"Anyway, that is it!"
Chung Myung said with an extremely confident tone.
"There is no need to worry about Shaolin right now. Those guys are probably too busy dealing with the Yangtze River right now. And there is no way we will be able to handle that. As long as the Four Precepts Alliance is alive and well, those people cannot do anything, right?"
Yoon Jong turned his head slightly and looked at Baek Cheon.
"What is he up to?"
"Hmm. To put it simply, it is like this."
Baek Cheon smiled broadly and answered.
"I was angry and thoughtlessly yelled at him, but looking back, I think I made a mistake. I cannot say I did something wrong, so I am desperately trying to make this situation look good to others."
"That is so concise, perfect."
In times like these, the words of an authoritative figure definitely helped.
"No, it isn't like that; it is the actual situation!"
"… right."
"I am telling you! I am not making up stories!"
"Right… okay, we get it."
"Woah, I am really going insane! Mister beggar! Say something!"
"Ahem!"
Hong Dae-Kwang, who had been chewing on a pancake in the corner, quickly gulped what was in his mouth and opened his mouth.
"Well… his intentions seem a bit impure, but well, what Mount Hua's Sword Saint said, isn't all wrong."
"Uh?"
In the meantime, Hyun Jong, who had aged three years, looked back at Hong Dae-Kwang. Judging from the way the ears perked up, he must have felt that Hong Dae-Kwang's words were worth listening to.
Chung Myung, who saw that scene, mumbled, 'what I said is worse than a beggar now!' but of course, those words didn't get into Hyun Jong's ears.
"You are not simply saying that, right?"
"Hahaha, Sect leader too."
Hong Dae-Kwang smiled brightly and answered.
"Lies can only be told when the situation is right. Who would have imagined that the sect leader and Mount Hua's Sword Saint would attack Shaolin's abbot like that? I have never imagined this kind of situation in my life, so I cannot even think of making any stories up. Hehhe."
"A-ahem!"
"Ehehehe!"
Hyun Jong and Chung Myung coughed at the same time.
The other disciples of Mount Hua nodded their heads as if they agreed with Hong Dae-Kwang's words.
"It was a rare situation."
"Ah. Such a rare one."
"Isn't this truly unprecedented then?"
"So noisy!"
"Such a mess!"
The older and youngest members of the sect were taking sides and persecuting the others, but Mount Hua didn't find it odd at all.
"So, to conclude it…"
Hyun Jong asked Chung Myung in a heavy voice.
"Is it because of the current situation in the Yangtze River and the existence of the Four Precepts Alliance that Shaolin cannot do anything now?"
"Yes."
Chung Myung shrugged.
"There is no need to speak of any excuses. If the situation was that easy, would that heavy-bottomed man have rushed all the way to Shaanxi?"
"… so him needing help wasn't a lie?"
"Well, that is true. Anyway, even if he has bad feelings about it and all now, there is nothing we can do. He is probably busy trying to resolve the fight in the Yangtze River."
Chung Myung chuckled.
"So we can just watch them fight and stop the war?"
"Hmm."
Hyun Jong nodded with a heavy face.
It wasn't a good thing that Shaolin turned into an enemy of Mount Hua, but it was fortunate that there was little chance of a problem occurring right now.
But after one worry was resolved, another concern, which had been put on hold for a while, popped up.
"Chung Myung."
"Uh?"
"Is there a way to stop the war?"
"Hmmmm."
Chung Myung looked at Hyun Jong with an odd gaze. Hyun Jong shook his head as if he knew what Chung Myung was thinking.
"I am not saying that we should step ahead. I am just asking this out of curiosity."
"Yes. Well, then."
Chung Myung seemed deep in thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Depending on how Jang Ilso reacts, there will be a difference between an all-out war and a local war, but for now, there will be no way to stop the battle that will happen on the Yangtze River."
"… Wouldn't it be okay if the Namgung family retreated right now? Isn't it possible for the abbot to persuade the Namgung family lord like you said?"
"Sect leader."
"Uh?"
"Do you know why a crazy guy is called crazy?"
As Chung Myung snickered and tried to explain, Hyun Jong nodded his head while staring at Chung Myung.
"Hmm. Right."
"Uh?"
"You mean you cannot communicate?"
"…"
"Yes, yes. I understand what it means."
"… What do you know? I haven't explained it properly yet?"
"Ahem. Well… I simply understood it."
It was a good thing that he understood without having to explain it, but it felt strange that he stared at him throughout the process of understanding.
"Anyway… yes. It won't make sense."
Chung Myung nodded with a trembling face.
"If the abbot had enough virtue to control the Namgung family lord in the first place, this wouldn't have happened."
Jo Gul asked curiously.
"Is this happening because the abbot is lacking? Or is it happening because the Namgung family is too outright?"
"Hmm. That is a difficult question… isn't it half and half? No, no. Let us say that the bald one is more at fault."
He didn't say that simply because he had any ill feelings towards the abbot.
He just imagined what would have happened if the person in charge of this situation had been Chung Mun and not the abbot.
It was obvious.
As expected, he would have dragged them over, saying, "Hehehe, family lord, come over here for a moment," and then impressed them with beautiful admonitions and lofty conciliation.
Of course, the truth was hellish nagging and blatant threats that he would beat them up if they bothered him again, but in any case, he would have gotten what he wanted.
In the past, sahyung often resolved situations through gentle one-on-one talks whenever a problem arose. Of course, strangely, he would always have Chung Myung sit next to him when it happened.
He kept poking people who were about to die of boredom and making them irritated with…
Ah? Wait, this is…
"Anyway."
Whether it was Namgung Hwang (Emperor) or Namgung Wang (King), he would be a crazy dog in front of the abbot, but they would be obedient puppies in front of Chung Mun. Everything in the world was relative.
So, from Chung Myung's side, there was no way to hold the abbot accountable for the situation. Being incompetent wasn't a crime, but being incompetent when you were in a responsible position was a crime.
"Then, eventually, war will break out."
"Yes. There is a high chance of that."
"Then, for now…"
Hyun Jong made a subtle expression.
"Even though the ties between us and Shaolin have deteriorated, wouldn't it be better for the Nine Great Sects to seize the opportunity? If the Four Precepts Alliance gains the upper hand, the suffering of those living along the Yangtze River will be too great."
"Hmm. But that is…"
"Uh? Were your thoughts different?"
"No, it isn't that I have a different thought, but…"
Chung Myung scratched his cheek with his finger.
"The sect leader's words aren't wrong, but I don't think that will happen."
"… who do you think is leading the charge? Isn't the Namgung family at the forefront? They've been honing their skills for the past three years and managed to defeat the pirates in one go. Don't you think this momentum will last for a while?"
"If the Namgung family had stopped at the Northern bank, that might have been true. But those crazy guys are now on a ship heading to the island."
"…"
"That means they want to fight on enemy territory. I know this because I've experienced everything from pre-warfare to water, air, and land battles…"
"… when have you been through all that?"
When Jo Gul tried to tease him, Baek Cheon responded, lightly rubbing his fingertips as if he found it odd.
"No, if you think about it, it isn't wrong. That guy fought bandits on the mountain, pirates on the water, and faced Jang Ilso on the cliff by falling down."
"… true."
Sigh, these guys knew nothing.
A hundred years ago, what he was like.
He had been through everything: pre-warfare, water warfare, air warfare, ground warfare, and even underground warfare…! Uh?
"It's harder than you think to fight those who've mastered water martial arts, right?"
"But when we fought on the Yangtze River before, it wasn't really a problem for us, right?"
"Because they didn't really want to fight us in the water."
"Hmm."
Hyun Jong made a face that seemed to show understanding.
But it was difficult for Chung Myung to explain this subtle difference in words. It wasn't that important either.
"You'll understand when you see it. Well, I don't have any bad feelings towards the Namgung family either, so I hope they win if possible…"
Yoon Jong whispered softly to Baek Cheon.
"If someone who claims not to have ill feelings tried to kick the young lord's crotch and make him a eunuch, how rotten must his character be?"
"… that's just how he is. It's Chung Myung."
These people!
Chung Myung glared at them immediately.
"Ugh. Anyway… actually, the issue right now isn't whether there will be a war."
"Hmm? What are you talking about?"
"… the issue is the method of war. If the Namgung family simply loses, there won't be a problem…"
Chung Myung's expression turned strange.
"If not, the problem will get serious."
"…."
"No, maybe…"
Chung Myung's lips curled up.
"It might have already started. The Black Dragon King wouldn't be the kind of person who would be so easygoing."
The Yangtze River was covered in deep darkness.
"Hmm."
A man stood on the riverbank and stared into the middle of the river. It was clearly in the middle of the wide river, but it was brightly lit as if large flower baskets were floating in a row.
The place that the people called Plum Blossom Island.
The Namgung family, who occupied Plum Blossom Island, kept the night as bright as day in preparation for a night attack.
"Such an idiot."
A large man stood on the other side of the riverbank.
The Black Dragon King looked at Plum Blossom Island with a big smile.
"Namgung Hwang, the Emperor's Sword. He might have skills, but he is a terribly simple-minded person and a moron to lead a family. How dare he confront me on this Yangtze River."
Even he had no way of dealing with the Evil Sect in the Yangtze River war which happened in the past. At that time, it wasn't just the Namgung family he had to contend with.
If the Namgung family, Shaolin, Wudang, Qingcheng, and even Mount Hua with Green Forest were to come, it would be impossible to stop them, not just for the Black Dragon King, but even for the real Dragon King.
However, the only one who invaded this Yangtze River now was just the Namgung family.
"It seems that the experience back then has instilled arrogance in them."
It was a pleasant experience, but on the other hand, it was no different from looking down on them, so it felt bad.
However, this dirty feeling would become even more pleasant when the Yangtze River turned red with the blood of those Justice faction people.
"We should show them how terrifying the river can be. Let us get started."
"Yes! Black Dragon King!"
As soon as the Black Dragon King finished speaking, a group of people emerged from the shadows behind him.
"Make it clear to them what it feels like to have your feet not touching the ground."
Upon hearing these words, the pirates plunged into the river without responding.
"Morons,"
The Black Dragon King stroked his long beard.
"If the Namgung family is like that, we will end up winning… well, Alliance Lord, you will have to pay a big price, right?"
His sinister laughter spread softly through the still waters of the Yangtze River.