Chapter 233: Chapter 233
Tak.
Cheon-hwi, having sheathed his sword, looked around.
The corpses with severed limbs, including the halved corpse of So Yeon-gang, were scattered on the blood-soaked dirt floor.
“Now, is that the only one left.”
Cheon-hwi stepped lightly.
The sticky blood clung to the soles of his shoes and slowly dripped off.
After walking for a while.
Kaang!
A sharp metallic sound was heard.
“Oho. You’re still fighting?”
Cheon-hwi twisted his lips.
The Splendid Spirit Squad, which soon came into view, was fighting fiercely against the charging Black Shadow Squad.
“It’s unexpected. I thought they would collapse right away.”
It was an unexpectedly good fight.
However.
“It’s still a matter of time. They are holding on with the Fire Spirit Sword Formation, but they’ve reached their limit.”
Cheon-hwi kept his eyes fixed and sat down heavily on a nearby rock.
Everyone’s condition was not good.
Their uniform was already torn here and there so its original form could not be recognized, and it was being dyed with red blood in places.
On the other hand, what about the members of the Black Shadow Squad?
There were small scratches, but they were not much different from the beginning.
It was a situation where anyone could see that the Splendid Spirit Squad’s defeat was imminent.
“Shall I just watch? True worth is revealed in situations like this.”
Around the time Cheon-hwi’s eyes turned cold.
One of the Black Shadow Squad members rushed at Cheon Hyang.
Kwaaang!
Cheon Hyang’s body, which blocked the surprise attack, staggered greatly once.
‘Strong!’
An anxious look appeared on her face.
They were different from the enemies she had met so far.
Not only the skills of each and every one, but also their organized movements.
Everything was superior.
If they hadn’t deployed the Fire Spirit Sword Formation, it wouldn’t have been strange if she was lying down as a cold corpse right now.
When she bit her lips firmly.
“Ack!”
A scream stimulated her ears.
In her eyes that turned her head for a moment, she saw a member of the Splendid Spirit Squad grabbing his shoulder.
It was already the fourth severely injured person.
‘It’s dangerous like this.’
Darkness fell over her face.
Due to the continuous offensive of the Black Shadow Squad, they finally began to slowly collapse.
‘If only Junior Brother came…….’
Cheon Hyang frowned at the thought that suddenly came to mind and shook her head left and right.
‘I can’t rely on Junior Brother forever.’
Ggwaak!
Strength naturally entered her hand.
As the Squad Leader, she had to make a decision.
‘Rather than losing helplessly…’
Cheon Hyang narrowly avoided the swords of the Black Shadow Squad members who were swinging their swords while wearing black blood cloaks, and shouted loudly.
“Take the Third Form!”
There was no answer heard.
However, as if everyone had heard those words.
Jeobeok!
They simultaneously crushed the ground with the soles of their feet.
The Splendid Spirit Squad, which performed the Five Elements Plum Blossom Footwork by stepping firmly, began to take an offensive rather than a defensive stance for the first time since the Black Shadow Squad intruded.
Tadadak!
The members of the Black Shadow Squad had a terrifying smile on their faces as they looked at the members of the Splendid Spirit Squad rushing at them with a changed momentum.
To think that the guys who had been taking a defensive stance and retreating backwards were approaching…
Wasn’t it like prey coming to the hunter to be caught?
Soon, the members of the Black Shadow Squad struck down their swords loaded with dull dark sword qi like lightning.
Hwiiik!
The swords swung down from above without any unnecessary movements aimed at the members of the Splendid Spirit Squad.
Cheon Hyang raised her sword high.
And she blocked their attack.
Kwaang!
The sword that blocked the attack vibrated.
The formidable internal energy that could not be fully resolved flowed through the sword and stimulated her hand.
“Kuek.”
A short groan leaked out.
The hand gripping the sword trembled finely, and it felt as if her legs were going to give out as the strength drained from her lower body.
However, she did not waver.
Rather, she slightly bent her wrist.
Cheon Hyang’s sword, which smoothly deflected the clashing sword aside, shot sharply.
A small plum blossom that bloomed in an instant.
As soon as the Black Shadow Squad member saw the plum blossom, he instinctively bent his waist backwards greatly.
However, that was a big mistake.
This was because Cheon Hyang simply put strength into the sword she had stabbed and unpredictably slammed it down.
“……!”
The member of the Black Shadow Squad who saw the sword plummeting from above urgently tried to twist his body, but the sword was already close by.
Puk!
Soon, hot blood gushed out.
The member of the Black Shadow Squad, whose chest was accurately cut, opened his eyes wide and collapsed as he was.
Teol-sseok.
The appearance of the first victim in the long bloody battle.
The Black Shadow Squad looked at the corpse with surprised eyes, as if they never expected the first victim to come from them.
However, that was also for a moment.
“Kill her.”
Murderous intent rose in their eyes.
Eventually, they gripped their swords even harder and simultaneously rushed towards Cheon Hyang.
It was a cool-headed judgment.
No matter what organization it was, if they lost their leader, they were bound to lose their fighting spirit.
From then on, the members of the Black Shadow Squad began to persistently aim for Cheon Hyang, the center of the current Splendid Spirit Squad.
Kkadeuk!
Cheon Hyang also read their intentions and gritted her teeth.
The most important thing in a combined attack formation is the synchronization of internal energy; if even one person fell out of sync, they would fall into danger.
Therefore, the most important thing was the person deploying the combined attack formation.
In other words, it was herself.
‘I must not collapse! If I collapse…’
For a moment, the sight of the Splendid Spirit Squad members collapsing as cold corpses flashed through her mind.
‘I have to hold on! I have to hold on…!’
Cheon Hyang gritted her teeth and looked at the swords in front of her.
The densely gathered swords did not allow even the slightest opening.
‘What should I do…!?’
Her eyes trembled slightly.
At that time when she didn’t know what to do in a situation where there seemed to be no way to avoid it.
‘That’s all there is!’
Recalling a single footwork that Cheon-hwi had taught her in the past, and which she had trained every day without missing, she stretched out her left foot forward.
Seueuk…
At the same time, her hands moved elegantly as if dancing.
‘A dance…?’
‘She’s gone crazy.’
The eyes of the Black Shadow Squad members narrowed.
It was an abrupt dance.
Some revealed a terrifying smile, thinking she had gone mad from fear facing death.
However, that smile did not last long.
Seureureuk…
Cheon Hyang’s movements slowly changed.
Deep like a swamp, soft like water.
Vigorous like fire, fast like lightning.
Swaying like the wind, yet firm like a mountain.
Just as her footwork seemed to become colorful in the blink of an eye, she became blurry.
Hwiik!
The swords cut through the air in vain.
“……?!”
“What is this!”
“Squad Leader?!”
At the time when not only they but even the members of the Splendid Spirit Squad were astonished by the amazing art.
“As expected, they display superhuman abilities when their lives are in danger.”
Cheon-hwi, who was watching, twisted his lips.
It was still incomplete, but it was the manifestation of the Jade Ring Wondrous Step mixed with its profound principles.
A realm that no one in the current Mount Hua Sect, other than himself, could perform.
‘But it seems she kept training.’
It was a footwork he had taught her only once.
And what she unfolded now was of a level that could not be shown unless she had trained steadily.
“Good.”
Cheon-hwi smiled broadly.
It was more satisfactory than he thought.
‘This should be enough. It was also good that when cornered on the defensive, she abandoned defending and boldly changed to an offensive stance.’
Usually, when cornered on the defensive like that, one tends to shrink one’s body even more.
However, she instead commanded them to rush in boldly.
It was a decision difficult for an ordinary person to make.
And the Splendid Spirit Squad also followed all of those commands, which would have been difficult to accept, and continued to attack persistently.
Even though their bodies suffered greater wounds.
‘Now her mindset as a martial artist has become perfect.’
Of course, there were some disappointing points.
‘But at least I saw hope.’
When Cheon-hwi got up.
“I can’t lose!”
Cheon Hyang swung her sword elegantly.
The plum blossoms that bloomed in an instant followed the trajectory of her moving sword and enveloped the members of the Black Shadow Squad.
Kaang! Kaang!
The members of the Black Shadow Squad bounced backwards.
“Kuek!”
“Keok!”
Bleeding from their mouths as they bounced off, likely having suffered internal injuries, they grimaced wildly.
It was not ordinary skill.
Not only her internal energy but also the mysterious footwork she showed off just before.
It was a realm that went well beyond an ordinary rising star.
The members of the Black Shadow Squad shook their continuously throbbing wrists and became extremely on edge.
Meanwhile, Cheon Hyang, who had temporarily pushed back the Black Shadow Squad members like that, covered her mouth.
For a moment.
“Ugh!”
She soon threw up a bowl of blood from her mouth.
“Squad Leader!”
The members of the Splendid Spirit Squad urgently tried to support her, but Cheon Hyang raised her hand to stop them.
“I’m… fine.”
Cheon Hyang wiped the blood with her sleeve.
‘Internal injuries…’
Her face distorted as she stared at the darkish blood stained on her sleeve.
The aftermath of forcibly bringing out her remaining internal energy to perform the Jade Ring Wondrous Step was too great.
‘Thanks to that, I saved my life, but.’
She lifted her bowed head.
Then, having brushed back her disheveled hair, she looked at the Black Shadow Squad in front.
They also seemed surprised, but they were calmly fixing their battle lines.
‘It’s not over yet.’
She forcibly swallowed back down the blood and pieces of internal organs that tried to rise up from inside.
And it was when she was about to raise her sword again with trembling hands.
“People’s skills only improve when they are pushed to the edge of a cliff.”
A voice full of laughter was heard.
“Junior Brother…?”
“Martial Uncle!”
The expressions of Cheon Hyang and the Splendid Spirit Squad brightened.
On the contrary, the faces of the Black Shadow Squad members filled with astonishment and bewilderment.
“H-How are you here…?”
“Why shouldn’t I be here?”
Cheon-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth as he looked at the Black Shadow Squad members who had their eyes wide open.
“Now only you guys are left.”
At those words, the Black Shadow Squad flinched.
The worst situation occurred.
The Black Shadow Squad Leader was a master against whom they could not even guarantee mutual destruction even if they joined forces and rushed in.
But if it’s a master who defeated him.
There was no chance of winning.
Right away, they began to make eye contact to find a way to survive.
After exchanging glances for a moment, they turned their bodies towards the escorts and porters who were nervously watching from behind.
Tat!
Without anyone saying anything, they simultaneously kicked off the ground and moved to the carriages.
“What…!”
“Heok!”
The escorts panicked and raised their swords, but.
Chaeaeng!
It was an useless action.
The Black Shadow Squad, who rushed in without hesitation, struck away the swords held by the escorts and cornered all of them towards the carriage.
“These guys!”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, the master who was the closest, performed the Lotus Palm (蓮) and struck away a few members of the Black Shadow Squad who rushed in, but.
Peok! Peok!
“Damn it…!”
He could not block all of them alone.
Eventually, Heavenly Ear Beggar had no choice but to retreat backwards, and the Black Shadow Squad occupied the carriages.
“What is this!”
At that time when Heavenly Ear Beggar barely took a few porters and escorts and was breaking away.
Seueuk…
The Black Shadow Squad held their swords to the necks of the escorts and porters.
“Hiik!”
“Heup!”
Seeing the sharp swords thrust at their necks, they were terrified, and their complexions turned pale.
“Do you not even have pride as martial artists!”
Heavenly Ear Beggar suddenly shouted loudly.
However, they didn’t care about that at all.
“How about making a deal?”
At that time, one of the members of the Black Shadow Squad glared coldly at Cheon-hwi and moved his lips.
“If you let us go, we will spare these people.”
At those words, the Splendid Spirit Squad flared up in anger.
“What are you doing!”
“And you call yourselves martial artists!”
However, they did not react at all to such criticism.
Rather, they pushed the swords even closer to the necks of the hostage porters.
“Spouting bullshit.”
Then, Cheon-hwi smirked.
When everyone, regardless of whether they were friend or foe, showed a bewildered expression at that laugh that appeared in a hair-trigger situation.
“You were going to one-sidedly kill everyone to destroy the evidence. And now that you think you’re going to die, you’re asking to take hostages and make a deal?”
Cheon-hwi completely stopped laughing.
“Crazy bastards.”
In an instant, Cheon-hwi’s momentum changed.
A sharp and ice-cold atmosphere.
The Black Shadow Squad flinched at the momentum that made their skin prickle just by looking at it.
“I-If these people die…”
“Try killing them.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes erupted with light.
In an instant, the bodies of the Black Shadow Squad stiffened.
It was because they were overwhelmed by the intense presence and momentum hidden in the erupting light from his eyes.
At that time, Cheon-hwi raised his index finger and said.
“Instead, you won’t die beautifully either.”
At the pointing finger indicating them, the eyes of the Black Shadow Squad shook mercilessly as if an earthquake had occurred.
“W-What do you mean…”
The moment one of the Black Shadow Squad members stuttered.
Beonjjeok!
A streak of red flash rapidly appeared from Cheon-hwi’s index finger and disappeared.
And a moment later.
Seureureuk…
The member of the Black Shadow Squad who was pierced by the flash extending from Cheon-hwi’s index finger collapsed powerlessly.
‘Finger Art?!’
On his forehead, where he died with his eyes wide open, a terrifying plum blossom pattern was clearly drawn and pouring out blood.
“Damn it! Everyone run…”
Panicked by the sudden situation, the members of the Black Shadow Squad hurriedly tried to strongly slash the swords held to the hostages’ necks.
However.
“……!”
Their hands didn’t move.
It was as if iron chains had bound their hands, no. Their entire bodies.
When they were bursting with bewilderment.
Jeobeok… Jeobeok…
Low footsteps were heard.
Cheon-hwi was walking from the opposite side.
Slowly and leisurely.
Fear began to linger in the eyes of the Black Shadow Squad members looking at him.
They realized immediately.
That the one who bound them right now was none other than that Cheon-hwi in front of them.
“U, ugh…”
Trembling like aspen leaves, the Black Shadow Squad dropped the swords in their hands and sank down.
In the meantime, Cheon-hwi stood in front of them.
“Can you kill me with that?”
With those words, Cheon-hwi very slowly lowered his half-closed eyes.
The two jet-black pupils like a bottomless pit contained them and swallowed them up like a swamp.
‘H-He’s not human!’
‘To think such a person could exist in the world…’
Their teeth chattered.
A massive presence crushed them.
The presence of the Absolute Heavenly Demon who had ruled over the Nine Provinces and Eight Wildernesses under his feet!
When the minds of the Black Shadow Squad who were overwhelmed by it turned completely white.
Peoeok!
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who suddenly appeared from behind, hit the back of their heads one by one and immediately knocked them out.
Cheon-hwi looked at him, who suddenly appeared and knocked out the Black Shadow Squad members, as if it was absurd.
“What are you doing?”
“Withdraw… that… momentum…”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who was panting and speaking with difficulty, signaled with his eyes to look behind.
Following that glance, Cheon-hwi, who turned his gaze behind, shrugged his shoulders.
‘Was I too strong?’
Not only the escorts and porters, but even the Splendid Spirit Squad had all turned pale.
Cheon-hwi immediately withdrew his momentum.
Cheon-hwi, who arranged his momentum at a speed of less than a single breath, turned his body as it was and opened his mouth.
“I’ll leave the cleanup here to you.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar, who had a much more comfortable expression thanks to the disappearance of the intense presence, took a deep breath and moved his lips.
“Huu, where are you going?”
“Shouldn’t I take what needs to be taken?”
Cheon-hwi, who smiled, approached the Green Forest Bandits who were watching with bated breath.
“Heop!”
“Heup!”
The Green Forest Bandits sweated profusely.
When they, soaking wet as if they had been caught in the rain, looked at Cheon-hwi while trembling.
Ssiik…
Cheon-hwi revealed his pure white teeth.
“Guide me to the Hengshan Stronghold.”