Kang Sogun

No Ichil's eyes widened as he stared ahead.

The road crossed a low hill, and both sides were forests.

Two warriors who had gone ahead for reconnaissance were lying on the road, and two masterless horses were grazing.

An arrow was stuck in the back of a warrior.

A few warriors gathered around No Ichil, and a few others rode their horses and went forward.

"Stop!"

No Ichil turned back the warriors who had gone forward.

No Ichil's stomach churned.

He had been ambushed in the same way he had ambushed the Heavenly Star Brigade warriors a few days ago.

The enemy was probably ambushing in both forests.

'To let Kang Sogun's party go and block us means they know of our existence. I wonder how much they know.'

No Ichil looked back at the warriors. Since they were wearing ordinary martial arts uniforms, they could not be recognized as being from the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

'Jo Gaeryang, he's truly amazing.'

No Ichil had found out that the Heavenly Martial Faction's military strategist, Jo Gaeryang, was accompanying Gu Yeongang's personal expedition.

It was clear that Jo Gaeryang had figured out that they were from the Great Righteous Martial Hall just from the circumstances and was dealing with it.

"Shouldn't we collect the bodies?"

A martial artist of about thirty, wearing a blue martial arts uniform, approached and said.

The thirty Great Righteous Martial Hall warriors were the elite Flying Shadow Brigade of the ten halls.

The first, third, and fifth teams had followed No Ichil in the dark, and the first team leader, Gyeong Cheonseung, was in overall command.

"Of course, but we have to deal with the ambush first."

"Please leave it to me."

Gyeong Cheonseung was the younger brother of the Flying Shadow Brigade Commander, Gyeong Cheongwang, and was a master who was heading for the peak, having surpassed the first-rate.

Gyeong Cheonseung decided to lead the first team himself and attack the right forest, and he entrusted the left to the third team.

The plan was for the fifth team to collect the bodies and break through the ambush in the meantime.

Gyeong Cheonseung got off his horse and ran along the main road with ten men.

"You five go first. I'll provide cover."

He sent five men first.

-Papapak!

As expected, arrows flew.

If it had been a surprise attack, it would have been a different story, but since they were prepared for the arrows to fly, the Flying Shadow Brigade martial artists lightly deflected them and threw themselves into the forest.

The martial artists of the Great Righteous Martial Hall were also wearing crossbows.

They all aimed their crossbows at the place where the arrows had flown from.

-Pew, pew!

Arrows poured into the forest, and the remaining five martial artists also entered the forest.

-Clang! Clang!

The sound of weapons clashing was heard.

"Hurry!"

No Ichil urged the remaining ten members of the fifth team to collect the bodies of the dead reconnaissance team members and ran forward.

-Swish!

Arrows flew, but the Flying Shadow Brigade members deflected them.

But No Ichil had to stop his horse the moment he crossed the hill.

Ten warriors in black martial arts uniforms were standing on the main road.

Gyeong Cheonseung came running.

"There weren't many in the ambush."

"I see. Their intention was to hold us back and buy time."

No Ichil gritted his teeth as he looked at the warriors in black martial arts uniforms in front.

This meant that Kang Sogun's party, which had gone ahead, was in extreme danger.

***

"How can that be!"

Sim Mabaek clicked his tongue.

Kang Sogun kicked the running horse, soared up, and then flew, scraping the ground with his spear.

The iron chain laid on the ground was caught by the spear and was pulled up with a snap.

Kang Sogun, who had scraped off the iron chain, landed on the ground and then drew a large circle with his spear.

The iron chain with thorns drew a large circle like a whip and flew far away.

Kang Sogun got on the horse that had run up behind.

It had all happened in the blink of an eye, no, while the horse was running.

Sim Mabaek was a former military man.

He had seen countless cavalry battles, but it was the first time he had seen a trap removed so quickly.

'Is that the martial prowess of a supreme master?'

Although Sim Mabaek's desire to win was stronger than anyone's, he had to admit what he had to admit.

Thanks to Kang Sogun, the party ran without stopping their horses.

The enemy also seemed to be flustered.

Hidden weapons flew without order, but it was already too late.

-Tweet!

With a whistle, the enemies who had been ambushing on both sides hastily got on their horses and chased.

At a glance, there were about ten.

"Mabaek!"

Jang Mugang shouted.

Originally, he had intended to block the rear with Jungrang, but since he had given his horse to Kang Sogun, Sim Mabaek had decided to take his place.

The enemies were highly trained killers. They knew how to handle a crossbow even while riding a horse.

"Damn it. Eunghwan should have been here."

Although Sim Mabaek grumbled, he rode his horse alongside Jang Mugang and was on guard behind.

-Swish!

"Arrows!"

Jang Mugang warned and turned his body greatly on the horse, swinging his two kitchen knives.

Sim Mabaek lay down on the side of his horse and swung his long spear.

-Clang! Clang!

The arrows were deflected, and a few flew straight. Jang Mugang was startled and warned in a loud voice.

"Miss Yeon! It's dangerous!"

-Clang.

Yeon Hwasim, who was riding behind Jungrang, turned around at Jang Mugang's warning and swung her sword to deflect the arrows.

"Miss Yeon is also quite something!"

Jang Mugang praised her greatly and then, as if relieved, he suddenly turned his horse.

Then Sim Mabaek also turned his horse and ran towards the chasing enemy.

The enemies, seeing Jang Mugang and Sim Mabaek, who had been fleeing, suddenly turn their horses and run towards them, split to the left and right and clashed.

-Clang!

-Clang! Clang!

"Kuh!"

In one clash, three or four of them groaned and were thrown off.

There was a fact that the enemies did not know.

The Three Tigers of Shandong were originally from the military, and unlike ordinary martial artists, they were skilled in cavalry warfare.

Although the enemies' horsemanship was also outstanding, it was lacking compared to Jang Mugang and Sim Mabaek, who had roamed the battlefields.

Especially Sim Mabaek, who moved between the horse's back, side, and even under its belly, and thrust his long spear freely.

His movements were so divine that it was as if the spear were sprouting from the horse's body.

"Turn!"

At Jang Mugang's words, Sim Mabaek immediately pulled the reins and turned back.

The two ran their horses again.

Now, Kang Sogun, Wi Eunghwan, Jungrang, and Yeon Hwasim were running in front, and the men in black were chasing behind them, and then Jang Mugang and Sim Mabaek were chasing them.

In the meantime, Jang Mugang had snatched a masterless horse.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

As the gallop continued, Jang Mugang shouted loudly.

"Eunghwan!"

Wi Eunghwan, who was ahead, looked back at the situation, slowed down his running speed, and fell back.

The three, who had fought countless fierce battles on the frontier battlefields, knew what each other meant just by calling their names.

Wi Eunghwan spun on his horse's back and then, almost lying down, he aimed his crossbow and shot.

-Swish!

-Swish!

Five arrows flew towards the chasing enemy.

"Avoid it!"

The enemies split to the left and right to avoid the arrows.

In an instant, Wi Eunghwan hung his crossbow on the side of his horse and at the same time, he took off his wind-proof cloak and swung it.

-Flap!

-Whirl!

All sorts of hidden weapons were hidden in the wind-proof cloak.

Shurikens, iron caltrops, golden hair awls, and various other hidden weapons flew in a cluster.

The enemies who had split to the left and right had to split further, hastily deflecting the hidden weapons.

In the meantime, Jang Mugang and Sim Mabaek galloped and joined Wi Eunghwan.

"I got a horse."

Jang Mugang laughed heartily, patted the reins of the horse running next to him, and then handed it to Wi Eunghwan.

"Did he give it up willingly?"

Wi Eunghwan smiled, took the reins, and whipped his horse's rump.

"Hiyah!"

Wi Eunghwan galloped, leading the horse he had taken.

"Jungrang! Take your horse."

Wi Eunghwan ran next to Jungrang and handed him the horse that Jang Mugang had taken.

Jungrang's face brightened.

It was because his speed had been slow, riding with Yeon Hwasim.

"Thank you."

Jungrang handed the reins to Yeon Hwasim and then jumped from the running horse and somersaulted in the air.

"Older brother!"

Yeon Hwasim was surprised and shouted, but Jungrang landed lightly on the back of the horse that Wi Eunghwan had given him.

"Oh ho. Your horsemanship is also quite something."

Wi Eunghwan was impressed.

"It's a small trick I learned while living as a ronin."

"Don't you know that too much modesty is annoying?"

Wi Eunghwan smiled, whipped his horse, and closely followed Kang Sogun.

As Jungrang and Yeon Hwasim each rode their own horses, the party picked up speed.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Jungrang and Sim Mabaek switched positions. Sim Mabaek had not yet fully recovered and could not overdo it.

Now, Jang Mugang and Jungrang were in charge of the rear.

The six horses galloped towards Anqing City like a storm.

***

"Kuh!"

The fifth masked man in black was hit by the Fire Dragon Saber, shed blood, and collapsed.

Jo Unryong quickly raised his saber upside down to protect his body.

"!"

The masked man in black, who had only been watching, was not seen.

Jo Unryong counted the number of fallen masked men in black.

Five.

'Five attacked and one watched.'

The one who had been watching had disappeared without a trace.

He had not even noticed how he had disappeared. It meant that he was at least a cut above these men.

'These bastards were not to be taken lightly either.'

Jo Unryong's back ached.

The men in black were persistent.

Above all, they were not common warriors.

Their individual martial arts were also outstanding, but their combined attack, which they had practiced for a long time, was clearly for the sole purpose of catching a master.

A long saber mark was also on Jo Unryong's back.

A sword had also grazed his calf horizontally, and now that the tension was gone, it ached terribly.

'Damn it.'

It was the first injury he had received since coming out into the martial world.

'What on earth is the identity of these bastards?'

It was clear that they were Heavenly Martial Faction warriors, but their martial arts were unexpectedly outstanding.

'It would not be easy to determine the winner even if they fought the Bloody Tears Brigade. How many of these bastards are there?'

It was surprising that each of the nameless Heavenly Martial Faction martial artists rolling on the ground was a match for a Bloody Tears Brigade martial artist.

The Heavenly Martial Faction had sent out these martial artists just to chase one person.

Moreover, judging by the recent situation, it was clear that they had been used as consumables to gauge his skills.

'These kinds of men are disposable pieces?'

Jo Unryong's heart was heavy.

The Four Great Powers of the world had never clashed with each other. They had only explored each other's strength and had been engaged in a fierce underwater struggle.

Jo Unryong had been confident that the Dragon Slaying Society would easily defeat the Heavenly Martial Faction if they had a head-on confrontation, but it seemed he would have to change that thought.

Jo Unryong, with a grave face, looked around, confirmed that there was no one else, and then threw himself forward.

It was again that strange lightness skill where he slid a full ten feet with each step.

***

"Kuh!"

The last remaining man in black collapsed.

"Vicious bastards!"

Including the ones who had been ambushing in the forest, there were a total of fifteen enemies.

Even though they were at a numerical disadvantage, they all fought to the end and chose death.

Even though No Ichil had personally joined and fought a fierce battle, twelve of the Flying Shadow Brigade members had also been sacrificed.

Although he did not want to admit it, their individual martial arts were half a cut above the Flying Shadow Brigade members.

No Ichil was dejected.

Each and every one of the Flying Shadow Brigade members was a warrior he had personally selected and trained.

They should not have died at the hands of nameless bastards in such a desolate field.

'The killing demon squad? What on earth kind of training did they receive to produce such bastards?'

No Ichil took off the mask of a man in black who was rolling next to him. He was a man of about thirty, and a number was written on his forehead.

Seventy-nine.

No Ichil's complexion hardened.

'Are you saying they formed a brigade with bastards like this?'

The Four Great Powers of the world usually formed a brigade with a hundred men.

For small and medium-sized sects, it was difficult to afford the finances, so it was difficult to form a brigade with that many people.

The Three Blade Sect's Fire Heaven Brigade was also composed of thirty men, and that could be said to be a large scale for a small and medium-sized sect.

The brigades of the Four Great Powers of the world were said to be a hundred, but each individual was a first-rate warrior.

The moment they obtained the name of a brigade, they carried the honor of their affiliated faction, so they could not enter with just any skill.

The warriors who did not belong to a brigade were used for guard duty or to fill the numbers when a large-scale battle occurred.

Since No Ichil handled information, he knew quite a bit about the Heavenly Martial Faction.

He had thought he knew a certain amount about their military power as well. But seeing its true form today, he could not help but be surprised.

'No. These bastards must be special. It's the Heavenly Martial Faction Master's personal expedition. Since they are catching the one who killed the Faction Master's son, it's clear they have poured in their best elites.'

No Ichil soothed his churning stomach by overestimating the enemy.

(End of Chapter)