130
Chapter 130: I Am Simply Practicing Chivalry
The banners of the Paewangseong and the Sacheon Alliance approached from both sides. But that wasn’t all. As if they had stationed additional forces, about sixty martial artists emerged in a long formation from the front as well.
The Third and Sixth King Squads of the Paewangseong’s Seven Great Armies. It seemed the Paewangseong had come prepared.
"Surrounded on all sides" Zhuge Myung muttered bitterly, unfolding his iron fan. The other late-stage foundation level disciples also scanned their surroundings with grim expressions.
With the front, left, and right all blocked, the Righteous Heaven Unit Scout calmly rested their hands on their sword hilts and looked to Kang Ho-baek. Despite the dire situation, they weren’t panicking—instead, they sharpened their auras even further, their battle intent burning fiercely.
"Alliance Leader, the Righteous Heaven Unit Scout will buy time."
Kang Ho-baek adjusted his bamboo hat slightly in response.
"That would be best."
"Then, Alliance Leader, please lead the juniors to—"
"How long do you think you can hold against the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign? As the Alliance Leader, I must stay."
"Alliance Leader!"
The Righteous Heaven Unit Scout leader tried to argue, but by then, the Paewangseong and the Sacheon Alliance were already upon them. Watching Kang Tae-hyeok and Sima Gang approach beneath their fluttering banners, Kang Ho-baek spoke.
"You’ve arrived. Paewangseong Lord. Sacheon Alliance Leader."
"Alliance Leader. You seem to have expected that this old man and the Paewangseong Lord would come."
At Kang Tae-hyeok’s question, Kang Ho-baek smirked.
"Paewangseong, you would never pass up an opportunity to eliminate the Martial Alliance Leader and the future of the orthodox sects so easily. For your grand ambition, you would endure anything, discard anything, and trample anything—isn’t that your way of tyranny?"
Kang Tae-hyeok grinned widely at Kang Ho-baek’s words, baring his teeth in delight. It wasn’t a subordinate but a man standing at the opposite end of the martial arts world who understood him so well.
"Correct. I will endure the disgrace of joining forces with the Sacheon Alliance, discard hollow honor, and if your deaths can hasten my grand ambition by even ten steps, so be it."
Kang Tae-hyeok’s crimson robe fluttered violently. His eyes, burning like twin suns, radiated a savage, domineering aura.
"That’s why you frighten me, Paewangseong Lord. A man willing to abandon everything to reach his goal."
As Kang Ho-baek and Kang Tae-hyeok spoke, Sima Gang interjected casually.
"Alliance Leader, then what do you think my purpose is in coming?"
"Purpose? You simply agreed to the Paewangseong Lord’s proposal because it sounded fun, didn’t you?"
"Kehehe."
Sima Gang’s deep laughter was confirmation enough.
"Alliance Leader, you know this old man better than anyone in the Sacheon Alliance."
"How could I not? I’ve fought you all countless times, brushed with death, and even shared drinks after three days and nights of battle."
Kang Tae-hyeok and Sima Gang nodded at Kang Ho-baek’s words. Their clashes in the martial arts world had forged a bond deeper than most would expect.
The term kindred spirit (知己) wasn’t reserved only for those who shared ideals and deep friendships.
Even if they walked entirely different paths, if there was someone in the martial arts world who understood them better than anyone else—someone they had shared wine with—then they were worthy of being called kindred spirit.
In this ruthless world, maintaining a bond where they could read each other’s hearts while sharing drinks countless times was an exceedingly rare feat.
Though they were not ordinary friends, but rather adversarial friends.
Kang Ho-baek lifted his bamboo hat slightly, his gaze clear and unshakable.
"My old friends. Let the juniors go. They don’t need to die here."
"And why is that? Do they have some special place to die?"
At Kang Tae-hyeok’s question, Kang Ho-baek’s voice rang out, firm and unyielding.
"Because I, the Alliance Leader of Chivalry, have decided so."
A majestic aura, vast as the open sky, erupted from Kang Ho-baek’s body. It spread endlessly in all directions, not inferior even to the oppressive auras of the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign.
"Fine."
Sima Gang, savoring Kang Ho-baek’s aura, slowly lowered his spear from his shoulder.
"Alliance Leader, what if we refuse?"
"Then I’ll handle both of you alone."
Facing the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign simultaneously.
Even the most renowned rulers of the martial arts world would hesitate to make such a claim. Yet no one mocked or dismissed Kang Ho-baek’s declaration.
Instead, Kang Tae-hyeok and Sima Gang studied him with solemn eyes.
The Three Seats, reigning above the martial arts world’s emperors.
While pundits ranked Kang Ho-baek below the Three Seats, the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign—who had fought him for decades—knew the truth. If the eldest of the Three Seats, the Wudang Sword Immortal, were to ascend, Kang Ho-baek was the one man who could seamlessly fill that void.
Kang Tae-hyeok’s sleeves fluttered faintly as he stared at Kang Ho-baek.
"Alliance Leader, this will be your final act of chivalry."
"How amusing. I wonder how long you’ll last."
The two supreme masters of the Three Seats paid no heed to his claim of fighting them both.
One man would gladly endure the shame of ganging up if it furthered his ambition, while the other simply felt no shame at all.
Mu Hwi glanced subtly at Kang Ho-baek.
‘How can he speak of his death so lightly?’
It wasn’t that Kang Ho-baek took his own life lightly. He understood its weight better than anyone.
Yet he stepped forward because, in his scales, the lives of the juniors here outweighed that of the Martial Alliance Leader.
Few in the vast martial arts world could make such a judgment.
"Alliance Leader."
Mu Hwi, who had been silently listening, called out to Kang Ho-baek with calm eyes. Seeing his gaze, Kang Ho-baek grinned.
"Mu Hwi. Take responsibility and escort the juniors back to the Martial Alliance."
"There’s no need for you to sacrifice yourself like this, Alliance Leader."
Kang Ho-baek chuckled at Mu Hwi’s words.
"Sacrifice? No need for such grand words. Mu Hwi, do you remember what I once told you about chivalry?"
Mu Hwi recalled Kang Ho-baek’s words during their first meeting about the chivalry he embodied.
—Preventing the deaths of those who shouldn’t die. Fulfilling one’s responsibility through martial prowess. These two principles define chivalry.
Kang Ho-baek gripped Mu Hwi’s shoulder firmly.
"I am simply practicing chivalry."
Stunned by his radiant smile, Mu Hwi couldn’t help but smile back.
Feeling Kang Ho-baek’s grip, Mu Hwi met his eyes. Those brilliant, clear eyes had surely been a guiding light, illuminating the treacherous paths of others.
This man, who had become a beacon in his own right, was far too vital to the orthodox sects’ future to be extinguished here.
Mu Hwi gently lowered Kang Ho-baek’s hand from his shoulder. Then, instead of stepping back, he stepped forward, standing in front of him.
"Mu Hwi."
Without turning around, Mu Hwi replied.
"Alliance Leader, you truly are a Great Xia."
At Mu Hwi’s sudden words, Kang Ho-baek, initially puzzled, recalled what he had once told him.
—Those who inspire the lesser chivalrous to walk their own paths and dream their own dreams. Those who become the focal point of countless young heroes, spreading righteousness and justice throughout the martial arts world, such individuals are called Great Xia.
Mu Hwi’s sleeves fluttered softly as he gripped the Sim-myeong Sword.
"You planted the seed of your chivalry in me, who once believed guarding Hwasan was enough."
Mu Hwi, who had once declared he would care only for Hwasan and no greater cause, was now speaking of Kang Ho-baek’s chivalry.
Understanding the weight of those words, Kang Ho-baek could only smile—a mix of joy and resignation.
"Alliance Leader."
Seong Hwi and the other late-stage foundation level disciples stepped forward, calling out to him.
"Every time you visited the Small Righteous Assembly, you emphasized one thing: to fulfill the responsibility borne by our martial prowess."
Seong Hwi broke the ice, and Peng Ho-yeon continued.
"Give us the chance to fulfill that responsibility as well."
"If we flee now because the odds are against us, we’ll remain nothing more than mediocre men. Neither I nor my master would want that."
The other elites standing behind them shared the same sentiment. Not a single one showed fear—each radiated unwavering resolve.
Though they had trembled in fear earlier, they now stood with unshakable dignity.
As Kang Ho-baek studied them one by one, he turned away.
Their transformation was partly due to his own unwavering resolve to face the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign alone.
‘Mu Hwi. You’re the one who ignited their flames.’
Seeing Mu Hwi standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him against the martial arts world’s absolute masters must have stirred something in them.
The blazing determination in the juniors’ eyes.
At this point, even if he ordered them to flee, they wouldn’t listen.
"Haha... Well, Mu Hwi."
"Yes."
"You’ve lit a fire in their hearts. This is the first step to becoming a Great Xia."
Mu Hwi curled his lips slightly.
"Hmph. I still have no intention of becoming a Great Xia."
"Just as one doesn’t become a Great Xia simply by wanting to, neither can one avoid it by refusing."
Exchanging glances as they spoke, Kang Ho-baek and Mu Hwi stepped forward simultaneously. Kang Ho-baek surged toward Kang Tae-hyeok, sword aura erupting, while Mu Hwi dashed at Sima Gang with Dark Scent Flutter.
BOOOOM!
As the deafening collision of the Paewangseong Lord and the Alliance Leader echoed behind him, Mu Hwi revealed the Sim-myeong Sword. Seeing the sword’s edge pointed at him, Sima Gang burst into mad laughter. His spear erupted with a sinister dark-brown glow.
"Entertain me to the fullest!"
"Madman."
A simple, straight thrust.
Yet the spear seemed to fold space itself as it shot forward, forcing Mu Hwi to swing his sword fiercely.
CRAAACK!
The shockwave from the clash sent sand dunes trembling, kicking up a dust cloud.
"Fall back!"
The Ten Thousand Blood Unit Scout hastily retreated from Sima Gang’s side, unable to withstand the shockwave. Unfazed, Sima Gang lashed out with whip-like spear energy.
SHIIING!
Though he retracted and thrust again, the spear appeared as if it had never moved—just continued its relentless assault. Even Mu Hwi’s robes fluttered violently under its terrifying speed.
Dozens of sword techniques Mu Hwi unleashed were swallowed like prey by the serpentine spear.
Instead, spear shadows surged from above and below, while five spear winds stabbed from the middle.
Black Serpent Coiling Spear (黑幽縼拏槍).
Sima Gang had immediately unleashed his secret technique, judging Mu Hwi worthy of it. He spun his spear dazzlingly, tearing through the air.
Mu Hwi, observing the barrage clearly, swung the Sim-myeong Sword. The blade traced an arc, then suddenly shot upward in an unpredictable slash.
Petals scattered like thorns, enveloping the spear shadows, while a blooming plum blossom in midair dispersed the spear winds like a gentle breeze.
SLASH!
A spear thrust aimed perfectly at Mu Hwi’s undefended waist. Seeing Sima Gang’s smirk as he exploited the opening, Mu Hwi hastily flipped his sword to block.
BANG!
The impact sent Mu Hwi skidding back.
‘Still so strong.’
Despite confirming Sima Gang’s prowess, Mu Hwi’s eyes gleamed sharply as he adjusted his grip on the Sim-myeong Sword. Sima Gang grinned, his killing intent palpable.
"Now we begin."
The two masters stepped forward simultaneously, sending sand erupting around them.
A dark-brown sandstorm raged as violet petals surged atop it.