"Who goes there?"
"Who are you bastards?"
As strangers appeared in the courtyard, the swordsmen of the Wudang Sect were startled, drawing their swords and pointing them at the intruders. They quickly formed a defensive line to protect Baek Cheon and Heo Gong.
"When did they appear?"
Cold sweat trickled down the backs of the Wudang swordsmen. They had been too preoccupied with tending to the wounded to notice such a large group approaching so close.
"These aren't ordinary people."
Only those with extraordinary skill could pull off such a feat. But even without considering that, the ominous aura emanating from the intruders was enough to gauge their martial prowess.
"Who are you...?"
A man wrapped in a blood-red bandage, resembling dried blood, sneered at the wary Wudang disciples.
"So that's what's important to you right now, huh? The people of the central plains always have such amusing thoughts."
A low chuckle spread through the silence. It wasn't just unpleasant; it was downright ominous. The eerie appearance, the killing intent laced in their sticky words, and the unsettling aura made the Wudang disciples increasingly uncomfortable.
But the anxiety and discomfort felt by the Wudang disciples paled in comparison to what the Five Swords, standing by Baek Cheon's side, were experiencing.
"Damn it."
Jo Gul's entire body was drenched in cold sweat. The sudden appearance of the stranger's aura made his hair stand on end.
This was an absolute powerhouse. Even if not exactly, this person would likely not be far behind the Sun Sovereign of the Southern Sea Sun Palace.
"Blood Palace..."
He had heard from Baek Cheon. The Blood Palace had appeared at Shaolin, only to retreat without a major conflict.
Now, the Blood Palace, which might or might not be aligned with the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had shown up at this critical moment.
"Damn it..."
There's an old saying, "The good don't come, and those who come aren't good."
Even though their purpose was unclear, it was easy to guess that their appearance here wasn't for any good intentions.
Jo Gul bit his lower lip as he looked at Baek Cheon, who was still lying unconscious.
"This is dangerous."
In his current state, Baek Cheon was like a bomb waiting to go off. The slightest shock could end his life instantly.
In other words, if a fight broke out, Baek Cheon's life would be over in that very moment. Moreover, the Five Swords, Tang Gunak, Mu Jin, and even Jin Hyun were all expending their energy to keep Baek Cheon alive.
"What should I do?"
Jo Gul's mind raced as he tried to think, all while expending his energy.
The moment he let go, Baek Cheon would die. But if he didn't let go, the remaining people wouldn't be able to deal with the intruders.
Whose life was more important? Who should be saved?
Desperately, he looked around. But the others holding onto Baek Cheon seemed just as lost. Their eyes were wide with uncertainty.
"When will this damn treatment end?"
The best option he could think of was for Heo Gong to pause the treatment momentarily, but it was impossible to communicate this to Heo Gong, who had already entered a state of selflessness.
It was truly a desperate situation, with no way out.
"This is a pitiful sight."
The leader of the Blood Palace seemed fully aware of the situation. His bandage-covered lips twisted into a strange smile.
His bloodshot eyes shifted towards Baek Cheon, lying on the bed.
"I remember he was quite spirited before."
At that moment, Jo Gul noticed the leader of the Blood Palace slowly clenching the hand that had been hanging loosely by his side.
The tension in the air grew taut. The moment that tension snapped, the intruders would pounce on Baek Cheon and everyone else.
"Please, anything... Anyone, please!"
But before Jo Gul's desperate plea could be answered, the leader of the Blood Palace's eyes flared red.
"Shall we start by settling the score from Shaolin?"
The leader of the Blood Palace slightly bent his knees. Jo Gul, recognizing what that stance meant, instinctively closed his eyes.
"Your master..."
Someone stepped forward, speaking with trembling hands.
Jo Gul, startled, stared blankly at the person who had stepped forward.
"Sasuk?"
It was Baek Sang, who had stepped forward alone to face the leader of the Blood Palace. After a brief gulp, he spoke again.
"Your master seems to have given the order to retreat, so why are you still here? Did you not hear the command?"
It was a blatant provocation. And he couldn't even hide the tremor in his voice, making it seem like nothing more than a desperate struggle. Baek Sang was that desperate.
"Master?"
But surprisingly, the leader of the Blood Palace reacted. Whether the term genuinely irked him or if it was just the luxury of a cat playing with a trapped mouse, it was hard to tell.
"Master, you say... That's amusing. Who could possibly be our master? Especially one of those evil sect members from The central plains?"
A murderous red light shone in the leader of the Blood Palace's eyes.
His gaze was so fierce that it made one instinctively shrink away, not just due to his martial prowess, but because it was more like a killing aura.
However, Baek Sang didn't easily retreat, even in the face of this suffocating fear.
He knew that if he retreated, Baek Cheon would die. Baek Sang knew he had nowhere to retreat.
"So, you're saying you have no master?"
"There's only one who could ever be our master."
"Aren't you just saying that as you followed orders to crawl here?"
"Orders... Pathetic. You just mentioned retreat orders, and now you're spouting nonsense."
The leader of the Blood Palace's fleeting interest quickly faded. At that moment, Baek Sang spoke up.
"Let's make a deal."
"Hmm?"
The leader of the Blood Palace tilted his head. It wasn't a gesture to belittle or corner his opponent. He was genuinely surprised by Baek Sang's words.
"...Did you just say 'deal'?"
"Yes, a deal. Even if you're not fluent in our language, you should understand that much."
"Me and you?"
"Yes."
The Blood Palace Lord looked at Baek Sang with a strange gaze, as if a venomous snake was crawling all over his body. Baek Sang felt cold sweat drench his entire body, but he still desperately forced himself to speak.
"If you are not the dogs of the Evil Sect, if Jang Ilso is not your master, then we can certainly make a deal. Tell me what you want. In exchange for you leaving this place peacefully, I will give you whatever you desire."
The Blood Palace Lord slightly moved his fingers, causing Baek Sang's eyes to twitch involuntarily. He knew it was an absurd move, but he had no other options.
'At the very least, he'll find it interesting.'
He had already heard from Baek Cheon about what happened at Shaolin. This man had a history of turning away without hesitation the moment he felt at a disadvantage. It meant that he was entirely different from the people Mount Hua had faced so far. What he wanted was profit—complete gain with no loss or damage. If that could be guaranteed...
"If you truly came here without any connection to them, then the Evil Tyrant Alliance wouldn't even know you're here. So, if you take what you want and leave, you won't lose anything, right?"
The Blood Palace Lord showed no particular reaction, but the Wudang and Mount Hua members did.
"Dojang! Are you in your right mind...?"
"Quiet!"
Baek Sang glared at the person shouting from behind. The fierce look on his face instantly shut the Wudang swordsman's mouth.
Baek Sang sharply commanded, "Keep that mouth shut. Just for a moment!"
Then he took a deep breath and looked back at the Blood Palace Lord.
"A deal... A deal, huh..."
The Blood Palace Lord chuckled softly as he repeated the word.
"Yes, it's not a bad idea. After all, as long as we gain, it's fine."
Baek Sang asked calmly, though inwardly he was rejoicing.
"What do you want?"
"Wealth. And elixirs. Oh, and good weapons, if you can provide them."
"I can give you as much as you want..."
"And just add one small thing to that."
Baek Sang's face stiffened slightly. The odd smile on the Blood Palace Lord's face as he mentioned the 'small thing' made him wary.
"What is it?"
The Blood Palace Lord gestured with his chin toward something behind Baek Sang.
"The head of that guy lying there."
"...What?"
"It would be even better if it was severed in pain. I have a debt to repay, after all."
Baek Sang's face turned ashen.
"That...is..."
"Ah, that's an absolutely non-negotiable condition. Sometimes, things are more important than mere wealth."
Mockery gleamed in the Blood Palace Lord's eyes.
Only then did Baek Sang realize that the desperate conversation he had just had was nothing more than a cat playing with a trapped mouse to the Blood Palace Lord.
"Now, I'll count to three. Bring me that head, and I'll spare the rest."
"Wait...!"
The Blood Palace Lord raised three fingers, unnaturally long and dry.
"Three."
One finger slowly folded.
Baek Sang quickly turned around. The Wudang and Mount Hua swordsmen behind him reflexively turned as well.
"Two."
However, there was not a single flicker of hesitation in their eyes.
"One."
The last finger folded, and a chillingly fractured voice echoed.
"The negotiation is over."
Boom!
At that moment, the Blood Palace Lord surged forward, emitting a red aura, heading straight for Baek Sang.
Baek Sang instinctively drew his sword. He had to block it. Even if it cost him his life, he had to stop that man's hand from reaching Baek Cheon!
But before he could even draw his sword halfway, the Blood Palace Lord's bandaged claw was already at Baek Sang's throat.
'Ah...'
Baek Sang closed his eyes tightly, sensing the impending death.
Boom!
Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted right in front of him. The pressure that followed blew Baek Sang far back, causing him to collapse to the ground.
"Wha...?"
What happened?
He instinctively reached for his neck, which was still firmly attached to his body.
'What... just...'
As he tried to calm his ringing head, Baek Sang blankly looked forward. Finally, he saw it. The Blood Palace Lord had retreated three paces, one hand covering his face.
"This... This..."
When he lowered his hand, the Blood Palace Lord's face was horribly twisted.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed in his ears.
"Where do you think you're putting your filthy hands, you dried-up husk?"
"Ah...!"
Baek Sang and the other Mount Hua disciples all shivered in unison. The voice was far too familiar. It wasn't a hallucination.
Thud.
A figure landed in front of Baek Sang.
"Chung Myung...!"
The moment Baek Sang and the other Mount Hua disciples recognized the familiar figure in his martial arts uniform, they all shouted in unison.
"Chung Myung-ah!"
"This is my precious Sasuk, after all."
Chung Myung loosened his neck and shoulders as he narrowed his eyes at the Blood Palace Lord.
"Now, let's renegotiate. This time, with your life on the line."
A cold smile spread across Chung Myung's lips.