"Cheonyeong!"

Baekta, who had heard the news and rushed over, ran to the campfire.

"Hey! Is it alright to light a fire?"

"Well… they'll probably think we're just ginseng diggers or hunters."

"Ah, that's right."

Baekta, who had a puzzled expression at Cheonyeong's words, nodded.

"By the way! You found the Jingagu's base?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for making you move around like this."

"Nonsense! What's there to be sorry about? You're the commander of this operation. If necessary, you should naturally change the orders. Don't worry about us. Isn't the Beggars' Sect originally one that moves around a lot?"

To the brightly smiling Baekta, Cheonyeong smiled and offered the liquor bottle in his hand.

"I got it from the ginseng diggers."

"Huh?"

"Perhaps because it's liquor made with herbs, the scent is good."

"Ah, indeed the smell is… no! No, it's not about the liquor right now."

"Calm down first, there's nothing good about getting excited."

As Cheonyeong smiled brightly, Baekta blinked his eyes, then collapsed and drank straight from the bottle.

"What about food?"

"You, is food that important to you?"

"It is. I'm a former vagrant, after all. And you have to fill your stomach before you fight."

"You're really good with words."

Baekta, who smirked at those words, soon became serious.

Before fighting…

It meant it was confirmed.

It meant that Chukhyeon Peak, which Cheonyeong had pointed out, was the base of the Jingagu.

When he had found out the location of the Jingagu's base from the decay site, Cheonyeong had immediately called Baekta and the wildcats to a place a little distance away from Chukhyeon Peak.

"Is it really there?"

"Yes. It's their base."

"Those damn bastards were hiding well. I saw it on my way here, it's no different from a fortress. A place that's shaded all day. And there's a thick fog around it, as if there's water flowing nearby."

"It's a Mist Formation."

"A Mist Formation?"

"Yes."

Cheonyeong said, glancing at the fog that filled Chukhyeon Peak.

The fog was created by a formation.

Cheonyeong, who had heard the conversation of the assassins at the decay site, had learned the atmosphere of the Jingagu.

They were currently doing something similar to sealing their gates.

Hadn't the Lord of Assassins given an order to forbid all external activities until the attack on the Tang Family was over?

He must have wanted to concentrate all his efforts on finding the Samyang Divine Art.

So, he had only strengthened the security to not cause a commotion until the attack on the Tang Family was over.

A good thing.

Everything was flowing in his favor.

The moment they closed their gates, they would become insensitive to outside news.

Their response would be slow no matter what happened outside.

Also, they would probably just think of them as ginseng diggers or hunters.

Moreover, the fact that there was still no special movement and it was quiet meant that there was no big problem with the Tang Family.

Because whether it was a success or a failure, if the news had been delivered, they wouldn't just be on guard like this.

"What's the number of wildcats?"

"It's enough. At your request, I brought all the men who were on missions in Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai. Elder Hyeolgu also provided separate support. I don't know about the entire Qilian Mountains, but we can surround one peak without a single leak."

"Thank you."

"What's there to thank me for? This is all for the sake of the Central Plains."

Baekta smiled brightly, showing his teeth, and asked.

"But why did you tell us to wait outside the fog?"

"Because there's another formation inside the Mist Formation."

"Another formation?"

"I haven't confirmed its identity yet. But I could tell that we should never go in."

"What do you mean by that?"

"A formation within a formation."

"Huh?"

"Killing intent is mixed in with the flow of the fog."

"…"

"The Mist Formation is just for hiding. The real thing is the killing formation lurking inside."

"A killing formation?"

"Yes, there will be assassins hiding everywhere. The moment you go in, you die."

"Hmm. I would have ignored it if it were someone else's words. But for you to say that… Then what should we do? It means there's no way until they release the formation."

Baekta, who thought that if the ever-confident Cheonyeong had assessed it that way, it must be more serious than he was saying, frowned.

"But we can't just surround them and wait."

"We have to make them open the door themselves."

"What? Is there a way?"

"Yes."

At Cheonyeong's answer, Baekta's face, which had been seriously contorted, brightened.

"What's the way?"

"What way? They'll move on their own over there."

"What?"

At Cheonyeong's smirking words, Baekta tilted his head.

Move on their own?

"I didn't burn the corpses at the decay site for this, but by now, the smoke will be soaring through the blocked entrance. Since the assassins who were guarding inside are dead, they'll find out because of the Gu. Well, they might not know yet since they're low-level assassins."

"The Gu… But what's with the smoke, and what's with the corpses?"

Since Baekta had already seen the assassins in Qingcheng, he knew about the Gu.

At Baekta's words, Cheonyeong explained the circumstances under which he had learned the location of the Jingagu's base.

At the story of the decay site, Baekta fumed and seethed.

The death of children was like that.

A flower that couldn't bloom.

Who wouldn't be angry at the act of using that death?

"These crazy bastards! They've been doing such things?"

"Calm down."

"How can I be calm right now? All those kids…"

"Anyway, the corpse poison decay site is one of the most important places for them. If they see the smoke seeping out, they will move quickly."

"An investigation team will come out."

"Yes, that's when the door opens. The encirclement will loosen for a very short time. Aim for that time."

"That time?"

"Yes, they'll be flustered if they're suddenly attacked. We have to push them all at once. So that the formation can't be closed."

"Hmm, so you're saying to tear the open door even wider."

"That's right, you take overall command. Put Elder Gwi-su and Seongyeon in front, and position the senior brothers on the left and right."

"Alright, I'll do that. But then what will you do?"

"Me?"

At Baekta's question, Cheonyeong grinned and said.

"I have to attack an unexpected place."

"An unexpected place?"

"Yes."

"Are you aiming for a feint to the east and an attack to the west?"

"That's right. It's a very basic tactic, but it's also the most effective tactic in a moment like this."

"Hmm, but wouldn't it be too dangerous?"

"Hoh? Is the successor worried about me now? Me, who has already reached a realm you can't even look up to?"

As Cheonyeong spoke playfully and laughed, Baekta frowned with all his might.

The way the damn bastard talks…

A sudden urge to hit him surged.

"Ahem! What worry? I'm just preparing for a contingency."

"What contingency? You must have forgotten, but I'm Tang Cheonyeong."

At those words, Baekta shook his head.

That damn Tang Cheonyeong…

But had he ever seen him fail after saying those words?

He wasn't the type to die a violent death somewhere, so there must be a way.

But unlike Baekta, the Tang Family members looked full of worry.

"Lord, isn't it too reckless?"

"What is?"

"I know that the feint to the east and attack to the west is a basic and most effective tactic. Since they have closed their gates, they won't know our forces, so they will fall for it even more easily. But it's too dangerous to go alone. I'd rather go."

At No Gwanyeong's words, Cheonyeong smiled faintly and looked around.

"Will you be alright?"

"Pardon?"

"If they use corpse poison, will you be able to withstand it?"

"Th-that's…"

"What about hidden weapons?"

"…"

"Is there anyone here who is better at hidden weapon techniques than me?"

"Umm."

Everyone shut their mouths and frowned.

"It's a tactic that only I can do in the first place. So don't worry and just follow me."

"But."

No Gwanyeong frowned again and said.

"How about we set up an encirclement and ask for support? If we mobilize the power of the Beggars' Sect's successor, we can gather all the righteous and unorthodox factions in the nearby area within five days."

"Of course, that's right."

At No Gwanyeong's words, Cheonyeong obediently agreed and nodded.

But he couldn't do that.

Because he knew the Jingagu, no, Jin Gumyeong, better than anyone.

His personality, and even the abilities he possessed.

Five days? The man would surely think of a countermeasure within that time.

Also, he was not a man who would be swayed by something like a fighting spirit and fight.

If he was in a crisis, he would use the Jingagu as a sacrifice and escape alone.

And then he would disappear without a trace.

In the first place, to avoid the man's eyes, he had not asked for support from any other place.

Because if they moved on a large scale or if even a small rumor about looking for the Jingagu in the Qilian Mountains spread, they would notice and run away.

It had to be secret, and they had to move quickly.

"Everyone, listen to me carefully."

"…"

"It might be dangerous. I know. But if we miss this opportunity, there will be no next time. If you don't help, I plan to do it even alone. So decide. Whether you will follow my will. Or whether you will not help until the very end."

"Th…"

"Hah, Lord."

Not only Baekta and No Gwanyeong, but everyone let out a deep sigh.

Who among them didn't know Cheonyeong's stubbornness?

Since he said he would do it, he would do it.

Even if they didn't help, as he said.

"Damn it, I'm getting older by several years every day because of you, Lord. I'm getting old."

No Gwanyeong grumbled as if he had given up on persuading him, and Cheonyeong smiled faintly.

Because he knew that those words were an acceptance.

"Are you really confident?"

"Confident? Are you asking me that?"

"The words…"

"You know, right? How lucky I am. And who knows? Maybe the heavens will help in punishing those atrocious bastards."

At Cheonyeong's smile, Baekta just shook his head.

But the possibility was high.

A feint to the east and an attack to the west.

The reason for using that strategy in the first place was to break through an iron fortress.

When the smoke rises, they will be in a hurry. Because the decay site was one of the most important places for them.

When the dispatched investigation team dies and the enemies appear before their eyes, there is no choice but to have confusion in their security network.

The formation that had been defending the whole area would be concentrated on the enemy's attack point.

A slight opening would be created.

He was planning to aim for that opening.

And such a method was only possible for him.

Because he knew more about the Jingagu than anyone.

The formations they deployed, the poisons and hidden weapons they used.

And how could he entrust a long-standing grudge to the hands of others? He would surely be the one to cut off Jin Gumyeong's neck.

"Hoo, alright. For now, I'll do as you say. So, explain what needs to be done. What should I do first?"

Baekta's gaze changed.

Since he had made up his mind, he would follow his words better than anyone.

Cheonyeong gathered them, who would have to play a big role in the attack on the Jingagu from now on, in one place.

"When the door opens, you must not let it close. It will only be a fleeting moment, but you have to grab it tenaciously and tear it apart."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, I'll take care of the rest. So that you can rush into the Jingagu through the torn door."

At Cheonyeong's confident appearance, everyone nodded.

At Baekta's command, the wildcats waited in an encirclement around Chukhyeon Peak, and after a while, a streak of smoke rose from afar.

The time had come.

When the smoke, which had grown in scale in an instant, was about to reach the end of the sky, a subtle change occurred in the fog that enveloped Chukhyeon Peak, and for a very short time, the buildings of the Jingagu were revealed through the thinned fog.

"Now! Seonghyeon! Elder Gwi-su!"

At the shout of Baekta, who had been watching all along, Yoo Seongyeon ran through the forest.

"It's the enemy!"

The assassins hidden in the fog shouted in surprise, but Yoo Seongyeon, under the protection of Gwi-su, ran straight towards the Jingagu.

And his sword, which had soared high, was imbued with a blue light and vigorously drew a vertical line connecting the sky and the earth.

Heaven and Earth.

The final enlightenment taught by Sword Immortal Changlim.

Kwaaa!

The wall of the Jingagu burst, and the bodies of the assassins who were leaving the gate were torn to shreds.

(End of Chapter)