The place I arrived after fleeing is where everyone ages.
Just like me.
In the past, I could run for seven days and nights while evading the martial world alliance without getting tired, but now it’s different.
I feel at least ten years older than before I was chased.
If I had known it would be like this, I would have trained a bit harder.
Humans always repeat the same mistakes and tend to regret them too late.
Since I hadn’t set a route for my escape, I found myself on the wrong path before I knew it.
The curses of those chasing me became clearer and clearer.
The insults were truly varied.
I was called a son of a dog, a bastard, a scoundrel, and an orphan without parents, which is actually true.
Yet, just a moment ago, I even heard insults directed at my parents.
How could there be people who insult the parents of an orphan like me? The world has gone mad.
Many who talked like that ended up dead at my hands, but now there were too many of them, so fleeing was the best option.
For a man like me to be running away like this… it’s utterly shameful.
But remember this.
The demonic sect is truly terrifying.
Even while fleeing, I killed and killed again, yet there were still many masters in the demonic sect who could contend with me.
Once, my foolish dream was to become a martial god.
Why do old ambitions come to mind while being chased? I cannot understand it myself.
Anyway, every time I spoke of my dream in the past, people around me called me crazy, so it seems that becoming a martial god is indeed a ridiculous dream.
However, I firmly believe that what can be easily achieved is not a dream.
A dream should be something that is difficult to achieve.
Even now, it’s the same.
Because I set my dreams and goals high, I am not being chased by third-rate scoundrels, but by the most wicked of the wicked, the demonic sect, am I not? I can assure you that a real man should be chased by the demonic sect.
That is the qualification of a man.
Perhaps because they are truly despicable, the feeling of being chased is more thrilling than ever.
Although I may not have become a martial god, I have been chased by the martial world alliance before, and now I am being chased by the demonic sect, achieving feats that ordinary men find hard to accomplish.
By the way, it seems that the item I stole from the demonic sect is not ordinary.
Otherwise, why would those madmen chase me so desperately? I actually knew that tormenting the demonic sect was this enjoyable.
However, even though I knew it back then, I lacked the strength to dare to try it.
Now I think this way.
I should have trained a bit more before stepping out.
As I said, humans always repeat the same mistakes.
Damn…
I originally thought I was skilled in psychological warfare, schemes, tactics, strategies, sowing discord, and lies, and I believed I was excellent in martial arts without the use of beauty traps.
I always thought of myself as the most versatile madman in this martial world.
I was also the man who hid those versatile skills the most.
The reason why beauty traps, which have been historically proven to work, never worked on me is that normal beauties never liked me in the first place.
This point has been proven through long experience.
As I ran, I noticed my vision becoming hazy, indicating that there was a place nearby where fog appeared.
Where exactly am I running? Judging by the terrain, the cliff in front of me looks like the famous Manjang Cliff.
Manjang Cliff is indeed a well-known place.
The steep gorge in the center was where the masters of the demonic path and the righteous path competed fiercely.
If it had ended with a victory for the righteous path, I wouldn’t be chased so desperately now.
The two sides declared a truce by cutting off the only remaining bridge, the Sword Sound Bridge, which allowed crossing the gorge.
With the Sword Sound Bridge cut off, I now had no way to cross this Manjang Cliff.
They say there is no paradise where one arrives after fleeing, and indeed there was a cliff.
Having begun my escape from the headquarters of the demonic sect, I had crossed Taeyul Mountain, Myeongri Mountain, and Chuhon Mountain, and was now fleeing over an unnamed mountain and crossing a river when my left arm was severed, my face was slashed, and I received a penetrating wound on my left shoulder.
Suddenly, looking down the cliff with a distant gaze, my past life seemed insignificant.
Even in this situation, I pondered why I had never once dated a beauty.
Is that why? They say that when facing death, one tends to think of the person they miss the most, but I had no one to think of.
A sigh escaped my lips. “... I should have at least had a short romance.” I lived too seriously.
I wish someone would write on my tombstone: ‘The madman, died while being serious...’
From behind, I heard the sound of wind cutting through the air, and someone was arriving.
With that level of skill, it must be the demonic sect’s top master, the Bright Left Envoy.
After sending his subordinates into the chase, he appears in such a decisive moment with a healthy body, a master of cunning.
The Bright Left Envoy is as notorious in the martial world as I am.
Uniquely, he is a perverted lustful man who obsessively targets the beautiful daughters of the martial families that use the surname Namgung, Seomun, and Baekri.
Before he joined the demonic sect, he was known as the Lustful Demon in the martial world.
That doesn’t mean I am a pervert.
I never had the opportunity.
Suddenly, a surge of anger rose deep within me.
Was it my mood, or was it because of the Bright Left Envoy? Or perhaps it was due to that guy’s past actions? In any case, the man most feared by the female masters of the righteous path, the Bright Left Envoy of the demonic sect, landed in the open space with an incredibly cool posture.
It seems that to be a pervert, one must first be handsome? ‘That bastard looks like a courtesan.’ The power figure of the demonic sect, with an extraordinarily prominent nose, personally followed me here.
How terrifying is this religion?
The Bright Left Envoy approached me with his hands behind his back, lowering his voice.
“You made me suffer like this. Damn you. I will admit that your martial arts skills are better than the rumors.”
I replied to the Bright Left Envoy’s nonsense with an indifferent expression.
“Have you come as a pervert?”
“......”
“I’ve never seen a pervert run as hard as you. Impressive.”
The voice that squeezed out of the Bright Left Envoy, who had chased me for three days and nights, was filled with resentment.
“Shut up, you madman. This is not the time for jokes. You’re acting so relaxed on the edge of Manjang Cliff? Get a grip on the situation.”
“Whether this is a cliff or paradise, the fact that you are a pervert remains unchanged. And teach your subordinates some manners. I am not a dog. I am certainly not a bastard. But I am indeed an orphan.”
The atmosphere became solemn for a moment.
“......”
“To insult my parents, whom I have never met, you scoundrels. That’s why you are called the demonic sect.”
“Stop the nonsense and hand over what you stole.”
I scoffed and replied.
“If I return what I stole with great difficulty, I would be a fool, not a madman.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“I say this because I was once a fool.”
“Hah.”
The Bright Left Envoy let out a long sigh as if he was tired.
Meanwhile, the forces of the demonic sect, arriving one after another, gathered like dark clouds before a storm.
Why do they like to wear such dark clothes? Before I knew it, the forces of the demonic sect, gathered like storm clouds, blocked my retreat route tightly and awaited the Bright Left Envoy’s command.
Everyone’s eyes were sharp.
Since more than a hundred had died at my hands during the chase, they must be filled with rage.
If I had dealt such a severe blow to the demonic sect, shouldn’t the martial world alliance give me the Hero of the Year award? For a moment, recalling my situation, I almost forgot that I had caused a lot of trouble and had become a martial world hero.
In fact, my rank as a martial world hero is even higher than that perverted guy.
The title of Madman was first given to me by the righteous path.
‘For now, the Hero of the Year award is out of the question.’
The Bright Left Envoy, who was watching my smiling face, said, “Madman, how can you smile in such a situation? What’s going on in your head?”
“It’s unfortunate.”
“What is?”
“You must have held back laughter when the leader farted. That’s your limit.”
“......”
“You must have forced yourself to laugh when the leader made silly jokes.”
“I didn’t do that.”
“Shut up! That’s called flattery from a foolish person. But I always laugh as I please. Flatterer, were you that scared of the old leader?”
The Bright Left Envoy replied with a sour expression.
“Is there anyone in this martial world who does not fear the leader? No. Even when the leader always proposes one-on-one duels, the sect leaders avoid him every time. Even if there are masters stronger than the leader in this martial world, there is no one who does not fear him. Don’t you know?”
“What nonsense is that? I’m here. When did I ever fear your leader?”
“Then why did you run all the way here and make me tired?”
“I’m not afraid of the leader, but I am truly afraid of perverts. Anyway, regardless of how scary the leader is, it would be better for your mental health to focus more on your beloved perverted matters and leave the sect as soon as possible. Huh? Envoy, the officer behind you is laughing?”
I pointed at the officer of the demonic sect with my finger, but the Bright Left Envoy’s gaze was fixed on me like a statue.
The Bright Left Envoy said with a cold expression, “It doesn’t work.” I nodded. “It can’t be helped. You came chasing me for this, right?” I carefully took out the Heavenly Jade from my bosom and offered it to the Bright Left Envoy.
This is the item in question.
The Bright Left Envoy’s frog-like eyes sharpened like a starving wildcat after three days.
“......!”
I suggested to the Envoy, “Seeing your eyes light up the moment you saw the Heavenly Jade, it seems you were also after this. No wonder the Bright Left Envoy of the demonic sect personally chased me here. Since we’ve come this far, how about we split it fifty-fifty?
You and I can divide the martial world of our time. That way, you can indulge in your perverted desires as you please.” I tried to coax the Envoy, but the reaction was lukewarm.
“That belongs to the leader.”
“But why are your eyes shining with greed? Demonic sect members, listen. The Envoy has other intentions toward the leader. One of you should return first and report the incident to the leader. It seems the Envoy is trying to incite a rebellion by taking the Heavenly Jade. Anyone willing to take credit? No? Cowards.”
Sowing discord is always fun.
However, it didn’t work on the demonic sect.
But I was always persistent.
“Look at your superior. The Envoy is so troubled by my words that he can’t even respond.”
The Bright Left Envoy said, “Stop the useless chatter and hand over the Heavenly Jade. If you return that, we will withdraw for now. It’s not like we intended to take your insignificant life.”
“Oh, really?”
“Again, your life is less important than that Heavenly Jade. You will come to me later to discuss the consequences of this incident. In a one-on-one fight, if you like.”
There was a deceitful tongue over there.
“A one-on-one fight that you like?”
“Yes.”
“Is that something to say while spreading a net to catch me? If you had proposed a one-on-one fight to take it, your hundred subordinates wouldn’t have died. You foolish perverted bastard always messes things up. I’d rather become a monk than believe your words. Everyone, clear the way. This Heavenly Jade is round and makes a clear sound when struck, so it’s suitable for a monk’s wooden fish. A monk cannot carelessly give away his wooden fish.”
“Then I have no choice but to kill you.”
“Come on, you bastards. I must become the Mad Monk today!”
Contrary to my words, I was about to throw the Heavenly Jade into the Manjang Cliff.
The Bright Left Envoy hurriedly reached out with one hand. “H-Don’t!” Seeing the panic on the Bright Left Envoy’s face, I felt it was a rewarding day.
In any case, it became clear.
What I stole is indeed an extraordinary and terrifying item.
I still don’t know what it is, though.
If I throw the Heavenly Jade into the Manjang Cliff, the Bright Left Envoy and his subordinates will have to jump into the gorge as well.
The Bright Left Envoy, with a face full of cunning, tried to calm me down.
“Why are you doing this? The reason I’ve overlooked your nonsensical actions until now is that I wanted to make the leader suffer more by keeping you alive. We also tend to favor those who have made contributions to the martial world. But this changes things. After all, I kindly invited you to join the sect, and you stole a sacred item? To repay kindness with theft is not something a person should do.”
“That may be true, but since you insulted my parents, I cannot return it.”
“Apologize. We are not afraid of you, but we are afraid of the leader’s wrath, so please let us recover the sacred item.”
“Is that how a beggar speaks?”
“Is that how a thief speaks?”
My arm moved again toward the Manjang Cliff.
“I’m going to throw it. Let’s have a proper match.”
“I’ll apologize. Just wait, let’s resolve this through conversation.”
I nodded.
“Alright. Then what exactly is this Heavenly Jade? Don’t try to be clever, just tell me.”
Hurry up, you fool! I’m dying to know.