Chapter 287
Chapter 287
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 287
Chapter Title: Siege of Bokho Temple
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Around Bokho Temple.
The aftermath of the clash between the Evil-Black Alliance forces and the warriors gathered at Emei Sect was immense.
Countless temples and hermitages boasting long histories were losing their ancient, elegant appearances due to the fierce collisions of warriors everywhere.
A scene of gradual ruin.
Clang! Cliiing!
The collisions continued without end.
A situation where neither side could yield.
Yet the tide was steadily turning against Emei Sect.
Two thousand versus seven hundred.
With such a clear disparity in forces, it was perhaps inevitable.
Led by the Blood Shadow Unit and Ghost Shadow Unit, the Evil-Black Alliance forces pressed the Emei nuns defending Bokho Temple and the warriors who had come to their aid.
Just as the evenly balanced power began tilting slightly toward the Evil-Black Alliance with the flow of time...
A change occurred at the rear of the Evil-Black Alliance forces.
"When did they get behind us...!"
The Ghost Shadow Unit members responsible for the rear panicked at the unfolding situation.
Splatter!
Blood sprayed from various spots.
"Who the hell are these guys...!"
The Ghost Shadow Unit members glared at the mysterious group that had suddenly appeared.
At that moment.
"Don't act rashly."
A man who seemed to be their leader whispered to the members, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
"They're fewer than a hundred at most."
Despite his words, his tense gaze fixed on the rampaging group.
Those clad in pristine white blood-drenched robes.
But what truly captured his attention was the young man at their forefront.
He alone did not wear the blood robe.
Instead, he donned pitch-black daoist robes emblazoned with red plum blossom patterns.
'Why are Mount Hua Sect disciples here...'
The moment his eyes locked on the Mount Hua robes and doubt arose.
Whoosh!
The robes he was watching suddenly loomed enormous.
'No, right in front of me...'
That was his final thought.
Thud!
"Hmph. Did I just kill the one in charge?"
Cheonhwi, who had swiftly claimed the man's life, muttered as he casually swung Hwayol like swatting a fly.
"Gah!"
The throat of a man leaping from a tree branch overhead for a sneak attack was pierced.
In the instant blood poured down.
Whiiiish—
Fierce killing intent tickled his skin.
Those watching for an opening from all sides seized the moment and charged simultaneously.
Speed like a thunderbolt.
Two men from the front, six men and women from the flanks, each unleashing their martial arts with sharpened lightfoot skills.
Among them, a middle-aged man charging from the side thrust his narrow sword forward like an arrow, while the two beside him swung long single spears diagonally.
And that was not all.
The others wielded their respective weapons, fists, and palms in all-out strikes.
Hummm—
The combined assault in mid-air vibrated the atmosphere with the unorthodox sects' characteristic ferocity and killing intent.
As their joint attack infused with powerful inner energy sought to tear Cheonhwi apart.
Tap.
Cheonhwi finally moved his feet, belatedly.
An extremely late movement.
Some sneered, thinking it a desperate flail.
But soon they could no longer laugh.
Their mouths gaped wide instead.
In an instant, Cheonhwi's form split into multiples, leaving only afterimages.
Phantom Ring Bewildering Trace Step.
The lost martial art preserved only in Mount Hua Sect's secret archives reemerged on Mount Emei after hundreds of years.
"...!"
"What!"
As those facing Cheonhwi recoiled in shock.
Swish—
Hwayol quivered faintly left and right.
An extremely subtle tremor.
One that wouldn't even register as movement without close scrutiny.
Swoooosh—
A faint breeze brushed past them.
A gentle wind that merely stirred their hair.
But suddenly, the wind grew violent, engulfing their bodies.
And a gale whirlwind raged.
Splatter!
Blood streaks slashed across their bodies simultaneously, spraying blood everywhere.
In a moment, pools of blood formed on the ground.
Cheonhwi spared no glance for the fallen corpses, turning his gaze to the Annihilation Squad.
"Leave the rear to me!"
"If you're badly hurt, fall back!"
The Annihilation Squad was holding their own against the black-clad Ghost Shadow Unit warriors.
Of course, not dominantly so.
They were at a disadvantage.
Im Hayul and the lower-skilled members of the Annihilation Squad bore severe wounds.
Their opponents were the Ghost Shadow Unit.
As elites of the Evil-Black Alliance, the gap was evident no matter how promising these young talents from various sects were.
Of course, Cheonhwi's intervention would change everything, but he had no intention of doing so.
Taking care of each one individually?
That wasn't the squad leader's role.
'If they die, it's unavoidable.'
So thought Cheonhwi.
While the goal was full survival, deaths were inevitable in battle.
The martial world was a place where life and death walked hand in hand.
To survive, one had to grow stronger.
'And I've already taught them what I could.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
Though brief, the Annihilation Squad's skills had advanced far beyond when they first met.
It was only natural.
Sparring repeatedly with a transcendent expert naturally sharpened their senses.
They had reaped the full benefits.
As proof, weren't they currently holding off the Evil-Black Alliance elites?
If they were at their initial level, they would have been wiped out already.
'They know it best themselves.'
The Annihilation Squad's eyes burned fiercely with life.
Before, they would have quailed at mere sight of such foes, but now they were utterly transformed.
"Hoo."
Im Hayul raised her sword.
Her left arm was severely wounded, making movement difficult, yet she pressed on.
Her opponent was far superior.
But she felt no sense of defeat.
"...We can win."
Her eyes blazed intensely as she murmured.
The incoming Ghost Shadow Unit attacks were sharp and fierce, yet they no longer felt truly threatening to her.
"Hah!"
She thrust her right foot forward powerfully.
Stamping with all her strength, she swung her sword upward diagonally.
A swift strike laced with hazy sword qi.
A slash that once couldn't even part the wind now perfectly cleaved the charging Ghost Shadow member's chest.
Splatter!
Im Hayul was drenched in blood.
As she hastily lifted her sleeve to wipe the blood from her face.
"...!"
A shadow loomed before her.
A Ghost Shadow member had exploited her brief lapse, thrusting his single spear forward.
Im Hayul gritted her teeth.
Too late to fully evade.
As she moved to at least spare her vitals by twisting aside.
Clang!
A sharp sword flash appeared.
The spear split in two, and the wielder's body collapsed.
Thud—
"Hoo, hoo. Don't let your guard down."
Danri Gwancheon, who had slashed the Ghost Shadow member targeting Im Hayul, panted heavily.
"Squad Leader. Thank you..."
"Save the thanks for later."
Danri Gwancheon replied coldly.
His curt tone and demeanor were clear, but Im Hayul instantly understood and spread her senses.
"Later" meant "survive."
She raised her sword, back-to-back with Danri Gwancheon as he swung at the foes ahead.
No words were exchanged.
It was a natural, instinctive action.
A method honed through spars with Cheonhwi now manifested.
Soon, both circulated their inner energy.
This was a battlefield.
No room for carelessness.
Cheonhwi watched them with half-lidded eyes.
Not just Im Hayul and Danri Gwancheon—the entire Annihilation Squad maintained vigilance.
And they were poised to retreat at any moment. It pleased him greatly.
"Looks like I can leave them to handle it themselves now."
The Annihilation Squad's mission was simple.
Hit-and-run under the guise of divide and conquer.
This tactical ploy to disrupt the Evil-Black Alliance forces had succeeded thus far.
"They'll manage their own lives."
From here, it was up to them.
Cheonhwi withdrew his gaze from the Annihilation Squad and stepped forward once more.
Step.
His leather shoes stepped into a pool of blood.
But he felt nothing.
The inner energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art instinctively let him tread air an inch above the blood.
A sublime footwork realm achieved unconsciously.
Cheonhwi fixed his gaze ahead.
Dozens, hundreds—over two thousand strong.
Gazing steadily at the Evil-Black Alliance forces, he inhaled the blood-scented wind and curved his lips into a refreshing smile.
Killing intent, morale, excitement, and the stench of blood.
A landscape reminiscent of his past life.
"Then I'll get back to my own task."
Cheonhwi's gaze slowly rose.
Toward Bokho Temple's mountain gate.
His lips curled at the intense energy clashes emanating from there.
Something delectably ripe awaited.
* * *
Boom!
A sound like a drum exploding resounded.
A Blood Shadow Unit member bounced across the ground several times before tumbling.
All eyes turned there.
Elder Sohye stood motionless, palm extended forward.
She had struck the charging Blood Shadow member's abdomen squarely with Golden Summit Cotton Palm, then unleashed her Anti-Demon Aura.
"Disciples of Emei! Prevent these vile fiends from entering Bokho Temple!"
Golden light flowed from her body as majestic dharma power surged.
Buddha Soul Bael Leaf Art.
Elder Sohye's eyes widened dramatically.
Flash!
Crystalline light infused with dharma power poured from her eyes, emanating heavy pressure.
Emei's signature dharma power raged like a ferocious storm, causing the incoming Blood Shadow members to flinch involuntarily.
An immediate reaction.
The tangible dharma power was overwhelming.
The might of a transcendent realm master.
Not something mere Blood Shadow grunts could withstand.
"Amitabha."
"Amitabha."
Emei's disciples murmured softly, clasping their hands.
And then.
Whoosh!
The pure energy Emei prided itself on bloomed brilliantly from their bodies.
Minor Pure Divine Art.
As the relentless enemy horde tilted the battle, Emei's nuns bit their lips and, spurred by Elder Sohye's cry, fully circulated their inner energy.
Perhaps thanks to that.
Golden light infused their Anti-Demon Coiling Dragon Formation, whipping dharma power into a frenzy.
Their momentum now rivaled the encircling Evil-Black Alliance forces.
At that moment.
Stab!
A chilling sound came from right behind Elder Sohye.
The sound of flesh pierced.
Startled, Elder Sohye whipped her head around.
Her face twisted in shock and rage at the sight.
"Seoryeong...!"
A sword blade protruded from the abdomen of Wi Seoryeong, one of Emei's disciples.
A fatal wound from which she could not escape death.
"Cough, cough. E-Elder Sister..."
As Wi Seoryeong vomited blood and spoke.
"Persistent life force."
The man who had impaled her abdomen emotionlessly dragged the protruding blade sideways.
Splatter!
Blood sprayed, and Wi Seoryeong collapsed.
A scene in the blink of an eye.
"Junior Sister!"
"Martial Sister!"
The other Emei disciples finally grasped the situation and swung their swords.
Chaotic Storm Sword Art.
Swift, flashy swordplay lashed out as if to shred the culprit into pieces.
But.
Flash!
The man unleashed an even fiercer sword strike.
An incomparable slash.
Five instantaneous strikes scattered black lightfoot energy, clashing with the Emei disciples' swords.
Craaaang!
The Emei disciples were repelled.
Their swords shattered, fragments flying everywhere, and some clutched their chests as if suffering internal injuries, retreating.
The man glanced at them before raising his sword once more.
And slashed sideways.
Slice! Slice!
Thin red lines appeared on the necks of the retreating Emei disciples.
Their heads fell soon after.
Tangible black sword qi had severed their lives in one stroke.
In no time, the six Emei disciples around him had become corpses.
A massacre in the shortest span.
"You fiend!"
Elder Sohye kicked off the ground.
Her Buddha Soul Bael Leaf Art inner energy, thick with fury, exploded from her soles.
Shadow Glide Divine Change footwork activated.
Her figure vanished as if shrinking space, hurtling toward the man at blinding speed.
Ten zhang, five zhang, one zhang...
Instantly, she was upon him.
Elder Sohye fully opened her right palm, channeling all her Buddha Soul Bael Leaf Art energy into it.
Humm.
Majestic dharma power gathered in her palm.
No-Self Divine Palm.
As her palm thrust straight forward.
"You let your guard down."
A voice came from behind her.
And simultaneously.
Slice!
Her right hand soared into the sky.
"Elder Sister!"
"E-Elder!"
The onlookers' eyes bulged.
A red-clad elder had appeared behind Elder Sohye, sickle in hand.
The elder smirked at the black-clad man.
"Nice provocation. Ghost Shadow Leader."
The man called Ghost Shadow Leader grinned back.
"Heh, I didn't expect her to show such a huge opening."
"Isn't it because her love for her disciples is excessive?"
As Elder Sohye glared furiously amid their mocking exchange and extended her left hand.
But.
Tap!
The elder lightly leaped back, evading.
"One must always keep reason cold, yet you still don't understand."
As Elder Sohye gritted her teeth to stem the bleeding by pressing her acupoints.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Ghost Shadow Leader charged.
His sword swung at Elder Sohye's neck reached striking distance.
Swoooosh—
Ghost Shadow Leader flinched.
The sudden plum blossom scent tickled his nose.
'C-Could it be...?'
The moment he widened his eyes.
Splatter!
A long diagonal gash from his shoulder to waist.
Blood bloomed like petals.
And behind him.
A young man stood, sword lowered.
Elder Sohye and the nuns gaped at his figure.
"Plum Blossom Sword Expert!"
"Young Hero!"