Chung Myung felt dazed.

Everything felt vague.

‘What am I doing now?’

The scent of blood kept rushing to his nose.

He knew that he was still alive only because of his body which kept hurting.

All of this was unfamiliar to him.

-“Taoist hyung!”

Three throwing blades that took down the demonic sect people by the droves were now trying to attack Chung Myung from behind.

Crack!

There was an eerie sound as they fell down on the spot.

Thud!

Chung Myung looked at the blades at his feet with dazed eyes.

The heads of the fallen demonic sect people that were trying to attack him turned to him, and soon the light disappeared from their eyes.

They were dead.

Right, death.

“What are you doing? What is this in the middle of the fight, taoist hyung! Get yourself together!”

Chung Myung turned his head and looked back.

Tang Bo.

He titled his head as he approached Chung Myung.

“… No.”

Chung Myung raised his hand as he touched his forehead. His concentration was strangely lost.

“I don’t know. Maybe the exhaustion is getting to me.”

Chung Myung shook his plum blossom sword, wiping the blood off it and shoved it into his sheath. Tang Bo grinned as he reached out to retrieve the throwing blades.

“It is bound to be exhausting. We have been at this for three days.”

“…Um.”

“…hyung you look really tired? You aren’t even talking.”

“…”

“Should I get some medicine?”

“No.”

“No, hyung. Don’t act like this. When other people are told that they will be given the pill of the Tang family, they close their eyes and just gulp it down. Don’t you believe in the Tang family?”

“I do believe in the Tang family.”

“Then?”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Uh! You are saying that again? Because of what I gave to you last time? It was a mistake!”

“Your mouth seriously has a life of its own! Shut it!”

Chung Myung turned back.

“I am heading back.”

“Wait, hyung let’s go together.”

Tang Bo quickly caught up with Chung Myung.

“Since we killed all their men, another group will come soon right?”

“Right.”

If that wasn’t the case, there would be no reason for them to go through this much trouble.

And suddenly, Chung Myung turned his head to the cold sensation he felt on his arm. Tang Bo was applying the golden scab medicine.

It was a medicine for the cuts.

“How many times do I have to tell you that if you don’t treat the wounds on time, they hurt more?”

Chung Myung frowned.

“Leave it alone and it will heal with time.”

“Yes, sure. But it heals faster with these medicines. Stay still.”

Tang Bo tore off the hem of Chung Myung’s robe and then smeared the golden scab medicine paste.

“The Tang family’s golden scab medicine is something which cannot be bought with money. Be grateful.”

“With the same mouth with which you say you hate the Tang family, you now speak about how great their products are.”

“That is that and this is this. Besides….”

Tang Bo’s face had a slightly bitter look.

“I didn’t know before, but now I think I understand why my family is stubborn. After all, in the end without strength, we amount to nothing. If the Tang family had power on its side, they wouldn’t have had to run from Sichuan and so many family members wouldn’t have lost their lives.”

“…”

Seeing Tang Bo speak with a heavy voice, Chung Myung frowned.

“I think like this, these days. Taoist hyung.”

“Like what?”

“It isn’t that I care much about what the family members say, but if I had trusted and supported them a little more, maybe the family would have had a little strength on their side… then… then maybe I could have saved one more…”

“Don’t say nonsense. If you had gone there you would have been annihilated as you blindly believed in your strength while going against them.”

“…true.”

Tang Bo bowed his head with a bitter expression. And after a while he looked up again, the bitterness on his face vanished, as if it had been washed away, and his usual mischievous smile bloomed.

“So, when the war is over, I am going to try to help the family head a little this time. I was known to be the best head they could have had, but not once have I taken good care of them.”

“Look at you sulking about it.”

“That is something only hyung doe…”

“What?”

“N-No. What is with the weather… uh. So gloomy. Why is the weather like this? Sigh.”

Chung Myung smiled.

In fact, Chung Myung was no better than Tang Bo when it came to not doing his role right.

The only thing he gave the sect was some fame because of his title as the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. He couldn’t even properly look after his disciples nor help the descendants.

He lived as he wanted and went where he wanted.

‘Once this war ends…’

It will be different. And that time…

“But, hyung.”

“Uh?”

“How about you make a promise with me? If I die during this war, hyung will take care of the children of the Tang family.”

“…what nonsense is that?”

“Even if I do my best, hyung is more likely to survive than me. So, just listen to this young one’s wishes for once and look after the kids. It is because I gave you the special pills and drinks. You can pay back wit…”

“If you are going to talk this shit, then go away, go away! I’ll stab you right here.”

“It isn’t such a difficult task.”

“If you want to look after and raise your family, do it yourself. Survive… whatever it takes.”

“…Uh. Stupid man.”

Chung Myung pushed Tang Bo to the side and walked ahead.

“Promise?”

“Seriously.”

“I am giving the best medicine okay!”

“No, are you for real!?”

“Uh?”

“Come here and get hit once.”

“Ha… hahah. Ah, it seems like I suffered a huge wound earlier. Why is my body…”

Seeing Tang Bo retreat, Chung Myung smiled.

“Why think about what happens after you die? Everything is over once you die.”

“Eh. Still, it isn’t like that. Even if I die, the rest will live.”

“…”

“Taoist hyung, you are the first one who doesn’t seem to care about it, so I don’t know how….”

Tang Bo scratched his head.

“It’s just like that. People think that way. And despite being unpleasant, the thought never leaves our heads.”

Chung Myung sighed and turned around.

“Don’t hand over your work to others, do it yourself.”

“…”

“Instead.”

“Uh?”

“I will end the war… I will cut off the head of the Heavenly Demon.”

“Huhu. If it is hyung then it can be done.”

“So, until then…”

Chung Myung said.

“Stay for long like the medicine of your family.”

“…yes.”

Tang Bo slowly approached Chung Myung from the side. Seeing him walk step by step along with him, Chung Myung let him do it.

And.

Tang Bo died less than a month after that. [^note1]

Chung Myung opened his eyes.

‘Uh?’

He got up.

“Ack…”

A sharp pain could be felt from his abdomen. He looked down to see a white cloth wrapped around his stomach.

‘Doesn’t seem like I died.’

‘Well, it is unlikely that I died from that. In the past, when we were at war, I survived even after being hit with a dagger! This body is more tenacious than a cockroach… ah, that is an insult to myself.’

‘But where am i?’

Chung Myung turned his head, and became shocked.

“Uh?”

The disciples of Mount Hua were all spread out in front of him.

Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul were all lying dead on the floor…

Ah, not dead… there were sleeping like the dead.

‘That scared me!’

Chung Myung glanced at them and smiled.

“They grew up without anything, so they sleep well on the floor too.”

Ugh. Such pitiful beings.

Chung Myung was about to wake Yoon Jong up.

“Leave them alone, they didn’t sleep for the last three days.”

Chung Myung shook his head. A man came in as the door opened.

“You are awake?”

“…”

The man who came in and spoke very slowly and softly was Tang Gunak, the head of the Sichuan Tang family who had a spar with Chung Myung.

There was no expression on his face. Chung Myung titled and looked around.

“This is?”

“Right.”

“Why did I come to the Tang… no, wait, it has been three days?”

“Right. You have been unconscious for three days.”

Chung Myung was shocked.

‘Three days.’

No, he was sleeping for three days because of a stab to the stomach?

‘I am weak, I will accept that.’

Chung Myung grunted.

In the past, if it was the same wound, he would have pulled out the dagger and applied medicine to it, and his body would barely give out.

Chung Myung’s eyes blazed at the thought of being weak.

“Then why are my sasuks like this?”

“They said they won’t leave your side until you have opened your eyes. I did ask them to get rest, but they drew their swords and resisted. I was scared something might happen, so I put them to sleep.”

“….”

They were next to me for three days?

‘Three….’

‘They could have taken turns to keep watch. But four of them together?’

‘Ugh. Idiots! Stupid bastards!’

Chung Myung rolled his eyes and looked at Tang Gunak.

“Then you should have moved them to a better place!”

“When we tried to move them, they would groan and get up, so what do you want us to do?”

“…”

“The sahyungs seem attached to you. If the children of my family were like this, my worries would have eased to some extent. I am so jealous.”

“Jealous, my….”

Chung Myung glanced at the sahyungs.

‘Stupid ones.’

‘Really stupid ones.’

‘But.’

“Ahem.”

Chung Myung let out a low cough.

A weird feeling ran through his heart.

At that moment, Tang Gunak bowed his head to Chung Myung.

“I apologize.”

“Eh?”

“It is all my fault. I didn’t expect Tang Pae to actually commit such an act.”

“…”

“No matter what I say, there can be no pardon for what I allowed to happen. I will do my best to relieve your anger.”

“Hmm?”

Tang Gunak lifted his head and spoke with a serious face.

“First, I admit my defeat.”

“…”

“As promised, the Sichuan Tang family will recognize Chung Myung of Mount Hua as their eternal guest and friend.”

“Oh?”

“And if you want, I can give you Tang Pae’s head.”

Chung Myung was surprised.

“I raised my son wrong. If that helps your anger, I can do that. If it can restore the honor of the fallen family I will do it!”

Tang Gunak spoke with disgust.

But his heart was different from what he was showing outside.

‘If I speak till this extent, he would have no choice but to say no.’

Tang Gunak lifted his head and looked at Chung Myung.

‘Uh?’

Unfortunately, Chung Myung’s expression was a lot different from what Tang Gunak had expected… no, it was entirely different…

“…”

Chung Myung tilted his head.

“Is that all?”

“… Uh?”

“I asked if that was all?”

“T-then?”

“Oh my.”

Chung Myung looked at Tang Gunak like he couldn’t believe what was happening. As if he was seeing something he shouldn’t.

“You put a knife in someone’s stomach and now what? A Friend? A Friend??”

“…”

“If the kid did something wrong then the parents should be held accountable! How can you pass the blame onto the kid!”

“…”

“Oh my god! This is the Tang family! Tang! Oh my! This is the prestigious family? The prestigious one? I think the term prestigious should be removed!”

Chung Myung jumped up.

“No! This cannot happen, I need to run to Chengdu and spread the word about how well the Tang family handles things. I will just tell those beggars. In three days, it will spread all around the world!”

“C-Calm down!”

Tang Gunak began to sweat.

If the Lord of Tang family was defeated in the fight with Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, and if it spread that the child of the Tang family did a sneak attack during a spar… the name of the Tang family was doomed.

Even if they didn’t like it, people would call the Tang family a part of the Evil Sect because they used poison.

“Eh. No. If I do that, my neck is next. You throw knives as sneak attacks during spars so cutting down a neck shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“… I would have killed you if that was the case.”

“Uh?”

“A. No. My words came out wrong.”

Tang Gunak began to sweat and looked at Chung Myung.

“What do you want?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? A reward! There has to be a reward! Saying sorry for stabbing someone doesn’t cut it! If things can be resolved with one such word why do we need officials to handle the problems! Why would wars happen!?”

“Yes. Yes. Of course, I will compensate for it. But the reward… what should…”

“That is something which should be thought of carefully. How can I make gol… no… make a good deal with each other?”

“…”

“And!”

Chung Myung looked at him.

“First, I am saying this as my body feels empty.”

“Uh?”

“Give me the Heavenly Poison Pill”

“…H-Heavenly Poisons?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“Now.”

“… I see,”

Tang Gunak’s face contorted at it.

‘I got caught!’

Looking at that face, Chung Myung brightly.

‘Tang Bo. Tang Bo!’

‘Don’t worry. I will take good care of your family.’

‘Uh?’

‘Is this taking care, you ask?’

‘Go ahead and come back to life if this feels unfair.’

‘Heheheeh!’