Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Storming the Overlord Sect
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Hamyang County's western outskirts.
On a quiet street devoid of government offices or pleasure houses, a massive building stood tall.
Three stories high.
The pristine structure, looking as if it had been built only recently, was none other than the Overlord Sect—the new power rising to prominence as Shaanxi's hegemon.
"It's chilly."
Jang Sam, one of the gate guards protecting the Overlord Sect's main entrance, muttered while rubbing his hands together.
"Hahaha, it's evening, after all."
Chuk Go, who was guarding the gate alongside him, chuckled as he spoke. Jang Sam shrugged.
A moment later, his eyes gleamed.
"But do you know what?"
Stopping his hand-rubbing, Jang Sam whispered with a grave expression.
"Word is, the Overlord Vanguard Squad that raided the North Wind Merchant Troupe has gone completely silent. It's causing a huge uproar."
"Uproar?"
Chuk Gang snickered.
"They're probably just wrapping things up and having a round of drinks. The Mount Tai Single Fist Squad Leader loves his liquor, after all."
"Hahaha, true... but..."
The two, who had been laughing and chatting, suddenly froze.
A presence was drawing closer from the darkness before their eyes.
Step— step—
The approaching shadow revealed itself in the light spilling from the Overlord Sect.
"Huh? Daoist robes?"
Jang Sam tilted his head.
In the five years he had served as a gate guard, not a single Daoist had ever come to the Overlord Sect.
'More importantly, do Daoists even wear robes that dark?'
Scanning the Daoist clad head to toe in unusual black and red hues, he cautiously addressed him.
"What brings you to our sect?"
"To see the sect leader."
His attitude and tone—utterly devoid of manners, as if he'd tossed all decorum aside—made the two bristle in anger.
"You ill-mannered cur!"
"How dare you speak of our sect leader...!"
The Daoist, Cheonhwi, gazed boredly at them as their faces flushed red with fury.
"Shut up. Is the sect leader inside or not?"
"You punk!"
"We'll teach you some manners!"
The moment the two drew their swords at his even ruder retort, with no hint of apology.
Kwaaaang!
A massive explosion erupted.
"Wh-what is that!"
"What's going on!"
The Overlord Sect disciples, asleep at this late hour, hurriedly donned their uniforms and rushed out of their rooms at the boom.
But they froze, dumbfounded by the scene before them.
"The main gate..."
The enormous gate that had guarded the Overlord Sect for twenty years lay completely shattered, kicking up clouds of dust.
Following that, a line of warriors appeared.
Numbering around sixty, they wore gray uniforms emblazoned with "中" (Central) on the chest.
The Overlord Central Squad—one of the sect's three elite military units—lined up in a wall-like formation upon arrival, ignoring the sect disciples.
A sharp-featured middle-aged man at the squad's forefront approached the gate.
The Blood Slaughter Blade Wanderer, who had once earned considerable fame as a blade guest in Shaanxi, frowned at the devastation.
"What in the world is this..."
At that moment.
Step— step—
Footsteps echoed.
Piercing the thickly settling dust, a figure emerged.
"Should've just answered."
Cheonhwi, who had obliterated the gate, locked eyes with the Blood Slaughter Blade Wanderer staring at him.
"For this place to dare call itself..."
Seeing the man's solemn expression, Cheonhwi felt he'd hit the mark and spoke up.
"Are you the sect leader here?"
The Blood Slaughter Blade Wanderer's eyebrows shot up.
"You bastard! How insolent! You're not worthy to meet him!"
"Fine, not you then."
Cheonhwi brushed right past him.
"You dare!"
As the enraged Blood Slaughter reached for his blade.
Whoosh—
Cheonhwi's fist whipped out far faster, smashing into his face.
Puk!
"Guk!"
The Blood Slaughter Blade Wanderer's head snapped around.
Struck dead center, perhaps.
His body gradually crumpled. He dropped to his knees, then collapsed limply to the ground.
Gurgle—
His fallen face was a wreck.
His nasal bones had shattered and caved in, teeth clattering to the floor.
"Sq-Squad Leader?"
While the Central Squad members recoiled in shock that their leader was the one spilling blood, the situation reversed.
Step— step—
Cheonhwi lightly stepped over the fallen Blood Slaughter and strode into the Overlord Sect grounds.
The squad members, snapping out of their shock, flew into rage.
"This punk hit our squad leader!"
"You son of a bitch!"
Seeing Cheonhwi desecrate their leader, the squad members drew blades and swords without regard for order, stomping forward.
Tadak!
Cheonhwi eyed them charging with curses and kicked up the sword dropped by the Blood Slaughter Blade Wanderer.
Whoosh!
He then snatched the airborne blade.
After this near-miraculous sequence of actions, he instantly surged his Plum Blossom Divine Art internal energy into the sword.
At that instant, an astonishing change occurred.
Crack!
Unable to withstand the influx of Plum Blossom Divine Art energy, ominous cracks spiderwebbed across the blade.
In the end, the sword couldn't endure the energy.
Kwaaang!
It exploded with a boom.
"Wh-what is this!"
"...!"
The Central Squad members panicked as the shattered blade fragments shot out like hidden weapons.
Some turned to flee.
Some raised their weapons to block.
But before they could react.
Puk puk puk!
The fragments tore through them.
Faster than they could turn tail, the shards pierced their bodies, shattering the weapons raised to defend.
"Ku, kuhek."
"Kwaaak!"
Screams erupted in an instant.
But the cries didn't last long, quickly fading.
In their place rose only faint groans and desperate pleas for mercy.
"This is pretty good. Perfect for dealing with small fry like these."
Cheonhwi tossed aside the hilt—its blade gone—and surveyed his surroundings.
It had ended in a flash.
Two-thirds of the Central Squad perished instantly to the fragments, without even time to feel pain.
Did that mean the remaining third were fine?
No.
They had barely survived, but their conditions foretold either imminent death or a lifetime as cripples.
Shiver—
The Overlord Sect disciples trembled in horror at the hellscape before them.
"Th-this is what..."
They stared in disbelief, faces frozen in terror at the incomprehensible scene.
It had taken mere split seconds.
From the young Daoist kicking up the sword to this carnage unfolding.
At that moment, Cheonhwi turned his head.
"Where's the sect leader?"
The Overlord Sect disciples gulped in unison.
Words that would have enraged them moments ago now left them paralyzed, having glimpsed his divine might.
Cheonhwi narrowed his eyes at them.
"Hmm, you're not all mutes."
Muttering to himself, he stomped the ground.
Whoosh!
His figure vanished.
In the next instant, Cheonhwi burrowed into the midst of the lined-up Central Squad survivors.
"...!"
The moment one squad member belatedly spotted Cheonhwi and bulged his eyes.
Grab—
Cheonhwi seized his face.
He then slowly tightened his grip on the man's face.
"Kwaaaak!"
Cheonhwi nodded at the screaming man and released his grip.
Staring straight into the man's terrified eyes, he mouthed.
"Where's the sect leader, I said."
"I-inside..."
The instant he got his answer, Cheonhwi reapplied force to his fingers.
Kwajik!
"Inside, huh?"
Muttering, Cheonhwi tossed the corpse aside and looked up at the Overlord Sect's main hall.
Meanwhile, nearby sect disciples who had been holding their breath slunk backward.
Cheonhwi beckoned with his chin.
Those attempting to flee forced awkward smiles as he eyed them.
"Where you going?"
Cheonhwi's hands moved.
Kwajik! Puk!
A one-sided slaughter unfolded.
The sect disciples shuddered, witnessing his unrelenting brutality.
"You filthy dog!"
"You dare call yourself a Daoist?"
"A Daoist with such savage hands!"
Cheonhwi gave them an incredulous look as they hurled words at him.
Gaining momentum, one disciple pointed accusingly and shouted.
"If word of this gets out, you'll be excommunicated... Kwaaaak!"
Crack crack!
Cheonhwi snapped his fingers.
"Who told you to point?"
He then gripped the man's throat and hoisted him up. The throttled man paled at Cheonhwi's abyss-deep eyes and yelled.
"D-do you think the orthodox sects will let atrocities like this slide!"
"Yeah?"
Cheonhwi tightened his grip.
Crack!
The man's neck bone shattered in an instant. His body went limp in death.
Cheonhwi tossed the corpse aside and warned the watching Overlord Sect disciples.
"Then I'll just kill all of you. No one will know it was me then. Right?"
The disciples' faces drained to ashen pallor.
This wasn't a Daoist.
He didn't care for the orthodox sects, but even they had lines they wouldn't cross.
But what was this?
No lines at all—just acting on whim.
Not even the unorthodox went this far.
At that moment.
Kkiiik—
A middle-aged man with a stylish mustache emerged from between the open doors.
Sturdy frame and confident expression.
As Cheonhwi regarded the boldly appearing man, he twisted one corner of his mouth.
"You're the sect leader?"