Chapter 276
Chapter 276
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: The Black Yaksha
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A figure clad head to toe in black armor, with a yaksha mask clinging tightly to his face.
It was a bizarre sight.
One that might have seemed ridiculous under other circumstances.
Yet no one in the courtyard dared to mock his appearance.
How could they?
In the entire martial world, there was only one person known to wear a yaksha mask.
"...Black Yaksha."
Muhong let out a groan through gritted teeth.
He wasn't the only one.
Every member of the Extermination Unit in the courtyard groaned between their teeth and froze in place.
The name Black Yaksha carried weight.
One of the Three Great Young Experts of the world.
A supreme genius so outstanding that the Evil-Black Alliance Leader had personally taken him as a disciple based solely on his talent.
He was showered in praise.
"I heard it would take time for him to arrive... but he's already here."
"This is beyond expectations."
Cold sweat trickled down the backs of the Extermination Unit members.
Cheonhwi had just defeated the Blood Splash Sword Master of the Blood Rain Sword Family and was on the verge of victory.
But the arrival of Black Yaksha and his entourage had ushered in a new phase on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the heavy tension settling around him, Cheonhwi scanned Black Yaksha with a leisurely gaze, as if appraising a curiosity.
Then he tilted his head.
'Even accounting for the cold weather, isn't he bundled up a bit too much? Doesn't he get hot?'
That was Cheonhwi's first impression upon seeing Black Yaksha.
A cloak larger than his frame.
Even the glimpse of his hand between his collar and sleeve was wrapped meticulously in pitch-black silk.
'Just looking at him makes me feel stifled.'
Cheonhwi shook his head.
Upon closer inspection, even his ears and cheeks not fully covered by the mask were concealed perfectly.
His entire body seemed shrouded.
'Does he hate showing his skin that much?'
A spark of curiosity lit up Cheonhwi's eyes.
What could he be hiding to wrap himself so thoroughly in fabric?
That was the moment.
Smoothly—
The yaksha mask turned.
It faced Cheonhwi's direction.
Soon, a chilling blue gleam poured from the two holes in the mask.
"That was an impressive sword."
An unpleasant voice descended upon the courtyard.
The eerie tone sent shivers down spines, twisting the faces of everyone present.
Man or woman?
What martial art did he practice?
Nothing could be discerned.
He felt like a being shrouded in fog, everything about him opaque and inscrutable.
All eyes in the courtyard focused on him in an instant.
But Black Yaksha paid no heed to the stares.
He looked only at Cheonhwi.
"Such skill at your age."
The yaksha's eyes flashed.
A chilling momentum that intimidated and subdued foes.
Suddenly, a frigid energy erupted from beneath Black Yaksha's feet, radiating outward with him at the center.
In that instant, a storm of murderous intent swept the courtyard.
Those present hurriedly circulated their qi to withstand it, but...
"Kuh!"
"Hup!"
They couldn't fully dispel the shock.
The density of the murderous intent pressing down on the courtyard was immense, making even resistance difficult.
Whoosh!
Black Yaksha's ash-gray hair rose.
For a moment, it seemed as if the yaksha mask had transformed into a true demon.
Then.
"The wind's a bit fierce, isn't it?"
Cheonhwi said nonchalantly.
Undisturbed by the storm of killing intent, he raised Huawol.
Soon, Huawol blurred.
Flash!
A dazzling sword light exploded.
The hazy Huawol whipped through the air like a beam, drawing a horizontal line.
A single sword trace dividing heaven and earth.
In that instant, the courtyard's atmosphere surged like a raging river.
The straight-thrust sword strike hurtled toward Black Yaksha's waist.
Terrifying speed.
The sword strike collided with the murderous intent emanating from him.
Crack!
The killing intent shattered pathetically.
Beyond recognition.
"... "
Black Yaksha, who had been gazing down arrogantly with chin raised, narrowed his eyes.
But there was no dismay in that gaze.
As if he had anticipated it.
And then.
Whoosh!
A black shadow intervened midway.
Boom!
An explosion rang out amid billowing dust.
Swoosh!
The shadow burst through the dust, charging forward.
It was the middle-aged man among Black Yaksha's entourage, radiating a fierce aura.
A massive blade was now in his hand.
A jet-black blade with a muted sheen.
Strong fellow.
Cheonhwi immediately stomped forward.
The moment the tip of his leather shoe touched the dirt, his form shot ahead.
Huawol surged upward.
'Plum Blossom Falling Shadow.'
The thought manifested instantly as sword.
Huawol clashed head-on with the middle-aged man's blade in a dragon-like ascent, unleashing a massive shockwave.
Craaaack!
The space where blade and sword met warped, the impact rippling outward like waves.
Thud—
Those who had been channeling qi to block Black Yaksha's killing intent were swept up unwittingly, falling on their rears.
An incomprehensible scene.
The duel between Blood Splash Sword and Cheonhwi had seemed like a clash of absolutes to them, yet this fight was on another level entirely.
'Such a monster exists!'
The middle-aged man's eyes trembled.
He couldn't believe it.
Who was he?
Ten years ago, he had reached the Ultimate Realm, earning the moniker Emotionless Blade Master, his name resounding across the martial world.
The Evil-Black Alliance had personally recruited him as a protector.
He had absolute confidence in his skills...
Yet now, his blade was being overwhelmed by a young Daoist barely past thirty.
Inconceivable.
'Plum Blossom Divine Sword, indeed the Plum Blossom Divine Sword...'
Emotionless Blade Master's robes billowed.
The Boundless Art he had cultivated since childhood enveloped his body and erupted outward.
Whoosh!
The intense qi wave shredded his sleeves, exposing bare skin.
His swollen muscles bulged with prominent tendons, and ferocious energy poured from his hands and blade.
The emanating energy swirled like a vortex into the blade.
It wrapped the blade in even fiercer power, replenishing its might.
True destructive force...
The ripple of aura from one who had glimpsed Heavenly Martial beyond the extreme.
'Impressive inner power.'
Cheonhwi grinned at the sight.
The blade energy from the sword-opposing blade was formidable.
Upper echelons of the Ultimate Realm.
Clearly superior to the Blood Splash Sword he had just faced.
Cheonhwi nodded inwardly and subtly deflected along the blade.
A Plum Branches Entwined technique.
For a moment, the blade was drawn along Huawol's edge.
"How dare you!"
Emotionless Blade Master bellowed.
His thunderous roar vibrated the air, whipping up a fierce gale.
Simultaneously, his muscles swelled massively.
Crack—
Something tore.
Forcing against Plum Branches Entwined had pushed his muscles to the limit.
But Emotionless Blade Master didn't stop.
"You think it'll go your way?!"
Roaring, he advanced relentlessly.
Suddenly, his form blurred, closing the distance in a flash.
Return Flow Manifestation.
His unique footwork, embodying evasion and assault.
They drew perilously close.
Close enough that an exhale would brush noses.
Too short for sword or blade arts, Emotionless Blade Master...
Whoosh!
Suddenly twisted his waist.
Fluid and swift.
His left hand shot out immediately.
A masterful technique swung with the waist's momentum.
Intense energy spewed from his open palm like dark thunder.
'Quick reactions.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
Typical blade masters favored blade arts over hand techniques.
But not this one.
His hand strikes were no joke.
'And cunning too. Closing distance to restrict my sword swings, then going for hand techniques. Not bad at all.'
Cheonhwi leaned back just enough to narrowly evade the palm aimed at his temple.
Whoosh!
A sharp wind grazed his nose tip.
As his hair belatedly spiked upward, Cheonhwi stepped back.
Smoothly—
Executing Dark Fragrance Step simultaneously, he twisted his retreating foot.
His body spun once.
His Daoist robes flared dramatically amid the elegant, sword-dance-like motion as Huawol's sleek blade drew a line.
A beautiful rotation.
A crimson trail followed the swung blade, tracing a gorgeous arc.
A perfect counter in a split second.
Cheonhwi's eyes fixed on Emotionless Blade Master.
His enraged, contorted face was now etched with shock, eyes bulging as if witnessing the impossible.
And then.
Slowly—
His desperately raised left hand rose sluggishly.
'Slow.'
Huawol pierced the back of his incompletely raised left hand.
It surged cleanly through flesh to the shoulder blade.
Splatter—
Blood gushed.
"Kuh!"
Emotionless Blade Master groaned.
He glanced swiftly at his left arm.
The deep gash from shoulder ran down, white bone visible.
A mortal wound.
He grimaced at the searing pain from his left hand.
Grind—
He gnashed his teeth.
No strength in his left arm.
Blood dripped from his fingertips, pooling at his feet.
"Not over yet."
A calm voice tapped his ear.
"...!"
Then the blade entered his vision.
Regaining his senses, Emotionless Blade Master unleashed Return Flow Manifestation and swung his blade with full power.
Bang!
The massive blade, powered by thick muscles, cleaved air downward.
The essence of heaviness.
Vicious sword energy poured from the swung blade, stirring a whirlwind.
The horizontally swung sword and vertically swung blade clashed midair.
Craaack!
The space between distorted.
The atmosphere couldn't withstand the overwhelming energy clash.
Then.
Drip—
A thin line of blood trickled from Emotionless Blade Master's clenched lips.
Internal injury.
Despair settled in his eyes.
It looked like he had blocked it, but the outcome was decided.
His gaze shifted rearward.
Toward Black Yaksha.
'Must escape...'
As he thought desperately.
Clang!
Huawol cleaved the blade.
Slice!
A chilling sound rang out.
The horizontal swing severed the blade—and his neck.
Rumble—
The belated shockwave shook the ground.
And in the sky above, his head and a spray of crimson blood etched the scene.
Meanwhile.
Cheonhwi lowered his sword.
A subtle aura emanated from his entire body, slowly encroaching on the surroundings.
The manifestation of Plum Blossom Divine Art.
The qi enveloping nature's vital energy—the root of all auras—forcing silence upon the world in its descent.
A sight inspiring awe.
All stared at Cheonhwi, entranced.
The dead Emotionless Blade Master no longer registered in their eyes.
Only Cheonhwi existed.
As if alone in the world.
Solitary, overwhelming presence.
Then.
Swoosh—
Cheonhwi's form vanished abruptly.
Like a candle snuffed out, illusory.
Executing Dark Fragrance Step, Cheonhwi closed in on Black Yaksha and his still-bewildered entourage, swinging his sword.
"Your turn now."