Chapter 61
Journey Through the Jianghu (4)
Even in the dead of night, the Suseong Gate echoed endlessly with the clash of steel and the screams of men.
A nighttime raid launched by the Jeongyeong Sect.
As if they had no intention of failing, they seemed to have mobilized every bit of strength at their disposal.
There are more of them than I saw during the day.
And it wasn't just the Jeongyeong Sect itself. It appeared they had dragged along every thug and subordinate under their command as well.
Watching the endless stream of men vault over the walls, Baekri Cheong swept his gaze across the surroundings.
The disciples of Suseong Gate had rushed out in haste, throwing on their sleeping robes without a second thought. Their expressions gradually darkened.
Though the night concealed much, instinct alone told them they were hopelessly outnumbered.
The morale of Suseong Gate must not falter.
To achieve that, he needed to stand at the forefront and display overwhelming martial might.
Only then would the fighting spirit of Suseong Gate continue to burn fiercely rather than be extinguished.
Having reached his decision, Baekri Cheong strode forward.
His sword flashed out once more, cutting down every Jeongyeong Sect fighter that rushed toward him.
There were many martial artists within Suseong Gate, but Baekri Cheong's prowess stood out unmistakably.
His refined yet devastating swordsmanship possessed the potential to turn the entire situation around.
"That one is from the Changcheon Society too."
"You don't even need to point him out. The aura he gives off is completely different."
The Jeongyeong Sect Leader, who had entered through the main gate with his subordinates, pointed directly at Baekri Cheong.
The spearmen of Jonchang Gate who had entered alongside him paid no attention whatsoever to the disciples of Suseong Gate.
Their eyes were fixed solely on Baekri Cheong as they carefully observed his movements.
As expected of martial artists from one of the Eight Great Clans.
They recognized him immediately.
"A cool and immaculate aura. And that distinguished appearance."
"It's certain. The eldest son of the Baekri Clan that was wiped out."
"An unexpected prize, isn't it? His head is worth more than the life of the Suseong Gate Master."
Shhk!
Hearing their conversation, Baekri Cheong slightly curled his lips upward.
It was a calm smile filled with composure.
"You're certainly confident. It seems you've never witnessed my family's swordsmanship."
"The martial arts of a clan that's already been exterminated? Why would we bother?"
Without hesitation, Baekri Cheong advanced toward the Jonchang Gate spearmen.
The sneers on their faces deepened.
"He's charging at us himself?"
"Form the combined formation!"
The spearmen moved in perfect unison.
The aura of all ten men intertwined and swelled into a single force.
It was the precursor to a formation technique.
Despite the overwhelming pressure, Baekri Cheong immediately accelerated.
His opponents used spears. He needed to close the distance as much as possible and bring the battle into a range favorable for a swordsman.
It'll be difficult to finish things here quickly. I just hope Little Brother Namgung can hold on by himself.
Whoooom!
As the formation spun into motion, five spear strikes surged forth in succession.
Through the mysteries of the formation, all of their qi had been fused into one, greatly amplifying their power.
Baekri Cheong swept his sword upward and downward, intercepting the spear thrusts aimed at his vital points.
The expert leading them must be the one Little Brother Namgung is facing.
While battling the spearmen, Baekri Cheong expanded his senses and assessed the situation elsewhere.
Namgung Jun's opponent seemed to have reached at least the peak of the Peak Realm.
No matter how talented the young man was, such an opponent would not be easy to handle.
He needed help quickly.
But the situation here was hardly simple either.
Before him stood the combined formation of Jonchang Gate's spearmen.
Behind him, the Jeongyeong Sect was relentlessly pressing Suseong Gate.
Neither side could be ignored.
Calming the impatience rising within him, Baekri Cheong tightened his grip on his sword.
I'll finish this as quickly as possible.
Fwoosh!
Pure white sword qi spread from Baekri Cheong's blade like the beating of wings.
Slash!
His sword, wrapped completely in white sword qi, cut freely through the darkness.
Two spears thrusting toward his abdomen and thigh were severed one after another.
It was a domineering strike infused with the profound principles of the Geukmu Chongseon Art.
"Impossible!"
"The formation's qi was reinforcing them! How could he—?"
The Jonchang Gate spearmen stared at him in disbelief.
Ten experts had gathered here.
They had even deployed their formation.
Together, they should have been capable of holding back at least a single Peak Realm master.
Yet Baekri Cheong was not merely enduring the formation.
He was driving them back.
"Haaah!"
Though patches of his white robes had already been stained red with blood, Baekri Cheong let out a battle cry and threw himself directly into the storm of spearheads.
Clang! Clang!
His sword flashed diagonally to both sides, sweeping away every spear.
Each collision sent powerful shockwaves through his body, but he paid them no mind.
Almost there.
The formation created by the ten spearmen was undeniably formidable.
The Ten-Hand Brocade Spear Formation.
A formation that united the power of ten first-rate experts into a single force.
Its strength was undeniable and worthy of being the standard formation of a major sect like Jonchang Gate.
But Baekri Cheong was looking far beyond the formation before him.
He could not allow his sword to be halted by something at this level.
"Haaah!"
Having completely seen through the mysteries of the Ten-Hand Brocade Spear Formation, Baekri Cheong immediately exploited its weakness.
His footwork and sword strikes disrupted the formation's flow and twisted its structure.
As a result, openings naturally appeared among the Jonchang Gate spearmen.
His white sword flashed mercilessly into those gaps.
Splat!
Following the path of his immaculate swordsmanship, the heads of Jonchang Gate's spearmen fell cleanly from their shoulders.
And as if that were still not enough, Baekri Cheong unleashed a supreme technique of the Baekseon Sword Art, smashing it directly into the formation.
BOOOOM!
He finally shattered the Ten-Hand Brocade Spear Formation.
"Urgh!"
"Damn it!"
The backlash from the destroyed formation caused the surviving spearmen to stagger.
Six of them had already been decapitated.
The remaining four were suffering severe internal injuries.
This isn't the time for this. I need to help Little Brother Namgung!
Just as Baekri Cheong moved to finish off the remaining spearmen—
Thud.
Something suddenly dropped between him and the Jonchang Gate warriors.
Though the moonless night was dark, a martial artist's eyesight was more than sufficient to identify it clearly.
It was a human head.
"Gah!"
"Elder Samun Chang!"
The Jonchang Gate spearmen could not hide their shock.
Baekri Cheong was equally astonished.
How did he do it alone?
Baekri Cheong raised his gaze toward the direction from which Samun Chang's head had flown.
Standing proudly atop the wall was Namgung Jun.
Crackle!
Blue lightning wrapped around his body, making his figure clearly visible even in the darkness.
Because of that, everyone could see it.
Namgung Jun was completely uninjured.
"Samun Chang met his end by my sword. The Jeongyeong Sect has been defeated."
At Namgung Jun's qi-infused declaration, the Jeongyeong Sect Leader and his followers all flinched simultaneously.
The Jeongyeong Sect, which had been steadily cornering Suseong Gate, suddenly slowed its advance.
"Move! All of you, move! If you stop, we're the ones who'll die!"
Grinding his teeth, the Jeongyeong Sect Leader shouted to rally his men.
At that very moment, Namgung Jun's sleeve blurred.
Puhk!
The force of the Heavenly Thunder Palm Art crushed the left side of the Jeongyeong Sect Leader's head.
Having ended his life with a single strike, Namgung Jun looked toward the remaining Jeongyeong Sect members.
"Do you wish to continue?"
Their fighting spirit shattered, the Jeongyeong Sect members quietly lowered their weapons.
The Jeongyeong Sect's night raid had failed.
***
Namgung Jun and Baekri Cheong helped Suseong Gate deal with the aftermath.
During the process, Baekri Cheong found himself marveling at the ruthlessness Namgung Jun displayed.
His decisions and actions are as sharp as his sword.
Namgung Jun executed every surviving Jonchang Gate spearman.
As for the Jeongyeong Sect disciples and the thugs under their command, he crippled their dantians and severed one arm from each of them.
His complete lack of compromise or mercy when dealing with members of the unorthodox path left a strong impression.
"We will never forget the aid of the two young heroes."
The Suseong Gate Master repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude.
Not only had they saved his life and the lives of his disciples, but they had also preserved the sect itself.
Naturally, his treatment of them was exceedingly respectful.
And it wasn't just him.
Every disciple of Suseong Gate came out to see the two swordsmen off.
Had these two not been here...
Suseong Gate would have been wiped out in a single night.
No matter how many times he thought about it, cold sweat ran down his back.
The fact that Namgung Jun and Baekri Cheong had arrived precisely when they did was nothing short of heaven's blessing.
Looking over the disciples lined up on either side of him, the Suseong Gate Master bowed once more.
"Thank you. Truly."
Namgung Jun returned the courtesy with a cupped-fist salute.
"Although the Jeongyeong Sect has been destroyed, you must not lower your guard."
"I will remember that."
"We will also notify Shaolin as quickly as possible and do our best to lessen Suseong Gate's burden."
"We would be grateful."
After exchanging a few final words, the two swordsmen left Suseong Gate behind and set out toward Mount Song.
***
"Fortunately, Sanggu's mission was completed without incident."
"Yes. Now we only need to get through the Songshan Assembly safely."
Baekri Cheong smiled as he listened to Namgung Jun's calm reply.
"You are always so composed, Little Brother. Even if it is your natural temperament, that's no easy thing."
"Is that so? The seniors of the Heavenly Sword Hall sometimes tease me for being like an old man."
"Haha. Take it as praise. Even I feel there is much I can learn from you."
At Baekri Cheong's playful remark, a faint smile appeared on Namgung Jun's lips.
"That is reassuring. I've learned much from Young Hero Baekri as well. A relationship in which both sides benefit is truly precious."
After looking at Baekri Cheong for a moment, Namgung Jun asked:
"By the way, Young Hero Baekri. How long do you intend to keep calling me 'Little Brother'? Doesn't that title create a bit of distance between us?"
"Hm. Now that I think about it, you're right. I suppose the first title I used simply became a habit."
After pondering for a moment, Baekri Cheong smiled.
"We joined at the same time, so calling each other senior and junior feels strange. How about we simply address each other as elder brother and younger brother?"
"I'd like that, Brother Baekri."
The moment Namgung Jun changed his form of address, Baekri Cheong fell silent.
As if he had been caught off guard by an unexpected move.
It's been a long time since I've heard that.
At first, he had suggested it without much thought.
Yet hearing Namgung Jun actually call him that stirred something within him.
It reminds me of Hyeon.
Baekri Cheong thought of his younger brother, Baekri Hyeon.
Had he still been alive, he would have been exactly Namgung Jun's age.
In truth, this was not the first time Namgung Jun had reminded him of Baekri Hyeon.
Their builds were similar.
Their personalities were almost identical.
Whenever they talked, such thoughts inevitably surfaced.
It wasn't that he viewed Namgung Jun as a replacement.
The two were entirely different people.
Yet whenever he looked at Namgung Jun, memories of Baekri Hyeon naturally arose.
After all, he was the younger brother Baekri Cheong always missed.
"Brother Baekri?"
When Namgung Jun called again, Baekri Cheong finally snapped out of his thoughts.
"I was distracted for a moment. My apologies."
After hesitating briefly, he continued.
"Brother Namgung."
"I'm glad Brother Baekri actually knows my surname. My master got it wrong at first."
"What? The Lord of the Heavenly Sword Hall did?"
Baekri Cheong burst into laughter.
Watching him, Namgung Jun lowered his eyelids slightly.
He did not know the exact reason, but he could sense Baekri Cheong's emotions fluctuating.
That was why he had deliberately made a light joke.
Fortunately, it seemed to have worked.
Brother. And younger brother...
It was a relationship he had never experienced in his previous life.
Perhaps that was why it felt so fresh.
As Namgung Jun silently savored those new forms of address, the smile on his face deepened.
Yes. This isn't so bad.
Having begun calling each other brother and younger brother, the two swordsmen continued forward with light steps.
Their destination was Mount Song, where the assembly would soon be held.