Chapter 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Darkness - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Stifling air, stark visions. Just meeting her gaze sent shivers racing through his entire body.
Behind the divine maiden who called herself Wildfire, black flames roiled and surged. The flames of hatred flicked their tongues in threat.
There was no way to win. No escape route in sight.
Everywhere he looked, there were only the pathetic ruins of utter devastation. White ash, burned to powder, billowed on the wind.
Emerging slowly from those ruins was a crowd of people.
From behind charred trees, amid shattered stone fragments, filling every direction... ragged figures. Countless eyes silently glaring at him.
Bearing the hatred of the nameless masses alone, the wanderer raised his sword toward the black flames.
"No one passes beyond this point."
He didn't care that one arm was missing. He stood tall and proud, spine straight and unyielding.
The great blade raised high over his shoulder caught the setting sun, gleaming red.
The edge, battered to ruin from clashing with Bai Hui's sword, once again shot forth its fierce glint. Not the sharpness of steel, but the keen edge of qi.
Sabak—
In the suffocating silence, the divine maiden stepped forward. The beautiful girl advanced one step at a time, pale hand raised.
The closer she came, the greater the pressure bearing down on his body. It wasn't like facing a human—it felt like a flame confronting a storm.
His sword held high, front foot planted firm. Kakak—the gathering gale clawed scars into the earth.
A pale purple tiger cloaked in wind throughout its body let out a mighty roar, sweeping up the ash filling the world in an instant.
It wasn't even his most familiar mid-level stance. Nor a secret technique of his clan.
The strike that Clear Bright Sword Peng Soyoung chose in his final moments of life was a simple downward chop.
A pure trajectory that disregarded both defense and his own life.
"Fierce Tiger Emerges from the Forest!"
Peng Soyoung's blade growled. The massive tiger slashed down with its claws.
In his heart, he prayed. O heaven and earth, gods above—take what you will from me, just halt the divine maiden's steps for a moment.
Extermination Seal Strike—if his death alone could bring peace to the world, that would be enough. If he could inflict even a grievous wound, it would be more than he could ask.
Did that desperate plea reach its mark?
"Ah..."
Puk, ulk. A clot of blood surged up his throat. The qi filling his body drained away in an instant.
The divine maiden's face, clutching his pulsing heart, was closer than ever. Eyes devoid of any light gazed steadily at Peng Soyoung.
The trace left by that final strike was merely a thin line scratched across her fair cheek.
Fresh blood seeped from the slender cut. The red streak against her snow-white skin trailed down her cheek to pool at her chin.
One drop of blood. That was all Peng Soyoung's life could claim.
Pain surged through him. Beyond the girl, the roiling black flames came into view. Chilling heat and pitch-black resentment pressed in.
The divine energy granted to those who ascended to the Fire Realm revealed a world filled only with heavy sorrow and death. Despair and terror crashing in—who could dare face such a thing?
With nowhere else to turn his gaze, he looked up. The sky was cruelly clear and blue. The incongruous weather only deepened his agony.
The fading life of the wanderer left behind powerless final words.
"Is heaven truly... abandoning the world?"
Pak!
A crushing grip, a bursting heart. The girl, drenched in the blood pouring from Peng Soyoung's chest, answered.
"Don't seek gods before me."
"Buddha, Supreme Lord, immortals, wanderers—none of them saved us."
No one dare beg for salvation in my presence.
As the divine maiden turned away, Peng Soyoung collapsed behind her. The people bowed their heads toward her.
Far off, the sunset glowed. The crimson light shooting from the falling sun dyed everything red, ever redder.
As if the whole world were ablaze.
"This way! Over here!"
Where to go? How to choose escape? Little Divine Dragon's head throbbed with the dilemma.
Fire Cloud Wind Sword and Yang Choxue had joined him, but the situation hadn't improved. He needed to lead these people to safety quickly, then go aid Peng Soyoung.
"The merchant guild... We have to go to the merchant guild."
"The guild?"
"There's a secret passage in the guild run by the clan. An emergency exit leading beyond Mount Blaze. I oversaw its construction."
An elderly craftsman who had once worked for the clan limped forward as he spoke. With no other options, the group followed the old man through the streets.
The streets were chaos. Mount Blaze was crushed under fear, unable to breathe.
The Huangfu Clan, turned to ashes overnight. Cult followers appearing sporadically around every corner.
People barricaded their doors and stayed inside. Shops were raided everywhere, buildings collapsing.
Even the magistrate's runners stayed meekly put. They knew getting swept into the mad torrent rising like wildfire would make it hard to save their own skins.
Kwang—far off, one of the Huangfu Clan's warehouses caught fire.
"My god, Supreme Lord."
Fire Cloud Wind Sword muttered. The harsh reality unfolded before his eyes, hard to accept.
"No... the Peng family..."
"Elder, are we there yet?"
"Almost."
Such impatience gripped Little Divine Dragon and Yang Choxue as well. The ochre giant looming over the Huangfu Clan skies was proof that Iron Blood Fist King was fighting with everything he had. A razor-edge situation.
As if that worry had summoned it, the merchant guild finally appeared before them. Already evacuated, not a soul in sight, only a few looters fleeing from the crumbling buildings.
The old man's secret passage was no lie. With a plausible escape route secured, Yang Choxue hurriedly handed Huangfu Mujin over and turned.
"We're good now! Hurry and go!"
"Couldn't you escort us at least to outside Mount Blaze..."
"Sorry, no time for—"
As the Huangfu Clan survivors reached out with anxious eyes, Little Divine Dragon, leading the way, suddenly halted.
"Min?"
Fire Cloud Wind Sword, asking urgently, also stopped in his tracks.
"N-no, it can't be."
"What's wrong?"
Even Yang Choxue, following behind, froze in place.
"This can't... be reality..."
The giant god had vanished.
The aura enveloping the Huangfu Clan, the presence of one of the world's five great fist masters. The auspicious intent projected by the Fire Realm master, Iron Blood Fist King—all scattered without a trace, as if it had never existed.
What did this mean?
Defeat?
Iron Blood Fist King?
The giant of Guangdong who had piled up legends by thirty and inherited the Huangfu Clan at forty—dead at the hands of a woman whose name no one even knew? No. There had to be some mistake.
Widen his eyes and look again—it would be there. The form drawn by Iron Blood Fist King's inner power would still stand.
"Ahh... Peng family."
But Yang Choxue's wail snapped Little Divine Dragon back. In the now-empty sky, a new form abruptly appeared.
The divine maiden's black flames that had slain Iron Blood Fist King, and the great tiger blocking her path. The Peng clan's sword was like a tiger. No one in the world didn't know the Five Tigers Gate-Severing Sword.
Everyone present clung to a shred of hope. They prayed more fervently than anyone for a miracle.
For Peng Soyoung to prevail. For the newly awakened martial god of the world to magnificently slay the foe.
The tiger roared mightily. Winds gathered like a storm. Purple claws rose into the blue sky, slashing down at the black flames.
And then.
Hope vanished.
Tadak!
Fire Cloud Wind Sword reacted first. By the time he came to his senses, he was already charging out. Instinct overrode reason.
His heart pounded at the death of his close friend. Blocking his path, unbelievably, was Little Divine Dragon.
"Jinmyeong hyung! No!"
"Out of my way! Qingmingdao is over there!"
"I know! More than anyone, I want to go too! Jinmyeong hyung, look at me!"
"Then what am I supposed to do?!"
Little Divine Dragon's eyes, unconsciously met. Fire Cloud Wind Sword flinched, body trembling. Blood trickled from clenched teeth and bulging eyes, unable to contain his grief.
Little Divine Dragon had always followed Peng Soyoung like an elder brother. Yet to the end, he did not shirk his duty as strategist.
"We have to protect them!"
Iron Blood Fist King and Clear Bright Sword were dead. The divine maiden's black flames remained intact. Little Divine Dragon Zhuge Min clung to his reason.
"There are still survivors! We have to protect them!"
"At least Qingmingdao's body...!"
"What would Peng hyung want more?!"
Those words he couldn't ignore. Fire Cloud Wind Sword sank to the ground.
Glancing back, he saw the Huangfu Clan survivors trembling. And beside them, Yang Choxue lost in shock.
Someone had to lead them away. Ensure their safe escape from Mount Blaze.
Swallowing his rage, Fire Cloud Wind Sword turned. Murderous intent flickered in his parting glance.
But.
"Let's go."
There was no turning back. They slipped into the secret passage, leading the Huangfu Clan survivors amid the encroaching chaos of Mount Blaze.
Fire Cloud Wind Sword at the front, guiding everyone. Little Divine Dragon at the rear, stifling sobs.
"Peng family..."
Yang Choxue, who had been walking in a daze, suddenly collapsed. Overcome by grief, she fainted.
Yet no one blamed her.
The dark cave echoed only with stifled sobs.