Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Hebei Peng Clan (4)
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Blue Spear Society Leader.
That was right. The old man's name was Pyeong Yobo. He was Pyeong Yobo of Han Namchang, one of the One Mountain Five Rivers, the Blue Spear Society Leader.
"How could I not be angry? What’s your relationship with that guy?"
Dongpungneung asked, jerking his chin toward Cheonwi. His thick jaw made it unclear exactly what he was pointing at, but there was no one else to connect it to anyway. Pyeong Yobo shook his head as he replied.
"No relationship at all."
"Old man. You show up in front of me like this and that's all you have to say?"
"It's true. Do you think I'd lie to you right here?"
"You're exactly the type who would."
"Ha ha ha. That's disappointing."
"The disappointment's all mine. After I fought the Taehaengbang to pieces, who would've thought you were behind it."
"Hey now, it wasn't me."
"If it wasn't, prove it."
"Prove it? What do you expect me to do?"
"Simple. Step aside and hand him over."
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I have some urgent business to settle with that friend over there."
"The same goes for me."
"Ha ha ha. Treating me so lightly just because I'm old—what's the world coming to?"
"You're still hanging around?"
"...You shouldn't be doing this right now."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You can't. Not in your condition. You just fought Hwang Yeoman, didn't you? You must be exhausted."
"Do I look it? I'm stronger now than ever."
The fighting spirit he had raised alongside Hwang Yeoman shifted targets. The lingering regret of their unfinished bout clad his entire body in an armor of overwhelming momentum.
"Ha ha ha. You there, young man. Is this what you intended?"
"Intended or not, does it matter? I wondered if you'd come out personally from Pyeongyo Fortress. Leader, more importantly, the Great East Clan Leader who ignited your fighting spirit is right in front of you. Opportunities like this don't come often."
"Young man. Come with me. Looks like we need to have a long talk."
"Too bad I won't get to see the fight to the end."
"If you're really that sorry, stick around and wait."
"Can't do that."
Cheonwi kicked off the wall without hesitation.
Behind him came a massive boom—Kwaaang!
An enormous shockwave spread out, pushing at his back.
Tongcheon Sword shifted opponents. This time, it was Han Namchang.
Twice in one day, two of the One Mountain Five Rivers clashed. It was truly a monumental event. Thinking of the Disruption Evasion Technique, it was a shame to miss it. But now was not the time to regret.
'One down.'
He had to tie down Dongpungneung first.
That was why he had returned near Jinsung Tower despite the danger.
If a master like Dongpungneung unleashed full-powered lightness skill, traversing an entire city would take mere moments. However, he was the Great East Clan's leader, head of the One Mountain Five Rivers. He couldn't just charge out alone.
There was the possibility of all-out war with Taehaengbang, and the masters who had appeared from the Non-Sword Alliance were no pushovers. From the gang leader's position, he had to stay calm and watch the situation.
In Cheonwi's calculations, that time wouldn't be long.
Clan Leader Dongpungneung was cautious, but as a warrior, he was bold. Once he decided to step in, he'd unleash his lightness skill immediately. That would be the end. The moment Dongpungneung decided to act personally, Cheonwi was effectively in his grasp. So he needed something certain. Use the Blue Spear Society's Thirteen Spears. That was the original plan. But contrary to plan, the Blue Spear Society Leader had come out himself.
All the better.
The Thirteen Spears couldn't hold Dongpungneung for long. Dozens of exchanges would be fortunate. Especially with Dongpungneung's momentum at its peak.
But Pyeong Yobo was different.
He was a powerhouse who could fight Dongpungneung until dawn.
With this, Dongpungneung could be removed from the list of pursuers. Of course, Pyeong Yobo was tied up too.
Not according to plan, but this was the better outcome.
Luck had favored him.
So up to here, it was a success, at least for now.
But only 'for now.' The situation was just beginning.
As he leaped forward, warriors swarmed from all directions. Most were Great East Clan warriors. Seeing two of the One Mountain Five Rivers emerge, the others who had been watching resumed the chase. The Ten Elite Spears' subordinate In and warriors from various groups flew toward him in competition.
Cheonwi no longer stuck to the Jinsung Tower direction. He accelerated straight toward the outskirts. Horn signals and shouts followed them. Ranged weapons like arrows, never used before, were now deployed. Ambush attacks from those guarding the paths added to the chaos. Cheonwi shouted to Jeon No.
"Jeon No! Draw your sword! From now on, we break through head-on!"
Sreung!
Jeon No answered with the chilling ring of steel.
Jeon No had held back for a long time.
The charging enemies were overwhelmingly numerous. They crossed rooftops and streaked across the main street. There were few people on the road. Those who had gathered at Jinsung Tower had already hidden in their homes. This wasn't like watching a one-on-one duel. One misstep amid the warriors flying about in the melee, and you'd meet a gruesome end. The Shanxi commoners knew the ways of the jianghu well.
Shiiik! Shiiik!
They passed the main road and crossed a stone bridge over a stream. Tall yellow reeds along the path swayed as if to break in the sudden night wind.
Warriors in black robes popped up beside the bridge, blocking the path. They wielded long narrow swords.
Chaeng! Jjejeong!
Finally, Jeon No's sword spat fire.
Two narrow swords shattered instantly, embedding in the streamside sand. Jeon No's movements were like those of a tiger. Savage and instinctive. A swordsmanship without fixed forms. He simply advanced, swinging wildly. And that alone opened the path.
Cheonwi's form shot through the space Jeon No created.
Jeon No twisted his waist, spinning his body and drawing a semicircle with his blade tip. Another narrow sword snapped, blood spraying. Jeon No was strong. He swung once more threateningly, then kicked off the ground to follow Cheonwi's back. The black-robed warriors were tenacious. Even after three weapons were halved in an instant, their momentum didn't falter. They leaped in immediately. Instead of swinging, Jeon No pulled out a smoke bomb. No telling how many he'd used already. It seemed his pockets endlessly produced high-quality ones.
Peong! Chaeng!
Weapon clashes echoed from the smoke cloud. Followed by the splatter of blood. While Jeon No swung a few more times, they had already reached the city's outskirts. The dense buildings thinned out.
Soon, a grove of phellodendron trees appeared ahead. The thickly packed trees looked like a black wall under the night sky.
Ttae-aek! Jjaeng!
A tearing metallic screech burst from Jeon No's blade tip. A different tone from before. Yet Cheonwi didn't look back. His gaze was fixed on the forest ahead. He'd already expended too much energy. Even calculating escape routes was taxing.
"These enemies are in white robes—looks like even you're struggling to shake them, Master!"
Hyang reported from behind, as if observing.
'White Sword Squad...!'
Fear laced Hyang's voice, but it wasn't as frantic as before. She'd fully witnessed Cheonwi and Jeon No's abilities. They'd broken through countless warriors. No easy feat.
Whatever Hyang felt, the situation wasn't good.
Cheonwi raced forward, listening to the sounds behind.
Ttae-ak!
The whoosh was razor-sharp.
The inner power revealed in the sword's hum was intensely fierce. Not evil arts, but not pure orthodox either. It matched the White Sword Squad's reputation perfectly. Even Jeon No would struggle to keep blocking head-on. Cheonwi shouted.
"Jeon No! Over here!"
He veered direction. Scaled a wall and reached the edge of the phellodendron grove. Jeon No's movements were seasoned yet agile. Not clashing to topple, but sweeping to push away. Thus creating escape space.
Cheonwi, Hyang, and Jeon No slipped into the forest shadows.
They brushed past a large tree. Cheonwi finally looked back.
Pursuers were arriving at the forest edge one after another. Leading were the White Sword Squad swordsmen pressing close with killing strikes, followed by narrow-sword black-robes, brown-uniform iron-shoe warriors, thugs with deer-antler staffs, and warriors from all sorts of groups charging with wind-whipping speed.
'Few from Taehaengbang and Great East Clan. Bounced back?'
Most were from unknown affiliations. Great East Clan and Taehaengbang warriors were obscured further back, barely visible. It seemed the core pursuers had lost control entirely to these mystery groups.
"Golden Hour yet?"
"Just rose. Close by."
"Direction?"
"South-southwest. Not far."
"Oho?"
"With Young Master Danmun, it seems. They're almost here too."
No clue what he was seeing. Jeon No's eyes were fixed on the night sky through the phellodendron branches.
"If Dongpungneung came my way, Hwang Yeoman must've gone that side?"
He asked while running.
Ttae-ak! Cha-chaeng!
Sword and blade clashed, followed by Jeon No's clear voice.
"Blue Hour's up. Since we haven't been caught, someone's intervened."
"Twin Swords won't beat Hwang Yeoman."
"Twin Swords are masters. Sufficient."
"Not sufficient. Hwang Yeoman's stronger today. Compensation's gonna be a headache."
"Main house will handle it."
"No. We settle it ourselves. Damn, problems keep piling up."
Their conversation flowed naturally even amid the frantic dash. A sign of familiarity with such crises. They plunged deeper into the forest.
Sasa-sasak! Shiiik!
They seemed to pull away from the White Sword Squad, only for narrow-sword black-robes to strike from the flank again. A suffocating encirclement tightening.
He kicked a tree trunk sideways, spun once in midair, and struck the side of a massive old tree.
Three streaks of narrow-sword light crossed harmlessly behind his back. An acrobatic feat on the razor's edge. Holding a girl made it look even more precarious.
"Young Master!"
Jeon No cried out in his clear voice.
Urgency filled the tone.
Cheonwi's innate senses grasped its meaning instantly. Simple: a new kind of danger approaching.
"The real one's coming!"
Couldn't pinpoint the location.
Something terrifying was coming. Not Dongpungneung. Greater pressure. The inner power, martial arts, killing intent—all surpassing Dongpungneung from afar.
'Sharp sword intent. Sword user...!'
The detected master wasn't hiding his presence.
First thought: none other than White Sword Heavenly Demon.
Secret Shadow Squad threat level: silver.
Silver meant a monster beyond facing.
His gaze swept the trailing warriors chaotically.
Had to check now.
Three White Sword Squad warriors entered his view. He read their blade trajectories. Hand positions, thumb pressure.
In Cheonwi's mind, the White Sword Squad's sword forms dismantled and reformed. He found gaps in the sword arts, flaws in footwork. And concluded.
'Strong swordsmanship. But not enough. Won't work on the real one.'
A couple weaknesses, but not fatal.
Couldn't fully grasp without clashing directly. Plus, no guarantee it was White Sword Heavenly Demon. Felt subtly different from the one he'd seen earlier. His power insufficient to discern aura precisely, yet he felt it.
'Maybe not White Sword Heavenly Demon' became 'Probably not.'
His ever-present precognitive sense told him so.
Pasasasak! Ttae-ak! Kaga-gak!
White Sword Heavenly Demon—or equivalent monster—was trouble, but the enemies charging from three sides were immediate problems too.
Only front was open. Left to right, rear all directions assailed. Encirclement imminent.
"Too many!"
Cha-chaeng! Cha-cha-chaeng!
Jeon No was already slashing left and right wildly. Servant to the Five Tigers, but rumored top-tier Secret Shadow Squad martial artist. The reputation held true. Jeon No was strong. Most impressive: in such fierce combat, he revealed no clues to his style. Even a veteran versed in Central Plains arts couldn't identify his affiliation. The epitome of a Secret Shadow Squad specialist.
Yet even Jeon No struggled against the numerically overwhelming assault. Endless enemies, all radiating sinister auras. They struck without hesitation for kills. Fundamentally different from the now-invisible Great East Clan or Taehaengbang warriors.
"Jeon No! Switch!"
"Yes?"
"Take this one!"
"I can't."
"It's fine! Hurry!"
Chiiing!
Finally drawn.
The golden blade caught the moonlight filtering through the trees.
He shoved Hyang toward Jeon No like tossing a package. Jeon No had no choice. His skinny, wrinkled arm wrapped around her waist.