Chapter 413: War Between the North and South (3)
It wasn’t just the Northern Murim Alliance that was flustered by the sudden declaration of war from the Southern Murim Alliance.
Even within the Southern Murim Alliance, voices of confusion were surfacing.
Hwang Yong, one of the first-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect, was stationed near Shiyan in Hubei Province, which was relatively far from the frontlines.
“Quite leisurely...”
Hwang Yong murmured quietly as he looked at the flow of the Dan River running north of Shiyan.
Behind him, fellow first-generation disciple Hwang Cheol opened his mouth.
“The world is in chaos, Senior Brother. Is this really the right thing to do?”
“That, even this Senior Brother does not know.”
Hwang Cheol let out a complaint without realizing it.
It was understandable that the murim had split into Northern and Southern factions due to political reasons.
Since both had aligned with unorthodox sects, neither could rightfully accuse the other of being more disgraceful.
However—
“I heard monsters have started appearing all over the Central Plains, devouring innocent civilians. Isn’t this the worst possible time for us to be fighting each other?”
“......”
At Hwang Cheol’s complaint, Hwang Yong sighed once again.
Demonic beasts of unknown origin had begun appearing and attacking civilians a few months ago.
Though initially dismissed as rumors, the reports of destruction were growing too serious to ignore.
More than anything, even martial artists of the Qingcheng Sect, including Hwang Yong, had encountered them once.
“The government is too occupied with the northern rebellion. Local magistrates have also been suppressing themselves due to the continuous wars among martial artists.”
“What can we do? It’s the will of those above.”
Worry flickered in Hwang Yong’s eyes.
“As you all know, the Elders are acting as if possessed by something.”
“Hmm…”
“They keep repeating that we will perish unless we annihilate the Northern Murim Alliance, ignoring all advice from others.”
“It’s almost like they’ve been brainwashed.”
At that statement from one of the first-generation disciples, the others panicked and shouted.
“Hey!”
“How dare you speak such blasphemy!”
“But wasn’t us being stationed in such a remote area a result of our collective protest to the Elders?”
“......”
At that remark, all the first-generation disciples fell silent.
First-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect, one of the Nine Sects One Gang.
They were elite among elites, suitable to be deployed in any major battlefield.
Yet their placement in this remote area near Luoyang, instead of the main battlefield, was indeed a result of their protest against the irrationality of this war.
Once someone opened their mouth, Hwang Gong—the disciple who had brought up the notion of brainwashing—spoke out in a torrent.
“Everyone’s gone mad! I’d prefer the times of petty power struggles and land grabbing! Why are we so desperate to devour one another now? I can’t understand it!”
“Junior Brother…”
“The Alliance Leader is dead. The Jaegal Clan, which produced the Alliance Leader, has been annihilated! Yet the entire world knows this wasn’t the doing of the Northern Murim Alliance—how can this serve as the pretext for war?!”
That the Alliance Leader was at Mount Tai was information known to very few even within the Southern Murim Alliance.
Naturally, the Northern Murim Alliance could not have known it.
The same went for the Jaegal Clan.
Located south of Hubei Province, their territory was closer to that of the Evil Dao Faction than to the Northern Murim Alliance, making it an unlikely target for a surprise attack.
“What’s done is done, Junior Brother.”
Hwang Cheol comforted the youngest.
“There is no good or evil in war. The victor is justice.”
“Senior Brother, that’s the logic of the Demonic Cult!”
Ignoring the youngest’s protest, Hwang Cheol continued.
“But what’s truly frustrating… is why we are the ones receiving this kind of treatment. If we could just fight openly, it would at least feel less suffocating.”
“That’s because you’re all too perceptive for your own good.”
“……!!”
“Who’s there?!”
At the sudden low voice, the first-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect urgently reached for their swords.
In front of them appeared five men and women.
Compared to the first-generation disciples in their thirties, they looked slightly younger.
“You lot seem like juniors of the murim. What business do you have with us?”
The youth at the front sneered.
“Juniors? Don’t be ridiculous. We’re no orthodox sect.”
“Not orthodox?”
The aura of the first-generation disciples grew more intense.
“We’ve come as apostles of justice to punish those who stray from the trend and entertain foolish thoughts.”
“‘Apostles of justice,’ you say?”
The words were absurd and out of place, but Hwang Yong immediately understood their meaning.
“You dare say the Alliance seeks to purge us?!”
“Oh, you catch on quick, don’t you?”
Hwang Yong scowled as he spoke.
“But I don’t understand. You’re far too weak to be a proper execution squad.”
The other first-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect all nodded in agreement.
“You bastards, barely even at the level of first-rate, how do you plan to purge us?”
To be blunt, just two out of the ten first-generation disciples gathered here could easily take care of those five.
Smirks curled up on the lips of the young man and his group.
“What you see isn’t all there is.”
“What?”
“Perhaps you know this, too?”
Srrk!
The young man pointed his finger across the Qingcheng Sect’s first-generation disciples.
“The truth is, all of you refused the ‘glory’ bestowed by the sect, regardless of what’s happening now.”
“……!!”
Not everyone understood what he meant, but a few of the first-generation disciples furrowed their brows in realization.
Previously, the elders of the sect had summoned each first-generation disciple one by one and recommended a special procedure.
The Elders had tempted them, saying they could transcend human limits and be reborn as something special.
As a result, many first-generation disciples accepted that offer, while those gathered here—including Hwang Yong—were the ones who had rejected it.
“There are two reasons why you will die today.”
The young man raised two fingers.
“One, we need to spill blood for the ritual in this area. And two…”
The young man's face twisted grotesquely.
“Unlike us who crawled back from hell, you fools turned away from the glory you could’ve accepted with ease.”
What tainted his face was intense contempt—and envy.
Crack! Crackle!
The forms of the five men and women began to grotesquely twist and grow larger.
“M-m-monsters!”
“Don’t panic! Form the Qingfeng Sword Formation!”
Five awakened beings from the Heaven-Defying Society faced off against ten first-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect.
The young man, who had now transformed into a massive werewolf-like figure, drooled from his mouth as he spoke.
“If you had accepted the glory, you would’ve become far stronger than small fry like us. How foolish.”
The young man gave orders to his subordinates.
“Kill them all.”
-……!
The subordinates, now fully transformed into awakened beings, let out monstrous cries and charged at the first-generation disciples.
Hwang Yong let out a cry of horror.
“Could it be—the monsters wreaking havoc across the world were actually raised by the Alliance?!”
“Not the full truth, but close enough.”
They were all going to die anyway, so there was no need to correct their misunderstanding.
The awakened beings of the Heaven-Defying Society charged toward the first-generation disciples all at once.
Since they were dealing with unknown monsters, the first-generation disciples maintained the Qingfeng Sword Formation as they cautiously faced off against the awakened beings.
However—
KWAANG!
“Gaaah!”
“H-Hwang Gong!”
Hwang Gong, one of the first-generation disciples, couldn’t withstand even a single blow and was sent flying, coughing up blood.
The awakened being who had sent Hwang Gong flying let out a sinister laugh.
“So this is what the elite of the Nine Sects One Gang is made of? Pathetic.”
“H-how strong are they…!”
Hwang Gong had clearly infused his sword with sword qi.
More importantly, Hwang Gong was a powerhouse known for his honed physique among the first-generation disciples.
“Do not face them head-on!”
“Use finesse and adapt! Wear them down with precision!”
The martial arts of the Qingcheng Sect are based on speed and variability.
Though not as adept in fluid strength like the Wudang Sect, they were at least flexible enough to respond proactively depending on the situation.
However—
“M-my sword won’t pierce them, Senior Brother!”
“Damn it!”
The awakened beings of the Heaven-Defying Society weren’t seriously harmed even by sharp sword qi.
Even a full-powered strike barely grazed their outer skin.
Only when Hwang Yong forced out enhanced qi could he barely sever a single arm.
But when the young man, seemingly the leader, picked up the severed arm and pressed it to the stump, blood bubbled, and the wound quickly reattached and healed.
“…Insane.”
Hwang Yong felt the strength drain from his entire body.
It felt like his will to fight was vanishing in an instant.
“You let your guard down.”
The young man swung his reattached arm back and forth before contorting his face into a vicious sneer.
“So you’re supposed to be a first-generation disciple, huh? I’ll make sure you don’t die an easy death.”
“D-don’t retreat!”
“Fight back!”
The first-generation disciples resisted with everything they had.
However, the fundamental gap in physical strength was unavoidable, and one by one, more began to collapse, coughing up blood.
“Run, Senior Brother!”
“We must inform the Northern Murim Alliance of this!”
“We’ll buy time!”
“J-Junior Brothers…!”
Hwang Yong shed tears of blood at the sight of his fellow disciples perishing one after another.
“Kuhuhu, how touching.”
One of the awakened beings, having torn out a disciple’s heart, bared his fangs in a grin.
“Sorry, but I won’t let you go. That tearful sight is too pitiful to watch, so I’ll end it here.”
“Yeah. Such a touching bond between senior and junior. Not bad for orthodox scum.”
“Hm?”
In that moment.
A massive crimson slash appeared in the werewolf’s pupils.
Slaaash!
“Graaah!”
A completely different level of agony engulfed the werewolf.
“…?!”
“…!!”
The upper body of the leader was cleaved in a single strike.
With both arms, his torso was separated from his lower body, and the creature screamed in unbearable pain.
“W-Who are you?!”
“Who dares?!”
As the remaining awakened beings frantically looked around—
“Not who dares, but rather, who graces your presence?”
This time, with a lively woman’s voice, pure white flames shot up.
Heaven-Shaking Path of the Sacred and the Demonic
Radiant Heaven of Glory
The demonic art of the Slayer Sect.
The secret technique of the House of Extreme Saber, laden with contradiction, cleaved through another awakened being just as easily.
“T-This can’t be…”
The monsters they could not handle were collapsing pathetically before people who looked far younger than themselves.
“R-Run!”
The remaining awakened beings made a quick judgment.
They were among those in the jianghu who deeply understood that strength and appearance didn’t always align.
However—
Before they knew it, a formation of several hundred had surrounded them, cutting off any escape routes flawlessly.
“H-How did this happen!?”
The awakened beings hurried to break through the encirclement with force, but—
“As expected, the Grand Duke really knows how to use his brain.”
Pa Yeongyeong appeared behind them with a murderous smile, having already surrounded the battlefield.
“These are troops trained specifically to deal with the likes of you. Escaping won’t be easy.”
“…!”
“H-How did the Demonic Cult bastards get here?”
Having sensed the demonic qi radiating from the battlefield, the awakened beings belatedly realized who their opponents were.
But it changed nothing.
“I’d love to answer that question, but to be honest, I’m just following the Captain’s orders, so I don’t know all the details. Still…”
Pa Yeongyeong’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with bastards like you.”
The awakened beings instinctively sensed Pa Yeongyeong’s power.
An overwhelming aura incomparable to the likes of the Qingcheng Sect’s first-generation disciples.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Unlike the first-generation disciples who fought despite the disadvantage, these ones gave up as soon as their leader fell.
Three awakened beings each attempted to escape in different directions.
“Sorry, but I won’t let you go.”
They received back the exact same words their leader had said.
Pa Yeongyeong’s saber cleaved the earth.