Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Shattering the Main Gate
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The heart of White Ghost Castle.
Sima Beonjeong looked up at the White Death God seated upon the jade throne at the end of the stairs, explaining their future plans.
"After toppling the North Wind Merchant Group, we must seize their dealings with the Ice Palace. Once we establish trade with the Ice Palace, the other unorthodox sects..."
Rumble―
At that moment, the chamber shook as if struck by an earthquake, dust cascading from above.
A faint explosion echoed from afar, and the White Death God's eyes turned icy cold.
His pure white pupils fixed on Sima Beonjeong.
"It seems noisy outside."
The voice emerging from the White Death God's red lips was chilling to the bone.
"I will investigate the situation and report back."
Sensing the White Death God's displeasure, Sima Beonjeong spoke urgently and rose to his feet.
'Normally, he would delegate to others and continue the discussion.'
Sima Beonjeong's expression darkened.
The long-prepared plot to annihilate Mount Hua had been thwarted time and again, leaving the White Death God like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
'All this time I've been soothing the castle lord's temper and keeping him in check...'
He hurriedly exited the chamber.
Creeeak―
Flanking the doors guarding the chamber stood two identical old men, like twins from head to toe, hands clasped behind their backs.
Thud.
As Sima Beonjeong emerged and the doors closed, he frowned and looked up.
"Elders."
Sima Beonjeong addressed the two enigmatic old men whom the White Death God called the Black-White Killing Ghosts, his lips moving.
"Just in case, please prepare for any contingencies."
The two showed no reaction whatsoever.
They simply stared into empty space, like stone statues guarding a temple.
Whoosh―
Deeming that sufficient, Sima Beonjeong turned on his heel.
'With those two guarding the door, this place should be secure...'
They had been like that since the first time he saw them.
Dazed, inscrutable gazes and actions and speech as if sharing a single mind.
Even now, with the commotion outside, they showed no interest.
From time immemorial, their sole purpose had been one thing.
To guard the door.
Step― step―
As Sima Beonjeong walked, he spoke.
"What is happening?"
"...Someone has smashed the main gate."
The reply from atop the roof furrowed Sima Beonjeong's brow deeply.
"Smashed the main gate...?"
His face hardened at the unexpected answer.
"To dare assault our castle!"
Sima Beonjeong's voice deepened.
"Is it the Murim Alliance? Or the Lowly Heaven Society? Or perhaps one of the other Six Emperor Gates?"
"It's... just one person."
"One person?"
Sima Beonjeong's eyebrow twitched.
"And this is the commotion it causes?"
"He shattered the gate without warning; we had no time to respond."
"...Fools."
Sima Beonjeong glared fiercely.
"Quickly assess the situation."
"Understood."
With those words, a creaking sound came from the roof, and they vanished.
"...Whoever this madman is, he's determined to die."
His pace quickened.
Having grasped the situation, he now had to resolve it.
Tat-tat―
His steps soon turned to a sprint. After traversing the long corridor, what he witnessed was a wall of people.
"Which bastard smashed the gate...?"
"What's going on?"
"They say the main gate is destroyed?"
"What a lunatic."
Listening to the warriors who had rushed out at the noise, Sima Beonjeong spoke.
"What are you all doing?"
"Gasp!"
"Strategist!"
"I asked what you're doing."
"Th-that bastard smashed our castle's main gate..."
"I'm asking why you're standing idle before an intruder!"
At Sima Beonjeong's rebuke, the warriors paled and averted their eyes.
"It's just..."
"Instead of talking, suppress the intruder!"
"Understood."
The warriors blocking the view like a wall hurriedly gripped their weapons and moved.
Soon, as they dispersed and the scene cleared, Sima Beonjeong was momentarily speechless.
The main gate, which had guarded White Ghost Castle like an iron fortress, lay in ruins.
"To smash our castle's gate alone—what a madman has appeared..."
Mid-sentence, Sima Beonjeong flinched.
Before the shattered gate stood a young man, expression relaxed despite the swarm of warriors before him.
Staring blankly at the youth, Sima Beonjeong suddenly broke into a cold sweat.
'Mount... Hua Sect?! Why Mount Hua? Don't tell me!'
His face chilled as he noted the plum blossom emblem on the youth's robes.
'Did the ambush fail again? We sent the Northern and Southern Lords, even the White Ghost Corps, and it still failed? Who stopped them? That youth? Or someone else?'
His mind raced, piecing together information, heat rising in his head.
Then the youth's lips parted.
"Hm, about five hundred, I suppose."
A calm, soft voice.
Yet it rang clearly in Sima Beonjeong's ears, despite the distance.
"Just as I heard."
His body trembled momentarily.
Unable to gauge the foe's strength without martial prowess, his keen instincts screamed warning.
The scent of death emanating from the youth.
Sima Beonjeong hardened his gaze and spoke.
"...Summon the Northern Lord and the Ghost Slayers."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cheonhwi eyed the warriors ahead.
The moment the gate shattered, ants poured from the pristine white castle.
Over three hundred at a glance.
Yet none uttered a word. They merely gripped their weapons and glared.
"A Daoist of Mount Hua Sect, I see."
A deep voice accompanied an elderly white-haired man stepping forward through the warriors.
"Do you know what you've done?"
"Smashed the gate."
"..."
The elder and warriors' faces hardened coldly at Cheonhwi's words, murderous intent rising.
A tense standoff.
Swish―
Just then, Hyeondo and Ha Ujin appeared with graceful aerial lightness skills.
"Planning to go alone?"
"It's dangerous to go alone."
Cheonhwi, not even glancing at the two who had aligned beside him, replied indifferently.
"Whether like this or that, we'll clash either way."
"You have companions."
The elder narrowed his eyes at the two Daoists who had displayed astonishing lightness skills.
"Mount Hua intends full war with our castle...? Mount Zhongnan Sect?!"
His eyes widened mid-sentence.
"...Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan joining hands? Is this the Murim Alliance's scheme?"
The elder quickly scanned the surroundings.
If Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan had allied, it was unlikely just these three had come to White Ghost Castle.
Seeing his glance, Cheonhwi smiled.
"Just the three of us."
"...You expect me to believe that?"
"Don't if you don't want to."
Hyeondo and Ha Ujin smirked.
The tension in the pair eased at Cheonhwi's tone.
"Mount Hua does not stoop to cowardice like you lot."
"Nor does Mount Zhongnan."
With those words, they drew their swords.
The air grew heavy.
Clang!
The warriors charged simultaneously.
Spears, swords, sabers, bizarre sickles, chains...
The mismatched weapons swung to claim the trio's lives.
Swish―
Cheonhwi lightly deflected the weapons targeting his vital points and extended his hand.
Boom! Boom!
With the sound of air bursting, the warriors' robes tore upon contact with his palm.
"I'll take the left."
"I'll handle the right."
Sensing they'd only hinder each other in close quarters, Hyeondo and Ha Ujin split to the flanks.
"Well, they won't die."
Glancing at them, Cheonhwi advanced, sweeping aside the charging warriors like fallen leaves in the wind.
Crack! Thud!
Cheonhwi's hands mercilessly pierced the White Ghost Castle warriors' abdomens, steadily severing their lifelines.
One, two, three...
As the number of warriors collapsing after charging surpassed fifty, none remained standing.
"Gurk―"
"Cough―"
The warriors, deeply internally injured by his empty-hand strikes, curled on the ground clutching their stomachs, vomiting blood and bile.
"Ugh."
"Noisy."
Cheonhwi trampled those writhing and groaning, gazing indifferently at the silent White Ghost Castle.
"Not coming all at once?"
Eying those yet to emerge from White Ghost Castle, Cheonhwi turned his gaze.
To his sides, Hyeondo and Ha Ujin unleashed their full prowess against the attackers.
Hyeondo's momentum was particularly fierce.
Fwoosh!
He channeled inner energy into his sword.
The thread-like energy coiled tightly around the blade, manifesting sword qi.
His eyes flashed.
The inner energy of Great Success Taeeul Miri Gong surged as if sensing his rage-filled heart.
Swish― swish―
Hyeondo's sword moved swiftly.
Too fast to follow with the eye, it left afterimages that multiplied into dozens.
It was the Plum Blossom Gradual Steps.
Slash!
The warriors charging at Hyeondo froze, then toppled.
"Today, I shall avenge my youngest martial brother."
Hyeondo looked down at the fallen warriors, eyes blazing with killing intent.
And with that, he rampaged.
Blood spraying from all directions.
Warriors collapsing with screams.
"With that face, it's quite intense."
Cheonhwi watched Hyeondo impassively.
Fierce-faced Hyeondo, unleashing merciless killing sword unchecked by fury, resembled a yaksha.
"Right?"
Cheonhwi turned his head and asked.
The man attempting a sneak attack on his unguarded form faltered at Cheonhwi's sudden gaze but swung his chain.
Whirl―
Seeing the ploy to loop the iron chain around his neck, Cheonhwi's hand moved.
"Gasp!"
The man swallowed hard upon seeing the swung chain caught in Cheonhwi's grasp.
Meeting the man's bewildered eyes, Cheonhwi wore a chilling smile.
Clang!
With force, the chain snapped.
He then infused inner energy into the half-chain in his hand and swung.
Crack! The man's forearm twisted grotesquely.
"Kaaack!"
With a scream.
Splatter!
The man's face shattered.
Cheonhwi tossed aside the chain smeared with brains and blood, turning his head.
The would-be ambushers froze.
Then.
"...Looks like that's truly all of them."
The white-haired elder reappeared.
"Th-Third Lord!"
At the grimacing elder's arrival, the ambushers' faces brightened.
"To attack White Ghost Castle with just three—utter madmen."
The elder straightened and declared.
Swish―
Cheonhwi regarded the elder.
Behind him, thirty men whirling chain-sickles glared murderously.
The elder bellowed at the warriors eyeing him hesitantly.
"You're in the way. If you don't want to get hurt loitering nearby, scram—all of you."
"Y-Yes, sir."
As they began fleeing at his shout, Cheonhwi's index finger rose smoothly.
Pierce! Pierce!
A gruesome sound rang out, and the fleeing men crumpled forward limply.
"What..."
The elder paled.
'What did he do?'
Then the finger pointed at the elder.
"...!"
The flustered elder shouted desperately.
"K-Kill him!"
At his command, they hurled their sickles.
The sickles sliced through the air toward Cheonhwi.
The moment they neared.
Shimmer―
Cheonhwi blurred and vanished.
"B-Body Shifting Illusion Stance?!"
As the elder cried in shock.
Thud! Thud!
His subordinates collapsed one by one beside him.
"Wh-when..."
The elder glanced sideways, then blanched at the sight of his palm.
Crunch!
Cheonhwi crushed the elder's skull in an instant and stepped toward White Ghost Castle.
"Guess I have to go in myself."