Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Blood Shadow
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Blood Shadow furrowed his brow, his face twisting in displeasure.
“What happened!”
“We’re under attack!”
“Attack?!”
“They burst in out of nowhere—we’re still figuring out who they are!”
The commotion echoing from the secret cave’s entrance left Blood Shadow visibly rattled.
Explosions and crashes rang in his ears, mingled with the pained groans of his subordinates.
The fierce aura pressing in from deep within the cave made his pupils tremble.
‘No way the Peng Clan found us, right?’
It had been nearly three years of lying low in Hebei Province, painstakingly searching for this secret cave.
Over those three years, they’d crept around under the Peng Clan’s nose to pinpoint its location, slowly excavating until they’d only recently begun serious digging.
Even the Assembly was paying close attention to this mission, so he knew full well how critical it was.
And yet, the Peng Clan—who’d been dead silent until now—suddenly barging in?
‘No, that can’t be. It just can’t.’
If the Peng Clan got involved, everything would spiral out of control.
Worse, they could lose the cave entirely to those bastards.
The thought of handing over a feast to dogs after all their work made Blood Shadow’s eyes flicker with unease.
‘If we just pull out the item from the cave, we’re done!’
One more step, and they’d claim the reward for all those years. He absolutely couldn’t let the Peng Clan snatch it away now.
Killing intent gathered in Blood Shadow’s eyes.
“How many are there?”
“About thirty, from what we can tell!”
“Thirty? That’s it?”
Relief washed over him at the smaller-than-expected number, but questions lingered.
If the Peng Clan knew about the cave—or even just him and his men—they’d never send so few warriors. They couldn’t afford to let any slip away.
Relief turned to rage toward the intruders.
‘Wipe them out quick and get out of here.’
Blood Shadow spoke in a cold voice.
“Take three squads and clear them out.”
“Yes!”
The subordinate answered and rushed toward the cave entrance.
Blood Shadow gestured to the men remaining in the cave.
“Ignore the rest. Secure the item first.”
“Yes!”
With curt replies, the subordinates sprang into action.
As Blood Shadow glared irritably toward the intruders’ direction,
Ku-uuuung.
“Hm?”
A low but heavy vibration rumbled from afar, lightly shaking the ground beneath his feet.
Dust billowed from the spot where his subordinate had just exited.
Blood Shadow’s eyes narrowed.
No sooner had the tremor faded than a tidal wave of ferocious aura surged in from the distance.
It resembled the intense, domineering energy unique to the Peng Clan warriors—but felt utterly different.
Far more violent, laced with deeper power.
‘If it’s not the Peng Clan, then who…?’
If not them, who else could know about this cave?
Was there anyone like that in Hebei Province?
Ku-uuuung!
Another heavy rumble erupted.
Even more massive than the first.
Pussssh!
Rocks and dust rained from the ceiling with tremendous force.
“Ugh!”
A groan escaped through Blood Shadow’s clenched teeth.
Before it even faded,
Ku-uuu-uuung—!
The impact felt like the earth itself was collapsing, shaking Blood Shadow’s stance.
Had they planted heavenly thunder or something?
For the shock to reach this deep into the cave!
Deep furrows creased Blood Shadow’s brow.
Who the hell was it?
Who was after the cave?
After three years of searching and months of digging like moles, who the hell was crashing in now?
With this monstrous force?
Had they already wiped out all his men outside?
Ku-ung! Ku-ung! Ku-uuuung!
The sporadic blasts grew fiercer, drawing ever closer.
“Grraaah!”
“Uuuugh!”
“Ugh!”
Overlapping groans of agony fueled Blood Shadow’s growing anxiety.
He couldn’t grasp what was happening out there.
“Everyone, hold.”
At Blood Shadow’s low command, his men set down their loads and quietly drew weapons from their belts.
Sring!
The black-clad men tensed at the explosions outside, building their energy.
Ku-ung—! Ku-ung—! Ku-uuu-uung—!
The blasts were nearly upon them now.
Blood Shadow’s eyebrows twitched.
A brief silence descended, thick tension filling the cave.
* * *
“You mangy dogs! What the hell have you done to my burrow!”
Nangong Hyeok rolled his eyes at the burrow entrance, now gouged out to the size of a man.
“Get out! Come on, you bastards!”
He drew his sword at the entrance and unleashed lightning on the charging foes.
Kwarrrrng! Kwaaaang!
The Heavenly Sky Bright King Art spun fiercely, sending terrifying bolts erupting from Nangong Hyeok’s blade.
“Kraaaagh!”
“Gaaack!”
Nangong Hyeok cleaved through the emerging foes one by one with the Triple Thunder Sword Technique.
‘How deep did these lunatics dig?!’
The entrance was wide enough to call a boulevard.
How much of that bastard Gongmok’s burrow had they torn up?
The thing should’ve been three or four paces across at most!
No clue how far they’d gone.
This wasn’t a hole dug in a day or two.
‘Did the bastards inside already grab it and run?’
Veins bulged on Nangong Hyeok’s forehead.
“What is this, an anthill? Why do you keep crawling out?!”
Kwaang! Kwaaaang! Kwarrrrng!
Nangong Hyeok swung his sword with full force.
The Triple Thunder Sword Technique unleashed devastating sword qi, slicing through the black-clad men.
Blue lightning flashed from the dark maw each time, shaking the burrow.
Nangong Hyeok bellowed over his shoulder.
“Hey! Block the entrance! Seal it off!”
His thunderous shout made the Thunder Dragon Squad, tangled with the black-clad foes, snap their heads up.
Geon Cheon-hwi shoved back a blade, face grimacing.
‘…What the hell is going on?’
They’d dug where told to dig, moved mountains where told to move—and now they’d run smack into black-clad assassins!
With twice as many on the enemy side.
‘Talk about rotten luck.’
Geon Cheon-hwi scowled and yelled.
“Fall back to the young master! Seal the entrance!”
As he shouted, Tak Hyeok-dong and Jang Ung took positions, forming the Demon Valley Linked Chain Formation with him.
The scattered Thunder Dragon Squad simultaneously arrayed into their own formations, bracing for the enemy.
They’d faced these black-clad killers brutally at the Harmony Alliance.
They knew all too well that a moment’s lapse meant death, so the three became one.
Regulating breaths and channeling the Ten Thunders Technique, a strange energy flow formed around them.
Tak Hyeok-dong stepped forward, swinging his axe with a mighty cry.
“Hraaaah!”
Kwarrrrng!
With a thunderclap, the assailant clashing against the Demon Valley Linked Chain Formation flew back.
“Gaaack!”
The foe recoiled in shock at the Great Power Sevenfold bolstered by the formation’s inner power.
“Hiaaaah!”
Tak Hyeok-dong roared at the top of his lungs, swinging his axe again.
Lightning crackled with each swing, thunder booming.
The force from the axe tore the air, crashing down on the assailants.
Kung! Kwarrrrng!
Immense power!
But the foes weren’t pushovers.
Recovering quickly, they formed their own lines and clashed against Tak Hyeok-dong’s axe.
Kwang! Kwarung!
Sword qi and blade energy from all sides pressed him hard.
“Hup! Switch, hup hup! Switch, damn it!”
Tak Hyeok-dong sucked in breaths, yelling desperately.
Even deflecting and repelling attacks with the formation’s arts, scratches kept appearing on his body.
“Tak Hyeok-dong, don’t retreat—advance!”
“You want me to die?!”
“Advance!”
“Damn it all!”
Tak Hyeok-dong ground his teeth and swung his axe, pushing forward.
As he held the front, Geon Cheon-hwi struck the enemies’ flank.
His heavy, swift Thunder Dragon Ten Steps drove them back.
Skaaaang! Kaaang!
“Gaaack!”
“Urgh!”
The formation’s Absorption Stance activated alongside.
“Hm?!”
“Hup!”
The black-clad men targeting Tak Hyeok-dong’s vitals faltered in confusion.
A sudden powerful suction from Geon Cheon-hwi’s blade had twisted their attacks’ paths.
In that instant, the lurking Jang Ung lunged.
Swaak! Skakakak!
His hands shot up from below like lightning.
Twin blades pierced a dozen holes in the black-clad man’s body in a flash.
“Cough, cough!”
Jang Ung finished the blitz and retreated into the formation.
The black-clad foes hesitated from the unseen strike, allowing Geon Cheon-hwi and the others to tighten their Demon Valley Linked Chain Formation.
Geon Cheon-hwi felt sweat trickling down his forehead and rolled his eyes.
“We break left.”
“Hell no. We came to dig, and now this shitshow? Why are these bastards even here?”
“Head straight to the burrow.”
“Exactly! Why are they in Gongmok’s bur—Formation! You hearing me?!”
“Move!”
“How? There’s too many!”
Ignoring Tak Hyeok-dong, Geon Cheon-hwi dashed toward the burrow.
Nangong Hyeok’s orders came first, no matter what.
Seal the entrance somehow—that was Geon Cheon-hwi’s top priority.
“What the—?!”
Tak Hyeok-dong chased after Geon Cheon-hwi, who’d ditched him, unleashing his movement technique in a panic.
“You insane bastards!!”
Tak Hyeok-dong gawked at the foes swarming from all sides, hacking wildly with his axe.
Meanwhile, as the Thunder Dragon Squad clashed noisily with the black-clad men at the rear, Nangong Hyeok charged madly into the burrow.
Kwaang! Kwaang!
Triple Thunder Sword Technique rained down on the black-clad men pouring out.
Blue lightning struck with each blow, shaking the burrow and scattering dust.
Flames sparked in his eyes.
Each foe emerging felt like another handful of Gongmok’s treasures—his treasures—vanishing.
Nangong Hyeok rolled his eyes.
“Out of my waaay! Don’t touch my stuff!!”
He battered the black-clad men aside and barreled forward.
Pajijijik! Kururrung!
Lightning rippled over his shoulder, flashing wildly.
The black-clad men were no match for Nangong Hyeok.
Even his casual swings instinctively unleashed insights from his Peerless Tyrant days, when he’d dominated the world.
He shoved the assailants aside relentlessly and plunged deeper.
The further in, the more his jaw dropped at the massive scale.
The burrow expanded steadily ahead, revealing a vast cavern too huge to take in at a glance.
“What the hell is this?”
Why so damn big?
Nangong Hyeok battered charging foes left and right, eyes widening at the burrow’s insane size.
His gaze swept the cavern wall and paused.
Wait—what?
That’s Gongmok’s mark?
A dragon head pointed like an arrow in one direction.
Nangong Hyeok grabbed a foe dropping from the ceiling by the scruff, rammed his sword into its gut in one motion, and tossed it away like trash.
His eyes followed the dragon head’s direction.
About 108 paces ahead loomed another huge cavern.
And smack in its center, a boulder blocked the way.
Suspicious as hell—anyone could tell something was behind it.
Between stalactites from the ceiling and stalagmites from the floor.
Like a dragon’s maw with a jewel yanked out, the boulder sat there plumply. Nangong Hyeok’s lips twitched.
“…Gongmok, you old bastard, went out with a bang, huh?”
Ha, hahaha!
Really dolled up your final act?
Nangong Hyeok chuckled dryly and leaped toward the jewel-like boulder.
Pajijijijik!
Blue lightning flashed from his sword.
Kwarrrrrrung!
Bolts hammered the rock, shattering it to pieces.
Kwaaaaaang!
“Kraaaagh!”
“Gaaack!”
Screams echoed from the black-clad men waiting inside.
Nangong Hyeok’s eyes blazed as he leaped into the inner cave.
“Come out, you thieving bastards!”
To him now, the black-clad men were nothing but thieves eyeing his property—nothing more, nothing less.