Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Part 4. Uninvited Guests Throw Ashes on the Feast (2)
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“Something the matter?”
The people inside the grand hall were startled by the sudden commotion and rushed outside.
Paeng Gwan-yeong shouted upon spotting the Golden Lion.
“It’s that bastard. He’s the one who ambushed us.”
“Hmm!”
Cheongheo Zhenren let out a low groan.
The three masked figures behind the Golden Lion were familiar to him as well.
They were undoubtedly the warriors who had attacked the Wudang Sect.
One of the masked men looked at Cheongheo Zhenren.
“We meet again, old monk.”
“Amitabha. Indeed.”
Cheongheo Zhenren nodded and stepped forward.
No one could have anticipated that the ones who assaulted Wudang and the Paeng Family would show up here.
Groans from his disciples echoed from beyond the walls. They had suffered massive losses here once again.
“I didn’t even get a chance to ask your name back then.”
“We are the Three Flame Yamas, serving the Golden Lion. That’s all you need to know.”
“Hmm!”
Cheongheo Zhenren groaned again.
He hadn’t expected the one he’d clashed with in fierce battle to be merely a subordinate of the Golden Lion.
It was then.
“Do you even know where you are, crawling in here? You’ve got some nerve.”
Zhongnan Sect elder Jin Do-kyeong stepped forward and bellowed. The Golden Lion merely shrugged.
It was an action anyone could see was a sneer.
A voice emanated from beneath the golden mask.
“So the rats really have gathered, just as rumored.”
The Golden Lion’s voice was chilling to the bone. Several warriors felt their heart meridians quake upon hearing it.
“Demonic arts? He’s definitely from the Demonic Cult.”
Jeomchang Sect elder Yu Jin-sang shouted.
Without further hesitation, he charged at the Golden Lion. Several hot-tempered warriors followed, attacking the Golden Lion and the Three Flame Yamas.
“Hold!”
Cheongheo Zhenren hurriedly tried to stop them, but it was already too late.
Yu Jin-sang’s sword flashed out like lightning, thrusting toward the Golden Lion. Sword qi had already formed vividly along its blade.
Yu Jin-sang was confident this strike would cleave the Golden Lion in two. But his confidence turned to horror the instant a beam of light burst from the Golden Lion’s body.
Shiiiaak!
A mass of light in the form of a long whip.
“S-Sword gang?”
Not just Yu Jin-sang—shock appeared on the faces of everyone in the Eoyang Sword Sect grounds.
Shuk!
The gang qi grazed past Yu Jin-sang’s body.
Plop, plop!
The sword imbued with sword qi snapped in half, and Yu Jin-sang’s upper and lower body separated. Entrails spilled from his body onto the ground.
Yu Jin-sang perished without even a scream.
“…….”
Silence dominated the hall in that instant.
The realm of manifesting gang qi through one’s own energy—energy solidification.
Even among the Nine Great Sects, few had reached this level. And those who had were acknowledged as the pinnacle of the martial world.
The Golden Lion mocked the warriors gathered at the Eoyang Sword Sect.
“No matter how much a rat thrashes, it’s still just a rat.”
Most were overwhelmed by the Golden Lion’s presence. But not all.
One such was Myeonggyeong.
Wuuung!
Myeonggyeong felt the internal energy within him boiling. His own energy was reacting to the opponent’s formidable inner strength.
‘I want to fight. I want to challenge him.’
An intense fighting spirit dominated the core of his chest.
Another was Cho Yeon-un.
From the moment the Golden Lion appeared, Cho Yeon-un’s eyes had sharpened.
‘Has the true Demonic Cult finally revealed itself to the world again?’
He glared at the Golden Lion, clenching his fists tightly.
At that moment, Cheongheo Zhenren walked toward the Golden Lion. A tremendous aura was emanating from his body.
He too was one of Wudang’s premier masters—an apex warrior.
A sword was now in his hand.
“I don’t know your purpose here, but you’d best abandon any thought of leaving unscathed.”
He aimed his sword at the Golden Lion. He judged that subduing the Golden Lion took priority over the Three Flame Yamas.
A tidal wave of momentum surged from Cheongheo Zhenren’s body toward the Golden Lion.
“Not bad momentum, old monk.”
“It’ll be more than enough to deal with you.”
“I’m looking forward to this. You might actually be worth fighting. But it’d be no fun if it was just us.”
“What?”
Suddenly, the Golden Lion raised his hand high. Black shadows popped up one after another atop the walls.
In their hands were bizarre weapons—sickles connected to iron chains. Iron chain sickles, a weapon of exotic design.
A sinister aura poured from the figures clad in black uniforms and black masks.
“They’re called Blood Chain Ghosts. Have at it.”
Laughter laced the Golden Lion’s voice.
Cheongheo Zhenren shouted.
“Everyone, be careful!”
At that instant, the Golden Lion pointed at the warriors of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families.
Shuuu!
The Blood Chain Ghosts atop the walls charged in unison.
The weapons in their hands gleamed coldly.
“Good!”
In that moment, Myeonggyeong leaped forward.
The Golden Lion was Cheongheo Zhenren’s opponent. That left one of the Three Flame Yamas nearby—the First Flame Yama. Excluding the Golden Lion, he seemed the strongest.
“Junior brother!”
Han So-yu’s voice came from behind, but he ignored it.
Creeeang!
Myeonggyeong’s sword clashed with the First Flame Yama’s.
That served as the signal, and a fierce battle erupted between the warriors gathered at the Eoyang Sword Sect and the Blood Chain Ghosts.
“Keuk!”
“Die!”
Blood sprayed everywhere, screams filling the air.
A hellish scene unfolded before their eyes.
Han So-yu was speechless at the infernal tableau playing out before her.
She never dreamed she’d witness such a sight here. She had never once imagined such a nightmarish landscape.
But she too was a warrior of Mount Hua.
Steadying her shaking heart, she drew her sword.
“Yaaah!”
Han So-yu plunged into the battlefield.
Cho Yeon-un shook his head.
“This scene suits that guy perfectly.”
He thought of that unusually quiet friend.
A man who’d be more terrifying than anyone as an enemy, but more reliable than anyone as an ally.
“No helping it.”
That friend wasn’t here right now.
So he’d have to fight himself.
Cho Yeon-un launched himself at the Second Flame Yama of the Three Flame Yamas.
Kwaaaang!
A massive explosion and flames erupted from the center of Eoyang.
The blaze shot so high that everyone in Eoyang could see it.
Among them were Damho and Bang Jin-bo.
“Brother?”
Bang Jin-bo looked up at Damho.
In that instant, another explosion boomed, and crimson flames soared into the sky. The blazing light dyed Damho and Bang Jin-bo’s faces red.
“Brother, that’s…….”
Bang Jin-bo’s voice trembled.
The pillar of fire rose from the heart of Eoyang. And at Eoyang’s heart stood the Eoyang Sword Sect.
And in the Eoyang Sword Sect was……
“So-cheong.”
Eun So-cheong was there.
Bang Jin-bo grabbed Damho’s hand.
“Brother, So-cheong is at the Eoyang Sword Sect.”
Damho nodded silently.
He knew Bang Jin-bo harbored feelings for Eun So-cheong. Anyone precious to Bang Jin-bo was precious to him as well.
There were few in this world precious to Damho.
Damho headed out of the West Wind Inn. Bang Jin-bo tried to follow.
“You wait here.”
“But…….”
“I’ll bring So-cheong back safe and sound. So stay put.”
“……All right.”
Bang Jin-bo nodded helplessly.
He didn’t doubt Damho’s word in the slightest.
Damho was a man who kept every promise he made. He’d promised this time too, so he would surely keep it.
Damho left Bang Jin-bo behind and stepped out.
Left alone, Bang Jin-bo stared blankly for a moment at the Eoyang Sword Sect where flames soared.
The night sky was dyed red with crimson fire. Red as if blood might soon drip from the heavens.
“So-cheong will come back safe.”
Damho had promised, so it would surely be so.
Bang Jin-bo pondered what he could do and reached a conclusion.
“She’ll be hungry when she gets back. I should make some midnight snacks. What does So-cheong like?”
Bang Jin-bo walked toward the kitchen stove.
***
Cho Yeon-un was struggling.
The Second Flame Yama he faced was a fist expert.
Kwa-kwa!
Each punch from the Second Flame Yama brought thunderous roars and devastating fist winds.
The Second Flame Yama wielded his internal energy with perfect control. He unleashed fist qi on strikes and withdrew it on retreats, all while efficiently dismantling Cho Yeon-un’s attacks.
It was a terrifyingly efficient use of inner strength.
Swaaaak!
The Second Flame Yama’s fist flew toward Cho Yeon-un’s head with terrifying speed, as if to shatter it.
The power behind the fist was extraordinary. Every avenue of evasion was blocked.
Cho Yeon-un crossed his arms to block the Second Flame Yama’s punch.
Kwaang!
“Urk!”
A fierce impact sent Cho Yeon-un’s body sliding backward. Deep furrows gouged the ground where his feet dragged.
“Kh!”
A low breath escaped the Second Flame Yama’s lips. Cho Yeon-un realized it was a scoff.
As if to prove his guess, the Second Flame Yama spoke.
“They say you’re a disciple of the Baekjeon Sect, but you’re nothing special.”
At the disparagement of Baekjeon Sect, Cho Yeon-un scratched his head.
“Ah! That pisses me off.”