Chapter 277
Chapter 277
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 279
Chapter Title: White Cloud Sword Sect
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The White Cloud Sword Sect was a faction that had set up base on White Cloud Mountain in southern Jiangxi Province.
It had been rooted on White Cloud Mountain for over seventy years, its influence stretching beyond the mountain to the surrounding hundred li.
White Cloud Sword King Ho Tae-gun, the sect leader of the White Cloud Sword Sect, stared quietly ahead.
Before him, more than a dozen men knelt in a line.
"These are the bastards who were running wild around White Cloud Mountain?"
"Yes. These fools were brazenly playing bandits near White Cloud Mountain, so we dragged them in. They call themselves the Hyeongwang Gang and were stirring up all sorts of trash."
"Hmm, is that so?"
Ho Tae-gun eyed the kneeling men with bored indifference.
"What did you lot do?"
The one who seemed like their representative trembled violently as he answered.
"W-We were wrong! We're country hicks from Zhejiang Province who didn't know the White Cloud Sword Sect was here!"
"From Zhejiang Province?"
"Y-Yes!"
"Isn't that where the Black Dragon Sect used to be?"
"Y-Yes! That's right."
"But?"
"W-Well, the Nangong Clan wiped out the Black Dragon Sect and took over their turf, twisting up the back-alley rights we were managing..."
"You're spouting nonsense. In the end, you got pushed out of there and slunk over here, didn't you?"
"Y-Yes. P-Please spare us! We had no idea there was a massive sect like this here!"
Ho Tae-gun snorted derisively.
"You didn't even know our sect existed and pulled that crap?"
"W-Well... a man has to eat somehow..."
"Yes, eating is a vital matter."
At Ho Tae-gun's words, the Hyeongwang Gang members snapped their heads up brightly.
"Th-Thank you for sparing..."
"Feed them to the wild dogs. The wild dogs need to eat and live too."
"Wh-What..."
The Hyeongwang Gang glared at Ho Tae-gun with bulging eyes.
A mischievous smile curled at the corners of Ho Tae-gun's bored mouth.
The moment the Hyeongwang Gang sensed something amiss, the White Cloud Sword Sect warriors arrayed behind them charged forward.
Shiiiing! Thwack! Thud thud thud!
"Arrrgh!"
"Keurk!"
"Sp-Spare..."
In an instant, the Hyeongwang Gang warriors were subdued and dragged off, drenched in blood, by the White Cloud Sword Sect warriors.
Ho Tae-gun cackled as he eyed the blood-soaked floor.
The chief steward chuckled dryly.
"You must be bored."
"With the area all cleaned up, there's nothing left to do. That's why I'm even bothering with trash like them."
"Fair enough. Jiangxi Province has been too quiet lately. Meanwhile, Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces are in total uproar."
Ho Tae-gun yawned expansively.
"How idiotic were those Black Dragon Sect fools to get exterminated by the Nangong Clan in a single day?"
"All hot air, probably. The Black Dragon King was getting on my nerves with his obnoxious posturing anyway."
"True enough. What would a soft-rice eater like that know? Still, it's impressive the Nangong Clan swept out the Black Dragon Sect in one day and snatched their turf."
Ho Tae-gun grinned.
White Cloud Mountain lay hundreds of li from Hangzhou, but a massive unorthodox powerhouse had been right next door—no way they wouldn't hear the news.
Ho Tae-gun muttered as he roughly scratched his scruffy beard.
"For all the racket, things are awfully quiet around here."
"If the Nangong Clan expands its power in Zhejiang Province, won't they start meddling in Jiangxi too?"
"Exactly. That's the issue."
Ho Tae-gun spoke quietly.
"With the Nangong Clan kicking up such a fuss, why hasn't the Assembly sent word yet?"
"Hmm!"
"They should've lopped off their heads a hundred times over by now."
How many times had the Assembly tasted bitterness because the Nangong Clan stuck its nose in?
Yet for some reason, the Assembly showed no real response to the Nangong Clan.
'The others are probably in a frenzy already.'
Ho Tae-gun wore a meaningful expression.
"I can't figure out what the Assembly is thinking at all."
"...When the envoy arrives, why not sound out his intentions?"
"If I could do that, I'd have already."
"Hmm!"
The chief steward's face grew somber.
For Ho Tae-gun, the veritable king of White Cloud Mountain, to show such extreme wariness—it spoke volumes about the dread inspired by the Twelve Envoys.
It was then, as Ho Tae-gun gazed wordlessly at the sky.
Flutter flap!
With vigorous wingbeats, a black hawk descended before Ho Tae-gun.
"Hmm? Speak of the devil."
"Here."
The chief steward passed Ho Tae-gun the dispatch tied to the hawk's leg.
Ho Tae-gun took the letter and scanned it.
The chief steward asked cautiously.
"From the Assembly?"
Ho Tae-gun incinerated the letter with his qi and rose to his feet. Bloody killing intent blazed vividly in his eyes.
"Things are finally getting fun after so long."
"Hmm!"
"Assemble every warrior in the sect."
At the abrupt full mobilization order, the chief steward's eyes flew wide.
A smile spread across Ho Tae-gun's lips.
"It's time to march."
* * *
Screeeeech!
A hawk soaring mid-heaven cried out in a vast circle.
Warriors from Nanping's Ghost Sword Manor in Fujian Province crossed the Wuyi Mountains.
Under the pitch-black sky, torches flickered like suns along the range.
The flames, slithering like a serpent's body along the elongated Wuyi ridgeline, raced swiftly in one direction.
Where the fiery path through the mountains ended lay the border leading into Zhejiang Province.
With every torch flicker, killing intent beyond grim resolve shimmered on the warriors' faces.
In utter silence without a word, their breaths and rustling steps boomed like thunder.
Lurking in the oppressively heavy mood was a savagery poised to erupt at any moment.
The hawk in the night sky kept circling noisily, shattering the stillness.
It sounded just like a horn blast signaling the advance.
Greatly shaken were the two pairs of eyes secretly tailing the group from a nearby peak.
Having maxed out their inner sight to scrutinize the torchlit faces, they sucked in their breaths.
'Crazy!'
'Ghost Sword Manor. Soul-Seizing Sword Mu Kyung's there too!'
'Ghost Sword Manor's elites! What in the world?'
Two hundred Ghost Sword Manor warriors, plus Soul-Seizing Sword Mu Kyung, one of Fujian Province's Ten Great Masters.
The scale, aura, and atmosphere were far from ordinary.
The two Beggar Sect disciples from the Fujian sub-branch were thrown into panic.
Having rushed to the Wuyi Mountains on the Beggar Sect's alert, they couldn't hide their shock at the scene.
'They cross there, and it's Zhejiang Province?'
'They heading to war or what?'
'Hmm! Black Dragon Sect's already gone—don't tell me southern Zhejiang...?'
In that brief instant, wild speculations swirled through their minds.
Words crammed densely onto the notepad.
"Crazy..."
At his partner's shocked exclamation, the Beggar Sect disciple scribbling on the cloth hastily clamped his mouth shut.
He exhaled harshly.
'You mad bastard! Suicidal much?!'
'Th-There...'
'What about there!'
'It's growing.'
Far off along the ridgeline, torches flickered.
One by one, they multiplied exponentially, like wildfire leaping across the slopes.
Their eyes shook fiercely tracking the dancing flames.
As Zhejiang Province loomed near, their numbers swelled twofold in a flash.
'Qianyang Sect.'
'Why's Black Flame Gang...'
'Blood Cloud Escort Bureau!'
'Fujian sects, when?'
Each newly joined force they identified painted fresh horror and shock across the two Beggar Sect disciples' faces.
Those cresting the ridge toward Zhejiang Province were warriors from sects scattered across Fujian.
Easily approaching a thousand—an immense host.
All trudging toward Zhejiang Province while radiating killing intent left the pair with blood run cold.
Flustered as they were, the Beggar Sect disciples kept scribbling in the notepad.
After eyeing the Fujian warriors bound for Zhejiang Province, the two whipped around.
'Hurry, report it!'
This was intel that had to reach Beggar Sect headquarters.
Unto the hitherto tranquil Jiangnan martial world blew an untimely war cloud.
* * *
Sogeolgae slipped into the Beggar Sect's Hefei sub-branch in Anhui Province.
Worn straw mats sprawled wide beneath the ramshackle lean-to.
Sogeolgae flung himself onto the mats and rolled about.
"Uguuu! Been forever! Damn, this hits the spot."
Back at last in this reeking-of-human branch from that godforsaken Nangong Clan—life felt worth living again.
Less than half a year: round trips between Zhejiang and Sichuan weren't enough; he'd suffered in the Nangong Clan too. His whole body went limp and loose.
Writhing on the mat like a mangy stray, Sogeolgae abruptly shot his head up.
The Beggar Sect disciples eyeing the sudden intruder flinched.
Sogeolgae wiped his mouth and bellowed.
"Butcher a chicken! Chicken! No time like now to tear into one!"
"Eh? Yessir!"
"Faster! Booze too, one bottle!"
Sogeolgae's roar had a feast table laid in a blink.
Sogeolgae gulped down saliva, snatched a meaty drumstick, and tore in gluttonously.
Crunch crunch!
"Kyaaah! That's the stuff! Missed this flavor so bad! Chicken's prime torn by hardworking hands!"
The Beggar Sect disciples gulped enviously as they watched Sogeolgae rip into the bird, grease streaming down his hands.
"Hey, dig in, dig in!"
"Yessir, heh heh!"
Like they'd been waiting, the Beggar Sect disciples swarmed the chicken.
Crunch crunch!
Sogeolgae melted into bliss amid meat and booze.
'Beggars got it made? No hunger, easy living—that's the life.'
Damn right.
This leisurely bliss was precisely...
Flutter flap!
"Aw, fuck me—who sends a damn messenger pigeon now?"
"...A messenger pigeon just arrived?"
"Huh?"
Chicken in hand, Sogeolgae dumbly stared at the bird fluttering in through the gaping roof.
"Quit gawking, fucker. Want frying too?"
At Sogeolgae's offhand vibe, the three-knot beggar ventured carefully.
"Su-Sub-branch Leader. It's official dispatch."
"Official?"
"Yes."
"My gullet's the only official business right now. Liquor up, you louts!"
Gulp gulp!
Sogeolgae blew off the official dispatch and chugged the booze with relish.
No room in his eyes right now for any pigeon post.
After slaving to death under that bastard Nangong Hyeok till now, he craved this honeyed respite undisturbed.
Official dispatch flown in or not.
"Eat first, handle it after. Eat!"
Right—fuel up first!
Sogeolgae grinned and polished off the chicken.
Flutter flap!
Flutter flap!
Busy gnawing meat, Sogeolgae scowled.
"Oi, someone clip those pigeon wings! Fuckin' messenger birds flapping in..."
Irritably twisting his head, Sogeolgae's eyes grew rounder by the second.
Flutter flap flap! Flutter flap flap!
Dozens of pigeons poured through the holey ceiling from every which way into the branch.
"Wha—the fuck?"
"Official dispatch! Sub-branch Leader, official!"
"This one's official too!"
"Sub-branch Leader! Sub-branch Leader!"
The erstwhile quiet Hefei Beggar Sect branch devolved into pigeon pandemonium.
Beggars yanked letters from the birds in a frenzy and shoved them at Sogeolgae.
Sogeolgae's face went blank.
"Wh-What kinda clusterfuck is this?"
What in the world warranted flooding Hefei branch with this many dispatches?
Sogeolgae shook off his daze and frantically scanned them.
His pupils roiled like storm-tossed seas as he read.
Tremble tremble...
His dispatch-clutching hand quivered; his face drained ashen.
"What the..."
He stifled the groan-like mutter and reined in his breath.
His features set like stone.
He glared at the slack-jawed beggars and roared.
"Quit gawking like morons—move! Relay to nearby sub-branches now!"
He snatched up a few flown-in dispatches.
"Master! Get this to the Clan Leader! Hustle!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Move your asses!"
What dispatch dumps like thunderbolts!
Sogeolgae bundled letters and bolted upright.
One Beggar Sect disciple cried urgently.
"Su-Sub-branch Leader! Where to!"
"Nangong Clan! Heading there—route urgent relays through 'em!"
"Huh? Why there!"
Stone-faced, Sogeolgae gave no reply and bolted for the Nangong Clan at full-tilt Drunken Eight Immortals Steps.