“Heavenly Demon….”

In the heavy silence that followed, Tang Gunak’s groans pierced the air.

“Do you know what you are even talking about?”

“Of course I do.”

“He has been dead for a hundred years!”

“Yes, I know.”

The person who beheaded him was none other than Chung Myung. If Chung Myung didn’t know it, who would?

“How can the dead come back to life?”

Chung Myung turned his head and looked at Seol So-Baek.

It would be better to hear this from Seol So-Baek. Seol So-Baek, realizing Chung Myung’s intentions, silently nodded.

“Let me tell you in more detail what happened in the North Sea.”

Seol So-Baek’s slightly nervous lips began to open.

And after a moment.

After hearing the explanation of the situation, Tang Gunak and Meng So’s faces turned cold. Although they had heard about Chung Myung fighting against the Demonic Sect in the North Sea, this was the first time they were getting such details.

“Heavenly Demon… revival.”

Meng So frowned as he mumbled. It was a voice that felt like a low howl.

“Is that even possible, though?”

“Yes. As everyone knows, the Heavenly Demon who appeared in the Kangho isn’t the only one.”

“Right. The word Heavenly Demon is used to refer to the leader of the Demonic Cult.”

“Yes. But…”

Chung Myung sighed for a moment and said,

“Maybe it isn’t just the title. It could be that the Heavenly Demon has been repeatedly brought back.”

“… no, that makes no sense…”

Meng So shook his head as if no matter how much he thought about it, such a thing couldn’t happen.

Of course, Chung Myung could understand it. If he too hadn’t experienced resurrection as such, he wouldn’t have believed their words and would have deemed it nonsense.

But Chung Myung couldn’t help but believe it.

Something he experienced.

The first ceremony for which the high priest had given up everything.

And above all…

-Remember, disciple of Mount Hua. This isn’t the end. The Demon will be back. At that time, the world of the Demonic Sect will truly open up, one which cannot be stopped by any….

‘The last words of the Heavenly Demon.’

At the time, he thought it was nothing more than a curse from someone who was dying. But thinking about it now, it felt meaningful.

“If there is a clear reason, then I have nothing to say.”

“Hmm….”

“I am not sure I am right either. But I think the Heavenly Demon has already been brought back. Things like the past will happen again.”

Tang Gunak bit his lip.

‘Those terrible things happening….’

The Justice - Demonic Great War.

Demonic Sect Great War.

So many names for that one incident.

Normally, major wars were given a name. Still, so many people wanted to avoid mentioning it because they didn’t want to think back about that terrible war. It ended up being named after many things.

A war so bad that it was hard to talk about without breaking down once again.

“Heavenly Demon… right. It will be so if the Heavenly Demon returns. Because it wasn’t like the Demonic Sect had been entirely destroyed in the first place. The Demonic Sect, who lost their Heavenly Demon, have simply stepped back and disappeared into the waters.”

“They burned down Mount Hua before that.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Gunak looked at Chung Myung with a bitter smile and asked.

“So what do you think we should do?”

“Will you believe it?”

“Of course.”

He thought it would take a long time to persuade them. He thought they wouldn’t believe it till the end. But Tang Gunak’s words were calm and without doubt.

“Everyone here believes in you, and that is why we are gathered together. If we don’t believe you, then whose words will we believe?”

“…”

“Sichuan people don’t trust others that easily, but once we do, we don’t doubt them. There is no reason for you to falsely threaten us.”

Meng So nodded at those words.

“I have the same opinion.”

“…”

“It was such an absurd thing that it felt hard to believe…. What the Tang family lord said is right. If it is the words of Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, then, of course, there should be a reason and basis.”

Seol So-Baek then added.

“Of course, the North Sea believes because I have experienced it.”

Chung Myung stared at the three people and then turned to Hyun Jong. And Hyun Jong nodded with a smile.

“Continue.”

Chung Myung was somehow taken over by a strange feeling.

In the past, he was a lot stronger than now. But, not a single word or action of his was trusted.

Even at the end of the war, some blindly revered his strength, but there were just a couple who trusted his words.

Even in Mount Hua, where he had been buried.

But now, the leaders of the sect, who should be more cautious than anyone else, are saying that they believe his words, even when he gave no proof.

Chung Myung didn’t know exactly what he had shown in this new life that made them all as such. But… the trust the people gave him filled his heart.

“… what do you think is the reason we made the Heavenly Friends Alliance?”

Chung Myung calmed down the trembling in his voice.

Everyone answered silently.

“Trade routes from the North Sea to Yunnan, the expansion of influence based on the western part of the Central Plains. In this way, each sect complements each other’s lacking traits and provides a chance for further development.”

“There is a chance for the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families to change the happening itself.”

“The Palaces too.”

Everything was right. But Chung Myung continued.

“Of course. But… actually, to me, there is no reason for anything. There is just one real reason.”

The eyes shone brightly at that.

“Survival.”

“…”

“There will be a huge wave. A wave unlike anything experienced before, incomparable to anything else. It is impossible to handle it alone. They can only survive by hugging each other, holding onto those trying to push one way, gritting their teeth, and enduring.”

Tang Gunak mumbled.

“And the huge wave is… the Demonic Sect?”

“Yes.”

“And a flame started by Jang Ilso, too.”

“Yes.”

Chung Myung’s firm voice was clear to everyone.

“It is the same with anything. The existence of the alliance could actually fuel the flame and create bigger waves. But that doesn’t mean we can just sit and ignore it. Because we have been through it all. What price will those who were complacent in the present have to pay?”

It wasn’t just Mount Hua that suffered from the scars of war.

Each of the four sects gathered here had taken huge damage from the Demonic Sect.

“Being able to entrust one’s back to others isn’t just a symbolic statement meaning that the sects will help one another. We will really have to fight back-to-back in the near future.”

There was tension in the air.

They all knew very well the fact that Chung Myung rarely said such serious things out loud. That was why the weight carried by his words was so great.

“You need such determination.”

Meanwhile, Chung Myung realized the change in his words.

Actually, when he first came up with the idea of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, he tried to create a shield that would shed blood in place of Mount Hua. But now he didn’t consider the three sects as mere shields.

Even in his mind, the alliance had become the common ground that was bonded. Mount Hua, the one who would protect them and their friends to be protected.

At that time, Meng So stroked his chin and said,

“I thought all we had to do was create an alliance and get profit, but things are getting complex.”

He laughed out loud and then looked at Chung Myung with a serious expression.

“When will your thoughts come true then?”

“It won’t take more than a few years. No, it could even be tomorrow.”

“A few years… no, it could be in a couple of days, and we wouldn’t even know…”

Meng So calmly repeated his thoughts and nodded.

“There is just one thing we have to discuss now.”

Everyone’s eyes were focused on him.

“It isn’t my job to look into the distant future and run the business. That is the role of the Alliance leader and Tang family lord. There is just one thing I have to do. What does the Beast Palace need to do right now to survive that big wave that will come for us?”

“Hmm.”

“From this moment on, I will concentrate on making the strength of the palace grow. First of all, the priority is to make the Beast Palace stronger.”

This might sound a bit selfish. But Meng So’s next words made Chung Myung go silent.

“If we don’t, it will continue to be a repetition of the past. In the past, Nanman Beast Palace was saved by Mount Hua and the Plum Blossom Sword Saint! So this time!”

He looked at Hyun Jong and Chung Myung.

“The Beast Palace will protect Mount Hua.”

Chung Myung bit his lip, unable to respond.

It wasn’t all meaningless.

What he had done in the past and what Mount Hua had protected wasn’t for nothing.

“North Sea Ice Palace will do the same.”

“…”

Seol So-Baek spoke with a determined expression.

“It is difficult to say that the North Sea Ice Palace can protect Mount Hua. I know best that our strength isn’t superior. But still…”

His eyes were firm and determined for a child.

“The Ice Palace will be the first to fight and the last to step back. At least we will prove that our morale isn’t inferior.”

But Hyun Jong, who was listening, shook his head.

“It isn’t about protecting us.”

“…”

“We are fighting together here. That is what brothers are like.”

“Then the conclusion is so simple.”

Tang Gunak smiled and then said,

“The strong will live. That is the unchanging truth. But from now on, rather than blindly continuing with the training, you need to train to prepare for a real war.”

“I think we need to prepare for connections between each sect.”

“And…”

Meng So added,

“The more people there are, the better. Additionally, I think it would be a good idea to find a place to join the Heavenly Friends Alliance.”

“Ohh my! What are you looking for so far here! This place! The Green Forest is here!”

Meng So, who glanced at Im So-Byeong, said without much change,

“A place you can trust.”

“When you look at me, you feel trust….”

“A thief should stay quiet.”

“… yes.”

Im So-Byeong, who had become sullen, turned quiet again. At that time, Meng So spoke with a serious expression,

“You need to keep one thing in mind.”

“Uh?”

“If the terrible thing that is the invasion of the Demonic Sect does happen again, it is certain that this time it will be several times more severe than the last war. In the past, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint had stopped the Heavenly Demon, but this time, no one can.”

“…”

“If the Heavenly Demon returns to his past stage… maybe we will be going in for a losing fight. Because he is the Heavenly Demon.”

Everyone nodded with a dark look.

The best of all time.

One who was human and beyond human too.

That name was engraved like a tattoo on those who lived in Kangho. How could one be carefree in front of that name? But at that time, Chung Myung spoke calmly,

“But we were able to stop it once.”

“Hmm?”

“So we will be able to stop it this time. That is because we are the Heavenly Friends Alliance.”

Meng So smiled a bit at those words.

‘Meng So…’

In the past, the Beast Palace was saved by the Plum Blossom Sword Saint of Mount Hua. And now, he had a feeling that he would be saved by this small swordsman of Mount Hua.

“Of course!”

“We need to keep it in mind. Brothers dying together has no meaning. Living together is meaningful.”

“…”

It seemed like an oddly weighty statement, given that it was just meant to boost their will. Everyone focused on Chung Myung’s words.

Chung Myung stretched out his hand ahead.

“Let us make sure that we all survive.”

Tang Gunak smiled as he covered his hand over Chung Myung’s.

Meng So, too, put his thick hand on top of theirs without delay.

Seol So-Baek’s small hands came up, and Hyun Jong’s wrinkled old hand rested on top of them.

Im So-Byeong, who was watching secretly, smiled a bit awkwardly and put his hand under Chung Myung’s.

“To not dying together.”

“To surviving together.”

And they all looked confident.

“Definitely!”

After a long period of preparation and communication, it was the moment when the Heavenly Friends Alliance finally found the true meaning of their bond and began to rely on each other.