Chapter 112 – The Heavenly Dragon Brigade's Exploits (1)

“The Heavenly Dragon Brigade is finally being formed! If it’s them, they can surely do it!”

“May the Heavenly Dragon Brigade save the Central Plains!”

Countless people cheered. It was a clear sign of how much pressure they had felt from the Western Tibetan martial world.

Hearing the cheers of so many, Yu-jin looked at the Master of the Profound Heaven, the leader of the Martial Alliance.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yu-jin replied with a respectful bow to the Master’s words.

“A coddled flower is easily broken by the wind and rain. Show them what the world is truly like. And while it is true that you and the Moon Empress must protect them, do not forget that they are not simply subjects to be guarded, but comrades who must fight alongside you.”

The Master of the Profound Heaven did not forget to offer one last piece of advice, and Yu-jin nodded in response.

A hothouse flower can never grow strong! Only those who face the harsh reality of storms and tempests without breaking can become truly powerful.

The younger generation of the Eight Dragons and Five Phoenixes had already experienced much and were as seasoned as any veteran of the martial world, but the other young warriors were still lacking in many ways.

The Master of the Profound Heaven knew that these young warriors could never fight the Western Tibetan martial world if they lived like coddled flowers, and he wanted them to become strong like Yu-jin.

He had no doubt that the trial of battling the Western Tibetans would surely make them grow.

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Master of the Profound Heaven nodded at Yu-jin’s respectful reply. Now, they would bear the honor of the Central Plains and be the first to step onto the battlefield.

Yu-jin looked at the warriors under his command and shouted.

“Heavenly Dragon Brigade! Draw your swords!”

The moment Yu-jin’s cry ended, a total of thirty-three swords were unsheathed in unison, revealing themselves under the sunlight.

“Woooooah!”

This was the Central Plains’ declaration of war against the Western Tibetan martial world. It was a proclamation that they would no longer stand by and be victimized.

The real war was just beginning.

* * *

It was known that over ten thousand martial artists had crossed from the Western Regions into the Central Plains.

While most of their forces were being conserved for a future all-out war, the Western Tibetans were using about a thousand of them as strike forces.

These strike forces, each consisting of roughly thirty to fifty members, spread out in all directions. Since most of them were first-rate or peak masters, many small and medium-sized sects were annihilated, unable to properly defend themselves.

“No matter what, they won’t dare to attack Gansu Province.”

So thought Won Se-hak, the leader of the Azure Dragon Society, the second-largest power in Gansu after the Kongtong Sect. After the Kongtong Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, left Gansu under the orders of the Martial Alliance, the Azure Dragon Society came to rule the province.

Numerous sects that did not wish to leave their homes remained with the Azure Dragon Society, forming a formidable power that numbered a thousand strong.

Thus, Won Se-hak prematurely concluded that the enemy would not dare to approach. But he should have known. A thousand rabbits gathered together are no match for a few dozen wolves.

“How laughable!”

Late one night, Namka, the warrior leading the Potala Palace’s strike force, smiled coldly as he gazed at the place where the forces of the Gansu sects were gathered.

To Namka’s eyes, the people gathered there seemed to be huddling together for comfort out of fear of his forces, a utterly meaningless gesture.

“This is a world where Rakshasas live. Let us send them to paradise!”

At Namka’s shout, the warriors of the Western Regions unleashed a fierce aura and advanced toward the martial artists of Gansu.

“Who goes there!”

The warriors on guard duty saw the sudden approach of about fifty intruders and aimed their swords.

But Namka, the warrior at the very front, simply smirked and instantly appeared before them.

He grabbed the necks of two warriors and snapped them.

The guards on duty were carefully selected first-rate masters, but to Namka, who ranked just below the direct disciples of the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven in the Potala Palace, they were as good as nonexistent.

“Attack.”

At Namka’s command, the Western Tibetan martial artists began to attack the sleeping Gansu warriors.

“Kuaaargh!”

Caught in the surprise attack, the Gansu martial artists began to fall helplessly. Some quickly came to their senses and counterattacked, but the average difference in martial skill was so vast that even when they fought back, they couldn’t inflict significant damage on the Western Tibetans.

In the end, it was the Gansu martial artists who were being massacred.

Meanwhile, Namka headed alone toward the Azure Dragon Society. The society’s warriors were located in the innermost area, and by the time Namka arrived, they had fully marshaled their forces.

“So you’re the bastards from the Western Regions!”

Won Jae-ryong, the vice-leader of the Azure Dragon Society, said with a deep scowl. His aura was far more powerful than that of any warrior Namka had observed on his way there.

“The martial artists of the Central Plains are truly dull. I wonder about you.”

“You cur! I will show you the spirit of the Central Plains’ warriors! Azure Dragon Emerges from the Sea!”

Drawing his sword, Won Jae-ryong’s form shot toward Namka. Like a dragon swimming through the sea, his sword spiraled as it thrust toward Namka’s heart.

The moment the tip of the sword was about to devour his heart, Namka extended his hand.

When human flesh meets a steel sword, common sense dictates that the sword should win. But this was the martial world, a place where things that defy common sense happened frequently.

*Boom!*

“Hup!”

With an ear-splitting explosion, Won Jae-ryong’s eyes widened. Namka’s hand, which had blocked his sword imbued with powerful energy, was completely unscathed.

Namka sneered at Won Jae-ryong’s shocked expression.

“Is this all you have?”

“Th-This can’t be!”

Won Jae-ryong hastily threw himself back to retreat. But Namka didn’t pursue him, merely sneering. He simply raised his left hand and beckoned twice with his fingers.

This act of complete disdain caused Won Jae-ryong’s anger to explode.

“I will drink your blood and chew your flesh!”

Gripping his sword hilt so tightly that his hand bled, Won Jae-ryong roused his internal energy even further, drawing out all his strength. Knowing Namka was a powerful opponent, he intended to attack with everything he had in a single blow.

“Take this!”

The technique Won Jae-ryong now unleashed was one of the Azure Dragon Sword Arts called Dragon’s Surge, a fiercely powerful move that spread his sword energy wide like a wave to engulf and crush the enemy.

And just as Won Jae-ryong intended, the Dragon’s Surge he unleashed completely swallowed Namka.

*Kwa-kwa-kwang!*

A massive explosion erupted, proving the technique’s power. But Won Jae-ryong’s body trembled. Namka, emerging from the huge cloud of dust, was still unharmed.

It was no surprise, as he too had mastered the Aegis of Heavenly Light, a technique the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven prided himself on. While not on the level of the Great Dharma Master, who could withstand any attack, Won Jae-ryong’s assault was not enough to pierce his Aegis of Heavenly Light.

“Is that all you have? There’s nothing more to see. Just die.”

Pronouncing Won Jae-ryong’s death sentence, Namka gathered his hands, focused his energy, and then thrust them forward. An invisible palm force surged directly toward Won Jae-ryong.

“You think I’ll fall to a mere palm strike like this?”

Won Jae-ryong unleashed Dragon’s Heavenly Flash, one of the ultimate techniques of the Azure Dragon Sword Arts. His understanding of the sword art was still incomplete, so he couldn’t execute it perfectly, but he had no doubt this technique would be enough to defeat Namka.

The invisible palm force and Won Jae-ryong’s sword, imbued with powerful energy, collided.

“Wh-What!”

Won Jae-ryong couldn’t hide his shock as he saw his attack dissipate so easily. Because of this, he failed to move in time and could not avoid the palm strike.

*Kwaaaang!*

“Uweeeck!”

With a tremendous roar, Won Jae-ryong collapsed to the ground, vomiting dark red blood mixed with pieces of his internal organs. The veins all over his body were bulging.

This was a phenomenon caused by the Potala Palace’s palm arts, which were based on the Great Hand Seal that struck both inside and out, regardless of the specific technique.

“To not be killed in a single blow, you are tenacious. Now die.”

Namka thrust his hand into the heart of the collapsed Won Jae-ryong, ending his life.

“You bastard! How dare you kill the Vice-Leader! Kill him!”

The warriors of the Azure Dragon Society, who had been watching Won Jae-ryong fight, shouted with faces full of fury.

But they could not advance. An old man had suddenly appeared before them. It was Won Se-hak, the leader of the Azure Dragon Society.

With a hardened face, he surveyed his surroundings. The desperate screams that constantly rang in his ears, the stench of blood that continuously assailed his nose, the corpses of the Central Plains’ martial artists that filled his eyes.

“You are demons…”

“To you, we are merely Rakshasas, warrior of the Central Plains.”

Despite sensing Won Se-hak’s strength, Namka did not stop his taunts. It was due to his confidence that no one could be his match.

Instead of replying to Namka’s words, Won Se-hak closed his eyes. It was to somehow control the surging anger within him.

The body and mind are connected; if the mind is clouded, one cannot properly execute their martial arts. And the enemy before him was not someone he could ever defeat in such a state.

“Closing your eyes for me, how thoughtful!”

Namka unleashed a palm strike at Won Se-hak, who was trying not to be consumed by rage. However, with his eyes still closed, Won Se-hak swung his sword and deflected Namka’s palm force into the air.

“Interesting!”

Since no one had ever properly countered his techniques before, Namka smiled brightly and surged toward Won Se-hak.

He formed his hands into claws and brought them down. It was the Dragon-Shattering Claw, one of the ultimate arts he had mastered. Won Se-hak met him head-on, continuously swinging his sword to parry Namka’s claw techniques.

“Khahahaha! Yes, this is what I wanted!”

Namka, who had only been using one hand until now, began to use both, unleashing a relentless barrage of the Dragon-Shattering Claw. Won Se-hak’s face, struggling to block the powerful attacks, gradually contorted in pain. Each time he blocked Namka’s assault, Namka’s internal energy would invade his body, disrupting the flow of his own energy.

To expel it, he needed to meditate and circulate his energy, but Namka would never allow that.

*Kwang!*

With a massive roar, Won Se-hak’s Azure Dragon Sword snapped in half. It was an inevitable result, as he could not properly utilize his internal energy due to Namka’s attacks.

“Die!”

Namka reached out again to end Won Se-hak’s life. At that moment, a crescent-shaped silver sword energy flew toward him.

Namka, trusting his Aegis of Heavenly Light, tried to ignore it and take Won Se-hak’s life, but his overconfidence in his defensive art proved to be his downfall.

*Slice!*

“Kraaaaaaaargh!”

The right hand he had extended to end Won Se-hak’s life was sliced clean off. The very same Aegis of Heavenly Light that neither Won Jae-ryong nor Won Se-hak could penetrate had been breached.