Crack!

Baek Cheon’s sword had dug deep into the deck.

The sword, which had pierced the thick wood like tofu, was bent sharply as if it would break and then bounce up. The deck tore open and flew up.

“Ah!”

The wood of the deck, where the Emeici daggers moved, was also behaving strangely. As the place where they stepped had risen suddenly, the pirate naturally lost balance and had no choice but to lose momentum.

Kakakak!

The swords swung one after another, pushing away the thin harpoon and splitting the pirate’s chest in one go.

Slash!

The pirate, shocked and unable to believe it, fell down with blood gushing out. Only then could Baek Cheon exhale.

‘That was dangerous.’

Normally, a pirate wasn’t someone to be wary of.

But he had never fought in a situation where the ground was shaking left and right. If he hadn’t understood and fought, he would have been in a tough spot.

“Lower! Lower the center of gravity as much as you can! This movement isn’t something we can handle!”

“Yes, sasuk!”

At Baek Cheon’s shout, Mount Hua’s disciples responded with loud voices.

Kuung!

Bang Chung stepped on the railing once again. Perhaps because of his strong internal qi, the large ship swayed left and right again as if it would capsize at any moment.

“That is a bluff! They will never have the experience of fighting in such situations! Do not be fooled by their fake courage; defeat them!”

“Yes!”

It was at the moment when the pirates were regaining their momentum.

Tat!

With a small sound like a cat jumping up, Yu Yiseol’s body moved forward like a bird.

“This…!”

There was a rhythm in her movement, and those who had been wary of Yu Yiseol from the start waved their weapons the moment she flew in.

As she flew in with cold, sunken eyes, she thrust her sword ahead and lightly struck the upper part of the flying trident.

Tang!

Yu Yiseol’s body rose higher into the air with a clear sound, like a small bell had been struck. She was lifted by the opponent’s recoil.

“What?”

“What…”

None of the pirates could hide their shock and disbelief at how effortlessly she was handling things.

Paat!

Red plum blossoms bloomed in rows from Yu Yiseol’s sword.

The deck of this not-so-small ship quickly turned red with plum blossoms. It was as if the island had been filled with plum blossoms created in the middle of the vast Yangtze River.

The pirates’ eyes widened as they witnessed this strange sight, something they had never seen before.

Flutter.

The fluttering plum leaves pierced through the bodies of the enemies. They knew they had to block this, but it felt impossible to block a dozen flower petals with blunt weapons.

Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!

The fluttering plum blossom sword qi cut and pierced every pirate’s body.

“Ack!”

“My arm! Ack!”

The pirates fell, clutching their bodies. Yu Yiseol, who had incapacitated nearly a dozen pirates, landed on the ground like a butterfly.

She mumbled quietly as if to make her sahyungs listen.

“You can fight without putting your feet on the ship.”

Jo Gul smiled happily and answered.

“If that’s all it takes, it won’t be much trouble….”

“… Right.”

“Anyway, we just need to keep our feet off the ground as much as possible, right?”

“Then we can do it like when we sparred on the cliff. I get it! Okay!”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, understanding the plan, ran ahead at the same time. In an instant, they began to cut down the pirates.

From the front, Jo Gul and Yoon Jong rushed ahead like angry tigers, and from the back, Yu Yiseol moved sleekly like a leopard. No matter how many there were, the pirates couldn’t handle this.

Bang Chung shouted as he looked at the pirates, who began to step back.

“W-what are you doing! Shoot at them…”

Swish!

“Ughh!”

But right then, the person standing on the railing fell back, grabbing his neck.

The movement was so swift that it was difficult to even understand the situation. Bang Chun was startled and tilted his head back.

Swish!

A sharp blade passed the spot where his forehead had been a moment ago with incredible speed.

“Ah, this is such a waste.”

Tang Soso smiled, looking at Bang Chun.

“Since your head looked a bit suffocating, I thought it would be nice and cool if there was one hole in it for ventilation.”

“Y… you fucking…”

Cold sweat ran down Bang Chun’s face as if he had lost all life within his body.

‘Just what is happening here?’

He wasn’t a person who lacked common sense. Be it bandits or pirates, it was theft that they did. And in order to live a long life and be alive to steal, they needed to have insight into things.

The victory of the battle on this ship was now in the hands of others.

‘How can such young ones…’

Of course, he could understand that they were strong. Because all the Nine Great Sects’ One Union had monstrous disciples. Mount Hua was also a sect that was recently being compared to the Nine Great Sects, or rather, it was in a place where the Nine Great Sects were being put to shame. So, even if they were young, they had to be strong.

But being young meant lacking experience. Wasn’t the reason why disciples of the famous sects, which made their name falter, because they lacked experience in the outside world?

There was no way they had experienced fighting against pirates or in water areas, especially on a rocking ship.

But instead of panicking, they were finding ways to deal with it, just like the old experienced warriors of Kangho.

“Ackkk!”

At that moment, another pirate fell down screaming.

“Where are you going, you outnumbering bastards!!”

“Don’t get too excited now, you bastard!”

The disciples of Mount Hua were now in full force, trampling the pirates. If things continued like this, it seemed like it would lead to their annihilation.

Bang Chung shouted, thinking quickly.

“R-retreat! Retreat now!”

The thoughts were short, and the decisions were quick.

“Captain!”

“Yah! Do you all not hear me? Retreat quickly! Move back to the ship!”

As soon as those words came down, the pirates all retreated to the back. Their movements were swift as if they had trained for this many times. They jumped off in perfect order, like rats fleeing, and returned to their ship using the chains attached.

“Don’t miss them!”

Baek Cheon rushed ahead and swung his sword.

The basic rule of any swordsman was not to chase after a fleeing enemy, but such things didn’t stick well with Mount Hua. If one ran with their tail curled in, then they would chase them and bite them in the ass.

“Ack!”

“T-these cruel bastards!”

The pirates who were attacked from behind fell before they could escape.

But they, too, jumped off, not wanting to stay on this ship.

Plop! Plop!

Those who jumped into the river swam skillfully, turned around, and boarded their ship.

Those who couldn’t avoid the attacks of Mount Hua’s disciples screamed and fell down, but most of the bandits escaped from the deck and climbed onto the ship.

“Cut down the rope!”

As Bang Chung, who cleverly moved the ship ahead of time, screamed, the chain connecting the two ships broke down.

The fixed ship began to move loudly, and the distance between them widened gradually.

“What kind of pirates act like this!”

Jo Gul gritted his teeth and then hit the railing.

“Sasuk! What do we do? Do we chase?”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon frowned.

‘This isn’t a distance we cannot chase.’

They could move to the ship even now, but it would involve some risk.

While Baek Cheon was thinking, the pirate ship increased the distance and then slowed down.

“Uh?”

Drrrr! Drrr!

One side of the ship’s railing had opened up like a door, and something odd appeared from inside it.

A large, elongated cylinder…

“Cannon?”

Baek Cheon looked wide-eyed.

“No, those insane people! Even if they get cornered, they cannot use a cannon! What if the officials find out…!”

“It isn’t a cannon!”

Suddenly, they turned around at the voice that came from next to them. The captain, who had approached, shouted.

“This is why you shouldn’t mess with the pirates…! What will we do now? We are all dead!”

“What is that?”

“T-that is…”

It was then.

“Shoot!”

Along with Bang Chung’s order, the cylinder burst into flames. A huge harpoon launched and got stuck in the lower part of the ship.

Kwang!

With a loud roar, the wooden bottom of the ship was pierced, and water began to flood in.

“You damned bastards! I will bury you in the middle of the Yangtze River with the ship! Shoot! Shoot them all until the ship is destroyed!”

“Yes!”

Shoot! Shoot!

A few more circles opened up, and large harpoons moved in. Those who were well-trained in using the harpoons accurately pierced the lower part of the ship.

Swish!

As the ship stumbled with a loud groan, the captain’s face turned pale.

“Come down, swiftly! We need to pump out the water right now! If not, the ship will sink! Quick, quick! People!”

The crew, scared, rushed into the cabin.

“W-warriors! Please do something! If we keep getting hit like this, the ship will break! If the ship breaks down here, we will become food for the fish!”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon was a bit concerned.

“It is too far to swim, but we cannot run in water, and we cannot cross it in one go…”

Jo Gul, who was next to him, nodded as if he understood.

“It means we are without help.”

“No, not without help.”

“Uh?”

But Baek Cheon soon grinned.

“If they can shoot a harpoon, surely this side can shoot a cannon too.”

“Cannon?”

“Yes. That is also a very special one.”

“Uh… ah!”

Jo Gul looked like he had realized something.

Right! There was a special thing!

“Heheh. Those damned bastards.”

Bang Chung laughed in elation.

Meeting such situations was common in the Yangtze River. If the pirates had been swept out every time, would the river have its reputation now?

‘Even if they are great, if they fall into the water, they won’t be able to show even half their skills.’

And if they were from the Justice faction, they would be saving the drowning people first. During that time, his subordinates, swift like dolphins, would move and attack them underwater, and they would get defeated.

“The fish in the Yangtze River will eat you! Wha-what are you doing! Shoot more…”

It was then.

“Uh?”

Someone stood up on the railing from the ship across the water.

“What?”

Why climb onto the railing of a ship that will sink? This wouldn’t be of use unless they surrendered.

Of course, he wasn’t going to accept their surrender…

“Salute?”

Bang Chung frowned.

A person stood on the railing with cloth in hand, a youthful face, and stood on the railing, with right fist to the side.

“What is he…”

And at that moment.

Goooooo!

The hem of the robes he had on fluttered with a dazzling golden light rising from his body.

Bang Chung’s eyes popped out at this ridiculous sight.

“W-what… what is that…”

“Ahhh!”

This man threw his fist out at once, not wanting to give time to think. A dazzling golden qi erupted from his fist, hitting the wide Yangtze River and even striking the ship they were on.

Kwaang!

A tremendous roar.

Bang Chung closed his eyes tightly and turned his head. As he slowly opened his eyes, there wasn’t the shock he expected, and he looked puzzled, not understanding.

“What, nothing happ… huh, fuck! What is this?!”

But then, he was soon shocked.

The pirate ship’s ship.

The hull wasn’t visible.

This was a sight closer to vanishing than disappearance. The front part of the ship was missing like it was cut clean.

Only the wreckage floating in the Yangtze River proved that this ship didn’t have a sailor.

“W-what is this…?”

“Ackk! Captain! Water! The water is coming in!”

“W-we are sinking! Damn it!”

“Jump off! If this continues, it will drown with this ship!”

Crack!

The water kept coming into the ship. The ship quickly began to tilt ahead and sink.

“… fuck.”

Bang Chun’s mouth could only let out this whimper, not able to understand this.

“… a scam.”

“He should have gone to Shaolin. Why is he on Mount Hua?”

“I agree with that.”

The Mount Hua’s disciples shook their heads, watching the ship sink on the other side. This was something they were familiar with and yet forgot sometimes…

‘This man isn’t human either.’

How much of a monster was he to be acknowledged by Chung Myung?

“Well… I think we handled it well.”

Yoon Jong said, looking at Baek Cheon.

“What do we do now, sasuk? Should we rescue a few of them to interrogate?”

“Hmm. That sounds like a good idea.”

Baek Cheon nodded, and he sighed softly.

‘This wasn’t as difficult as I thought.’

He wasn’t sure if the pirates weren’t as strong as he thought, or if Mount Hua had gotten stronger, but this wasn’t bad…

“Sahyung.”

At that time, Yu Yiseol called out in a louder voice, making Baek Cheon turn.

“What is it, samae?”

“There.”

“Uh?”

“… there. Look there.”

Baek Cheon’s gaze turned to the place her finger pointed. And his eyes trembled.

“This…”

Beyond the river. Ships were appearing one by one, far enough to fill the horizon. It was more accurate to call it a fleet.

At the same time.

Drrrr!

At the very center of it all, a large ship, twice the size of the others around it, unfurled its sails. This ship, painted in black, had two sails.

One bore the image of a black dragon, while the other depicted a huge whale moving through the ocean.

A despairing voice came from the ship’s captain.

“D-dragon…”

“Uh?”

“T-that is the ship of the Great Whale Pirates’ great captain! It is the Dragon Ship, the ruler of the Yangtze River.”

He collapsed, his legs giving out beneath him.

“We are all dead now… the Dragon King of the Yangtze River has come here.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes turned serious as he looked at the huge black dragon ship, which was getting closer and closer.