Chapter 186 :

<Rewriting the Sichuan Blood Incident (6)>

I was screwed.

I had given him so many signals not to say it.

Did he lack the ability to take a hint, or did he simply not care?

'Anyway, when did I swear to die on the same day, at the same hour?'

That certainly did not exist in my perfect memory.

Still, it was not as though I had never anticipated a situation like this.

But as I headed to Sichuan, this man was the only person I could ask for help in case something went wrong.

In the worst case, I might have had to fight the entire Blood Cult. I had no intention of repeating the madness of my previous life, holding out endlessly until the Martial Alliance arrived.

Besides, with absurd rumors already calling me a heretical rising star or the joint successor of the heretical factions, what difference would one more rumor about being sworn brothers with a Green Forest bandit make?

More importantly, how long had it been since I last saw him? Bang Duchil had become an absolute monster.

Even with the Heavenly Astral Boundless Body, wasn't this cheating?

Thanks to the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb and the Sacred Flame Demon-Extinguishing Art, I had accumulated slightly less than four jiazi of internal energy.

Yet whatever Bang Duchil had eaten in the meantime, his presence did not fall short of mine in the slightest.

"Little Brother! It seems you haven't neglected your training either! Wahahahaha!"

Every time he pounded my shoulder, it felt as though my feet were sinking into the ground.

Wait, he had only been training?

And he had become this strong…?

"Did you really only train?"

Bang Duchil's eyes rolled about with a guilty expression.

Of course. He must have eaten something.

Perhaps he had drunk an entire bucket of Empty Azure Stone Milk, thinking it was liquor, or gobbled up ten-thousand-year flower ginseng, thinking it was a snack to accompany his drinks…

"To be honest, I was busy bringing Zhejiang's Green Forest strongholds into line, so I couldn't devote myself entirely to training. Seeing how much you've improved makes me feel rather ashamed."

He had not even done that much?

Fuck this. I quit.

Just then—

"You fucking bastard!"

A curse that perfectly expressed my feelings erupted from among the deputy stronghold chiefs.

As the friendly atmosphere instantly turned cold, Bang Duchil glared at them in displeasure.

"Who was that? Who interrupted us?"

Technically, Bang Duchil was the one who had interrupted our dealings with the Green Forest strongholds.

But Bang Duchil, who lived as though he alone mattered in all heaven and earth, did not seem to see it that way.

"We are the deputy chiefs of Hwaeom Stronghold, Red Blossom Stronghold, and Cheukbong Stronghold!"

"And?"

"Why, you…!"

Was this what it meant to be unable to communicate?

Honestly, if Bang Duchil had spoken to me with that attitude, my insides would have twisted themselves into knots.

He looked as though he genuinely had no idea what he had done wrong.

Had Bang Duchil been an easy opponent, the deputy chiefs would have split his head open with an axe and told him to think more before speaking.

But there was no way they failed to sense the overwhelming energy I felt from him.

"Darling, I believe they're unhappy that we interrupted."

At Baek Soryeong's elegant voice, Bang Duchil raised an eyebrow.

"Then they should have said so. Just what you'd expect from ignorant bandits."

The deputy chiefs' faces turned bright red.

They looked ready to burst from frustration.

"Get lost right now if you don't want to die!"

Despite the deputy chief's fierce threat, Bang Duchil calmly asked me a question.

"Why did you summon me all the way here, Little Brother?"

Things had changed considerably from my original purpose, but his arrival was still like a golden lifeline descending from heaven.

For someone with nowhere else in the world to turn, having a big brother like this was better than nothing.

I nodded firmly.

"Please challenge them to a Mountain King Contest."

"Hmm?"

One of Bang Duchil's eyebrows rose.

He probably had not expected the words "Mountain King Contest" to come out of my mouth.

"You used Mountain King Contests to accomplish what you did in Zhejiang, didn't you? I would like you to bring Sichuan under your feet as well."

In my previous life, the Sichuan Blood Incident had involved the Blood Cult, the Martial Alliance, Sichuan's leading powers—Qingcheng, Emei, and the Tang Clan—and the dozens of small and medium sects following them.

The Green Forest strongholds had joined in as well, turning everything into hell.

There was a reason the incident had been grand enough to earn a name describing a history of bloodshed.

If the Green Forest strongholds at least stayed quiet, Sichuan's leading powers would not act independently in defiance of the Martial Alliance.

"Heh, so you knew about that, Little Brother. But I've only just taken Zhejiang. Why should I start with Sichuan next?"

Even Bang Duchil understood that subjugating the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds required expanding one step at a time, like claiming territory in a game.

"I'll be honest. As you say, Big Brother, it doesn't make much sense."

But I knew Bang Duchil better than he knew himself.

I knew the precious words that could make him move however I wished, as though under a spell.

"But would the 'king' of the Green Forest concern himself with such things?"

"Hm?"

He had taken the bait.

I gently prodded his competitive spirit.

"All under heaven belongs to the 'king' of the Green Forest anyway. What does it matter which place you bring under your feet first?"

After a brief silence, Bang Duchil raised both eyebrows, let out a quiet exclamation, and began trembling.

Even in my previous life, a single grandiose phrase had been enough to stir his emotions beyond control.

That had certainly been true, but—

"Mwahahahahahahaha!"

His thunderous laughter battered my eardrums.

'Isn't this reaction a little excessive?'

He did not even seem to be using internal energy, yet it felt as though my insides were being shaken.

And he was so delighted that the hand pounding my shoulder showed no mercy.

Barely enduring the bone-crushing pain, I looked down and found that my feet had actually sunk a little into the ground.

Did this man have no concept of moderation?

"Exactly! A true 'king' does not weigh every little consideration like some petty miser!"

…His reaction was even more intense than in my previous life.

Had his damaged dantian mellowed his personality back then?

Bang Duchil withdrew the hand that had been hammering my shoulder and sharply raised his head.

"Listen!"

He looked at the deputy chiefs one by one.

"I, Bang Duchil, chief of Green Dragon Stronghold and ruler of Zhejiang, address the men of the Green Forest…"

At the mention of Zhejiang and Bang Duchil, the deputy chiefs swallowed hard.

"I challenge the Green Forest strongholds of Sichuan to a Mountain King Contest!"

"Green Dragon Stronghold…?"

"The reincarnation of Xiang Yu?"

"Why is he here…?"

Even if they lived deep in the mountains, cut off from worldly affairs, they apparently still followed news concerning their own kind.

The deputy chiefs quickly recognized Bang Duchil.

The men who had been ready to charge at us moments earlier were now darting their eyes about and moving their lips hesitantly.

They whispered among themselves. Once they seemed to have reached a conclusion, Hwaeom Stronghold's deputy chief spoke.

"Bang Duchil, chief of Green Dragon Stronghold. We know we must accept a Mountain King Contest, but now is not the time."

"Do you intend to violate the first rule of the Green Forest Alliance?"

"That is not it! We came here to punish an enemy who threatened the very survival of our strongholds. As a stronghold chief yourself, you should understand that this is no time for a Mountain King Contest."

Bang Duchil's eyebrow twitched slightly.

"He threatened your survival?"

"Y-yes! The man you call your little brother inflicted irreparable damage on our three strongholds. Before we accept a Mountain King Contest, that matter must be settled."

I had anticipated this response to some extent.

Naturally, an objection like that would prevent the Mountain King Contest from proceeding.

What I wanted was for Bang Duchil to be as unreasonable as usual.

Normally, he would ask why that mattered and insist that it would all be irrelevant once he won the Mountain King Contest.

But contrary to my expectations—

"Is that so? Then there's no problem."

Bang Duchil pointed at me.

What?

Before I could even try to silence him through my inexplicable unease, he spoke.

"My little brother can participate in the Mountain King Contest as well."

Huh? Excuse me?

Mountain King Contests are something you bandits do among yourselves.

Apparently, the deputy chiefs found it just as absurd as I did.

"Chief Bang Duchil! Do you intend to violate the Green Forest Alliance's rules? If so, you have no right to remain among the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds!"

Yes, exactly.

It would be better to just stubbornly insist on fighting.

Absolutely.

I could contact Moyong Jaehwa and have him fire a few thunderbolt arrows. Then, if Bang Duchil and I caused enough havoc, they would eventually have to swallow their resentment and accept his challenge.

The idea of me participating in the Mountain King Contest was completely ridiculous.

But Bang Duchil continued solemnly.

"I am not being unreasonable."

"Th-then! Are you saying that man is the master of one of the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds?"

"Exactly!"

Huh? What?

Had I misheard?

I was not yet old enough to have hearing problems…

"My little brother is Jin Sowoon, chief of Black Dragon Stronghold!"

Huh?

What the fuck was this lunatic saying…?!

"So, to summarize…"

I desperately clung to my fading senses as I continued.

"You established Green Dragon Stronghold and Black Dragon Stronghold where Twin Curtain Stronghold used to be…"

Even as I repeated what I had heard with my own ears, I prayed again and again that it was not true.

"…And I'm the chief of one of them?"

"Exactly!"

Had this man lost his mind?

His utterly matter-of-fact attitude made it even more absurd.

"Um… Just to make sure, does Black Dragon Stronghold actually exist?"

"It does! My original subordinates and the newcomers together make it a stronghold of two hundred men."

"…Then who is leading Black Dragon Stronghold right now?"

"One of my subordinates serves as deputy chief."

That just meant he controlled two strongholds!

"So you were… The mysterious chief of Black Dragon Stronghold?"

Listening beside us, Gu Jeongryong stared at me in astonishment.

Fuck, no, I wasn't.

"I knew there was something extraordinary about you."

For some reason, Deputy Hall Master Gam Cheonak was looking at me with sparkling eyes.

"That's not what this is."

Struggling to avoid their gazes, I glared at Bang Duchil.

Hurry up and tell them it's not true!

But Bang Duchil merely nodded.

Finally, Baek Soryeong stepped forward.

Thank goodness at least one person here was sane…

"I'm sorry, Young Master Jin. He was so stubborn. I let him carry on because I thought it was half a joke."

A joke? A jooooke?

What kind of ridiculous joke was this?

"But isn't it fortunate? Thanks to that, you can participate in the Mountain King Contest. Hehe."

"…"

I took back what I said about her being sane.

Like husband, like wife.

No, judging by the madness hidden behind that beautiful smile, she was even stranger than Bang Duchil.

"Sister-in-law…"

I had no idea whether to laugh or cry.

The deputy chiefs said this was not a matter they could decide and led us toward their strongholds.

We tried to leave the wounded behind with people to care for them, but the Green Forest bandits would not allow it.

In the end, we had no choice but to head to Hwaeom Stronghold alongside nearly a thousand bandits.

"Waaaaaaah!"

Cheers shook heaven and earth.

'This is insane…'

The nightmare of my visit to Twin Curtain Stronghold returned.

Back then, only Golden-Faced Buddha Saber and One-Eyed Blood Axe had sat like kings.

Now, three stronghold chiefs and an enormous crowd filling an entire peak had gathered in one place.

The academy students and elders who had been swept along to Hwaeom Stronghold looked equally bewildered.

"You came to hold a Mountain King Contest?"

At the words of Jo Sangbin, chief of Hwaeom Stronghold, the cheers ringing across the peak abruptly ceased.

Bang Duchil stepped forward without a moment's hesitation.

"I, Bang Duchil, chief of Green Dragon Stronghold, and Jin Sowoon, chief of Black Dragon Stronghold, hereby request a Mountain King Contest."

"…I understand that Jin Sowoon is an academy student."

Bang Duchil nodded.

"He is merely attending for a while. His true position is chief of Black Dragon Stronghold!"

This man, seriously…!

No! That was not true!

Not only the Green Forest members but also the academy students began murmuring.

"Black Dragon Stronghold? Wasn't he just a heretical rising star?"

"They said he was the joint successor of the heretical factions. Maybe he's connected to the Green Forest, too?"

"…Just who is he?"

I knew this would happen.

My future had already been a thorn-covered path, and now he had set it on fire.

Ah… I really should not have called him.

Whether my expression soured or not, the stronghold chiefs continued talking.

"Even so, we cannot overlook the damage inflicted on our strongholds before you requested a Mountain King Contest."

At Jo Sangbin's words, Bang Duchil snorted.

"So?"

"…What?"

Digging in his ear with his little finger, Bang Duchil asked again.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Jo Sangbin ground his teeth at that attitude.

"…We could kill every last one of you here."

At his words, both the academy students and the elders tensed.

Frankly, with such a disparity in numbers, differences in martial prowess became somewhat meaningless.

But Bang Duchil spoke without hesitation, apparently unconcerned that even his subordinates and our entire group together numbered fewer than three hundred.

"Try it if you can!"

"…"

Bang Duchil took a couple of steps forward.

That was all he did, yet his subordinates immediately raised their internal energy and crouched.

'What's going on?'

Before I could continue that thought, an enormous wave of energy spread from Bang Duchil's body.

Thud, thud, thud!

The ground around him sank slightly, pushing mounds of earth outward and scattering pebbles in every direction.

'He only raised his internal energy?'

Even making one's martial uniform billow as though it might burst was no easy feat for an ordinary martial artist.

Yet Bang Duchil displayed this absurd divine prestige as though it were nothing.

As he stamped his foot, the earth seemed to tremble.

"If you refuse the Mountain King Contest, I will beat every last one of you to death!"

…He sounded like a lunatic, but I could not dismiss it as mere madness.

"…Gulp."

Because it felt as though he really might do it.

Even my flesh was trembling.

"K-killing is strictly forbidden in a Mountain King Contest."

Jo Sangbin lowered his eyes, looking slightly intimidated.

Come on, man. What were you going to do if you were already this scared?

Bang Duchil pointed straight at him and shouted again.

"Then accept the Mountain King Contest! I will at least spare your lives!"

He was not a robber… Yet he was telling them to accept if they wanted to live…

Wait, he was a bandit, so perhaps he was a robber.

It was a blessing this man had never entered the Martial Academy.

Had he joined the Martial Alliance, he would have caused trouble immediately, been declared a public enemy of the murim world, and spent his life on the run.

He had chosen his career remarkably well.

Overwhelmed by Bang Duchil's presence, Jo Sangbin finally squeezed his eyes shut.

"F-fine. We accept. But if you lose the Mountain King Contest, we will hold Jin Sowoon responsible for harming our strongholds and behead him!"

If they cut off my head when we lost, didn't that defeat the purpose of holding a Mountain King Contest?

I tried to object.

"Excuse me…"

But Bang Duchil was faster.

"Of course!"

…Excuse me, didn't you say we had sworn to die on the same day, at the same hour?

Could you really agree so casually?

"Who will fight first?"

At Jo Sangbin's question, Bang Duchil answered.

"Send two out at once. I'll deal with them together."

"What?"

Looking at the stronghold chiefs, whose eyebrows twitched in disbelief, Bang Duchil spoke as though it were nothing.

"Since I've come to Sichuan, I intend to do some sightseeing. I have no time to waste on a Mountain King Contest."

"…"

By now, the stronghold chiefs began radiating killing intent, unable to endure any more.

To them, Bang Duchil, who was only just past twenty, was being insufferably arrogant.

"Do not regret those words."

"The king of the Green Forest never takes back what he has said."

Well, look at that.

He had already become the king of the Green Forest.

The chiefs of Black Phoenix Stronghold and Red Blossom Stronghold stepped forward first.

One carried a great saber, the other a great axe. They looked every bit the typical bandits.

As they raised their internal energy to its limit, tremendous fighting spirit poured from them.

"Raaaaaah!"

"Aaaaaaargh!"

Roaring furiously, the chiefs charged as though to kill Bang Duchil with a single blow.

But—

The Red Blossom Stronghold chief's expression suddenly changed, and he faltered.

Bang Duchil used the Gale Art to yank him forward.

Crash!

Then he shattered the great axe with his bare fist and sent the Red Blossom Stronghold chief flying three jang.

Bang!

The Cheukbong Stronghold chief collapsed, spraying white teeth from his mouth.

Silence swept across the stronghold in an instant, as though a sudden downpour had fallen.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at that impossible display of power.

Only Bang Duchil remained entirely composed.

"Next!"

As Bang Duchil looked at him and spoke, Jo Sangbin's face darkened.

"Y-you don't intend to fight all three of us yourself, do you?"

"Of course not. My little brother will face you."

Jo Sangbin let out a small sigh of relief.

What? Did I look that easy?

That was rather insulting.

Jo Sangbin glanced at the chiefs sprawled on the ground, then glared at me.

"I will kill you to avenge our Green Forest comrades and the stronghold chiefs."

"He's the one who beat up the chiefs, though?"

Despite my perfectly reasonable observation, Jo Sangbin responded rather unreasonably.

"No more words!"

Wrapping his greatsword in sword energy, Jo Sangbin swung it like a storm.

Unable to hide my indignation, I shouted.

"Why are you only giving me shit?!"

At the same time, I unleashed the first of the Three Forms of the White Moon that Subdues Heaven, slicing through his greatsword and the waistband of his trousers.

Bang Duchil's gaze turned toward me.

"Hwaeom Stronghold shall obey Jin Sowoon, chief of Black Dragon Stronghold!"

His booming voice rang throughout the stronghold, and everyone's eyes turned to me.

Ha. Why not just tell the whole world I was chief of Black Dragon Stronghold?

At this rate, even people across Sichuan would hear.

With a strange sound, the greatsword split in half and fell to the ground, while his trousers slipped down.

Jo Sangbin looked blankly between his greatsword and me.

"Will you continue?"

Bang Duchil addressed Jo Sangbin, who stood dazed with his trousers down.

Shake, shake.

The stunned Jo Sangbin hurriedly shook his head.

Bang Duchil smiled in satisfaction and proclaimed to everyone around us.

"From this moment on, Red Blossom Stronghold and Cheukbong Stronghold shall obey Bang Duchil, chief of Green Dragon Stronghold. At the same time…"