Chapter 610
Chapter 610
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 610
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The atmosphere inside the Meteor Sword Sect was far from good. Rumors were swirling that they had turned both the Ahyeon Shen Clan and the Direct Path Escort Bureau into enemies at the same time.
Some of the servants, unable to endure the anxiety any longer, had quit their jobs.
'Smart ones.'
This place would soon become a battlefield. The enemies wouldn't just target the warriors—they'd slaughter even the lowly servants doing menial tasks. The Ahyeon Shen Clan was infamous for its ruthlessness.
"Sung Ji-gon. If the Ahyeon Shen Clan attacks, take the women and escape via the planned route."
"Got it. Yu-jin, you're really going to fight?"
"I need to buy time until you all get away."
My real goals were twofold.
The special mission from the Heavenly Star System: Shin Gong-se's life. Knowing how much he loved to take the field himself, he'd surely step up this time too.
My other goal was the sacred treasure held by the Meteor Sword Sect Leader, Sung Go-dan. That treasure would be mine.
"Yu-jin. If things go south, just run. It's too wasteful to throw your life away here."
"You've changed a lot too. Back in the day, you'd have stubbornly insisted on staying and fighting to the end."
"Can't have sex if I'm dead. And the Meteor Sword Sect isn't worth dying for."
"Even if your father dies?"
"What has he ever done for us? Besides, we've already committed too many sins against him to claim we're doing this for his sake."
"Heh. Father's concubines were delicious, though."
"You say it so bluntly. ...Well, they were tasty."
???
"Enemies! The Ahyeon Shen Clan is invading!"
The Ahyeon Shen Clan attacked the Meteor Sword Sect faster than expected. Shin Gong-se must have suspected the Direct Path Gate's sacred treasure might be here. Or maybe he just wanted to clear them out quickly.
"Sung Ji-gon. Stick to the plan."
"Got it."
Sung Ji-gon sprang into action. He'd lead the women along the prearranged escape route. As I stepped outside, everyone was rushing about. Some were pale with fear, while others gripped their sword belts with furious expressions.
"All Meteor Unit members, assemble!"
The Meteor Unit leader's shout echoed from afar.
I ignored it. I'd catch hell later if I survived.
'If there's a later.'
The Meteor Sword Sect would be wiped out today. I darted around searching for Sung So-jeong. She was heading to the Meteor Unit's assembly point.
"Big Sis! It's bad! Big Sis!"
I called out to her in a frantic voice. She spun around and rushed toward me.
"Yu-jin?! What happened?!"
"Ji-gon...! Ji-gon's in danger! He needs your help, Sis!"
Sung So-jeong's face hardened. Sung Ji-gon was her blood brother.
"Where's Ji-gon right now?!"
"This way!"
I led her to an old outbuilding on the outskirts of the Meteor Sword Sect. It was one of the hideouts Ji-gon and I used when we toyed with the maids.
The rundown building was littered with signs of battle and splattered blood. All prearranged props.
"Ji-gon and I were ambushed here! He held off the enemies while I came for help...! Damn it!"
"Yu-jin, calm down. Ji-gon will be fine. You know he's not one to go down easily."
Sung So-jeong approached the collapsed section from the "battle." It stood out unnaturally amid the rest. It looked exactly like someone might be pinned under the debris.
Unlike her words urging me to calm down, her actions weren't cool-headed. She needed to move with extreme caution.
Sung So-jeong cleared the debris, and the needles hidden beneath shot upward, piercing her arm and shoulder.
"Sis!!"
"Th-this is a trap, you ba...stard...."
Thud.
Sung So-jeong collapsed to the floor. I rushed to her side.
As she'd said, it was a trap. But not one set by the Ahyeon Shen Clan's foes—my trap.
The needles weren't coated in poison but a sleep anesthetic. She'd been forcibly put to sleep.
'First step, success.'
Unlike Sung Go-dan's concubines, Sung So-jeong belonged to the Meteor Unit. With her strong loyalty to the Meteor Sword Sect, she wouldn't follow even if Ji-gon and I begged her to escape.
'Too valuable to leave here to die. I'll take her by force if I have to.'
When she woke, she'd assume it was the enemies' doing. I pulled a teleport scroll from my inventory, forced it into her hand, and tore it.
Her body was enveloped in light and vanished. She wouldn't die or get hurt now.
'I'll ravish Sung So-jeong once this is over!'
But first priority: survival. Drawing too much attention would make me a target and get me killed fast, so I'd hide and wait for my chance.
'Preparations are done! Time to hunker down!'
???
Clang. Sching. Clang!
"Gaaahhh!"
"Die!!"
Screams and the clash of steel rang out everywhere. The sect's halls burned, and bodies littered the ground haphazardly.
Even the Meteor Sword Sect's elites, the Meteor Unit, crumbled before the Ahyeon Shen Clan's top warriors, unable to showcase their prowess.
I concealed myself with Illuster and observed the chaos.
Shin Gong-se had just confronted Sung Go-dan.
Shin Gong-se smirked and pointed his sword at Sung Go-dan. His subordinates encircled him—a net of over a hundred men. No matter how mighty Sung Go-dan as a Five Qi expert, the odds were overwhelmingly against him.
"Regrettable to meet like this, Meteor Sword Sect Leader."
"A filthy cur without conviction or loyalty dares show his face before me. Did you not know this would be your grave?"
"Too shabby to be my grave. I'll yield it to you, Sect Leader."
"Insolent whelp."
Sung Go-dan raised his sword. Crimson sword aura rippled from it—the reason for his moniker, Crimson Star Sword.
"Don't give him any openings! He's a frontier sect leader, but his skill is the real deal! I promise an Elixir Pill right here to whoever kills the Meteor Sword Sect Leader!"
The warriors charged at Sung Go-dan.
Sung Go-dan thrust his left hand skyward. A silver bracelet gleamed on his wrist, adorned with a tiny silver sword that flashed.
Suddenly, a massive sword materialized in the sky. Like a meteor, it plummeted straight into the warriors' midst.
Boom!!
The shockwave hurled Ahyeon Shen Clan warriors flying. Those nearby barely survived it, but those crushed beneath the Flowing Star Sword were shredded to pieces. The giant blade from the heavens vanished without a trace.
Sweat beaded on Shin Gong-se's brow.
"So that's the legendary Flowing Star Sword of the Meteor Sword Sect. An impressive sacred treasure. Not quite as valuable as the Direct Path Gate's Thousand-Li Mirror, but tempting nonetheless."
The Thousand-Li Mirror was incredible. Depending on usage, it could even peer inside barriers.
But it had limits. Even at the Three Purities realm, one could evade its gaze, and skilled sorcerers could trace it back. Its clear weaknesses were why I hadn't kept it and handed it to Jik Seong-mi instead.
The Flowing Star Sword, however, scaled with its user's power. I had to have it.
"Do you know why I didn't drop the Flowing Star Sword on you?"
"Because you think I'll dodge it?"
"I'll kill you with my own hands. You think I'll let you die easily to the Flowing Star Sword?"
"A lame reason. I'll be taking that treasure. Oh, and before that—do you know where Sung Yu-jin and Sung Ji-gon are?"
"Why do you seek my sons?"
"They betrayed me. Hunting dogs I used briefly bit their master's hand—they must pay the price."
"I don't know. And it won't happen. You'll die here."
Sung Go-dan charged straight ahead. Shin Gong-se gritted his teeth, unleashed his sword aura, and parried. Sung Go-dan's body was pushed back.
"Impressive. You blocked my first strike well. But what about the second?"
"...!!"
Sung Go-dan slipped low into Shin Gong-se's guard. His sword pierced toward Shin Gong-se's chest.
Bang!
Sung Go-dan's sword rebounded, and Shin Gong-se was blasted backward by the impact.
"Armor under your robes, eh? Not ordinary armor—a sacred treasure."
"It's the Iron Shrimp Scale Armor. Low-grade, so your attack shattered it."
"The Ahyeon Shen Clan lives up to its name. Handing a sacred treasure to the second young master."
"Don't compare our clan to the Meteor Sword Sect."
Shin Gong-se used his sword to steady himself as he rose. He bellowed to his surroundings like a madman.
"What are you waiting for?! Form the Fifty-Five Section Array now that we've pinned his position!"
The encircling warriors moved in perfect unison, slowly tightening around Sung Go-dan.
Dozens of swords attacked as one. Sung Go-dan countered with astonishing skill, but one man couldn't handle dozens.
Wounds accumulated on Sung Go-dan's body. When over half his robes were soaked red, he unleashed the Flowing Star Sword. The falling meteor blade wrecked part of the array. Seizing the weakened formation's gap, Sung Go-dan attempted to flee.
"You said you'd kill me here, but you chose to run in the end? Sung Go-dan!"
"Shin Gong-se, rest assured I'll kill you someday. It's just not today."
Sung Go-dan brazenly declared as he fled. But he soon had no choice but to stop. Sorcerers in indigo robes appeared, assaulting both Sung Go-dan and the Ahyeon Shen Clan warriors.
'Here they come—the real force behind the Meteor Sword Sect's annihilation!'
They unleashed spells indiscriminately: fireballs, dark curses, swords and spears hurled from afar.
"Damn it! South Branch Gate!!!"
"Shit! Were they lying in wait?!"
Sung Go-dan and Shin Gong-se were stunned. Warriors fell to their attacks.
'Now's my chance.'
I emerged from hiding, gripping my Blazing Lotus Sword tightly as I charged Shin Gong-se. Midway, Illuster's energy ran out, revealing me.
"S-Sung Yu-jin?!"
The startled Shin Gong-se raised his sword. Too late.
'Moment.'
My blade pierced his throat faster than his sword could react.
"Gurgle...!"
Shin Gong-se foamed at the mouth and died.
I pulled the 50 pre-prepared Celestial Jades from my inventory.
That made 100 in total.
"VIP level up."
'...Did anything change? Doesn't feel any stronger.'
This wasn't the time to dawdle.
I spun around.
"Sect Leader! I killed Shin Gong-se!"
"Yu-jin! Well done!"
I dodged the sorcerers' attacks and dashed toward Sung Go-dan.
First goal achieved. But I had two from the start.
'Get close, kill Sung Go-dan, and seize the Flowing Star Sword!'
The distance closed: 30 paces. 10. 5. 1.
'Moment!'
I swung my thunder-charged blade at Sung Go-dan's neck.
Clang!
Sword met blade. The Blazing Lotus Sword flew from my hand into the sky.
"So you were after me after all."
"...How did you know?"
"I don't trust my own children. Especially you, Sung Yu-jin. You were too suspicious."
I unleashed lightning.
Bolts crashed down.
Boom! Crash! Boom!
The world flashed white. The lightning struck Sung Go-dan squarely.
"Useless."
Crimson energy enveloped him, blocking the bolts. Protective Aura.
"For your filial impiety in trying to kill your father, pay with your life."
"Moment!"
Even with Moment, I saw his sword flying toward me—too fast. Knowing the Flowing Star Sword style, I recognized this as the start of a combo. Dodge the first, and the next comes relentlessly.
'Blazing Lotus Sword is way over there. No time to draw a new one from inventory. I'll be sliced before then. It's risky, but... no choice.'
I activated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.