Chapter 120 – Revenge, and a Trap (2)

The Heavenly Dragon Brigade had already annihilated ten of the Western Territories’ special units, and the number of Western martial artists they had cut down exceeded four hundred.

The Heavenly Dragon Brigade’s performance was astounding, far surpassing the results the Martial Alliance had anticipated.

Thanks to the Brigade’s continued success, the Western Territories could no longer send out special units.

However, the special units were not the only ones the Heavenly Dragon Brigade had to deal with.

Many clans in the Central Plains provinces close to the Western Territories, such as Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan, had surrendered. The Heavenly Dragon Brigade’s mission was to either win them back or eliminate them all.

Among them was the Neung Clan Manor of Qinghai, the first clan to surrender to the Western Territories.

Afterward, the Neung Clan Manor bolstered its power by accepting Western martial artists and their techniques. But that power did not last long.

The young masters of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade gathered before the Neung Clan Manor. They all watched the manor, their hearts filled with suppressed rage.

Yu-jin, the Brigade Leader of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade, declared.

“They are traitors to the Central Plains. There is no need to show mercy just because they are our countrymen.”

*Kwwaaaaang!*

As Yu-jin finished speaking and swung his sword, a starlight sword energy shot out and shattered the manor’s gates. From within, the martial artists of the Western Territories revealed themselves.

“Oh, so the last of the special unit members were hiding here? How fortunate.”

As Yu-jin spoke with a smirk, the faces of the Western martial artists contorted.

But they could no longer charge at him recklessly. News of his and the Heavenly Dragon Brigade’s exploits had reached their ears.

“If you won’t come to us, we will come to you.”

Before Yu-jin could even finish his sentence, the warriors of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade behind him launched themselves forward, unleashing a barrage of attacks.

The Westerners gritted their teeth and began to counterattack, but they were instantly pushed back once Kang Yong-hoon and Na Ye-jin began to use their full strength.

The Western special units simply had no master capable of stopping two warriors at the Transformation Realm.

“Nothing special.”

Yu-jin thought to himself as he watched the Western martial artists being slaughtered. While Kang Yong-hoon and Na Ye-jin were performing exceptionally well, the other warriors were not idle either.

Their accumulated battle experience allowed them to naturally coordinate and strike at the openings of the Western martial artists, even without formally learning combined attack formations. They had learned to fight efficiently with their techniques, a stark contrast to their former selves.

“You bastard, at least!”

Just then, a Western martial artist charged toward Yu-jin.

“You’re a fool. What kind of person announces their surprise attack by shouting like that?”

Having vowed not to use the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts in front of others again, Yu-jin swung his sword at the approaching martial artist.

The Western martial artist, not to be outdone, extended his hand, but Yu-jin’s sword effortlessly sliced through his arm.

“Kuaaaack!”

“You people have a tendency to rely too much on your protective energy. You’re not the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven.”

As he spoke, Yu-jin twisted his body and swung his sword horizontally. The blade, imbued with silver energy, powerfully cut through the Westerner’s protective energy and his body along with it.

The Western martial artist collapsed without even a scream from the devastating attack.

“Die!”

Another Western martial artist launched a sneak attack as Yu-jin was retracting his sword.

It was an attack that could have been startling, coming suddenly from among the numerous corpses, yet Yu-jin simply smiled without making any defensive move. There was no need.

As if to prove his prediction, a moonlight energy—different from his own starlight energy—bisected the Western martial artist.

“There was no need for you to intervene, Ye-jin.”

“I just wanted to know what it felt like to save you.”

Yu-jin couldn’t help but laugh at Na Ye-jin’s words. After a brief exchange with her, he surveyed his surroundings.

The area was already littered with the corpses of Western martial artists. In contrast, not a single member of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade had died. Although a few were severely injured, this was still an incredible achievement.

“Now, shall we go punish the traitors?”

The warriors of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade nodded at Yu-jin’s words. After clearing the manor grounds, they found themselves surrounded by numerous warriors.

“Hoh? Is surrendering to the Western Territories not enough? To point your swords at us, have you all gone mad?”

At Paeng Won-jun’s shout, the faces of the Neung Clan warriors reddened. They didn’t want to attack their fellow Central Plainsmen either, but their leaders had chosen to side with the Western Territories.

Yet, their hands and bodies trembled, clearly reluctant to fight. Seeing their obvious coercion, Yu-jin decided to show them mercy.

The ones who truly needed to be cut down were the leaders of the Neung Clan.

“Ga-hee, Geon-woo.”

At Yu-jin’s call, the siblings Dang Ga-hee and Dang Geon-woo nodded and stepped forward.

There were just over twenty Neung Clan warriors. The expressions on Dang Ga-hee and Dang Geon-woo’s faces were ones of complete composure.

“You’re all just following the orders of your leaders, aren’t you?”

None of the warriors answered Dang Ga-hee, but their reactions confirmed her words.

Dang Ga-hee and Dang Geon-woo looked at the Neung Clan warriors and swung their arms. A storm of countless hidden weapons from within their sleeves engulfed the warriors.

“Aaargh!”

The warriors screamed as the sheer number of hidden weapons pierced their bodies. Although the storm of projectiles was brief, when it subsided, no one was left standing.

They all lay on the ground, bleeding, but surprisingly, not a single one was dead.

This signified a great improvement in Dang Ga-hee and Dang Geon-woo’s skill with hidden weapons. It wasn’t just them; all the warriors of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade had grown significantly through numerous real battles.

“Brigade Leader, we’ve cleared the way.”

Yu-jin nodded at Dang Geon-woo’s words and moved forward, followed by the rest of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade.

Though there were more attacks from warriors, they were no match for the Heavenly Dragon Brigade. Eventually, the Brigade safely reached the innermost part of the Neung Clan Manor, where they met Clan Head Neung Sa-un and the elders.

It was then.

*Fwoosh! Crackle!*

A massive fire erupted, burning everything in sight. The scorching heat made the air boil. The rapidly heated atmosphere churned violently, as if about to explode.

*Fwooooosh!*

The intense flames miserably consumed the tall, grand pavilions, causing them to vanish. The fire devoured the magnificent buildings, built with the dedication of countless artisans who must have been hired at great expense, sending up an endless pillar of smoke.

The column of smoke, reaching into the dark clouds, looked like a giant black dragon writhing as it ascended to the heavens.

The Neung Clan warriors who had barely survived were all swallowed by the flames, leaving not even their corpses behind.

The only place holding out steadfastly was the garden where the Heavenly Dragon Brigade and the Neung Clan leaders were gathered. Numerous ponds of various sizes scattered around were, for now, holding back the inferno’s advance.

*Sizzzle!*

But the surrounding heat was so intense that the water in the ponds boiled and evaporated, and the flowers that had bloomed profusely by the water’s edge, illuminating the garden, all withered.

“Do they intend for us all to die here?”

At Mo Yong-jin’s words, everyone’s expression darkened, save for a few. There was no visible escape route.

Then, Neung Sa-un spoke.

“You are all too exceptional. Truly, too exceptional. I heard most of you have just passed your coming-of-age, but your martial prowess is simply not something young men and women of that age should possess.”

“Your jealousy of us does not justify your surrender to the Western Territories, Clan Head.”

Je-gal Min spoke, looking at Neung Sa-un with a calm gaze, but her words seemed to have struck a nerve with him and the elders.

“This martial world is a rotten cesspool! It’s always you great clans who have everything! You monopolize the elixirs and the best martial arts! That’s why we, the small and medium clans, have no choice but to bow to you! What can anyone hope to achieve in a rotten place like this! A rotten martial world like this is better off gone!”

Yu-jin said nothing in response to Neung Sa-un’s outcry.

“I don’t care what grand reason you have for betraying the Central Plains. The undeniable fact is that you did betray it, and all that awaits you now is death. And to correct one of your misconceptions, did you really think you could trap us by starting this fire? Ye-jin!”

Hearing her name, Na Ye-jin drew her sword and unleashed sword energy in all directions. Dozens of moonlight sword energies struck the flames, extinguishing them instantly. Before the Moonlit Sword that cuts all things, such an inferno was meaningless.

“H-How can this be!”

It was an inferno formation they had created, ready to face death. The fact that even this couldn’t stop the Heavenly Dragon Brigade left Neung Sa-un and the elders utterly aghast.

The warriors of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade drew their weapons, watching them.

“To anyone who might still harbor some hesitation, I say this. They tried to kill us, so we no longer need to consider them people of the Central Plains. Abandon all mercy and kill them all.”

With those words, Yu-jin charged at Neung Sa-un, and the warriors of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade followed.

Stunned, Neung Sa-un and the elders unleashed their latent power. Their bodies swelled to nearly twice their size. It wasn’t just their bodies that grew; the aura they exuded became far more intense.

But not one member of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade showed any fear.

“Did you sell your very souls to the Western Territories?”

Yu-jin blocked Neung Sa-un’s approaching fist with a single hand.

“What!”

Neung Sa-un stared at Yu-jin with trembling eyes. In his current state, he could shatter a giant rock like tofu, yet his fist had been stopped by Yu-jin’s hand.

Hiding his bewilderment, he threw a punch with his other hand. But Yu-jin sidestepped it with a light step, closed the distance, and struck his abdomen with the hilt of his sword.

“Keoheok!”

Neung Sa-un vomited blood, the single blow sending a shockwave that felt as if it had twisted all his internal organs.

“Is this the extent of the power you gained by betraying the Central Plains and selling your soul?”

“Do you think it ends like this!”

“Many who fought me have said the same thing, but none of them ever showed me anything new. I doubt you will be an exception, Clan Head.”

Enraged by Yu-jin’s words, Neung Sa-un ignored his internal injuries and mustered his strength for another punch. But his fist couldn’t even graze Yu-jin’s body. The difference in their skill was simply too great.

“W-Why! Why is the gap between us so vast!”

“Let’s just call it a difference in fortuitous encounters.”

Yu-jin smiled as he drew his sword, and a starlight energy engulfed Neung Sa-un.

Half a cup of tea’s time was all it took to deal with Clan Head Neung Sa-un and the elders. Nothing remained of the Neung Clan Manor.

The surviving family members had apparently already fled, as no one was left, but Yu-jin wasn’t worried. With the combined forces of the Underworld Sect, the Beggars’ Sect, and the Eastern Depot, finding them would be easy.

“Brigade Leader, the sky!”

At Namgung Hwi’s words, Yu-jin looked up. A beautiful yet formidable hawk was circling in the sky. It swooped down toward Namgung Hwi and landed gently on his shoulder.

Namgung Hwi quickly untied the message from the hawk’s leg and handed it to Yu-jin.

“Putting us to work the moment we’ve finished cleaning up. The Martial Alliance really works us hard.”

Yu-jin sighed and unfolded the letter. A deep smile spread across his face.