Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Battle of Phoenix Mountain (3)
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Phoenix Wing Ridge.
It was the highest and most treacherous pass leading to Phoenix Mountain, where the gently sloping ridgeline suddenly steepened and narrowed, making it a key strategic point that even a small force could use to hold off a much larger army.
Screams, curses, and the clash of weapons filled the air.
The ridge was dyed red with the fierce bloodbath between those defending it and those trying to break through.
The Blood Cult warriors scattered across Phoenix Mountain had crumbled more easily than expected under the overwhelming numbers launching the subjugation campaign from all directions—east, west, south, and north. Though they were but a tiny fraction of the total force, less than a tenth, the morale of the Righteous Heaven Alliance warriors, buoyed by victory after victory, pierced the heavens.
Phoenix Wing Ridge was the first place to halt the Alliance's unstoppable advance. The Blood Cult defenders here were clearly superior in both numbers and skill to those encountered before.
"What are you doing? Don't hesitate! There aren't many left!"
Jong Mun, patriarch of the West Sword Clan House, bellowed until his throat was raw.
As the vanguard in the assault on Phoenix Mountain, they had swiftly neutralized ambushes everywhere and reached the ridge faster than anyone—only to have their ankles firmly grabbed.
'Damn it all!'
Jong Mun bit his lip until it bled.
The start had been promising. They'd deployed an excessive number of scouts, uncovering every enemy ambush and slaughtering them with minimal losses.
And that was the problem.
The fight had been far too easy, breeding complacency. Launching reckless attacks without proper caution, they'd suffered heavy blows from the enemies' concentrated counterassaults.
Those who first entered the ridge had all perished. Half or more of those who rushed to save them followed suit. Subsequent assaults yielded no gains.
A protracted stalemate had dragged on since.
"Incoming!"
A warning shout rang out, followed by a thunderous explosion.
A gravely wounded Blood Cult warrior detonated his own body, inflicting fatal injuries on the West Sword Clan disciples attacking him.
The man who blocked the frontal blast died without a scream, while his comrade lost an arm entirely, without a trace. Blood poured from wounds all over his staggering body.
"You demonic bastards!"
One of the few survivors spat in rage at the enemy's atrocity, using even death as a weapon.
"Insane."
Jong Mun's eyes blazed with bloodshot fury at the horror unfolding before him.
How many disciples had they lost so pointlessly already? The real issue was not knowing how many more would die the same way.
"Patriarch Jong."
O Gwang, protector of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, rushed up covered head to toe in blood.
"Are you hurt?"
Jong Mun asked, startled.
"No, it's their blood. Nearly fell victim to their vile tricks."
O Gwang shuddered, flicking bits of flesh from his sleeve.
"Truly vicious. They won't die alone. Who knows how many we've lost that way."
"Many of my men have fallen too. But the end's in sight."
Jong Mun followed O Gwang's gesture.
Warriors in unfamiliar attire were brutally pressing the Blood Cult fighters.
"Who are they...?"
"Shandong's martial artists, come to aid us."
"Hm."
Joy mingled with a heavy heart.
Phoenix Wing Ridge was a formidable stronghold, but relying on Shandong's help to claim it whole bruised their pride.
Reading Jong Mun's thoughts, O Gwang soothed him.
"Focus on victory first. We can't afford to lose more good lives to Blood Cult trash."
Jong Mun nodded gravely and rallied his disciples for the final push—to clearly show whose merit this conquest was, even if Shandong's aid was needed.
Caught between pincer attacks, the Blood Cult abandoned their desperate resistance and fled in an instant.
"Those damned dogs..."
Jong Mun ground his teeth watching them slip away like the tide. He burned to pursue and cut them all down, but the priority was securing the position and crushing the main enemy force hunkered down—not chasing scattered rats.
"Unbelievable."
O Gwang, who had fought fiercest at the forefront, stared at the fleeing foes with hollow eyes. The brutal clash moments ago felt like an illusion.
"Let's head up."
"Right."
Encouraging each other, Jong Mun and O Gwang ascended to the ridge summit, now fully secured by the Shandong forces.
"And who might you heroes be?"
A middle-aged man with a beard covering half his face like tangled underbrush asked. His tone was polite enough, but wariness gleamed in his eyes.
"O Gwang, protector of the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
"Jong Mun of the West Sword Clan House."
Their words sharpened slightly at his guarded gaze.
"Ah! Heroes of the Alliance! I'm Nok Chung, chief of White Dragon Gang. I suspected as much from your fierce battle with the Blood Cult scum, but with their tricks everywhere, I overstepped. Forgive my rudeness."
Nok Chung bowed again.
"Ah, Chief Nok. Tricks, you say?"
O Gwang tilted his head.
"The Blood Cult disguises as allies to sow chaos. Heavy losses everywhere. We lost many getting here—even some posing as Alliance members."
"Ah, so that's..."
O Gwang and Jong Mun exclaimed in unison.
"Yes. But I was mistaken. No excuse for doubting warriors of such a brutal fight."
Nok Chung apologized again, eyeing the corpses littering the path to the summit.
"No matter. Knowing their schemes, who wouldn't stay vigilant?"
"Exactly. Don't dwell on it."
"My thanks for your magnanimity."
Nok Chung bowed with a simple smile contrasting his rugged face.
"How fares the rest? You started around the same time as us."
O Gwang asked.
"Sweeping them with little trouble. No major clashes yet. But ambushes and schemes caused unexpected casualties. This was the biggest fight I've seen—fierce resistance."
"True. Stronger than the ones elsewhere."
"First time facing such tenacious foes."
"Then rest a bit and press on together? You all look worn. Urgent as it is, we can't leave our fallen comrades like that. A quick cleanup during rest wouldn't hurt."
O Gwang and Jong Mun nodded without hesitation at Nok Chung's suggestion.
"Agreed."
"Mountain beasts are already drawn by the blood."
Jong Mun pointed to crows perched on branches.
As Alliance and West Sword disciples moved to recover their dead, Nok Chung shouted to his men.
"Affiliations differ, but we share one cause, staking our lives. Help honor the fallen heroes."
White Dragon Gang disciples sprang to assist.
"Thank you."
"Our thanks, Chief."
O Gwang and Jong Mun were deeply moved by Nok Chung calling the dead heroes and showing respect.
Just then, another group charged from the opposite side.
As O Gwang and Jong Mun tensed, Nok Chung waved reassuringly.
"Allies. Look at them."
"Ran into Blood Cult on the way here. Fight over?"
"Yes. The ones you met fled from here."
"That explains their panicked rout—like defeated remnants. Ha ha ha!"
A blood-smeared man boomed with laughter.
"Introduce yourself. These are the heroes who drove them off."
"O Gwang."
"Jong Mun of the West Sword Clan House."
The man bowed sheepishly as they greeted first.
"Ah! My apologies. Ak Bul Gon."
Nok Chung sidled up and whispered.
"The one who just fought you."
"What? Ugh!"
O Gwang's question cut off in a scream.
He stared incomprehensibly at the dagger in his chest, then slumped lifeless.
"What treachery is this?!"
Jong Mun barely blocked Ak Bul Gon's ambush, eyes bulging in rage.
No answer needed.
Screams erupted everywhere.
Alliance and West Sword disciples recovering bodies fell helplessly to sudden attacks from their White Dragon "helpers."
"Strange, isn't it? People pretend to suspect, apologize, and folks let their guard down nine times out of ten—never considering the reverse."
Jong Mun instinctively leaped away from Nok Chung's sneer.
"I'll kill you."
"Same old reaction."
Nok Chung drew his sword with a cold smile.
Woooooo!
Black Fang's howl echoed long, warning allies of enemies while announcing his presence to foes.
"It's him."
Ya Hul Jae's face hardened.
Before reaching the battlefield, he'd already sensed Sima Geon—not just from the howl. Having achieved bone transformation and rejuvenation, he'd once proclaimed himself unrivaled under heaven. Failing to detect the man who'd brought him defeat and the terror of death would be the real oddity.
"His presence means our plan's gone completely awry. No word from Elder Lee?"
His earlier ease vanished.
"None."
Ya Hul Hoon's face mirrored Ya Hul Jae's tension.
"Assume he's fallen. To him, or perhaps the Sword Empress."
Ya Hul Jae eyed Gu Yang Kyung, deputy guardian leader steadfastly guarding his rear.
"Elder Lee seems taken."
"Yes."
"Stubborn as ever, despite his ironclad promise."
"Expected as much."
"What do you mean?"
"That's Father's way. A lifetime principle. No matter how strong the foe, he won't show his back."
A heavy sigh escaped Ya Hul Jae at Gu Yang Kyung's calm words.
"Pitiful!"
Not anger at Gu Yang Soon for defying orders, but self-reproach for assuming a single command could sway a lifetime conviction.
"Not your fault, Lord. Father never truly thought he'd lose."
"The foe was the Sword Empress. Or possibly that Divine Demon Division Leader."
"Father was Blood Cult's Second Elder."
Ya Hul Jae nodded at her pride-filled words.
"Right. You're correct. Your father was that kind of man."
Gazing silently at the sky, Ya Hul Jae turned.
"Elder Woo."
"Yes, Lord."
Yi Geuk, silent since sensing Sima Geon, spoke softly.
"Can I beat him?"
"Of course. You'll surely win."
"I've changed little since our last fight."
"You've advanced your internal energy."
"Just ten more years of cultivation."
"To novices, ten years is a night's work. But to limits-reached masters like you and the Divine Demon Leader, it's profound."
"Perhaps."
Ya Hul Jae nodded, omitting his desperate efforts advancing his unfinished technique.
"Never dreamed the Blood Cult Lord himself would come. Did you know?"
Neng So Hwa stared in shock at the youth leading the group.
Sima Geon shook his head at her question.
"No. No idea."
"When I heard Blood Cult plotted to seize Sword Pavilion, I felt confident. Knowing our disciples' skills best, I feared nothing. But such naivety. Never imagined their Lord would come personally. Without you here, Young Master Sima, how could we face them?"
Neng So Hwa shuddered, realizing her misjudgment nearly doomed Sword Pavilion terribly.
"Even so, you'd have handled it. You're strong, but so are Sword Pavilion's disciples."
Sima Geon gently embraced her trembling shoulders, pointing to the disciples forming ranks.
With his group's aid, they'd fully dispatched Gu Yang Soon's trainees and now sharpened blades against the new foes.
Watching their resolve, Neng So Hwa felt shame for her premature defeatism.
She closed her eyes, steadying her quaking heart.
Naturally, memories of Sima Geon and Ya Hul Jae's earth-shaking duel surfaced.
Since that day, in meditation she'd dueled as Ya Hul Jae against Sima Geon, and vice versa, countless times. Though intangible training, the insights were inexpressible. She'd never gained the upper hand, even now.
Neng So Hwa slowly opened her eyes.
Sima Geon read her eerily calm gaze instantly.
"This time, I'll face him."
As expected. And Sima Geon couldn't stop her resolve.