Chapter 305: Path of Justice (3)

The leader of the Murim Alliance, Jang Yeonghak, and the leader of the Black Assassin Division, Ma Gunak, were engaged in a fierce battle.

All the Murim warriors watched the scene, holding their breath.

It was a fight between masters so great that it would be hard to witness something like it again.

“Kgh, this old man is better than I thought!”

Ma Gunak had started out confident, but little by little, the advantage was tilting toward Jang Yeonghak.

In a way, it was only natural.

Ma Gunak was nothing more than the second-in-command of the Demonic Sect, while Jang Yeonghak was the leader of the orthodox faction who could rival the Heavenly Demon Dan Socheon himself—or perhaps even surpass him.

The martial arts he had cultivated over the years were beyond anything Ma Gunak could have anticipated.

“Dam… damn it…”

Ma Gunak concentrated his demonic energy, dyeing his entire body red, and unleashed his killing move with all his strength.

“Die!”

In contrast, Jang Yeonghak, with only a sword in hand, moved as if he were out for a stroll, the folds of his robe fluttering.

With steps that naturally covered the trajectories of the eight directions, he caused all of Ma Gunak’s attacks to miss.

“It’s time to end this.”

Murmuring in a low voice, Jang Yeonghak raised his sword.

Luminous Sword of Taiji.

The sword energy, imbued with light, rose imposingly.

“Dam… damn it.”

Ma Gunak clenched his teeth.

One glance was enough to know—this sword could not be blocked. The martial level Jang Yeonghak had reached was clearly superior.

Ma Gunak shouted desperately.

“Help me!”

In the world of Murim, receiving help in a one-on-one duel for honor was a disgraceful shame never accepted. But Ma Gunak felt not the slightest bit of shame.

The leaders of each division of the Demonic Sect, as if they had been waiting for it, attacked Jang Yeonghak all at once.

“What…!”

The Murim Alliance warriors were startled.

But it was already too late to block the combined attack.

After a long era of peace, the Murim Alliance had, for a moment, forgotten what the Demonic Sect represented.

A flash of surprise crossed Jang Yeonghak’s eyes.

Facing Ma Gunak alone was already complicated, and now, with several attacking at the same time, there was no other choice.

“This is…”

The moment when life and death are decided comes unexpectedly. Just as he was about to unleash his final technique, prepared to die—

Suddenly.

[Enjoying the dance…]

A voice was heard.

It was strange.

It was the first time he had heard that language, yet he understood its meaning.

[Stop right now.]

The moment those words ended—

[Power of the Voice of Authority — Stop]

The world stopped.

Jang Yeonghak was astonished.

Literally, everything had stopped.

His circulating internal energy, his sword advancing.

The enemy figures suspended in the air.

The entire body of Ma Gunak, his face twisted, before him.

Everything froze.

In that instant, his entire field of vision became a still painting.

[Fights should be done with fairness. Tsk tsk…]

Even though it was an unfamiliar language, his mind understood the meaning with perfect clarity.

Jang Yeonghak suddenly recalled a technique spoken of only in legends.

Language of the Luminous Heart.

He felt his heart calm.

The Language of the Luminous Heart was a state that neither demonic magic nor forbidden arts could reach.

This meant that the mysterious person who had saved him walked the path of righteousness.

Upon understanding this, he was no longer bound by the Voice of Authority.

Jang Yeonghak straightened and stood up.

[Hooh…]

Turning around, he saw a red-haired woman standing there. Jang Yeonghak brought his hands together in a gesture of respect.

“I am Jang Yeonghak, leader of the Murim Alliance. I thank the noble who has saved me.”

[Oh, so you’re a decent person. Here, people no longer have the manners they once did, but it seems that in the East, courtesy and honor still survive…]

The mysterious savior, Cruar, smiled in satisfaction and continued.

[If you’re grateful, you should return the favor.]

“Pardon?”

[Eastern human, do you see that?]

Cruar pointed toward the northern sky. The blue sky stretched out, but that wasn’t all.

She was pointing at something beyond it.

Jang Yeonghak understood what she meant.

“Yes. I see it.”

[Then you know why you’ve come here.]

“I came to put an end to the Demonic Sect…”

[Do you really think it’s just for that?]

Jang Yeonghak remained silent.

Officially, he had come to eliminate the Demonic Sect, which was plotting conspiracies in the West.

But it wasn’t just that.

As the leader of the Murim Alliance, leaving the East solely based on the words of a few Westerners had been a risky decision.

However, after facing a Western swordsman, he felt a strange hunch that pushed him to continue with the expedition.

Upon arriving in the West, that hunch turned into certainty.

In this land, there was something far more evil than the Demonic Sect, growing in power.

Something so vast and powerful that it was difficult to even conceive of it.

He had always thought that he and the Murim Alliance represented the peak of martial arts.

But that Western swordsman and the rending star in the sky had made him realize he was nothing more than a man confined to the East.

Then, fear came first. He did not care about his own life, but the lives of the many warriors he had brought weighed heavily.

Could he order them to fight in this war?

“I…”

Hesitating, Cruar asked again.

[Will you fight against that star that rends the sky?]

“…”

[If it’s hard for you to answer, I’ll ask another question.]

Cruar pointed to the flag of the Murim Alliance.

[Destroy evil and defend justice, even at the cost of life.]

Her vertical pupils locked on him.

[Do you believe in those words?]

The answer came from elsewhere.

“That’s right!”

Jang Yeonghak turned and saw the eccentric monk Jonggak, known as the Strange Hero of Shaolin, grinning mischievously.

“That’s what I came for!”

When Jonggak, who rarely involved himself in the Alliance’s affairs, appeared saying he would join the expedition, Jang Yeonghak thought it was just another of his eccentricities.

But no. Jonggak had already sensed that the heavenly order was twisted.

The responses followed.

“Of course!”

“I’ll go!”

“We’ll destroy evil!”

The brave warriors who heard the conversation raised their voices one after another.

Jang Yeonghak was moved.

Some said the Murim Alliance was a rotten group after years of stagnation, but there were still many heroes who understood justice.

“Sahyung! What are you waiting for?”

His fellow apprentice and Guardian of the Alliance, Supreme Sword of Wudang Woo Seong, shouted, and Jang Yeonghak nodded.

“That’s right.”

He pointed behind him.

There fluttered the Flag of the Righteous Path, the symbol of the Alliance leader.

“That is my answer.”

Cruar smiled in satisfaction.

[I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. Then, first, take care of those.]

Now, the warriors of the Alliance could move freely.

The warriors of the Demonic Sect, though they had managed to free themselves a little from the restriction, were already doomed.

The slaughter began.

The swords of the Murim Alliance were dyed in blood.

In no time, all the demonic ones lay dead.

The long-awaited mission to destroy the Demonic Sect was fulfilled in an almost anticlimactic fashion.

But no one smiled.

There was still work to be done.

[Well done.]

Cruar, who was watching them, spread both arms.

[Now it’s my turn.]

Her body began to emit a blinding light.

“Ah…!”

When the light faded, there was no beautiful woman, but a majestic, legendary dragon.

“This is…”

Cruar, now in her true form, spread her wings.

[Did you say ‘Path of Justice’? Good words. I will open the road you must follow.]

From her mouth came the Dragon Language once more:

[Power of the Voice of Authority — Path.]

Then, a path made of light appeared.

Everything around gave way—the earth folded, the rivers stopped, the mountains and forests bowed to let it through.

On that path, one step equaled ten.

Before that miracle, the Murim Alliance could only bow in respect.

[The path is open. Now advance and fulfill your mission.]

There was no need to respond.

The flag waved, and they marched north, toward the Empire.

***

“That’s how it was.”

“I see…”

Yuri, who had met Bernard after a long time, had no time to express joy before they began to talk about what had happened so far.

The army that had appeared suddenly turned out to be an ally from the East.

“So Lord Cruar helped you…”

“Yes. Thanks to that, we could get here quickly.”

“And Elaine?”

“She split off in Sidor. On the battlefield, there was nothing she could do.”

“Well done.”

Once the situation assessment was over, Yuri went with Cheongun to meet the so-called leader of the Murim Alliance.

This was a warrior with completely white hair who, despite the wrinkles on his face, had a body so robust that he did not give off the slightest sense of old age.

The two observed each other for a while.

‘Not an ordinary old man.’

That was Yuri’s impression.

Having met all kinds of great masters, meeting the leader of the Murim Alliance did not leave an extraordinary impression on him.

On the other hand, Jang Yeonghak was frankly astonished.

‘It can’t be… How can he have this energy at his age? Has he perhaps reached the legendary level of rejuvenation?’

However, he did not let his emotions show.

Through Cheongun’s interpretation, the two began to converse.

The dialogue was brief.

Beyond that wall was their true enemy, and to catch him, they had to cross it.

But since the defense was very strong, anyone without enough skill would die in vain; therefore, they had to gather a small elite group to bring down the wall.

Yuri presented this idea, and Jang Yeonghak agreed immediately. Both made the decision quickly and shook hands.

Before leaving, Jang Yeonghak said a few more words.

Cheongun translated.

“He says that when this war is over, he wants to meet you again to become friends.”

It was a way of saying that, although the situation was urgent now, he wished to connect with Yuri once everything was over.

Yuri smiled broadly.

“Tell him that if we all survive, I will gladly do so.”

Cheongun conveyed something in the Eastern language, and Jang Yeonghak, smiling, made a martial salute before leaving.

Cheongun commented.

“The leader of the Murim Alliance doesn’t say something like that to anyone else in this world, except you. It’s admirable.”

“A master recognizes another. But by the way…”

Yuri patted him on the shoulder.

“Cheongun, don’t you have something to talk about with your master Moyongchan?”

Yuri knew they both belonged to the Blue School sect.

It was a strange coincidence.

Disillusioned with Eastern Murim, Moyongchan had left his sect to dedicate himself to eradicating demons.

The disciples who remained in the Blue School tried to resist, but in the end, they had to disperse.

As a result, Cheongun became a wandering ronin.

“Something to talk about…?”

He hesitated for a moment.

“I don’t know… that…”

Then Yuri noticed they had a visitor.

“Cheongun.”

“Yes?”

“The rest of the conversation, talk it out with him.”

The person in question was Moyongchan.

Cheongun, surprised, froze, and Yuri withdrew immediately.

It was a matter they had to resolve on their own.

Even if they didn’t resolve it, it wouldn’t change what needed to be done.

Yuri moved ahead to the front of the Anti-Imperial Alliance, where Francesco and the others were already waiting for him.

Jared asked,

“How was the conversation with the East?”

“It went smoothly. We spoke well.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Yuri glanced sideways.

It seemed that in the East, they had also organized quickly, for it was not long before the experts of the Murim Alliance appeared.

“We have the same number as them.”

In the Anti-Imperial Alliance, counting the newly arrived Bernard, there were nine in total.

The experts sent by the Murim Alliance, including their leader, also numbered nine.

Eighteen in total.

Double the strength from the beginning.

“We’ll have to thank Lady Cruar.”

Without her, the Eastern forces would not have arrived at the Empire so soon.

Soon, Moyongchan returned.

Everything was ready.

“Did the conversation go well?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

His reply was brusque, but his expression showed relief.

Yuri asked him playfully,

“Now that I think about it, Moyongchan, shouldn’t you join them? Easterners with Easterners.”

“No, I like it here.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect.”

Yuri smiled.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time, let’s move quickly.”

The warriors from two different continents began advancing together toward the wall.