Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Reinforcements Turn the Tide
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"Whooooaaah!"
"The Peng Clan!"
"The Sichuan Tang Clan has come to our aid!"
Cheers exploded from the Nangong Clan's formation.
Crack!
As Nangong Hyeok snapped the neck of a Blood Meridian Fiend with the Soul-Piercing Twelve Forms, his head whipped around.
'......!'
Through the crumbled wall, Hebei Peng Clan warriors charging in and Sichuan Tang Clan elites blocking the enemies' retreat filled his vision.
Ah......
A complex mix of emotions surged within him.
Nangong Hyeok swallowed them down with a gulp.
He shoved Peng Jung-hyeok aside, deflected a flying sword, and cleaved off the head of the enemy stabbing at Nangong Ryong's back with his left hand.
Then, he hurled his demon sword, piercing the brow of the foe targeting So Hye-yeon's back.
Closing the distance in an instant with the Blood Wind Divine Step, he yanked out the sword, crushed the enemy's chest with the Soul-Shattering Fist, and fell back.
As Nangong Hyeok aimed his sword at the onrushing foes, heads exploded like bursting watermelons.
Pop! Pop-pop-pop!
Behind the collapsing enemies, Tang Ui-cheon thrust forward with his blood needles.
Tang Ui-cheon shouted.
"Are you alright?"
Nangong Hyeok shook off his demon sword and straightened his back. Even as he did, he didn't stop moving, cutting down enemies left and right.
"......You're late!"
"We raced five thousand li without rest! The Verdant Shadow Blood Guards and elders are with us!"
"I crossed it in a week."
"This clan head made it in three days!"
Tang Ui-cheon swung his blood needles wildly.
Dozens of hidden weapons danced like living things. The whirling projectiles swept through the charging enemies.
"Arrrgh!"
"Gaaack!"
"Hidden weapons! Fall back!"
The Blood Fiend Squad bit into the necks of the retreating enemies.
Skreeek!
"Gaaack!"
"Urk!"
The monstrous saber qi erupting from Peng Cheon-wi's Mixed Origin Divine Sabers tore the enemies' bodies to shreds.
Boom!
"You vile unorthodox scum! You dare touch my clan's bloodline and the house of my son's friend!"
His thunderous roar was like a lion's bellow.
The Peng Clan's Eighteen Saber Guests formed a circular wall.
The terrifying aura emanating from each one kept the enemies at bay.
Nangong Hyeok caught his breath in the brief gap.
Nangong Ryong, Peng Jung-hyeok, and So Hye-yeon hurriedly regulated their breathing as well.
Peng Cheon-wi glanced at Peng Jung-hyeok for a moment before turning away.
At that instant, So Geol-gae began swinging his striking staff wildly, bouncing around like mad.
"Beggars' Sect! Beggars' Sect! You filthy beggars! Over here, over here! Our division head's gonna die!"
Clang-clang-clang! Thud-thwack!
The racket of banging metal plates echoed loudly, and soon nearly a hundred Beggars' Sect disciples swarmed in, forming the Striking Staff Formation.
"Protect the division head!"
"Hurry up, you beggar bastards!"
"Whooooaaah!"
The Beggars' Sect disciples drove back the unorthodox warriors with their staffs at the forefront.
"Wh-what? The Beggars' Sect?!"
"These filthy beggars!"
"Haaah!"
As the Beggars' Sect disciples scaled the Nangong Clan's walls, even the unorthodox masters began glancing back one by one.
Seizing the momentary respite, Nangong Hyeok circulated the Creation Heaven King Arts.
His pores opened wide, sucking in the ambient qi, and sticky blood sizzled as it burned away.
Ambient qi gathered in his dantian.
Crack! Crack!
His stiff joints loosened, and strength returned to his aching hands.
Nangong Hyeok looked around and asked.
"How did you know to come without a word?"
"When your son's friend's clan is in peril, of course we come to help!"
"Son's friend? I've never eaten with friends."
Peng Cheon-wi and Peng Jung-hyeok flinched.
"Anyway, for something like that, you're a bit late. The Tang Clan is farther away, isn't it?"
"Do you think mobilizing all of Hebei is the same as sending just elites?"
Nangong Hyeok shrugged as he regulated his breathing.
"......So you all came to steal the finishing blows?"
"F-finishing blows? We raced thousands of li without rest!"
"Whew, nearly died. For real."
Seeing Peng Cheon-wi flustered, Nangong Hyeok spat out a clot of blood and bared his white teeth.
"Did I say I was grateful?"
"Hah! As if you'd ever say......"
"Thank you. Consider this settling the remaining debt."
"......!"
Peng Cheon-wi's pupils trembled faintly.
Nangong Hyeok spoke with a face devoid of any jest.
It was the first such expression anyone entangled with him had seen.
Normally sly as a fox, a yaksha in battle, and now utterly serious......
'......He's utterly unpredictable.'
One thing was clear: his vessel was beyond the ordinary.
Peng Cheon-wi nodded lightly.
Nangong Hyeok turned his head.
Hebei Peng Clan, Sichuan Tang Clan, Beggars' Sect......
And countless minor and medium sects were gathering around him before he knew it.
The desperate battle situation flipped in an instant.
Order returned to the chaotic melee.
The Nangong Clan, Hebei Peng Clan, and Sichuan Tang Clan masters began pushing back the unorthodox alliance.
The fight was still fierce.
But the dynamics had shifted completely from just a quarter-hour ago.
From the hunted to the hunters.
"Reform the lines!"
With Nangong Jang-cheon's voice, the Emperor Sword Guard and elders gathered around them in no time.
The ranks split in an instant.
The retreat was sealed by the Sichuan Tang Clan's poisons and hidden weapons, while ahead teemed the Nangong Clan, Sichuan Tang Clan, Beggars' Sect, and allied warriors.
The manor crawled with fighters, ready to burst.
Clang-clang-clang! Kahang!
"Argh!"
"D-damn it!"
"G-goddamn it!"
The unorthodox alliance warriors began milling about in panic.
Nangong Hyeok gripped his demon sword tighter and gazed beyond the enemies.
'......Time to finish this.'
It wasn't over until it was over.
His gaze sank into focus.
* * *
Thud! Slash-slash!
Mu-kyeong slashed at enemies with a face twisted like a malicious spirit.
The unorthodox leaders looked around in bewilderment.
"Why are the Sichuan Tang Clan here?!"
"The Peng Clan?!"
"Why are the Beggars' Sect dogs aiding the Nangong Clan?!"
Yeo Dong-pa, Black Sky Heaven, and Mo Kyung-hong flailed wildly to hold off the incoming foes.
The elation of storming the Nangong Clan with wave after wave of attacks had vanished.
Now they were the ones fighting to save their own necks.
Mu-kyeong yelled in an irritated voice.
"Stop whining and hold the line!"
"This is......!"
"Attack!"
Mu-kyeong's sharp voice pierced the air.
The Nangong Clan was no longer a rat in a trap—they were.
Mu-kyeong cut down enemies as he searched for Jang Tae-san.
Jang Tae-san was the only one left to rely on.
'Why! Why isn't he moving!'
Spotting Jang Tae-san standing stock-still like a stone, Mu-kyeong clenched his jaw.
Unable to wait any longer, he approached Jang Tae-san.
"What is your plan?!"
Jang Tae-san and his subordinates drew their swords.
Jang Tae-san continued staring motionlessly at the center of the battlefield.
As if he had been waiting for this moment, he slowly began to raise his aura.
"They're all here now."
All here?
Had he really been waiting for this situation?
Mu-kyeong stared at Jang Tae-san in confusion.
Jang Tae-san spoke in a sunken voice.
"No need for the fuss. The outcome won't change."
"But......"
"War in the martial world boils down to clashes between masters. Can't you see who's superior?"
Mu-kyeong's eyes wavered briefly before steadying.
In the disarray, he had forgotten how martial conflicts had been decided for centuries.
'It's just shifted from hunting them to a showdown.'
The sides were even now, but the unorthodox still had plenty of masters.
The chance to reverse the battle and annihilate the Nangong Clan was still there anytime.
The other unorthodox leaders were already shaking off their shock and advancing.
They had coldly assessed the situation as well.
Not for nothing were they at the pinnacle of ruthless fiend sects.
The Soul Escape Fiends had formed ranks around Mu-kyeong before he knew it.
Calming himself, Mu-kyeong shouted.
"Charge!"
He threw himself forward. Led by the Soul Escape Fiends, the unorthodox leaders leaped in with murderous intent.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-clang!
"Press them!"
"Run and you're dead!"
"Fight! Take An-hui Province!"
"Sweep away the orthodox scum!"
Unorthodox warriors surged after their leaders racing through the fray.
In an instant, the Nangong Clan's formation wavered, and unorthodox masters exploited the breach.
Slash!
Clang-clang! Kahng!
"You bastards!"
"Arrrgh!"
"Die!"
Sparks flew furiously. Under the midday sun, flashing sword lights gleamed savagely.
The Nangong Clan's courtyard stained red, screams and ragged breaths spilling beyond the walls.
Nangong Jang-cheon stepped forward, eyeing Mu-kyeong charging through the center.
"Time to end this."
Peng Cheon-wi appeared at Nangong Jang-cheon's side, saber dangling.
"Nangong Clan Head. You sure about this?"
"I'm fine."
"Then we'll fight freely."
Nangong Jang-cheon nodded at Peng Cheon-wi's words.
Who would have thought the day would come to entrust his back to the Hebei Peng Clan head.
"Days like this happen."
"Indeed they do."
"I'll buy you a drink."
"One won't be enough!"
Peng Cheon-wi raised his voice and lifted his saber.
"Charge!"
With his short command, the Peng Clan's Eighteen Saber Guests followed him into the center.
Nangong Jang-cheon turned to the elders.
Blue sword light gleamed in the haggard elders' eyes.
Nangong Jang-cheon nodded, and the elders aimed their swords at the oncoming foes.
"Nangong Jang-cheon!"
With a resounding cry, Soul Escape Sword Mu-kyeong kicked off the air and descended.
Nangong Jang-cheon leaped up with his movement arts.
Chiaaaang!
A sharp metallic ring echoed once.
In midair, dozens of lightning bolts clashed with hazy sword qi.
Kahang! Clang-clang-clang! Boom!
Nangong Jang-cheon declared sternly.
"Your life ends by this Nangong Jang-cheon's hand!"
The Emperor Sword Form's mighty sword momentum crushed the Soul Escape Sword's qi.
Boom!
"Urk!"
The shockwave rippled like a wave, pressing down on Mu-kyeong.
Feeling as if his organs were rupturing in agony, Mu-kyeong bit his lip hard.
"Charge!"
He spat a scream-like shout.
Ten Soul Escape Fiends plummeted toward Nangong Jang-cheon.
Their Soul Escape Sword qi stabbed at him from all directions.
Thud!
Nangong Jang-cheon stepped forward with the Emperor's Dominion Step and whirled his sword wide.
Chiaaaang!
Flash!
A writhing bolt of lightning danced along the sword momentum.
Boom!
"Urk!"
"Ugh!"
"Hup!"
The Soul Escape Fiends staggered against the immovable Emperor Sword Form.
Mu-kyeong charged, teeth gritted.
He struck silently at Nangong Jang-cheon from behind, but Nangong Jang-cheon's Lightning Thirteen Thunders were faster.
Thirteen bolt-like sword qi clashed with the Soul Escape Sword qi, scattering sparks.
Rumble!
"Urk!"
Mu-kyeong grunted.
Nangong Jang-cheon's prowess, ignoring his rear, far exceeded expectations.
Nangong Jang-cheon looked down at them with haughty eyes, sword qi flickering with lightning lowered.
Mu-kyeong and the Soul Escape Fiends' faces hardened like stone at the demeanor of the battlefield overlord.
"No retreat! We take that bastard's head!"
With Mu-kyeong's cry, the Soul Escape Fiends hurled themselves at Nangong Jang-cheon.
Boom-boom-boom-boom!
Deafening blasts echoed across the field.
The masters' battles intensified as they sought their respective foes.
The fight crested to its peak, racing toward the end.
Nangong Hyeok assessed the battlefield flow.
In a field reeking of death, masters seeking opponents was natural.
Nangong Hyeok's gaze lingered somewhere before he spoke quickly.
"Peng Jung-hyeok, So Hye-yeon."
"Yes!"
"You two, fall back and support the Thunder Dragon Squad."
"But I can fight here too......"
"Now!"
Was it imagination that Nangong Hyeok's voice sounded urgent?
Nangong Ryong also drew his sword, sensing something.
Just then, Nangong Hyeok furrowed his brow.
"Damn, he got here fast."
His demon sword spat flame-like lightning.
Craaaack!
With a deafening roar that shook the ears, Nangong Hyeok's body slid back.
Nangong Ryong hurriedly blocked in front, while Peng Jung-hyeok and So Hye-yeon flanked protectively.
Nangong Hyeok spun his wrist and stepped forward.
"He's mine."
His gaze fixed on Jang Tae-san standing ahead.
Jang Tae-san's brow furrowed.
"So that's why you've caught my attention."
Nangong Hyeok's face hardened coldly as he spotted black-clad figures scattering from behind Jang Tae-san into the battlefield.
"I've always had your attention."
Nangong Hyeok pushed past the juniors and strode toward Jang Tae-san.
Nangong Hyeok and Jang Tae-san advanced on each other, murderous intent rising.