Chapter 333
Chapter 333
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 333
Chapter Title: The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal Appears
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The dawn sunlight that had been shining down scattered finely.
And beneath that scattering light, a sudden silence descended.
Everyone had lost their words.
"......"
A single youth who had appeared out of nowhere.
And the name uttered by the Jade Kirin.
Those two things halted the fierce battlefield time itself, freezing everyone in place for a moment.
But it was only for an instant.
"Ch-Cheonhwi......?"
"......The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal!"
The silence shattered with someone's sudden shout, and chaos erupted.
The clamor grew even louder than before in an instant.
"Th-that kid is the master who routed the Bandit King and the Immortal Cult Leader?!"
"He defeated transcendent demonic experts at such a young age?"
"Even for the world's greatest prodigy, it's an absurd feat, but he's even younger than I imagined......"
Gasps mixed with murmurs of astonishment poured out from all directions, unleashing waves of intense emotion.
In a way, it was only natural.
In the martial world, prowess and fame took precedence above all else.
And in the current martial world, the existence known as the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal had displayed overwhelming might, rising to fame faster and greater than anyone else.
"......Gulp."
The group battling the Heavenly Justice Division hesitated and began to retreat slightly.
Over a hundred men moved in unison.
They were overwhelmed by the title "Plum Blossom Sword Immortal" that was shaking the martial world.
"You've avoided a fatal wound."
Meanwhile, ignoring all those gazes, Cheonhwi looked at the Jade Kirin's abdomen and murmured.
Blood was dripping steadily, but it wasn't a mortal injury on the brink of death.
"That was close."
The Jade Kirin chuckled softly.
With Cheonhwi's arrival, he seemed to regain his composure, looking much more at ease.
"More importantly, who are those two?"
Cheonhwi lifted his head and asked.
"Pa Geom-gun, leader of the Cleaving Blades Hall, and the gate master of the Ten Thousand Longevity Gate, the Twin Hands Master."
The Jade Kirin took a breath and answered.
"What? The Ten Thousand Longevity Gate Master?"
Cheonhwi tilted his head.
It was truly strange.
Just a few days ago, the Ten Thousand Longevity Gate had been on the verge of being attacked by the Nangong family. Yet the gate master was here? And not just as part of the Evil-Black Alliance forces?
As Cheonhwi pondered the question, he soon let out a smirk.
He had a rough idea now.
'So that's how it is.'
Meanwhile, Pa Geom-gun, who had been staring at the youth standing calmly over the rippling stream, furrowed his brow deeply.
"That kid is the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal......?"
He muttered under his breath.
His eyes darkened intensely. Tension gripped his body.
It was only natural.
From the moment he heard the footsteps until now, standing on the water with mysterious steps, the youth's presence had been stimulating him constantly.
'......A master.'
As his warrior's instinct told him so.
"Plum Blossom Sword Immortal? Hah. They're pulling out every trick to turn the tide when they're outnumbered."
A voice laced with laughter echoed.
It came from right beside him.
The Ten Thousand Longevity Gate Master regarded Cheonhwi with cold eyes, exuding a formidable aura.
Woooong—
The air trembled, and the stream churned.
It was the result of the unique heart method passed down through generations in the Ten Thousand Longevity Gate, the Evil-Warding Fullness Art, flowing through his meridians.
He knew full well that the youth ahead was a master.
The pressure bearing down on his entire body right now was proof enough.
But the gate master did not take the Jade Kirin's words at face value.
He thought it was a ruse.
"I heard the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal is a Daoist of the Mount Hua Sect. So where's your Daoist robe, and why are you dressed like that?"
His voice rippled out, spreading across the battlefield. He had intentionally infused it with internal energy.
At his words, the unorthodox fighters who had hesitated and fallen back widened their eyes.
"Now that you mention it, why is he wearing those martial robes......?"
"If he's a Daoist of Mount Hua, he should be in his robes no matter the situation, right?"
The gate master smirked as he saw the fighters beginning to harbor doubts.
His eyes gleamed sharply.
'In war, morale is key.'
Right now, he—no, the Ten Thousand Longevity Gate—had reached a cliff's edge where retreat was no longer possible.
The Nangong family was pursuing from behind, and ahead lay the inescapable Murim Alliance detachment.
Of course, neither the Jade Kirin nor the Heavenly Justice Division intended to engage the Ten Thousand Longevity Gate, but he had no way of knowing that.
And to him, the Murim Alliance's junior-led detachment seemed a more manageable foe than the vengeance-fueled Nangong family.
In this situation, as they fled with their disciples' morale waning, he sought the best way to reignite it.
'If we kill these guys and reach Mu-hyeol......'
The gate master recalled the messenger pigeon sent from the Evil-Black Alliance a few days prior.
'Windly and the Black Ghost Unit are there!'
Windly, one of the Seven Wonders.
And the Black Ghost Unit, one of the Evil-Black Alliance's three elite units, possessed power rivaling a great sect.
If they could just reach them, even the Nangong family would have to yield ground.
'Once we pass this point, we're safe!'
With his thoughts settled, his mouth opened.
"It looks like you're trying to pass off that fool as the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal to escape this crisis."
His voice, infused with sinister morale-boosting intent, spread powerfully.
"You think it'll go your way?"
As he glared alternately at Cheonhwi and the Jade Kirin with conviction and spat his words.
"Almost fell for it."
"They said the Jade Kirin was a model of the righteous sects, but his cunning tricks rival the unorthodox."
"No wonder it felt off. The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal shows up at the perfect moment."
"And alone, too. Didn't they say he was leading one of the detachments?"
The unorthodox fighters reignited their morale and glared at the Heavenly Justice Division, who were catching their breath.
'Just as planned.'
As the gate master nodded in satisfaction.
"Believe it or not, do whatever you want."
Cheonhwi said nonchalantly.
'Making a fuss over a mere title.'
Unlike others, Cheonhwi didn't take titles all that seriously.
He treated them as mere rumors floating around.
'What matters is the prowess you witness firsthand.'
The gate master laughed at his response.
"Hah, caught out, so you're trying to change the subject......"
Convinced his judgment was correct, he blabbered on excitedly when.
"You're all going to die anyway."
A chilling voice cut him off.
"What did you say?"
The gate master scowled.
But soon, he had to swallow hard.
Cheonhwi, with a dizzying smile on his lips, was already standing with his sword drawn.
Intangible energy emanated from his entire body.
The profound energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art rapidly circulated through his major meridians, materializing and manifesting visibly.
Whiiiish—
His long black robe fluttered slightly, and a gentle breeze stirred at his feet.
Centered on him standing atop the water, ripples spread outward in concentric circles.
He looked like an immortal descending from the mountains.
Seeing this, the gate master and Pa Geom-gun involuntarily stiffened.
In that instant, the dawn light wavered.
The energy waves from the opponent's body had distorted the space.
Proof of superior internal energy cultivation.
"......Extraordinary."
Pa Geom-gun muttered.
Sweat drenched the hand gripping his sword hilt.
In that single moment, he had gauged the opponent's prowess from the energy displayed.
"We need to attack together."
The gate master said urgently.
Pa Geom-gun nodded.
Normally, he would refuse joint attacks, but the opponent now was no good.
"I'll take the left."
Pa Geom-gun muttered lowly as he sheathed his sword, Annihilation, back into its scabbard.
Then, drawing up his Annihilation Energy, he contracted his meridians and slowly raised the sheathed sword.
Ready to strike at any moment.
"Huu."
Regulating his breath, his eyes sharpened like a blade.
Just like the sword hidden in the scabbard, Annihilation.
'Everything in one strike.'
Monstrous energy flowed from his right hand gripping the sword hilt, stimulating the meridians in his forearm and contracting the muscles.
Then, he tensed his toes.
For the swift sword that would erupt with his footwork.
To stake everything on that one strike.
From the gate master's grip beside him, subtle energy spread in all directions.
The power of the Evil-Warding Fullness Art.
Fwaaaah!
In response, intangible energy surged skyward from Cheonhwi's body, dominating the streamside. The energy waves churned the water, transmitting to the two in an instant.
'Such energy!'
'Gasp!'
As the two looked at Cheonhwi in shock.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Cheonhwi's figure vanished.
Water droplets splashed from where he had been, creating ripples.
Small ripples at first.
But they soon swelled into waves, sending the stream's current surging upward.
Splitting the stream in two.
'Here it comes!'
Pa Geom-gun erupted his energy.
A faint presence felt through the waves was invading his domain.
Extremely fast speed.
'Air-Splitting Annihilation.'
His left foot, prepared with a single stance, stomped forward with ferocious energy.
Craaack!
As his leather shoe crushed the streambed mud, sinking to his ankle in an instant, the sword he gripped, Annihilation, was drawn from its scabbard in a flash, slicing through the air.
It was a split second.
The surging stream water was sucked into his swift sword, tracing a fierce trajectory.
The water instantly swirled into a vortex.
Then, the Air-Splitting Annihilation, wrapped in waves, shattered the air and shot forward.
Toward the presence right before him!
Kwaaaang!
The clash's aftermath engulfed the surroundings.
Mud and water rose like a tsunami, scattering around the stream banks.
And at the center of that storm.
"Th-this......"
Pa Geom-gun couldn't hide his shock.
His heart was precisely pierced.
He hadn't seen how the sword swung or how the opponent moved.
All he could do was glare at Cheonhwi, who had appeared before him.
At that moment.
Whirrl!
Cheonhwi spun his body.
Sensing the gate master charging from the side with his senses, he raised his sword.
His long robe billowed dramatically.
Pa Geom-gun found the robe obscuring his vision annoying.
And that was his final thought.
Slash!
The sword, after a single rotation that cleaved Pa Geom-gun's heart, drew a long, elegant arc toward the Twin Hands Master—who was unleashing twin palms from behind Cheonhwi.
Crimson followed the trajectory belatedly.
Right after.
Shwaaaah!
The ascending stream water poured down.
Like a waterfall.
Only after the water had fallen for a long while did the scene within reveal itself.
Cheonhwi stood with his sword lowered.
Despite the deluge, not a drop clung to his hair or robes.
Only from the sword he held, Blossoming Moon, did red water—blood—drip steadily.
The opponents were different.
Pa Geom-gun and the Twin Hands Master's bodies were half-submerged in the heaving stream.
Completely still.
Then, as red blood spread from their bodies amid the rippling water.
"G-Gate Master......!"
"The Twin Hands Master and Pa Geom-gun in a single strike!"
"Impossible!"
The unorthodox fighters were plunged into shock.
Pa Geom-gun and the Twin Hands Master were called hegemons of their peaks.
Yet even in joint attack, they became wretched corpses in one exchange.
It was strength on another level.
"U-ugh!"
"Run!"
The unorthodox fighters turned tail.
Pure instinct.
As they tried to flee.
"Heavenly Justice Division, pursue the enemies......"
The Jade Kirin, equally stunned, tried to issue urgent orders.
But before he could.
Pa pa bat!
Figures sprang up from all directions, surrounding the fleeing unorthodox fighters.
The dawn light at their backs.
Not a large number.
About forty in total.
Meager compared to the over a hundred unorthodox fighters.
But the unorthodox halted.
Their aura was no joke.
Then.
"Junior brother!"
A woman among them called out loudly.
Her archer's sleeves torn to bare her arms, she smiled brightly.
"I've brought everyone."
"You're quick."
Cheonhwi shook off Blossoming Moon indifferently.
Scarlet blood scattered into the water, reflecting faint sunlight atop it.
"Division leader."
The youth in scholar's robes beside her spoke coldly, eyes glinting.
A sword in his hand.
"Your orders."
His gaze turned to the unorthodox fighters.
Steeped in killing intent.
Cheonhwi looked at him, then slowly parted his lips.
"Take care of them all."