Chapter 291
Chapter 291
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: White Cloud Sword King
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“Hueeek! Hueeek!”
Do Da-woong gritted his teeth and unleashed the “lightfoot technique” Namgung Hyeok had tossed his way.
He bounded forward in grotesque steps, like a fish flopping wildly on the riverbank, chasing after Namgung Hyeok’s heels far ahead.
“Uwaaah! I’m gonna die, uwaaah! What the hell is this mess?!”
The devastation he witnessed darting across Hefei was beyond imagination.
When had he ever experienced a war on this scale?!
On top of that, it was a clash between martial sects.
Sword lights and energy blasts exploded from every direction, and it was a miracle he was holding it together with his sanity intact.
It was like bandits had swept through Hefei.
Corpses littered the streets everywhere, gruesome beyond words.
This was a different kind of horror from black path factions stabbing each other.
Even he, who’d rolled around in the underworld for half his life, couldn’t stomach the sight of flesh chunks raining down like someone had detonated a thunderbolt bomb—it was that brutal.
“Damn it all! Cranes don’t chase storks, and dogs don’t butt into beast fights!”
Do Da-woong was fully aware of this cursed reality, yet somehow, against his will, he’d gotten dragged into the beasts’ arena and was running for his life. It was enough to make him weep.
Every time he passed through the fierce battles, it felt like his heart was being sliced open.
If not for that bizarre “lightfoot technique” from Namgung Hyeok, he’d already be rolling on the ground with those corpses.
“...Once this war ends, I’m never messing with that guy. Ever.”
He hadn’t planned to anyway, but the scenes he’d witnessed trailing Namgung Hyeok were enough bragging material for a lifetime.
“...Is that even human?”
Flying through the sky and shooting palm winds—martial world legends?
Bullshit.
At that level, those guys would get shredded by the lightning Namgung Hyeok unleashed.
Of all things, lightning pouring from a human body.
Do Da-woong suppressed the goosebumps crawling over his skin and called out to Namgung Hyeok.
“Heeek! Young master! Young masteeeer!”
Namgung Hyeok, who’d been gazing up at the towering peak of Heavenly Abode Tower—one of Hefei’s top three giants—turned his head.
The Thunder Dragon Squad, scattered and fighting across the area, seemed to be converging faster than expected. And now Do Da-woong was bringing more intel.
“Speak!”
“White Cloud Sword Sect! The White Cloud Sword Sect is heading this w—!”
“...”
Namgung Hyeok scowled and yanked the approaching Do Da-woong toward him.
Crack!
“Gahk! Wh-why are you choking m—!”
Shwaaa-boom!
A massive roar erupted behind them, followed by a blast wave slamming in. Do Da-woong froze stiff as a rock.
A gust whistled across his back, and he fumbled to check it.
His clothes were gone, exposing bare skin.
He gaped and looked behind. A deep trench scarred the ground, hot steam rising from it.
“Hiiik!”
Do Da-woong collapsed to the ground in terror.
If Namgung Hyeok had pulled him even a moment later, his body would’ve been split in two. He could barely breathe.
What the hell?
An ambush?!
Do Da-woong wiped drool from his mouth and peered ahead.
A man in robes of pure white adorned with blooming red flowers stepped out, chuckling softly with a sword slung over his shoulder.
“Oh? You dodged it?”
The man tilted his head oddly, eyeing his sword and Namgung Hyeok.
Drip... drip...
Gulp!
Seeing the blood dripping from the blade onto his shoulder, Do Da-woong snapped his gaping mouth shut.
Blood-soaked swordsmen had already lined up around him, blocking the path.
“Grrk...”
“Ku... ugh...”
“Sp-spare me.”
The bloodied lumps in the swordsmen’s grips twitched.
Splash!
The White Cloud Sect swordsmen deliberately lopped off heads and tossed them to the ground.
The bizarre, overwhelming sight chilled the air to a freeze.
Namgung Hyeok let out a deep sigh.
“Damn, speak faster next time.”
“I-I said it as fast as I could...”
“Those guys?”
“The... the Murder Ghosts...”
“Go spread the word.”
Shing!
Namgung Ryong drew his sword beside Namgung Hyeok and stepped forward.
He stared tensely at the man before him.
White Cloud Sword King Ho Tae-gun of the White Cloud Sword Sect grinned wickedly.
Namgung Ryong fixed his tense gaze on Ho Tae-gun.
“...Dangerous.”
Ho Tae-gun’s sword energy was faster than any swift blade he’d ever seen. And more powerful.
It had flown like a hidden dagger across what must’ve been twenty paces, so up close, his sword speed was unimaginable.
Above all, a dangerous aura emanated from Ho Tae-gun.
Geon Cheon-hwi, Tak Hyeok-dong, and Jang Woong tensed just as much as Namgung Ryong.
Their eyes were on the thirty swordsmen behind Ho Tae-gun.
A chilling killing intent radiated from the blood-drenched men, along with something alien, something off.
An inexplicable, eerie disgust.
“What the hell are these guys?”
“Those bastards’ killing intent is...”
“Damn, numbers-wise, this ain’t good.”
It was obvious these enemies weren’t pushovers.
Just meeting their gazes felt like steel could be sliced like paper.
“Whew! Damn, of all times...”
Even in peak condition, victory wasn’t guaranteed against these masters.
And right now, not only were they outnumbered, but everyone was worn from prolonged fighting.
As Geon Cheon-hwi stepped forward tensely in front of Namgung Hyeok, Namgung Hyeok grabbed his collar and yanked him back.
Namgung Hyeok rolled up his sleeves and cracked his neck side to side.
“Hey, you with the big head. Looks like you wanna throw down with me. Come on.”
“Young master?”
“Big heads only.”
“...”
With those numbers, why would they agree to a one-on-one?
Namgung Hyeok’s boldness in proposing it so brazenly was astonishing and absurd, but it also sparked unease at his sudden attitude.
“He might think it’s the only option.”
Whether they accepted or not, it meant Namgung Hyeok saw the White Cloud Sword Sect as a real threat.
Namgung Hyeok stared steadily at Ho Tae-gun.
Ho Tae-gun met his gaze with interest.
After a moment, Ho Tae-gun laughed heartily.
“Haha! What an amusing little brother.”
“Kid, my bro’s right here.”
“What a mouth on you!”
“Why’s your tongue so damn long?”
Namgung Hyeok readjusted his demonic sword as Ho Tae-gun looked bewildered.
“Scared? If you are, drop dead!”
“You’re a fun one. Don’t you know who I am? I’m White Cloud Sword King Ho Tae-gun...”
“Sword King’s that guy!”
Namgung Hyeok jabbed back and swung his demonic sword fiercely.
Energy from the Creation Bright King Art surged from his dantian, exploding along the blade.
Rumble!
Crackle!
Ho Tae-gun didn’t flinch, thrusting his sword at Namgung Hyeok’s Three Thunder Sword Technique.
“Right! I knew from the first move you weren’t ordinary, but you’re definitely something else!”
“You seem pretty ordinary.”
Namgung Hyeok sneered coldly and drove his demonic sword forward with force.
“Krahaha, yes! Now this is worth crossing blades over!”
Ho Tae-gun laughed gleefully, unleashing madness.
It happened in an instant.
Namgung Hyeok and Ho Tae-gun, as if by prior agreement, aimed swords at each other, unleashing energies that clashed.
Even Namgung Ryong and Geon Cheon-hwi right beside them widened their eyes in shock.
“Hyeok!”
“Young master!”
Their gazes frantically followed Namgung Hyeok.
No need for talk or posturing—decapitate the enemy leader, and it’d erupt into full battle!
Attacking without warning like that...!
But contrary to their panic, the White Cloud Sect masters held position.
Namgung Hyeok unleashed Three Thunder Sword Technique, then closed in, exchanging blows with Ho Tae-gun.
Boom!
Rumble!
Ho Tae-gun laughed merrily, effortlessly parrying Namgung Hyeok’s Three Thunder Sword Technique.
Beams of light split from his sword, clashing with the thunderbolts.
Boom! Boom! Rumble!
Crackle!
A razor-sharp, deadly exchange where a graze meant losing your head.
Killing intents slashed hair and tore sleeves.
Precarious moments kept unfolding.
A smile crept onto Ho Tae-gun’s lips.
Skilled in real combat.
Around twenty? Or younger?
This fresh-faced kid knew how to heighten and explode his killing intent.
Murder laced every strike.
Orthodox sect swordsmanship, but wielded like an evil faction’s.
Thunderbolts rained, sword energy slipping through the gaps.
Masterful control of momentum and energy, with mature technique.
“What’s your name, you brat!”
“No need for you to know!”
Namgung Hyeok whipped his demonic sword swiftly.
Boom!
Three Thunder Sword Technique halted, blocked by the guy’s radiant glow.
The Creation Bright King Art spun furiously in rage.
Crackle!
Blue flashes pierced Ho Tae-gun, three thunderbolts crashing down.
Rumble!
Mount-crushing sword force loaded onto Namgung Hyeok’s demonic sword.
Clang!
One more!
Crimson flame-like killing intent struck Ho Tae-gun again.
Rumble!
Earth-shaking roars echoed in succession.
The instantaneous slash escaped perception.
The blinding flash faded, and Namgung Hyeok scowled.
His demonic sword’s red killing intent was held at bay by Ho Tae-gun’s blade.
Ho Tae-gun’s lips curled wickedly.
“You’re the real deal.”
“Fakes exist?”
“You qualify to receive my sword.”
“Hah, I was playing around.”
This bastard?
As Namgung Hyeok scowled and spun to behead him, a bizarre vortex swirled from Ho Tae-gun’s sword.
Shwaaang!
Boom!
Gray sword energy rode the vortex, plummeting toward Namgung Hyeok’s chest.
Boom!
Namgung Hyeok flipped urgently, flying seven paces to land.
Shwaaaa!
A deep furrow gouged the ground.
Ho Tae-gun chuckled, raising his sword.
“See? You blocked it well. You really qualify for my sword. More fun than the Namgung family head.”
Namgung Hyeok didn’t reply.
He calmed the raging killing intent of his demonic sword.
“Should I just wreck him?”
No, couldn’t.
This guy wasn’t ordinary.
Not someone to beat easily.
At least not at his current level.
He’d need some resolve, if not a desperate fight to the death.
In this urgent situation, that wasn’t ideal.
“Hah, what a pain in the ass.”
Namgung Hyeok exhaled lightly and glanced at the sky.
Then he shook out his hands and turned back to Ho Tae-gun.
Ho Tae-gun spun his sword gleefully, poised to leap.
Namgung Ryong stood tense beside him, while the Thunder Dragon Squad trio instinctively gripped their weapons tighter.
Ho Tae-gun smiled faintly.
“Hiding behind your men? Come out. I’ll play for real.”
“Sigh, seriously.”
“Yes. A real man would.”
Namgung Hyeok cracked his neck and gripped his demonic sword.
Namgung Ryong swallowed dryly.
“Breakthrough?”
“Young master, we’ll cover the rear.”
“I’ll smash ‘em all flat!”
Namgung Ryong and the trio steeled themselves.
Namgung Hyeok glared fiercely at Ho Tae-gun.
“Back in the day, I’d have chopped your head off first and talked later. Consider yourself lucky.”
“Hah!”
“I’m gonna fuck you up so bad!”
Ho Tae-gun let out a hollow laugh at Namgung Hyeok’s savage taunt.
Even Namgung Ryong and the trio listening nearby cringed at the vulgarity.
But...
“...Why do you keep backing up?”
Geon Cheon-hwi voiced the question as Namgung Hyeok fidgeted and retreated further.
What?
Huh?
“Take this!”
Namgung Hyeok hurled something forcefully from his sleeve.
Ho Tae-gun cleaved the incoming object.
Poof!
Pale smoke burst out, instantly creating a thick fog.
Namgung Ryong and Geon Cheon-hwi stared blankly.
What was that?
Like the Tang Clan’s smoke bombs?
When did Namgung Hyeok get his hands on...?
“Move!”
“Hm?”
“Scatter!”
At Namgung Hyeok’s shout, Namgung Ryong and the trio snapped to.
It hit like a blow to the back of the head.
Namgung Hyeok hadn’t cared one bit about those guys from the start.
Prioritizing the detachment squad’s movement was key.
Namgung Hyeok, Namgung Ryong, and the Thunder Dragon Squad trio charged toward Heavenly Abode Tower.
Bang!
Then, Ho Tae-gun dispelled the smoke and bellowed in fury.
“You think you can escape?!”
Whoosh!
Ho Tae-gun and the White Cloud Sword Sect masters pursued Namgung Hyeok’s back.