Chapter 222 : Chapter 222
Chapter 222. Sichuan Sword Clan (1)
Perhaps it was a prestigious clan after all.
As the plaque and a part of the gate exploded.
BANG!
The warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan, with surprised faces, began to move in perfect unison.
“Who goes there!?”
Some quickly drew their weapons and prepared for immediate battle.
TWEEEEET!
Others blew whistles or beat drums.
Watching the well-organized scene, Jin Yuseong thought.
‘What fools.’
Everyone already knew there were intruders.
Because of the noise created when the gate exploded.
FWOOSH!
While the men were busy sounding the alarm, Jin Yuseong unleashed his movement technique toward the blasted-open gate.
His companions followed close behind him.
The crisp sounds of cutting and screams filled the air.
SLASH!
“Arrrggghhh!!”
The battle was utterly one-sided.
There was no one who could withstand even a single exchange with them.
The nuns, who had successfully entered without a fight thanks to Jin Yuseong and his companions, wore bewildered expressions.
‘To think… to think they were this strong.’
They had witnessed their martial arts on Mount Emei.
But at that time, the number of enemies was small, and their level was not very high.
It was not the main force of the Sichuan Sword Clan.
But there was no difference between then and now.
Anyone watching would think they were attacking a local underworld gang, not the First Sword Clan of Sichuan.
They cut down the warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan and advanced for about a quarter of an hour.
Starting from the entrance, they passed several halls and arrived at a large training ground.
And there, a hundred warriors had already taken their positions.
Just as Jin Yuseong was about to charge at them without waiting.
A path opened through the middle of the warriors, and several figures appeared.
“Jang Sopyeong, you bastard! How dare you forsake heavenly principles and turn your sword on your own clan!”
An old man with salt-and-pepper hair roared, burning with anger.
Dang Sopyeong roared back in response.
“Shut up, First Elder! I am a Dang, not a Jang! Furthermore, the one who forsook heavenly principles is not me, but this Sichuan Sword Clan! How could you think of devouring fellow humans like elixirs!”
Immediately after refuting the First Elder’s shout.
Dang Sopyeong secretly sent a sound transmission to his companions.
- The old man who just stepped forward is the First Elder of the Sichuan Sword Clan. Excluding the Clan Head, he is the most skilled martial artist in this clan.
Soon after, he turned his head and looked somewhere.
Behind the First Elder who had stepped forward.
A man with a familiar yet strangely different appearance was standing there.
- And the man standing behind him is the First Sword of Sichuan, Jang Muryong… but he looks younger than I remember.
It was one of two things.
Either he was using an appearance-changing art, or he had achieved bone reconstruction.
The latter seemed highly probable.
“Ha! Did you think this elder would not know that you have finally borrowed the power of outsiders to scheme against the clan!?”
Ignoring the First Elder’s shout, Jin Yuseong opened his Second Eye to check the condition of the First Elder and Jang Muryong.
Was it because he had lived a long life?
A considerable amount of internal energy had accumulated in the First Elder’s dantian.
But what was more surprising was Jang Muryong.
Despite appearing to be twice his age, Jang Muryong seemed to have more internal energy.
It was not just because he had learned the clan’s divine art.
- Jang Muryong has also learned a demonic art.
A dark energy was coiled in the man’s dantian.
Jin Yuseong slowly turned his head and scanned the warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan.
- It seems they were keeping the demonic art a secret. The only ones who have learned it are the Clan Head and the Young Master.
While Jin Yuseong was assessing the enemies’ condition, Dang Sopyeong continued to argue with the First Elder about justifications, as if to buy time.
“These nuns from Mount Emei are the witnesses! You tried to capture innocent women to use as elixirs, did you not?”
Unfortunately, Dang Sopyeong’s shouts did not reach the warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan.
Their loyalty to the Sichuan Sword Clan was firm.
“Hmph. Those nuns are just in league with Shaolin anyway! Did you think we would fall for your trickery!?”
The moment the First Elder shouted, Jin Yuseong, who had assessed the enemies’ level, gave his orders.
- You will face the Clan Head with Junior Sister Baek Hyang.
- Junior Sister Baek Hyang, help that Dang fellow take care of the Clan Head.
He entrusted the remaining warriors to his other companions.
“Hehehe. Then that old man, the second strongest after the Clan Head, is my share.”
Beyond Hwangbo Ak’s voice, Baek Hyang and Dang Sopyeong asked at the same time.
- Are you yielding just for the sake of my revenge?
- Then who will you be facing, Senior Brother?
As far as they knew, Jin Yuseong was not the type to push dangerous enemies onto his companions.
And the two of them had grasped Jin Yuseong’s nature correctly.
“I have my own share.”
The place where Jin Yuseong’s gaze was directed.
There stood a man who exuded an atmosphere of being alone and detached.
As if he had nothing to do with the Sichuan Sword Clan.
But the reason Jin Yuseong’s gaze was on him was not because of that atmosphere.
He could see it.
The enormous amount of demonic qi residing in the man’s body.
Jang Muryong’s demonic qi was nothing compared to this man’s.
Jin Yuseong was certain. This man was connected to the Demonic Cult.
‘I must capture him.’
The eyes of the man, who had been leisurely by himself, met Jin Yuseong’s.
Upon closer inspection, he could tell for sure.
He was on par with the Left Guardian Envoy, Wi Mugyeol.
And in their last battle, Jin Yuseong had only barely managed to kill Wi Mugyeol with a joint attack from his companions.
But this time, he could not receive his companions’ help.
Because he had to deal with the surrounding warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan, in addition to Jang Muryong and the First Elder.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
Recalling his training on Mount Hua, Jin Yuseong raised his internal energy.
At the same time, the man slightly frowned.
As if sensing something, he took a step and tried to retreat.
As if trying to disappear while hiding his identity.
Jin Yuseong had no intention of letting this happen.
“Hah!”
With a kiai, Jin Yuseong swung the Master's Blade in the air.
The Enhanced Qi that erupted from his sword cut through the air as it advanced.
Surprisingly, the Enhanced Qi twisted its trajectory as it moved forward.
After slipping past all the Sichuan Sword Clan warriors blocking the way, the Enhanced Qi reached the immediate vicinity of the man.
“Tsk.”
The man clicked his tongue as if annoyed and swung his arm.
A whip hidden in his clothes unfurled and clashed with the Enhanced Qi.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted, and the nearby Sichuan Sword Clan warriors reacted belatedly.
“Wha-what!?”
Jin Yuseong had already reached the immediate vicinity of the startled men.
But he did not swing his sword at the surprised Sichuan Sword Clan warriors.
SWOOOOOOOSH!
The man who had deflected the Enhanced Qi was already swinging his whip again.
His whip tore apart the Sichuan Sword Clan warriors.
CRACKLE!
Jin Yuseong seized the opportunity and launched himself into the air.
The whip passed by, grazing his feet.
Immediately after, a strange thing happened.
As if it were a living creature, the whip changed its path and flew toward Jin Yuseong, who was in the air.
Jin Yuseong twisted his body in mid-air and swung his sword in response.
The moment the Master's Blade and the whip clashed and an explosion erupted, Jin Yuseong’s wrist twisted.
BOOM!
Utilizing the repulsive force from blocking the whip, his body flew straight toward the man.
***
Jin Yuseong’s sudden surprise attack.
The whip of a mysterious expert who appeared out of nowhere.
Furthermore, a dozen or so Sichuan Sword Clan warriors were swept up by the whip and died.
All of this happened in a fleeting moment.
Jang Muryong, who belatedly grasped the situation, roared.
“You bastard!!!”
He himself did not know.
Was he shouting at the Ghost Sword? Or was he shouting at the man who had given him the demonic art?
And the moment Jang Muryong’s gaze was fixed on that side.
SWOOOOOOOSH.
Dozens of hidden weapons embroidered the air.
The hidden weapons lodged themselves in the bodies of the Sichuan Sword Clan warriors near Jang Muryong.
PAPAPAPAK.
Those who barely managed to deal with the surprise attack wore surprised expressions.
“Keok…”
Those who could not react fell to the ground with ridiculous ease.
At that moment, Baek Hyang launched herself at Jang Muryong.
As she cut down those who blocked her path and cleared the way, Dang Sopyeong followed behind her.
“Hahahahaha! The old man is my share!”
At some point, Hwangbo Ak was also shouting like a madman and charging at the First Elder.
“G-get behind me! I-I will protect you!”
“Hoo. I have learned that punishing the wicked is a chivalrous act, but protecting the good is also a chivalrous act!”
“Be careful.”
Nam Geon, Paeng Daecheol, and Choyeon stood as if protecting the nuns from Mount Emei and blocked the warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan.
In an instant, a chaotic battle broke out.
Warriors of the Sichuan Sword Clan fell like autumn leaves in all directions.
“How dare these bastards!!”
Enraged, Jang Muryong took a step forward.
“C-Clan Head!”
“Get out of my way!!”
Shoving aside those who stood in his way as if to protect him, the moment Jang Muryong took another step, a hidden weapon flew stealthily toward him.
CLANG!
“Did you think you could kill your own father with such a measly trick!?”
At this, Dang Sopyeong’s face crumpled.
“Since when were you my father!?”
He had already severed his ties with that man when he decided to use the surname Dang upon leaving the Sichuan Sword Clan.
He had only been enduring it because of the relationship between that man and his mother.
Enraged, Dang Sopyeong threw additional hidden weapons.
But Jang Muryong merely parried or dodged the hidden weapons with great ease.
“Tsk. Yes. This is for the better. Since I no longer need your alchemy anyway, let us put an end to this for the honor of the clan.”
Now that he had learned the demonic art, he no longer needed the Dang family’s alchemy.
He intended to erase the very past of having taken a concubine from a family with no roots.
Having grasped the meaning behind Jang Muryong’s words, a spark ignited in Dang Sopyeong’s eyes.
“How dare you try to insult my mother!?”
At that very moment.
SLASH.
The body of a warrior near Jang Muryong was cut down.
Simultaneously, a woman closed in on Jang Muryong and swung her sword.
Jang Muryong, who blocked the sword, frowned.
CLANG!
The power contained in the sword was considerable.
The moment Jang Muryong raised his internal energy to parry the sword, the woman twisted her sword and deflected his force.
Her movements flowed naturally.
As if performing a sword dance, her sword embroidered the air.
In response, dozens of strands of sword qi scattered in all directions.
‘Plum Blossoms?’
It was a sword art that Jang Muryong had never encountered before in his life.
To avoid being distracted by the splendid pageantry of flower petals, Jang Muryong swung his sword fiercely.
A strong wind swirled and tore the flower petals to shreds.
But Baek Hyang was not flustered.
The flower petals were merely an outward phenomenon.
Starting from the seed, to the roots, and over the trunk to the branches.
The energy that flowed through her four limbs and hundred vessels bore fruit.
WHIIIIIR.
With a sword cry, an extremely condensed energy formed on the Restoring Name Sword.
Feeling an eerie sensation, Jang Muryong also raised his internal energy and swung his sword.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted from the two clashing swords.
Fragments of Enhanced Qi that could not withstand the repulsive force scattered in all directions.
PAPAPAK.
The training ground floor burst open, and those who were approaching to help the Clan Head were caught in it and fell.
“Arrrggghhh!!”
While the two swords were evenly matched, another hidden weapon flew stealthily.
“Keuk.”
Jang Muryong groaned and threw his body aside.
He had dodged the hidden weapon, but because he had forcibly twisted his balance, he could not avoid suffering internal injuries.
Toward him who had retreated, the petals formed by sword qi swirled once again.
“Damn it!!”
Anger also formed in Jang Muryong’s eyes.
‘I-I! The First Sword of Sichuan, am being pushed back by a mere young girl, not even the Ghost Sword!’
Every night, he dreamed of the Ghost Sword taking his head.
This was also why he had accepted the demonic art.
To overcome the anxiety he felt about that damned Ghost Sword.
But that Ghost Sword did not even seem interested in him.
What was even more absurd was that the girl called the Ghost Sword’s junior sister was evenly matched with him.
While the enraged Jang Muryong was parrying the flower petals, another hidden weapon flew through the petals.
But what was truly annoying was not the hidden weapon.
“How does it feel? The feeling of facing a true genius?”
Beyond the plum blossoms that filled the area, Dang Sopyeong’s voice could be heard.
“No matter what kind of bullshit you pull, be it alchemy or demonic arts, to maintain the clan’s reputation, it is all meaningless before a true genius.”
“You bastard!!!!”
The moment Jang Muryong let out an angry roar.
The dark energy that had been stirring from before began to pour out from his sword.