Chapter 289
Chapter 289
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 292
Chapter Title: Standing Firm at the South Gate
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Family Head Namgung Jangcheon trampled over the surging enemies and advanced forward.
Evil faction warriors filled the south gate of Hefei, swarming endlessly like crashing waves.
Screeeeech!
Bwooooo!
Horn signals echoed repeatedly.
Amid the chaotic melee, urgent reports came flying in from all directions.
“Family Head! The east gate has been breached!”
“The outer forces have been annihilated!”
“Blood Cloud Guard is heading toward the east gate!”
“Requesting reinforcements, Family Head! Thunder Dragon Squad is requesting support!”
“Requesting reinforcements!”
It was a desperate situation.
The troops deployed throughout Hefei had suffered defeat after defeat.
Fires raging in the distance looked like their very screams.
The momentum of the evil faction horde charging past the south gate was as ferocious as an angry blaze.
At the same time, urgent dispatches from every side announced that the Namgung Clan was surrounded on all fronts.
Chaos reigned.
The Namgung Clan seemed on the verge of collapse at any moment.
The enemies' sizes and numbers appeared exaggerated.
Knock one down, and three more attacked in its place. The screams of the Namgung clansmen overlapped in a cacophony.
The foes multiplied while allies dwindled.
Clear inferiority.
The casualties only continued to mount.
Each time a clansman or a warrior who had come to aid the Namgung Clan fell, a deep furrow formed between Family Head Namgung Jangcheon's brows.
The acrid stench of blood filled the air before the south gate.
‘All I can do now is give it my all in this moment.’
He had already done everything possible.
Now was the time to pour his soul into the situation right before his eyes.
If he trembled in fear, those under him would be gripped by terror.
Focus on the present.
That was the only way to save even one more life.
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon gripped his sword tightly.
‘I must stay calm.’
Right now, he needed to view the situation coldly and rationally.
It was then.
“Blood Ghost Sect advancing on the east gate has been annihilated!”
“White Tiger Squad is heading to the south gate!”
“Azure Dragon Squad is pursuing the fleeing enemies!”
“Reinforcements! Reinforcements are coming, Family Head!”
Reinforcements?
It was something he hadn’t even imagined.
He had thought they were barely holding on as it was, so reinforcements meant they had already repelled some of the enemy!
‘It’s the Thunder Dragon Squad!’
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon sensed it intuitively.
In a situation like this, the only ones who could create a turning point were Namgung Hyeok and the Thunder Dragon Squad.
And that Namgung Hyeok had created that turning point properly and was making things happen.
Clench!
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon raised his sword high as he glared at the enemy lines.
“Form the Great Celestial Palace Sword Formation!”
His cry, infused with inner energy, spread widely across the battlefield.
Namgung Clan warriors blocked the enemies, while the elites behind them formed the Great Celestial Palace Sword Formation.
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon stood at the forefront, barring the way.
The special forces were coming.
The real battle was only just beginning.
The stage was slowly taking shape, and he instinctively knew this war wouldn’t end in a single clash.
The fight had already devolved into a grueling slog through the mud.
In that muddy quagmire, what mattered was who endured more tenaciously and seized the initiative first.
And that beginning would happen right here at this south gate where he stood.
Taking one step forward, Family Head Namgung Jangcheon shouted.
“I, Celestial Palace Sword Namgung Jangcheon, will lead the charge! Let us show them the might of the Sovereign Sword House!”
Fierce lightning surged along Family Head Namgung Jangcheon’s sword, and his eyes glowed with blue light.
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon stepped forward with the Sovereign’s Dominion Step.
Boom!
The ground rumbled heavily.
“Slaughter any enemy that crosses the south gate!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Follow the Family Head!”
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon swung his sword toward the enemies surging over the south gate.
Sovereign Sword Form.
The lightning coursing over his shoulders surged to the sword tip, spewing forth blazing flames.
Swoooooosh!
KABOOM!
The sword qi of the Sovereign Sword Form cleaved through the enemies leaping over the south gate in an instant.
Ten warriors were caught in the sword qi, reduced to black ashes and scattered.
Splash!
“Arrrgh!”
“Gahh!”
“Push them back!”
“Sweep them away!”
Despite that overwhelming display, the enemies charged in even more furiously, as if enraged.
The Sovereign Sword Squad and Celestial Palace Sword Squad met the enemies first.
Clang! Boom!
The clash of metal rang out everywhere, followed by thunderous explosions.
Thunderclap Barrier Power surged in various spots.
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon confronted the onrushing foes.
He was like a lion without fear.
Slender in build, yet his presence exuded the aura to dominate the world.
One sword stroke.
One step.
Every movement sent shockwaves rippling, felling enemies.
Mount Tai does not shake.
A lion does not fear wolves.
It was the gait of a sovereign.
The sovereign’s sword crushed and subjugated the foes.
The sword qi, following the majestic path of the Sovereign Sword Form, swept through the enemies.
Heavy steps that pressed down on all sides.
No mere evil faction rabble could block that even heavier, more dignified sword.
Emboldened by Family Head Namgung Jangcheon’s divine presence, the Namgung Clan warriors pushed back fiercely against the enemies.
Clang!
The rigorously trained Celestial Palace Sword Formation shone.
Positioned according to the Five Elements, the Celestial Palace Sword Formation blocked the enemies’ assaults and struck back with lightning intensity.
Dozens of Celestial Palace Sword Formations attacked the foes like living entities.
Battle was momentum.
Having endured the initial clash, the Celestial Palace Sword Formations advanced, unleashing explosive offensives.
“You vermin won’t set even one foot into Hefei!”
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon’s lion’s roar shook the battlefield.
‘We can do this!’
They had seized the momentum.
Drive them back like this.
Then reposition and prepare again, and victory was possible.
“Charge!”
Family Head Namgung Jangcheon exuded an overwhelming presence as the Sovereign Sword Squad and Celestial Palace Sword Squad supported the flanks, toppling enemies.
They were the elites of the Namgung Clan.
There was an unbridgeable gap in martial prowess that the evil faction riffraff couldn’t overcome.
Moreover, the newly mastered Thunder Sword Seven Forms and Heavenly Thunder Single Sword unfolded from their hands, causing enemies to collapse in droves from their sharpness.
Purple blood sprayed as the evil faction horde, which had been surging over the south gate with gusto, panicked.
“Wh-what!”
“Arrrgh! My arm, my... gurk!”
“Wh-what the hell is this! Why are these bastards so strong?!”
“We have more heads! Push!”
“Don’t turn back! Forward, you bastards!”
“Arrrgh!”
The evil faction lines wavered amid rising chaos.
The evil faction warriors panicked at the fiercer-than-expected counterattack and the Namgung Clan warriors’ prowess, which exceeded the rumors.
The Namgung Clan’s organization, formations, and the experts’ strength surpassed their expectations.
The evil faction mob, flooding the south gate like a tidal wave, suddenly faltered and began to retreat.
They were overwhelmed by the momentum of the Namgung Clan and the Hefei sects.
In particular, those who saw Family Head Namgung Jangcheon radiating divine might from the vanguard couldn’t muster the courage to approach and lost heart.
Seeing the hesitating warriors, a look of admiration appeared on the face of Joo Hyeong-un, sect leader of the White Shadow Sect, one of Hefei’s Ten Great Sects.
The evil faction scum, who had seemed untouchable, were falling one by one.
‘So this is the Namgung Clan’s hidden strength!’
He keenly realized why the Namgung Clan was one of the Five Great Clans.
Their organization, individual prowess, and depth of martial arts were levels the Ten Great Sects of Hefei couldn’t hope to match.
Joo Hyeong-un understood why the Namgung Clan represented Anhui Province and what that signified.
“These worm-like evil faction scum! Fight! Protect Hefei!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Chaaaarge!”
The experts of Hefei’s mid-sized sects gritted their teeth and followed the Namgung Clan elites.
Gazing at Family Head Namgung Jangcheon’s back from afar, the Ten Great Sects advanced.
They felt chills watching Family Head Namgung Jangcheon and the Namgung Clan elites repel the evil faction horde.
We can win!
We can drive back the enemy!
With that single-minded resolve, they pressed forward.
Screams and shouts reached a fever pitch amid the melee.
Mu Kyung, stronghold leader of Ghost Cry Mountain Lodge and wielder of the Soul-Severing Sword, took in the sight of burning Hefei from a low hill.
His gaunt face and towering stature scanned the area with a chilling gaze.
“They’re being pushed back?”
Black Flame Lord, leader of the Black Flame Gang, chuckled as he flexed his twig-like hands.
Beside him, Fiery Blade Yeom Chung of Blood Cloud Guard sneered.
“Didn’t expect the riffraff to hold out in the first place.”
“Still, thought they’d seize some initiative. Didn’t expect them to be this pathetic? No wonder they can’t straighten their backs under the Orthodox Alliance’s pressure. Tsk tsk! Can’t even push back that much.”
“If numbers alone worked, they wouldn’t have been stuck south of the Yangtze all this time.”
“True enough.”
Black Flame Lord clicked his tongue with a sly chuckle.
“But the Namgung Clan bastards are holding up pretty well? Fighting better than the rumors. Their techniques seem a bit different too.”
“A carp is still a carp even rotten, a tiger still a tiger even toothless. You think the Namgung Family Head is just anyone? Thinking we could take him down from the start was insane.”
“Hmm, fair point. The Namgung Clan has been on a roll lately. Heh heh.”
Blood Rakshasa of Rakshasa Palace muttered.
“But getting pushed back this hard is weird. No word yet on Blood Ghost Sect reaching the east gate.”
“Hm?”
“Dragon Feather Squad’s joining up late too. No contact from those who should’ve already set foot in Hefei.”
“Hm? Ho Tae-gun that madman does whatever he wants, fine, but... this is really odd?”
Fiery Blade Yeom Chung tilted his head, and Black Flame Lord’s smirk faded slightly.
Thinking about it, it was suspicious.
The surroundings were far too quiet when Hefei should already be a smoldering ruin.
Their gazes turned to Soul-Severing Sword Mu Kyung.
Mu Kyung spoke as he gazed at Hefei engulfed in flames.
“Looks like they prepared a lot. The Namgung Clan is the Namgung Clan, after all.”
Yeom Chung turned his head.
“So what now?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Hm?”
“We’ll have to get our hands dirty.”
Mu Kyung lightly turned and slowly descended the low hill.
The evil faction leaders, eyeing each other warily, followed behind Mu Kyung.
“Who’ll step up first?”
“We drawing lots? Just wipe them all out together and be done with it.”
“Chance to behead the Celestial Palace Sword and gain fame—who wouldn’t want first dibs?”
At Mu Kyung’s words, Black Flame Lord, Yeom Chung, and Blood Rakshasa’s eyes gleamed.
Anyone overhearing would call them mad.
Even if they were top experts vying for supremacy in Fujian Province, they couldn’t speak of the Namgung Clan’s Family Head like he was a lamb to slaughter.
Even if opinions held that the Namgung Clan lagged behind the other Nine Great Clans, that was only compared to peers.
The baseline martial level difference between Fujian and Anhui was clear.
Moreover, Celestial Palace Sword Namgung Jangcheon was worthy of the title Anhui’s Supreme Sword.
Yet greed shone on the three men’s faces.
Breaking the Celestial Palace Sword would bring world-renowned fame and catch the Assembly’s eye.
Mu Kyung spoke first.
“If none of you will, I’ll take it. Otherwise, it goes to that lunatic from White Cloud Sword Wave. Decide quick.”
Black Flame Lord stepped forward with a grin.
“Yield to your little brother this once.”
“The Celestial Palace Sword’s just another meal for my blade.”
“I’ll do it.”
As they bickered, the three had already reached Hefei’s south gate.
Thud thud!
Behind them, elites from Ghost Cry Mountain Lodge, Black Flame Gang, Blood Cloud Guard, and Rakshasa Palace formed ranks.
Only two hundred in number, yet their aura overwhelmed the over two thousand warriors ahead.
Fiery Blade Yeom Chung grinned sinisterly.
His gaze turned toward Family Head Namgung Jangcheon and the elites sweeping through the evil faction mob.
The distance was a mere few dozen zhang.
“Whoever stands before him first takes his head.”
“Heh heh! Sounds good?”
“The one who kills the most gets to face the Celestial Palace Sword.”
The three exchanged glances and strode forward without waiting.
Experts from Black Flame Gang, Blood Cloud Guard, and Rakshasa Palace followed.
Soul-Severing Sword Mu Kyung watched them with arms crossed and a silent gaze.
The air grew thick with the scent of true war.