Chapter 64 : Chapter 64

Chapter 64. 3 Years Later (2)

An emergency meeting held hurriedly.

At the place where all the key executives of the Ultimate Path Gate gathered, the first one to speak up was Baek Sua.

"Opposed. Absolutely opposed."

At Baek Sua's words, others also spoke as if agreeing.

"The Vice Sect Leader is returning to the clan? No. Unconditionally opposed."

"I also think so."

"The Vice Sect Leader cannot go."

As the executives opposed in unison, Dang Jin felt a corner of his heart warm up.

So many colleagues need me like this. I am recognized by them like this.

"If the Vice Sect Leader isn't here, who handles the administrative documents?"

"That's right. They say the General Manager is here, but she is at her limit just commanding the Eon Clan Merchant Group."

"If the Vice Sect Leader isn't here, the General Manager Lady might die from overwork."

Ah, right.

So it was for that reason.

'Thank you. You bastards.'

Dang Jin felt a bit bitter, but it was true that the Ultimate Path Gate sincerely needed him.

Eon Sohui created the merchant group and looks after the sect's housekeeping, but she has limits alone.

Still, the current Ultimate Path Gate runs somehow because Dang Jin, who was educated as the successor of the Sichuan Tang Clan, helps out. But Dang Jin leaving from there?

Han Cheong-un stood up from his seat with a serious expression and said.

"I think this can be taken as a declaration of war from the Sichuan Tang Clan against our sect."

Isn't declaration of war a bit too much?

Of course, everyone knows it's a joke, but shouldn't he be a bit careful with words?

"That is correct. Sect Leader."

"We must protest strictly."

"Should we have a go at the Tang Clan?"

No.

These bastards seem serious.

Look at these bastards with no thoughts or answers.

They are making a fuss about having a bout with the Tang Clan right now.

Amidst that, Dang Jin let out a deep sigh alone and spoke.

"Please calm down first, everyone."

"No, aren't you angry, Vice Sect Leader?"

"Not angry?"

"No, why?"

"They are just calling me to come, right? Why get angry?"

"No, who is the Tang Clan to order the Vice Sect Leader to come and go?"

"I am a son of the Tang Clan, you know?"

"...Ah!"

Did you forget?

"Right. That was it, wasn't it?"

"I forgot."

"So that's why your name was Tang."

It seems they all forgot as a group.

'This neighborhood is hopeless.'

There are inherently abnormal guys, but as they say, he who touches pitch shall be defiled...

Before anyone knew it, even normal humans degenerated into similar humans when rolled in the Ultimate Path Gate.

Even Seoyeon, what am I to do if you nod with an expression saying 'Come to think of it' there?

Dang Jin let out a sigh, a deep sigh.

'This place is doomed.'

At that moment, Han Cheong-un spoke.

"Everyone calm down. Let's listen to the reason first."

How unusual, he says normal words.

"It's not too late to have a bout with the Tang Clan after that."

No.

Normal my ass...

Dang Jin let out a deep sigh and continued with a serious expression.

"It seems a war will break out in Sichuan."

"War?"

"Yes. They say the Evil Way forces are concentrating their power in the south and gathering at the border of Sichuan."

Han Cheong-un spoke with a serious expression.

"Who? How many?"

To the concise question, Dang Jin also answered only the core.

"Blood Hand Gate."

"One of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way covets Sichuan?"

"And they say Ghost Gate Palace and Poison Hand Gate are also seen."

"..."

Three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way.

It was no exaggeration to say this was thirty percent of the Evil Way forces.

If that much power was coveting Sichuan...

"The response of Sichuan?"

"They say Emei, Qingcheng, and even our Tang Clan are gathering forces to coordinate together."

"..."

"Probably the reason they called me is also because of that. Well, I am a foolish son, but isn't it better than nothing?"

At Dang Jin's words shrugging his shoulders, others also made serious expressions.

This is not a light matter.

If three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way joined forces, this is not a small war of attrition happening casually just to test the waters.

It meant they revealed their ambition to invade Sichuan in earnest.

Against that, the Righteous Way side would also prepare their best, and if that happened...

"Sect Leader. This is?"

Baek Sua looked at Han Cheong-un with a serious expression.

Han Cheong-un nodded slightly.

These two regressors know.

What this flow means.

This clash occurring in Sichuan would later spread like wildfire covering the entire Gangho.

The beginning of the terrible war called the War of Righteousness and Evil.

"..."

Han Cheong-un closed his eyes and remained silent.

And he thought repeatedly to grasp this situation inwardly.

'In the end... was it unavoidable?'

Han Cheong-un thought.

Could he change the past?

If there is a destiny in the world?

If the future is already determined?

Then wouldn't what happens happen no matter how much he struggles?

He couldn't erase such thoughts.

But fortunately, such a hypothesis was wrong.

Guizhou Bloodshed Incident.

That terrible tragedy where countless martial artists competed bloodily over the Human-shaped Heavenly Ginseng.

That tragedy did not happen.

Originally, it should have happened two years ago, but because Han Cheong-un took the Human-shaped Heavenly Ginseng, it became something that never happened.

And the Tang Clan Bloodshed Incident is the same.

Dang Seoyeon, the Heavenly Killing Poison Flower who was the protagonist of that terrible tragedy, is no more.

Currently she is spending peaceful days at the Ultimate Path Gate with her older brother.

So Han Cheong-un concluded.

'There is no such thing as fixed destiny. If a person does their best, the future can be changed.'

So he thought.

He already prevented the Tang Clan Bloodshed Incident, and various other futures changed.

Then wouldn't the War of Righteousness and Evil also become something that never happened?

Although Han Cheong-un is gathering power preparing for the war, the best thing is for the war itself to disappear.

And last year.

Originally, the War of Righteousness and Evil should have broken out last year.

Three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way joined forces to move north to Sichuan, and as a result, Qingcheng and Emei suffered great damage and had to retreat from Sichuan.

With the Murim Alliance joining in to reclaim Sichuan, a full-scale war against the Eight Gates of the Evil Way eventually escalated into the First War of Righteousness and Evil. But...

'Nothing happened.'

Nothing happened in Sichuan.

He checked separately using the intelligence network of the Eon Clan Merchant Group, but there were no signs of war.

So he was relieved thinking they avoided the terrible war, and just a few months passed. But...

'To think it was delayed only by a year.'

Nothing but a sigh came out.

Eventually, as in history, three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way began to move. However, what is different from that time is...

"Would it be difficult for the current forces of Sichuan to handle three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way?"

"We'll know when we try. But they won't be pushed back so easily. Because Emei and the Tang Clan are also in Sichuan."

"Qingcheng?"

"They fall behind slightly, but better than nothing."

Han Cheong-un smirked.

The reason the Righteous Way forces of Sichuan were pushed back helplessly in his past life was that the Tang Clan was already annihilated.

Emei and Qingcheng alone could not stop three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way.

In fact, as Dang Jin just said, Qingcheng's skill ranks low among the Nine Sects.

'The difference between having the Tang Clan in Sichuan or not is quite big.'

Then would it be okay?

Since the Tang Clan is there, now Sichuan wouldn't be pushed back so easily unlike before the regression, so can he be relieved?

Thinking with his head, yes. But...

'Something is unsettling.'

His feeling wasn't good.

It felt very unsettling, and he felt like he shouldn't stand by and watch.

"Vice Sect Leader."

"Yes. Please speak."

"Did the Tang Clan Head's letter say only you should return?"

Then Dang Jin's expression crumbled slightly.

"What did the letter say? Speak honestly."

Dang Jin looked at Baek Sua sitting on one side of the meeting room.

Looking at her eyes staring at him intently...

'Lies won't work.'

He sighed and said.

"It was written that it would be good if he could receive possible help from the Ultimate Path Gate too."

"Right. I suppose so."

No matter what, he wouldn't have just called one son alone.

In an emergency situation where three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way are invading, it is normal to gather all gatherable power.

And the Tang Clan Head is one of the figures who knows Han Cheong-un's skill well.

Even if he doesn't know the entire power of the Ultimate Path Gate, he knew that just Han Cheong-un coming with his son would be a great benefit.

"May I say a word as the Vice Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate?"

"Speak."

"There should be no support for the Tang Clan. Even if we do, it must be minimal."

It was a remark unbelievable to have come from the mouth of a son of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

But the current Dang Jin had to speak to his liege, Han Cheong-un, solely as the Vice Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate.

"Our Ultimate Path Gate claims to be between Righteous and Evil, but geographically we are located in Hunan, the domain of the Evil Way. If the clash between Righteous and Evil spreads largely, the place that will get swept into the fight faster than anyone is our Ultimate Path Gate."

Others also agreed with Dang Jin's words.

"Certainly, that is a bit dangerous."

"So you mean if war breaks out, we get attacked first?"

"Right. It means we are the so-called front line."

They had forgotten because it was peaceful for the last 3 years, but they realized anew.

That the place where they settled is a dangerous place that can be attacked by either the Righteous or the Evil side.

"Even if we help Sichuan, we must not empty our sect's power excessively. If needed, just me and Seoyeon going fulfills all loyalty to the Tang Clan."

"..."

Han Cheong-un thought.

Dang Jin and Dang Seoyeon.

For now, it will look decent.

And considering their current skills, they will definitely be of help in the war. But...

"Not enough."

"What is?"

"If three of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way invade simultaneously, the Righteous Way of Sichuan won't last a month."

Han Cheong-un knows.

The Murim Alliance has long used the Beggar's Gang to spy on the Evil Way's sphere of influence and gauge the size of their power.

As a result, considering the quality of experts and number of warriors, they judged the total power of the Evil Way to be thirty percent of the Righteous Way, forty percent at maximum.

'It was a complete miscalculation.'

Once the War of Righteousness and Evil broke out, the Righteous Way was pushed back by the Evil Way with irresistible force.

The power of the Evil Way was at least three times stronger than what the Righteous Way thought.

Even in the Second War of Righteousness and Evil, the power of the Evil Way was twenty times stronger than the Righteous Way.

Even if the Sichuan Tang Clan remains intact and the strengthened Dang Jin and Dang Seoyeon join, that alone won't change the past.

'But Dang Jin's words also have a point.'

Certainly, leaving the Ultimate Path Gate defenseless is a problem. Then...

"Only exactly four people will go."

"Four people?"

"Yes. Dang Jin, Dang Seoyeon, Baek Sua. And..."

Pausing for a moment, Han Cheong-un looked around and said.

"I will go."

When the words that Han Cheong-un would go personally dropped, chaos broke out everywhere.

"No."

"Does that make sense?"

"Have you finally gone crazy?"

The sect members opposed in unison.

Especially Jang Hyun's opposition was fierce.

"Wake up. You are not a mere ronin warrior but a Sect Leader of a sect!"

If Jang Hyun, who usually accepts Han Cheong-un's decisions quite moderately, acts like this, other members go without saying.

But Han Cheong-un's determination was firm.

"Listen. Just listen first."

Han Cheong-un spoke to the sect's executives who were huffing and puffing in opposition.

"First, the Vice Sect Leader's words are correct. If we withdraw too much power, others aiming for Yueyang might attack. So going to Sichuan must unconditionally be an elite few."

Up to here is correct.

"Dang Jin and Dang Seoyeon naturally must go. Since they are blood of the Sichuan Tang Clan."

Up to here is also correct.

"Sua is a first-class disciple of Mount Hua. Even if she fights on the side of the Righteous Way and lifts her sword, it won't be such a big problem."

Up to here is also correct.

"And I..."

I what?

With everyone's attention gathered, Han Cheong-un thought. How can I persuade the sect members well?

There was only one answer.

"I am the Sect Leader. So I decided."

"..."

"..."

He just insisted.

Because no matter how much he thought, a plausible justification didn't come to mind. And...

'Ow. That damn human...'

'In the end, is it power?'

'Unfair. Can a weak guy live with this unfairness?'

This worked the best too.

"Ahem, in fact, even if we go as an elite few, to influence the tide of the war, we must have some degree of power and influence."

"..."

"So it is correct that I, the Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate and the strongest among us, go. Hmm, yes, absolutely correct."

"..."

Whoever looks at it, it's a plausible reason just tacked on after thinking.

Then Im Cheong, who had been silent until now, spoke.

"If the Sect Leader decided, I will follow."

Im Cheong supported Han Cheong-un's decision.

This isn't because he particularly has loyalty to Han Cheong-un.

Being a competitor to the bone, as a loser, he obeys Han Cheong-un, the winner.

Before challenging again and reversing the victory and defeat, if told to die, he will die, and if told to attack, he will attack even if the opponent is Buddha. And...

"Understood. Since it seems already decided, it can't be helped."

"I understand too. Don't worry about the sect and go."

Jang Hyun and Junggang also followed Han Cheong-un's decision.

With these three, in fact, even if someone attacks while Han Cheong-un is away, they can handle it to some extent.

'Especially Junggang is strong.'

Han Cheong-un stared at Junggang. Then...

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, just..."

Who would believe it?

That that innocent young man won against Flying Swallow Swordsman Im Cheong and Unavoidable Death Arrow Jang Hyun.

For the past three years.

Everyone belonging to the Ultimate Path Gate devoted themselves to training.

Han Cheong-un opened up the high-level martial arts he knew to the sect members as much as possible and allowed mutual exchange unless it was a unique martial art.

As a result.

Sword, spear, bow, fist arts, etc.

Although the martial arts system became a hodgepodge mixed with this and that, as a result, the sect members definitely became stronger.

And among them, the one who became the strongest was Junggang.

Junggang's degree of development was beyond common sense.

Before coming to the Ultimate Path Gate, Junggang had never learned a proper fist strike, but his martial talent was on a different level.

Great Power Diamond Body.

This was an ability close to a kind of superpower like Baek Sua's Dragon Eye or Dang Seoyeon's Myriad Poisons Body.

Junggang, born with physical abilities completely different from ordinary humans, originally learned the martial arts of a third-rate sect.

But even in that state, he went around smashing first-rate experts of the Evil Way.

Well, considering he beat up beasts without learning anything, need more be said?

But now, he learned the martial arts of the Eon Clan, famous for fist arts, at the Ultimate Path Gate.

As a result, Junggang became ridiculously strong.

Currently, within the Ultimate Path Gate, the ones who can guarantee certain victory against Junggang are about Han Cheong-un and Baek Sua.

If one had to add more, Dang Seoyeon?

'If the two fight, they would probably perish together.'

With this much, it seemed okay to empty his spot with peace of mind.