Sword God Reborn

Chapter 161 : A Hero of Hubei

"Hyung-nim, how about we just run away?"

Subong shook his head as if it were out of the question.

"If you want to go, go. I'm going to bury my bones here."

At the cold words, his subordinate pouted but did not leave.

Subong knew that this was his chance.

That terrifying man named Neung-heo was, surprisingly, kind.

Of course, if Neung-heo heard that, he would spit out curses with a horrified expression.

'You damn mangy colts! You guys, huh? I'm comfortable only when you know how to throw a punch!'

Shouting so, he entered into martial arts training with a face that looked like he would kill them right away.

How nervous he had been.

Even when he was just standing still, his face, which looked like a vicious god of death, was contorted like a demon. His expression was filled with the ominous aura that flowed from a veteran warrior who had crossed countless lines of death.

But once he entered into training, although his mouth was rough, his actions were not necessarily so.

It was natural for him to teach them one by one, and he even had the kindness to explain it over and over again if they didn't understand. Of course, his tone was blunt, but his actions were meticulous.

Subong was greatly impressed.

'A martial art that even a fool like me can learn and use right away!'

The martial art was a highly practical martial art that Neung-heo had acquired while rolling around in the Unorthodox Alliance, and it was easy to learn.

Although it was more of a skill than a martial art, that alone made Subong's eyes feel brighter.

"If I just learn these properly, I can stop being a loafer."

"Even so, isn't it still the Unorthodox Alliance, hyung-nim?"

"You brat. Do you think those people look like ordinary members of the Unorthodox Alliance?"

At Subong's words, his subordinate closed his mouth firmly.

Neung-heo was Neung-heo, but the handsome young man that Neung-heo followed was strange.

Sometimes, when Neung-heo was teaching something, he couldn't hide his frustration.

The loafers who had been caught one by one in Hubei, including Subong, were dispirited. If it were something simple, it would be different, but something that contained the mystery of martial arts was not a kind that could be easily understood and learned.

They thought that they couldn't understand because they were stupid and had no talent.

But at that time, Cheon Mubaeck approached.

'Neung-heo, if one person doesn't understand, that one person is stupid. But if everyone doesn't know, it means that you, the one who is teaching, are damn stupid.'

After silencing Neung-heo with a calm tone, he approached the Subongs and corrected their movements one by one.

Every time, Subong felt a thrill run through his body.

It was really nothing special. When he threw a punch, he just adjusted the angle of his arm by tapping it with his hand.

But that alone made him feel as if the punch was being engraved in his bones, and the force was spreading out accurately and uniformly.

For Subong, who didn't even know the 'mu' (武) of martial arts, it was like a divine play.

'He's an amazing person. This is a real martial arts master!'

When he thought so, his body trembled on its own.

Although Subong had no connection with the martial world, he had grown up listening to the stories of the martial world.

It was difficult to meet such a master, but to meet one and receive teachings was even more absurd.

But even Neung-heo was a great master, and Cheon Mubaeck, who seemed to be even greater than him, was teaching him for sure, while pretending to be indifferent!

Subong was convinced. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A turning point in his life, who was living as a mere loafer.

"What was it, the old man getting younger."

"Rejuvenation?"

"Isn't he a master who has achieved that?"

"Hmm."

Rejuvenation was only a legend. Was that possible?

But Subong admired Cheon Mubaeck so much that he wondered if that legend was true.

From the way he watched Neung-heo teach from a distance, to the times he occasionally showed up and corrected their posture, it felt as if the wall of enlightenment was crumbling down.

His actions, his expressions, and even the tone that sometimes came out.

Somehow, there were times when he felt like an old man who had lived for a long time, not a young master.

Moreover, what was surprising was that he treated them, who were no different from loafers, without any discrimination.

Cheon Mubaeck's attitude towards Neung-heo, who clearly seemed to be his confidant, and towards them was consistent.

It was the first time.

Even the neighborhood people looked at him pathetically like a loafer, but Cheon Mubaeck was different. It wasn't a particularly expectant gaze, but it wasn't a gaze that looked down on a low-life either.

An attitude as if he were dealing with an ordinary person.

At that attitude, not only Subong but also the loafers who had been forcibly caught were secretly impressed.

"Stop it. Let's not make rash assumptions about the Lord."

"The Lord?"

"...Then what should I call him?"

"Hmm. The Lord. The Lord is good."

Subong, seeing Neung-heo call Cheon Mubaeck 'Lord' every time, had followed suit without realizing it, but he felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

"Hey, I've brought your younger brothers."

It was then. Neung-heo brought about ten people tied with a rope.

Their rough faces and the traces of cuts left here and there. They must have resisted quite a bit, as the marks of being beaten were pitiful.

Subong was secretly nervous. They were not loafers like him, but real members of the Unorthodox Alliance who had used their swords.

"You bastard? They're your hyung-nims, why don't you lower your eyes?"

Paak.

But when Neung-heo hit them on the back of the head, they soon lowered their heads with listless eyes.

Although it was a rough impression that he would not have been able to meet their eyes normally, Subong felt a strange emotion at the fact that they were his younger brothers and subordinates.

"Hey. Subong."

"Yes, hyung-nim."

"Educate them a little. I have to go catch a few more guys."

As Neung-heo said so, Subong was about to smile with a secret sense of triumph.

Pasasasat!

Suddenly, a flash of light shot up from the building where Cheon Mubaeck was staying.

"...!"

A pillar made of a pure white flash, as if a path to the sky had opened.

A dazzling flash, as if someone were descending from the sky, or as if someone were climbing up the pillar.

"What... what is it?"

Subong's eyes widened as if they would tear. Not only that, everyone's face turned pale.

If it were a flurry of swords, it would be different.

For a pillar made of light to shoot up into the sky.

What on earth was that sight? Everyone's mouth was agape at the irrational and supernatural phenomenon.

How much time had passed? The pillar, which had been soaring as if it would pierce the sky, disappeared in the blink of an eye. And Cheon Mubaeck slowly came out of the building with a refreshed expression.

A terrible silence.

But Subong's legs trembled as he saw Cheon Mubaeck's appearance.

Would it be like this if he met an immortal? It felt as if an incomprehensible, mysterious light was flowing from Cheon Mubaeck.

Of course, the words that came out of Cheon Mubaeck's mouth were far from those of an immortal.

"Neung-heo. You pay for the roof that flew off."

"...Me?"

"You're the owner of the Lotus Pavilion, so you have a lot of money, don't you?"

"No..."

Neung-heo's chest felt stuffy, as it always did.

* * *

Zhongjing, the Righteous Alliance.

Gwak Yong, who was called the God of Fighting and had stood on the corpses of countless demons in the Righteous-Demonic War, looked at the flag with an emotional gaze.

Righteousness.

A flag with just those two characters written on it was fluttering roughly on top of the building.

But that alone was enough.

"Elder, I am Im Gyeson of the Im family!"

"The Im family? By any chance, are you a descendant of Im Jindo?"

"He is my grandfather."

"Hahahaha! Come in! Your grandfather and I were companions who competed with wine and swords!"

From the descendants of the comrades he had fought with long ago.

"This old man, he's still going strong, isn't he?"

"Has the Oh family guy come! You, your martial arts were terrible back then, and now you're just an old man who should be looking for a grave!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Even so, I can still steam and eat at least one demon."

To the comrades he had fought with.

Gwak Yong felt something hot welling up from the bottom of his heart.

'I must be getting old too, I've become emotional.'

He had never dreamed that they would gather like this again.

Although it was because of the once-in-a-lifetime event of the Demonic Cult's resurgence.

Was that the only reason?

'No. Even if the Demonic Cult had resurged, they would not have gathered like this under that one flag.'

Perhaps, only after half of the Orthodox Faction had collapsed like 40 years ago. Only after Shaolin had sealed its gates. Only when Wudang was on the verge of death.

They would have felt the crisis and gathered.

At that time, they had gathered under the flag of the Azure Sky Sword God.

But now, they were gathering under this flag of the Righteous Alliance.

What was the reason for that?

"Cheon Mubaeck..."

The great martial artist he had admired so much. The direct descendant of the Azure Sky Sword God, and the owner of a talent whose potential was unknown.

Because of Cheon Mubaeck, the Righteous Alliance could be established, and it could make a name for itself.

"More people will gather soon."

"Ah, Division Leader Chu, I'm sorry, but please bear with it a little longer. I'm sorry to make a martial artist like you do this kind of work."

"It's nothing, Alliance Leader."

Chuhonsak said so and withdrew. The place was crowded as so many people were gathering.

If it weren't for the Red Scarf Society led by Chuhonsak, now the Red Scarf Division, in the Righteous Alliance, it would have been even busier.

Gwak Yong looked at Chuhonsak, who had withdrawn and was leading the people, with a pleased gaze.

'He is a rare martial artist in recent times.'

His tenacity for the martial path, his serious nature, and on top of that, the sense of justice he held in his heart.

He was such an excellent martial artist that if he had met him earlier, he would have taken him as his disciple.

'Division Leader Chu, that guy, Cheon Mubae-ck, also made him come this way.'

What on earth was that guy doing?

To make such a great martial artist devote himself to the Righteous Alliance.

Although the leader of the Righteous Alliance was himself, Gwak Yong knew clearly.

'Cheon Mubaeck is the practical center of the Righteous Alliance.'

But that did not feel bad.

That damn alliance leader position? Power? He didn't need that kind of thing. Gwak Yong felt the fiery fighting spirit that was sprouting in his chest.

The great evil that was resurging again under the name of the Blood Demon Valley.

An opponent he could fight until he died had appeared, so he was rather grateful to Cheon Mubaeck. Because he had provided a place to fight like this. Since the Righteous Alliance had been created, they had no choice but to fight the demons until they died, didn't they?

'Although your scheme to use me is audacious, I will gladly follow you!'

Gwak Yong laughed so.

Looking at the flags that were coming into the Righteous Alliance one by one over the wall.

Shaolin, Wudang, Mount Hua, Jongnam, the Beggars' Sect, the Zhuge Clan...

The Blood Demon Valley was resurging in the shadows, the Unorthodox Alliance were gathering in Fujian, and half of the Orthodox Faction were gathering in Zhongjing...

The martial world was in turmoil.

* * *

The first meeting of the Righteous Alliance.

Looking at the faces of the people who had gathered, it was full of truly great people.

First, the alliance leader, the God of Fighting, Gwak Yong.

The Arhat Hall Master of Shaolin, the Monk Muso.

The great elder of the Wudang Sect and now the new sect leader, Yucheong, the junior brother of Venerable Jincheong.

From Mount Hua, the Guardian Sword Cheonghyeonjin and the Mount Hua First Sword, Gukbo.

From Jongnam, the Jongnam Wind Sword, Jeonhyeon, who had once again taken the position of elder.

From the Beggars' Sect, the Shaanxi branch leader of the Beggars' Sect, Yukgeolgae, who had previously contacted Cheon Mubaeck at Mount Hua.

At least the elder-level officials of the Nine Sects One Gang had gathered.

And they could not be seen as just simple elder-level officials.

They were all people in influential positions in their respective sects. The Arhat Hall Master was the senior brother of the abbot, and it was the same for Wudang. The Mount Hua Guardian Sword Cheonghyeonjin was already a famous celebrity in the martial world, and wasn't Gukbo also the name at the forefront of the later generation experts?

The Jongnam Wind Sword, Jeonhyeon of Jongnam, was also a person who would surely become the sect leader in the distant future if he continued on this path.

But what was more surprising than them was the Zhuge Clan.

"I did not know that the head of the Zhuge Clan would come in person."

"Elder Gwak Yong, since you are establishing righteousness for the comrades of the martial world, how could I just stand by?"

The head of the Zhuge Clan, Zhuge Yeogang, had come in person.

At that, Yukgeolgae of the Beggars' Sect looked at Zhuge Yeogang with a strange gaze.

"Is it alright for you to come in person? The situation in Hubei must be unusual."

Zhuge Yeogang's gaze became strange.

"Unusual, you say?"

If someone else had said it, he would have ignored it, but who was the opponent? Wasn't it the Beggars' Sect?

Yukgeolgae tilted his head.

"Recently, information has come in that the Unorthodox Alliance are gathering in Hubei."

"The Unorthodox Alliance?"

"Yes."

"That can't be..."

Since it was a rumor that had spread while Zhuge Yeogang was coming to Zhongjing, he had not heard it.

The Unorthodox Alliance are gathering. From the Zhuge Clan's perspective, what was there to be afraid of? But, the fact that they were gathering was not a good sign.

But fortunately, Yukgeolgae smiled brightly.

"Well, from the Zhuge Clan's perspective, it wouldn't be such a big deal."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Although it is known to the public that the Unorthodox Alliance are gathering on their own, our Beggars' Sect has determined that the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero is leading that matter."

"The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero?"

When Cheon Mubaeck's name came out, a question appeared on the faces of those who had participated in the meeting.

"It is said to be the wish of a girl from an inn. To punish the Unorthodox Alliance."

"Ah...!"

"But what is more surprising is that it is not just punishing the Unorthodox Alliance, but that he is gathering them and educating them in a way."

At Yukgeolgae's explanation, the crowd let out a sigh.

"Indeed..."

"How can a person be like that? As soon as he left Wudang, another heroic act..."

"To do such a dirty job to grant the wish of an ordinary girl."

"Not just getting rid of the Unorthodox Alliance, but educating them! Indeed, it is a thought and an action that only Young Master Cheon can do."

As everyone let out their admiration, Zhuge Yeogang closed his mouth for a moment.

The Cheon Mubaeck he had seen was not a hero with a pure heart like them at all.

Inside, there was a mysterious old man, and looking at all his actions so far, he was extremely calculating and in a direction that was beneficial to himself.

So even if he was a hero or whatever, it meant that he was doing it because it was of sufficient benefit.

Of course, even that alone made him a rare, proper person in recent times, but...

'No, he's a guy who made me hear that I shouldn't come into the room from my daughter because I didn't let her go with him.'

Watching them all praise Cheon Mubaeck, Zhuge Yeogang became somewhat sulky.

Because it felt as if he had become a strange guy all by himself.

(End of Chapter)