The Warning Is Given Only Once. (1)

Yu Jinsan, having returned to the mountain lodge, scanned the surroundings.

Everyone stood ready for battle, merely waiting for the signal.

Counting the warriors of the Soyo Mountain Villa and the crowd gathered from smaller sects, the number easily exceeded three hundred and fifty.

It wasn’t a force to be scoffed at, but it was far too few to confront the intruders head-on.

“Please wait a moment.”

As Yu Jinsan approached, Meng Nam-cheon asked with a solemn face.

“What is the situation?”

“The enemy’s strength is not ordinary; if we fight like this, we’ll be wiped out within half a moment.”

“You mean we couldn’t even hold for half a moment even if we fought at the chokepoint?”

“That’s right. And that’s even counting their strength at its maximum.”

Yu Jinsan relayed everything he had observed while scouting.

He described the terrifying blood cultists encircling the entire gorge, and even the commanders who appeared to be officers.

Meng Nam-cheon, listening without expression, asked with a darkened face.

“Y-you said there are four Extreme Demon level warriors just now?”

Four Extreme Demon experts comparable to the Supreme realm had come.

Their injuries from previous battles hadn’t fully healed; it was truly a desperate situation.

“I don’t quite believe it myself, but it’s a confirmed fact.”

“Even if we set aside the small fry, the only ones who can stand against Extreme Demon are the Yang Monster and I. But how could we handle four…?”

If only those four came up, it would mean annihilation. Meng Nam-cheon was certain of that.

But Yu Jinsan did not waver.

It wasn’t an easy situation, but he had weathered far worse storms before.

“Let’s catch the intruders off guard and create an opportunity.”

“What plan do you have? Do you, Yang Monster, have some trick?”

“They may think they know the situation here fairly well, but there’s one thing they don’t know.”

“What is that?”

One corner of Yu Jinsan’s mouth twitched upward.

“That is that the Yang Monster is here with us. And I can take on two of the four myself.”

Meng Nam-cheon looked somewhat skeptical. It was a natural reaction.

If it were the Yin Monster, he’d have no doubt that one could face four alone. But with the Yang Monster, it was a different story.

He had never once seen the Yang Monster use martial arts, so he could only guess that he was Supreme realm-level and did not know his true capability.

“You say… two?”

“You don’t seem to believe me.”

For the plan to work smoothly, he needed to demonstrate a bit of martial prowess.

And Yu Jinsan’s most confident domain was his inner power.

His internal qi was at least Profound Realm; he had absorbed the Immortal Needle acquired from the Emei sect and the evil force sealed in his right hand into his dantian.

He casually lifted the Dragon Slaying Spear, drew his inner power to its limit, and struck the ground.

Kuuuuung-!!!

At that moment, the area within a li trembled as a fierce quake erupted.

Those with weak inner power swayed as if they might fall.

Everyone stared in astonishment at Yu Jinsan’s position.

They soon realized it was a man-made shock he had produced and began to murmur.

“W-what was that just now?”

“Did the Yang Monster do that?”

“Wow. He’s truly amazing…”

“This might mean we’re not necessarily at a disadvantage.”

Yu Jinsan’s display had raised everyone’s morale, including Meng Nam-cheon.

“Truly tremendous inner power. It makes one feel the world is vast again.”

“You’re flattering me. Compared to the Yin Monster’s martial art, it’s nothing remarkable.”

“Nothing remarkable? Watching now, I’m not confident I could handle the Yang Monster at my level.”

Meng Nam-cheon, famed as the top swordsman of Zhejiang Province, had acknowledged him.

Yu Jinsan felt pleased inwardly but showed no expression; this was not the time for that.

“By the way, how are the Villa Chief’s injuries?”

“Not fully healed yet, but he can take responsibility for at least one Extreme Demon.”

There are four Extreme Demon in number.

Among them Yu Jinsan would take two, and Meng Nam-cheon would take one.

But there was no way to deal with the remaining one.

“Luring and handling the four Extreme Demon separately is the most ideal plan right now. But one person is a problem…”

If the enemies didn’t know about the Yang Monster’s presence, luring them wouldn’t be hard; the Villa Chief would make an excellent bait.

But the matter afterward was the problem.

“The two of us cannot take on four Extreme Demon. Is there no other way?”

After a moment’s thought, Yu Jinsan shook his head.

“There’s no different method, but there is one alternative.”

A brief glimmer of hope crossed Meng Nam-cheon’s face.

“What is it?”

“Is there a disciple who can tie down one Extreme Demon even for a short while? Just enough to stall and hold on for a bit.”

Meanwhile, either Yu Jinsan or Meng Nam-cheon would have to kill one Extreme Demon.

That would balance the numbers and create an opportunity.

But how could one easily bind the feet of a Extreme Demon classified as an absolute expert?

It was while Meng Nam-cheon was pondering that.

Someone approached with a limping step.

“Leave it to me, brother.”

He was a swordsman named Hwa Mu-geuk, a sworn brother who had spent his life alongside Meng Nam-cheon.

Although he hadn’t broken through the Supreme realm barrier, he was the second-strongest in the Soyo Mountain Villa.

“…How do you intend to fight an Extreme Demon with that body?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll risk my life to hold them off.”

At that moment Yu Jinsan raised one hand and shook his head once.

If he was prepared to give his life, he might be able to buy a little time.

But there was a decisive, biggest problem.

“It doesn’t look like you can properly use light footwork skill. Without mobility, this operation is impossible.”

“Huff…”

Hwa Mu-geuk sighed regretfully.

But he could not refute it; as Yu Jinsan said, his leg injury hadn’t healed and even walking was difficult. Will alone wouldn’t be enough.

Yu Jinsan and Meng Nam-cheon scanned the group, looking for capable warriors.

But there wasn’t a single master who could match Hwa Mu-geuk.

Meng Nam-cheon muttered in a strained voice.

“I’ll try to hold against two. In the meantime, Yang Monster, you finish first and then come help me.”

“That cannot be. I’m not disregarding the Villa Chief, but consider his physical condition.”

Given the Villa Chief’s condition, even a single opponent would be too much; against two, he wouldn’t last a moment.

If things went wrong, even his life could be at risk. It was unacceptable.

But there was no suitable alternative.

Everyone was sighing when.

At some point, Yu Jinsan and Meng Nam-cheon’s gazes fixed in one direction.

They sensed something approaching.

“…?”

There were as many as three.

And they were approaching at a very high speed.

A moment later, everyone cheered as the three flew in from a nearby hill.

“The sect leaders have returned!”

“So the Yin Monster came back with them?”

They were the attendants who had gone to find the Storm Rider with the Yin Monster.

Apart from Hwa Mu-geuk, they were the most outstanding masters of the Soyo Mountain Villa.

But only those three had appeared, and they looked utterly exhausted.

Cheol-woong, the eldest among them, panted and spoke.

“R-reporting in.”

Meng Nam-cheon patted his shoulder and nodded.

“Catch your breath first. Why are you all panting like that?”

“We ran at full speed without stopping from Mount Giak.”

“You all did well. But the gorge below must have been surrounded—how did you break through and come up?”

Cheol-woong caught his breath and answered quickly.

“Yes. The White Flower Blood Cult bastards were spread out. We barely broke through via a shortcut toward the rear.”

At that moment, Yu Jinsan, who had been watching, approached him and asked.

“But why did only you return? Tell me quickly what happened.”

Though his granddaughter was not in sight, from the sect leaders’ expressions it didn’t seem like things had gone wrong.

Cheol-woong swallowed dryly, took a breath, and spoke softly.

“The Yin Monster found the Storm Rider elder.”

At that moment, everyone erupted in cheers.

“Waaah!”

“Is it true, Chief Cheol?”

“Hahaha! I knew he’d do it!”

“But why didn’t they come together?”

That was the most puzzling part.

If the Storm Rider and the Yin Monster had returned, what were the Extreme Demon before them to worry about?

But there seemed to be some reason they had returned separately.

Everyone waited for Cheol-woong to speak.

“The Storm Rider elder said… he and the Yin Monster sister are going to finish off the White Flower Blood Cult together.”

Yu Jinsan widened his eyes and asked.

“W-what did you just say? And ‘Yin Monster sister’?”

“The two of them have grown quite close. Is there some problem?”

Why would an old man who had performed Age Revival twice address an eleven-year-old granddaughter as ‘sister’?

He was curious about the story, but that wasn’t important now.

‘With four Extreme Demon coming this way, White Flower Blood Cult must be left empty. Toppling them won’t be difficult.’

There were as many as two Profound Realm masters. No matter how strong the Cult Leader was, what problem could there be?

What was more worrisome was the situation here.

Yu Jinsan examined the condition of the sect leaders.

Those three seemed more capable of holding out against a Extreme Demon longer than Hwa Mu-geuk.

Although they looked exhausted, a bit of breathing and energy regulation would restore them somewhat.

“But can you fight now? We need someone to bind one Extreme Demon’s feet for a while.”

“…Yes?”

The three sect leaders who had just arrived grew gloomy.

They had just returned from a near-death ordeal and now were to be dragged back into peril.

Meng Nam-cheon looked apologetically at the sect leaders one by one.

“I know it’s hard, but this is the only way for now.”

The sect leaders of Soyo Mountain Villa would do anything for the sect.

The three clasped their hands with grim faces.

“Leave it to us, Villa Chief.”

With the plan set, there was no time to hesitate.

Yu Jinsan spoke to them without delay.

“We don’t have much time; quickly begin regulating your breath. We’ll move after a while.”

They couldn’t afford to dawdle, not knowing when the enemies would climb.

Meanwhile, the White Flower Blood Cult’s headquarters had been utterly razed.

Despair filled the places where the Dragon Flower Spear had swept through.

Of all the many blood cultists, only one figure remained standing.

The White Flower Blood Cult’s Cult Leader, Sura Blood Horse Yeom Hwi. He stood panting at the center of his fallen subordinates.

“This tiny rat… Where did you bring such a demon-like woman from?”

Now that he had some breathing room, the Storm Rider sneered at him.

“Now there’s only you left. Might as well know who you die to. She is the Yin Monster, the supreme of the Heterodox factions.”

Yu Seol, having reclaimed the Dragon Flower Spear, shifted sideways as if to cut off his escape route.

The Cult Leader noticed this as well.

And he knew he had no chance against two Profound Realm opponents.

Yet there was still a trace of confidence in his demeanor.

“Alright, whatever. But you look rather relaxed.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The Cult Leader’s face twisted into a foul smile.

“Where do you think all our sect protectors have gone?”

“…Surely not?”

“By now your disciples and the kids from Soyo Mountain Villa are probably being torn apart.”

He had already found it strange that the White Flower elite weren’t visible.

Their destination had been Soyo Mountain Villa.

What he had feared had become reality.

The Storm Rider urgently sent a silent message to the Yin Monster.

• We should hurry to finish here and return. There’s no time to linger; the two of you should quickly overpower them together.

• Soyo Mountain Villa is in danger? Understood.

But he was not a Cult Leader who would fail to notice their plotting.

He rolled his eyes for a moment, then turned his back and bolted like a madman.

He attempted to flee.

“Damn it!”

The Storm Rider fell in beside Yu Seol and began to pursue him.

It was hard to predict how long the chase would last.

“I’ll handle the Cult Leader, sister. Go back first and protect our grandpa.”

Protect our grandpa? He couldn’t understand who was being referred to.

He wondered for a moment, but now was not the time to question it.

“Are you sure you can handle it alone? It could be dangerous.”

As they ran, Yu Seol reached out and tugged at the Storm Rider’s cheek.

“It’s me. Sister Seol.”