Chapter 142: Jiangxi Branch (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142: Jiangxi Branch (2)
The demonic practitioners lay dead, their bodies growing cold where they had fallen, their hearts pierced through. They had been the guards stationed at the main gate of the Jiangxi Branch.
Namgung Jun raised his head, the blood-drenched Eternal Righteous Sword pointed toward the ground.
Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, Jiangxi Branch.
The eight characters carved into the massive plaque caught his eye. Although it was merely a branch responsible for a single province, its scale easily surpassed that of most mid-sized sects. It was a sight that offered a clear glimpse into the might of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, hailed as the greatest power in the current Jianghu.
Most martial artists would have been intimidated by the mere sight of those eight characters. But the Azure Firmament Hall was different. A blatant fighting spirit burned in the eyes of the warriors as they glared at the massive gate.
"Hall Master."
Right on cue, Samyeop, who boasted the fastest movement in the Azure Firmament Hall, appeared at his side.
"I have verified the information we received from the Lower Filthy Heaven."
"Report."
"It is true that the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult's Jiangxi Branch lost most of its elites in the Long-Stream Cult's hidden cave, significantly weakening them. However, there is an unexpected variable."
As Namgung Jun nodded, Samyeop continued.
"The Fourth Young Master of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult is currently staying at the Jiangxi Branch."
"The Fourth Young Master?"
"He is said to be accompanied by the Left Guardian and his personal guard."
"It doesn't matter."
Namgung Jun slowly raised the Eternal Righteous Sword. A single, diagonal wave of sword energy shot forth, tearing through both the plaque and the main gate simultaneously.
Crash!
As the gate shattered noisily, spewing debris in all directions, Namgung Jun pointed his sword forward.
"Azure Firmament Hall. Tear it all down."
Thud!
A massive, earth-shaking stomp echoed in response. The members of the Azure Firmament Hall answered with a unified Earth-Trembling Stomp before charging forward as one.
Their advance into the Jiangxi Branch was relentless. They had already mapped out the general layout and troop deployment in their minds, using the intelligence obtained from the Bright Affinity Pavilion and the Lower Filthy Heaven.
The demonic practitioners inside reacted immediately to the thunderous roar from the main gate and the commotion erupting everywhere.
"Enemy attack!"
"Judging by their attire, it's the Azure Heaven Association!"
"How dare they trespass here!"
Bursts of Demonic Qi erupted sporadically throughout the vast compound. The rapidly gathering practitioners lunged head-on to block the Azure Firmament Hall's charge.
The members of the Azure Firmament Hall were no different, preparing their strikes without slowing their advance. The martial artists of both sides closed the distance in an instant and clashed violently.
Thud! Squelch!
The sounds of heavy footfalls and tearing flesh erupted in rapid succession. It was an initial clash of pure strength, with both sides charging at full power.
After the collision, it was the demonic practitioners who were pushed back. Most retreated with expressions of shock or terror, while three who had pushed too far forward had their heads severed from their bodies.
'One of the Ten Halls? No, even so, they are exceptionally strong.'
'How can they execute their strikes so organically, even in a split-second clash?'
The Azure Firmament Hall gave the demonic practitioners no opening to widen the distance. Maintaining their initial light-footwork, they pressed their advantage, seeking to completely crush their opponents' momentum.
'There's no chance of winning at this rate. I must inform the Vice Branch Leader!'
A woman from the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult attempted to slip away using a high-level Lightness Movement Art, but a refreshing breeze stirred behind her. It was Samyeop, who had instantly appeared behind her, his Void-Wave Flooded Body Art made even swifter through the Azure Firmament Martial Canon.
"Trying to run and report our strength? You're too slow."
"Urgh!"
He kicked the back of her knees, forcing her to the ground, and then raised his heel. Wreathed in the Qi Wave of the Void-Wave Flooded Body Art, his heel slammed down onto her lower back.
Crack!
The woman's spine snapped, her body folding backward at an unnatural angle. After confirming she had drawn her last breath, Samyeop waved his hand toward a certain direction.
"Samyeop's diligence saved me some trouble."
Cheong-jong, who was guarding the rear from the roof of a nearby pavilion, curled his lips into a smile. Since Samyeop had already dealt with the woman he had intended to snipe through the head, Cheong-jong turned his bow in another direction.
His primary role was to observe the flow of the battlefield and support his allies with long-range archery. He began to accumulate a Qi Wave in his bowstring, not to support the front line, but to aid an ally moving stealthily elsewhere.
Based on the teachings of the Azure Firmament Martial Canon, he infused the principles of the Rhythmic Fan Technique and the Dark Waters Twin Dance into a single form of the Gleaming-Wing Rain-Chasing Bow. By utilizing the Qi Wave manipulation of the Rhythmic Fan Technique, he minimized the loss of energy over long distances. Through the assassination techniques of the Dark Waters Twin Dance, he reduced the vibration of the Qi Wave, dampening both the sound of the arrow splitting the air and any telltale signs of his attack.
It was a technique of the Gleaming-Wing Rain-Chasing Bow, its flaws perfected through the Azure Firmament Martial Canon. With a confident expression, Cheong-jong drew back his bowstring.
* * *
"We are completely ruined."
The Vice Branch Leader let out a hollow laugh as he reread the report compiled by his subordinates. The damage suffered by the Jiangxi Branch was catastrophic. Having lost most of its elites in the Long-Stream Cult's hidden cave, the branch had essentially lost its influence and deterrence over Jiangxi Province.
Yet, he couldn't blame the Branch Leader. The Branch Leader was a supreme expert and the Eleventh Mirror Master, and hadn't one of the eight legion commanders from the Iron Battle Camp personally stepped forward as well? No one had expected failure.
"Perhaps the positions of Jiangxi Branch Leader and Eleventh Mirror Master will be replaced entirely. I must prepare if I want to keep my own post..."
Rumble!
Lost in thought, the Vice Branch Leader snapped his head up. Feeling the distant roar and the violently fluctuating Qi Waves, he immediately flung the window open.
"What in the world?!"
His eyes narrowed as he scanned the chaos outside. The main gate was shattered, and his subordinates were struggling to hold off the intruders. Their response hadn't been slow, but they were being utterly overwhelmed in terms of raw combat power.
'They are incredibly strong. Who are these bastards?'
The martial prowess displayed by the intruders was extraordinary. To stop them, they would need at least two of the Nine Cult-Protecting Guards fighting together. For the current Jiangxi Branch, which had recently lost most of its elites, it was an impossible task.
"Damn it!"
After watching the situation in a daze for a moment, the Vice Branch Leader hurriedly turned around to issue orders. But the moment he turned his back to the window, a chill ran down his spine. It was a sensation like ice water being poured over his skin, accompanied by a sharp, prickling premonition of danger.
Swish!
A faint, almost inaudible sound split the air. Though quiet, it felt all the more threatening. Following his instincts, the Vice Branch Leader threw himself to the floor. With no one watching, he didn't hesitate for a second, throwing himself into a desperate Lazy Donkey Roll.
Boom!
An arrow pierced through the office and embedded itself deep into the wall behind him.
"An archery martial art!"
Just as the Vice Branch Leader scrambled away from the window, trying to rush deeper into the pavilion—
"Too late."
A grim voice echoed from behind him. He tried to reach out, but his body wouldn't move. His head had already been severed by a pair of crossing sword strikes.
It was Hong Jun, who had stealthily slipped into the pavilion and decapitated the Vice Branch Leader. He might have taken longer alone, but with Cheong-jong's assistance, he had taken the head with ease.
Having eliminated his target, Hong Jun quietly concealed his presence once more. His mission was to completely paralyze the Jiangxi Branch's command structure.
* * *
"The Azure Star Sword..." the Fourth Young Master murmured, his voice thin and weak.
The most famous rising star in the current Jianghu. If one were to ignore his youth—he wasn't even twenty yet—and judge solely by his martial prowess and reputation, it was difficult to classify him as a mere rising star. He was a promising supreme expert whose fame had spread across the entire land, a new treasured sword representing the might of the Azure Heaven Association.
'Naturally, our Cult is the one paying the closest attention to the Azure Star Sword.'
Ever since it was confirmed that Namgung Jun was the boy with the Nine Yin Severed Meridian whom the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult had been searching for, he had become a key figure of interest. Recently, besides the Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord and the Azure Heaven Association Leader, Namgung Jun was the one most often mentioned as the primary target to watch.
'Because of that, I thought we had secured highly accurate information on him.'
He had planned a counterattack based on the intelligence about Namgung Jun obtained from the main cult. However, reality was vastly different from the words he had read.
Staring at the disastrous scene before him, the Fourth Young Master realized with bitter clarity that his calculations had been completely wrong.
The Eleventh Mirror Master, who had already lost his left hand in the Long-Stream Cult's hidden cave, now lay dead with his remaining right arm severed and his upper body split open. The Left Guardian, the main force of their joint attack, had traded blows fairly evenly with Namgung Jun even after the Eleventh Mirror Master's death, but he couldn't last more than one hundred and fifty exchanges before his neck was yielded.
It was only because the Eleventh Mirror Master had attempted a mutual destruction strike right before his death, landing a blow on Namgung Jun's flank, that the Left Guardian had lasted even a hundred exchanges.
"Sigh."
The Fourth Young Master sighed as he looked at the two rapidly cooling corpses, then painfully raised his head.
"The Eleventh Mirror Master was not in perfect condition, having lost a hand and suffering from severe internal injuries. Even so, to defeat a joint attack by two supreme experts is truly astonishing."
The Fourth Young Master spoke calmly, hiding the fear in his heart. He was trying to buy time until his personal guard could join him. Nearby, his guards were still engaged in combat with Namgung Jun's subordinates. Even if they defeated them and joined him now, they wouldn't be able to turn the tide, but it might buy him a chance to escape.
Namgung Jun regulated his breathing, which had grown ragged from the fierce battle. He had allowed the Eleventh Mirror Master's final strike to land, leaving him with a severe wound on his flank and deep internal injuries. Of course, considering he had faced two supreme experts simultaneously, injuries of this level were exceptionally light.
"It seems you have no intention of fighting. Have you survived this long by hiding behind your subordinates?"
"Hmph. When you have to deal with monsters competing for the seat of the Young Cult Leader, survival naturally becomes your top priority."
"Are you referring to the Eldest Young Master and the Second Young Master?"
As if expecting the question, the Fourth Young Master sneered. "Those two possess terrifying talent, but I am talking about the Seventh Young Lady."
"The Seventh Young Lady? I thought there were only six candidates for Young Cult Leader."
He had once received a report on the candidates at the Third Cloud Training Camp, but there had been no mention of a Seventh Young Lady.
"Just as you were recently promoted to the Fourth Cloud, that freak of nature was recently appointed as the Seventh Young Lady. By now, she has likely swallowed up all the forces of the Fifth Young Master, who fell so miserably."
Recalling the Fifth Young Master, who had lost his life to the Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord at Mount Mong, Namgung Jun slowly took a step toward the Fourth Young Master.
"Tell me what you know about the Seventh Young Lady."
"She is similar to you in many ways. The same age, terrifying talent, and a unique constitution."
Namgung Jun's eyes narrowed. "The Seventh Young Lady has a unique constitution?"
"Yes."
"Speak in detail."
The Fourth Young Master hesitated.
'Are they still not here? What on earth are those bastards doing?'
As he scanned his surroundings, desperately waiting for his guards, a thin red line appeared on his neck. Namgung Jun had swung the Eternal Righteous Sword, leaving a shallow cut on his throat.
"I knew from the start you were trying to buy time. You had better stop walking this tightrope."
As Namgung Jun advanced, the Eternal Righteous Sword held ready, the Fourth Young Master's expression turned frantic.
"I'll talk! The Seventh Young Lady was also born with a severed meridian!"
"Explain in detail."
"She has a unique constitution—born with the Nine Yang Severed Meridian in a woman's body!" the Fourth Young Master shrieked in desperation.
Hearing his frantic reply, Namgung Jun's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.