Are You Afraid?
The moment Yeop Hyeon and his six companions charged toward the black-clad assassins, dozens of silver arrows whistled through the air straight at them.
Every single arrow was a spirit-grade weapon.
"Everyone, behind me!"
The five warriors didn't hesitate, ducking behind Yeop Hyeon. He stomped the ground hard with his right foot.
Boom!
Earth Battle Armor!
Earthly power surged over his body faster than light. At the same instant, a fierce sword glow erupted from the Spirit Water Sword. It blocked most of the arrows, but a few pierced through, flying straight at Yeop Hyeon.
The Earth Battle Armor stopped them, but the impact sent excruciating pain ripping through him.
Just then, the black-clad foes nocked a second volley. Yeop Hyeon stomped again and charged them with ferocious speed.
"Kill them!"
At his command, the five warriors leaped toward the enemy.
Before Yeop Hyeon reached them, the Spirit Water Sword shot from his hand. Its tip brimmed with sword momentum, sword intent, and sword will. It even carried the power of the earth.
The speed and force of this single strike were beyond what any Penetrating Nether Realm expert could withstand.
Squelch!
The blade pierced the gut of the lead black-clad assassin.
In that instant, another massive sword appeared in Yeop Hyeon's grasp.
The Great Black Sword.
Gripping it with both hands, he swung down at the foe before him with devastating power, as if cleaving heaven and earth apart in tyrannical fury.
The black-clad man twisted in rage, drawing a black saber from his waist instead of his strong bow, and slashed at the Great Black Sword.
Crunch!
The clash shattered the black saber—and tore the assassin's body apart.
With earthly power at his back, Yeop Hyeon's might was pure terror. He was confident he could easily defeat a normal Penetrating Nether Realm expert, but these foes were different. To end it quickly, he'd unleashed his strongest card without delay.
His greatsword didn't stop, sweeping horizontally.
A powerful sword glow surged forth like a crashing wave.
Boom!
A black-clad assassin beyond the leader flew back.
The Spirit Water Sword, not to be outdone, pierced between another assassin's brows.
"Kill them all!"
Every time Yeop Hyeon's form vanished, sword light flashed, turning the area into a bloodbath.
The other five warriors were no slouches either. Facing multiple foes at once, they never faltered. Neung Han, wielding his spear, racked up the second-highest kill count after Yeop Hyeon.
As the black-clad numbers dwindled, Yeop Hyeon glanced back to see a fierce melee raging there too.
Seven against hundreds.
Luckily, the cramped forest terrain saved them. In open ground, Luk Ban-jang's group couldn't have held against such odds.
But the seven were accumulating wounds fighting hundreds. Even the strongest, Luk Ban-jang, was battered.
Half an incense stick's time had passed since the brutal fight began.
Yeop Hyeon's Great Black Sword tore through the air.
Splat!
A black-clad man thirty feet away was shredded beyond recognition. With that blow, no enemies remained on this side.
Yeop Hyeon's side had several serious injuries but no deaths.
He swiftly gathered the assassins' strong bows, then raced to the rear.
"Rear support!"
The five mercenaries followed him skyward.
Reaching Luk Ban-jang's battlefield, Yeop Hyeon swung his Great Black Sword without pause.
Slash!
One black saber guard crumpled under the blade.
"Withdraw!"
A black saber guard bellowed in fury.
The guards ebbed away like a receding tide.
Yeop Hyeon's group couldn't pursue—their own conditions were dire.
Meanwhile, the retreating guards reached a clearing.
A black saber guard approached the masked man.
"Commander! They were all badly wounded—why pull back so feebly?"
The masked man shook his head.
"The terrain's too cramped for us. We'd have wiped them out eventually, but at the cost of near-total annihilation on our side."
Staring at the forest they'd just left, he continued.
"Beyond this woods lies a vast swamp. They can't cross it. We hold here and wait for reinforcements!"
"Commander, they're all martial masters—regular soldiers won't cut it."
The masked man laughed coldly.
"Don't worry. Yeop Hyeon's enemies aren't just us. Stay sharp and pin them down—they won't escape."
Hundreds of black saber guard soldiers roared.
"Understood!"
In the jungle depths, Yeop Hyeon's group faced a massive swamp. Its edges were stained red with their own blood.
Everyone bore wounds from the recent bloodbath.
Sang Wol's were worst—one leg severed.
Yeop Hyeon approached, offering a Golden Wound Pill. Sang Wol shook his head.
"No need to waste it."
Yeop Hyeon forced it into his mouth. Sang Wol stared silently.
Yeop Hyeon sensed their exhaustion. They'd poured everything into the fight.
Wounds plus fatigue—conditions couldn't be worse.
The mood grew heavy.
"Are you afraid?"
Yeop Hyeon asked suddenly. All eyes turned to him. He grinned and shook his head.
"No retreat left. Things worsen, we die gloriously. Thoughts?"
Laughter erupted.
He was right—couldn't get worse. Death at worst.
Sobering, Yeop Hyeon said,
"Reinforcements wait outside. Problem is, we don't know who. Crossing this endless swamp? Unrealistic.
Only path: smash through the encirclement by force.
Tough. They're elite, trained killers—we're all wounded. No choice."
Silence fell.
Yeop Hyeon turned to Luk Ban-jang.
"Other ideas?"
She shook her head.
"Breaking through's hard. They'll fight to the death. Even if we do, with these wounds, maybe one or two escape. Got it?"
Yeop Hyeon said nothing.
He understood—pretended otherwise. If they charged, he and Luk Ban-jang could escape easily.
But the others? Masters, yes, but post-battle, half strength. Against desperate foes, slim odds.
Delay, and official reinforcements arrive—total doom.
Checkmate.
Suddenly, an elder appeared nearby. Luk Ban-jang moved to strike; Yeop Hyeon stopped her.
His black robe was familiar—Chwi Seon Ru garb.
The elder cupped fists before Yeop Hyeon.
"Young Master Yeop!"
"Hm?"
"I've come on O Ru-ju's orders to aid you."
O Ru-ju?
Yeop Hyeon blinked, then recalled—the former lord promoted.
"How?"
"Guinan City lies three hundred li from here. Head to our Chwi Seon Ru branch there. Surrounded on all sides by official armies—no other escape."
"Go on."
Eyes on the bamboo grove, the elder continued.
"Soon, our Chwi Seon Ru forces strike. Slip through the chaos to Guinan City. We'll receive you."
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Excellent!"
The elder eyed the warriors behind him.
"Can all move?"
Luk Ban-jang paused, then nodded.
"Let's go!"
"Sis, be careful. I'll stay."
Sang Wol, leg gone, smiled.
Luk Ban-jang told Ya Ri beside her,
"You're responsible—bring him."
Ya Ri nodded.
"No problem!"
Luk Ban-jang met Yeop Hyeon's eyes; he turned to the elder, who nodded faintly.
Then, deep in the forest, weapons clashed loudly.
Yeop Hyeon seized it.
"Now!"
Mounting Black Wolf in a flash, the group bolted into the woods.
Emerging, they saw dozens of Chwi Seon Ru experts battling black saber guards—including twenty Divine Fusion Realm powerhouses.
No time to think—Yeop Hyeon charged with Spirit Water Sword drawn. Blood sprayed with each dance of his blade.
The masked man spotted him, pointing.
"Stop them!"
Most guards rushed to encircle. Chwi Seon Ru Divine Fusion experts blocked them cold.
Yeop Hyeon's group broke through.
But halted soon after.
A man with a crescent blade stood grinning a hundred feet away, hair cascading to his chest. In his twenties, backed by twenty armored warriors with long sabers and iron plate.
The crescent blade wielder barked,
"Kill!"
He charged, blade dragging the ground, carving deep gouges and sparking flames. As he neared, his aura exploded wildly.
Peak Divine Fusion Realm—and a Blade Path Grandmaster.