Hyuk Dojin regained consciousness the next morning. He opened his eyes early in the morning as the sun was beginning to rise.
I smiled at him as he came to his senses without any problems. Hyuk Dojin quietly opened his mouth.
"I'm glad."
He didn't say what he was glad about or what he meant, but I didn't particularly feel the need to ask. Whatever it was, just being able to face him and smile like this was enough.
Hyuk Dojin's condition wasn't too bad. Although his wounds hadn't fully healed, his superhuman recovery ability was returning his body to normal.
However, it was difficult to expect any strenuous movement right away, so I stayed by his side and made small talk about various things.
He listened quietly when I told him about things related to me, but when I told him about the pregnancy, he immediately smiled brightly.
"The child will be born in the cold season. The Demon Cult's winter is harsh, so I'm not sure how we'll manage. We should consider having the child born elsewhere and returning when it's warmer."
I smiled slightly at his words, thinking about the distant future when I hadn't even given birth yet.
After talking with Hyuk Dojin all morning, I was finally able to go downstairs to the first floor with him in the afternoon.
Just then, Hyuk Muhyeol, who had gathered his chaotic thoughts, also came to the first floor and sat in the seat opposite.
It was the first time everyone could gather in one place after the events of that day.
Hyuk Muhyeol checked Hyuk Dojin's condition and spoke quietly.
"Are you alright?"
It was unclear whether he was asking about his physical condition or about the matter related to Geum Soso.
Hyuk Dojin looked at Hyuk Muhyeol calmly for a while, then simply nodded.
"That's good then."
Hyuk Muhyeol didn't ask any further after saying that.
After some time had passed, Jeok Biwol called everyone together. When we entered a room on the first floor, she stood up from her seat to greet everyone. Once all the key personnel had gathered, Jeok Biwol immediately got to the point.
"Although you may not have fully recovered yet, I've urgently summoned you all because we can't delay making a decision. Please understand."
Jeok Biwol looked around at everyone, then received a letter from someone standing beside her and placed it on the table. Her mouth opened heavily.
"The Murim Alliance has officially begun to move."
"The Murim Alliance?"
Hyuk Muhyeol was the one who reacted to her words. He raised his eyebrows and stared intently at Jeok Biwol. Even the great Jeok Biwol couldn't maintain a relaxed expression under Hyuk Muhyeol's gaze. She let out a low groan, swallowed, and spoke quietly.
"Yes. This information was delivered early this morning. The Murim Alliance has begun pressuring the Five Great Clans and Nine Renowned Sects. The reason is Geum Hyul's death."
"Geum Hyul died?"
I opened my eyes wide in surprise at her words. Jeok Biwol's gaze turned to me.
"There was an official announcement that he died. And they blamed the Demon Cult for his death."
"That's nonsense. That day, Geum Hyul disappeared along with a person called Cheol Mugi. It's true that I wounded Geum Hyul, but he wasn't an opponent who would die from just that. For Geum Hyul to have died..."
I furrowed my brows as my voice trailed off. She waited for my voice to lower before speaking slowly.
"It seems someone killed Geum Hyul as he was returning that day. Most likely, Elder Cheol Mugi did it. Geum Hyul was a loyal limb of the Alliance Leader. There's no way the Alliance Leader would have killed him directly. So, Cheol Mugi must have killed him himself."
"..."
"It's not certain yet, but for now, the Alliance Leader has established a justification. Whether Cheol Mugi killed him or the Black Dao Sect was involved doesn't matter. The Alliance Leader is pressuring the core forces of each righteous sect to provide troops for confrontation with the Demon Cult. We don't know where those troops will be used, but whatever it is, it won't be good for us."
Jeok Biwol looked around at the people and continued speaking.
"We can't know exactly what the Alliance Leader is thinking, but currently the Murim Alliance is in quite a precarious situation. Having lost Geum Hyul and the Yeonwi Left Army, which could be considered half of the Murim Alliance's forces, the Murim Alliance could be completely devoured by the Black Dao Sect now. Of course, with the monster-like Alliance Leader holding out, it won't be easy, but if the Alliance Leader submits to the Black Dao Sect, we'll be pressured simultaneously from both the Murim Alliance and the Black Dao Sect."
A heavy silence fell when she finished speaking. It wasn't a particularly good situation. The Murim Alliance alone was troublesome enough, but having to face the Black Dao Sect behind them as well was a difficult task. When everyone remained silent, Jeok Biwol slowly opened her mouth.
"We need to make a decision."
"A decision?"
Hyuk Muhyeol tilted his head slightly. Jeok Biwol stared at him intently, then took out a small tag from her bosom and placed it on the table.
On it was clearly engraved the writing signifying the Golden Blood Sand Sect that she always carried with her. Hyuk Muhyeol's gaze fell on it, then slowly rose.
"I'll speak frankly. The Golden Blood Sand Sect adheres to the long-standing rules and regulations of our sect, but we don't intend to perish. So, if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is willing to walk the same path as our sect, we're willing to follow that path."
There was a stir around at her words. Not fully understanding the meaning of what Jeok Biwol had just said, I narrowed my brows, and a voice flowed from beside me.
"She's saying the Golden Blood Sand Sect wants to join the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
It was Hyuk Dojin's voice. When I looked at him, Hyuk Dojin nodded briefly and then cast his gaze at Jeok Biwol.
Jeok Biwol's voice continued.
"Realistically speaking, even if the Golden Blood Sand Sect and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult form an alliance, the chances of winning against the Murim Alliance and the Black Dao Sect are low. Moreover, isn't the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult also experiencing a lot of internal conflicts? If I may be so bold, I've investigated the Demon Cult's affairs. I also learned that some of the core families of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult are in cooperative relationships with the Black Dao Sect."
"It's a pathetic situation, but there's no need to hide that fact."
"That's why I'm bringing this up now. We need to make a decision."
Jeok Biwol leaned her upper body forward, supporting herself with her arms on the table.
"Whether we'll hide or fight."
"..."
"The Hundred Thousand Mountains where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is located is a natural fortress. No matter how much the Murim Alliance and the Black Dao Sect knock on the door, they won't be able to break through those treacherous mountains and bring down the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Even if it were possible, our sect can help directly to reinforce the traps. If that happens, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult will become an impregnable fortress. So, it's not a bad option to avoid unnecessary risks and return to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to hide."
In other words, she was suggesting avoiding the fight. She was telling the Demon Cult members, for whom power is law and authority, to avoid fighting and hide.
Although it was a humiliating and insulting statement, most of the people present didn't object to it.
It was a reaction that could be seen after witnessing the events of dawn. Especially, the critical condition of Hyuk Muhyeol, who had seemed like an unshakeable mountain, was fatal.
His strength was still there, but he couldn't sustain it for long. In a war that could drag on into a prolonged battle, Hyuk Muhyeol's condition was by no means a green light.
If Hyuk Muhyeol fell, there would be no one to face the Murim Alliance Leader. Of course, there was Hyuk Dojin, Man Do, and if necessary, I could join in, but the righteous sects still had several Flowering Realm masters left. And there was also the Black Dao Sect.
If we poured all our strength into capturing the Murim Alliance Leader alone and then were attacked by the Black Dao Sect, it would be over.
"...The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has a mix of mountains and plains. If there are no major problems, we can procure enough food for 100,000 people to be self-sufficient. Also, if we deploy our defenses along those treacherous mountain ranges, even Flowering Realm masters won't be able to cross even half of the Hundred Thousand Mountains before falling."
It was Hyuk Dojin who broke the quiet silence. He raised his head and looked around at the audience. Hyuk Dojin frowned and swallowed.
"It's true that it's a shameful and embarrassing thing. But sometimes we need to know how to avoid fights."
He lowered his arm and quietly grasped my hand.
"I have things I need to protect, and if it's to protect them, I can accept shame and insults a hundred or thousand times over. Even if later generations describe me as a coward and denigrate me, I want to safely protect my family, brothers, and... the child that will soon be born into this world."
Several sighs were heard from various places at Hyuk Dojin's words. Hyuk Dojin quickly looked at Hyuk Muhyeol. Hyuk Muhyeol quietly received his son's gaze.
"Failing to protect once is a mistake, failing to protect twice is foolishness. So this time, I want to protect."
"..."
"Our sect has also lost a lot of strength. We've lost many skilled masters, and I've learned that my father's condition, which could be considered half of our strength, is not good. In this situation, we cannot wage war against the Murim Alliance and the Black Dao Sect."
Hyuk Muhyeol closed his mouth tightly at Hyuk Dojin's calm yet firm expression. Hyuk Muhyeol narrowed his brows with a complicated look on his face, organized his thoughts, and then spoke slowly.
"You mean you'd rather be a well-fed deer than an injured beast?"
"Sometimes a well-fed deer can be stronger than an injured beast."
Hyuk Dojin answered firmly. Hyuk Muhyeol chuckled at his expression and nodded. He stared intently at Hyuk Dojin and continued speaking.
"The more you have, the more you have to protect. Sometimes knowing when to give up and retreat is also courage and strength. I couldn't do that, but seeing that you know how to let go of the most important thing, it seems you're wiser than me."
"..."
"Not wanting to lose for the third time..."
Hyuk Muhyeol raised the corners of his mouth and turned to look at Jeok Biwol. She flinched when Hyuk Muhyeol's gaze fell on her.
"Talk with the leader of the Golden Blood Sand Sect and prepare a place where all members of the Golden Blood Sand Sect can enter as soon as possible. Also, the Demon Cult will close its doors until the chaos in the Central Plains subsides."
Jeok Biwol's eyes widened at his decision. It seemed she herself had thought the possibility was very low, as she looked surprised by Hyuk Muhyeol's decision.
"Understood. I will proceed with this matter as quickly as possible."
Hyuk Muhyeol nodded. He took his gaze off Jeok Biwol and looked around the audience again, continuing to speak.
"We will return to the sect as soon as preparations are complete here. The Young Cult Leader couple should raise their condition to the maximum to prepare for any possible attacks, and the remaining members of the Blood Flow Thousand Wolves Corps should move as the rear guard to repel any enemies that might follow."
He finished speaking and stood up from his seat.
"It's time to go home now."
* * *
"..."
Namgoong Baek quietly looked down at the sword hanging below his neck, then raised his pupils. He had thought there would be no one who could point a sword at the neck of himself, the Sword Saint Murim Alliance Leader, and live, but now he couldn't say anything.
The aura emanating from the man smiling in front of him surpassed his own skills.
Namgoong Baek swallowed and narrowed his eyes.
"You are..."
"You've done too much, Alliance Leader."
"..."
"I warned you so many times, yet you acted recklessly on your own, and now you're struggling. Have you lived so long that your life isn't precious anymore?"
The inner power contained in the heavily falling voice pressed down on Namgoong Baek. Namgoong Baek swallowed. He looked up at the man in front of him. An enormous power that he didn't even dare to think of facing.
Namgoong Baek let out a blocked breath. Namgoong Baek slowly stood up from his seat. The Sword Saint stood up to struggle against the man in front of him, but the difference in power was so severe that he needed permission even to take a single breath.
"I never thought you would be that man..."
The man's eyes flashed fiercely. Namgoong Baek let out a hollow laugh and spoke slowly.
"Black Demon..."