The White-Robed Scholar was a man entirely without mercy. We were ruthless too, but compared to him, he fought like someone devoid of emotion altogether. Honestly, the Four Villains alone could've massacred them, but once the White-Robed Scholar joined in, corpses of the Black-Clad Ones began piling up one by one.

It felt like watching a go board with red stones laid across it.

As soon as we joined forces, the White-Robed Scholar and I slaughtered all the Black-Clad Ones and even the surviving ghosts before taking a moment to rest.

Under the suddenly brilliant moonlight, our expressions were perfectly visible.

After checking the condition of the Four Villains, I asked the White-Robed Scholar,

“If your faction, along with the Baekdo, Haomun, and even the Beggars’ Sect were to unite at full strength, could we destroy the Demonic Cult?”

The White-Robed Scholar folded his arms and looked down at me as I sat on a corpse.

“Why should we make such a sacrifice?”

“You call that a sacrifice, joining forces?”

The White-Robed Scholar glanced around at the Four Villains and replied,

“Even if we unite, half our forces will die. That includes us.”

I nodded.

“That’s true. Originally, I thought to just watch the Baekdo and the Demonic Cult destroy each other and reap the spoils, but a full-scale war doesn’t really suit you. Doesn’t fit your temperament. You don’t want to sacrifice anything, and scheming wouldn’t be nearly as fun.”

The White-Robed Scholar nodded.

“A precise assessment.”

“Still, would you agree that the Demonic Cult is the strongest individual faction?”

The White-Robed Scholar walked over to a twitching ghost and stomped on its back. With a crack, the sound of bones snapping overlapped the dull thud.

He answered,

“Most likely.”

“Then make sure your people are the last to die. A man should live according to his desires. If we and the Demonic Cult wipe each other out someday, you step forward to clean up the aftermath. Install your own man as the Martial Alliance Leader. Take care of Haomun, too.”

The White-Robed Scholar looked at me.

“You really are insane. You’d attack the Demonic Cult first?”

Looking around at the corpses, I replied,

“Eventually, I have to. I can’t live like this. It’s as if they’re toying with me—eating away at my daily life bit by bit. Sending assassins so I can’t rest for even a single day. They’re trying to exhaust me to death. Either way, my eldest brother knows where the Demonic Cult is. Once we gather enough manpower, there’s no reason we can’t launch a preemptive strike. Besides, they already attacked a civilian village. That alone gives the Baekdo a solid justification.”

The White-Robed Scholar turned to look at the Sword Demon.

“Do you think we have a chance? The Lord of Haomun is suggesting a preemptive strike against one of the Three Calamities. What’s your view?”

The Sword Demon replied,

“If this is resolved through war, too many people will die. If the Cult Leader truly seeks to be the greatest under heaven, he can be drawn out without a war. If we strike first, the cultists will unite and declare a holy war.”

I hadn’t expected such a response from my eldest brother, but I listened seriously.

“Hm.”

“If a holy war breaks out, each cultist will try to take one martial artist with them to the grave. That’s best-case scenario. Most sects would be wiped out. And as things stand, Alliance Leader Im can’t yet defeat the Cult Leader. That would mean the Martial Alliance gets annihilated too. I can’t support an all-out war.”

I looked at the Sword Demon.

“Then what do you propose?”

“Drawing out the Cult Leader for a direct confrontation and resolving it without all-out war would lead to similar results. In that case, resolving it through Jianghu’s traditional method—with fewer deaths—is best. Since the Demonic Way is founded on survival of the fittest, the Cult Leader likely won’t refuse.”

I looked around at the Four Villains and the White-Robed Scholar.

“So until then, I just have to keep getting harassed by the Cult Leader’s underlings? Life’s too miserable.”

The Sword Demon said,

“That’s why you’ve been given a limited window of time. Even the Cult Leader isn’t sure he can defeat two of the Three Calamities at once. That uncertainty is what’s preserving peace in Jianghu for now. Of course, with the three of us traveling together, peace doesn’t really apply.”

They all looked at me.

“......”

The Lecher spoke with a pale face.

“You’re not the only one suffering. I feel like I’m about to die too.”

Suddenly, I got up and approached the Drunk. Blood dripped from his head, chest, and arms. The Lecher was in a similar state. He must have overexerted himself using a forbidden technique—his complexion was paler than I’d ever seen it.

The Sword Demon, at least, was uninjured—he just looked exhausted.

I sat near the Four Villains and looked at the White-Robed Scholar.

It felt like a turning point in life.

After a few moments of thought, I spoke on instinct.

“...White-Robed. Then come with us to Manjang Gorge.”

“Why Manjang Gorge?”

“There’s an elixir at the very bottom.”

The Four Villains glanced at me with surprise, but I ignored their looks. The moment the words left my mouth, another thought swirled in my mind.

At the very bottom... is Haomun.

That didn’t suit the moment, so I didn’t say it aloud.

The White-Robed Scholar tilted his head.

“Elixir? At the bottom of Manjang Gorge? If there’s an elixir, why don’t you just hog it yourselves? Why bring me?”

I replied in a flat tone.

“There’s a lot. But it’s not something you can bring back up. You have to consume it on the spot. So let’s descend together. Later, you can bring your scholars and take your share. I’ll share what I know with your faction. If you run into trouble, I’ll come help.”

It was a strange thought, but...

The only people who can stand against the Cult Leader might be true heroes.

If you start with conditions, reasons, justifications, and profits—you’ll never pull off something great. That thought dominated my mind. Even if it felt a bit hypocritical, this was the only way to stand against the Cult Leader.

The White-Robed Scholar asked,

“Is it really that great of an elixir?”

“If it can suppress the cold of Moonlight Cold Heart Technique, then yes, it’s great.”

“You’re not setting a trap, are you?”

I chuckled.

“A trap? You’re not afraid of the four of us anyway. Besides, not many in Jianghu can descend into Manjang Gorge. You need strength to go down—and strength to come back up. It’s not a place anyone can just stroll into.”

The White-Robed Scholar thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Let’s go.”

With that, I’d secured a powerful escort for our journey to Manjang Gorge—for free. Ghosts and Demonic Cult members could pop up at any time, so an escort was essential.

Where in the world could you get an escort of this caliber for free?

Besides, the fish we’d eat down there were nameless ones swimming in the lake, so there was no need {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} to be stingy with our “escort fee.” If the White-Robed Scholar grew stronger from the elixir, that wasn’t my concern. When you receive help, you return the favor—that’s the code among comrades.

Brushing dust off my backside, I said,

“Let’s go.”

I pulled the Drunk to his feet and kicked the Lecher in the butt.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I looked at the Sword Demon.

“Eldest Brother.”

The weary Sword Demon pushed himself up using the Bright Sword.

“Let’s go.”

***

The Black-Clad Person looked around the abandoned shrine and asked,

“What is this place?”

The man called Blood Demon by the White-Robed Scholar—Gwangmyeong Usa (Right Guardian) —answered,

“A temporary hideout. We’ll wait here for our scouts and any survivors before we move. By the way, you took a hit from my internal force—already recovered?”

The Black-Clad Person looked at Gwangmyeong Usa.

“Yes.”

“As expected of the disciple those ghosts poured everything into. And Baekya and Palnoya?”

“They died right before I arrived.”

Gwangmyeong Usa folded his hands behind his back and said,

“By whom? They weren’t ones to die easily.”

“They were killed by the Lord of Haomun.” 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“He’s capable of that?”

“Yes.”

“Strange. How?”

The Black-Clad Person brushed cobwebs from a chair in the main hall and replied,

“He bound them with Moonlight Cold Heart Technique. Other ghosts attacked, but the cold blocked all damage. Anyone watching would’ve thought they all died together.”

“And then?”

“The Lord of Haomun was the first to break free from the ice, and as soon as he did, he decapitated both elders in a single strike. That’s when I joined. Everyone followed the plan to stay hidden until the very end.”

Gwangmyeong Usa turned his back and looked up at the statue before him.

“Those two ghosts survived fights against the Sword God. The Lord of Haomun should be far beneath that level. What a foolish way to fight. Why follow him somewhere so isolated?”

“It was Elder Baekya’s decision. He seemed reluctant to involve the Martial Alliance.”

The Black-Clad Person stared at Gwangmyeong Usa’s back and said,

“Usa, please give me one more chance.”

“How could I? We’ve already called up even the retired ones, and most of them died. We don’t even know who’s left alive. What am I supposed to report to the Cult Leader?”

The Black-Clad Person fell silent and listened closely.

“......”

The moonlight was quiet and still. That silence meant Gwangmyeong Usa was the only one here. The Black-Clad Person’s eyes flicked side to side.

In a low voice, he said,

“The Lord of Haomun still doesn’t know my face. If you give me time, I’ll strike alone. I’ve inherited the Soul Spirit Kill technique.”

“You plan to go alone, without any ghosts?”

“Yes.”

Gwangmyeong Usa, still looking at the statue, said,

“Number One, look at this statue. Do you know what it is?”

“I don’t.”

“From the flames surrounding it, it must be Acala. That people once built this statue and worshipped him means there were once those who revered the King of Light. But now, it’s a ruined shrine. It means that once humans feel secure, they forget old favors and even abandon gods. On that note...”

The Black-Clad Person suddenly moved, thrusting a hand into Gwangmyeong Usa’s back.

The moment his hand sank in—

“......!”

Gwangmyeong Usa’s body began to swell, and then unraveled into thin red threads that wrapped around the Black-Clad Person’s hand.

The real Gwangmyeong Usa was a few steps away, still staring up at the statue in the same posture.

As the Black-Clad Person struggled to remove the red threads clinging to his arm, Gwangmyeong Usa spoke.

“When even those who receive divine help abandon their gods, what do you make of that?”

The Black-Clad Person swung his left arm, releasing a burst of internal force at Gwangmyeong Usa. With a deafening roar, the body exploded—and hundreds of red threads burst into the air like gaping mouths, wrapping around the Black-Clad Person’s left arm.

As the real Gwangmyeong Usa turned around, he said,

“I never expected anything proper from a twisted ghost like you. I was ready to give you a chance to target the Lord of Haomun alone, and this is what you do?”

With red threads wrapped around both arms, the Black-Clad Person replied,

“Usa, my body is nearly impervious to blades. Isn’t this what you’ve always desired from the Demonic Way?”

Gwangmyeong Usa said,

“To believe true invincibility can reside in the flesh is foolish. If you were that strong, you wouldn’t need to absorb the Lord of Haomun at all.”

The Black-Clad Person spread his arms.

“Look. Even your demonic technique can’t touch me.”

Gwangmyeong Usa gave him a pitying look. As the Black-Clad Person burst his energy outward, the red threads unraveling around his arms scattered. Even his clothes disintegrated under the energy burst.

In that moment, the Black-Clad Person hurled both palms toward Gwangmyeong Usa, and the entire shrine collapsed in an instant. The statue exploded, and the wreckage flew in all directions as the two emerged into the open.

Gwangmyeong Usa flowed past the attacks like a ghost drifting through water. He brought his hands together and pulled forth red threads. Just as he was about to unleash a technique, the Black-Clad Person’s internal force engulfed his body.

With a sharp crack, Gwangmyeong Usa’s form was torn apart into chunks of flesh and blood.

Drenched in blood, the Black-Clad Person looked around. His eyes were now bloodshot.

“......That bastard Gwangmyeong Usa.”

Just then, the blood that had splashed upward began to scatter—and every drop turned into a red thread that shot into the Black-Clad Person’s body.

Though his torso and forearms were untouched—impervious to piercing—the threads wrapped around him. But his hair, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears were all penetrated.

Gwangmyeong Usa reappeared two or three steps from where the attack had landed. Bringing his hands together, the red threads burrowed into the Black-Clad Person like wriggling eels.

As blood gushed from the Black-Clad Person’s body—

A bundle of threads that had entered his mouth suddenly burst back out.

With an icy gaze, Gwangmyeong Usa watched.

“......”

The red threads wriggled inside the Black-Clad Person and began dismantling him from within. Blood burst forth, only to be devoured and reabsorbed by the threads over and over until his body was consumed as if being eaten alive.

Finally, Gwangmyeong Usa approached the bloody lump of threads and began crafting something—tracing a Taiji symbol in the air.

What remained of the Black-Clad Person had shrunk down to the size of a pill.

It looked like a relic left behind by a monk—or an elixir ready to be consumed.

Drenched in blood, Gwangmyeong Usa picked up the human-made elixir between his thumb and forefinger.

“......”

He examined it closely, judging the color and quality like a craftsman appraising his work.