#157. Black Flame Dragon Quiets the Chaos (2)
‘Damn it.’ Why hadn’t he anticipated this?
For the black path martial artists, time was more precious than gold. Before any justification could arise. Before stronger forces could intervene. Settling things swiftly and decisively was the best scenario they could hope for.
“Young Master Jin, what should we do? The Spear Palace Unit won’t arrive for a while yet.”
Had Namgung Seonhwa’s arrival here prompted them to hurry? The moment the Namgung family got involved, the burden on the black path martial world would only grow heavier.
“Everyone, prepare for battle.”
I gave the order and leaped onto the roof of Yujangmun’s main hall, shooting into the sky. Unfurling the Heavenly Lone Walker God Step, I soared a dozen zhang high, taking in the streets of Akyang at a glance.
Sharpening my inner sight, I scanned toward the source of the roaring cheers.
“Charge!”
“Kill them all!”
A swarm of pitch-black ants—crowds of people—filled every alley, racing straight for Yujangmun. Even a rough count put their numbers well over a thousand.
Mukblood Hall had never intended to let this night drag on.
Landing back on the ground, I turned to my companions and the academy students.
“Tae-eul Gate disciples and the gold-silver-bronze brothers, take the east. Academy students, head west to provide support.”
“What about you, Young Master Jin?”
“I’ll hold the main gate against them.”
“Pardon? What do you—”
“There’s no time. They plan to wipe out Yujangmun by tonight.”
“……”
“Don’t get hurt, no matter what. If things get dangerous…”
I paused, meeting each of their eyes in turn.
“Come straight to me, without hesitation.”
“Yes, sir!”
Their gazes, once tinged with anxiety, now burned with resolve.
“And gold, silver, bronze!”
I called back the brothers as they charged off, issuing a final warning.
“Show no mercy.”
“……!”
These words to the gold-silver-bronze brothers were meant for everyone. In this battle, mercy had no place.
“Got it!”
“Be careful, Big Brother!”
With their replies, I headed straight for the main gate.
Yujangmun’s warriors had not only barred the gates but piled massive furniture against them.
“……”
“……”
The battle was moments away, yet no one spoke. Instead, they all clenched their jaws, staring fixedly at the gates.
Then.
Thud.
A massive impact shook the gates like a wake-up call.
Thud.
Ripples of fear spread across the Yujangmun warriors’ faces, like stones dropped in a still pond.
Thud thud.
The sturdy gates rattled, wood splintering.
Kr-rumble.
Just as the piled furniture began to shift—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shattered the gates into fragments, furniture exploding inward like shrapnel.
“Argh!”
“Dodge!”
I spread my inner energy wide, using the Yujang Divine Art’s Lotus Method to sweep the sharp wooden shards aside.
“It’s open!”
“Rush in!”
Crack!
Wild palm and fist strikes demolished the gates and furniture. Hundreds poured in mercilessly, shoving debris aside.
“Fire!”
Yujangmun warriors loosed arrows at the invading black path fighters.
“You cowardly bastards!”
“Hey! They’re shooting arrows—don’t push!”
“I said don’t push!”
Mukblood Hall fighters tangled and fell one by one to the arrows.
But the black path didn’t sit idle. Using fallen comrades as shields, they hurled hidden weapons in retaliation—their volley dwarfing Yujangmun’s arrows.
Shuuuwook.
“Gahk.”
“Dodge…!”
“Hidden weapons!”
Blind blades and darts struck at Yujangmun warriors.
In that brief hesitation, Mukblood Hall fully breached the gates and flooded in.
“Sword formation—activate!”
Thirty Yujangmun warriors formed up.
Ching ching ching ching ching.
Blades blocked the path like a dam, but the black path’s overwhelming numbers threatened to swallow the formation whole.
“Argh!”
“Kyaak!”
“Spare me!”
Blood flowed from both sides indiscriminately. For every Yujangmun fall, they yielded two steps; for each Mukblood loss, they advanced four.
And that wasn’t all.
“Argh! What the hell is this junk?!”
“These punks throwing this crap…!”
Mukblood warriors scaling the pottery-studded walls smashed them in frustration. Inner energy-infused strikes crumbled the earthen barriers.
Boom!
Rumble.
Dirt and tiles collapsed, opening another breach. More poured through.
I circulated the Tae-eul True Scripture at full power. In lopsided fights like this, enemies wouldn’t retreat no matter the blood spilled. Numerical superiority dulled fear, blinding them to all but victory.
“Raaah!”
To shatter their morale, I needed a devastating blow.
Four swords hovered in the air. They moved slowly, scattering the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion.
“Wh-what?!”
“So many swords?!”
“Illusion swords! Ignore them!”
Mukblood warriors, drunk on bloodlust like opium addicts, charged wildly.
I layered sword energy atop them. My dantian dipped sharply—four ge worth in an instant—as sword energy cloaked both illusions and true blades.
Vrrrrm.
The resonating swords dropped their tips in unison.
“H-hey… That’s gotta be illusions, right?”
“Yeah, definitely illusions… Huh?”
“Uh-oh!”
They pierced en masse.
Stab, stab, stab, stab.
Pfbt pfbt pfbt pfbt pfbt pfbt.
“Damn it! Counter!”
“Move, you idiots!”
Mukblood warriors swung desperately against the sword-energy rain.
Kaboom, kaboom, kaboom, kwaroom.
Clashing energies exploded through the air, shockwaves deafening them. They clutched their ears amid the eardrum-shattering pain.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Kwaroom!
Earth overturned, bricks scattered. Masterless blades impaled allies, breaking their momentum.
“Wh-what the hell?!”
“No one said Yujangmun had an expert like this!”
“Mukblood Hall! You bastards lied to us…!”
Mukblood Hall had clearly brought in outsiders beyond their own ranks. I sensed this fight wouldn’t end easily.
‘Then I need to push harder here.’
Another massive surge from my dantian, heavy vibrations rumbling in my palms.
Grr rumble grr.
Unmatched destructive power among any palm technique in the jianghu.
Vrrr, vrrr, vrrr.
The Radiant Heaven Divine Palm, supreme in one-against-many battles, revealed itself once more.
Kwaroom!!!
A palm strike vast beyond the gates swept straight through, engulfing Mukblood warriors flooding in.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Explosions dwarfing sword energy detonated. They fled desperately, but the palm outpaced them.
“Grraaak!”
“Kyaaak!”
“Guhk!”
Churned earth filled the air with blinding dust. As screams and groans faded with the settling haze, dozens of Mukblood corpses emerged.
“……”
“……”
“……”
The heated arena chilled instantly. The blood-drunk foes sobered, breaths steadying.
“Who are you?! Who dares interfere in Yujangmun and Mukblood Hall’s affair?!”
A man with a shrill voice stepped forward over the bodies, sickle in hand. His twisted face betrayed ruined plans.
I glanced at Yujangmun warriors—many gravely wounded, unfit for more fighting. With a subtle nod to Jang Ujae, I signaled evacuation, then advanced.
“I am Jin Sowoon of Tae-eul Gate.”
“Jin Sowoon? The Black Flame Dragon? Why are you meddling here?”
“I was visiting a friend’s home and got caught up.”
“Sect matters are for sects to resolve. Get lost.”
“Yet it seems Mukblood Hall brought plenty from outside.”
“This is Akyang’s business. Not yours.”
“I’ll decide if it’s mine. Care to continue?”
The sickle wielder growled.
“Yujangmun ends tonight—from the jianghu’s records.”
“Tae-eul Gate isn’t alone here. Iron Sword Sect and Namgung family are with us.”
He barely hid his flinch.
“Harm them, and it won’t end at Akyang.”
“Does mighty Mukblood Hall fear that?”
“Wouldn’t it be wise? Namgung moves, Murim Alliance follows—and Jeomcheong, old lords of Akyang, returns.”
“……”
“I’ll give you this chance. Take your friends and leave.”
“No such plans.”
“Seeing it through?”
“How about calling it here for tonight?”
“What?”
I surveyed the damage. Gates gone, walls crumbled. Mukblood occupied most grounds; few Yujangmun stood unharmed.
“Both sides have taken heavy losses. Time to regroup.”
“Hah, clever Black Flame Dragon… Think we’ll slither away like eels?”
His tone brooked no retreat. They meant to finish tonight—before Namgung and Alliance intervention.
“You’ve got some decent moves, but relying on third-rate tricks against us?”
“Your choice. But one thing.”
“……”
“Keep fighting, and I’ll kill at least half here, no matter what.”
“We’ve already sized you up—”
Whoosh.
Flames erupted from both palms. Mukblood and Yujangmun alike recoiled—rare for such vivid manifestation in Yang Gang Finger Arts.
“And I’ll burn them the most painfully.”
“You bastard!”
“We’ve spared each other only because we didn’t know better. Remember that.”
The man froze, words failing.
“Mukblood Hall’s true goal isn’t Yujangmun.”
I bluffed desperately, like scamming Small Justice Squad thugs.
“……”
It worked—the sickle wielder held back his charge order.
“““Woooaaah!”””
Cheers erupted from the east. Familiar-uniformed warriors raced our way.
“Spear Palace Unit?”
“Namgung family’s joined?”
“They said major Alliance sects wouldn’t… Liars!”
Mukblood allies panicked; the leader’s face darkened. A mere hundred from Spear Palace wasn’t dire, but Namgung behind them was.
Time to drive it home.
“We’ve spilled enough blood tonight. Let’s stop.”
“……”
He ground his teeth.
“Jin Sowoon. Retreat now, and you can’t walk away from this.”
His sickle pointed at me accusingly.
“Ready for that?”
“……”
“Got the guts to stake your life for Yujangmun?”
Jang Ujae shook his head pleadingly. Ignoring him, I replied calmly.
“I can endure it.”
Jang Ujae bowed his head, fists clenched.
The sickle man glared murderously, then spoke.
“Everyone, withdraw.”
“……”
“Withdraw, you bastards!”
Mukblood warriors trickled out one by one, ebbing like the tide. Behind them lay only Yujangmun corpses—those who’d staked their lives.
Thud.
Thud.
Even the barely standing collapsed.
They’d endured a thousand foes, yet no cheers rose.
“……”
“……”
“……”
Just hours ago, they’d shared words and meals. Now, they breathed no more. Unbelievable.
“Hic… sob…”
A warrior with his left hand severed clutched a dead comrade instead, weeping.
“Hic… sob…”
One with a dart in his right eye, bleeding, wailed over a younger man’s body.
“Waaah!”
They’d survived the merciless black path, but no one rejoiced.
“……”
No one.