Chapter 47: Chapter 47
The depths of White Ghost Castle.
Sima Beon-jeong was looking up at the White Snake God sitting on the throne at the end of the stairs, explaining their future plans.
“After destroying the Flying Wind Merchant Guild, we must snatch the deal with the Ice Palace. If we open a deal with the Ice Palace, other Outer Realms…”
Rumble…
At that time, the depths shook and dust fell as if an earthquake had occurred.
Following the faint explosion heard in the distance, the White Snake God’s eyes became as cold as ice.
The pure white eyes captured Sima Beon-jeong.
“It’s noisy outside.”
The voice that came out between the White Snake God’s red lips was extremely cold.
“I will report back as soon as I assess the situation.”
Sima Beon-jeong, noticing the White Snake God’s uncomfortable mood, spoke urgently and stood up.
‘Normally, he would have entrusted the work to others and continued the conversation.’
Sima Beon-jeong’s expression was not good.
Because the Mount Hua annihilation plan, which had been prepared for a long time, was repeatedly blocked, the White Snake God was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment right now.
‘How I managed to calm the Castle Lord’s temper and placate him all this time…’
He hurriedly left the depths.
Creak…
On both sides of the door guarding the depths, two old men who looked exactly the same from head to toe, as if they were twins, were standing with their hands behind their backs.
Thud.
When the door closed, Sima Beon-jeong, who had come outside, frowned and raised his head.
“Elders.”
Sima Beon-jeong smacked his lips while looking at the two unidentified old men whom the White Snake God called the Black and White Murderous Ghosts.
“Just in case, please prepare for any contingencies.”
The two did not react at all.
They just stared into empty space like Buddha statues guarding a Buddhist temple.
Whoosh…
But Sima Beon-jeong, thinking that was enough, turned around.
‘Since the two of them are guarding the door, there will be no problem here…’
They had been like that ever since he first saw them.
Their dull eyes that made it impossible to know what they were thinking, and their behavior and tone of voice that seemed as if they shared their thoughts.
Even now, even though there was a commotion outside, they were not expressing any interest.
Since ancient times, their purpose was only one.
It was to guard the door.
Step… Step…
Sima Beon-jeong, who was walking, opened his mouth.
“What has happened?”
“…Someone smashed the main gate.”
At the answer heard from above the roof, deep wrinkles formed on Sima Beon-jeong’s forehead.
“Smashed the main gate…?”
Sima Beon-jeong’s face stiffened at the answer he had never even dreamed of.
“How dare they attack this castle!”
Sima Beon-jeong’s voice sank.
“Is it the Murim Alliance? Or the Flying Heaven Society? Or is it another faction of the Six Emperors?”
“That is… it’s one person.”
“One person?”
Sima Beon-jeong’s eyebrows twitched.
“But there’s this much of a commotion?”
“They suddenly smashed the main gate, so there was no time to react.”
“…Such stupid fools.”
Sima Beon-jeong glared upwards.
“Hurry up and figure out the situation.”
“Understood.”
With those words, a creaking sound was heard from the roof, and they disappeared.
“…I don’t know what kind of crazy bastard it is, but he’s determined to die.”
His pace gradually quickened.
Now that he had grasped the situation, he had to resolve this crisis.
Tap, tap, tap…
Before he knew it, his pace turned into a run, and after passing the long hallway, what he witnessed was a wall made of people.
“Which bastard smashed the main gate…”
“What’s happening?”
“The main gate was smashed?”
“He must be completely crazy.”
Listening to the words of the many martial artists who had rushed out due to the commotion, Sima Beon-jeong smacked his lips.
“What are you all doing?”
“Gasp!”
“Strategist!”
“I’m asking what you are doing.”
“Th-That is, some bastard smashed the main gate of our castle…”
“What I am asking is why you are standing still even after seeing the intruder!”
At Sima Beon-jeong’s reprimand, the martial artists’ complexions turned pale, and they rolled their eyes around.
“That is…”
“Subdue the intruder in the time you have to speak!”
“Understood.”
The martial artists who had been standing like a wall and blocking the view hurriedly grabbed their weapons and moved.
Soon, as they disappeared and the scenery became visible, Sima Beon-jeong momentarily lost his words.
The main gate that had been guarding White Ghost Castle like an iron fortress was miserably smashed to pieces.
“To smash the main gate of our castle alone, a completely crazy bastard has appeared…”
Sima Beon-jeong, who was speaking, flinched.
In front of the broken main gate, a young man was standing with a relaxed expression as if he didn’t care even after seeing the large number of martial artists.
Sima Beon-jeong, who was blankly staring at the young man, suddenly dripped sweat from his forehead.
‘Mount… Hua Sect?! Why the Mount Hua Sect? Could it be!’
Looking at the plum blossom pattern drawn on the Daoist uniform the young man was wearing, his complexion turned cold.
‘Did the ambush fail again? If it failed even after sending the Eastern Lord, the Southern Lord, and the White Ghost Troop, who on earth stopped them? That young man? Or someone else?’
Heat began to rise from his head as he repeatedly pondered while instantly recalling the information in his mind.
At that time, the young man’s lips opened.
“Hmm, about five hundred people.”
It was a calm, quiet voice.
However, it vividly pierced the ears of Sima Beon-jeong, who was quite a distance away from the young man.
“It’s just as I heard.”
For a moment, his body trembled.
As someone who hadn’t learned martial arts, he couldn’t figure out how strong the opponent was, but his developed sense of smell was warning him.
The smell of death exuding from the young man.
Sima Beon-jeong hardened his eyes and said.
“…Call the Northern Lord and the Ghost Slashing Troop.”
* * *
Cheon-hwi stared at the martial artists in front of him.
The moment the main gate was smashed, martial artists poured out of that pure white castle like a swarm of ants.
A number that exceeded three hundred even at a quick glance.
However, not a single one of them uttered a word. They were just glaring with their respective weapons in their hands.
“You are a Daoist of the Mount Hua Sect.”
At that time, a white-haired old man stepped in front of the martial artists with a heavy voice.
“Do you know what you have done just now?”
“I smashed the main gate.”
“…”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, the faces of the old man and the martial artists stiffened coldly, and killing intent bloomed.
A volatile situation.
Swoosh…
Just in time, Hyeon-do and Ha Woo-jin appeared from the air, unfolding an elegant lightness art.
“Were you going to go alone?”
“Going alone is dangerous.”
Without even looking at the two standing side by side next to him, Cheon-hwi spoke indifferently.
“One way or another, clashing is all the same.”
“There were more companions.”
The eyes of the old man glaring at the two Daoists who had shown off amazing lightness arts narrowed.
“Is the Mount Hua Sect intending to risk a war with our castle… The Zhongnan Sect?!”
His two eyes widened as he was speaking.
“…For the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect to hold hands, is it all a scheme of the Murim Alliance?”
The old man quickly swept his gaze in all directions.
If the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect had held hands, it was hard to imagine that only those three would have come to White Ghost Castle.
Seeing that head movement, Cheon-hwi laughed.
“The three of us are all there is.”
“…Do you think I’ll believe those words?”
“Don’t believe it if you don’t want to.”
Hyeon-do and Ha Woo-jin held back chuckles.
The two, who had been tense, felt their tension easing at Cheon-hwi’s tone before they knew it.
“The Mount Hua Sect does not commit cowardly acts like you lot.”
“The Zhongnan Sect is the same.”
The two drew their swords with those words.
The air settled heavily.
Tap!
The martial artists rushed in all at once.
Spears, swords, blades, bizarre sickles, chains…
Ununified weapons were swung to take the lives of the three.
Swish…
Cheon-hwi lightly parried the weapons aiming for his vital points and stretched out his hand.
Bang! Bang!
With the sound of the air popping, the martial artists’ uniforms that his palms touched were torn.
“I will take the left side.”
“I will take the right.”
Feeling that they would only interfere with each other’s martial arts if they stayed close, Hyeon-do and Ha Woo-jin scattered to the sides.
“Well, they won’t die.”
Looking at the two, Cheon-hwi moved forward. While doing so, he was sweeping away the rushing martial artists like autumn leaves in the wind.
Crack! Pow!
Cheon-hwi’s hand effortlessly pierced through the abdomens of White Ghost Castle’s martial artists, systematically stealing their lifelines.
One person, two people, three people…
As the number of martial artists who rushed in only to be defeated and collapse began to exceed fifty, there was no longer anyone standing.
“Gurgle… “
“Urgh… “
The martial artists who suffered deep internal injuries from the distant palm strikes crouched on the ground holding their stomachs, spitting out blood and vomit from their mouths.
“Uuugh.”
“Noisy.”
Cheon-hwi trampled on those wriggling while groaning, and looked at the quiet White Ghost Castle with an indifferent gaze.
“Aren’t they coming all at once?”
Cheon-hwi, who was glaring at those who hadn’t come out of White Ghost Castle yet, turned his eyes.
Hyeon-do and Ha Woo-jin, who had fallen to the sides, were showing off their skills without holding back against the attacking martial artists.
Hyeon-do’s momentum was especially fierce.
Fwoosh!
He immediately infused internal energy into his sword.
The internal energy, like a spool of thread, tightly entangled around the sword body, evoking sword qi.
In an instant, his eyes flashed.
The internal energy of the Supreme Unity Subtle Art that had reached the stage of great completion erupted, as if knowing his heart engulfed in anger.
Swish… Swish…
Hyeon-do’s sword moved quickly.
The sword, which had become so fast that it was hard to follow with the eyes, instantly began to create multiple afterimages, and then divided into dozens.
It was none other than the Plum Blossom Flecks.
Slash!
The movements of the martial artists rushing toward Hyeon-do stopped in an instant, and then they plunged forward.
“Today, I will surely achieve revenge for my youngest Junior Brother.”
Hyeon-do looked down at the fallen martial artists, and gave off a light in his eyes full of murderous intent.
With that, he began to run wild.
Blood spurting from all directions.
Martial artists collapsing while screaming.
“Doing that with that face, it’s intense.”
Cheon-hwi gazed quietly at Hyeon-do.
The sight of the fierce-looking Hyeon-do mercilessly wielding his killing sword against the opponents while surrendering to anger was like a Yaksha.
“Right?”
Cheon-hwi turned his head and asked.
The man who had tried to ambush him at his defenseless state was suddenly flustered by Cheon-hwi’s eyes looking at him, but he swung his chain.
Swoosh…
Cheon-hwi’s hand moved as he watched the man’s trick of trying to wrap the iron chain around his neck.
“Gasp!”
Seeing the iron chain he swung caught in his hand, the man swallowed his breath.
Looking at the man’s eyes imbued with bewilderment, Cheon-hwi harbored a dreary smile.
Clang!
When he applied force, the iron chain snapped.
He then infused internal energy into the half-broken iron chain grasped in his hand and swung it.
With a snapping sound, the man’s forearm bent in a bizarre direction.
“Aaaargh!”
Along with a scream.
Crunch!
The man’s face was smashed.
Cheon-hwi threw away the iron chain stuck with the man’s brain matter and blood, and turned his head.
The martial artists who had tried to ambush him were frozen.
At that time.
“…It seems there really are no more.”
The white-haired old man revealed himself again.
“Th-Third Troop Leader!”
At the appearance of the old man gritting his teeth, joy circulated on the faces of the ambushing martial artists.
“To truly try to strike White Ghost Castle with only three people, you are crazy bastards.”
The old man straightened his body and spoke.
Swish…
Cheon-hwi looked at the old man.
Behind him, thirty men swinging sickles attached to iron chains were leaking killing intent towards him.
The old man shouted towards the martial artists looking at him with wandering gazes.
“You are hindrances. Get lost, all of you, if you don’t want to get hurt loitering nearby.”
“U-Understood.”
When they tried to step back as if running away at the loud reprimand, Cheon-hwi’s index finger smoothly lifted.
Thwack! Thwack!
An eerie sound was heard, and those fleeing plunged forward powerlessly.
“What…”
The old man’s complexion turned pure white.
‘What did he do?’
At that time, the index finger pointed at the old man.
“…!”
The flustered old man hurriedly shouted.
“K-Kill that guy!”
At the old man’s command, they threw their sickles.
The moment the sickles shot while sharply cutting the wind reached Cheon-hwi’s point-blank range.
Swish…
Suddenly, Cheon-hwi wavered and disappeared.
“S-Position Shifting?!”
When the old man shouted in astonishment.
Thud! Thud!
The subordinates next to him collapsed one by one.
“W-When…”
The old man subtly turned his eyes and then turned pale blue upon seeing a palm.
Crunch!
Cheon-hwi, who smashed the old man’s head in a single breath, took a step towards White Ghost Castle.
“I guess I have to go directly.”
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