Overlord of Sichuan

Chapter 283: The Great Counterattack (2)

A low, calm voice.

Tang Sewoon, the leader of the Paetcheon Association, revealed himself.

He entered the assembly hall with a composed expression, yet his presence seized everyone’s attention, like an ordinary man standing before Mount Tai itself.

‘…Just how far does his martial attainment go…!’

‘Even more than the Sword Emperor…!!’

His appearance brought all arguments and chatter to a halt.

With Sewoon’s arrival, the very atmosphere inside changed completely.

Amid that shift, Sewoon lightly swept his gaze across the surroundings.

‘Everyone is exhausted.’

Sewoon read the fatigue and despair cast over their faces.

In their eyes, unease and fear were far deeper than hope.

The reason they had been arguing earlier was not mistrust or discord.

It was simply the helplessness and despair born from a situation where no light or answer could be seen.

Sewoon understood their hearts.

He himself had once borne the weight of watching a world headed toward ruin before his regression.

But that, too, was only for a moment.

First, Sewoon paid the Crown Prince the utmost courtesy.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am relieved to see that you look well.”

“Heh heh, it is all thanks to you. But why are you so late? I nearly strained my neck waiting.”

“I almost ended up treating your neck as well.”

Because there were many eyes watching, Sewoon did not speak casually and instead joked while maintaining formal speech.

At that, Crown Prince Ju Yudo approached Sewoon without hesitation and patted his shoulder.

On his face, rather than royal dignity, there was a far stronger sense of delight, as though he were meeting an old friend after a long time.

At the same time, deep relief seeped out.

Just by Sewoon’s presence alone, Ju Yudo felt as though every problem would be resolved.

‘W-wait…? Was the Paetcheon Association Leader this close to the Crown Prince as well??’

‘Such warmth…?!’

Everyone who witnessed their exchange was astonished.

It was unimaginable for the Crown Prince of a nation to treat a mere martial artist with such familiarity.

“And yet, your power… it truly is astonishing. What in the world happened?”

Ju Yudo spoke toward Sewoon.

There was no wariness in his voice, only sincere admiration and awe.

Having learned the imperial family’s secret arts, Ju Yudo instinctively sensed that Sewoon’s realm was so deep and vast that it lay beyond anything he could dare imagine.

Sewoon spoke with a faint smile.

“I was fortunate.”

“Tsk, so excessive humility truly is proportional arrogance—only today did I learn that saying was true.”

In both of their eyes lay firm trust toward one another.

Next, Sewoon paid his respects to Great Master Gakgong.

“Great Master Gakgong. It has been a long time.”

“…I see. It is good to see you.”

Great Master Gakgong’s voice was filled with shock.

That was because he felt awe at Sewoon’s overwhelming presence.

Unlike the others, Great Master Gakgong, who had stepped into the entrance of the Life and Death Realm, perceived Sewoon’s power on an entirely different level.

As the saying went, the more one knew, the more one could see—where Sewoon had reached was a far side he could not even dream of touching.

Great Master Gakgong was inwardly horrified.

He had seen the sword of the Sword Emperor Yoo Jinhak. Yoo Jinhak’s sword possessed a gentleness and strength that seemed to embrace everything, yet Sewoon’s aura was vastly greater and more overwhelming than even that.

It truly felt like gazing upon the ‘heavens’.

“The situation is urgent, and there is no time, so I will proceed directly to the main point.”

“…!!”

At Sewoon’s words, everyone listened intently.

When all attention focused on him, Sewoon continued.

“I intend to take command of the entire combined force gathered here.”

“!!”

His voice was low, yet within it was an absolute power that could not be refused.

However, the Crown Prince and the commanders of each faction did not object to Sewoon’s decisive declaration.

They realized it the moment they saw him.

That Sewoon’s very existence was the only way to break through this desperate situation.

“Great Master Gakgong, please take charge of the rear. Your Highness the Crown Prince, lead the Imperial Army and take the right flank. Lord Pacheonchangjon, lead the Demonic Alliance and take the left flank. Geumhwa Satae and the Shrine Maiden Sect Leader, please provide support everywhere with the Murim Alliance’s forces. And as for me.”

Sewoon paused and quietly looked toward the Yellow River. Within the deep calm of his gaze burned a fierce resolve.

“I will lead the Paetcheon Association and stand at the vanguard of every battlefield.”

“!!”

The riverbank of Sanmenxia.

The tens of thousands of troops of the Five Armies Allied Force stood with hardened expressions, staring at the river.

“Can we really cross that river….”

“To place a curse over the entire river… Hoo, if we recklessly advance like this…”

The martial artists’ lamentations drifted along the riverbank like the wind.

For a moment, they had held hope at Sewoon’s appearance, but the reality before their eyes threatened to snatch even that away.

All of them trembled in fear as they looked at the blood-stained river and the dense Blood Mist blanketing it.

That was not all.

Unlike its former calm flow, the Yellow River’s current had changed beyond recognition, raging like a massive storm, making crossing utterly impossible.

By the Blood Cult’s sorcery, the entire river of Sanmenxia had turned into a living hell.

Step. Step.

At that moment, a man walked in from afar.

Behind him followed the leaders of each faction.

“Th-that person is!!”

“E-everyone, show proper respect!!”

It was Tang Sewoon, leader of the Paetcheon Association and the Blue Sky Martial Emperor.

Sewoon’s arrival seized the attention of everyone gathered on the riverbank.

Martial artists from countless factions, who had been slumped in despair, suddenly shone with renewed vigor as if nothing had happened, collectively taking up battle formation.

“The Blue Sky Martial Emperor has arrived!”

“Waaahhh!!”

The murmurs of the martial artists soon turned into cheers.

The heavy aura of despair that had hung over them vanished, as though dark clouds had parted to reveal a clear sky.

Simply because of Sewoon’s presence, their belief that they could overcome this desperate situation grew ever stronger.

At that moment, having arrived at the riverbank, Sewoon silently gazed at the Yellow River.

What reflected in his eyes was the horrific, polluted river, tainted by the Blood Cult’s evil sorcery.

Then, beside him, Great Master Gakgong and Geumhwa Satae gently opened their mouths to speak.

“The Shrine Maiden Sect Leader attempted to deal with that poison mist, but failed. Even if we distribute Poison-Repelling Wine, it will be too much. Everyone will be poisoned and annihilated before we even land.”

Great Master Gakgong let out a deep sigh as he spoke.

Sewoon nodded in agreement. It was a valid assessment.

Even he, having achieved Myriad Poison Immunity, had been startled by the density of the poisonous aura.

If they were ordinary martial artists, they would not endure it—blood would pour from their Seven Chambers, and they would die on the spot.

“And that is not all. The Blood Demon has even tampered with the river’s current, so barely anchoring the ships is our limit…”

Geumhwa Satae continued with a bitter expression.

Everyone lowered their heads at this desperate reality.

It was understandable that the allied army’s morale had collapsed.

‘They are all afraid.’

Sewoon thought to himself.

A deep shadow lay over their eyes.

But it was understandable.

To use sorcery over an entire river so vast it looked more like a sea than a river in name—

The Blood Demon was a being that could only be described as a monster.

However.

‘But we can no longer wait.’

Sewoon felt no fear.

He already knew that his opponent was a monster.

And he himself was the hunter meant to kill that monster.

Sewoon silently gazed at the Yellow River.

In his mind, a method to resolve everything had already taken shape.

Sewoon slowly opened his mouth.

“There is no problem. I have a way to resolve this.”

At his words, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

Dumbfounded, they spoke in disbelief.

“Could it be…? You can disperse the Blood Mist?”

“You can change the flow of the river?”

All of them looked at Sewoon with eyes mixed with astonishment and hope.

Sewoon glanced around at those present and nodded.

“Yes. But before that, there is something that must be resolved first.”

Sewoon turned his body.

Standing at the end of the riverbank, he now faced the entirety of the Five Armies Allied Force.

Swaaaa!

From Sewoon’s entire body, Golden Heaven Harmonization Qi began to surge violently.

Within his golden gaze, it felt as though every single member of the allied force was being drawn in without exception.

Sewoon slowly spoke.

“All of you were trembling in fear.”

His voice was low, yet it rang clearly in the ears of the tens of thousands of troops filling the riverbank.

There was not a trace of hesitation or wavering in his tone.

Only the overwhelming Overlord’s Aura of a great general leading the vanguard remained.

“But there is no need to fear any longer. The reason I came here—was to bring all of this to an end.”

At his single sentence, everyone held their breath.

Shing!

At the same moment, Sewoon drew his sword.

From the Bladeless Sword Body of Pure Yang, pure white light burst forth.

“I will open the path! And all of you will advance with me to Shanxi and sever the enemy’s heads!”

Sewoon’s address continued.

Within his voice was an absolute force that permitted no doubt.

They were deeply moved by Sewoon’s overwhelming presence and the resolute will embedded in his words.

In their eyes, the flames of hope ignited once more.

Just as emotion welled up and tears began to gather—

“My sword shall become our banner! And your swords shall become the banner that crushes the Blood Cult and calls back the blue sky over the martial world!”

Sewoon’s final shout shook all of Sanmenxia.

After a brief silence.

“Blue Sky Martial Emperor! Blue Sky Martial Emperor!!”

“Waaahhh!!”

The martial artists’ roars thundered as though they would pierce the heavens.

Amid their cheers, Sewoon quietly nodded.

He turned around once more.

Alone, he gazed at the Yellow River, stained deep crimson.

Countless warships were anchored before him, yet they looked as though they could be shattered at any moment by the raging current.

Without a word, Sewoon extended the hand that did not grip his sword.

No aura, no sound emanated from his body, yet it felt as though everything around him bowed to his will.

And then—

Kwarrrr!!

Kreeeech!!

Before the eyes of tens of thousands of soldiers, the massive warships were gently moved to both sides of the riverbank.

Not a single ship tilted or broke apart.

With a single gesture from Sewoon, every vessel was relocated in perfect order.

All who witnessed it gaped in utter shock, mouths hanging open.

‘Psychokinesis at the ultimate extreme…!!’

Even Great Master Gakgong, who had stepped into the Life and Death Realm, was left shaken by this level of martial attainment.

Yet what was even more astonishing—

This had not even begun yet.

Swaaaa!

As Sewoon looked upon the river now cleared of warships, he slowly raised his sword high.

‘Sever.’

Shraaaak!!

His blade came crashing down toward the waters of the Yellow River.

And the moment his sword strike touched the void—

The river’s flow stopped as if it were a lie.

Kwarrrr!!

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga!!

Then, the Yellow River split cleanly into two, revealing the riverbed beneath.