Chapter 128. The Way for Everyone to Return Alive

The Alliance Leader once again lowered his gaze to the fan-shaped drawing. This time, instead of the arc, he tapped the pointed tip of the fan.

"This here is the entrance where we are standing."

He slid the scabbard along the slanted edge of the curve until it reached the end he had called the west gate.

"From here, we will head straight to the west gate. The Blood Demon's formation is a land pieced together from dozens of fragments. If you touch the boundary of the formation, the formation's gatekeepers will sense the intruder and come to seize them. At the same time, hearing the commotion, the ones at the west and east gates will rush in, trying to snatch the intruder first."

The Alliance Leader moved the sword tip from the west gate toward the center.

"If I run from the west gate to the central gate where Young Lady Tang is, it will take about half an hour. That isn't especially fast. The ones bursting out of the east gate will also take half an hour to reach the central gate. Once I enter the Blood Demon's hall, those from the east gate will continue running toward the west gate. They won't have the guts to cause a ruckus inside the Blood Demon's hall."

Speaking lightly as if joking, the Alliance Leader then grew serious.

"It means it will take the ones from the east gate an hour to arrive at the west gate."

"Anyone can do such number games."

The Black Sky Demon signaled with his eyes to keep it short.

The Alliance Leader ignored it and emphasized once more.

"It means we must retreat without fail after one hour. If those from the east gate surround the formation in front of the west gate, our retreat could be cut off."

Despite the warning, the Black Sky Demon asked arrogantly.

"Didn't you say the east gate elites are in the Central Plains? Even if they block the retreat, it doesn't seem that dangerous. Can't we just break through?"

"This is the Blood Demon's land. The issue is not winning or losing, but time. If we waste time fighting them, we will end up facing the Blood Demon."

"And what if we do face the Blood Demon?"

"Absolutely not."

The Alliance Leader's reply was firm.

"In the Blood Demon's land, the Blood Demon cannot be defeated."

At that moment, the Tang Clan Head, who had remained silent, spoke.

"Without So-hwa, we cannot return."

His gaze toward the Alliance Leader was as cold as his voice. Yet the Alliance Leader did not avoid the Tang Clan Head's eyes.

"Tang Clan Head, I do not wish to say this either, but if I cannot bring her out, you must be prepared to give her up."

"Then I shall go with you to the central gate. I will bring her out myself."

As the Tang Clan Head insisted, the Alliance Leader let out a sigh.

"No. If I have to look after you, it will be difficult to search the Blood Demon's hall unnoticed."

But the Tang Clan Head gave no reply to his refusal. To his obstinacy, the Alliance Leader spoke in a stern voice.

"Make a wise decision, Tang Clan Head."

"Do not interfere with my judgment."

"The ones here risked their lives to rescue your daughter. Is it the Tang Clan's repayment to put your comrades in danger?"

"Then I shall stay behind. This is my personal choice apart from the Tang Clan, so do not concern yourselves."

"Did you not promise to trust me unconditionally?"

The Tang Clan Head fell silent again when asked. The Alliance Leader did not try to persuade him. He simply brushed off the dirt from his scabbard and resolutely withdrew his hand.

"If so, I will return to the Central Plains. The Four Seasons Hall Lord will come back with me, and those who wish to return to the Central Plains now should come with us."

The Alliance Leader turned his gaze to the others as if to confirm his sincerity. The young martial artists of the Zhuge Clan subtly moved closer to him.

The Tang Clan Head could no longer insist on staying behind.

The Alliance Leader knew the Blood Demon's stronghold well, but he knew nothing about how to reach the place where his daughter was or how to pass through this formation.

Death was not frightening, but failure was. To bring So-hwa out safely, he had to rely on the Alliance Leader.

Breaking the tense silence, the Tai Chi Sword Saint muttered.

"Ah, whatever happens, there's no need to think about failure yet. The Alliance Leader seems to know a lot, so let's trust him. If we can lure the Blood Sect members at the west and east gates properly, won't the Alliance Leader be able to rescue Young Lady Tang safely?"

Thunk.

The Sword Saint nudged Muso's arm to get him to agree, and Muso rubbed his bicep and replied.

"Yes. We can discuss the aftermath later. We don't know what might happen inside, so shouldn't we move as quickly as possible?"

At those words, the Tang Clan Head's expression stiffened, and even the Young Lord showed no reaction.

Seeing a slightly softened Tang Clan Head, the Alliance Leader spoke again.

"There is nothing else to warn you about inside the formation. As long as you do not step backward onto the boundaries, there will be no problems. Occasionally, illusions are used to test intruders, so do not be deceived by them and follow carefully."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he stepped forward.

Inside the stronghold walls was a dark forest. Even though visibility was poor, the Alliance Leader moved ahead effortlessly as if familiar with the path.

After some time, he stopped in front of a tree and took from his chest a finger-joint-sized vial: the Nightlight Pearl. He inserted the softly glowing vial into a crevice in the tree.

"This marks the boundary of the formation. When retreating, use this as a reference to move."

The Black Sky Demon was startled.

"What? Has the formation changed?"

Turning back, the Black Sky Demon flinched.

The forest path was empty, and no one was there. Though they had been walking together, everyone had vanished.

"Alliance Leader..!"

Just as the startled Black Sky Demon was about to alert them, the Tai Chi Sword Saint appeared from the darkness. Soon after, Muso and the others each appeared one by one.

Their faces were calm, as if nothing were amiss.

The Tai Chi Sword Saint laughed and teased the Black Sky Demon.

"Brother, what's wrong? Did you see a ghost or something?"

The Black Sky Demon twisted his face in unease and glanced at the Alliance Leader.

The Alliance Leader stood by the tree holding the Nightlight Pearl. Meeting Tang Min's bewildered eyes, he gave a slight nod.

"This is how the formation works. Once you cross it, it's difficult to find your way back."

He comforted the Black Sky Demon and raised his voice again.

"From here begins a new boundary of the formation. When retreating, use this as a marker to escape. I cannot come back to guide you, so make sure to remember this."

He repeated the same instructions, eliciting similar reaction from Black Sky Demon.

"Hmm? Has the formation changed?"

"That's why brother looked so startled. He acted like he'd seen a ghost or something."

The Alliance Leader lightly tapped the Nightlight Pearl and said.

"If you step on a boundary you've already crossed, the system will recognize you as an intruder and sound an alarm. That sound lures the Blood Sect members. You have no eye for recognizing boundaries, so simply assume: do not step backward here."

"But Alliance Leader, if you stepped on the boundary first, is it fine for us following to step there too?"

"The Blood Sect's formation is the work of a sorcerer. The sorcerer's formations operate in fixed time units—half an hour. Movement within that interval is fine."

"Alliance Leader, how do you know all of this?"

The Sword Saint asked again, and the Alliance Leader chuckled.

"Aren't you tired of asking the same question?"

"I am known in the Central Plains for being persistent."

The Alliance Leader smiled wryly and lifted his head.

"The Blood Sect follows the sky to find their path. The sorcerer's formation requires the sky's permission, and the sky cannot be deceived."

The Alliance Leader lifted his head, and the Black Sky Demon followed suit. The stars scattered across the night sky seemed to pour down.

"Follow Mercury, and you'll reach the west gate; follow Jupiter in the center, and you'll reach the central gate. But for someone seeing this for the first time, it's nearly impossible to gauge."

"... Mercury? Jupiter? Did the Blood Sect put gold on their eyes? How are we supposed to know which star to follow?"

The Alliance Leader chuckled softly.

"The more you travel here, the easier it becomes to distinguish."

The Alliance Leader lowered his head again, scanning the many eyes on him, and pointed to the Nightlight Pearl.

"That's why this old man brought along all this stuff—so you wouldn't have trouble recognizing it."

TheBlack Sky Demon stared at the Alliance Leader, then asked in a cautious tone.

"Alliance Leader... did you perhaps once raid the Blood Sect alone?"

He didn't ask whether he was a Blood Sect, but whether the Alliance Leader had faced them.

Such pure trust was a pleasant thing. Though he acted as if thoughtless, the Black Sky Demon was surprisingly perceptive.

The Alliance Leader smiled at him.

"I was not alone."

"... Perhaps Tang So-hwa helped you on that path?"

At the sudden suggestion, the Alliance Leader's face contorted.

"Absolutely not."

Of course, the Black Sky Demon's assumptions were not always correct.

Seeing the Alliance Leader's serious expression, the Black Sky Demon withdrew his uneasy suspicion.

"Alliance Leader, just as a warning, do not think of asking her for help. I am not siding with So-hwa; I say this because she's so calculating that you'll go broke. No, she is not just calculating—she is selfish. That wicked one would regard you as merely a resource. So if you need anything, just ask me. Don't let your old self get destroyed for nothing."

"Are you saying it's fine if you go broke?"

"Well, I can just get it back from the Clan Head as much as I'm taken from."

The Alliance Leader smiled and planted the Nightlight Pearl into the rock crevice.

"Ah... we've already crossed another boundary?"

The Black Sky Demon turned in surprise. The Alliance Leader spoke with a teasing tone.

"Black Sky Demon, I have a favor to ask of you."

The Black Sky Demon tilted his head skeptically.

"Don't die."

"What?"

"And if you must die, do so without pain."

"...."

"You won't die from merely losing limbs, so you cannot avoid pain. But if death comes, try your best to end it swiftly."

"Are you picking a fight now?"

The two elders exchanged a strange conversation upon entering this new territory.

"Consider it concern and advice."

The Alliance Leader added, his tone now serious and free of amusement.

"So do not persist recklessly in front of an opponent you absolutely cannot defeat."

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