Chapter 91
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Black Mountain Stronghold Ambush
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The group quickly assumed combat formations upon spotting the bandits.
Amid the tension, the bandits halted about a hundred paces from the village.
“……!”
A man in his late thirties with broad shoulders stepped forward from among them.
It was the very one who had spoken with Yi Jeong-myeong earlier.
The bearded man flashed a sinister grin and shouted.
“Nice to meet you, northern scum! The name’s Yang Mu-seung!”
A few in the group paled at the sound of his name. He was quite infamous.
“That’s the Yaksha Blade?”
“Black Mountain Stronghold Leader Yang Mu-seung?”
Yaksha Blade Yang Mu-seung.
He was the stronghold leader of Black Mountain Stronghold, one of the top three among the Green Forest Eighteen Bandits.
The reason he stood out more than other bandits was that he was the son of Yang Ho-cheon, the Chief Escort Leader.
Yang Ho-cheon, known as the Green Forest Overlord, had few equals in the martial world, and Yang Mu-seung, trained in his father’s arts, was a formidable master in his own right.
“You didn’t seriously think you’d walk away after smashing three of the Green Forest Eighteen Bandits unscathed?”
Seol Hwa-un’s group couldn’t help but waver.
“The Eight Great Devil Sects were tough enough, and now the bandits too…”
“Of all times…”
Some thought it mere coincidence, but Seol Hwa-un saw it differently.
‘The Eight Great Devil Sects must have joined forces with them.’
“See behind me? Handpicked elites from three strongholds. That means one thing—you’re all dead men walking.”
Killing intent rose on Yang Mu-seung’s face.
“Shall we start with a light greeting?”
He raised his hand and thrust it forward.
“Fire.”
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Hundreds of arrows arced into the sky. Three hundred archers at the rear of the bandits had loosed in unison.
Seol Hwa-un shouted swiftly.
“Everyone behind the buildings!”
The group moved fast. Though scorched by fire, plenty of structures remained serviceable as shields.
The arrow storm rained down like a tempest.
Papatapatapak!
Imperfect cover meant some arrows reached Seol Hwa-un’s group.
Clang!
Chclang!
But as masters all, blocking them was no great feat.
Even as the arrow barrage yielded no results, Yang Mu-seung remained unhurried.
“That was just the greeting. The real show’s coming soon.”
Meanwhile, Seol Hwa-un, hunkered behind a building, keenly observed the incoming arrows.
‘In this situation, inflicting damage is nearly impossible. Yet they keep firing…’
Then he spotted it.
“……!”
Face changing, Seol Hwa-un stepped out from cover.
“Ah!”
“Young Palace Lord!”
“Danger!”
Ignoring them, Seol Hwa-un thrust out his fist.
Shoooaaak!
A streak of clear fist force shot into the air, colliding with an arrow that differed slightly in shape from the rest.
Kwaaaaang!!
The arrow exploded midair with a massive boom.
“That—that’s!”
“Exploding arrows?!”
Exploding arrows—arrows packed with explosives. Their power made them hard to block even with half-ruined buildings.
And despairingly for Seol Hwa-un’s group, there was more than one.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Exploding arrows mixed amid the barrage.
Seol Hwa-un yelled.
“Everyone scatter!”
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!!
The village, reduced to skeletal remains by flames, now crumbled to utter ruin.
“……!”
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
The ruined village became total wasteland in mere moments.
Yang Mu-seung smiled in satisfaction.
“Hmm, much cleaner now.”
Seol Hwa-un’s group had miraculously avoided injury, but no viable cover remained.
Nor could the weary and wounded charge headlong at over six hundred bandits.
“Kekeke, dodging plain arrows won’t be so easy now, huh?”
Exploding arrows were potent but rare. Best to conserve them if possible.
“Fire again.”
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Hundreds more arrows blackened the sky, seemingly more numerous than before.
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un’s group deflected arrows while retreating, soon reaching the riverbank.
At once, the bandits sealed off three sides as if waiting.
The North Wind Brigade Leader couldn’t hide his dismay.
‘We’ve been had!’
Escape was now impossible.
‘Did they plan this?’
Yang Mu-seung nodded.
“Just as I expected.”
Another arrow storm poured down.
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
The North Wind Brigade Leader kicked off the ground, soaring into the air.
“Haaat!”
Papapatapatapak!
Sweeping his blade wide created a massive shield shape. Arrows striking it bounced away.
Seol Hwa-un extended his palm skyward as well. Ice White Divine Palm.
Paaat!
A gigantic silver palm force clashed with the arrows.
Paaaaang!
Arrows shattered and fell.
Yet the volley never ceased, forcing Seol Hwa-un and the North Wind Brigade Leader to expend energy blocking them nonstop.
This spared the North Wind Brigade members, but such a war of attrition favored the enemy.
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un’s eyes sharpened.
[North Wind Brigade Leader, at this rate we’ll all fall. I’ll strike them.]
[No, Young Palace Lord! Let me instead…]
[I know you’re pushing yourself. Better I go, even if just slightly rested.]
“……!”
He betrayed no sign, but Seol Hwa-un’s eyes missed nothing.
In truth, though the North Wind Brigade Leader showed no visible wounds, he harbored severe internal injuries.
Moreover, tending wounded brigade members overnight had left him physically drained.
[Then together…]
[What are you saying? Who guards the brigade if we both go?]
In this open field, the arrow deluge was overwhelming.
Only Seol Hwa-un and the North Wind Brigade Leader could manage it; the brigade members, battered by wounds, fatigue, and Dream Bewitchment Incense aftereffects, could not.
[Trust me. Watch for an escape chance and get out immediately.]
[But you, Young Palace Lord…]
[Once everyone’s clear, escaping alone will be easy.]
The North Wind Brigade Leader’s face darkened. No other path came to mind, and that stung deepest.
[You mustn’t get hurt!]
Seol Hwa-un smiled faintly.
[I’ll do my best.]
Paaang!
Blasting arrows with palm force once more, Seol Hwa-un charged forward, targeting the weakest point in the encirclement.
Yang Mu-seung, watching, narrowed his eyes.
‘That’s the North Heavenly Dragon? As if.’
With a glance, six blade wielders leaped forth. Yang Mu-seung followed leisurely behind.
Seol Hwa-un’s lightness skill was astonishing, reaching the encircling bandits in a blink.
“Gasp!”
They recoiled in terror at his sudden appearance.
‘Quick and decisive.’
Seol Hwa-un’s right fist erupted with pure white energy. Fist Cannon One Split.
Paaaaaaa!
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
“Keuk!”
“Guk!”
True to Yang Mu-seung’s claim of elites, they were different.
Even at maximum range, Fist Cannon One Split felled only three bandits. The rest swiftly widened the gap.
‘Definitely a cut above the Heaven Worship Cult rabble.’
Nearby bandits counterattacked at once.
“Die, northern scum!”
Spears and blades rained toward Seol Hwa-un.
‘No time to play around with you lot.’
He unleashed Heaven-Earth Shadowless Movement. His form blurred, and the bandits’ strikes cleaved empty air.
To them, it was shocking.
“Gasp!”
“No way!”
Breaking free, Seol Hwa-un unleashed Broad Cold Fist.
‘Cold Wind Three Strikes!’
Puk-puk-puk!
“Guk!”
“Keuk!”
Three bandits properly struck by his fists crumpled to their knees.
‘Broad Fist Freeplay!’
Puk-puk-puk!
Puk-puk-puk-puk!
In an instant, nine bandits around him were neutralized.
No fatal wounds like gut punctures or severed limbs, but shocks that would keep them down for a while.
‘Inner energy drain is heavy, but far more efficient.’
As he aimed to breach the encirclement, a chill premonition struck Seol Hwa-un.
“……!”
Without time to think, he triggered Heaven-Earth Shadowless Movement.
Swaaak-swaaak-swaaak-swaaak!
Four blades grazed his blurring form.
Slick! Paat!
One blade nicked his left shoulder, spraying blood.
‘Tch!’
Even with Heaven-Earth Shadowless Movement, he hadn’t fully evaded.
Those four blades had nearly perfectly sealed his evasion range.
Shuuk!
No sooner had he escaped than two more blades targeted him.
‘Damn!’
Seol Hwa-un thrust both fists.
Cheeeeng!
A heavy impact traveled up his arms. He staggered back three steps.
‘A snap punch without full power, yet…’
He sensed these foes were no pushovers.
The six blade wielders, now upon him, pressed relentlessly without respite.
Shu-shuuk!
Their coordinated strikes were seamless: three blades aimed high, mid, and low simultaneously.
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un punched to deflect the mid blade.
Cleng!
Simultaneously, he triggered Heaven-Earth Shadowless Movement again.
Srak! Paat!
Another line of blood sprayed. Their coordination was so tight even Heaven-Earth Shadowless Movement couldn’t fully evade.
Moreover, though an exquisite footwork supreme in one-on-one, it lost efficacy in one-versus-many.
‘Change tactics.’
Instead of footwork, Seol Hwa-un stood firm, intercepting blades with fists.
Cheeeng!
Cheeng!
Chee-cheeng!
The blade wielders, swinging without pause, grimaced and faltered. Ice White Divine Art’s yin energy had seeped through their blades.
“Ugh.”
At last, their onslaught halted. They hurriedly expelled the yin energy, watching for openings.
‘Not enough to finish them.’
He had to settle for merely stalling their assault.
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un glared at the six blade wielders encircling him.
‘Formidable masters.’
Then Yang Mu-seung’s voice rang out.
“How’s it feel, North Heavenly Dragon? These are the Heavenly Net Six Blades. You’ve heard of them, right?”
“……The Green Forest Overlord sent the Heavenly Net Six Blades too?”
The Heavenly Net Six Blades were masters painstakingly trained by the Green Forest Overlord, said to fell any foe when united.
Usually his personal guards, their unexpected appearance here was surprising.
“Kekeke. Barely talked Father out of coming himself. Even so, he shouldn’t step in unless it’s the Ice Emperor level, right?”
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un glanced at his group. They still fended off arrows desperately.
His absence clearly weighed heavy; they struggled.
‘No time to waste.’