Rewriting the Sichuan Blood History (6)
Messed up.
I'd given him so many hints not to say it like that... Was he just oblivious, or did he not give a damn?
But when did I ever swear I'd die on the same day at the same time as him?
It sure as hell wasn't in my perfect memory.
Anyway, I hadn't exactly been blindsided by this turn of events. But heading into Sichuan, if shit hit the fan, this guy was the only one I could call for backup. In the worst case, I might have to take on the entire Blood Cult—and I sure wasn't keen on hunkering down like in my past life, holding out endlessly until the Murim Alliance showed up.
One more rumor about me being some Black Dao saint or joint overlord of the Black Dao wouldn't hurt, especially with an extra whisper about me being sworn brothers with the Green Forest bandits. What difference would it make?
Speaking of which, how long had it been since I'd seen him? Bang Du-chil had turned into a straight-up monster.
Even with his Heavenly Gang Infinite Body, wasn't this cheating? Thanks to the Nine Spirit Divine Herb and the Sacred Fire Demon-Exterminating Hand, I'd barely gathered enough inner energy for the fourth layer of the Four Evils. Yet here he was, matching me blow for blow without breaking a sweat.
"Little brother! Looks like you haven't slacked on your training either, huh? Uhahahahaha!"
Every time he slapped my shoulder, it felt like my feet were sinking into the ground.
Training alone? And he'd gotten this strong...?
"Did you really just train the whole time?"
Bang Du-chil rolled his eyes with a guilty twitch. Yeah, figured. He'd scarfed down something ridiculous, no doubt. Like mistaking Public Clarity Stone Oil for booze and downing a whole vat, or chowing through Forgetfulness Flower Three Herbs like bar snacks...
"Truth be told, I couldn't fully commit to training while sorting out the Green Forest strongholds in Zhejiang. Seeing how far you've come just makes me ashamed."
"..."
Not even that much? Fuck me, I'm out.
Then—
"What kinda dogshit bastard is this?!"
A curse erupted from the bandit leaders, perfectly voicing my own frustration. The jovial mood plummeted into icy silence, and Bang Du-chil shot them a displeased glare.
"Who's the punk? Who's messing with us?"
Technically, he was the one interrupting between us and the Green Forest holdouts, but Bang Du-chil—ruler of heaven and earth, beholden to none—clearly didn't see it that way.
"We're the leaders of Hwaeom Stronghold, Jeokhwa Stronghold, and Heukbong Stronghold!"
"And?"
"Eek!"
Was this what it meant to talk past each other? If Bang Du-chil had pulled that crap on me, my guts would've twisted in knots. He had zero clue what he'd done wrong.
From the bandit leaders' side, if he were some pushover, they'd have split his skull with an axe while telling him to think before leaping. But they couldn't miss the overwhelming pressure radiating from him, just like I did.
"Brother-in-law. Looks like they don't appreciate us barging in."
Baek So-ryeong's elegant voice made one of Bang Du-chil's eyebrows twitch.
"Then they should just say so. Typical ignorant bandits."
The leaders' faces flushed beet red, frustration boiling over.
"If you don't wanna die, scram right now!"
Bang Du-chil ignored the furious bark and turned to me calmly. "So, why'd you call me all the way out here, little brother?"
It had veered far from the original plan, but his arrival was a lifeline from the heavens. For a guy with nowhere else to turn, having a big brother like this was something, at least.
I nodded vigorously. "Fight a mountain king struggle with them."
"Huh?"
His eyebrow shot up. He hadn't expected mountain king struggle from my mouth.
"What happened in Zhejiang was through a mountain king struggle, right? Do the same here—put all of Sichuan under your feet."
In my past life, the Sichuan Blood History involved the Blood Cult, the Murim Alliance, Sichuan's alliance lords like Qingcheng, Ami, and the Tang Family, plus dozens of mid- and small sects tailing them. Even the Green Forest strongholds piled in, turning it into pandemonium. It earned the name "History of Blood" for good reason.
If the Green Forest stayed neutral at minimum, Sichuan's alliance lords wouldn't dare move without the Murim Alliance's backing.
"Heh, so you knew about that. But I've just taken Zhejiang—why start from scratch in Sichuan?"
Even the great Bang Du-chil knew subduing the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds was like gobbling territory bit by bit.
"I'll be straight with you. Yeah, it's a crazy ask, like you said."
But I knew Bang Du-chil better than he knew himself. I had that "treasure" phrase to manipulate him like a puppet on strings.
"But would the 'king' of the Green Forest sweat the details?"
"Huh?"
Hooked.
I prodded his competitive fire. "The entire 'world' is already the Green Forest king's. What does it matter where he plants his foot first?"
A brief silence fell.
Then Bang Du-chil's eyebrows shot up, and he let out a small gasp, his body trembling.
Even in his past life, a single bold word would send his emotions surging uncontrollably. Sure, but...
"Uhhhwahahahahahaha!!!"
His booming laugh rattled my eardrums like thunder.
This reaction's way too intense!
It didn't even feel infused with inner energy, yet my insides churned. And damn, was he thrilled—his shoulder slaps had no mercy.
Thud thud thud.
I barely endured the bone-crushing pain, bowing my head. Sure enough, my feet had sunk into the dirt.
Did this guy have no concept of limits?
"Exactly! A true 'king' of our time doesn't nitpick and scheme like some small-timer!!"
...The reaction was even fiercer than in his past life. Back then, his shattered dantian had mellowed him a bit, huh?
He pulled back his hammer-like hand and snapped his head up. "Listen up!"
He eyed each bandit leader in turn. "I, Bang Du-chil, stronghold lord of Nokryong Stronghold and conqueror of Zhejiang Province, declare to the Green Forest brethren..."
Zhejiang and Bang Du-chil's name made them gulp hard.
"I challenge the Sichuan Green Forest strongholds to a mountain king struggle!"
"Nokryong Stronghold..."
"Hwang Woo reborn?"
"Why's he here...?"
Even holed up in the mountains, cut off from the world, they perked up at news involving them. They recognized him quick.
The ones ready to charge moments ago now rolled their eyes, lips twitching, whispering among themselves. Once they'd hashed it out, Hwaeom Stronghold's leader spoke up.
"Nokryong Stronghold Lord Bang Du-chil. I know we must accept a mountain king struggle, but now's not the time."
"You gonna break the Green Forest Alliance's First Rule?"
"That's not it! We're here to exterminate the bastard threatening our strongholds' survival. Any lord worth his salt knows now ain't the moment for a struggle."
Bang Du-chil's eyebrow twitched faintly. "Threatening survival?"
"Y-yeah! Your 'little brother' dealt irreparable damage to our three strongholds. We settle that first before any struggle."
I'd half-expected this. With an excuse like that, the struggle couldn't proceed.
What I wanted was Bang Du-chil bulldozing through like usual. The old him would've scoffed—what's it matter? Win the struggle, and it's all yours anyway.
But against my expectations—
"Is that so? Then no problem."
He jabbed a finger at me.
What the—?
Before anxiety could choke me into silence—
"My little brother just joins the mountain king struggle too."
Huh? Excuse me? Mountain king struggles are for bandits only, you know?
Not just me—the leaders looked dumbfounded too.
"Bang Du-chil! You breaking Green Forest Alliance rules? Then you ain't fit for the Seventy-Two Strongholds!"
Yeah, yeah. Better to just throw a tantrum and fight. Hell yeah.
I'd ping Moyong Jaehwa for some Thunderbolt Arrows, Bang Du-chil and I stir up chaos, and they'd cave, tears and all, accepting the struggle.
Me joining? Utter nonsense.
But Bang Du-chil's voice rang solemn. "Ain't twisting rules."
"Th-then! You saying that punk's a lord of the Seventy-Two?!"
"Exactly!"
Huh? What?
Did I hear wrong? I wasn't that old yet...
"My little brother is Heukryong Stronghold Lord Jin Sowoon!"
Huh? Shit, what the hell are you saying? You madman...!
#
"So, to sum up..."
I clung desperately to my fraying sanity and continued. "You made Nokryong Stronghold and Heukryong Stronghold where Ssangmak Stronghold used to be..."
Even saying what I'd heard, I prayed it was all bullshit.
"...And I'm the lord of it?"
"That's right!!!"
Was he nuts? His matter-of-fact tone made it even more absurd.
"Uh... just to check, does Heukryong Stronghold actually exist?"
"Of course! My men plus the new recruits make two hundred strong."
"...So who's running Heukryong right now?"
"One of my lieutenants holds the leader spot."
So basically, you're just ruling two strongholds!
"The veiled lord of Heukryong... was you?"
Gu Jeong-ryong, who'd been listening, gawked at me.
Shit, no it's not!
"Knew you weren't ordinary."
Budangju Gam Cheon-ak eyed me with sparkling curiosity.
"It ain't like that."
I dodged their stares and glared at Bang Du-chil. Say it's not true, quick!
But he just nodded.
Finally, Baek So-ryeong stepped forward. At least one sane person...
"Sorry, Young Master Jin. My man's too stubborn, you know? I figured half of it was just a joke and let it slide."
A joke? A joke?! What kinda insane joke is this?
"But hey, lucky break. Now you can join the mountain king struggle. Hehe."
"..."
Sanity revoked. Birds of a feather, huh.
That dainty smile hid madness worse than his.
"Sister-in-law..."
Should I laugh or cry? No clue.
The leaders said it wasn't their call and led us to their stronghold. They tried leaving the wounded with guardians, but the bandits wouldn't have it. In the end, we marched with a thousand-strong bandit horde to Hwaeom Stronghold.
"Waaaaaaaaah!!!"
The roar shook heaven and earth.
Crazy...
Flashbacks to the Ssangmak nightmare hit hard. Back then, just Gold-Faced Buddha and Poison-Eyed Blood Axe lorded like kings. Now? Three stronghold lords and a mountain peak packed with a massive crowd.
The academy students and elders dragged here looked shell-shocked.
"Here for a mountain king struggle?"
Hwaeom Stronghold Lord Jo Sangbin's words cut the cheers dead.
Bang Du-chil strode forward without hesitation. "We, Nokryong Stronghold Lord Bang Du-chil and Heukryong Stronghold Lord Jin Sowoon, hereby challenge you to a mountain king struggle."
"...I know Jin Sowoon as an academy student."
Bang Du-chil nodded. "Just passing through. He's really Heukryong's lord!!"
This guy for real...! No! Wrong!
Not just bandits—even academy kids buzzed nonstop.
"Heukryong? Thought he was some Black Dao saint."
"Joint Black Dao overlord—maybe tied to Green Forest too?"
"...What's his deal?"
Knew it'd come to this. Already thorny path, now torched.
Ah... Shouldn't have called him. For real.
Ignoring my sour face, the lords' talk continued.
"Even so, can't forgive damaging our strongholds before the challenge."
Bang Du-chil snorted. "So?"
"...What?"
He dug his pinky in his ear and repeated. "So what're you gonna do about it?"
Jo Sangbin ground his teeth at the attitude. "...We could slaughter you all right here."
Tension spiked among students and elders alike.
Honestly, with that numbers gap, skill differences mattered less.
But Bang Du-chil, ignoring our meager three hundred combined, blustered on. "Try it if you can!"
"..."
He took two steps forward. His men instantly hunkered, channeling qi.
What the—?
Before I could think, an immense aura erupted from him.
Boom boom thud.
The ground cracked around him, dirt piling up, pebbles scattering.
Just from emitting qi?
Normal warriors strained to bulge their robes. He did the impossible casually.
He stomped, and the earth quaked.
"Refuse the struggle, and I'll beat you all to death!"
...Ranting like a lunatic, but no one could dismiss it as madness.
"...Gulp."
It felt that real. Even I shivered.
"M-mountain king struggles ban killing."
Jo Sangbin averted his eyes, cowed. Dude, crumbling already?
Bang Du-chil jabbed a finger. "So accept—and I'll spare your lives!"
"..."
Not even a bandit, yet "accept or die." Wait, bandits are bandits...
Good thing he never hit Murim Academy. If he joined the Alliance, he'd cause havoc, get branded a public enemy, and bolt.
One hell of a career path.
Under the pressure, Jo Sangbin squeezed his eyes shut. "F-fine. Accepted. But if we win, Jin Sowoon pays for the damage—with his head!"
Chop my head if you win? What's the point of the struggle?
I started objecting. "Hey..."
But Bang Du-chil beat me. "Naturally!"
...Dude, didn't you swear we'd die together? Say it that easy?
"Who's going first?"
Jo Sangbin asked, and Bang Du-chil replied. "You two at once. I'll handle both."
"What?"
He eyed the twitching lords casually. "Gotta sightsee Sichuan while I'm here. No time to waste on this."
"..."
The lords finally snapped, killing intent flaring. To them, this barely-thirty hotshot was peak arrogance.
"Don't regret it."
"Green Forest's king doesn't take back words."
Well, lookie—king already.
Heukbong and Jeokhwa lords stepped up first. Classic bandit look: massive sword and hammer.
They channeled full power, murderous intent exploding.
"Raaagh!!"
"Raaaaargh!!!"
Roaring, they charged to cleave him in one stroke.
But—
Bam!
Heukbong's lord crumpled, spewing teeth.
Jeokhwa's lord hesitated, face paling—Bang Du-chil yanked him with Whirlwind Palm.
Crash!
Bare fist shattered the hammer, hurling the lord three zhang away.
──────.
Silence blanketed the stronghold like a sudden downpour.
Everyone gaped at the absurdity. Only Bang Du-chil moved calmly.
"Next!"
Facing him, Jo Sangbin paled. "Y-you're not planning to take all three, right?"
"Obviously. You're my little brother's opponent."
Jo sighed in relief. What? Why am I the easy mark? Kinda pissed now.
Jo scanned the fallen lords, then glared at me. "I'll smash you and avenge the Green Forest brethren and our lords."
"He flattened your lords?"
Despite my logic, Jo wasn't logical. "No talk!"
Sword qi wrapped his greatsword, swinging like a tempest.
I didn't hide my grievance, yelling as I unleashed White Moon Heaven-Subduing Three Forms, First Style—slicing his blade and belt.
Claaaang───
The sword split, clattering. His pants dropped to his ankles.
Jo gawked at his broken sword and me, dazed.
"Wanna keep going?"
Bang Du-chil asked as Jo fumbled with his pants. He shook his head frantically.
Bang Du-chil grinned, satisfied, and proclaimed to all. "From this moment, Jeokhwa and Heukbong Strongholds heed Nokryong Stronghold Lord Bang Du-chil's command. And..."
His gaze hit me. "Hwaeom Stronghold heeds Heukryong Stronghold Lord Jin Sowoon's command!"
His thunderous voice echoed across the stronghold, all eyes on me.
Hah, go ahead—spread it far and wide that I'm Heukryong's lord. Might even reach all of Sichuan.