Chapter 1267: Worry About The Ten Thousand People Clan Bastards! (2)

“Done!”

“Still, having only brute strength!”

The disciples of Mount Hua, who had been glancing at the situation behind them, cheered in an instant and clenched their fists. If that ship hadn’t moved, they’d have been wiped out here without a chance, but as expected, Hae Yeon was someone who could do everything!

“Sasuk!”

“Not yet! Hold on longer!”

Baek Cheon shouted loudly.

Although the ship had floated, it was not yet time to retreat. These were not ordinary warriors. Weren’t they members of the Ten Thousand People Clan with their deadly swords? Being on a ship was no reason they couldn’t be attacked.

No, it would even become easier to attack. All they had to do was put a few holes in the ship. First, they had to secure enough distance so the foes couldn’t attack the ship.

“Ugh! Sasuk!”

But that was by no means as easy as it sounded.

Enemies surged endlessly and human concentration was not infinite. Above all, the internal qi poured out in a short time to break the enemy’s momentum was beginning to falter.

Ka-gang!

Baek Cheon bit his lip hard as he deflected a flying blade.

The Evil Sect sensed the enemy’s momentum like specters. Perhaps they noticed the Heavenly Friends Alliance members were struggling; the surging Ten Thousand People Clan warriors were raising their ferocity.

“Hahahahahaha!”

“It’s Mount Hua’s throat! Tear it apart!”

A lack of comradeship is never a good thing in battle. At least Baek Cheon had believed that.

But Baek Cheon felt, bitterly at this moment, that everything in the world has two sides.

These people did not waver even when comrades who shared hardships with them were cut down before their eyes. Not only did they not waver, they seemed not to care at all.

That cruelty crushed Baek Cheon.

‘This is the real strength Ten Thousand People Clan...’

They had to hold the line. But at this rate, Southern Island Sect’s elders would fall first. Older martial warriors grow stronger thanks to internal qi, but sustained fighting requires endurance. The longer it drags on, their stamina will erode before their internal qi.

‘What should I do?’

Baek Cheon was in charge here. The decision had to be his.

The lives of dozens, even hundreds, rested on his judgment. But this situation...

It was at that moment.

A mocking voice reached Baek Cheon’s ear.

“You pretended you’d grab and swing.”

“Ch-Chung Myung...”

“All talk and no action!”

Chung Myung sprang forward.

Baek Cheon clearly saw Chung Myung’s back as he rushed out. The instant he ran forward, the Ten Thousand People Clan warriors all wildly brandished weapons and concentrated their attack.

Soon, ten or so streaks of light burst from Chung Myung’s fingertips. No, they weren’t streaks of light but sword strikes—so fast they were only pale streaks to the eye.

Shik shik! Shik! Shik shik!

The Ten Thousand People Clan warriors swinging their weapons clutched their bodies and let out terrible screams.

Necks and wrists, thighs and flanks.

Even in that brief exchange, Chung Myung’s sword ruthlessly cut only the foes’ fatal vital points.

“You bastard!”

Paaaaaang!

With a tearing sound that ripped the air, a flying sword instantly severed a Ten Thousand People Clan warrior’s neck. The head, detached and flying, spun like a top and sprayed blood everywhere.

“Th-That...”

Chung Myung, his face splattered with blood, wore a grotesque smile. He then surged after a staggering Ten Thousand People Clan warrior like an island battle.

Paaaaaaaang!

The moment the sword sliced again, a hastily raised blade cleaved a human body in two.

“M-Monster-like...”

The Ten Thousand People Clan had built power through countless battles, gained renown, and even claimed the top position in the Four Sects Alliance. Each of their sword masters was a veteran of a hundred battles and a warrior who had no attachment to his own life.

But in the eyes of those who knew no fear, a clear terror blossomed now.

Comrades’ deaths might not be an element of fear for them. But even members of the Evil Sect cannot help fearing their own death. In fact, precisely because they are of the Evil Sect, they must cling to their lives more.

Paaaaat!

A lightning-thin sword pierced a chest. The moment muscle and sinew clung to the penetrating blade, it twisted and tore the body from within.

“Gaaaah...”

The one whose insides were being shattered convulsed, unable even to let out a full scream.

Paaaaaat!

The blade that left his body was swung again and instantly struck his neck.

Thud!!

The Ten Thousand People Clan warrior, who had reflexively struck down a comrade’s head like a cannon shot, went white with shock.

Was it because he had struck his comrade’s head? No. It couldn’t be such a human reason.

The moment he struck the blade, he realized Chung Myung had already surged right in front of him.

Fr-r-r-r.

Chung Myung’s Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword began to tremble violently as if meeting a gale. The sword split into dozens, then hundreds, filling the world with red Plum Blossom leaves.

It wasn’t as solitary as Yu Yiseol’s Plum Blossom, nor as robust as Baek Cheon’s. It wasn’t as swift as Jo Gul’s, nor as soft as Yoon Jong’s.

The Plum Blossoms Chung Myung bloomed were simply sharp.

“Aaaaaaah!”

“Aaaaaaah!”

Those caught in the storm of petals screamed in such desperate agony they would never want to hear it again in a dream. It was a surprisingly weak sight for the famed Ten Thousand People Clan.

But anyone watching this scene would be forced to understand.

How could someone riddled with dozens of holes across their body suppress a scream? It was a scene that would arouse pity in anyone.

Yet Chung Myung’s face, the one who wrought this horror, showed not a trace of sympathy.

He simply brushed past those who were falling.

A moment later, the necks of those riddled with holes snapped simultaneously and red fountains of blood spurted up.

He kills anyone he engages without fail.

That was one of Chung Myung’s iron rules honed through countless battlefield crises.

Before that merciless hand, the raging momentum of the Ten Thousand People Clan collapsed at once.

In such a vast battlefield, one person rampaging might not be a big deal. No, it shouldn’t be.

But the situation changes depending on who that one person is. Even those pressing the defense line against Mount Hua’s disciples couldn’t help flinching and turning toward the screams behind them.

Naturally, in the instant the enemy’s assault weakened, Baek Cheon’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Young lord!”

“Understood!”

Jo Gul and Baek Cheon sprang forward and swung their swords at the Ten Thousand People Clan warriors clustered in front of Namgung Do-Wei.

Not missing the gap those two created, Namgung Do-Wei raised his sword. A dazzling white radiance gathered around his high-raised blade.

A unique sword art in the world that emanated terrifying power backed by massive internal qi.

It was the moment the Namgung Family’s Emperor Sword Form displayed its majesty.

“Haaaaaaaah!”

Namgung Do-Wei drew out all his internal qi; a sword aura the size of a house swelled at his blade’s tip then instantly condensed.

At the same time, Namgung Do-Wei’s sword descended like a lightning bolt driven into the earth.

Kwaaaaaa!

The sword force Namgung Do-Wei unleashed carved out a pure white straight road before him. The Emperor Form’s absolute path, the Emperor’s Road, manifested from Namgung Do-Wei’s sword rather than Namgung Hwang’s!

A spotless white road stretched straight without bend, and in an instant that path was stained red with the enemies’ blood.

It was, literally, the road a king should walk.

“Ugh!”

Namgung Do-Wei staggered, suddenly pale. As his knee buckled, Tang Pae quickly grabbed his shoulder.

“Do-Wei!”

“I’m fine! More importantly!”

Namgung Do-Wei, about to urge them to continue the attack, hesitated and fell silent.

Because he saw the dazzling red petals blooming in profusion.

‘Ah...’

Five plum trees extending in different forms.

They were different yet the same. Each tree had to be different, but the forest they formed was ultimately one.

Southern Island’s land.

On this distant land of Southern Island, Mount Hua’s plum blossoms bloomed. The plum blossoms borne from the last of their inner energy were beautiful and intoxicating like flowers that had endured a long winter and finally bloomed.

Slash Slash!

Scattered Plum Blossom petals whirled in the wind and cascaded down onto the enemies.

No matter how mighty the Ten Thousand People Clan were, trembling the Central Plains, they could not block a rain of Plum Blossoms pouring down like a deluge.

Shik shik!

If they drew up internal qi to block it, they would not suffer wounds that would cost them their lives. The single petal was by no means fatal.

But that wasn’t necessarily hopeful.

Shik! Shik! Shik! Shik!

Because they did not die, they had to feel every shred of the torture of their bodies being torn apart.

“Kraaaaaaah!”

Horrific screams erupted one after another everywhere.

And before those screams could even cease, what crashed in was a majestic wave-like sword qi emitted by the Southern Island’s elders. Unlike Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom sword qi, that strike delivered certain death to the Ten Thousand People Clan warriors.

Baek Cheon, his complexion noticeably pale, turned his head.

He saw the ship had already moved a fair distance from the shore. Perhaps because the warriors were rowing with all their might, it was receding faster than expected.

Chung Myung was still fighting up ahead.

For a moment conflict flickered in Baek Cheon’s eyes. But what quelled that conflict was ultimately trust.

Baek Cheon shouted in a firm voice.

“Retreat! Retreat! Get to the ship!”

“Yes!”

Everyone mustered their remaining strength to widen the distance from the enemy. Then they immediately turned and ran toward the shore.

Only one person, Seol So-Baek, stood there restless and unable to move.

“Damn it, what are you doing!”

Jo Gul hoisted him onto his shoulder and ran for the ship.

They had widened the distance, but these were the Ten Thousand People Clan. Given a single breath, they’d catch up again. They had to leap into the sea before that happened.

“No! Taoist Chung Myung’s is over there!”

“I know!”

Jo Gul snapped irritably.

“Worry about who you should worry about! Do you think that man is like us?”

“......”

“If you’re going to worry...!”

Jo Gul glanced over. He saw Ten Thousand People Clan warriors hesitating, unable to bring themselves to approach Chung Myung.

“Worry about the Ten Thousand People Clan bastards! Those poor fools who got tangled with that bastard!”

“......Yes?”

Seol So-Baek looked toward where Chung Myung stood with a stunned expression. A strange smile lingered at Chung Myung’s mouth.

‘T-taoist...?’

And at that moment Seol So-Baek witnessed it.

He saw Chung Myung flip his sword to hold it reverse-grip and charge into the midst of the enemies.

A cold, blue thrill ran down Seol So-Baek’s spine.