Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Dead End
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“I’ll follow your lead, Young Clan Leader!”
Annoyingly enough, Baek Yang-hui had fallen back, merely shouting at the top of his lungs.
Namgung Cheon-hu imagined ripping him to shreds in his mind.
One-way street. To think he’d dig such a pitfall.
He’d said he was handing over command, but in truth, there was only one order Namgung Cheon-hu could give.
Attack. A head-on clash with those black path scum over there.
The stage had been set too perfectly for anything else.
One side could yield, but fat chance of that.
The black path couldn’t afford to take even a single step back, not in the slightest.
Their leader had been called a mongrel and worse—pulling out now?
By the nature of the black path, the moment he made that call, his authority would crumble.
In other words, Hyeongsan Yinblood had no choice but to stand his ground.
Baek Yang-hui... Always flapping his tongue so obnoxiously. Did he calculate all this?
If so, then Namgung Cheon-hu himself would have to withdraw to avoid the head-on fight.
But that would make him look ridiculous, a laughingstock.
No matter the circumstances, it’d appear as if the numerically superior black path had scared off Great Namgung.
A stain on the Namgung Clan’s name.
With so many watching, including members from the Baek Clan and Tang Clan—not to mention single representatives from Shaolin and Jeogal.
No matter that they held the prize in their hands to get this far; the stain wouldn’t be on anyone but the Namgung Clan.
A surge of fury sparked a vicious thought.
If I side with the black path and wipe out the Baek and Tang Clans. No, impossible.
Killing the Shaolin and Jeogal members would blow everything up, but more than that, he couldn’t reveal betrayal in front of all these black path thugs.
The Namgung Clan was a proper white path martial family. He couldn’t hand them leverage like that.
One-way street. A total dead end.
Standing at the forefront to fight the black path?
Honestly, that wasn’t such a dead end on its own.
Great Namgung’s Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade wouldn’t suffer serious losses against mere black path rabble.
The problem was...
Young Clan Leader. Things seem to be going sideways. A transmission from Namgung Seong-il, the top member of the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade who’d been assigned by Clan Leader Namgung Il-geom as both overseer and companion.
Of course, Namgung Seong-il had known the basic outline Namgung Cheon-hu had drawn up before volunteering to aid the Baek Clan.
-If we fight like this, Hyeongsan Yinblood will think our secret pact was a trap.
The clan leader had given Namgung Cheon-hu this elixir mission to secure a prize worth the risk of a dark stain.
The Hyeongsan Sect was the prey he’d chosen.
To naturally crush the Baek Clan in a bigger game, beyond the black-white standoff in Gangseo.
Gangseo’s black path, spooked by Great Namgung’s involvement, calls for aid from Honam.
The Baek Clan—merely a third-rate family a few years ago—escalates things beyond their grasp.
Recent explosive growth or not, still just a mid-tier at best, they crumble under the pressure.
How natural a flow.
But Baek Yang-hui had dumped ink all over the picture.
Until the blueprint was unrecognizable.
-If we clash now, not only will our ties with Hyeongsan Yinblood sour, but we’ll suffer heavy casualties in the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade.
-I know.
-Please, give the order.
Namgung Cheon-hu fell silent, staring at the white and black paths locked in a tense standoff, blades drawn and ready.
No avoiding the fight. So how to minimize damage and turn the tide?
...No answer. Nothing.
It was just as Namgung Cheon-hu thought that.
“Namgung pup! Think you can etch your laws onto this Hyeongsan Yinblood?!”
Hyeongsan Yinblood bellowed savagely, sending a transmission at the same time.
-Young Clan Leader Namgung! What the hell is this?!
His tone dripped with rage and betrayal.
Without an explanation, the pact—everything—would fly out the window.
No evidence left of the pact.
A righteous pillar like Great Namgung, secretly allying with a black path sect—and one that’d wiped out the real Hyeongsan Sect to usurp their name?
If that got out, even Namgung couldn’t weather the backlash.
So Namgung Cheon-hu had kept it airtight; only Hyeongsan Yinblood knew.
From his view, he’ll think I acted extra secretive to stab him in the back.
Clear the misunderstanding now. Transmit the situation, sync up, and this could even turn into an opportunity...
“...”
Namgung Cheon-hu paused mid-transmission to Hyeongsan Yinblood, clamping his mouth shut.
Then he glanced toward Baek Yang-hui.
Those two eyes scrutinizing him intently.
For some reason, it felt like he absolutely shouldn’t send it.
Just a slim chance, but...
Transmissions were private by nature, inaudible to others—but peak masters were the exception.
They could eavesdrop via subtle qi fluctuations, wielding supernatural senses.
No way that kid’s reached that level. But.
The Baek Yang-hui Namgung Cheon-hu knew rivaled his brother Namgung Cheon-yeong... or perhaps surpassed him. A once-in-a-generation prodigy.
Genius often shattered mortal expectations with miracles.
He couldn’t eavesdrop, sure—but he might sense the transmission itself.
Even as Namgung Cheon-hu agonized, Hyeongsan Yinblood kept transmitting.
-Answer me! Was it all your trap, you slimy bastard?!
If I’d meant to trap you, would I come with this much force?
Forty-odd elites, including thirty peak masters.
An exquisitely calculated number.
Not enough to overwhelm the black path, but favorable odds in a fight.
Especially for the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade, forced to lead the charge—heavy losses projected.
Enough to make one tear their hair out.
-How dare you insult this sect leader! I’ll chew your bones! Pathetic wretch, outdone even by your much younger brother!
Namgung Cheon-hu’s brow twitched.
Thinks we’re equals just because we shook hands?
A Blood Slaughter Union dog who lucked into his seat, spewing such nonsense.
His mind tipped to one side.
Can’t back out now—so grab the best hand possible.
If unavoidable, shine brightest to claim strong leverage later.
The best gain for Namgung in this mess.
Damage already immense, but still.
“Hyeongsan Yinblood. I’ve heard much of your infamy, and truly, it’s vile beyond measure. Spout your drivel via transmission all you want—your Young Clan Leader has no intention of responding.”
Hyeongsan Yinblood’s face flushed crimson.
His meticulously groomed beard quivered with rage.
“Namgung Cheon-hu...!”
“Heroes of the white path! Teach these vile scum the meaning of justice!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Nearly forty white path warriors clashed against over a hundred twenty black path foes.
Leading the white path charge: Namgung’s Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade. The black path’s elites from Hyeongsan Sect hung back.
Thus, right after impact, the advantage lay with the outnumbered white path.
Well, that’s the black path for you.
Baek Yang-hui smirked, eyeing the front.
Making those headache-inducing Namgung bastards suffer paid off in spades.
Black path’s subpar overall, but with twenty peak masters and a hundred first- and second-rates... Once they heat up and go all-in, casualties will pile up.
Nearly twenty peak masters, a hundred first- and second-class.
No small force.
Force maximum losses on them to minimize Baek Clan casualties when sweeping Gangseo’s black path later.
Realistically, annihilation’s off the table—aim to kill half, rout the rest.
Bonus if over half the Namgung lot drops too.
Still, they needed merits here.
Putting Namgung up front meant needing an excuse to shut down later complaints.
If Baek and Tang got no credit for routing Honam black path, issues would arise.
Anyway, no plans to just spectate.
His father’s enemy stood right there—how could he hold back?
Anyone else, maybe—but you, Hyeongsan Yinblood, need to pick out a grave today.
Hyeongsan Yinblood. Head of the black path scum who wiped out Hyeongsan Sect and stole their name.
Usurping the title screamed insidious, sadistic glee in needling others.
Loved scheming, but his martial prowess and skill were top-notch too.
Without that, even Blood Slaughter Union backing wouldn’t have elevated him.
Minus the black path stench, a fine villain.
His skill alone outmatched Baek Yang-hui solo.
Hyeongsan Yinblood past sixty, Yang-hui just sixteen—age gap explained it, but still.
Considering he’d beaten multiple peak masters in Hangzhou at once, impressive foe.
Not to be underestimated.
Even so, your head’s mine.
Transmitted to Jeogal Seol-ha, A-du, and Blood Lord Gu-ak.
Yes, senior brother. Yang-hui, what’s up? Heading into the fray? Speak, little brother. Hyeongsan Yinblood was utterly insidious.
No way he’d lead the charge in a brawl like this, and even if he did, he’d stick close to his guards.
To duel him one-on-one, prep was key.
-I’m drawing out Hyeongsan Yinblood to kill him. Help me.
-Yes, senior brother!
-Sure!
-How shall we proceed?
To hook a fish, dangle bait.
What bait would tempt Hyeongsan Yinblood most?
Me.
No way they hadn’t scouted the enemy before war.
He’d know Baek Yang-hui was central to the Baek Clan’s rise.
Prime target to kill if possible.
Yang-hui scanned the battlefield.
Time to invite crisis.
The black path stretched in a long encirclement formation.
He targeted the right flank with Jeogal Seol-ha and A-du.
“Haaap!”
A-du charged ferociously, cloaked in golden flames.
Chara-lang!
Each pluck of Jeogal Seol-ha’s pipa sent nearby black path foes clutching ears and collapsing.
Thus, the trio peeled slightly right from allies, sticking out like a lone mushroom.
Perfect.
Baek Yang-hui, Jeogal Seol-ha, A-du—all prime captures for the black path.
Detached from the main body, tempting to any foe.
Yet Blood Lord Gu-ak, under orders, backed them with Baek Clan elites—small fry couldn’t touch it.
Only Hyeongsan Yinblood and his sect elites could score big.
Bite. Tasty enough, right?
That instant, Hyeongsan Yinblood descended before Baek Yang-hui, silk robes fluttering.
“Pup, you flapped your tongue freely earlier. I’ll cut it out.”
Gotcha.
Baek Yang-hui grinned ferociously.
“I’ll lop your head off nice and pretty first, you wrinkled old gourd.”