Chapter 252: Battle of Akyang (2)
“Take my head, huh….”
The Sword Demon chuckled.
He chuckled with great satisfaction.
So much so that he hadn't laughed like this in nearly a decade.
“Interesting.”
Sreung!
The Sword Demon unsheathed his beloved sword and let his arms hang loosely at his sides.
And then, he said calmly:
“Blood Tear Spear, Flame Demon Blade. Ready the Blood Tear Spear Demon Squad and the Flame Demon Rogues.”
“Yes, sir.”
“As you command.”
Once those two received the order—
Before long, more than a hundred men surrounded the area in tight formation, drawing their spears and swords.
Seeing that, Old Han looked slightly flustered.
“…Huh? Hey, wait a second.”
“What is it?”
“Wasn’t this supposed to be a one-on-one duel? Why does it feel like a gang-up is coming?”
“Because your feeling isn’t wrong.”
The Sword Demon snorted and pointed his sword.
“Did you really think I would politely accept a one-on-one duel? If I were a fight-crazed lunatic, maybe. But right now, I’m carrying out a mission on behalf of the Heavenly Demon’s decree.”
“Uh, well…”
“Reflect on the folly of marching into your own death alone.”
Old Han scratched the back of his head as he muttered.
“I mean, I don’t really mind, but it’s a bit startling…”
Thick demonic energy began to rise from all sides, pressing down on his entire body.
“I came here prepared for the worst anyway…”
Tssssss!
A slick, ink-like sword qi began to form on Old Han’s sword as if it were water.
“Well then, shall we have ourselves a fight…”
And so, all across the Central Plains, countless forces began to clash.
***
“Indeed, the most reliable force.”
Cheon Yura nodded slightly as she spoke.
“You must be talking about that Lee Cheongun, the one called Old Han.”
“…How do you know that?”
Hwan Pyeong's expression shifted slightly.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know the one who managed to escape the hands of the Cult Leader?”
Hwan Pyeong’s face contorted a little.
“Nonsense. That drunkard may live like a vagabond, but he’s not careless enough to reveal his identity like that.”
“That’s none of my concern. What matters is that I’ve met him before.”
“……”
For a while, Hwan Pyeong was at a loss for words before sighing and spitting out curses.
“Damn that bastard. What the hell was he doing, wandering around like that?”
He had apparently begged the Grand Heavenly Lord to leave the Cult, claiming he had to guide his disciple—was this related?
“Doesn’t matter. You, Young Cult Leader, are going to die here anyway.”
“I'm glad I get to personally kill a traitor to the Cult.”
The ominous energy between Hwan Pyeong and Cheon Yura surged as they faced each other.
But then, someone intervened to stop Cheon Yura.
“You can’t be the one to fight that guy. Your compatibility is bad.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
At Dao Zun Jin Ryeong’s words, Cheon Yura tilted her head.
Dao Zun smiled meaningfully, as if she could see through Hwan Pyeong’s intentions.
“That guy’s only trying to keep you pinned down. That much is obvious.”
“……”
Hwan Pyeong’s face didn’t change, but there was a faint flicker of disturbance.
Dao Zun didn’t miss it.
“The eyes of a liar, the mouth of a deceiver—I used to be in a similar line of work, so I know the signs. I’d guess he’s just stalling until a proper assassin shows up to deal with you.”
“Ha, hahaha…”
As Hwan Pyeong chuckled, his bluff exposed—
Dao Zun untied the Sixfold Curse Veil draped around her shoulders like a coat and said,
“I’ll hold him down. You take command of the battlefield. With your Heavenly Demonic Divine Art internal power, you're more suited for that than I am.”
“…I’m counting on you.”
Illusion Demon Hwan Pyeong wasn’t a pure martial artist but a spellcaster.
If things weren’t resolved quickly, it was impossible to predict what variables he might introduce.
It would be far better to eliminate a more direct threat—an awakened being.
So, as Cheon Yura withdrew—
The Illusion Demon and Dao Zun stood face-to-face.
“Your presence is revolting to the core.”
“Ahaha, I do tend to rub people the wrong way. Now, take a look at this.”
Dao Zun swung the Sixfold Curse Veil lightly, as if airing out laundry.
Wriggle!
At that, a twitch appeared at the corner of Hwan Pyeong’s lips.
“That damned Cult Leader… To hand over one of our clan’s three greatest treasures to an outsider…”
“Thanks to that, I hit the jackpot. There are only a few treasures in the world that can match this immortal-grade artifact.”
“……”
Hwan Pyeong seemed to have taken that comment to heart; his eyes gradually turned blood-red.
“I’ll kill you…”
Seeing Hwan Pyeong’s nature begin to morph entirely, Dao Zun furrowed her brow slightly.
“Multiple personalities? Well, with an illusionist, that wouldn’t be too surprising.”
Illusionists who lived inside their own phantasms were often consumed by their own arts, affecting their minds.
Especially as they neared the pinnacle of their craft.
“Weep, Soul-Cleaving Sword.”
As Hwan Pyeong chanted the summoning incantation of the artifact, a white sword shot out of thin air, slicing through space.
A ceremonial blade, with not a single edge sharpened.
Yet the latent power radiating from it was enough to put even Dao Zun of the Central Plains on edge.
Still, she didn’t feel threatened.
She was, after all, one of the supreme figures that shook the entire Central Plains.
One of the Three Supremes—Dao Zun.
“Come forth, and show that illusionist bastard the true essence of Wudang’s Unbroken Flow.”
***
I sprinted across the plain with all my strength.
The closer I got to Dongting Lake, the more certain it became.
Something massive was happening in the distance—a battle.
It was then—
“Y-Young Maaaasteeer!”
“Gu Chil?!”
Out of nowhere, Gu Chil suddenly picked up on my presence and came running.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he shouted.
“You’re alive! Thank the heavens!”
I spread my arms and pushed away the tearfully clinging Gu Chil.
“What the hell, where have you been?”
Even as he was shoved back rather embarrassingly, Gu Chil’s expression remained unchanged.
“I was preparing for the river crossing on the Young Cult Leader’s orders. I was trying to get the post-core recruits, like the Three Fools, across first.”
Most of the envoy was composed of Guardian Lions, but there were still a number of less capable post-core recruits and weaklings like the chatterboxes, who couldn’t be deployed in real combat yet.
“The Hao Sect Leader has been coordinating with Waterway Thieves to time the entry from the outskirts of Akyang. Myeong-oh and I have been serving as relays between the groups.”
“Alright, now tell me everything that’s happened up to now.”
Even as we ran, Gu Chil explained in detail everything that had occurred over the past five days.
After hearing him out, I clenched my teeth.
‘Damn it. So the Evil Path Sect really did interfere.’
We had delayed for far too long.
If we got further entangled here, it could lead to even greater trouble—even if we tried to use the water route.
“Gu Chil, for now…”
Just as I was about to explain the plan to Gu Chil—
‘Huh?’
Something off entered my senses up ahead.
“What’s that…”
I spotted over a dozen riders galloping swiftly toward a destination.
I sharpened my eyesight to identify the group—
Among them, I recognized someone.
‘That bastard is definitely…’
If my eyes weren’t mistaken, the one trailing at the rear of the group was Mukhon, known as the top post-core recruit of the Evil Path Sect’s delegation.
But he wasn’t the problem.
The real issue—
Was the enormous man leading the charge.
…A chill ran down my spine!
The moment I saw him, my instincts screamed.
If that man was the enemy, I absolutely couldn’t let him reach Cheon Yura!
I immediately scrapped the plan I had just formed.
“Gu Chil, follow me.”
“H-Huh?!”
“Those bastards over there—if my instincts are right, they’re the ‘blade’ of the Heaven-Defying Society, sent to assassinate Yura.”
“…!”
Gu Chil’s expression turned serious in an instant.
“Do whatever it takes. We stop them, no matter what.”
I clearly remembered what Hwan Pyeong had said earlier.
That he had prepared a deadly trump card capable of killing Cheon Yura without fail.
And now, my instincts were telling me—the men galloping ahead were that very trump card.
“Luckily, judging by their direction, we can catch up with lightness arts. Let’s go.”
“Yes, Lord!”
Mukseonggi—Mukhon—could not hide his unease.
‘Damn, feels like I got dragged into something way bigger than I should’ve.’
After the Southern Martial Arts Tournament collapsed in chaos following the assassination of its host, Absolute Severing Sword Baek Munjeol—
A unit of over a dozen warriors known as the Ten Thousand Fury Command suddenly appeared near Nanchang, as if they had been waiting all along. Even Mukhon hadn’t expected that.
The Evil Path Sect’s delegation leader, Grand Elder Si Okhyeol, had joined them as though it were all prearranged.
Now they were traveling rapidly together with the master of the Ten Thousand Fury Command toward Dongting Lake.
Mukhon, who didn’t even have the proper ‘rank’ to be there, felt distinctly out of place.
“Watch closely, Mukhon.”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Si Okhyeol offered some reassurance.
He spoke with deep pride.
“Tonight, the history of Murim will be rewritten.”
“…!”
“The others don’t have the qualifications, but you—since you are the future of Evil Path Sect—it’s worth letting you witness this.”
“I am honored by your generosity, Grand Elder.”
“Hehehe, if all goes well tonight, our Sect will take hold of Guangdong. It would mean we effectively control the entire southern Central Plains.”
At Si Okhyeol’s bold declaration, Mukhon asked,
“Is that if we eliminate those Demonic Cult bastards?”
“Exactly. Sharp one, aren’t you.”
“…I see.”
Mukhon had already vaguely sensed that the upper echelon of the Evil Path Sect was colluding with some external force.
It wasn’t that strange, really.
With the so-called righteous sects crowding every corner, allying with a demonic faction wasn’t entirely unexpected.
‘A shame, though. I really wanted to test myself against those two…’
Demonic Heaven Dragon Jin Yeomyung. And Heavenly Divine Dragon Jin Myeong.
Powerhouses who might’ve pulled him out of the finals even before he reached them.
It was unfortunate that he wouldn’t get to test his skill against them—future pillars of the martial world.
As Mukhon chewed on that regret—
“Evade.”
The heavy voice of ‘that one’ leading the group rang out.
KUKWAGAGAGANG!
A tremendous shockwave swept in from the left and struck the Evil Path Sect’s unit.
‘Kuh!’
The horses startled, and the entire formation fell into disarray.
‘They prioritized range over power? Even then, this level of internal energy is insane!’
Mukhon immediately knew—
This was no second-rate warrior.
Hiiing!
Hiiing!
The horses of the Evil Path Sect, galloping at full speed, were forced to come to a halt from that one strike.
“A nuisance has appeared.”
The one leading at the front stopped his horse and spoke.
As he said, two people had suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
The problem was that one of them had a face Mukhon found extremely familiar.
“Ma... Demonic Heaven Dragon?!”
“Demonic Heaven Dragon, you say?”
Si Okhyeol, standing beside him, also frowned as he fixed his gaze on the front.
He, too, had participated in the Southern Martial Arts Tournament and recognized the face of the so-called "Demonic Heaven Dragon," that arrogant fledgling.
“How dare this impudent brat interfere with the affairs of the Evil Path Sect…”
Si Okhyeol was enraged by the fact that the one standing in their way wasn’t even someone of the Eight Armies or the Ten Talents level.
“Kuaaaah!”
The infamous skill that had elevated Si Okhyeol to the rank of Grand Elder in the Evil Path Sect—
The Hell-Destroying Demonic Claw —began to emit an ominous, blood-red glow as he unleashed his claw force.
“Die!”
“Hyeol-ra, stand down—!”
The man leading the front tried to stop Si Okhyeol, but the latter, already consumed by rage, ignored him and lunged at the enemy.
And then—
Flash!
At that moment, as a surge of gold and black energy simultaneously burst forth from the opponent—
Mukhon realized something.
Si Okhyeol’s head was floating in the sky.
“…!!”
Thud!
Si Okhyeol’s severed head crashed to the ground, and a heavy silence of shock fell over the scene.
“No one…”
The one who shattered that silence was none other than the one who had decapitated Si Okhyeol in a single strike.
“…will pass through here.”