Lying on Brushwood and Tasting Gall (3)
“What did you say?”
A glint flashed in Hwa Won’s eyes.
“The heir of Gui Cheol Geom Mun?”
“Yes. He’s said to be heading toward the eastern part of Chang Sa right now.”
Hwa Won fell deep into thought.
‘Eastern Chang Sa, huh.’
She had no idea how he’d slipped away, but Chang Sa was the front yard of Muk Ryong Bu. It was only natural that he’d get caught.
‘What a bold bastard.’
She hadn’t expected him to show his face here of all places. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but his guts were certainly worthy of respect.
‘The problem is...’
This time, for the destruction of Gui Cheol Geom Mun, Heuk Yang and his entire Heuk Yang Dae had been mobilized. Among the Twelve Branches Gods, Heuk Yang held a unique position. He hadn’t served Yang Cheon from the start. He was an outsider Yang Cheon had brought in, and his skill placed him at the top ranks among the Twelve Branches Gods. Moreover, the Heuk Yang Dae he commanded directly was an elite force that ranked among the top three under the Twelve Branches Gods in terms of martial prowess.
Both master and subordinates were exceptional warriors, one and all.
For such a man to cleanly capture the heir of Gui Cheol Geom Mun this time? Hwa Won doubted it.
“Which of our kids are closest here?”
“Hwa Won Group Two is returning from southern Chang Sa. They should be within about ten li by now.”
The corner of Hwa Won’s mouth twitched.
‘Perfect.’
The Hwa Won Dae consisted of five groups total, with lower numbers indicating greater strength. Group Two was composed of experts who weren’t much inferior to Group One. Unlike Group One, which handled numerous tasks simultaneously, Group Two was a slaughter squad that moved solely for the complete annihilation of enemies.
Hwa Won glanced toward the distant manor.
The bastard from Mu Jong Mun, Jeong Ran, still hadn’t crawled back to the manor.
‘Even if he did return, I couldn’t move anyway.’
It was an order directly from the Vice Leader. She was ambitious, but her loyalty to Yang Cheon ran even deeper.
Hwa Won asked one final question.
“Did the entire Heuk Yang Dae mobilize?”
“They all moved out, but they’re scattered. If they clash with the Gui Cheol Geom Mun heir, I’d estimate no more than around fifty at most.”
“Around fifty, huh.”
That was more than enough. Even if they were outnumbered, they had that item on their side.
“Relay the order to Group Two. Have them pursue the Gui Cheol Geom Mun heir.”
As she issued the command, Hwa Won thought of Heuk Yang.
‘What an unpleasant prick.’
Heuk Yang was untrustworthy. An utterly detestable man. But her interference wasn’t just because she disliked him.
‘I need to catch the Vice Leader’s eye with this.’
Before Muk Ryong Bu was established, she had made several major blunders. Yang Cheon had forgiven her, fortunately, but Hwa Won felt a sense of crisis. She had noticed the way Yang Cheon looked at her growing ever more indifferent.
‘Sorry, Heuk Yang.’
It might be a bit low, but this was the only way to score points. If she kept racking up merits like this, perhaps one day the Vice Leader would personally teach her a few martial techniques. Like he did with Baek Seo and a few other powerhouses among the Twelve Branches Gods.
The subordinate asked, “What if Heuk Yang Dae catches him first? What should I tell them then?”
“If Heuk Yang Dae beats us to it...”
A demonic glint flickered in Hwa Won’s eyes.
“If it seems feasible, ambush and slaughter them all, then steal the prisoner. Even if they’ve killed the sect heir, bury the evidence completely.”
Hwa Won grinned.
“The Gui Cheol Geom Mun heir will be our catch.”
⋯⋯⋯⋯
“Huff! Huff!”
Gang Ryang’s breathing was now ruined beyond repair.
Whooong!
A slow, eerie palm force targeted his back.
Gang Ryang’s hand moved on instinct.
Pak!
The palm force split in two.
Clang!
The greatsword that cleaved it sank into the ground.
He had held onto the sword until the end, but he no longer had the strength to lift it.
‘This can’t be.’
Even in his dazed state, Gang Ryang felt incredulous.
‘Did I collapse in less than a quarter of an hour?’
To master the Gui Geom to its peak required extreme stamina and strength that surpassed human limits. In other words, Gang Ryang had confidence in his endurance.
He had often rested on his innate talent, but he had never once neglected his stamina training.
Yet here he was?
‘These guys are masters of wheel warfare.’
None of them tried to stand out. Smoothly, slowly, but surely. They minimized damage while steadily wearing down their target’s stamina.
Even when an ally died or was injured, their composure never wavered. Like puppets incapable of thought. They simply dismantled their foe with ingrained tactics.
“Cough! Huff huff! Y-You bastards! If you call yourselves black path heroes, come at me head-on!”
Then, the Heuk Jang spoke.
“What are you doing? Press harder.”
As soon as Heuk Jang finished speaking, Heuk Yang Dae advanced another step.
Whoosh.
It was just one step each, but the encirclement tightened immensely. The pressure from that single step was overwhelming. Without even emitting inner energy, it made his body shrink instinctively.
A psychological feint. All their tactics exploited such gaps.
Woooong.
Gang Ryang gritted his teeth and lifted his greatsword.
‘Am I going out like this?’
It was regrettable. Infuriating. And apologetic.
He recalled the sect swordsmen who had knelt, begging him to flee and live.
Even as their sect was destroyed, they had stayed loyal to the end.
Weeeeng.
Unstable Gui Wang Jin Qi filled the greatsword. Barely half its usual efficiency.
It was obvious the swing wouldn’t produce proper power, speed, or emission.
But he had to swing. Enemies stood before him.
The accomplices who had stolen his home, his parents and siblings.
Whoosh.
The Gui Wang Jin Qi on the greatsword fully permeated the blade in an instant.
Heuk Jang’s eyes flashed.
“Careful!”
Paaaak!
Gang Ryang took a powerful step forward.
Not Gui Yeong Shin Bo. This was a footwork that bared raw power and killing intent.
And following it, the second Gui Geom.
‘Gui Sal Geom!’
Gui Sal Geom flowing from Gui Yeong. The murderous sword strike poured toward five Heuk Yang Dae members.
Creeeeeng!
A tremendous resonance echoed.
Drip.
Blood trickled from the ears of the Heuk Yang Dae members. Their eardrums had burst.
But not one fell or broke formation. Their masked eyes remained coldly indifferent, as if nothing had happened.
Gang Ryang’s face paled.
“An astonishing sword.”
The one who had slipped between the Heuk Yang Dae members to block Gang Ryang’s strike was Heuk Jang himself.
“It claims sharpness, yet its root is utter destruction. Indeed worthy of the Overlord Sword lineage’s fame.”
Heuk Jang spoke coldly.
“But you’re still green.”
Gang Ryang couldn’t believe it.
‘Blocked Gui Sal Geom with his arms?’
A domineering sword style that could shatter boulders in one strike if landed properly. Even unstable, it carried his full power, yet Heuk Jang had crossed his arms and blocked it.
Absurd skill.
Thud!
“Gahk!”
Heuk Jang’s kick sent Gang Ryang crumpling to the ground.
“When defeat looms, the basics of strategy involve a retreat gambit. Losing control to rage and exhausting yourself in a desperate attack...”
Heuk Jang turned away, hands behind his back.
“Just a talented fool.”
“Cough! Kek!”
Gang Ryang spat blood-mixed phlegm, glaring at Heuk Jang’s back with bloodshot eyes.
Heuk Jang said, “No need to kill him now that he’s combat-incapacitated. Send him to the Bu. Break his limbs first so he can’t resist.”
Woooong.
Killing intent poured from the eyes of every Heuk Yang Dae member.
Despair shadowed Gang Ryang’s face.
‘Is this the end?’
If he’d died by enemy hands, it would have been less humiliating. Captured alive and handed to the enemy?
‘Better to end it myself!’
Grabbing the blade with his left hand, Gang Ryang summoned his remaining strength to bring the sword to his throat.
Crack!
“Krrk!”
His left arm snapped, the greatsword flying aside. A Heuk Yang Dae member had read his intent like a ghost and stopped him.
Heuk Jang sneered.
“Greenhorns’ final struggles are always so predictable.”
Gang Ryang ground his teeth. He’d sworn not to cry, yet tears welled up unbidden. Tears of injustice and regret.
‘I’m sorry.’
A fate where he couldn’t even choose death. His life and death toyed with by enemies.
Dejected by his first regret in life after mere days, Gang Ryang soon faced a second.
Slide.
A Heuk Yang Dae member raised his foot to shatter Gang Ryang’s leg.
Gang Ryang squeezed his eyes shut.
That was when it happened.
‘......?’
Why? His Gui Wang Jin Qi was depleted, his body at its limit. He couldn’t even twitch a finger.
Yet his senses—astonishingly—caught a single presence faster than anyone else there. Though the difference was minuscule.
‘What......?’
Before the thought finished.
A hammer-like intangible fist wind pierced through the Heuk Yang Dae ranks.
Paaaaang!
Thud!
With a horrific whoosh, shattered bone and blood sprayed everywhere. The Heuk Yang Dae member about to crush Gang Ryang’s leg had his head exploded.
Thud.
The headless body collapsed. Twitching limbs evoked a grotesque chill.
Heuk Jang’s eyes widened.
‘What the—?!’
That instant.
A divine speed wind rushed in, too swift for any eye there to track.
Bwooooong!
The air burned. Like an arrow—or a flying spear.
A massive azure dragon streaked in with brilliant teal radiance, flames flickering like wings on its back.
Heuk Jang shouted, “Dodge—!!”
Pububububuk!
In a flash. Someone approached at monstrous speed, decapitating seven Heuk Yang Dae members on the spot.
Heuk Jang’s eyes bulged. He couldn’t see how it was done. Something immense approached with overwhelming momentum, and then seven subordinates lay dead.
And it didn’t end there.
Whoooong.
Brilliant teal mist became a gale, crashing into the Heuk Yang Dae center.
Right where Gang Ryang had fallen.
Kwaaaang!
The valley ground shook entirely. A purely explosive stamp, gathering full-body power without lifting a foot—an extreme realm technique.
And that power, drawn by the stamp.
Spread outward as the majesty of an ascending blue divine dragon gale.
Peng! Pububpeng! Pufufufupeng!
Eighteen palm strikes in one breath, an invincible palm method. In Gangdong, it was called Ban Ryong Jang.
But this was twisted beyond recognition—not true Ban Ryong Jang.
Azure Dragon Qi’s soft spiraling threads maximized destruction. It merely borrowed Ban Ryong Jang’s form—a wholly different martial art.
Kururung.
The gale subsided, dust clearing.
Everywhere the explosive palm had swept was a sea of blood.
“Gui Cheol Geom Mun’s heir.”
Gang Ryang looked up through hazy eyes.
‘......!’
A figure backlit by the blazing sun.
A monster with piercing blue eyes gazed down with unimaginable majesty.
“......Gang Ryang, right.”
It was Yeon Hojeong’s arrival.