Chapter 231: Chapter 231
“Kill him!”
With Wi Jung-yeon’s convulsive shout, the spears of the Green Forest bandits thrust forward.
Swaeek!
A chilling murderous intent whipped around from the finely sharpened spear tips, shooting towards Cheon-hwi.
It was a momentum different from when they attacked the escorts.
They instinctively knew it.
That sparing their strength against the enemy in front of them right now would be an arrogant act.
Therefore, they drew up all their internal energy, unleashing a full-bodied strike all at once.
Hwiii-
Four directions, eight directions, no. The long spears that completely occupied the thirty-six directions swept over Cheon-hwi.
A storm of intense qi gathered by dozens of people.
The long spears piercing like arrows containing that tremendous energy seemed like they would penetrate Cheon-hwi’s body and turn him into a skewer.
However, even as those attacks came crashing down, Cheon-hwi stood quietly.
His hair floated up and the Taoist robe he wore fluttered mercilessly in the storm of sweeping spears and qi, but he didn’t even twitch.
He just stayed still.
At that sight, Wi Jung-yeon grinned.
‘He must be flustered.’
The opponent in front was certainly strong.
To the point where if they fought a life-and-death battle one-on-one, there was a high chance he himself would lose.
However, this was not a one-on-one.
‘It is a war.’
When Wi Jung-yeon tightly gripped his Sky Piercing Halberd, staring at Cheon-hwi who couldn’t move an inch.
Seueuk-
Cheon-hwi moved the hand holding the sword.
‘Did he come to his senses just now?’
His smile only deepened further.
It was a short time, just enough to blink a few times, but it was a much too late response in this current situation where lives went back and forth.
The long spears were already close to Cheon-hwi’s body, and the moment they properly straightened their fully bent elbows, they would pierce through his body!
In contrast, his sword only moved just now.
No matter how much of an expert the opponent was, he wouldn’t be able to do anything now.
‘The outcome is decided.’
In a split second, a smile of victory hovered around the mouths of Wi Jung-yeon and the Green Forest bandits.
It was a futile act that was nothing but a last struggle.
Convinced of their victory, they straightened their bent arms and swiftly thrust out their long spears.
Swaeaaek!
The moment the long spears cleaved through the air at a fierce speed, trying to tear Cheon-hwi apart.
Hwaaaak!
A massive internal energy poured out of the sword, dyeing the pure white White Lotus Sword red.
‘This energy…!’
Around the time Wi Jung-yeon felt ominous looking at the red gangqi that instantly wrapped around the White Lotus Sword.
Ssiik-
Cheon-hwi’s red lips twisted greatly, revealing pure white teeth in between.
And at that moment.
Cheon-hwi’s right hand and sword disappeared.
The sword was swung at a speed that far exceeded the level they could perceive.
“……!”
“The sword?!”
After a split second passed, they realized that Cheon-hwi’s right hand and sword had disappeared, but.
It was already too late then.
Kwaaaang!
Along with a mind-boggling roar, a blood-red sword strike suddenly appeared.
A sword strike that was even redder than blood, and blazed even more fiercely than flames, shot out unexpectedly and touched the long spears they swung.
Kwadeudeudeuk!
The long spears that were pouncing on Cheon-hwi crumbled helplessly as soon as they collided with the red sword strike.
The spear arts and momentum they unfolded collapsed in an instant.
The red sword strike smashed everything and advanced at a formidable speed.
Just as it rushed as if to smash even the Green Forest bandits holding the long spears.
“Heup!”
Wi Jung-yeon, who was the first to come to his senses, put strength into the tips of his toes and jumped back.
“Such a terrible…”
Having escaped from the radius of the sword strike in a single breath, he shouted furiously towards the Green Forest bandits who were still unable to come to their senses.
“What are you doing! Snap out of it!”
As the voice laced with internal energy struck them, the Green Forest bandits were finally able to come to their senses.
However, the sword strike had already reached right in front of their noses.
“Heok!”
“We have to dodge…”
They tried to dodge somehow, but.
Seogeok!
The red sword strike, having already reached its target, swept away those who tried to flee.
A long bloodstain appeared on their waists.
Jureureuk-
Blood gushed out from their waists, creating a puddle on the floor.
And slowly, their upper bodies began to tilt, and soon.
Cheolpeok-
“Heup!”
Sounds of swallowing breath were heard from here and there.
It was too gruesome a sight.
The Green Forest bandits watching the sight trembled, their teeth chattering.
It was because they were swallowed by fear, facing a situation that far exceeded their comprehension.
It was then.
Tududuk-
Drops of blood splattered heavily into the puddle of blood.
Turning their heads at that, they felt their breath catch.
Cheon-hwi was flicking the blood off the White Lotus Sword, tilting his head.
“Now how many bastards are left?”
The moment Cheon-hwi’s murmuring eyes moved sideways, capturing them.
Kung!
Their hearts sank heavily.
Even after committing such a massacre, the opponent’s eyes held no emotion.
He was indifferent, quiet as a lake.
As if nothing had happened.
Then Cheon-hwi took a step forward.
Jeobeok-
When everyone stepped back with terrified faces at the low sound of footsteps.
“Snap out of it!”
Wi Jung-yeon shouted fiercely.
At the resounding shout, the Green Forest bandits hurriedly came to their senses and looked at Wi Jung-yeon.
He shouted so loudly that the veins on his neck were clearly visible.
At that moment.
Kung!
Wi Jung-yeon struck his Sky Piercing Halberd on the ground.
At the same time, his hair soared up, and a deep blue glint in his eyes was revealed between them.
With an angry face, he was like a Yaksha.
“The enemy is one!”
As if gaining confidence from that shout, the Green Forest bandits erased the fear from their eyes, gripped their long spears with strength once again, and rushed at Cheon-hwi.
“Huh? Are they really Green Forest?”
Cheon-hwi looked at those Green Forest bandits as if it was fascinating.
“This has really changed.”
Laughing as if it was fun with those words, Cheon-hwi wore an interested look in his eyes.
As the Green Forest he had seen before was a place made up of bandits, it was full of selfish bastards.
However, their current appearance seemed better than a decent sect.
‘The guy leading the currently changed Green Forest was said to be the Green Forest Great Emperor, right? I want to meet him once.’
He paid attention to the General Stronghold Leader leading the current Green Forest for a moment.
“I have to take care of them first before that.”
Cheon-hwi soon grinned, lifting his sword.
And he swung his sword towards the rushing Green Forest bandits.
Chwaak!
The chests of five or six rushing Green Forest bandits split open, scattering blood.
“It’s comfortable since they come on their own.”
At Cheon-hwi’s laughter, a Green Forest bandit right nearby involuntarily flinched for a moment, but gritted his teeth.
“Uwaaaak!”
“Die!”
Cheon-hwi spoke as if he was satisfied.
“I like it.”
As Cheon-hwi’s sword moved as if drawing a picture in the empty air, beautiful red flowers began to bloom in all directions following its trajectory.
Dozens of blood flowers bloomed in an instant.
It was a terrible sight, yet it was so dreamy and incredibly wicked that it made onlookers lose their minds.
“Is he really a Taoist of Mount Hua…?”
Wi Jung-yeon, who was watching this whole situation, broke out in a cold sweat.
To call him a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect, his methods were more cruel than the Unorthodox Faction.
‘It’s not the time to care about such things.’
Wi Jung-yeon shook his head vigorously.
That wasn’t what was important right now.
If time passed in this state, it was obvious that they would be annihilated!
‘…There is only a surprise attack.’
Having organized his thoughts, Wi Jung-yeon tightly grasped the Sky Piercing Halberd.
For him, it was painful to see about half of his subordinates lose their lives and fall in an instant. When blood flowed from his naturally bitten lips.
‘Now!’
Wi Jung-yeon abruptly opened his eyes.
The moment Cheon-hwi turned his body to attack a Green Forest bandit rushing from behind, he put internal energy into the tips of his toes.
Taat!
Moving nimbly unlike his huge build, Wi Jung-yeon swung the Sky Piercing Halberd towards the back of Cheon-hwi’s head who had turned around.
Seogeok!
However, before the Sky Piercing Halberd could even be fully swung, Cheon-hwi’s sword moved.
And a terrible scream erupted.
“Keuaaaaaak!”
Wi Jung-yeon’s right hand holding the Sky Piercing Halberd was spasming on the ground, spraying blood.
“My arm! My arm…!”
Cheon-hwi watched Wi Jung-yeon screaming while covering his shoulder joint with his hand, and then lightly flicked his sword.
“Tch, I made a mistake.”
Cheon-hwi scratched his head.
“I should have just cut his neck instead of his arm.”
At that sight of him saying such a chilling thing so carelessly, the Green Forest bandits, including Wi Jung-yeon, felt a chill down their spines.
When fear encroached on their eyes.
“I’ll properly finish it this time.”
Cheon-hwi lightly stomped his foot.
At the same time, the sword raised to his chest was drawn horizontally very gently.
There was no sound, nor any momentum.
However, the sword continued its trajectory to the end without being blocked by anything.
And the moment the sword reached the end.
Seugeok!
The clothes on the chests of the Green Forest bandits were finely cut, and red blood surged out.
There was no sound of screaming.
It was natural.
Those who should have screamed had already lost their lives and were lying on the ground.
“…….”
A suffocating silence flowed.
The escorts and porters covered their mouths, unable to take their eyes off the sight in front of them.
Just a single sword strike.
However, many things changed by just that single sword strike.
Those who were shedding murderous intent until just a moment ago became dozens of dead people and collapsed while pouring blood.
And instead of them who lost their movement, only the flowed blood remained on the ground.
Creating a puddle of pure red blood.
And in the center of it, the only living person, Cheon-hwi, stood aloofly.
“Since I’ve taken care of all the guys I needed to take care of…”
Cheon-hwi turned his gaze towards the carriage.
“……!”
As Cheon-hwi turned his eyes, the escorts and porters were startled and turned their heads.
Trembling in terror for fear of making eye contact, they looked terrified.
‘They are scared.’
Cheon-hwi shrugged his shoulders.
Such a sight was all too familiar.
Even in his previous life, didn’t everyone who met him tremble in fear like that?
At that time.
“What are you doing right now?”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who was helping the escorts and porters from the side, spoke with his eyes glaring.
“To think you act like you are avoiding the benefactor who saved you, instead of expressing your gratitude.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar heavily furrowed his brows.
“Not even knowing grace! Eying, tsk tsk!”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who clicked his tongue loudly as if on purpose for them to hear, approached Cheon-hwi.
“You don’t need to care about those guys’ reactions.”
“I didn’t care anyway.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, relieved at Cheon-hwi’s calm expression, wrinkled the bridge of his nose.
A terrible stench of blood rose.
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who scanned the corpses that made one frown the moment they saw them, spoke in a low voice.
“No. You should care a little.”
At Heavenly Ear Beggar’s attitude of suddenly reversing his words, Cheon-hwi looked at him as if he was dumbfounded.
“Come to think of it, you have a problem too.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar spoke reproachfully.
“How long are you going to use such cruel methods?”
Cheon-hwi answered as if asking what he meant.
“What’s the problem with that? It’s the same killing anyway.”
For him, he couldn’t understand Heavenly Ear Beggar’s question.
He was going to kill them anyway, so what did it matter if the methods were cruel or not?
However, Heavenly Ear Beggar seemed to not think so, as he listed the reasons one by one.
“For the dead, no matter how they die, it’s a dog’s death, but I’m saying this because there are living people. Wouldn’t they see and feel something? And think carefully. What kind of Taoist in the world would commit such a gruesome act?”
“Me.”
“You damn bastard…!”
Looking at Cheon-hwi answering indifferently without knowing the seriousness, Heavenly Ear Beggar beat his frustrated chest and raised his eyes.
“Right! Do as you please! But if you keep using such cruel methods, not only you, but also the Mount Hua Sect in the future will not hear good words.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar advised Cheon-hwi with a serious face, unlike his usual self.
“If you think about the Mount Hua Sect, think carefully about such cruel methods.”
“…….”
At those words, Cheon-hwi closed his mouth.
They even weigh such things?
All this time, killing was just killing, he had never specifically thought about cruel methods.
But Heavenly Ear Beggar was saying that if he was from the righteous faction, he should also pay attention to the method of killing.
How truly demanding.
He completely didn’t like it, but Cheon-hwi nodded for now.
“I’ll think about it later.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar frowned as if dissatisfied with that answer as well, but instead of saying more, he let out a sigh.
Because he knew that even if they talked more than this, words wouldn’t get through.
“Think about it carefully.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar left those words as his last and went back to where the carriage was.
It was because his head hurt from the stench of blood.
‘But maybe it turned out well. I was thinking of giving him a harsh word someday.’
He held a bitter smile as he looked at the terrified porters and escorts.
He was a guy who would rival the Eight Martial Gods in the future.
However, such cruel methods would definitely drag his ankles someday.
‘I wish he would come to his senses.’
Around the time Heavenly Ear Beggar was worrying about Cheon-hwi.
Jeobeok- Jeobeok-
Cheon-hwi, who was walking out of the blood puddle, paused as he was about to sheathe his sword.
“Huh? What’s this?”
His brows furrowed as he looked towards the Splendid Spirit Squad, who were in the middle of fighting with the Black Shadow Squad.
The Splendid Spirit Squad’s match-up was not good.
Their uniform robes were torn, and they were gradually dyed red with the blood flowing between them.
On the other hand, the Black Shadow Squad was still in a vigorous state.
“They’re going to lose at this rate.”
The difference was more serious than he thought.
“You think so too, right?”
The murmuring Cheon-hwi asked, glancing to the side.
Then a middle-aged man wearing a pitch-black blood wind cloak like the Black Shadow Squad revealed his appearance.
“They call you the Plum Blossom Divine Hero, it seems you have an eye for seeing.”
“Huh? You know me?”
“You are a figure causing an uproar in the current Jianghu, how could I not know.”
The middle-aged man let out a smirk.
“However, unlike the rumors, you have no manners at all.”
At those words, Cheon-hwi shrugged his shoulders.
“Is there a need to show courtesy to an enemy.”
“What did you say? Puhahat!”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, the middle-aged man burst into laughter as if in a good mood.
“Right. There is no need to show courtesy to an enemy. Since it’s someone to be killed anyway.”
The middle-aged man, who was laughing loudly, soon showed a regretful expression and opened his mouth.
“This is truly a pity.”
Murderous intent began to dwell in his two eyes capturing Cheon-hwi.
“It’s been a while since I met a guy I liked, to think I have to kill you with my own hands.”
“Ei, there’s no need to feel pity.”
Cheon-hwi, looking at him like that, rested the White Lotus Sword, which he hadn’t sheathed yet, on his shoulder.
“Because the one dying is you.”
“Hahaha, that confidence. It’s good. Good.”
The middle-aged man flashed his eyes.
“Come out.”
As soon as his words ended, black shadows came out one after another from the left and right.
Including the middle-aged man, exactly seven people.
However, their momentum was at such a high level that even if all the Black Shadow Squad members facing the Splendid Spirit Squad were combined, it couldn’t be compared.
“So Yeon-gang. That is my name. Recently, I’m called the Black Shadow Assassin in the Jianghu.”
As Cheon-hwi looked at So Yeon-gang, who revealed his name out of the blue, as if puzzled.
“Isn’t it pitiful to die not knowing who the opponent that killed you is.”
So Yeon-gang said with a smile.
‘Oh ho. Look at this guy?’
Cheon-hwi, looking at So Yeon-gang who was wearing a relaxed expression, let out a smirk.
“Then there would be no need to remember.”
Cheon-hwi, who was speaking while lowering the sword rested on his shoulder, said ‘Ah right’ and opened his mouth.
“Ah right! I almost forgot. Do you know my name? Should I tell you now if you don’t know?”
Cheon-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth as he spoke.
“It’d be pitiful if you died not even knowing my name.”