Chapter 121: Walking Through the Bloody Mist (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: Walking Through the Bloody Mist (2)
Just as we dashed toward the canyon, more than twenty men on horseback crawled out from within the gorge.
"Ah!"
I realized they had split their forces; one group had been lying in ambush in the canyon while the rest were stationed near our inn.
They’re a meticulous bunch.
Behind us, the men I had provoked were slowly closing in.
"We’ll be in danger if we’re surrounded. Let’s break through and enter the canyon as we are," I said.
Iga-ryeo agreed with my suggestion. "That seems like the best option."
With that, we continued our headlong dash toward the men blocking the entrance to the canyon. The military officers surged forward, instantly engaging the canyon group in a frantic blade-fight.
However, it wasn't long before the officers were sent flying, screaming in agony.
Good grief. Even if they’re just provincial officers, they looked like first-rate warriors to me. To think they’d be defeated so easily.
The martial arts of the Divine Light Sect were eerie and vicious, far beyond what the officers could handle.
"This won't do. Ice Soul Divine Martial Team, move out!"
At Iga-ryeo’s command, the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team spurred their horses and charged toward the Divine Light Sect members.
"We’re being pushed back because we’re outnumbered."
Despite being the elite of the Ice Palace, the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team was struggling against the Divine Light Sect experts. Since two Divine Light Sect experts were taking on each member of the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team, they were bound to be overwhelmed.
Seeing this, Iga-ryeo bit her lip. She clearly wanted to fight, but she didn't step forward. In a situation like this, protecting Dan-yeong took priority over joining the fray.
The Blood Wind Squad fought on equal footing with the Divine Light Sect experts because they maintained a strict formation. Jeok Yeong, in particular, stayed in the center and delivered timely strikes whenever a gap seemed dangerous, keeping the formation intact.
In that short span of time, half of the military officers were slaughtered. Seeing the carnage, I spoke up.
"If we stay like this, we’ll all be wiped out. We have to break through the front. And you must ride a horse now; the carriage is no longer an option."
Dan-yeong nodded at my words. She had been flinching every time she saw one of the officers fall. It pained her to see the men who had protected her dying.
As soon as Dan-yeong mounted a horse, I shouted, "Break through the front!"
Left with no choice, Iga-ryeo took the lead with the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team. The Blood Wind Squad also charged forward. The remaining officers and guards surrounded Dan-yeong, pushing ahead.
However, they couldn't pierce through the Divine Light Sect experts blocking the canyon entrance and ended up circling in place. Despite the efforts of the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team, the Divine Light Sect warriors didn't budge.
I had no idea where these people had come from. They were at least twice as skilled as the Ghost Pursuit Squad. Furthermore, their swordsmanship was so bizarre and cruel that it was nearly impossible to break through.
"Ugh!"
When Iga-ryeo managed to kill one expert, the others became even more frenzied in their assault, eventually forcing her back.
I stepped forward, having no choice but to pull out the Galaxy Needle Poison Tube. If I showed these bastards any mercy, I felt like my bones would end up buried in this canyon.
As I spurred my horse forward, one of the Divine Light Sect experts shouted, "Get that guy!"
About ten warriors swarmed toward me. Seizing the moment, I pulled the cord attached to the Galaxy Needle Poison Tube.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
With a sound like escaping air, slender silver needles shot out.
"Aaaargh!"
For the first time, the enemies screamed as they tumbled to the ground. All ten of the Divine Light Sect experts shrieked before drawing their final breaths.
With the path cleared, the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team and the Blood Wind Squad pushed through the defense and entered the canyon. The Divine Light Sect experts pursuing us from behind suddenly came to a halt.
"They’re finally here!" I shouted as I looked back.
Jeok Yeong asked, "Who is?"
The Divine Light Sect experts, who had been chasing us on horseback, were now pinned down by a group that had appeared behind them to attack.
"My Lord, aren't those the experts from Ancient Wood Valley?"
"I sent O-ung to find the Ancient Wood Valley experts stationed nearby and bring them here."
"Ah, so that was the errand you gave O-ung," Il-ung said, nodding.
"But how did you know these bastards would attack?"
"I only suspected it; I wasn't certain. That’s why I didn't say anything. The Ancient Wood Valley experts have them tied up from behind, so we must escape while we have the chance."
Following my lead, we engaged in an even more ferocious battle with the Divine Light Sect warriors blocking our path. Now that we held the numerical advantage, the Divine Light Sect experts began to fall one by one.
However, it took nearly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea just to kill one of them, making it difficult to exit the canyon quickly. They were so incredibly strong it was chilling. The fact that fifteen Divine Light Sect experts were holding off over thirty Ancient Wood Valley experts was a testament to their strength.
Due to the delay, we were caught by the pursuers when we reached the middle of the canyon. Ten Divine Light Sect experts blocked our front, while another ten were closing in from behind.
Our strength had also been significantly weakened, as we had lost five members of the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team just to enter the canyon. Fortunately, no one from the Blood Wind Squad had died, though Hyeong Yu-jeong, Poison Wolf, Sim Geol, and four of the Seven Heroes were bleeding from sword wounds.
And now I’m out of needles in the Galaxy Needle Poison Tube.
Still, to intimidate them, I held up the empty device and spoke.
"Come forward if you’re as eager to die as they were!" I said, pointing to the corpses of those killed by the needles.
However, that only served to provoke them further.
"I won't let you die easily!"
The man named Wi Se-gun gnashed his teeth at me.
"Jeok Yeong, you take this guy."
Genuinely frightened by the man’s killing intent, I spoke to Jeok Yeong behind me. But when no answer came, I glanced back only to find no one there.
Gasp! What the—?
As it turned out, the Blood Wind Squad and the Ice Soul Divine Martial Team had pressed forward quite a distance while pushing against the Divine Light Sect experts blocking the front. In the heat of the frantic battle, even the Blood Wind Squad hadn't realized I had been separated.
Those damn bastards! Where are you going, leaving your master behind?!
I quickly turned my horse and galloped toward the group. Immediately, Wi Se-gun issued an order.
"Capture him!"
The enemies leaped into the air, overtaking my horse. Realizing I was about to be surrounded, I kicked off the horse's back and used the Cloud Ladder technique to soar into the air, jumping over them.
But when I landed, Wi Se-gun and an old man with a saber strapped to his back were blocking my path.
"My Lord!"
Seeing this, Jeok Yeong and the Twin Heroes of Guiyang rushed toward me. Wi Se-gun commanded the nearby Divine Light Sect experts.
"You lot, stop them!"
Five Divine Light Sect experts intercepted Jeok Yeong and the Twin Heroes, engaging them in a fierce struggle. Surrounded, I drew the Ghost Sword.
"Why are you chasing me?" I asked the man who had introduced himself as Wi Se-gun, one of the Six Villains.
His face contorted. "You ask because you don't know? My plans were ruined because of you! Do you have any idea how much effort I put into forming an alliance with the Nine Demons Chamber? If I don't kill you, how can I show my face when I return to the sect?"
He didn't give me a moment to breathe. "Strike!"
Five Divine Light Sect experts lunged at me. I fought to keep my senses from fading. I didn't know if my bluffing martial arts would work against experts of this caliber.
Still, I unleashed the most powerful move I had, the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash. As I executed the final form, the Rebound Energy, I threw my sword.
Thwack!
The Ghost Sword pierced through the forehead of one Divine Light Sect expert and came out the other side. With a wave of my hand, the sword returned to me.
That was it. I had thought I could kill at least three of them with the Rebound Energy, but I had miscalculated.
"So, you really do have a trick up your sleeve. A fine technique," Wi Se-gun remarked, impressed by the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash.
As soon as he finished speaking, the four remaining experts attacked me from all sides. I barely managed to escape the encirclement by countering their strikes with the Tongue Flicking Art in between.
However, my martial robes were slashed so many times they were practically rags. I didn't know if I could properly block another assault. I tried to use the poison from the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet again, but it didn't work on them. The Divine Light Sect warriors were undoubtedly practitioners of orthodox internal cultivation methods.
"Aaaaaargh!"
Jeok Yeong let out a monstrous roar and attacked, unable to easily suppress his opponents. Although he was fighting desperately against three Divine Light Sect experts, he couldn't overcome them. Even Jeok Yeong’s immense martial prowess was being stalled by three of these men.
With even Jeok Yeong pinned down, I had no choice but to escape this danger on my own. Thinking I needed to buy time, I decided to use the second form of the Nine-Section Soul-Severing Sword.
I believed that with Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven, I could kill at least two of them. I would never defeat these men with their bizarre swordsmanship if I only focused on defense.
As they charged at me again, swinging their swords, I gathered the True Qi from my Circulating Dantian and unleashed Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven.
"Tch!"
I wanted to let out a gallant shout, but the habit I’d formed over a long time resulted in a sharp, clicking grunt instead.
As I executed the move, I saw the eyes of Wi Se-gun and the old man widen. When I finished the technique and stepped back, I couldn't feel any True Qi left in my body. Moving through thirty-two directions in a single breath to attack consumed an enormous amount of internal energy.
But the power was worth it.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
The four Divine Light Sect experts, who had seemed invincible, collapsed like bundles of straw.
"I am Mun Gang, the Blood Flame Blade."
Before Wi Se-gun could say anything, the old man known as the Blood Flame Blade stepped forward. As soon as he finished his greeting, he attacked.
I couldn't understand how his saber could coil around like a whip. His saber technique was that fast and fluid. As I frantically blocked his strikes, Mun Gang spoke.
"Here I come. No matter how strong your sword technique is, it’s useless if it isn't fast enough."
Huh? What? You mean the strikes I’ve been blocking for dear life were just a warm-up?
I squeezed out every drop of internal energy beginning to form in my meridians and unleashed the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash. However, before I could even release the final Rebound Energy, Mun Gang’s body became a blur.
My eyes couldn't track his movements, but I could sense him attacking from directly in front of me. Realizing I would be finished if I stayed still, I immediately transitioned into Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven.
Because I unleashed the second form without having discharged the Rebound Energy from the first, my wrists throbbed with agonizing pain.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The air rang with sounds like a massive wall of ice shattering. Mun Gang was finally caught by the thirty-two strikes delivered in a single breath.
When the old man blocked Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven with his saber, the Rebound Energy that had been coiled around my wrists also transferred over. Having used the technique with no internal energy left, I felt as if my internal organs were being twisted.
"Urgh!"
I eventually spat out a mouthful of blood. Simultaneously, a similar cry escaped Mun Gang’s lips.
"Kh!"
Mun Gang vomited blood and staggered. He plunged his saber into the ground to steady himself.
Crack!
At that moment, his saber shattered into countless pieces.
That’s...?
Looking at the broken saber, I realized something. By performing Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven without discharging the Rebound Energy, that energy had flowed directly into Mun Gang’s saber.
I realized that Rebound Energy could be projected, but it also affected anything it collided with. By blocking my sword—which was imbued with Rebound Energy—thirty-two times, his saber had reached its limit and shattered.
And from that fact, I grasped another secret of the Nine-Section Soul-Severing Sword.
The forms of the Nine-Section Soul-Severing Sword are all connected. The Rebound Energy method from the first form, Scattering Light Red Sun Flash, is used directly in Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven. And the third form, Galaxy Star Collapse, involves launching oneself into the air to attack; it uses the method of Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven to occupy thirty-two directions while firing off Rebound Energy.
If one could occupy thirty-two directions in mid-air and fire Rebound Energy, not even an immortal could dodge it. Furthermore, Galaxy Star Collapse required performing that Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven three times while flipping in the air.
I had thought that performing Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven three times while flipping mid-air was something that could only exist in one's imagination. I wasn't even sure if it was possible to do it once, let alone three times.
As I continued to use the martial art and realized what kind of sword style the Nine-Section Soul-Severing Sword truly was, I felt a chill run down my spine. No wonder I hadn't made any progress despite my efforts.
My realization was short-lived, as I was forced to grimace. I was barely able to remain standing, but Wi Se-gun was perfectly fine, and he was slowly walking toward me.