Chapter 138: Deployment (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: Deployment (1)
Namgung Jun's dignified voice carried across the waters of Poyang Lake.
“The Azure Firmament Hall Master?”
Doubt laced the Centurion's voice.
The Azure Heaven Association was a hostile force that constantly interfered with the Iron Battle Camp's operations. Naturally, he was well-acquainted with the Ten Halls, the association's elite forces, renowned for their outstanding strength. He paid particularly close attention to the Resounding Voice Hall and the Gleaming Wing Hall, both of which could rival the Iron Battle Camp in group combat.
However, he had never once heard the name "Azure Firmament Hall." The name was so sudden and unfamiliar that he suspected it might be a trick.
“Urgh!”
Lost in thought, the Centurion snapped his head back. An urgent groan escaped his lips, instantly drowned out by a sharp, air-splitting whistle.
Slash!
A blade grazed his neck by a hair's breadth. He hadn't dodged it completely; a thin line of blood welled up on his stinging nape. Even as blood trickled from the shallow cut, he didn't dare try to stanch the flow.
Reflected in the Centurion's wide, panicked eyes was the Eternal Righteous Sword. The blade, which seemed to retract for a split second, suddenly twisted in midair and carved a sharp arc.
“Centurion!”
“Cover the Centurion!”
Two Commanders of Fifty, his deputies, surged forward, but they were far too late.
Sunder!
The blue sword strikes, drawn exquisitely from left to right, not only decapitated both deputies simultaneously but also tore through the Centurion's shoulder. Had his deputies not thrown themselves into the path of the blade, the Centurion's own head would have been severed on the spot.
Having sacrificed the lives of his two Commanders of Fifty, the Centurion barely managed to stumble back.
Yes! That age, and those blue sword strikes. It's the Azure Star Sword!
After losing his two deputies so senselessly, there was no way he could face the Azure Star Sword alone. Their only chance of victory was to overwhelm him with numbers using the Iron Horse Wall-Supporting Art.
The Centurion's lips trembled as he prepared to order the formation.
Already?
His subordinates nearby were already collapsing. The martial artists of the Iron Battle Camp were falling like helpless reeds, their formation crumbling far too quickly. The Centurion couldn't believe his eyes. This was unthinkable for the Iron Battle Camp, whose members were masters of group combat thanks to their training in the Iron Horse Wall-Supporting Art.
“You bastards!”
“Our formation is shattered! Everyone, hold your ground—!”
“Kugh!”
When it came to group combat, none of the Eight Great Unorthodox Powers could match the Iron Battle Camp. Yet these same martial artists were now being forced into a desperate, powerless retreat.
And it's not like their opponents are using a specific joint attack formation.
The Centurion stared blankly at the warriors of the Azure Firmament Hall. At first glance, they all seemed to be using different weapons and martial arts. But upon closer inspection, a common thread ran through their movements.
Attack, defense, evasion, advancement, assistance, and disruption.
In the various forms and techniques executed with different intentions, a shared essence could be glimpsed. It was as if each of them had interpreted a single insight, a single principle, in their own unique way.
That wasn't all.
The thirty-odd members spread out and advanced like a single wave. It was a common sight to see their disparate forms interlock in an uncanny harmony, amplifying one another's power. They seemed to anticipate their comrades' decisions and movements, transitioning between techniques without a moment's hesitation.
Sometimes, they executed the exact same form but infused it with different principles. Other times, the Qi Wave from one member's evasive footwork would add power to a comrade's strike on the opposite side of the battlefield.
They seem to have learned the same martial art, yet the nature of the Qi Waves they emit is entirely different. And yet, they overlap in perfect harmony as if they were a single Qi Wave. What on earth is this martial art?
Because of this strange synergy, what appeared to be a series of one-on-one duels would suddenly end as the enemy was cut down by coordinated strikes from unpredictable angles. Their fluid, unconstrained coordination was as effective as a meticulously designed joint attack formation.
And yet, it is definitely not a joint attack formation. There is a freedom woven into their movements that a rigid formation could never possess!
This freedom manifested as organic, unconventional adaptations. No matter the situation, they could unleash their full martial prowess without restraint. That very freedom, he realized, was the true weapon of the Azure Firmament Hall.
It was while the Centurion was transfixed by the movements of the Azure Firmament Hall that a voice spoke.
“You have the luxury of looking away.”
The Centurion flinched. Before he knew it, a man with eyes flashing blue light stood right in front of him. By the time he recognized Namgung Jun, the Eternal Righteous Sword was already slicing through the air.
“Azure Firmament Hall Master—!”
Reacting too late, the Centurion couldn't mount a proper defense. All he could do was twitch his sword hand and mutter the last name he had heard.
Slice!
Severing the Centurion's neck in a single stroke, Namgung Jun surveyed the battlefield. The tide of battle was overwhelmingly in their favor. The Azure Firmament Hall was utterly crushing the Iron Battle Camp. The remaining Commanders of Ten urged their subordinates to deploy the Iron Horse Wall-Supporting Art, but it wasn't enough to stop their advance.
Since his warriors weren't losing ground anywhere, there was no need for Namgung Jun to intervene further. Following the Centurion's death, the rest of the Iron Battle Camp was quickly cleaned up.
Thud!
The battle drew to a close as Yu Geun-su executed an Earth-Trembling Stomp and cut down the last remaining enemy. The members of the Azure Firmament Hall, who had been scattered across the battlefield, instantly gathered around Namgung Jun.
Gong Jun-am scanned the members before looking at Namgung Jun.
“Hall Master. They have all been eliminated. There are no casualties on our side.”
Namgung Jun nodded at the report. The Centurion's entire force had not been present; there were only about fifty men. The other half was presumably scattered across Poyang Lake on watch duty. Nevertheless, securing a complete victory without a single injury against a numerically superior force from the Iron Battle Camp was a highly significant achievement.
The members of the Azure Firmament Hall seemed to realize this as well. Though they didn't show it outwardly, their spirits were clearly high. This was the first time they had showcased the power of the Azure Firmament Martial Canon in actual combat, and they must have felt a deep sense of accomplishment. After all, this was their first mission, assigned immediately after they had completed their grueling training.
Taking in the sight, Namgung Jun turned his head. At the end of the path the Centurion and his men had been guarding, a cave came into view.
“Is that cave the entrance to the Hidden Cave?”
Heo Il nodded. “Yes. Judging by the last message from the Divine Mechanism Hall and the deployment of the Iron Battle Camp, it seems certain.”
Heo Il, who had been scouting the surroundings with Hong Jun, reported with a confident look.
Namgung Jun lowered his eyelids slightly and strode forward without hesitation.
“Azure Firmament Hall. We enter the Hidden Cave.”
Their bodies still warm from battle, the members of the Azure Firmament Hall immediately followed him into the darkness.
* * *
As he ran through the dark passages of the Hidden Cave, Namgung Jun recalled the details of their mission.
A support mission for the Divine Mechanism Hall.
After a long search, the Divine Mechanism Hall had located the Hidden Cave of the Long-Stream Cult. Their search had been guided by map fragments secured in the past by the Heavenly Sword Hall and the Le'an Branch. However, they had been tailed by the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult and the Iron Battle Camp.
At the time, the Divine Mechanism Hall was in the middle of disarming the Hidden Cave's traps and formations and had not yet recovered the Long-Stream Cult's legacy. Unwilling to let the legacy fall into enemy hands, they chose to retreat deeper into the cave and buy time rather than fight their way out. At the same time, they sent a request for reinforcements.
And so, the Azure Firmament Hall, having just completed their training in the Azure Firmament Martial Canon with the support of the Divine Mechanism Hall, had stepped forward.
“It's only a matter of time,” Namgung Jun muttered, glancing at the corpses that occasionally appeared along the passage.
They were martial artists from the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult and the Iron Battle Camp who had fallen victim to the cave's traps and formations while trying to force their way through. It appeared the Divine Mechanism Hall had reactivated the mechanisms they had previously dismantled to buy more time.
Heo Il, who was leading the way, spoke up. “Fortunately, since this is northern Jiangxi Province, it's relatively close to our main headquarters. Based on past reports, the Hidden Cave is estimated to be quite massive. We shouldn't be too late.”
Hong Jun, guiding the way alongside him, added, “Since a portion of the Iron Battle Camp was guarding the entrance, the matter must not have been settled yet. It seems the Divine Mechanism Hall is cleverly using the cave's traps to hold out.”
Even while executing his lightness skill at a fierce speed, Baekri Cheong quickly scanned the corpses whenever they appeared. “At least we don't see any other martial artists, thanks to the Iron Battle Camp controlling the perimeter.”
“Indeed,” Jang Mun-hyeok replied, his powerful legs propelling him forward. “If other unaffiliated martial artists had entered, it would have been a chaotic mess.”
Upon spotting a cavern at the end of the passage, the Azure Firmament Hall gradually slowed. Another path was visible beyond the cavern, suggesting this was not the end. Inside the small cavern, martial artists in identical attire were scattered about, searching and investigating various areas.
“Hmm?”
The man leading them stopped as he sensed the presence of the Azure Firmament Hall.
“The Azure Heaven Association?”
Namgung Jun didn't reply, instead looking back at one of his own men—a scrawny man in a scholar's robe embroidered with three clouds instead of a martial uniform. It was Jegal San, who had joined the Azure Firmament Hall from the Divine Mechanism Hall.
“They are members of the Sama Clan, a family subordinate to the Iron Battle Camp,” Jegal San reported, his gold-tinted eyes flashing. His expression was grim as he observed them using the Divine Mechanism Hall's Golden Star Eye Technique. “That man is the Young Clan Head of the Sama Clan, Sama Hongmun. It seems the Iron Battle Camp summoned them to deal with the Hidden Cave's traps and formations.”
The moment Jegal San finished speaking, Sama Hongmun shouted urgently, “Everyone, gather! Form a formation—!”
By the time he barked his orders, the Azure Firmament Hall had already leaped forward. Namgung Jun had issued the command via voice transmission. The Sama Clan members were subdued one by one, unable to put up any real resistance.
Looking down at the bound Sama Hongmun, Namgung Jun spoke. “Where is the Divine Mechanism Hall?”
“They went inside.”
“What about the forces of the Demonic Cult and the Iron Battle Camp?”
Sama Hongmun didn't answer, merely biting his lip and avoiding Namgung Jun's gaze. Watching from the side, Heo Il glared fiercely, looking ready to force the man's mouth open at a word from his Hall Master.
“Hall Master.”
Just as Namgung Jun was about to ask again, Yu Geun-su approached, his face slightly stiff. He pointed to a corner of the cavern where the corpses of what appeared to be Cloud Ranks from the Divine Mechanism Hall lay. Their bodies were wrapped in multi-colored cloths.
“I examined the corpses. It seems they were severely tortured right up until they drew their last breaths.”
“They didn't just die in battle?”
“No. It's certain.”
Namgung Jun slowly turned his head to glare at Sama Hongmun, his eyes turning ice-cold.
“You didn't collect the bodies simply to give them a proper burial.”
“No, that's not…”
Observing Sama Hongmun's terrified expression, Namgung Jun continued. “Right. I heard the Sama Clan also delves into the study of mechanical traps and formations. Were you planning to examine the bodies of the Divine Mechanism Hall's Cloud Ranks to find clues about their martial arts?”
“That is…”
“It is clear you intended to desecrate the dead.” Namgung Jun let out a soft sigh. “Even in death, chivalrous heroes are of a different caliber than the likes of you. They are not beings you can treat so lightly.”
It was the same calm voice as before, but it sounded entirely different now. It carried a clear pressure and rage, like the low growl of a wild beast baring its fangs.
Swallowing hard, Sama Hongmun screamed, “I'll tell you everything!”
He couldn't speak another word.
Namgung Jun had ruthlessly severed his head.
At the incredibly sudden strike, the bound members of the Sama Clan turned pale with terror. Namgung Jun's eyes were utterly cold as he stared at them.
“Cut them down.”
Slash!
The floor of the Hidden Cave was instantly stained dark red.
Having dealt with the remnants of the Sama Clan, the Azure Firmament Hall immediately advanced deeper into the cave.