Chapter 215: Sleeping on Brushwood and Tasting Gall (3)
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“What did you say?”
An unusual light shone in the Fire Ape’s eyes.
“The successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect?”
“That is correct. He is currently heading towards the eastern part of Changsha.”
Fire Ape fell into thought.
‘Eastern Changsha.’
She did not know how he had escaped, but this Changsha was the front yard of the Black Dragon Manor. He was bound to be caught naturally.
‘He is a bold one.’
She never expected him to reveal himself here. She did not know what he was thinking, but his guts alone were worth acknowledging.
‘The problem is.’
Black Sheep and the Black Sheep Squad under his command were mobilized for this plan to annihilate the Ghost Iron Sword Sect.
Black Sheep boasted a unique position even among the Twelve Earthly Branches.
He was not someone who served Yang Cheon from the beginning. He was a figure Yang Cheon brought in from the outside, and his skills alone competed for the top ranks among the Twelve Earthly Branches.
Furthermore, the Black Sheep Squad directly ruled by Black Sheep was an elite unit whose martial prowess ranked in the top three among the forces under the Twelve Earthly Branches. It meant that both the master and the subordinates were all outstanding martial artists.
And such a person would cleanly capture the successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect whom he had missed this time?
“Which group among our kids is the closest here?”
“Fire Ape 2nd Group is returning from southern Changsha. They should have reached within ten li by now.”
The corners of the Fire Ape’s mouth twitched.
‘That turned out well.’
Fire Ape Squad consisted of a total of five groups, and the lower the number of the group, the stronger they were.
Among them, the 2nd Group was composed of masters who did not fall significantly short compared to the 1st Group. In particular, unlike the 1st Group that handled numerous tasks simultaneously, the 2nd Group was a slaughter group that moved thoroughly for the annihilation of enemies.
Fire Ape looked at the manor located a short distance away.
The guy named Jeong of the Martial Ancestor Sect had not crawled into the manor yet.
‘Even if he returned, I would not be able to move.’
It was an order given directly by the Manor Lord. She had a lot of greed, but more than that, she was someone loyal to Yang Cheon.
Fire Ape asked one last time.
“Did the entire Black Sheep Squad move?”
“The entirety moved, but I heard they are all scattered. If they were to clash with the successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect, it is estimated to be around fifty at most.”
“Around fifty.”
That was enough.
Even if they were pushed back in numbers, this side had ‘that item’.
“Deliver a message to the 2nd Group. Tell them to chase the successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect.”
As she gave the order, the Fire Ape thought of Black Sheep.
‘A displeasing guy.’
Black Sheep was someone who could not be trusted.
A man who was incomparably unpleasant. However, the reason she interfered in Black Sheep’s affairs was not simply because she disliked him.
‘I must catch the Manor Lord’s eye through this matter.’
Before the Black Dragon Manor was established, she had a record of committing several major mistakes.
Fortunately, Yang Cheon forgave her, but the Fire Ape felt a sense of crisis. She had realized that Yang Cheon’s gaze looking at her was gradually becoming indifferent.
‘I am sorry, Black Sheep.’
Even if it was somewhat petty, this was the only way to earn points. If she accumulated merits in this way, someday the Manor Lord might personally pass down a few moves of martial arts to her.
Like those strong individuals of the Twelve Earthly Branches, including White Rat.
The subordinate asked.
“If the Black Sheep Squad catches him first, what should I tell them to do then?”
“If the Black Sheep Squad is one step faster…….”
Demonic Qi lingered in the Fire Ape’s two eyes.
“When judged possible, kill them all with a surprise attack and steal the hostage. If they happen to kill the successor of the Sword Sect, bury them all completely regardless.”
Fire Ape smiled.
“The successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect will become someone we caught.”
* * *
“Heok! Heok!”
Gang-ryang’s breathing was now ruined to an irreversible extent.
Huuung!
A slow yet soft and deep palm force was shot, aiming at his back.
Gang-ryang’s hands moved instinctively.
Paak!
The palm force was split in half.
Cheolkeong!
The greatsword that split the palm force was stuck into the ground. He was gripping the sword until the end, but he had no strength to lift that sword.
‘How can this be.’
Gang-ryang felt dumbfounded even amidst his absent-minded state.
‘I became like this without being able to endure for even one ke?’
In order to train the Ghost Sword to reach the extreme, an extreme amount of stamina and muscular strength surpassing the limits were necessary.
In other words, Gang-ryang was confident in his stamina. There were many times he settled for his innate talent, but he had never neglected stamina training for even a single moment.
But what was this state?
‘These guys are extremely accustomed to the wheel battle tactic.’
Not a single one of them tried to stand out.
Softly, slowly, but surely.
They used a tactic of continuously shaving down the target’s stamina while minimizing damage. Even if an ally died or was injured in the process, it would be normal for their composure to be disturbed, but these guys did not even have that.
Like puppets that did not know how to think.
They merely thoroughly broke down the opponent with tactics accustomed to their bodies.
“Kulleok! Heok-heok! Y-You bastards! If you are also heroes advocating the Unorthodox, attack proudly!”
At that time, the Black Leader said.
“What are you doing. Pressure him more.”
As soon as the Black Leader’s words ended, the Black Sheep Squad advanced one more step.
Huuk.
Everyone only advanced one step, but it felt as if the encirclement had tightened tremendously.
The pressure that one step gave was tremendous. It was not even adding the emission of internal energy, but it was enough to momentarily make the body shrink back.
A movement aiming at the gap in psychology. All their tactics were like that.
Uuuuung.
Gang-ryang gritted his teeth and lifted the greatsword.
‘Am I to be defeated this vainly.’
It was regrettable. Anger surged.
And he was sorry.
The swordsmen of the Sword Sect who knelt and said to rather kill them and go came to his mind. Even amidst the annihilation of the sect, they were loyal swordsmen who were with him until the end.
Wiiing.
The unstable Ghost King True Qi was fully contained in the greatsword.
It was less than half the efficiency of usual. Even if he swung it, it was obvious that the power, speed, and internal force emission would not come out properly.
However, he could not help but swing it. Because the enemy was right before his eyes.
The accomplices of the enemy who snatched away his home, parents, and siblings.
Huk.
The Ghost King True Qi loaded onto the greatsword completely permeated into the greatsword in an instant.
The Black Leader’s eyes flashed.
“Watch out!”
Paaak!
Gang-ryang took a forceful step forward.
It was not the Ghost Shadow Divine Step. This was a footwork revealing strength and killing intent.
And the second Ghost Sword that followed the footwork.
‘Ghost Killing Sword!’
The Ghost Killing Sword continuing from the Ghost Shadow.
That sword strike overflowing with killing intent poured down towards five members of the Black Sheep Squad.
Jjeoeeeeong!
A tremendous resonance sound rang out.
Jureureuk.
Blood flowed from the ears of the Black Sheep Squad members. Their eardrums had burst.
However, no one collapsed or disturbed the formation. Rather, the eyes inside their masks were only indifferent as if nothing had happened.
Gang-ryang’s face turned pale.
“It is an astonishing sword.”
The one who had somehow entered between the Black Sheep Squad members and blocked Gang-ryang’s single strike was none other than the Black Leader.
“It advocates sharpness, but the root of the sword is thorough destruction. It is indeed worthy of hearing the reputation of being the sword lineage of the Conqueror.”
The Black Leader said coldly.
“But as expected, you are young.”
Gang-ryang could not believe it.
‘Blocking the Ghost Killing Sword with his arms?’
An overbearing sword form that could blow away even a massive boulder with a single strike if it entered properly.
Even if his true qi was unstable, he blocked the Ghost Killing Sword containing the strength of his entire body by crossing his two arms. It was an unbelievable skill.
Peoeok!
“Keok!”
At the Black Leader’s kick, Gang-ryang collapsed on the spot.
“Throwing a winning move with retreat in mind when the signs of defeat are thick is the basis of strategy. To consume all your strength with a desperate attack, unable to control your anger.”
The Black Leader turned his body while clasping his hands behind his back.
“You were an idiot whose talent was the only outstanding thing.”
“Kulleok! Keoheok!”
Gang-ryang, who continuously spat out short coughs mixed with blood, looked at the Black Leader’s back figure with bloodshot eyes.
The Black Leader said.
“Since he became unable to fight, there is no need to kill him. Transport him to the Manor. Break his limbs first so he cannot run wild.”
Uuuuung.
An eerie killing intent spurted out from the eyes of all the members of the Black Sheep Squad.
A shadow of despair was cast upon Gang-ryang’s face.
‘Is it the end like this?’
It would have been less humiliating than this if his neck flew off by the enemy’s hands.
Not enough to be caught by the enemy’s hands, being transported to the enemy?
‘Rather than that, I will just commit suicide!’
Gang-ryang, who grabbed the sword blade with his left hand, squeezed out his remaining strength and brought the sword to his neck.
Ppagak!
“Keueuk!”
His left arm was broken and the greatsword bounced off to the side. A Black Sheep Squad member who noticed Gang-ryang’s inner thoughts like a ghost had stopped him.
The Black Leader spoke as if it was ridiculous.
“The final struggle of clumsy greenhorns is always like that.”
Gang-ryang gritted his teeth.
He promised absolutely not to cry, but tears came out without him knowing. They were tears dotted with unfairness and regret.
‘I am sorry.’
A fate where he could not even die as he pleased. The reality where his will of life and death was trampled by the enemy’s hands.
Not even a few days after being disheartened by the first regret in his life, Gang-ryang faced his second regret.
Seureureuk.
One Black Sheep Squad member lifted his foot. It was his intention to break Gang-ryang’s leg just like that.
Gang-ryang closed his eyes tightly.
It was then.
‘……?’
Why was it?
Not a single handful of Ghost King True Qi remained, and his physical body also met its limit. He literally did not have the strength to twitch a single finger.
However, surprisingly, his senses caught ‘one’ presence faster than anyone else here.
Even though that difference was extremely minute.
‘What……?’
Before the thought of ‘what is it’ even ended.
A streak of invisible fist wind like a hammer pierced through the members of the Black Sheep Squad.
Paaaaaang! Peoeok!
Along with a terrifying sound of tearing the air, shattered bones and blood scattered in all directions. The head of the Black Sheep Squad member who was trying to break Gang-ryang’s leg had been smashed.
Puk.
The Black Sheep Squad member who lost his head collapsed just like that. The sight of his hands and feet continuously twitching brought about a bizarre eeriness.
The Black Leader’s eyes widened.
‘What?!’
It was at that exact moment.
The wind of divine speed that could not be chased by anyone’s eyes among those present here rushed in.
Buaaaang!
The air burned up.
Like a single streak of an arrow, or a flying spear.
Behind the back of a giant dragon that flew in while emitting a splendid blue-green radiance, wings of flame flashed.
The Black Leader shouted.
“Dodge……!!”
Peobeobeobeobeok!
It was an instant.
Someone who approached at a reckless speed blew away the heads of seven Black Sheep Squad members on the spot.
The Black Leader’s eyes widened.
He could not even see what he did and how. Something emitting a tremendous momentum approached, and presently, seven subordinates died off.
Even there, it was not the end.
Huuuuung.
The splendid blue-green cloud and mist became a gust of wind and fell into the middle of the Black Sheep Squad members.
The place where Gang-ryang had collapsed, right on that spot.
Kwaaang!
The ground around the valley was shaken entirely.
It was truly an explosive foot stomp. It was a realm of the extreme peak that gathered the strength of the entire body into one by bursting out a foot stomp without even lifting a leg.
And the power gathered with that powerful foot stomp.
It became a gust of wind and turned into the majesty of an ascending azure divine dragon, spreading out in all directions.
Peong! Peopeopeong! Peopeopeopeopeong!
An invincible palm method that raged eighteen times in an instant.
The people of Jiangdong called this palm method the Reverse Dragon Palm. However, this was bizarrely twisted to the point where it could not be called the Reverse Dragon Palm.
He maximized the destructive power with the soft silk reeling of the Azure Dragon Qi. This was a completely different martial art that merely borrowed the form of the Reverse Dragon Palm.
Kureureureureung.
The gust of wind subsided, and the dust cleared.
The place where the explosive palm force swept past had become an entire sea of blood.
“Successor of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect.”
Gang-ryang looked up with clouded eyes.
‘……!’
A person with his back against the blazing sun.
A strange man with azure eye light was looking down at him while emitting a majesty that far transcended imagination.
“……You are indeed Gang-ryang.”
It was the appearance of Yeon Ho-jeong.