Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Chapter 4: Hebei Peng Clan (2)
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The reactions from the lower-ranked martial artists were pure shock.
Strange intruders had barged into the duel between Dongpungneung and Huang Li.
That was how it looked to them.
To dare interrupt a duel between the top figures of Shanxi—it was an unbelievable sight, even seeing it with their own eyes.
"Jeon No! Cheonwi can't handle it alone! Watch his back!"
By the time the two giants began to move, Oho had landed on the Yinghua Tower roof, following Ohu and Danmun.
"Jeon No, let's go."
A tile square opened up, and an old man sprang out. He had a sturdy build, a firm jawline, and short white beard. At his waist hung a black scabbard etched with flame patterns.
"Don't move out, main unit! Deploy the Dark Cloud first, then launch the Golden Arrows!"
Cheonwi grabbed Hyang.
"We're going first!"
"Kyaa!"
Cheonwi wrapped his arms around Hyang's waist and leaped off the roof.
The sudden drop made Hyang instinctively throw her arms around Cheonwi's body.
Jeon No didn't follow immediately.
He stomped the roof tile with a thud. From the hole he'd leaped through came a whoosh, followed by rising black smoke.
"Smoke screen? Cheap tricks!"
Dongpungneung's bellow came right from behind.
Jeon No launched himself after Cheonwi.
The roof was engulfed in thick black smoke. This wasn't ordinary smoke. It billowed out with the momentum to swallow the entire True City Tower in an instant.
"Golden Arrow!"
Next, golden signal flares shot into the sky.
"Hold on tight!"
In the smoke blocking their vision, Oho shouted.
His charge was Seol.
Like Cheonwi, Oho wrapped his arms around Seol's waist and kicked off the roof edge. It was at a right angle to the direction Cheonwi had jumped.
Seol didn't scream like Hyang.
She flinched instinctively as the man's arms encircled her waist, but that was it. Reason sealed her mouth and hands. She knew this wasn't the time.
Swoosh!
Wind whistled past their ears. Their bodies landed on the low roof of a neighboring building. Seol gritted her teeth and gripped Oho's shoulder tightly.
Thud! Whoosh! Clatter!
The moment they touched down, figures leaped up from all sides. They were pitch-black even under moonlight, each radiating hostile killing intent.
"Who the hell are you!"
They demanded first.
It should have been Oho's question. They weren't holding swords or blades. That meant they weren't from the Great Unity Guild or Taihang Gang.
"None of your business."
Oho replied curtly, pulling a fist-sized black pouch from his bosom. The figures encircling him on the roof flinched back. They must have thought it was poison.
"We're jumping again."
Oho murmured low enough for only Seol to hear, then hurled the pouch roughly.
Boom! Black smoke erupted. Thick black mist blanketed the surroundings. Another smoke bomb.
"Shallow tricks!"
Someone yelled.
Followed by a grunt of "Ugh!" The yeller tumbled off the roof like it was a show. Oho was a master of such fights. Yelling in the smoke was like shouting, "I'm an idiot no matter what!" And idiots had to pay the price.
Thump!
The fallen fool hit the ground and didn't get up.
Oho didn't look back.
Dragging the smoke cloud behind him, he crossed the night sky with Seol in his arms.
"Over there!"
Shouts from the martial artists rang out.
As the shock of the sudden incident faded, countless warriors sprang into action on their own. The most urgent were the Great Unity Guild and Taihang Gang members. They swarmed like ants, scaling walls and eaves.
Clang!
Oho's movements were a step ahead.
He veered, leaping from roof to roof. His airborne form showed no hesitation. He'd pre-calculated escape routes.
Thud! Swoosh!
Cheonwi's side was just as swift.
They were already far from Oho, heading nearly opposite directions. To scatter the pursuers. This direct intervention, disrupting the duel and fleeing, was the worst of the worst options. But they'd prepared thoroughly. They scaled the walls as planned.
"Jeon No, left side! Not Taihang or Great Unity! They're strong!"
"I see them."
Jeon No's sharp voice echoed.
As he vaulted one roof, he spotted figures racing along the left wall. They wore white martial robes. Their lightness skills were exceptionally agile and steady. Each held a white steel longsword angled downward.
"I'll take them out."
"No! Don't engage!"
At Cheonwi's voice, Jeon No halted mid-leap from the roof.
His sharp voice continued.
"They're not the type we can shake with smoke."
"Still, not now!"
Jeon No said no more.
He knew.
Cheonwi was weak. In martial arts, even inferior to Oho's old retainer, Jeon No. But not in judgment. In crisis situations, his split-second decisions were unmatched in the entire Covert Squad, Jeon No believed. That was why he followed Cheonwi faithfully.
Boom!
Instead of charging and drawing his blade, he lobbed another smoke bomb.
Just as expected.
The white-robed swordsmen rushing with blades drawn showed no hesitation before the spreading black mist. They only slowed briefly to gauge direction.
"Jeon No! How many?"
"Five!"
"What color are their blades?"
"White, one cheok half, straight longswords."
The seasoned Jeon No answered even the unasked. Cheonwi double-checked.
"Yodae are blue, right?"
"Yes!"
Tap!
No time to turn and look closely. His internal energy wasn't deep. This was already pushing his limits. His breath was coming short.
'White Sword Squad!'
That confirmed it.
They were fiends themselves, or fiend-level threats.
Worst predictions always hit the mark.
If the White Sword Heavenly Demon wasn't the final fiend, things were graver.
It meant a force capable of mobilizing him lurked behind. A group wielding elite silver-ranked bandits. Lives were at stake. Even foreseeing it sent chills down his spine.
So they had to hurry more.
Cheonwi kicked off another wall, scaling one more.
Jeon No following was far smoother. Cheonwi's lightness skill was nearing its limit.
"Too many. We'll get caught like this."
Hyang, cradled in his arms, glanced back and said. She must have been terrified. Cheonwi told her,
"We won't."
It was for her—and himself.
"Over there!"
"Catch them! Gang leader's orders!"
The streets boiled over.
Amid wide-eyed civilians, rivers and lakes folk charged with weapons. Main streets turned chaotic instantly. Onlookers fell and got hurt amid the slashing warriors shoving through. Torch-lit stalls toppled everywhere.
Tweet! Tweet!
Distant whistles sounded. Nearby responses answered.
A squad of Great Unity Guild warriors rushed from the right. Cheonwi's eyes flickered. Faster than expected. Ilseon Ogang, names not in vain. Fitting a sect aiming for regional hegemony. Not ordinary at all.
'Good positioning. They prepared for full war with Taihang Gang!'
The incoming Great Unity numbers swelled rapidly.
Over twenty in moments.
Impressive lightness skills. Uniform prowess. Organized moves. Warriors placed at key points for immediate combat deployment. Not for pursuit, but mass battle. One-on-one sect leader duels were gambles. Unpredictable fallout. This formation was strategically sound. Lacking it would disqualify them from Ogang status. Both sides hadn't ruled out total war.
"Heading that way!"
"Signal! We have men at Gwanseon Bridge too!"
Ogang being Ogang meant the suffering fell to Cheonwi.
Right behind. Their exchanges were crystal clear.
Tweet!
A whistle pierced his ears. Tweet! Response from ahead. Straight ahead meant encirclement. Jeon No shouted too.
"Great Unity behind, White Sword Squad right! Taihang Gang left front!"
Cheonwi saw it.
Moment of choice.
No room for delay. Cheonwi veered.
Toward Taihang Gang.
Distance closed in a flash.
Clang! Taihang Gang warriors rushing ahead drew longswords. Their forms enlarged terrifyingly fast.
"I'll go first!"
Jeon No said. Hand on scabbard, he surged forward. Cheonwi stopped him again.
"No! Veer left again!"
Jeon No reacted instantly.
He kicked the roof with a clang! Cheonwi gritted his teeth, twisting sharply.
"Whoa!"
"Ugh!"
Urgent shouts tangled from behind. Great Unity pursuers crashed headlong into the Taihang Gang vanguard.
Chasing Cheonwi, they met the real enemy.
Tai-Great showdown, Great-Tai clash—exactly that.
Blades and swords flashed coldly in the dark. One spark from explosion. A Taihang warrior yelled,
"Engage?"
All froze.
Exactly what Cheonwi aimed for. Great Unity couldn't ignore Taihang. Nor vice versa.
Mutual hostility crushed the roof like a thousand catties.
"Planning to fight?"
"Gonna charge?"
No need to ask who first.
Taihang swordsmen raised tips sharply. Great Unity blades drawn gleamed heavily.
But one kept cool amid it. From Great Unity side, a firm voice,
"Not yet. Keep pursuing!"
Great Unity sheathed first. Hostility remained, but no clash. They brushed past Taihang, leaping onward.
"They're chasing together!"
Jeon No glanced back.
'No easy outs.'
Close call.
Cheonwi thought.
If they'd brawled there, it would've been much easier.
Unfortunately, they chose pursuit over fight. Neck-and-neck, chasing Cheonwi. Like allies for the moment. Scary in its own way. Had to settle for the brief time bought.
"White Sword Squad?"
"Veered around to flank. Avoiding clash with the sects, it seems."
"Makes sense. If they're fiends."
Still, distance had opened.
From blade's reach to now quite far.
Tap! Thud!
Cheonwi veered once more.
"Smoke!"
Jeon No popped a smoke bomb. Cheonwi dropped into pitch-black alley. Hyang's arms around his neck tightened.
The alley was total darkness.
Cheonwi's movements quickened slightly. Hyang, in his arms, felt instinctive fear gazing into his eyes. They gleamed with inhuman, eerie light.
"Which way!"
"Damn!"
"Seems they went down!"
"Can't have gone far! Fan out and search!"
Roars echoed from the walls.
Great Unity and Taihang warriors leaped every which way.