As I stepped outside, it was snowing heavily.
Before long, I was spotted by the Jeokgwi members on the watchtower and was promptly escorted to Kang Chumo-ru’s tent.
After catching up with Kang Chumo-ru, we were shocked by the current information we received.
I thought we had been inside for at least two years, but it turned out we had only been there for six months. No matter how much the formation was designed to obscure the passage of time, there’s no way it felt this different, so the hypothesis that time flowed differently inside the formation must be correct.
“Phew.”
I let out a sigh of relief at the realization that we hadn’t been completely disconnected from the Martial World for too long, and at the same time, I was worried about the future task of mastering formation techniques.
How many years would it take to not only master this formation but improve it? It’s clear I need to master the technique, which feels like I’ve mortgaged my future while living in the present.
“What has changed in the situation while we were inside the formation?”
Jeong Cheol certainly hadn’t been idle for those six months, so there must have been some schemes. The Martial World must have changed considerably as well.
Kang Chumo-ru rubbed his neck with a troubled expression.
“Hmm, a lot has happened in the last six months.”
Kang Chumo-ru began with the story about Odokmun. Due to Odokmun forcibly occupying Jungyunsan, the pressure didn’t go as planned.
Their pretense was crumbling, and the Jeokgwi members that needed to investigate had to defend Jungyunsan.
From Kang Chumo-ru’s perspective, it made sense that the safety of Princess Hyeok Gi-rin would take priority over the initial plan.
“Since the instructor entered the formation, we’ve firmly grasped the weaknesses.”
Then strange rumors began to spread throughout the world.
It was said that the Sacheon sects were colluding with the Imperial Family to pressure Sadoryeon.
The Imperial Army intervened and forced Sokryeong Sect to withdraw from Sadoryeon while shaking up the territory of the Dark Dragon Sect to deal a blow to Odokmun.
While the true intentions of the Imperial Army were dubious, it seemed this would just end as a passing suspicion because of the significant actions of the Jeokgwi that occupied Odokmun’s territory and established their base.
While it was conceivable for the Imperial Army to be cracking down on drugs, they occupied a place in Odokmun’s territory under the pretext of a drug crackdown and were guarding it, which was highly suspicious.
People were curious as to why Jeokgwi was taking such ambiguous actions while keeping a strong guard over Jungyunsan.
As a result, a rumor began to circulate.
It was said that in the recently occupied Jungyunsan, there was a secret drug stash created by Odokmun, and the Imperial Army was using that drug as leverage to demand a withdrawal from Sadoryeon.
Unable to openly reveal that the princess was inside the formation, the Jeokgwi had no choice but to provide some excuse.
Consequently, the rumor of the collusion between the Sacheon Martial World and the Imperial Family gained traction.
Given the prevalent recognition that Sacheon Martial World was close to the government, it made sense.
The bandit eradication efforts conducted in Sacheon were well-known, as many people became aware of the process involving the collaboration between the government and martial artists. The Tang Clan responded to Samayeom’s request and ensured the martial artists’ reputation was officially guaranteed through Samayeom’s actions.
For martial artists in other regions who maintained a somewhat uncomfortable relationship with the government, the relationship between Sacheon and the Imperial Family must have seemed extremely intimate.
Amidst this controversy, Sadoryeon announced shocking news.
Poisoning!
The leader of Sadoryeon, Jeong Cheol, had been poisoned and was in critical condition!
This news created a stir in the Martial World like a disturbed beehive. Sadoryeon only announced that Jeong Cheol had been poisoned, but everyone assumed the culprit belonged to a certain clan.
The Tang Clan!
The resentment the Tang Clan harbored toward Jeong Cheol needed no elaborate explanation. His hands had destroyed their hometown, and they lost all their accumulated poisons.
“What nonsense.”
Kang Chumo-ru nodded at Tang Do-yeon’s icy voice.
“Yeah, I think so too. However… there were also those who thought differently.”
Kang Chumo-ru was cautious, surveying Tang Do-yeon and Tang So-yeol’s expressions, but it was likely that the general consensus was that someone from the Tang Clan had poisoned Jeong Cheol.
It was quite persuasive.
What clan wouldn’t repay their debt of resentment tenfold?
Considering the enmity between the Tang Clan and Jeong Cheol, it wouldn’t be strange if some member of the Tang Clan poisoned him.
Regardless of the truth, Sadoryeon announced Jeong Cheol had been poisoned and that they were on the verge of collapse.
Sokryeong Sect withdrew, Odokmun was hit hard, and the Dark Dragon Sect was hands-off due to internal issues. In such a scenario, the collapse of Sadoryeon was a natural course of events.
The real problem started from there.
[They turned the honor of having learned the martial arts from my master and having stolen this technique into the disgrace of a villainous act!]
[I have spent a long time carving my skills and gathering comrades in order to exact revenge, but I fell short! Those self-proclaimed righteous factions slandered in public, revealing their true colors and utilizing the government’s power to impede my great cause, and on top of that, I was poisoned and have fallen into a near-death state!]
[Instead of achieving revenge, I fell prey to another poison and was left wondering whether I could truly recover!]
[Thus, I earnestly ask for help from the heroes of the world!]
[Please punish those hypocrites who dare to disrupt the longstanding principle of inviolability of the government on my behalf!]
Listening to Kang Chumo-ru, I let out a long sigh.
In the end, predictably, while I was focused on training, Jeong Cheol had made his move.
He leveraged the fact that my companions and I attacked Sadoryeon against us.
The repercussions created by this justification must be immense.
Until now, the justification that Sadoryeon and Jeong Cheol had presented ultimately was personal revenge.
While it had various descriptors attached, the revenge of Jeong Cheol was the justification Sadoryeon operated under, and it was the reason why the invading forces had been nothing more than outcast bandits.
Since as long as one wasn’t affiliated with Sadoryeon, there were limits to using Jeong Cheol’s justification for revenge.
However, now that Jeong Cheol had gone missing and Sadoryeon declared its disbandment, the declaration was justifiable for any bandit.
Rising to punish the Sacheon Righteous Faction for breaking longstanding taboos for their own gain would be something no one could stop.
Even if later it was revealed that Jeong Cheol’s claims were all false, the bandits using this as justification could merely claim to have been deceived and pose as victims.
“It seems Sacheon is in quite an uproar.”
Just like the appearance of the One Piece opened the age of piracy, Jeong Cheol’s disappearance and declaration ignited the age of grand invasion in Sacheon among the bandits.
“It’s said that clashes between the outcasts and righteous factions are intensifying.”
The situation had reversed.
Before entering the formation, I had been secretly attacking Sadoryeon, but now Jeong Cheol concealed his identity while attacking Sacheon.
“Hmm…”
Jeong Cheol’s intentions were clear.
Buying time.
The bands of outcasts lured in by the declaration could only deliver minor blows to Sacheon. If Sacheon were to fall with just that, it would have crumbled long ago.
What was Jeong Cheol planning to do with this time he bought?
“Senior, what should we do?”
Lost in thought about Jeong Cheol’s intentions, I was snapped back to reality by Hyeok Gi-rin’s words. After looking over my companions, I finally spoke up.
“Let’s go back to Sacheon.”
I was arrogant.
When a storm is brewing and there’s something you want to protect, how should you act?
Building a sturdy fortress and preparing a safe refuge is the best, right?
But I thought I had to eliminate the storm.
I wanted to put on a show of someone stepping up to crush the calamity, and I mistakenly thought I had the capability to handle such a scene.
So I established a futile plan of dealing with Jeong Cheol alone while tagging along some sort of justification for not creating a chain of Inwon between Sacheon and Yunnan.
I genuinely wanted to protect Sacheon, and I wished well for the outcasts, but those actions were not genuine at all.
While thinking I’d protect both Sacheon and the Sacheon outcasts, I hadn’t even built a single barrier or refuge for them. What on earth was I doing?
“Let’s go back and stop the bandits first.”
Jeong Cheol surely wanted me to return to Sacheon. He might have set a trap somewhere in Sacheon or perhaps simply wanted to waste my time.
But still, I would return to Sacheon.
No matter the cost, I couldn’t just leave the things I needed to protect unattended.
“Shall we leave immediately?”
“Yes, we’ll leave right away.”
At the declaration to return to Sacheon, smiles appeared on everyone’s faces. As I saw the sincere smiles of my companions, I realized once again.
They were following me because they wanted to protect Sacheon. While I had been recklessly rampaging, I had been receiving the kindness of these people.
A wave of shame washed over me, but I quickly shook my head to rid myself of it.
From now on, I would pay back every last bit, with interest.
“Let’s move out!”
As I felt the vibrations from the Bicheongmacha starting, I thought of all the debts I owed: not only to my companions but also to my future self.
Casting off my arrogance, I had become a complete debtor.
Yet, somehow, a smile crept onto my face. It felt like I was finally finding the right path.
While contemplating such thoughts and nodding my head, Tang Do-yeon’s voice reached my ears.
“Speaking of which, we no longer need to hide, do we?”
…Ah.
It seemed my instincts were not reliable after all.
Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!
“Then we can run at full speed!”
“…Tang Do-yeon? Just to clarify…”
Hyeok Gi-rin tried to make a half-hearted protest, but the only response was Tang Do-yeon’s excited laughter.
“Hahaha! No need to worry! The Bicheongmacha is in perfect condition! And I, Tang Do-yeon, am at my prime! We will swiftly take you to Sacheon!”
It was too late for that.
I hurriedly gazed out the window at the rapidly retreating scenery while silently gripping the handle. My companions also gripped their handles with pale faces.
Was this process of settling my debts?
It didn’t seem like it, but I decided to think of it that way.
Thunderous galloping up the hillside resonated through my entire body.
I hoped the Peak Stage I had cultivated would prove helpful.
Boom!
“AHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
