Chapter 76: Crisis of the Mountain Sword Sect-1
Chapter 76: Crisis of the Mountain Sword Sect-1
"Where did the Mountain Sword Gate leader Heo Gyeong go?! Come out at once!"
Gyeong Ga-deung, the Domineering Blade that Crosses the River, a peak-level master of the Jeonghyeopbang, charged relentlessly through the interior of the Mountain Sword Gate.
Perhaps because it was dawn, there were hardly even any warriors standing guard, and he seemed to be running through an almost completely deserted area.
Even the few guard warriors he occasionally encountered could not withstand even a single strike from Gyeong Ga-deung.
Puhwaak!
"Kuaaaak!"
"Where have you gone, Heo Gyeong?! I, Gyeong Ga-deung, have come to take your head!"
Behind Gyeong Ga-deung, who was heading toward the main hall with overwhelming momentum in search of the Mountain Sword Gate leader Heo Gyeong, followed two peak-level masters and over a thousand Jeonghyeopbang martial artists.
It was truly an overwhelming spectacle.
Naenggueon, the Double-flowing Darts, a peak-level master of the Jeonghyeopbang following behind Gyeong Ga-deung, abruptly shook his head and muttered.
"Gyeong daehyeop is always overflowing with energy. The annihilation of the Mountain Sword Gate would have been a foregone conclusion even without him rushing so much."
Over a thousand martial artists, three peak-level masters, and a dawn raid to prevent the enemy from noticing. The probability of the Mountain Sword Gate surviving the day was not even one percent.
Therefore, Naenggueon could not understand the apparently impatient Gyeong Ga-deung.
At that, Hong Man-suk, the Golden Stream Swift Halberd, running beside him, replied with a faint smile.
"Wasn't he particularly close with the late Hwang Jang-gon daehyeop during the last battle? He wouldn't want to yield his revenge to anyone else. At any rate..."
Hong Man-suk, who had now entered the area between the Mountain Sword Gate's inner halls, looked around and said.
"Even if it's a surprise attack, it is excessively quiet. To a degree that feels somewhat unnatural."
At his words, Naenggueon snorted.
"Humph! Perhaps they've all already fled, for all we know. The way evil faction bastards act is..."
It was then that Gyeong Ga-deung, who had been running at the head of the group, finally charged into the main hall building of the Mountain Sword Gate.
"You bastard! Heo Gyeong! Where are you?!"
It was as the Jeonghyeopbang martial artists were filing into the main hall behind him one after another.
Suddenly, flames shot up from the main hall and the nearby buildings.
Hwaaaak!
"Wh-what?!"
"Flames all of a sudden?!"
The fire, which had blazed fiercely from the very start, spread violently as though something had been applied to the buildings, and before long, the entire structures were engulfed in flames.
The Jeonghyeopbang martial artists, who had charged in like a raging wave, could only panic at the sudden situation.
"It's a fire!"
"The flames are too strong! We must get out of here for now!"
When they could not even find the Mountain Sword Gate leader Heo Gyeong in the main hall and instead only the buildings were engulfed in flames, Gyeong Ga-deung, the Domineering Blade that Crosses the River, shouted with a furious face.
"Heo Gyeong, you bastard! Where have you gone?! Don't hide like a coward and come out at once!"
On the other hand, Naenggueon, the Double-flowing Darts, spoke to Hong Man-suk, the Golden Stream Swift Halberd, with a dumbfounded expression.
"I did think they would flee, but the actions of evil faction bastards truly surpass imagination. To think they would set their own house on fire just because they were scared."
But Hong Man-suk, examining every direction with a hardened expression, said.
"We can't affirm they've fled yet. For now, at least those who set the fire would still be nearby—!"
It was when he had spoken up to that point.
Suddenly sensing something, Hong Man-suk snapped his head up and looked at the sky.
There, he could see arrows, enough to cover the sky black, flying down overhead.
Furthermore, by the time he had discovered them, the arrows, which had already risen high into the sky, were in the midst of falling down.
Hong Man-suk shouted urgently.
"Arrows! Everyone evade!"
But his powerful voice, laden with internal energy, did not carry well to the warriors inside the Mountain Sword Gate, which had become chaotic as it was engulfed in flames.
It was also a cry that came far too late.
The moment the warriors who had barely perceived Hong Man-suk's voice raised their heads to look at the sky, a rain of arrows poured down upon the heads of the panicking Jeonghyeopbang sect disciples.
Pupupupuk! Peopeopeok! Pupupuk!
"Kuaaaaak!"
"Euaaaak!"
"Wh-what?! Euaaak!"
Because so many people were crowded into a narrow space, the number of personnel struck by arrows was also high.
The interior of the burning Mountain Sword Gate instantly became a scene of hellish carnage.
"Aaaak! Save me!"
"My eyes! My eyes!"
"My legs! My legs!"
From just a single volley of arrows, over a hundred Jeonghyeopbang warriors were killed or injured, groaning in agony.
Moreover, it was not over with just one volley.
Pipipipipiping!
Seeing the arrows once again filling the sky black as they flew in, Hong Man-suk shouted.
"A second wave is coming! Everyone get out of here! The enemies are aiming their arrows at the areas on fire!"
Spurred on by him, the Jeonghyeopbang martial artists tried with all their might to break away from the Mountain Sword Gate.
But the speed of ordinary martial artists could not possibly be faster than arrows. Arrows once again poured down upon the heads of those who had begun to run with desperate effort.
Pushushushushushuk!
"Aaaaaak!"
"Keuaaaaak!"
"Euaaaaak!"
The enraged Gyeong Ga-deung, the Domineering Blade that Crosses the River, swung his blade to knock away the cascading arrows and shouted.
He, who had been running at the very front, had just made it back out of the Mountain Sword Gate's main hall.
"It's the west! Arrows are being fired from the forest to the west! All Jeonghyeopbang disciples, turn and charge toward the west! Do not let those bastards live!"
At his resounding voice, the Jeonghyeopbang disciples who were fleeing the Mountain Sword Gate all changed direction and began running toward the west.
Having confirmed that all the warriors capable of moving were heading west, Gyeong Ga-deung prepared to fling his own body westward as well.
That was when it happened.
Suddenly, someone burst out through the burning main hall building of the Mountain Sword Gate.
"Where are you going, Gyeong Ga-deung?!"
It was precisely Heo Gyeong, the leader of the Mountain Sword Gate, Heo Gyeong.
His quick sword, which had earned him the sobriquet Splitting Light Swordmaster, was rapidly closing in on Gyeong Ga-deung's back.
Startled, Gyeong Ga-deung hurriedly turned around to defend against his quick sword and yelled.
"Heo Gyeong, you rat-like bastard!"
Chaichaechaeng!
Looking at him, having sent his subordinates ahead first and left himself isolated, a conversation Heo Gyeong had once shared with Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae suddenly surfaced in his mind.
One day, she had visited Heo Gyeong and, without preamble, had said this.
'Before long, the enemies will launch a surprise attack. Does the gate leader have a countermeasure?'
Heo Gyeong had come to deeply trust the words of the Five Siblings of Doksu due to their exploits thus far, but he could not quite believe that statement.
No matter what, the enemies were from the Jeonghyeopbang, a sect that prized face more than life itself.
It did not seem likely they would launch a surprise attack when they already held the advantage in troop strength.
But to that Heo Gyeong, Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae had said this.
'Their leadership core is, in truth, not of the orthodox faction but demon heads of the Blood Cult. I do not know how far up the chain this knowledge extends, but at the very least, the leadership of the Jeonghyeopbang will pay no such regard to face.'
Saying so, she had shown him the Blood Cult's secret manual as proof.
It was before Sak Mu-heun had sent it to the Murim Alliance.
Furthermore, Yeon Hae had also stated that they themselves were, in fact, secret agents of the Murim Alliance who had been tracking the demon heads of the Blood Cult, and that they had infiltrated the Mountain Sword Gate on the opposing side because they found the Jeonghyeopbang suspicious.
Heo Gyeong had no choice but to believe their words.
Beyond the Blood Cult's secret manual, the martial prowess of their group, which contained as many as three peak-level masters intermixed, could no longer be doubted.
But even though he had now come to believe their words, Heo Gyeong still had no plan to counter the assault of over a thousand Jeonghyeopbang martial artists. Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae had told him this.
'There is no way for a force of less than four hundred men to defeat a thousand in a head-on battle. But if they don't fight head-on... it might be possible.'
And the method she had taught him was the scene unfolding now.
Heo Gyeong had not been very keen on it, truthfully.
A strategy that required burning down the main hall of the Mountain Sword Gate, which he had built with his own blood and sweat—wasn't that too cruel?
But when asked if there was any other way, he ultimately could not answer.
Now, witnessing the result before his very eyes, Heo Gyeong felt as if his blood was boiling in reverse.
The burning buildings of the Mountain Sword Gate.
This was all because of those Jeonghyeopbang bastards.
Consumed by fury, Heo Gyeong's sword became multiple streaks of light as it stabbed at Gyeong Ga-deung.
"Die!"
Shushushushuk!
But Gyeong Ga-deung was no pushover either.
"Where do you think you're aiming?!"
Cha-cha-cha-cha-chang!
Stepping backward and blocking all of Heo Gyeong's sharp attacks with his own blade, Gyeong Ga-deung now prepared a counterattack and shouted.
"You little rat! Today is the day you die!"
But Heo Gyeong sneered and yelled back.
"You better watch the back of your head! You idiot!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
While Gyeong Ga-deung ignored Heo Gyeong's words and charged forward swinging his blade, Heo Gyeong's eyes were fixed elsewhere.
He was watching as someone, bursting through the flames from a nearby building just like he had, drove a spear into Gyeong Ga-deung's back like a thunderbolt.
Puuk!
"Kheuk!"
The time it took for that someone to burst through the flames and pierce Gyeong Ga-deung's back was no more than a fleeting moment.
As Gyeong Ga-deung stared at the spearhead that had burst through his chest in shock and took his last breath, Heo Gyeong also had to swallow hard.
Though it was a surprise attack, it was a thrust so explosively fast that he doubted he could have blocked it even if it hadn't been an ambush.
Among the Five Siblings of Doksu, the names of the eldest, Iron Body Meteor Bae Jong-gwan, and the fourth, Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae, were the most famous. But in truth, the most terrifying among them was undoubtedly the second, the Reincarnated Zhao Zilong Chang-hyeok.
Just then, the Golden Stream Swift Halberd Hong Man-suk, who had witnessed Gyeong Ga-deung's death, was shouting and running back.
"Gyeong Daehyeop! You bastard! Heo Gyeong—!"
Watching Hong Man-suk rushing back to this flame-filled place, followed by the Double-flowing Darts Naenggueon, and the other Jeonghyeopbang martial artists who could not yet return, Heo Gyeong had no choice but to acknowledge that Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae's scheme had worked perfectly.
Because this was exactly what Yeon Hae had said.
'The only way to defeat an enemy with overwhelming numbers is to cut off the head. In other words, if we can first eliminate their peak-level masters, victory becomes very possible.'
'But how can we eliminate them first when they move together with over a thousand martial artists?'
'It's simple. We just need to burn down this main hall.'
'...What did you say?!'
Heo Gyeong now threw his body toward Hong Man-suk, who was separated from the other martial artists.
He had to deal with all the peak-level masters before the other warriors returned.
But as he threw himself forward, Heo Gyeong could only stare at the back of the Five Siblings of Doksu's second, Chang-hyeok, who was descending upon Hong Man-suk at a speed incomparable to his own.
One more thing also entered his eyes.
Paaak!
From within the burning building, another man burst out, his sword bearing down on the Double-flowing Darts Naenggueon just as he was about to throw concealed weapons.
"Haaap!"
Shushuk!
"Heok?!"
At the sudden ambush, the face of Double-flowing Darts Naenggueon was visibly colored with panic.
He was the youngest of the Four Swords of Goesan, the one who had set fire to the buildings around the main hall.
That this young man was originally Je Won-yeong, the peak master of the Jeomchang Sect known as the Jeomchang Sword Tiger, was a fact Heo Gyeong could not have known.
As Chang-hyeok thrust his spear, the Golden Stream Swift Halberd Hong Man-suk, a spear master counted among the best in Sichuan, sneered and swung his halberd.
"You dare try to face me with a spear!"
Shushushushushuk!
Chang-hyeok's spear became five streaks of light as it thrust forward, but the tip of Hong Man-suk's halberd bent and rotated as if alive, sweeping away Chang-hyeok's spear.
Tadadadatang!
Then, finally striking Chang-hyeok's spear shaft and sending it flying into the air, he shouted.
"You are fast, but your spear technique is still underdeveloped!"
And it was just as he was about to stab at Chang-hyeok in return.
Chang-hyeok, having lost his spear, without the slightest hesitation, struck the shaft of Hong Man-suk's halberd with a Tiger Claw Hand.
Pwoooong!
"Kkuk?!"
From the massive impact, Hong Man-suk momentarily lost control of his halberd.
His beloved weapon writhed like a living snake, trying to leap out of his hand.
And in that moment, seeing Chang-hyeok ride the halberd shaft with such fluid grace to close in, Hong Man-suk cried out in alarm.
"Yo-you, you bastard, are you actually a spear master—?!"
Pwok!
The next instant, Hong Man-suk lost consciousness as Chang-hyeok's straight punch slammed into his face.
In his fading consciousness, Hong Man-suk could finally realize that his opponent hadn't lost his spear, but had deliberately thrown it away.
Having subdued Hong Man-suk in an instant, Chang-hyeok and Seol Pung did not hesitate for a moment.
Their next target was the Double-flowing Darts Naenggueon, who was barely holding on against Je Won-yeong's ambush.
For this operation to be a complete success, they had to deal with all the peak-level masters before the thousand-plus warriors returned.
But Naenggueon, who specialized in concealed weapon techniques, had already realized the gravity of the situation from the moment he allowed an ambush at close range and permitted close-quarters combat.
The swordsman looked young, but he was by no means a low-tier opponent compared to himself.
So he had been looking for a chance to escape anyhow....
Naenggueon's eyes caught sight of the other young man, who had just subdued Hong Man-suk instantly, pouncing like a wild beast.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"Damn it."
The swordsman he was currently fighting was already difficult enough, and if that guy joined in....
Naenggueon convulsively threw all the concealed weapons he had on him at once.
"Hyaaaaap!"
Pushushushushushush!
"What the?!"
Je Won-yeong quickly stepped back and rotated his sword in a rapid circle.
It was the fifth stance of the Four-Sun Sword Technique, Hwepungsak.
Wiiiiiiing!
Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-chang!
While his sword rotated and deflected the concealed weapons like a circular shield, Naenggueon desperately threw his body toward the Jeonghyeopbang warriors who were running over.
That was his only way of survival.
Because no matter how powerful an enemy was, they could not possibly fight against a degree of warriors numbering over a thousand.
Je Won-yeong apologized to Seol Pung, who had run up, as he gazed regretfully at the fleeing Naenggueon.
"I apologize, Squad Leader Seol! I should have taken responsibility for him...."
Having now hidden his body within the wave of over a thousand warriors, Naenggueon burst into loud laughter and shouted.
"Uhahahaha! Strike them down! The enemies are only three men!"
"Woaaaaaah!"
The Jeonghyeopbang warriors charged like tidal waves.
Je Won-yeong gritted his teeth and spoke.
"I have ruined the plan! To think I let a peak-level master who could serve as their rallying point escape! Let us retreat for now, Squad Leader Seol! The enemies are too many!"
Having said that, Je Won-yeong threw his body first.
Mountain Sword Gate leader Heo Gyeong, who had been coming this way, was already turning his body and fleeing.