The clear, radiant full moon quietly looked down upon the world.
In that transparent moonlight, Cho Ji myeong's expression looked not only pained but almost sorrowful.
Cheon Ryuyeong spoke to him once more.
"Withdraw."
Cho Ji myeong bit his lips hard.
The Scholar of the Martial World was right.
With his silver tongue having driven the Black Wolf Unit's morale into the ground, there was little hope of victory now.
And even if they won, the fate awaiting them would not be glory but a wretched downfall.
Even knowing this, Cho Ji myeong could not bring himself to take the step back. He could not give the order to retreat.
If he failed to capture the Scholar of the Martial World here, he felt he would regret it for the rest of his life. The anxious moments dragged on like eternity.
Swallowing his rage, Cho Ji myeong muttered:
"So in the end… must we tuck our tails? Must our Black Wolf Unit be forced back by you once again?"
Since becoming leader of the Black Wolf Unit, this had never once happened—defeat at the hands of the same opponent twice.
Mongchu spoke with downcast eyes.
"Leader…"
"Then how are we any different from the higher-ups who abandoned their subordinates and fled?"
At his self-condemning words, the Black Wolf soldiers' gazes turned toward Sojun Mountain. There, hundreds of their comrades should have been deep in meditation and cultivation.
To abandon them and retreat would be humiliation. That made it all the harder to take a step.
Seeing where their eyes lingered, Cheon Ryuyeong spoke in a regretful tone.
"I have stationed the White Tiger Unit of the Martial Alliance in ambush there. They are led by the great hero Nangwang."
"…!"
Cho Ji myeong and the Black Wolf Unit turned pale.
Mongchu spoke in shock.
"So that's why… none of those who entered Sojun Mountain have come out."
Cheon Ryuyeong nodded and continued.
"By now, most of them will have been eliminated."
"…"
"Go back. The White Tiger Unit will soon join us here as well. There will be no place left for you. You have neither reason nor justification to fight, so why cling on when all paths lead to death?"
Cho Ji myeong let out a long sigh and gave a bitter smile.
"Attachment… Yes, that's it. And the reason for that attachment is you, Scholar of the Martial World."
"…"
"So long as you stand with the orthodox factions, I feel my long-cherished dream of unifying the world under the Demonic Sect will remain out of reach. That thought alone, in this ruined situation, holds me back from retreat."
Cheon Ryuyeong answered with an awkward expression.
"Such praise is far too much for someone like me. I am but an unknown, a fool who never properly studied either the classics or martial arts."
Cho Ji myeong clicked his tongue, locking eyes with him.
"An unknown? A fool? Then are you saying the Demon Sect and Black Heaven Lotus' elite vanguard was defeated by a fool? Keh-heh-heh. How laughable."
"…"
"Very well. We retreat."
With that, Cho Ji myeong stepped back while keeping his eyes on Cheon Ryuyeong. In unison, the Black Wolf soldiers also stepped back cautiously, maintaining their formation.
At last, the Black Wolf Leader—the spearpoint of the battlefield—was swallowing his rage and retreating at the words of Cheon Ryuyeong.
The Tang Clan members' faces lit up with exhilaration. Cheon Ryuyeong's six guards smiled brightly at him with admiration.
At that moment, Cheon Ryuyeong furrowed his brow and addressed Cho Ji myeong:
"Black Wolf Leader, no. That's not the way you should go."
The Black Wolf Unit halted instantly, even without their leader's command.
Cheon Ryuyeong raised his hand and pointed north.
"That is the direction you must go."
Cho Ji myeong's cheeks twitched with anger.
"Even the direction of our retreat must be dictated by you?"
"Aren't you trying to follow after your higher-ups right now?"
"Of course—"
He stopped midsentence. A thought flashed across his mind, and Cheon Ryuyeong voiced it aloud.
"What will they say when they see you return unharmed, without even fighting? They'll heap scorn upon you. Worse still, when you reach the branch in Sichuan, you'll face disciplinary inquiry. How will they overlook the fact that you defied orders on the battlefield, only to return without accomplishing anything? They could easily choose you as the scapegoat."
"…!"
"And I will be pursuing the Demonic Sect and Black Heaven Lotus from here. When we scatter our fake poison during that pursuit, what will you do? Will you fight us even knowing it's fake? Impossible. If you retreat now knowing it is fake, you cannot escape punishment."
Neither Cho Ji myeong nor his men could say a word. There was no rebuttal.
Cheon Ryuyeong pointed north with his golden fan again.
"If you follow your higher-ups, you will end up trapped between choices, just as now. Circle northward instead. Later, you can claim that you were forced to take that route to avoid being surrounded when the Sword Fragrance Pavilion warriors struck. That will serve as your excuse."
He was even kindly offering them an alibi.
Though incredulous, Cho Ji myeong tilted his head and asked:
"I don't understand. Why extend us such courtesy?"
Cheon Ryuyeong folded his fan and tapped it against his temple, replying:
"First, because if you join your higher-ups, it will make things troublesome for us. When we catch up, they will order you to block us. Then both your Black Wolf Unit, who know the truth of the poison, and we will be forced into an awkward fight."
Suppressing a laugh, Cho Ji myeong pressed further:
"You said 'first,' so there must be another reason."
"That… you can ask the Heavenly Demon Sword. He will understand my intention."
"…"
"And give him this message: Your campaign to occupy Sichuan has failed. So please, withdraw quickly. And from now on, let's not trespass on each other—let us live in peace."
At that moment, faint screams and shouts echoed from Sojun Mountain.
The Black Wolf soldiers flinched, but Cheon Ryuyeong explained.
"It must be the final sweep. Some of your men, who had hidden in places without ambushes, likely realized too late they were not poisoned. They're being finished off now."
"…"
"Which means the White Tiger Unit is about to join us here. And as you know, the White Tiger Unit led by Nangwang is no weaker than the Black Wolf Unit."
It was a warning: this was their last chance to retreat.
Casting one last glance at Sojun Mountain, Cho Ji myeong turned his eyes back to Cheon Ryuyeong.
"The day I meet you again on the battlefield for the third time—I will never retreat. I will fight and win, and I will capture you. Wait for that day."
Cheon Ryuyeong received his fiery gaze calmly.
"On a personal note… I quite like you. I truly think you are a splendid commander, and I respect you."
"…"
"That is why I do not wish to meet you again on the battlefield. Who knows? Perhaps someday we will share a drink together instead."
"Keh-heh-heh. You and I? Never."
"The future is unknowable. Don't be so certain."
"Arrogant fool!"
With that, Cho Ji myeong turned and left—heading north.
The Black Wolf soldiers started slowly, then broke into a swift run. Watching them go, Hwa Ga-yeon collapsed to the ground.
"Haaah… I'm completely drained."
Jang Deukmu chuckled at his junior sister.
"Hahaha. You think you're the only one?"
Then he looked up at Cheon Ryuyeong.
"Brother, that was incredible. Truly, truly incredible."
Jo Jeonhu finally let go of his tension, jumping and shouting:
"Keh-heh-heh! Of course! Incredible indeed! From the very first moment I met our Young Master Cheon, I knew how extraordinary he was!"
The Tang Clan members rushed over.
"Commander!"
"Young Master Cheon!"
"Scholar of the Martial World!"
The titles varied, but the emotions within them were one—exhilaration.
In an instant, the white horse was surrounded by a cheering crowd.
Excited, Jo Jeonhu shouted:
"Form a line! Form a line!"
At his side, Dokgo Seol laughed and jabbed Jo Jeonhu in the ribs with her elbow.
"A line? What line, hahahaha."
She smiled brightly. She was not one to laugh easily, yet now she forgot her worries and laughed. Though she hadn't shown it, she too had felt gloomy and anxious as she followed Cheon Ryuyeong when he advanced toward the Black Wolf Unit.
Still, she had believed in him.
And once again, he had overcome the crisis far more brilliantly than she had expected.
"Young Master Cheon…"
Pushed back by the Tang Clan disciples surging forward, she looked up at Cheon Ryuyeong and smiled.
She couldn't help it—giggles kept escaping her lips.
The sight of Cheon Ryuyeong, surrounded in an instant by Tang Clan disciples and looking flustered as though not knowing what to do, was even cute.
The Tang Clan disciples regained their composure when Cheon Ryuyeong suggested they move on to Sojun Mountain to join with the White Tiger Unit and wipe out the remaining remnants.
Under Doksoo's command, they all rushed toward Sojun Mountain, leaving behind only Cheon Ryuyeong and his guards.
At that moment, Pyeong-u spoke up beside Dokgo Seol.
"Sister Seol."
"Hm?"
"They're finally coming."
He raised his hand and pointed south. From that direction, a group of people were running desperately.
They were disciples of the Tang Clan, led by Tang Cheonwi.
Seeing them, Namgung Su clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Even if late, to be this late…"
Tang Nam-u, who had remained instead of going to Sojun Mountain, spoke apologetically.
"I'm sorry."
Namgung Su glanced at him and shook his head.
"There's no need for you to apologize."
"Even so… my father's lateness caused us great trouble. I truly have no face to show Brother Cheon Ryuyeong."
Tang Nam-u's words were true.
According to Cheon Ryuyeong's original plan, Tang Cheonwi, the young master, and his group should already have arrived.
Unlike Cheon Ryuyeong's party, Tang Cheonwi and his disciples had no horses. As they grew exhausted, they had chosen another path—cutting straight across the mountains toward the Tang Clan estate.
They had been confident they would make it on time, but in the end they arrived this late.
Jang Deukmu cut in.
"It was truly dangerous. To come only now… If the Black Wolf Unit had charged again, hoping to kindle their last spark of hope, everything would have fallen perfectly into place for them."
Namgung Su nodded.
"That's right. And that's why I think our commander is all the more extraordinary. He prepared for every possible scenario, but Tang Cheonwi's delay was an unforeseen variable. Yet he remained calm. In that short time, he saw through the enemy's psychology and struck their weakness."
Dokgo Seol, listening, smiled proudly.
"Commander, I know you're embarrassed, but won't you say a few words?"
All around, people lifted their heads to look at the white horse. Then, all at once, their eyes widened.
Cheon Ryuyeong.
He had bowed his head and closed his eyes.
"Young Master Cheon!"
Dokgo Seol cried out, almost screaming, as she grabbed his leg and shook it. Cheon Ryuyeong's body suddenly tilted heavily toward her.
Namgung Su hurried to free Cheon Ryuyeong's foot from the stirrup on the other side.
"Slowly!"
Cheon Ryuyeong's body leaned into Dokgo Seol's arms. Pyeong-u quickly stepped in to help support him.
Pyeong-u swallowed hard.
"Ah! His body is burning hot."
Namgung Su circled back around the horse, muttering.
"Damn it, the situation was so urgent I forgot about his condition. No—he seemed so composed, I thought he was fine."
Tang Nam-u stomped his feet in agitation.
"Let's move him to the main estate."
Namgung Su loosened Cheon Ryuyeong's clothing to cool him down and nodded.
"Yes, we must."
From Sojun Mountain, a great cheer erupted. The White Tiger Unit had finally appeared at the foot of the mountain, and the Tang Clan disciples cheered and rushed to greet them.
It meant that most of the demonic remnants hiding in Sojun Mountain had been eliminated.
But Cheon Ryuyeong's guards had no time to share that joy.
When they opened his garments, they found the bandages no longer white but soaked a dark, bloody red. Namgung Su carefully began to unwrap them.
Dokgo Seol's lips trembled as she asked:
"How is it?"
"The chest wound is fine. The injury hasn't reopened, so he hasn't lost much blood. But he needs more medicine. Golden Wound Powder and…"
He stopped, frowning. The headband wrapped around Cheon Ryuyeong's forehead was stained with blood. Removing it, Namgung Su examined the wound at the side of his head.
"The real problem is his head. The wound has reopened."
It should have been tightly bound with thick bandages, but instead it had only been disguised with a thin headcloth—used to hide the injury.
That concealment had only worsened the wound.
Namgung Su hurriedly pulled a small pouch from his back, sprinkling the little remaining gray powder onto the torn wound at the side of Cheon Ryuyeong's head—slowly and carefully.
Then he looked to Tang Nam-u.
"Quickly. Move him inside the Tang estate. Prepare cold water, clean cloth, and medicine."
"Yes!"
Tang Nam-u sprinted ahead like a madman. Pyeong-u lifted Cheon Ryuyeong in his arms and followed.
Namgung Su came last, sighing repeatedly as he raised his eyes to the sky.
The full moon still shone brilliantly overhead.
"What are we to do?"
He was worried.
The battle was not yet over.
The Dokgo Clan, the Black Tortoise Unit, and the Kunlun Sect were still on the move. They too would have to join that battle.
But now, Cheon Ryuyeong had lost consciousness again.
"Well… after pouring out so much spirit, how could he not collapse? But could it be… that he will never wake again?"
Namgung Su shook his head firmly.
Cheon Ryuyeong was the first person he had ever truly wanted as a friend—ignoring status and background.
"Don't die. I want to spend time with you. To drink together, to talk, to help each other… I want a friend not bound by interests, but one who truly understands me. Just one such friend in my lifetime."
Everyone who approached him had done so with motives.
His identity as the Third Young Master of the Namgung Clan had made it so. Disgusted, he had closed his heart.
Everyone he had met pursued profit, and so had he.
But Cheon Ryuyeong was different. He was the first to stir his heart again, to remind him of a forgotten childhood purity.
Perhaps he would never meet another so pure in his lifetime. That was why he truly did not want to lose him.
The battle was not yet over. But to Namgung Su, Cheon Ryuyeong's safety now mattered more than anything else.