Chapter 54
Cheongun let out a roar.
It didn't seem like a very loud sound. But to the ears of the Zirong Palace members, it sounded like thunder.
"Wh-what..."
Hong Min-gu gritted his teeth. He couldn't even finish his words. The huge flames blazing in Cheongun's two eyes seemed as if they would burn him at any moment.
Hong Min-gu, who had belatedly come to his senses, shook his head violently.
'Did I... get scared?'
It was an unbelievable thing. To think that he had been intimidated by a single word from a brat who looked to be barely of age.
Hwa-ak!
Hong Min-gu gritted his teeth and instinctively raised his momentum.
He had met one or two strong people while facing numerous evil and demonic paths. He had crossed countless lines of death and had risen to the position of leader of one of the four military groups of the Zirong Palace.
If he retreated like this, it was the same as denying the life of a martial artist he had lived so far.
Looking at such a Hong Min-gu, Cheongun asked coldly.
"Is this the answer of the Zirong Palace?"
"I don't know who you are... but this is the Zirong Palace. Step back."
Although Hong Min-gu saw that Cheongun was young, he could not treat him carelessly. There was only one person who could make Song In-ho, who was said to be able to make a flying bird fall, flustered.
'Samwon Lee Cheongun'
He had already heard the rumors about the person who had destroyed the Hyeokryeon Manor in Henan Province.
As he was getting tense, he heard the sound of a group of people rushing from behind him.
He glanced back. They were the Blood Lions under his command.
Hong Min-gu grinned.
The subordinates who had crossed numerous lines of death with him were backing him up.
Hong Min-gu looked at Cheongun, assumed a stance, and then drew his saber. As Hong Min-gu took out his saber, the Blood Lions who were backing him also took out their respective sabers.
A storm-like momentum was emitted.
As befitting the name of the Blood Lion Unit, a red energy blazed.
Seureureung.
Cheongun also drew his sword. He had already decided not to hold back while facing them. There was no reason to hold back.
Cheongun took something out of his bosom and held it forward.
"Jinyiwei, receive the order of His Majesty the Emperor!"
"Chung!"
Everyone's gaze gathered on Cheongun's left hand.
A golden plaque symbolizing the Emperor was held.
Although the members of the Zirong Palace did not know what that plaque was, they could predict it.
But it was a momentum that had already been raised. It was a fight where their pride and lives were at stake, and they could not retreat like this.
Cheongun coldly gave the final order.
"Execute all who resist!"
"As you command!"
The Jinyiwei took out their respective weapons and began to attack the Zirong Palace.
The Zirong Palace also did not just stand by. Since many righteous path people would be with them, they were not worried about the aftermath.
"Don't retreat! Many righteous paths are with us!"
At the same time as Hong Min-gu's shout, they clashed with the Jinyiwei. In terms of skill alone, the Zirong Palace was superior to the Jinyiwei.
Sure enough, the Jinyiwei who had attacked with a good momentum could not even exchange a few moves and were pushed back.
No matter how elite the Jinyiwei were, they could not be compared to the Zirong Palace, which was called the guardian of the Central Plains of the righteous path martial world.
In particular, the martial prowess of the Blood Lion Unit, one of the four military groups of the Zirong Palace, was great.
Not long after the fight had started, he saw the Jinyiwei falling here and there.
Hong Min-gu's eyes lit up sharply, and he glared at Cheongun.
It was a look that asked what he would do. But instead of answering, Cheongun unfolded his lightness skill and swung his sword.
Cheongun's sword was drawn diagonally.
A sword light flashed, and the neck of a Blood Lion who was just about to bring down his saber on a Jinyiwei was split.
As he swung his sword again, this time, the waists of three Blood Lions who were in the air were cut in two.
Looking at his subordinates who had died so in vain at Cheongun's light attack, Hong Min-gu bit his lip.
'He's stronger than the rumors. How can he be this strong at that age?'
He had already heard about Cheongun from his junior brother who had been dispatched as a martial arts teacher. He had said he was a cut above him, but it wasn't so. This person was someone that neither his junior brother nor he could look down on.
But it was a situation where he had to ride the tiger. It was already too late to stop here.
Hong Min-gu assumed a ready position. Even though he knew he couldn't do it alone, he couldn't retreat. If he retreated, there would be no future for the Zirong Palace.
Cheongun lightly rolled his feet.
Swoosh, he slid forward and swung his sword horizontally.
Skang.
Perhaps because he had not won the position of leader of the Blood Lion Unit by playing Go-Stop, Hong Min-gu blocked Cheongun's attack and counterattacked.
Chaeng, chaeng, chaeng.
In an instant, they exchanged three moves of attack and defense.
Cheongun lowered his body and drew his sword diagonally.
The sword that was aiming for his chest and had been raised slid over Hong Min-gu's saber and then turned its direction above his head and aimed for his neck.
Hong Min-gu took a half step back and bent his upper body.
The sword that had passed over his head flew in from the opposite side again.
Hong Min-gu, who had retreated as if sliding, swung his saber in all directions and tried to shake off Cheongun's sword.
Tadadadang.
But he could not shake off Cheongun easily.
As Hong Min-gu was in a crisis, the Blood Lions who were behind him shot a powerful blow at Cheongun.
Shwaeeek.
A fierce attack that cut through the air aimed for Cheongun's upper body.
Cheongun spun his sword and deflected the saber blow.
Tadang.
Hong Min-gu kicked the ground and retreated greatly.
Shushushuk.
Chwaaaak.
Cheongun did not chase Hong Min-gu and shot his sword energy at the four Blood Lions who were attacking him.
The chests of two were split, and the other two raised their sabers and barely deflected Cheongun's attack.
Cheongun slightly lowered his body, then stood up and shot out his sword energy.
At the single-point attack that had flown faster than light, a hole was made in the foreheads of the two Blood Lions who had dodged Cheongun's attack.
As two more fell without even being able to scream, Hong Min-gu gripped his saber tightly and rushed straight at Cheongun.
"Uwaaak!"
A single-blow kill that disregarded his life!
A powerful saber energy was shot at Cheongun. From both sides, dozens of streaks of saber energy were also shot at Cheongun.
Cheongun extended the sword he had been holding down forward.
Tadadadang, ttang, ttang.
The sword energy and the saber energy clashed in the air. A blue flame rose.
Hong Min-gu and the Blood Lions doubted their eyes. They had never seen a person who could block the attack that was unfolded with the leader so lightly.
But they had no time to think further. Cheongun's body had become blurry and had disappeared.
They were flustered and looked around. They could not see the figure of Cheongun, who had suddenly disappeared.
"Where is he?"
"Where did he disappear to?"
The surprised people wandered around looking for Cheongun.
"He's in the air!"
Someone shouted loudly.
Everyone's gaze turned to the sky.
Cheongun was floating in the air, which seemed to be ten zhang high.
He spun his body and then fell straight down. At the same time, dozens of streaks of light poured down like rain.
Flash!
The Iron Lions and Hong Min-gu, who had felt their bodies being pierced, their two eyes widened.
Their heads, which had been looking at the sky, slowly turned downwards. And they could see. The holes in their chests.
For the end of the Blood Lion Unit, which had held a single saber and had judged the Central Plains, and had presented the fear of death to the evil faction, it was too shabby.
Cheongun did not stop there. As soon as he landed on the floor, he unfolded his lightness skill.
He unfolded the Flying Heaven Shadowless Divine Step to the extreme and stirred up the front of the Zirong Palace gate, which had become a battlefield.
In an instant, the front of the Zirong Palace was cleared.
Although he saw a few who were standing awkwardly, there was no need to step forward anymore.
"Everyone, kneel!"
"Throw down your weapons and surrender!"
The Jinyiwei shouted loudly and tied up the survivors.
About a hundred people had lost their lives. But it was not over yet. A more enormous momentum was felt from inside the city gate.
Cheongun struck a single fist at the firmly closed city gate.
Black Dragon Heaven-Breaking Fist.
A huge black dragon shot out from Cheongun's hand.
The black dragon, which had soared into the air, rushed straight at the city gate.
Kwaang!
Ujijik.
The thick city gate was smashed by Cheongun's single fist.
The ones who were lined up inside the city gate were astonished at the huge single fist that had shaken the city wall.
Ttubeok, ttubeok.
Cheongun took one step at a time.
Hundreds of martial artists of all kinds were looking at him in the Zirong Palace, which he had entered through the smashed city gate.
Cheongun, who had entered the city, looked around and then moved his steps, which he had stopped.
In the quiet silence where not even a breath could be heard, only the sound of Cheongun's footsteps echoed.
Cheongun, who had walked to the center of the large courtyard, said so that everyone could hear.
"I am the Pacification Envoy, Lee Cheongun, who is carrying out the imperial order!"
At Cheongun's words, the martial artists looked at each other and murmured.
They held their breath and listened to the official position and martial prowess of Cheongun, who seemed to be barely of age.
"Ou Huliang, come out at once and receive the imperial order!"
Cheongun hid the fact that he had killed Ou Huliang and the elites last night.
The Zirong Palace had also not yet informed the outside of the sudden death of the palace master. There was no need to speak first and arouse suspicion.
A man stepped forward and cupped his hands in a fist.
"I am the inner hall master of the Zirong Palace, Yong-ak. The palace master is not here right now."
"So what are you saying?"
Cheongun let out a shout. At the irritated voice, Hall Master Yong-ak's expression hardened.
"There is an unavoidable situation in the Zirong Palace..."
"Shut up!"
Ureureung.
At Cheongun's lion's roar, the heavens and the earth shook.
In any case, even if Ou Huliang were alive, nothing would have changed. What Cheongun wanted was the escaped Hyeokryeon Hui and the martial arts teacher.
And he also needed the traces of the group that used the iron plaque, which was somewhere.
Cheongun did not wait any longer and pushed.
"You guys have already killed the Jinyiwei who were carrying out the imperial order. It is clear that you are dragging it out to destroy the evidence, so how can I just listen to you guys and wait!"
"Your Excellency, that's not it. Please go inside and listen to the whole story..."
"No! I can't let it go any longer, so shut that mouth!"
Cheongun cut off Yong-ak's words again. And he turned his gaze.
There, there were over a hundred martial artists.
They were the ones who had come running to help the Zirong Palace.
Cheongun knew that things would get complicated if they stepped forward. So he drew a line so that they could not step forward at all.
"I don't know who you are. But don't step forward carelessly. This is related to a rebellion, and we have secured enough evidence."
Cheongun's cold words clearly contained a meaning beyond a warning. It also included a pardon that he would not touch them if they did not step forward.
They were not martial artists who would not know this.
If it were another time, they would have defended the Zirong Palace with one voice. But they couldn't. Perhaps they were intimidated by Cheongun's martial prowess.
The city gate was smashed to pieces and scattered. It was something they could not do. In the end, as always, they held their breath at the strength.
But there were always those who liked to step forward and did not submit to force.
"Benefactor, I am Guangde of Shaolin."
He was famous as the Qingzhu Great Master because he used a single green bamboo as a first-generation disciple of Shaolin.
As a Shaolin disciple, who was at the head of the nine great sects, stepped forward, a few more people greeted.
"I am Yuhwanju of Qingcheng."
"I am Meng Youran of Emei."
From here and there, they announced their names along with their sects.
Cheongun looked at the ones who were greeting in turn and sent a telepathic message to the Blood Emperor.
-What are those guys doing in this situation?
It was not a time to exchange leisurely greetings.
He had to quickly occupy the Zirong Palace, capture Hyeokryeon Hui, and find evidence.
[Originally, martial artists value face. If you cut off their words, they will have a bad feeling. Don't stop them from revealing their names and just listen.]
At the Blood Emperor's words, Cheongun was at a loss for words.
-Then... do I have to receive the greetings of all those people?
In this busy situation?
(End of Chapter)