Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: The Frenzied Charge
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The Green Forest Bandits, who had been fully prepared, flinched at the sight of the Flame Spirit Unit charging like madmen.
"Are those really the Plum Blossom Sword Guards?"
The Plum Blossom Sword Guards were the elites of the Mount Hua Sect, renowned as their face to the world.
They possessed exceptional martial prowess and countless heroic deeds.
And the image they usually projected as Daoists was famous not only in the martial world but throughout the entire land...
"Those are Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Sword Guards, right?"
"Aren't they just rabid dogs?"
The bandits burst out in bewilderment.
There was no trace of Daoists in the Plum Blossom Sword Guards charging at them now.
No, they didn't even seem human.
The eyes of the sword guards, swords raised high, were bloodshot red, overflowing with murderous intent.
It was just like starved beasts lunging at prey they had finally spotted.
At that moment, Cheonhyang, at the forefront, kicked off the ground fiercely and shot forward like an arrow.
Tadadadak!
The Flame Spirit Unit members followed behind her.
"What kind of momentum is..."
In an instant, the bandits were completely overwhelmed by the aura of the Flame Spirit Unit led by Cheonhyang.
It brimmed with desperation and madness more intense than anyone they had ever seen.
If not for their Mount Hua Sect Daoist robes, they could easily be mistaken for blood ghosts driven insane by the desire to fight.
As they instinctively stepped back, overwhelmed by the aura...
"What are you fools doing?"
A voice so low it reverberated like an echo in a cave struck their ears, snapping their minds to attention.
Weizhongyeon lowered his gaze.
The bandits saw the blazing fire in his indifferent eyes and pulled their leaning bodies forward again.
Then they gripped the spears on their backs.
As the bandits drew their spears, pointed them at the Plum Blossom Sword Guards, and assumed stances...
"Annihilate the enemy."
Weizhongyeon issued the command.
At that instant.
"Understood!"
The bandits charged with spears raised.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Sparks flew as the Plum Blossom Sword Guards and bandits clashed.
Weizhongyeon's eyes narrowed as he watched the space turn into a battlefield in an instant.
Though the bandits outnumbered them by more than double, they were gradually being pushed back.
"I heard the current Plum Blossom Sword Guards are far weaker than in the past."
His brows furrowed tighter.
Even though little time had passed, the bandits' numbers were dwindling rapidly, so he tilted his head to the side.
"Deputy Leader."
"You called?"
Deputy Leader Seongyang responded immediately.
"You need to turn the tide."
Seongyang nodded, gripped the long spear planted in the ground, and bowed his head.
"Understood."
With those words, Seongyang lightly kicked off the ground and dove into the fray.
He quickly approached the woman rampaging at the forefront of their group.
'She's the one directing everything.'
Seongyang circulated his inner energy, gripped the spear tightly with both hands, and thrust it forward.
Whoooosh!
The sharp spear tip, infused with spear qi, shot toward Cheonhyang's chest.
A sharp, swift strike!
It was the pinnacle technique, Metal-Shattering Strike, which had claimed countless lives.
An intense blow that even seasoned martial artists preferred to dodge rather than clash head-on.
But his opponent was no ordinary martial artist—she was Cheonhyang.
'His skill is different from the other bandits.'
Seeing the Metal-Shattering Strike, she raised her sword.
The pure white White Lotus Sword, reflecting the sunlight, abruptly changed direction and met the tip of the thrusting spear.
And at that moment.
Whirrlik—
Cheonhyang elegantly twisted her wrist.
The sword, which had touched the spear tip, curved softly and deflected the Metal-Shattering Strike.
"...!"
Caught off guard, Seongyang hurriedly tried to pull back his spear, but it was far too late to retract the powerful strike already unleashed.
Thus, as the Metal-Shattering Strike veered off course and futilely stabbed empty air...
Whoosh!
Cheonhyang's face suddenly appeared right before him.
'When!'
With a single step.
She closed the distance in one breath and curled her lips into a smile.
'...Smiling?'
As Seongyang marveled at the relaxed, beautiful smile unfit for the urgent situation...
Thwack!
Cheonhyang's left palm surged from below, striking his chin.
"Guhk!"
Seongyang's head snapped back.
Cheonhyang snorted as he staggered back several steps from the impact.
"You're too slow compared to my junior brother."
Of course, the Metal-Shattering Strike was an excellent spear art, but compared to the swordsmanship her junior brother Cheonhwi had displayed, it was yawn-inducingly sluggish.
"This time, I'm first!"
Buoyed by landing the first hit, Cheonhyang stepped forward again with renewed vigor.
"Where!"
Seongyang countered by raising his spear and planting his foot.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Sharp sparks flew.
"Eek!"
"Kuhk!"
It was a fierce duel.
Soon, Cheonhyang's neatly bound hair came undone and whipped wildly, her Daoist robes torn.
Seongyang's attire was similarly disheveled.
By the time scratches had long begun appearing on their bodies...
Thud!
Seongyang was sent flying backward.
Foam bubbled from his mouth as he lay sprawled on the ground, a clear handprint on his chest.
"Gruk..."
The bandits' jaws dropped.
"D-Deputy Leader?"
"How is this..."
Seongyang was known as the Mount Heng Spear Ghost, his infamy resounding throughout Shaanxi.
True to his reputation, he was a peak-level master.
Yet he had been defeated by a young female Daoist in less than a bout—how could they not be shocked?
"Hah, hah!"
Breathing heavily, Cheonhyang wiped the wound on her cheek and grinned fiercely.
She raised her sword high and shouted.
"They're almost done for!"
"Waaah!"
The Flame Spirit Unit cheered in response, pressing the bandits harder.
"The Deputy Leader has fallen...!"
Weizhongyeon ground his teeth.
As his fury transmitted to it, even his crescent halberd began to tremble.
『We'll handle the Plum Blossom Sword Guards.』
A sudden transmission struck his ear.
Weizhongyeon's eyes widened as he turned toward the source.
Pa-ba-bat!
Figures in black storm robes appeared abruptly, surrounding the Plum Blossom Sword Guards.
"Who are you...?"
Cheonhyang narrowed her brows.
The aura emanating from them was on a different level from the bandits they had faced so far.
With expressionless faces glaring at Cheonhyang and the Flame Spirit Unit, they simultaneously drew their swords and charged.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, inside the carriage watching the situation, Cheon Igay bulged his eyes at their appearance.
"Th-those guys are the Black Shadow Corps?!"
Jin Gaye was stunned by his words.
The Black Shadow Corps was the Evil-Black Alliance's assassination unit, infamous for bringing bloodshed wherever they appeared.
"Wh-why are they here...?"
Cheon Igay ground his teeth.
Black Shadow Corps appearances in the martial world were exceedingly rare.
The fact that they had emerged now meant...
"The Evil-Black Alliance is staking everything on this!"
It was proof of their resolve to claim the Green Forest Bandits and Great Silver Merchant Group, even if it meant making an enemy of Mount Hua Sect.
"This could spark a war..."
The worst-case scenario flashed in his mind.
A conflict between Mount Hua Sect and White Ghost Castle would be an internal sect matter.
But the Black Shadow Corps was raised by the Evil-Black Alliance.
In other words, this was the Evil-Black Alliance provoking Mount Hua Sect, giving the Murim Alliance ample reason to intervene.
At that moment, Cheonhwi's voice flowed out.
"No wonder they kept creeping closer."
Cheonhwi's gaze swept the surroundings.
He had already been annoyed by the ones slinking in since earlier.
"They were trying to silence us to hide the Black Shadow Corps' arrival."
No sooner had Cheonhwi said that...
Pa-ba-bat!
Hidden bandits sprang out.
"This!"
"Since when were they ambushing...!"
The escorts and merchants, who had been admiring the Plum Blossom Sword Guards' prowess, paled in fright.
"Everyone, protect the cargo!"
No sooner had the Chief Escort spoken than the escorts hurriedly drew their swords.
"Merchants, fall back!"
At the follow-up order, the merchants clung tightly to the carriages and huddled down.
As if it wasn't their first time, their actions were swift and practiced.
Then.
A massive black shadow plummeted before them like a meteor.
Thud!
The black shadow used the crescent halberd embedded in the ground as a staff and slowly rose.
It was Weizhongyeon.
Having entrusted the Flame Spirit Unit to the Black Shadow Corps, he lifted his crescent halberd and faced the Chief Escort.
"Dwelling Bear Nightfiend..."
The Chief Escort muttered tensely.
"It's been a while since I heard that moniker."
Weizhongyeon twisted his lips into a smirk.
"Is everyone prepared?"
"Yes!"
At the bandits' resounding reply, Weizhongyeon commanded leisurely.
"Kill them all, not a single one spared!"
The Chief Escort bit his lip and shouted.
"We'll hold off these impudent bandits!"
"We won't lose to bandit scum!"
The escorts channeled their inner energy fully and clashed with the bandits.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Sharp sparks flew.
Meanwhile, the merchants huddled against the carriages grew pale at the spraying blood, flesh chunks, and sparks before them.
Then.
"Think hiding will save you?"
A sleazy-looking bandit grinned with his gapped teeth and raised his spear.
"Pl-please spare me!"
The merchant frantically clasped his hands.
But the bandit sneered, pressed the spear tip to the merchant's throat, and chuckled darkly.
"Begging won't help. Your fate is death here..."
As he thrust the spear...
Puk!
Suddenly, a sword blade protruded from the bandit's abdomen, stopping right before the merchant's eyes.
"Hiiiik!"
The merchant recoiled in horror at the bloodied blade and spilling entrails.
"Wh-what... is... th..."
The bandit stared blankly at the blade before breathing his last.
Thud—
The merchant fainted in terror as the corpse collapsed into his arms.
"Huh? Passed out?"
Cheonhwi withdrew his gaze from the merchant lying with the corpse and scanned the surroundings.
"As expected of an escort agency directly run by the Heavenly Merchant Group—they've got some skill."
Their combat prowess surpassed that of average sect disciples.
However, the bandits' numbers were overwhelming.
At least double, if not more.
And the bandits wielded spears.
Though the sword is called the king of weapons, that holds true only with sufficient skill.
Without the ability to close distance, long weapons like spears held the advantage over short swords.
"The Green Forest has changed. They weren't this organized before."
It was markedly different from the Green Forest he knew.
Unlike their previous mindless charges, they now maintained proper distance and swung spears like a trained army.
"And that branch leader's different too."
Cheonhwi eyed Weizhongyeon, who was pressuring the Chief Escort with his crescent halberd.
Then.
Whoooong—
The air-slicing crescent halberd, not content with pressuring, swung to smash the Chief Escort's head.
"Can't let that happen."
Cheonhwi vanished in an instant.
"Ugh...!"
Despair welled in the Chief Escort as the crescent halberd tore through the air toward him.
'Am I dying here?'
As the two sharp crescent blades at the tip approached, he squeezed his eyes shut.
Yet, strangely, no pain came despite time passing.
The Chief Escort slowly opened his eyes.
A massive back stood before him.
"Young hero...?"
He stared at Cheonhwi in utter shock.
It was inevitable.
Cheonhwi stood there, casually pinching the fiercely swung crescent blade between his thumb and index finger.
Cheonhwi met Weizhongyeon's gaze and said.
"Not bad. Better than I expected."
Weizhongyeon calmly reset his slightly widened eyes and spoke.
"...How did you block it?"
"How? Nothing special."
Cheonhwi nonchalantly replied and squeezed his thumb and index finger.
At that moment.
Craaack!
The crescent blade shattered, shards scattering.
"Just blocked it. Not that impressive."
Weizhongyeon bit his lip at the dismissive words looking down on him and stepped back.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
At the same time, he swiftly scanned the surrounding bandits and shouted.
"Prioritize attacking that guy!"
At Weizhongyeon's cry, the bandits halted their assault on the escorts and rushed toward Cheonhwi.
Tadadak!
Cheonhwi slowly raised his sword as he watched the bandits charging alongside Weizhongyeon.
"Well, look at that. They've really changed. The old Green Forest would've tucked tail and fled."
With those words, Cheonhwi grinned.
"Coming to die on your own? Commendable."