Chapter 281
Chapter 281
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 281
Chapter Title: Charging Through the Blizzard
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Snow fell from the overcast sky shrouded in dark clouds.
Pure white snowflakes drifted down slowly, a stark contrast to the pitch-black heavens.
Beneath this opposing scenery.
Clop-clop— Clop-clop—
Dozens of horses thundered down the official road.
And atop every one of those horses rode men clad in pristine white cloaks fluttering in the wind.
It was the Annihilation Squadron that had broken away from the Blood Rain Sword Family.
"They're riding like mad."
Cheonhwi muttered as he gazed ahead.
Normally, he would have taken the lead, but right now, a single horse surged at the forefront with insane speed.
Leading the pack was Danri Gwancheon.
The only one in the Annihilation Squadron with ties to Sichuan, he had moved faster than anyone upon hearing the mission from Cheonhwi.
Though only his back and the hand gripping the reins were visible, everyone in the Annihilation Squadron could sense Danri Gwancheon's feelings.
Impatience, anxiety, and worry.
Brimming with all sorts of negative emotions, he stared straight ahead and kept charging forward.
At that moment, someone pulled up close beside Cheonhwi as they rode.
It was Ho Gwanggae.
"When your sect's in danger, of course he'd rush like that. If the Beggars' Sect were in peril, I'd sprint there in a heartbeat too."
Sticking right next to Cheonhwi, Ho Gwanggae watched Danri Gwancheon and spoke up.
"The Division Leader would do the same."
"Well, yeah."
Cheonhwi replied calmly.
Mount Hua Sect in danger?
No matter who the enemy was, he'd rush over and crush them on the spot.
How much blood and sweat have I poured into building Mount Hua Sect to this level?
Just creating the Dark Fragrance Unit and the United Formation had taken considerable effort.
And that was only the beginning—he'd done all sorts of things for them.
They absolutely could not fall before becoming the world's top sect.
As Cheonhwi imagined Mount Hua Sect under attack and furrowed his brow.
"More importantly, Division Leader."
Ho Gwanggae called out to him again.
His voice trembled faintly.
He was pretending to be calm, but it was clear he was more shaken than ever.
"Do you have any specific plans for this mission?"
Ho Gwanggae asked cautiously.
These weren't easy opponents.
Roughly two thousand warriors.
And not just any warriors?
The Blood Shadow Corps and Ghost Shadow Corps.
Two of the Evil-Black Alliance's four elite forces were combining their might to attack.
How could he not worry?
But.
"No, nothing particular."
The response was curt.
"Why bother with some grand plan? We just smash them."
Ho Gwanggae was momentarily speechless at Cheonhwi's matter-of-fact tone.
Of course, he had half-expected it.
When they raided the Blood Rain Sword Family this time, and even on their first mission charging into the Red Tiger Stronghold, hadn't he just ordered a blind rush?
But to do the same here too...
He shook his head.
It was too haphazard.
But on the other hand, he understood.
This was Cheonhwi, after all.
The man who had felled the Blood Sword and Heartless Wanderer, and sent the Black Night Cart and Starlight Rakshasa fleeing for their lives.
With the Division Leader's level of skill, plans aren't necessary. And half-baked schemes could backfire spectacularly if something unexpected happens.
In truth, a supreme expert like Cheonhwi could render most plans meaningless anyway. So, as he said, it was better to clash head-on first and gauge their strength.
Ho Gwanggae let out a hollow chuckle after pondering it.
In the past, the lack of a plan would have filled him with unease, but now it was different.
With the Division Leader here, there's nothing to fear.
His eyes fixed on Cheonhwi.
The more time they spent together, the more profoundly he felt Cheonhwi's greatness.
He couldn't help but admire even this moment.
Unlike the other Annihilation Squadron members who had pulled their cloaks tight against the biting blizzard, Cheonhwi rode with his face fully exposed.
Looking perfectly fine.
As if he didn't feel the cold at all.
He's probably reached the Body Unmoved by Cold and Heat.
Ho Gwanggae clicked his tongue in awe.
Mastering the Body Unmoved by Cold and Heat meant he had at least achieved Bone Transformation and Marrow Cleansing.
The Division Leader is the real deal among true geniuses.
When he first met Cheonhwi.
There had been a twinge of envy.
He was a martial artist too, after all.
And though he never mentioned it, as one of the Beggars' Sect's promising young talents, his skills were top-tier among the later generation disciples.
Thus, Cheonhwi—shaking the martial world with his fame—had naturally become an object of envy and jealousy.
But after joining the Annihilation Squadron, those feelings vanished like mist.
Envy? Jealousy?
You needed some semblance of parity for that.
The gap was so overwhelming that such thoughts never even arose.
Then Cheonhwi turned his head.
Their eyes met in an instant.
"I've got one question."
Ho Gwanggae answered immediately.
"Huh? What do you want to know?"
He flashed a bright smile and thumped his chest.
"Hahaha! Ask away. I'll tell you anything I know."
"This Nongjil guy leading the forces—who is he?"
Cheonhwi asked, recalling the name from the communique.
At first, he thought he'd misread it.
The name matched a legendary yokai perfectly, down to the letter.
The nine-tailed fox.
The demon that lured people with childlike cries and devoured them.
It's not a misspelling, probably.
Ho Gwanggae's jaw dropped.
"W-what?! Nongjil's coming...? That Blood Tears Pleasure King to Sichuan?"
His shock was so great that even through the gap in his cloak, his wide eyes conveyed his turmoil.
Seeing that reaction, Cheonhwi tilted his head in greater confusion.
"Blood Tears Pleasure King? He's famous?"
"D-Division Leader. What kind of joke is this? How could you not know the Blood Tears Pleasure King..."
Ho Gwanggae stammered in bewilderment, but.
"Huh? What joke?"
Cheonhwi just looked puzzled.
Ho Gwanggae's expression subtly hardened.
He'd never imagined someone in the martial world who didn't know Nongjil.
But.
Those eyes are sincere.
Cheonhwi's gaze was purely filled with curiosity.
I never thought the Division Leader was this out of touch with the world...
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, Ho Gwanggae asked very carefully.
"...Then, Division Leader, you know the Seven Demon Immortals, right? Surely you don't not know them..."
"Ah, yeah, I know them."
Cheonhwi smirked and replied.
"The experts under the Evil-Black Alliance Leader, right? Something like that."
The Seven Demon Immortals were familiar to Cheonhwi as well.
Yong Ju-gae and Hyeon-do had warned him about them during the war with the Evil-Black Alliance, repeatedly telling him not to engage if they crossed paths.
If not for the Evil-Black Alliance and the Five Mad Gates, each could have dominated a province, they said.
They were direct subordinates who only followed the Alliance Leader's orders, each with unrivaled prowess in the martial world.
"Ah! That's why he's Nongjil."
Recalling the Seven Demon Immortals made it click.
They used yokai names instead of their real ones.
"What a bizarre name."
"Phew, glad you know. I was worried you might not..."
Ho Gwanggae sighed in relief.
No matter how sheltered, not knowing the Seven Demon Immortals would be serious.
They were the Evil-Black Alliance's key forces, after all.
But that relief was short-lived.
No, this isn't something to relax about.
He shook his head.
Information was crucial in war.
Seeing Cheonhwi so ignorant stirred a sense of crisis.
I need to brief him first...
Ho Gwanggae continued without pause.
"How much do you know about them, the Seven Demon Immortals?"
"Eh, just enough. In short, they're the experts who only follow the Alliance Leader's orders, right?"
Cheonhwi said calmly.
"That's plenty for now."
Ho Gwanggae nodded, his eyes gleaming.
"Nongjil is one of the Seven Demon Immortals."
"Yeah, figured."
Cheonhwi reacted as if it were obvious.
He had guessed as much the moment Ho Gwanggae mentioned them.
"And the current Nongjil is the first in the Seven Demon Immortals' history to kill the previous holder and seize the position. That's why his infamy has spread even further..."
"Huh? Seize it?"
Cheonhwi blurted out in surprise.
"They don't just accept new ones?"
"The Seven Demon Immortal seats are fixed at exactly seven. To claim one, you challenge to a deathmatch and take it. I don't know the reason, but that's how the Alliance Leader set it up..."
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed at the explanation.
Huh? Challenge to a deathmatch for the seat? Wait a minute...
It felt familiar.
Cheonhwi asked him directly.
"No time limit on the challenges, right? Like only once a year for the seven seats."
Ho Gwanggae's eyes widened.
"How did you...?"
He couldn't hide his astonishment.
The names and titles of the Seven Demon Immortals were widely known, but details of the succession battles were not.
Cheonhwi, who hadn't even known who Nongjil was, somehow knew this obscure info—how could Ho Gwanggae not be shocked?
Meanwhile, Cheonhwi's gaze darkened.
To see this method in the Central Plains...
What Cheonhwi had asked about was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's long-standing method for determining hierarchy: the Demon Throne Contention War.
Looking at the stunned Ho Gwanggae, Cheonhwi tossed out casually.
"If they dueled to the death anytime, it'd be too unfair for the incumbents, so they probably set a timeframe, I thought."
"Is that so...?"
Ho Gwanggae looked puzzled but soon dismissed his doubts.
He didn't even know who Nongjil was—how would he know that?
Cheonhwi's explanation sounded plausible enough, so Ho Gwanggae pressed on.
"Anyway, his infamy stems not just from ruthless assassinations and high skill, but from the origin of the martial arts he practices."
"Origin of his martial arts?"
"The Evil Emperor Hall."
Ho Gwanggae's eyes wavered.
It was fear.
"I hear he practices the martial arts of the Evil Emperor Hall, which was wiped out a century ago."
"Evil Emperor Hall martial arts."
Cheonhwi's interest deepened instantly.
He had seen some in the past—from the secret archives of the Shadowless Divine Throw, no, the Demon Lord's archives.
One of the Four Great Demonic Hands: the Pale White Blood Claw.
Quite an impressive technique.
Among the many unorthodox arts Cheonhwi had reviewed, the Pale White Blood Claw was top-notch.
I was curious about the other Evil Emperor Hall techniques anyway.
Sneer—
The corner of Cheonhwi's mouth slowly twisted upward.
Anticipation swelled.
"Guess I have to meet him once."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Emei Sect.
A place usually steeped in peace and serenity, but now the heart of the current Emei Sect—the Subduing Tiger Temple—was heavy with tension.
"The Evil-Black Alliance...!"
"...Coming straight to headquarters."
The Emei nuns let out groans as they eyed the men before them.
A Qingcheng Sect elder, Lone Pure Sword Namcheon, gave a wry smile and addressed the nuns.
"This poor monk and his disciples have come to offer what aid we can."
Even at words of aid, dark shadows lingered under the nuns' eyes.
Then.
Tinkle—
The sound of bells rang out.
"Amitabha."
A resonant Buddhist chant followed.
The soft chant echoed through the temple, sweeping in a refreshing energy.
And shortly after.
Step— Step—
A middle-aged nun slowly descended the long staircase of the Subduing Tiger Temple.
She held a Six Rings Staff in hand.
With each step, the staff touched the ground.
Tinkle—
The bells on the Six Rings Staff chimed.
After a few steps.
Halt.
The nun stopped.
All the nuns instantly pressed their palms together in salute.
"Amitabha."
A low chant resounded everywhere.
The nun stood before the Qingcheng Taoists, offering a respectful salute with her staff.
"Amitabha. It's been a while."
Namcheon hurriedly returned the salute.
"It's been too long."
After bowing his head, Namcheon inwardly marveled at the nun before him.
The newcomer was Emei Sect's Sect Leader.
Known as Master So-un and revered as Willow Stream Nun.
The world believed her age had long passed sixty, yet she appeared barely into her forties.
"I've heard the details via communique."
Master So-un said, eyes gently closed.
The Emei Sect, boasting centuries of history, had never once been invaded.
But today.
Crisis had come to Emei Sect.
The Blood Tears Pleasure King and two thousand subordinates.
Especially the Blood Shadow Corps, practitioners of vile sorcery—direct counters to Emei Sect's Buddhist path.
After a moment's thought, Master So-un slowly opened her eyes and spoke.
"Is Qingcheng safe?"
"Our sect is managing, somewhat. The immediate danger is..."
Namcheon trailed off.
But everyone present could guess the rest.
Master So-un clasped her hands.
"Qingcheng is in peril too, yet you came to help. My thanks."
"Not at all."
Namcheon waved it off.
"Our Sect Leader wished to send more, but given the circumstances..."
"No. This is more than enough—we are deeply grateful. In a war where lives hang in the balance, to brave the long journey here... We cannot thank you enough."
Master So-un smiled faintly, expressing sincere gratitude.
She too would send aid if Qingcheng were threatened, but would leave more at Emei.
That was a Sect Leader's duty.
"As fellow righteous sects of Sichuan, it was only natural."
"Easy to say, hard to do—and everyone knows it. Lone Pure Sword Hero and the young heroes following you deserve our thanks."
Master So-un offered a deep, heartfelt salute to Namcheon and his disciples.
Slower and more profound than before.
"Amitabha. We shall never forget Qingcheng's grace today."
As her words ended.
"Amitabha."
"Amitabha."
The nuns saluted from all sides.
To Emei Sect's heartfelt gesture and words, Namcheon smiled back and cupped his fists.
As they released the salutes.
"At least the Murim Alliance is sending reinforcements, so let's wait for them."
Namcheon added, recalling something.
"That's a relief."
Master So-un patted her chest.
Alliance reinforcements wouldn't be mediocre.
As relief dawned in her eyes.
"Sect Leader!"
A young nun guarding the temple gate came rushing in, breathless and heedless of decorum.
Some nuns looked slightly flustered at her demeanor.
"The Murim Alliance reinforcements have arrived!"
Their expressions brightened at her words.
"Alliance reinforcements already?"
"As expected of the Alliance!"
Master So-un's worry-lined face also lit up, matching the surrounding nuns' excitement.
She immediately asked the breathless young nun.
"How many came?"
Her question brimmed with anticipation.
The young nun's face grew awkward; she glanced around before answering.
"Uh, about forty."
The nuns' joyful faces froze as if iced over.
"F-Forty?"
"That's the reinforcement number?"
The enemy numbered two thousand.
Yet reinforcements were a mere forty.
"...Forty?"
Master So-un furrowed her brow too.
But she understood on one level.
It was a sudden raid.
Time had been too short to send more.
Forcing optimism, she asked again about the crucial detail.
"Who from the Alliance? The Three Divisions? The Four Brigades? Or selected experts?"
Elite units that came to mind for small elite forces.
Uttering their names with faint hope, Master So-un eyed the young nun.
"They said the Annihilation Squadron."
"Annihilation Squadron...?"
Her expression soured at the unfamiliar name.
"A new special task force newly formed by the Alliance."
Namcheon answered.
His own expression was grim.
He had come risking his life for Emei Sect.
Yet the Alliance's "reinforcements" were just forty men.
And that too...
As Namcheon's eyes narrowed.
"What sort of group is this Annihilation Squadron?"
Master So-un asked, clinging to a thread of hope.
But Namcheon's following words shattered it instantly.
"...I hear it's a special task force made up of the Murim Alliance's later generation disciples."