Chapter 382: Various Movements

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An unknown voice carrying Internal energy.

Immediately after, Eon Po-Wook twitched his lips and let out a low murmur.

“Hut… well, what do we have here?”

Nearly two hundred swordsmen belonging to Thousand White Sword Castle all assumed combat readiness in unison.

Among them, some stood out.

The elite expert contingent including Scorching Battle Sword Ghost Cha-hoeng.

The four leadership members called the ‘Fight-Loving Four Ghosts.’

As the name suggested, swordsmen who loved to fight.

No.

Sword ghosts who don’t merely love it, but enjoy it like entertainment, going beyond simply loving it.

Indeed.

They were an expert contingent who couldn’t resist when it came to fighting.

Everyone had faintly smiling faces just like their leader Eon Po-Wook.

Although it was an unexpected voice, there was no sign of being flustered.

Befitting the leadership of Thousand White Sword Castle, which they call the nest of combative and belligerent souls…

That’s why none of the four showed even a slight sign of being flustered.

Rather, they gripped their sword handles tightly.

As if hoping for battle with the person who sent the mysterious Secret Sound Transmission.

Soon, Eon Po-Wook spoke while operating his Internal energy.

– Show yourself. Don’t hide like a coward.

The hidden opponent’s response flew in to his bold Secret Sound Transmission.

– Why, is it difficult to readily grasp my Aura with energy sense alone?

It was clearly a provocation.

The light of killing intent welled up in Eon Po-Wook’s two eyes.

However, his mouth was still smiling.

The gazes of the Fight-Loving Four Ghosts also changed murderously along with.

Of course, they too hadn’t erased their smiles.

Once again, Eon Po-Wook released a Secret Sound Transmission.

– Difficult? Hu, impudent one.

Following that, he tightly gripped the slender sword handle hanging by his waist.

SEUREUREUNG.

Following his hand movement, the sharp naked form of the sword was fully revealed.

Commonly called the Fighting Soul Sword.

It was a treasured sword made from the finest rare minerals, both a status symbol representing Thousand White Sword Castle Lord’s martial fame and prestige.

There were only two martial artists in this era who possessed weapons made of Adamantine Unbreakable Iron.

One in the Orthodox faction, one in the Unorthodox faction.

One of them was precisely the Fighting Soul Sword that Eon Po-Wook possessed.

The forest held its breath.

With just one sword-drawing stance, the surrounding airflow changed.

It felt as if all kinds of boulders were falling from the sky.

Accordingly, the intangible atmosphere accompanied by Eon Po-Wook’s killing intent and Fighting spirit was immensely heavy.

The Fighting Soul Sword vibrated faintly with the infusion of True Energy.

JING…

In the midst of that, Eon Po-Wook continued the Secret Sound Transmission.

– You are a filthy rat squeaking human words.

Provocation with provocation.

Meanwhile, he casually placed the slender, sharp blade on his right shoulder as if resting it.

A truly careless posture.

It was speech and behavior to greatly irritate the opponent’s mood.

– An arrogant stance. Castle Lord of Thousand White Sword Castle. That leisureliness will ultimately invite disaster.

– Disaster? Keuheuheu…

It was Eon Po-Wook’s small laugh mixed with strong killing intent.

Following that, he amplified the Secret Sound Transmission even louder.

– Looking at this, it seems you know the whereabouts of the Divine Martial Sword.

– I know. Because I serve the one who possesses it.

At that sound, Eon Po-Wook fiercely flashed his black pupils.

– The leader of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan, or the Heretic Cult’s Cult Master… it has to be one of the two. It’s obvious even without seeing.

– Don’t speak as if you presume everything. It makes you look more foolish. You are merely a group intoxicated with greed. Now, it would be best to turn back here. If you want to preserve your lives…

The mysterious opponent also responded with blatant provocation.

Simultaneously.

CHICHICHICHING, CHICHICHICHING, CHICHICHICHING…

All swordsmen belonging to Thousand White Sword Castle, including the Fight-Loving Four Ghosts, violently drew their swords.

Intangible masses of killing intent and Fighting spirit generated a storm in this space.

As invisible murderous sharpness encroached upon the atmosphere and ground, the forest held its breath even more.

The intangible atmosphere radiated by nearly two hundred people was truly formidable.

An ordinary person would have suffocated instantly.

Cha-hoeng, the leader of the Fight-Loving Four Ghosts, infused True Energy into his blade.

“Shut up. Where do you think you are to spout such nonsense…”

Then he sent a Secret Sound Transmission toward Eon Po-Wook.

A peculiar light momentarily appeared in Cha-hoeng’s two eyes.

Eon Po-Wook sent a hand signal with that Secret Sound Transmission.

It meant for everyone to stay on standby while maintaining combat readiness.

Following that, Eon Po-Wook sent another Secret Sound Transmission.

– I guarantee.

The opponent immediately replied.

– Guarantee? What?

At that, the smile on Eon Po-Wook’s lips became clearer.

– Whether you hide still in that spot and die, or reveal yourself before me and die.

It was a confident boast.

That the end of the two choices ultimately leads to one…

His pride in his own martial prowess level was also evident in it.

At that time, the other party said.

– You die no matter which path you choose? Great confidence indeed. Well, you may well esteem yourself highly. Since you’re the second-in-command of the Jiangnan Unorthodox Jianghu.

– Second-in-command?

Eon Po-Wook’s eyebrow twitched as he asked the question.

Displeasure.

The opponent was provoking him again.

– Hu… what’s that reaction? Was what I said wrong?

– Keuheuheu! Fine, let me hear more. So you’re saying the first is Heaven Shaking Sword Palace Lord? When he’s only tied with me so far?

– There’s the new Dark Hall Master.

– What…?

– Dark Sword Fragrance Mun Bin. Isn’t he definitively the unrivaled first of the Jiangnan Unorthodox Jianghu?

Eon Po-Wook’s complexion changed completely.

Along with that, thick bluish veins bulged out like earthworms on his straight forehead.

The opponent’s words had properly triggered his competitive nature.

– The first… is Mun Bin?

Eon Po-Wook burst into laughter after that Secret Sound Transmission.

“Kahahaha, kahahahahat!”

Internal energy was contained in his laughter, even shaking the atmosphere.

At that time, a group emerged, breaking through the bushes in the front.

CHEOCHEOCHEOCHEOK, CHEOCHEOCHEOCHEOCHEOK… !

Blood-robed figures fluttering their robes before stopping.

It was the Eastern Heaven Division under the Heaven Emperor Society.

One squad leader-level cadre and ten subordinate soldiers.

TUK.

The eyes of Eon Po-Wook, having stopped laughing, turned cold.

His combative spirit in his chest seemed to have peaked.

“No one step forward.”

Having said so, Eon Po-Wook moved his steps forward.

JEOBEOKJEOBEOK, JEOBEOKJEOBEOK…

Following his advancing steps, the ground JJEOJEOJEOK! cracked.

The atmosphere also URUREUNG! shook.

Along with that, the Fighting Soul Sword made of Adamantine Unbreakable Iron sang.

JIING, JIIING…

Eon Po-Wook, who had been quietly advancing, let out a cold voice.

“Do I have to kill all of them… before you finally reveal yourself?”

The unidentified person released another Secret Sound Transmission.

– Well, can you manage with your power? Try passing that test.

“Test? Keukuk.”

Eon Po-Wook laughed as if mocking, then continued.

“Stupid… it’s not a test, it’s a slaughter game.”

Simultaneously, he kicked off the ground and charged.

KKWAKWANG… !

* * *

A man in his fifties breathing harshly.

“Huk, huk, huk…!”

He was busy advancing through the forest path.

Behind him, about a dozen people, presumably subordinates, were following.

Everyone was in a pathetic state.

Their clothes were torn in places and their entire bodies were stained with dark red blood.

It wasn’t like that from the start.

It was because they had been chased and fought throughout the night.

The Swordsman in his fifties with a mustache and strong features was precisely Cloud Valley Sword Elder Xiahou Jeol, the current Family Lord of the Xiahou Family, one of the Orthodox faction’s Seven Great Families.

He too had come to the Shiwan Mountains wanting to obtain the Divine Martial Sword.

Without knowing it was the enemy’s trap.

In fact, Xiahou Jeol’s interest in the Divine Martial Sword was particular.

It couldn’t be helped.

Long ago, the Xiahou Family had a period when they possessed the Divine Martial Sword.

One hundred eighty years ago, Cloud-Soaring Sword Paragon Xiahou Zu, who was the Orthodox faction’s supreme expert, was the protagonist of that past history.

He was a figure who reigned as one of the Twin Greats of Jianghu along with Fish Sword Overlord Tae-hwan, the Unorthodox faction’s supreme expert.

However, after that time, ties with the Divine Martial Sword were severed.

Also, no warrior was born who exceeded the prime of the previous Family Lord, Cloud-Soaring Sword Paragon Xiahou Zu.

Xiahou Jeol was a person with the goal of reviving that glory.

So he hurried to depart as soon as he heard the rumor related to the Divine Martial Sword.

He wanted to possess it himself before it fell into another’s hands.

Yet.

Was it excessive greed?

That decision brought disaster.

Initially, the family martial artists he brought totaled fifty-five.

However, after entering the mountains, he lost two-thirds of his subordinates.

Due to the considerable sacrifice, regret deepened.

With guilt for having led his subordinates into a death trap…

Therefore, he couldn’t give up here.

He must absolutely save the subordinates following behind him.

Was that not the duty of being a Family Lord of a prestigious martial family that was a pillar of the Orthodox faction?

Xiahou Jeol had already made up his mind.

If he returned safely, he would take responsibility and step down from the current Family Lord position.

However, that was something for after surviving the Shiwan Mountains.

“Huk, huk… how is it, can you run more?”

At Xiahou Jeol’s breathless question, the group behind him answered in unison.

“Yes!”

But just then.

PEOLLEOKPEOLLEOK…

The sound of robes fluttering was heard.

It was from the front.

Simultaneously, the Xiahou Family party urgently stopped.

Silence fell with the appearance of a blood-robed person radiating a fearsome manner.

He was a man holding the rank of Eighth Captain, exactly among the highest tier within the Eastern Heaven Division.

Moreover, he appeared suddenly alone without any subordinates.

That was proof of confidence in his individual martial prowess.

KULKEOK.

Xiahou Jeol, having swallowed dry saliva, drew his sword.

“Are you allied with the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan!”

An outcry trying to shake off the tension lodged in his chest.

The Eighth Captain slightly raised the brim of his bamboo hat and radiated chilling eye-light.

“Where are you going? The grave is here.”

No sooner had his words ended than a large shadow dropped down from the sky above.

KUKUNG!

A massive man who appeared like a beam of light in the center of the gap.

The Eighth Captain’s complexion hardened rapidly upon seeing him.

‘…!’

Because he felt an intangible Aura/Aura/bearing that seemed to rival the Captain-level.

Perhaps even beyond that…

The identity of the giant was Southern Embrace Poison Palace’s Palace Lord, Hegemon of Poison Paramount Meng Wang.

He gripped a pair of giant green tusks in both hands.

“Heuheu. You’re the one who came to the right place. To what will become a grave.”

Meanwhile, there was someone watching that scene while hiding in a distant thicket.

Smirk.

He who quietly revealed long fangs and smiled.

‘That guy, he’s appeared again. Shall I try killing him this time.’

The owner of the smile was Blood-Holding Fighting Ghost Tae-pa, one of the Three Spirits of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan.