#85. Hell's Fixed Time: The Second Gate (2)
The one I'd been most worried about when leaving the others behind was Dongryong. I feared he might recklessly use his talent and throw away his life. For his brothers' sake—that was my biggest concern.
Thank goodness.
"Big Brother..."
He had no idea how proud I was of him. Dongryong gaped blankly, staring at me.
"You did well."
I unleashed Heavenly Lone Walker God Step at full power, charging straight at Gam Cheoljin. He dodged my mad rush with the evasive arts of Gungsi Tanyeong.
Then I bolted right for Jong Seogang.
"Damn it...!"
Gam Cheoljin spat curses, assuming I'd target him, but by then I was already closing in on Jong Seogang.
Bam!
"Urk."
Jong Seogang clashed swords with me and staggered back three zhang.
"What kind of internal energy is that...?"
For a brief moment, he was stunned by the unexpected destructive power, but Jong Seogang quickly regained his stance. I pressed him relentlessly, separating him from the group.
The Hwanggeomun warriors, who had to prioritize protecting him, trailed after us in a long line.
Cheonrajimang began to slowly crumble.
"...You're ridiculously lucky."
Jong Seogang, blood trickling from his mouth as his insides churned, forced a calm expression.
"Does chalking everything up to luck make you feel better?"
"Are you saying you knew that demonic beast was here?"
"Your first mistake was assuming I couldn't break this sloppy Cheonrajimang."
"......"
With Gam Cheoljin and half of the Hwanggeomun warriors peeled away, the killing intent of Cheonrajimang reversed flow. Those who'd been emanating murderous aura until now were suddenly drenched in it like facing a reservoir's flood head-on, their eyes turning blood-red.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang.
The feints and realities of Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion dazzled Jong Seogang's eyes, while his reliance on Gam Cheoljin and the other warriors distracted him further. In one breath, his forelock was severed, his topknot cut, and a long gash carved into his left arm.
"Urk."
"Young Master!"
Clang!
Only then did my sword halt against Gam Cheoljin's blade.
"Young Master, are you alright?!"
"......"
He gave no answer. Jong Seogang, reduced to rags, glared at Gam Cheoljin and the Hwanggeomun warriors with eyes full of resentment.
Why should he end up like this? his gaze demanded.
"...My apologies."
As Gam Cheoljin bowed his head, Jong Seogang finally turned to me. Meanwhile, the Hwanggeomun warriors—faces twisted in disgust—began forming a sword formation to protect him.
"Your disciples must pity you. A young master who doesn't even appreciate the grace of having his life saved."
Grind.
Jong Seogang ground his teeth.
"Still acting cocky? If I were you, I'd have grabbed my juniors with that fancy movement technique and run."
As Jong Seogang said, other sects started filling the gap left by Hwanggeomun.
The hastily repaired Cheonrajimang now targeted not just Tae-eul Gate disciples but even Geumrin Cheongseonsa.
"I just didn't want to leave any loose ends."
"Pfft. Still bluffing."
Jong Seogang clutched his bleeding arm and laughed.
"Bluffing, huh? Looks like you've investigated me pretty thoroughly."
"We know your sect has acquired new martial arts. But a mere illusion sword won't fool these men."
Peak realm warriors could discern feint from reality. No matter how brilliant the illusions or transformations, they were mere phantoms before peak-level might.
"Why? Is there a peak warrior hiding here?"
"......"
Jong Seogang clamped his mouth shut like he'd swallowed honey.
"Makes sense. If Hwanggeomun's secret warriors joined covertly, it explains how you've breezed through every exam."
"Don't speak nonsense!"
Jong Seogang's face flushed red.
"Why get worked up? If you're proud of yourself, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
"......What are you lot doing?! Kill him now!"
"......"
Even his polite speech had devolved to commands, but the Hwanggeomun warriors, accustomed to it, didn't bat an eye as they formed up and charged.
Twilight One Sword Formation.
A unique sword array specialized for many-against-one, where multiple warriors moved as a single blade. Led by Gam Cheoljin, the Hwanggeomun men rushed like one razor-sharp sword.
"Tae-eul Gate isn't just about illusion and transformation swords."
"......"
"This sword will prove we didn't survive the brink by chance."
Four illusions burst from the Black Dragon Sword.
"Kaaak!"
"Kuhk!"
"I-it's coming!"
"Maintain Cheonrajimang!"
Screams echoed from all directions. Like ants swarming a single earthworm, the seven hundred forming Cheonrajimang surrounded Geumrin Cheongseonsa, attacking relentlessly.
Geumrin Cheongseonsa swallowed the nearest humans whole, bit them to death, and crushed them under its body. Worse, anyone approaching too close got sprayed with blue venom from its maw—the first victim melted his vocal cords and died mid-scream.
"Fall back!"
"Use flying needles and arrows!"
Flying needles and arrows were lethal to humans, but Geumrin Cheongseonsa shrugged them off. They struck its tough, slick scales only to be deflected by the mucus it secreted, falling harmlessly.
"Keurk!"
"R-run!"
"Don't run! No mercy for those who retreat!"
It was utter chaos. As Cheonrajimang shattered, the pent-up killing intent exploded outward. Even among the allies who'd formed it, some now swung swords at each other.
Hell on earth unfolded here.
"Hoo..."
And Geum Pyo, closest to Geumrin Cheongseonsa, let out a calm sigh.
"Geum Pyo-hyung! Step properly! Didn't you see that shit-brown snake swallow a guy whole?"
"It doesn't seem interested in us anyway."
No one in the Cheonrajimang formation questioned why the gold-silver-bronze brothers, right beside Geumrin Cheongseonsa, weren't attacked—despite being the closest. Their eyes were fixed on the beast spewing venom and gaping its cavernous maw.
"The snake's not the issue. We're still inside Cheonrajimang."
"Got it."
Even short on sleep, Jin Sowoon had forced this footwork on them.
'I thought it was just some ominous-named technique.'
With no internal energy then, and half-asleep, he barely remembered learning it—just mimicking Eunho's steps desperately, thanks to his good memory.
This footwork, called Gwisik Haengbo, was said to hide one's tracks perfectly. When he asked why not just flee with it, Sowoon explained that without separate stealth arts, getting spotted meant capture—so he'd inwardly cursed his senior for the useless thing that cost him sleep.
Sorry, senior brother. I'm the idiot. I'm the fool.
Your grace is as vast as the heavens.
Thanks to this unreliable Gwisik Haengbo, the shit-brown snake ignored them, thrashing and snapping at those radiating intense killing intent.
"...Dongryong, you okay?"
"...Yeah. I'm fine."
"You little punk, I told you not to use that recklessly!"
Geum Pyo quickly hung the Tangma Saryeongju around Dongryong's neck.
He knew why Dongryong had dashed out. And without him, one of the three might've become a venom skewer, or the gold-silver-bronze trio reduced to two.
Still, the maknae risking himself irked him enough for a scolding.
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Do it again, and I'll really leave you behind."
"Got it! Stop saying you'll leave us!"
"Anyway, if we just stay like this, we should be good, right?"
Cheonrajimang was crumbling further. The choking killing intent faded, and enemies who'd charged to kill them were now fully occupied with the shit-brown snake.
"......"
But Eunho gave no crisp reply.
"Hey, their killing intent is what's keeping us..."
"No, look there."
Eunho pointed. Men in blue robes with massive swords stepped forward, dismantling Cheonrajimang. Then they leaped as one, unleashing a barrage of sword qi.
Kieeeek—!
Geumrin Cheongseonsa, which had rampaged matchlessly among humans, screamed for the first time. Arrows had left it unscathed, but now scales shed in chunks, blood pouring from exposed flesh.
"It's wounded! Focus fire!"
As Cheongdobang warriors struck true, Geumrin Cheongseonsa thrashed wildly. They dodged fearfully yet loosed arrows and needles amid the chaos.
Kieeeek!
"Run!"
"Damn it!"
At Eunho's signal, the gold-silver-bronze brothers stepped into Tae-eul Paeman Sinbo and burst away.
"Tae-eul Gate disciples over there!"
"Grab them first!"
With Cheongdobang fixated on Geumrin Cheongseonsa, other sects' warriors, now with breathing room, charged the brothers.
"As expected—one of us will carry on the Flying Sword legacy?"
"Geum Pyo-hyung! Don't jinx it in a situation like this!"
"Yeah! Big bro always says ominous crap!"
"......"
Geum Pyo, scolded amid formation, took point and eyed the foes.
"Hah... This can't be."
Jong Seogang couldn't tear his eyes from the scene.
"...What the hell!"
Impossible. Gam Cheoljin was an elder-level expert in Hwanggeomun. Even with Twilight One Sword Formation, he'd been broken?
Jin Sowoon had alternated illusion and swift swords to pressure, mixing in transformations and heavies for chaos. Tricky for equals, certainly.
But only equals. Gam Cheoljin, rushing to protect him post-formation, looked ragged too.
"Th-this... A mere illusion swordsman..."
At peak, illusions were useless. That's why jianghu gossips called illusion users "phantom cowards."
"It's not just an illusion sword."
Gam Cheoljin spoke more firmly than usual.
"What?"
"Not just illusion. Real swords disguised as illusions."
"Nonsense."
"Young master... we should retreat for now."
"What?! Run?!"
A nobody sect's disciple held eight exam tokens. Whether coincidence or intent, a core-having beast appeared. Fleeing would invite scorn from the jianghu—and self-loathing.
"......"
"All Hwanggeomun disciples, assemble!"
Jong Seogang's voice boomed. Cheongdobang battling the snake and allies barely holding Cheonrajimang eyed him questioningly.
"Hurry and group up! We must catch him! He has the exam tokens!"
"......"
But no Hwanggeomun warrior moved rashly.
"Th-this..."
As Jong Seogang flushed at their disobedience, Gam Cheoljin sighed softly.
"Everyone, assemble!"
At his word, Hwanggeomun warriors upholding Cheonrajimang descended to him and Jong Seogang en masse.
"Hah..."
They ignored the heir but lightning-obeyed an elder—Jong Seogang swallowed his rage, realizing the timing, forcing a smug grin at Jin Sowoon.
"Not bad. But Hell's Fixed Time isn't cleared with tricks and gimmicks."
Fifty Hwanggeomun warriors before him, yet Jin Sowoon showed no tension.
"So that's what this is about."
"Hand over the tokens now, and we'll call it even."
"Ha, with over fifty casualties in your sect? Just let it go? Think your warriors will?"
"......"
Jin Sowoon was the real deal. Still, Jong Seogang was confident. Geumrin Cheongseonsa was being subdued by Cheongdobang, and over five hundred warriors remained scattered about.
No matter how skilled, Jin Sowoon couldn't escape or win here.
"You want to die here?"
"Die? Us? Didn't you hear me earlier? I came to Mukrim on purpose."
"Yeah, thanks to you, we cleared this gate easily."
Jin Sowoon sheathed his sword.
Jong Seogang brightened. "Giving up?"
"Giving up? Pfft."
"You think you can escape?"
"Why else would I come here?"
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The ground shook suddenly.
Grrr.
Grrrowl.
"Keurk!"
"What's this now?!"
"Damn it all!"
Screams rose from afar. Hwanggeomun warriors prepping for battle bulged their eyes like rabbits.
"You thought I prepared just that one snake?"
Dogak Heukseom. A black toad that devoured snakes, horned atop its head, sprayed poison everywhere, hopping nimbly despite its massive bulk.