Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Reverse Heaven Society
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Reverse Heaven Society.
The world called them the followers of the prophecy. Recently, they had revealed their existence by assassinating members of the imperial family and high-ranking officials.
True to their society's name, they dreamed of rebellion. They were also descendants of the countless souls swept up and killed in the political strife throughout Yeon Kingdom's history.
Their dream and ultimate goal was a revolution to overthrow the Yi clan and establish a new dynasty.
At their center stood an old man, the Society Leader.
Rumble!
Crackle!
Lightning streaked past, illuminating the Society Leader's face, pale and cold as ice.
His pitch-black eyes, like those of a serpent, fixed upon Yi Hwan, who stood tall before the Golden Army.
"You step forward knowing you're outnumbered? If that's not mere bravado, then the whole world has been deceived by him."
Admiration flickered in the Society Leader's eyes.
Such an action in this situation was no easy feat. Especially for one of imperial blood.
'A truly exceptional imperial prince must be killed all the more.'
For the Society Leader, this created yet another reason to kill Yi Hwan without fail.
Shing.
The Society Leader drew his sword.
A crimson blood vein along the blade gleamed like a demon's fang, shedding the rain.
"He is the sword of the Crown Prince's Palace, our mortal enemy. No matter what happens today, we must kill him. Fight with utter resolve!"
"Yes!"
Clang clang clang clang!
The two hundred Reverse Heaven Society swordsmen drew their weapons in unison. Their ferocious aura warped the relentless downpour around them.
At that moment, seven orbs of light appeared above their heads.
The lights passed over the Society Leader's head and dropped silently behind him.
Thud thud thud!
"Argh!"
"Gah!"
Sudden screams of agony made the Society Leader's head snap around like lightning.
Seven Reverse Heaven Society swordsmen were collapsing, blood pouring from their heads. No one had sensed the approach or the sound of air being cut, leaving all the Society members momentarily stunned.
Someone shouted urgently then.
"It's an ambush! Stay alert around us!"
* * *
"Argh!"
"Gah!"
Screams echoed from the darkness beyond.
Yi Hwan watched, crimson and azure light alternating in his eyes. But he quickly regained his usual composure.
'I've completed the seven.'
The lights had increased from five to seven.
This meant he had recovered to the state just before earning the title of Martial Emperor in his own era.
Satisfied with the faster-than-expected recovery, Yi Hwan turned to Son Yeong and gave a low command.
"Draw swords."
"Draw swords!"
Clang clang clang!
The Golden Army's three defensive formations drove back the rain with their momentum.
Rumble!
Crackle!
Lightning banished the darkness once more in a white flash. That was when the Reverse Heaven Society's assault began.
* * *
Amid the swirling rain and darkness, watchers observed the battlefield.
They were Hongwol's assassins.
"What was that just now?"
"No idea. It's my first time seeing anything like it..."
They were stunned and puzzled by the seven lights Yi Hwan had unleashed. They had floated up like fireflies, then instantly felled seven men.
But they didn't know Yi Hwan was the one who had deployed them.
"Which side will prevail?"
"Victory or defeat doesn't matter. We just cut off the Zhao Crown Prince's head when the chaos peaks."
A man in an exceptionally cold blue robe stared at Jo Gwang. Jo Gwang stood at the rear with Pa Pa.
Sneer.
"He's tense as can be."
"It's strange. Why is only one old woman guarding the Crown Prince?"
"With so many enemies to face, even the Great Prince couldn't spare escorts for the Zhao Crown Prince. Still, no room for carelessness. If she's stuck by his side this long, she's likely a master."
"Understood."
They had no idea Pa Pa was the Heartless Sword Ni. So though they warned against carelessness, they were already careless.
Then it happened.
Seven lights appeared again. The two assassins' eyes widened slightly.
"Whoa. There it is again."
"Looked like it came from the Great Prince."
"That's what I saw too."
Their eyes followed the lights' trajectory. When screams erupted where they fell, their eyes widened fully.
"A martial art like that exists?"
"Amazing. The Great Prince can use something like that? It wasn't in our intel."
As the assassins marveled, the brutal melee between attackers and defenders fully commenced.
Clang!
Crunch!
"Argh!"
"Ugh!"
"That's them. The Great Prince's supposedly elite guards."
One assassin gaped at Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae. They danced a deadly waltz amid the foes like wolves unleashed among sheep.
"Ignore everything happening before your eyes from now on. Focus only on our mission."
"Understood."
The assassin who scolded his subordinate scanned sharply around Jo Gwang. About ten zhang from the battlefield, there were only horses and the Gwanje Shrine.
"We descend behind the Gwanje Shrine."
"Yes."
The two assassins stealthily leaped through the trees to the shrine's rear. They scanned around as they descended, but no more Golden Army soldiers.
Moments later, from behind the shrine, they gazed back at the battlefield.
Yi Hwan led the charge, unleashing azure flashes that cleaved through the storm.
Beyond, blood mist billowed, and men died in agony.
To the assassins, Yi Hwan seemed an immense iron wall.
'When we return, we'll discard all prior intel on the Great Prince and investigate from scratch.'
* * *
'Now even this is possible.'
Sizzle!
White steam rose from Yi Hwan's sword as rain hit it. Two strikes had slain five foes. A linked technique impossible until recently, with highly satisfactory results.
"Die!"
Two enemies charged Yi Hwan. His sword simultaneously slashed the air.
Flash!
Thud!
"Argh!"
Another enemy's head flew off. The other's sword arm severed clean at the elbow.
Yi Hwan smiled coldly.
'You picked the wrong time.'
Then.
Swoosh!
A chilling aura flew at Yi Hwan from the left. Deputy General Son Yeong's urgent cry rang out.
"Great Prince! Danger!"
Before the echo faded, the torso of the man lunging at Yi Hwan tilted and dropped.
Splash!
Blood and entrails poured.
The blood on Yi Hwan's face was soon washed away by the rain.
"Charge!"
"Rawr!"
Crunch!
Foes burst from the woods, striking the Golden Army's defensive formation from behind.
"Ugh!"
Several Golden Army soldiers fell, spraying blood. The formation's strength fell far short of Yi Hwan's expectations.
Damage spiked especially on the left formation.
But Cheol Mu-ok and the Blade King lineage warriors joined, preventing collapse.
Cheol Mu-ok's roar echoed across the field.
"Hold your ground! Don't fall back!"
His greatsword obliterated an enemy's head. Another charging at him was vertically bisected by a warrior's greatsword in gruesome death.
Thud!
"Gah!"
Cheol Mu-ok shouted to the warriors.
"You take the vanguard!"
"Yes, Commander!"
* * *
Grip.
Thick veins bulged on the back of Jo Gwang's sword hand.
Having trained in the Zhao Kingdom's Imperial Palace Martial Arts but lacking real combat experience, Jo Gwang was extremely tense now. Pa Pa, who had dropped her Emei Sect treasured sword, wasn't watching the foe before her but scanning the surroundings.
*When combat begins, watch for unseen enemies.*
That was Yi Hwan's instruction to Pa Pa just before the clash.
'The Great Prince is certain there are assassins targeting Your Highness.'
Pa Pa heightened her senses to their peak.
As the only one to guard Jo Gwang now, she had evenly distributed her Twelve Stars inner power throughout her body, ready to unleash sword arts at any moment.
Rumble!
Crackle!
Lightning bleached the world white, then vanished.
Right then.
Pa Pa's eyes flashed. Her right ear twitched slightly.
'Behind the Gwanje Shrine.'
A faint presence registered from the shrine's rear. But it was still too vague to distinguish human from beast.
Sizzle.
Her sword turned white.
[Watch your back, Your Highness.]
Jo Gwang startled at Pa Pa's transmission. But he didn't err by turning to the shrine.
[If you deem this servant inadequate, move to the Great Prince's side.]
"......!"
Grip.
Jo Gwang's lips paled, teeth grinding in.
Then.
Pa Pa's sword slashed the air. Simultaneously, two flashes erupted from behind the shrine.
Through the rain, Jo Gwang saw figures charging like daggers. One ignored Pa Pa and flew straight at him.
Jo Gwang stepped forward with his left foot, assuming a draw stance.
But the assassin crumpled before reaching him, head obliquely split.
"Guh!"
Whoosh!
Blood sprayed from Pa Pa's shoulder.
The other assassin lunged at Jo Gwang. Jo Gwang raised his sword and executed a one-stroke-two-cuts technique at the blue-robed man.
"Don't engage!"
Pa Pa's urgent voice burst out.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Swords clashed, unleashing a shockwave like lightning. Amid surging mud and branches, a heavy groan escaped.
Vision obscured for a moment, Pa Pa leaped to Jo Gwang's position.
Splash!
The mud cleared, revealing the staggering blue-robed man.
But Pa Pa checked Jo Gwang first.
Jo Gwang gripped his raised sword, pushed far back. Blood trickled from his mouth—clearly internal injuries.
"Your Highness!"
Meanwhile, the assassin vanished into the woods.
"Your Highness! Are you alright?"
"......I'm fine."
Urp!
Jo Gwang finally vomited blood.
Pa Pa hastily supported him, scanning around. The assassin was gone, no presences approaching.
"I'll take you there."
Pa Pa led Jo Gwang to the Gwanje Shrine. She pressed him against the wall, stepping two paces forward. With assassins possibly anywhere, back to the wall was best.
"Just endure a little longer, Your Highness."
"Is Pa Pa alright?"
"This servant is fine!"
Tears streamed down Pa Pa's cheek.
Jo Gwang had always treated her coldly. Never once a warm word.
Yet now he asked after her well-being.
*'How anxious he must be.'*
Feeling his inner turmoil, Pa Pa's heart shattered.
Grip!
Pa Pa bit her lip, maintaining peak senses. She gazed at the battlefield.
"......!"
Pa Pa's eyes widened fully.
The enemy was retreating.
In that brief time blocking the assassins, the battle had already ended.
*'What in the world...'*
Flash!
"Argh!"
"Ugh!"
Yi Hwan's sword mercilessly cleaved fleeing foes. More fell atop blood and guts. Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and the Second Prince lineage warriors cut down those who hadn't escaped.
"We were..."
Jo Gwang's voice trembled faintly.
"going to face monsters like that?"
Stagger!
Jo Gwang steadied himself against the wall; Pa Pa swiftly supported him.
"Don't think of anything else—focus only on Your Highness's safety."
Grip!
Jo Gwang seized Pa Pa's arm.
"Thank you, Pa Pa. Thanks to you, this pathetic life continues."
"......Your Highness."
Pa Pa barely suppressed her sobs. Jo Gwang straightened.
"Now, let's go to the Great Prince."