.

“Gratitude is given when there are things to be grateful for. What are you grateful for between us? If we open a sub-sect here, then even if we have to die, we must look after the people of Xi’an! If we live, we must live along with the people of Xi’an! It is embarrassing to accept gratitude for something that is only natural!”

Hearing his words, even the disciples of Mount Hua, were shocked.

‘Did he oil up his mouth?’

‘Wow, he is totally going to kill Southern Edge’s sub-sects today.’

‘It is better to step on others than to be praised. More refreshing. As expected of Chung Myung. I respect him.’

“Mount Hua! As expected of Mount Hua! It is said that the name of Mount Hua is always heard around the world, and I know why!”

“Still, thank you so much. If we survived, then it is only because of Mount Hua. How many people would have died if not for you!”

“I just don’t know how to show my gratitude.”

Chung Myung tried to keep a firm face until a smile finally broke through…

“Hehe. It wasn’t like we did something good.”

“No, no! It was amazing what you did!”

“Cheers! Cheers for Mount Hua!”

Chung Myung’s lips, which continued to hear praises and requests for handshakes, began to tilt up.

“Hehehe!”

“Young Disciples! Thank you so much!”

“Blessings upon Mount Hua!”

The sound of cheers and laughter began to resound in Xi’an.

Maybe it was loud enough for even Southern Edge, high up on their mountain, to hear.