“Hahaha! To think I’d live to hear the Conqueror admit defeat!” Sadocheonju chuckled, breaking the silence that had settled over Jo Yangbong. The Conqueror, having returned to his seat, steadied his breath, disrupted by internal injuries, and glared.

“Silence.”

“To think the Sword Saint accomplished what the Three Lords could not.”

Sadocheonju continued to tease the Conqueror as he rose from his seat, tapping his shoulder with his spear.

“Sitting around makes my backside ache.”

He scanned the room, searching for a worthy opponent among the martial masters, his gaze landing on the Sword Saint. Just as Sadocheonju was about to speak to him, his view was blocked.

The Intermediary had risen, skillfully positioning himself between Sadocheonju and the Sword Saint.

“What is it, Intermediary?”

“Face me, Changcheon.”

“Hmph. Are you confident you can win?”

“It won’t be easy.”

The Intermediary’s firm response caused Sadocheonju’s laughter to fade. Though he couldn’t gauge the exact level of the Intermediary’s martial arts due to his concealed energy, he sensed significant achievement.

“Hmm.”

Sadocheonju circled the Intermediary, glancing between the Sword Saint and Heukcheon, nodding to himself. He turned back to the Intermediary, intrigued by the fierce light in his eyes visible through the bamboo hat.

“Is that your intention… Very well, I accept your challenge.”

“Thank you.”

The Intermediary slowly reached for his sword, while Sadocheonju lifted his spear from his shoulder. As their eyes met in the air, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

Clang!

A metallic sound erupted as energy waves rippled outward from the two masters. Their drawn sword and spear clashed in the middle, locked in a test of strength.

In a swift motion, the Intermediary reversed his grip on the sword, sliding it along the spear’s shaft, stepping into Sadocheonju’s space with a peculiar footwork.

“Hmph!”

Sadocheonju scoffed, flicking his wrist. With that small movement, the spear shaft undulated like a ship on the ocean, deflecting the sword upward.

But the Intermediary had already secured the desired distance. His fingers moved deftly, flipping the sword back into position.

‘Still playing those tricks. Didn’t he say he learned it from an unknown wanderer?’

The Intermediary’s unique grip, honed from wandering the martial world after his family was destroyed, was dismissed as a mere trick by the unskilled, but in his hands, it was formidable.

With a proper grip, the Intermediary raised his sword, thrusting it diagonally upward. Sadocheonju deflected the thrust aimed at his collarbone with the spear tip, sweeping the Intermediary’s ankle with the opposite end.

The Intermediary danced lightly, stamping the spear end into the ground with his foot, and unleashed a palm strike with his left hand.

Bang!

Sadocheonju absorbed the force with his protective energy, like armor, and thrust his spear straight. He sacrificed a move to endure the attack with his body.

The Intermediary quickly retreated.

Whoosh!

As both wrists rotated simultaneously, the spear spun fiercely, aiming for the Intermediary’s brow.

“Hmm!”

The Intermediary, having reversed his grip again, angled his sword to block the spear.

Clang!

A sharp metallic screech assaulted their ears as the sword and spear clashed.

Energy waves spiraled along the spear shaft, but the Intermediary struck upward with his sword, scattering the energy as the spear bounced away.

The Intermediary closed the distance again, while Sadocheonju unleashed a flurry of spear shadows to threaten him.

The sword and spear clashed relentlessly, the distance between the Intermediary and Sadocheonju expanding and contracting repeatedly.

Their positions shifted continuously, sweeping through the surrounding terrain like a whirlwind.

Clang!

After parrying a series of thrusts, the Intermediary struck upward at the descending spear.

The spear shaft trembled violently, and Sadocheonju stepped back, resting the spear at his waist.

In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged over a hundred moves.

It was a stalemate.

Sadocheonju’s eyes curved into a smile as he observed the Intermediary, who showed no signs of being overwhelmed.

“Intermediary, you’ve truly grown stronger. You’ve filled in that missing piece.”

The gap between the Intermediary and the Three Lords was a single move.

A single move might seem insignificant, but at the pinnacle of martial arts, it was the difference between a mountain peak and a hill.

“You always emphasized narrative. What story has been added to your life to make you this strong?”

The Intermediary smiled as Sadocheonju recalled his words.

“Being the leader of the Martial Alliance… it’s a difficult position. A heavy one, too.”

Sadocheonju shook his head.

“Is that sense of responsibility what made you stronger? You’ve had that trait since you were called a chivalrous hero. Once you reach the top, you should just enjoy it like I do. Why burden yourself?”

The Intermediary adjusted his tilted bamboo hat.

“That’s you, isn’t it? You gathered the Seven Demons to form Sadocheon just to make the game more entertaining.”

“You know me well. The Seven Demons felt threatened by the formation of the Martial Alliance, but that wasn’t my concern.”

Sadocheonju grinned mischievously.

“It seems we’ve ended up with a duel between the leader of the Martial Alliance and the leader of Sadocheon. A golden opportunity for the Martial Alliance.”

If the leader of a faction fell in this volcanic duel, the faction would inevitably waver.

“That’s one way to see it. But I’m here as the Intermediary, not the leader of the Martial Alliance. You know why.”

The volcanic duel was purely about martial prowess.

When Mu Hui explained it, he couldn’t be sure it would truly be so.

The people gathered here were intricately connected in various ways.

But the duel between the Sword Saint and the Conqueror confirmed that they could lay everything aside and focus purely on martial arts.

No, it wasn’t just confirmation; it was a stimulus.

Because the Intermediary, before being the leader of the Martial Alliance, was a martial artist.

That’s why he set aside the complex matters of the Martial Alliance and stood here as the Intermediary.

To express the chivalry he had embraced all his life through his sword. That was the Intermediary’s martial art.

“Hmm.”

Sadocheonju examined the Intermediary’s attire anew.

The golden robe symbolizing the leader had been left at his seat, and he wore only a gray martial outfit.

Along with an old sword and a faded bamboo hat.

It was the true image of the Intermediary.

“Are you asking me to face you not as Sadocheonju, but as Guanya Changcheon?”

“That’s why I called you Changcheon, not Sadocheonju.”

For the first time, Sadocheonju’s playful smile turned serious. He, too, had felt something from the previous duel.

After a brief contemplation, Sadocheonju spoke.

“I’m suddenly curious. If it’s a duel between the Intermediary and Guanya Changcheon, how will it end… The outcome of a duel between the leader and the lord is predictable, isn’t it? Interesting.”

Having made up his mind, Guanya Changcheon laughed once. Changcheon swiftly moved his spear, aiming for the Intermediary’s ankle.

The Intermediary’s peculiar footwork had always been a nuisance.

Swish!

The spear’s trajectory curved like a whip, leaving a large scar on the ground.

When Changcheon withdrew his spear, the earth was marked with lines like a landscape painting.

Above that landscape, the Intermediary soared, his gray martial outfit fluttering like wings. His sword traced a straightforward path as it descended toward Changcheon.

The sword and spear met in the middle, clashing fiercely, repelling and pushing each other repeatedly.

Changcheon’s Black Ghost Spear, with its subtle changes and countless variations, obscured his form with its dark brown energy and spear shadows.

In contrast, the Intermediary’s One Path Sword was simple and straightforward, recognizable by anyone. Yet, the slow-moving sword carried undeniable power.

Whoosh!

The dark brown energy from the spear swirled chaotically, threatening to engulf the Intermediary.

The Intermediary stepped forward, extending his sword cleanly in all directions, advancing through the openings created by his movements.

His martial outfit fluttered precariously.

To an observer, it might seem like Changcheon was pressing the attack, but the Intermediary’s sword and steps remained unwavering.

‘True to its name.’

From afar, Mu Hui saw the Intermediary as a chivalrous hero cutting through a black storm.

Though slow, the Intermediary’s back exuded a majestic spirit as he advanced steadily along the path he had chosen.

Clang!

Deflecting a thrust aimed at his solar plexus, the Intermediary spun to his left, drawing a large arc.

Changcheon, dodging the sword strike by leaning back, used the momentum to extend his spear in a long thrust.

Swish!

The spear seemed to double in length, creating an illusion.

The Intermediary, unfazed by the sudden change in distance, calmly shortened his sword strike to neutralize the attack.

‘I must go further.’

He widened his footwork momentarily, slicing through the encroaching spear shadows.

A spear strike grazed his cheek, leaving a red mark, but the Intermediary paid it no mind.

A burst of ashen light erupted from Hyeopje’s sword, slicing through the dark brown storm that obscured his vision.

With a swift upward slash, a crescent-shaped sword aura surged forth, while Changcheon thrust his spear, sending a straight spear aura flying.

Boom!

The collision of sword and spear auras resulted in an explosion, scattering shockwaves in all directions.

Hyeopje charged through the explosion, launching himself at Changcheon. In response to this bold move, Changcheon laughed and leaped into the air, swinging his spear with force.

Clang!

The two masters exchanged dozens of blows mid-air before landing, spinning to simultaneously unleash punches and palm strikes.

Hyeopje’s fist struck Changcheon’s right chest, while Changcheon’s palm hit Hyeopje’s shoulder.

Changcheon licked his lips and tilted his spear.

“You’ve improved a lot with your techniques!”

“I’ve put a lot of thought into breaking through your defenses.”

After exchanging a few moves, the two masters immediately swung their weapons at each other again.

The light emanating from their sword and spear was more vivid and intense than ever.

Before a single breath could be drawn, the two masters executed dozens of movements.

Whoosh!

The spear aura extended so long it seemed like two spears joined together. Changcheon swung it mercilessly, splitting the aura into dozens of strands. From the tip of his spear, a hundred spear strikes burst forth in an instant.

Black Mountain Chaos.

‘It’s enormous.’

To Hyeopje, the countless spear strikes seemed like a massive black sphere, rolling toward him, tearing into the ground.

Thud!

Hyeopje stepped forward, lowering his sword.

The life of a swordsman had never been easy.

Countless obstacles and hindrances stood in his way, but Hyeopje faced them head-on and overcame them.

Just like now.

Iron Path.

The sword, lowered to the ground, rose high, unwavering and straight.

The ashen sword light soared skyward, as if illustrating the path Hyeopje had walked.

A black-brown flash pierced through the ashen light like a drill.

“You’re not the only one who can forge ahead!”

With a burst of laughter, Changcheon lunged, his spear bending like a whip.

Clang!

Hyeopje deflected a thrust aimed at his thigh, changing his grip and altering the trajectory of his sword mid-swing.

Changcheon, despite the consistent distance, constantly adjusted his grip on the spear, creating a dazzling array of feints that confused the sense of distance.

Splat!

Blood spurted from Hyeopje’s side, and a stream of blood gushed from Changcheon’s shoulder.

Yet both men stepped forward, undeterred.

The sword and spear clashed faster and faster, causing the very earth to groan in agony. The ground, unable to withstand the impact, repeatedly caved in.

By the time the two masters had exchanged hundreds of blows, the surrounding area had transformed from a plain into a basin.

“Huff!”

Hyeopje exhaled heavily, raising his arms. Years of experience dictated the angle of his elbows, the spacing of his feet, and the weight that granted his sword optimal power.

The sword, which had been raised high, now slashed downward.

A path so straightforward it seemed anyone could mimic it, yet no one could.

A strike only Hyeopje could execute.

The Path of Chivalry.

Crack!

A sound only Changcheon could hear.

The sound of the protective aura surrounding his body shattering.

In its simplicity and directness, the sword strike cracked and then shattered his defenses.

‘At last… have you done it?’

Changcheon gazed at the brilliant ashen sword light before him.

Hyeopje’s strike felt heavier than the swordsmanship that had previously breached his defenses.

Beneath that weight lay a relentless sense of responsibility. Changcheon suddenly recalled a single word.

Chivalry.

Hyeopje’s identity and driving force.

The reason the sword flying through the air felt so immense was because it carried the chivalry Hyeopje had lived by all his life.

“How entertaining!”

With a burst of laughter, Changcheon lowered his stance, channeling all his strength into his spear.

A thrust aimed at a single point.

Changcheon poured everything into this one thrust. Hyeopje, seeing this, stepped forward with all his might.

Splat!

The spear pierced through, scattering blood around. Blood dripped from Hyeopje’s bamboo hat.

Hyeopje’s left arm flew through the air.

Yet, without a change in expression, Hyeopje extended his sword. Just as he always had.

Even with an arm lost, the chivalry and martial prowess Hyeopje had built were too substantial to be shaken by such a loss.

Thud!

The sword severed the spear’s shaft mid-swing, rising to touch Changcheon’s neck.

Hyeopje’s strike pierced through Changcheon’s defenses, leaving a line of blood on his neck.

Changcheon looked at the sword resting below his neck and spoke.

“It seems a bit shallow.”

“Losing an arm and gaining an edge over you, Changcheon, seems like a fair trade.”

At Hyeopje’s smile, Changcheon asked with a somber gaze.

“Why did you stop your sword? I hope it’s not out of some misplaced mercy.”

“Mercy?”

Hyeopje’s face hardened as he repeated the word.

“Preventing the deaths of those who shouldn’t die. Taking responsibility for one’s martial arts. That’s my chivalry. I’ve lived my life by this chivalry, cutting down countless villains.”

Hyeopje’s blood-soaked bamboo hat fell to the ground.

“In my eyes, you’re not a villain. Just an eccentric.”

Changcheon narrowed his eyes.

“An eccentric?”

“If you were truly a villain, we wouldn’t have parted ways after crossing swords four times. Either I would have died by your hand, or I would have tried to take you down with me. Martial prowess wouldn’t have mattered.”

“Are you referring to the Extreme Killing Spear?”

Hyeopje was a man who wouldn’t hesitate to risk his life to cut down a villain. A man who would burn himself for the sake of chivalry.

During his time as a great swordsman, Hyeopje had no qualms about facing the top-tier master known as the Extreme Killing Spear.

He confronted him with the resolve to sacrifice his life if necessary.

From the moment Hyeopje first saw the Extreme Killing Spear, he was prepared to stake his life. He couldn’t allow the Extreme Killing Spear to live even a day longer.

Hyeopje nodded.

“If you and I stood here as leaders of our respective factions, I would have cut you down. It would have benefited the martial world.”

Hyeopje glanced at the golden robe of the leader draped over a rock.

“But neither of us is in that position. As Hyeopje and Changcheon, as martial artists, I made this choice.”

“How can you be sure I approached this as Changcheon?”

“We’ve exchanged hundreds of fierce blows, shedding blood and sweat. How could I not know?”

“Ha!”

Changcheon burst into laughter.

He looked at Hyeopje’s empty left shoulder.

“Either way, it seems I’ll have to step down from my position as leader.”

Only then did Hyeopje turn his gaze to his left shoulder.

“Indeed.”

After a moment of silence, Changcheon spoke in a low voice.

“Then I’ll also step down from my position as the leader of the demonic sect. Losing an arm is a sufficient price.”

Changcheon looked at his broken spear and let it fall from his hand without hesitation.

Thud!

“Besides, if you step down as leader, what fun would there be in opposing the martial world?”

Hyeopje smiled at Changcheon.

“Indeed, that would be the case.”

Hyeopje withdrew his sword from Changcheon’s neck with a smile.

Only then did Hyeopje remove his blood and sweat-stained bamboo hat.