Chapter 263
Chapter 263
That day, Namgung Wol and Seong-am fought for over two hundred exchanges.
One was the third son of the Thousand Water Society Leader, and the other was a promising talent from the Shaolin Temple.
Both were prodigies, renowned as geniuses since childhood.
Although Shaolin might have the longer history, the Thousand Water Society was also a prestigious school with a considerable tradition.
The origins of the Thousand Water Society lay in the five great sects that once stood shoulder to shoulder with Shaolin. Namgung Wol was the one carrying on the lineage of the Namgung Clan among them.
Namgung Wol had mastered a remarkable seventy percent of the Emperor Sword Form, the greatest Sword Art of the Namgung Clan. His Sword Art was sharp yet powerful, possessing the dignity of an emperor.
His Martial Arts were in no way inferior to Seong-am’s.
In fact, in terms of sharpness, he surpassed Seong-am.
The two fought fiercely.
They clashed for over three hundred exchanges, unleashing every Special Technique they had mastered.
The result was mutual destruction.
Both were gravely injured.
If Master Woon-hae and Jin Si-woo had not intervened in time to separate them, one of them would have surely died.
This series of events came as a great shock to Seong-am.
He had inwardly looked down on the Thousand Water Society.
Just as the saying goes, “All Martial Arts Under Heaven come from Shaolin,” he believed that all Martial Arts in the world were derived from Shaolin.
Because of this, he had thought that the Martial Arts of the Shaolin Temple were far superior to those of the Thousand Water Society. But his arrogance was shattered to pieces by Namgung Wol.
For the first time, Seong-am began to doubt his own Martial Arts.
Master Woon-hae apologized to Jin Si-woo.
“Amitabha! I am sorry for causing such a disturbance and chaos, Benefactor Jin. I will repay this debt later. We will leave once Seong-am has recovered a little, so we will be indebted to the Jin Clan until then.”
“Please do so.”
Jin Si-woo readily agreed.
He thought it was a relief that the situation had been sutured to this extent. But it was still too early to be relieved.
The fight with Snow Blade Sword Manor was ongoing.
While Seong-am and Namgung Wol were having their emotional clash, Snow Blade Sword Manor and the martial artists of the Jin Clan were clashing in Runan.
“We have seized the upper hand. We must reinforce our troops and finish them off for good.”
A martial artist of the Jin Clan reported urgently.
After severing ties with the Golden Mountain Manor, Snow Blade Sword Manor had shown signs of being severely shaken.
The frequent desertions of martial artists who had joined Snow Blade Sword Manor were a clear sign that things were different from just a few days ago.
After a moment of thought, Jin Si-woo gave an order.
“Send the Qiankun Merchant and the Mountain-Exchange Tower Master over there to finish things for good.”
“Understood.”
The Jin Clan martial artist ran off with his reply.
Jin Si-woo let out a soft sigh.
The two men he mentioned were renowned Experts in the Jianghu.
Not only did each possess formidable martial power, but they were also highly selfless and always acted according to Jin Si-woo’s intentions.
Now that they were on the move, this local battle would end in the Jin Clan’s victory.
“For now, it’s a relief, but…”
The crisis was not over yet.
He had to deal with the assassins who had caused a division within the Jin Clan.
It would be fortunate if their killing spree ended with this one incident, but if they continued their killings, the division within the Jin Clan would accelerate.
He had to find the assassins before that happened.
“What if Hyung-nim were here at a time like this?”
He couldn’t help but feel the absence of Pyo Wol.
It was even more so because he had heard from Jin Geum-woo what kind of abilities Pyo Wol possessed.
“I’ll have to contact the Hao Clan. They might know the identity of the assassins.”
Jin Si-woo sighed.
He wasn’t keen on getting involved with the Hao Clan.
Working with them meant handing over all of his internal information. But right now, he had no other choice.
It would be a hundred times better to just pick up a sword and fight himself.
Because then, all he would have to do is swing his sword without thinking. But leading a group required an immense expenditure of mental energy.
It truly felt like his brain was melting.
“Huu!”
Jin Si-woo’s deep sigh echoed through the Jin Clan once more.
＊＊＊
The Mountain-Exchange Tower Master, Lee Hee-soo, sprinted, unleashing his Lightness Art.
Beside him, the Qiankun Merchant matched his pace.
They had never even met before joining the Jin Clan. But having joined around the same time and carried out several operations together, they had built up quite a friendship.
Knowing each other’s skills well, they had great trust and reliance on one another.
Naturally, when they went on missions together like this, they felt at ease. Because they could entrust their backs to each other without worry.
“It’s over there.”
The Qiankun Merchant raised his hand and pointed to the riverbank.
To be precise, it was the dock on the riverbank.
The dock was originally managed by the Jin Clan.
It was a place that had to be protected at all costs, as all goods coming into the Jin Clan came through here.
That was why Snow Blade Sword Manor also coveted this place.
If he could secure the dock, he could cut off most of the supplies going into the Jin Clan, and by doing so, he could gain the upper hand.
For that reason, Snow Blade Sword Manor repeatedly sent troops to seize the dock. Naturally, the Jin Clan also deployed its elites and fought with all its might to keep from losing the dock.
So many people died at the dock that the river’s name was changed to Blood River.
The fight to take the dock was continuing today as well.
A total of about a hundred martial artists were clashing all over the dock.
The martial artists instinctively recognized who possessed martial power equal to their own. They bypassed weaker martial artists and clashed with those of similar strength.
This inevitably made the fight more intense, and many casualties occurred.
By the time the Qiankun Merchant and the Mountain-Exchange Tower Master, Lee Hee-soo, arrived at the dock, the Jin Clan was already gaining the upper hand.
The corpses of Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists were floating in the Blood River, and the ground was stained red with blood.
“Amitabha!”
“Let’s go.”
The two men leaped straight into the battlefield.
Both the Qiankun Merchant and Lee Hee-soo were Experts.
The Qiankun Merchant unleashed the Buddha Shadow Light Heavenly Hand, a Supreme Art of Buddhism, and Lee Hee-soo unleashed the Peacock Soul-Devouring Sword, the Martial Arts of the Mountain-Exchange Tower.
Kwarreureung!
Shwiik!
A thunderous roar and the sound of tearing air rang out simultaneously.
“Kraaack!”
“Keuk!”
Struck by the two men’s Martial Arts, Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists collapsed all at once like rotten sheaves of straw.
It was the addition of only two men, but their power was as great as that of all the Jin Clan martial artists combined.
“Reinforcements have arrived.”
“The Qiankun Merchant and the Mountain-Exchange Tower Master are here to help. Just a little more effort.”
The Jin Clan martial artists, their courage soaring, drove back Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists like a raging wave.
“Keuk! Retreat.”
“Everyone, fall back.”
Finally, the order to retreat was given.
Seeing Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists pulling back like an ebbing tide, the Jin Clan martial artists began their Pursuit.
“No!”
“Stop!”
The Qiankun Merchant and Lee Hee-soo tried to stop them, but it was no use.
Blinded by rage, the Jin Clan martial artists charged forward recklessly, cutting down Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists wherever they found them.
“Hmph!”
“It can’t be helped.”
The two men sighed.
They couldn’t just let the Jin Clan martial artists pursue Snow Blade Sword Manor’s men alone.
In the end, they joined the Pursuit to protect the Jin Clan martial artists.
The chase, a game of cat and mouse, continued for some time.
The first to sense something strange was Lee Hee-soo.
He caught sight of the fleeing martial artists of Snow Blade Sword Manor repeatedly glancing back.
Someone fleeing for their life would never look back. Because they had to use even the time it took to look back to run. Yet, the fact that they were looking back could only mean they had something to rely on.
“Everyone, be caref…”
The moment he shouted his warning.
Swish!
“Keuk!”
An arrow flew from somewhere and embedded itself in the forehead of a Jin Clan martial artist.
“It’s an Ambush.”
“They’re hidden and firing arrows. Find cover and hide.”
Lee Hee-soo and the Qiankun Merchant shouted at the same time.
“Keuk!”
“Keoheok!”
However, their warnings were in vain as several more martial artists were struck by arrows and lost their lives.
Dududu!
Then, the rough sound of horse hooves was heard.
It wasn’t the sound of just one or two horses galloping. It was the sound that could only be made when at least dozens, or even hundreds, of horses were galloping at once.
“Don’t tell me they’ve even mobilized cavalry?”
Lee Hee-soo’s eyes widened.
Most sects did not have cavalry.
It wasn’t very difficult for a martial artist who had learned Martial Arts to learn horsemanship. The problem was that the animal called a horse was overly sensitive and not easy to manage.
The reality was that the cost of maintaining one horse for a year was more than the living expenses of a family of four.
Because of such enormous costs, most sects couldn’t even dream of raising cavalry.
The same was true for Snow Blade Sword Manor.
The Jin Clan knew that Snow Blade Sword Manor had a supporter who operated cavalry. But they considered other matters more urgent and neglected to prepare countermeasures.
That was their fatal mistake.
“Chyaat!”
“Attack!”
The black-clad cavalrymen, clustered together like a dark cloud, charged into the midst of the Jin Clan martial artists.
“Kraaak!”
“Save me!”
A massive horse was a weapon in itself.
Martial artists who collided with the heavy bodies of the horses were sent flying far away, and those trampled by the hooves were gruesomely crushed, letting out screams.
“Show them the power of the Black Cloud Corps.”
The man shouting from the front of the cavalry was none other than the Black Cloud Corps Unit Leader, Jang Muryang.
Snow Blade Sword Manor’s martial artists had lured the Jin Clan martial artists into open ground.
In open ground, the power of the Black Cloud Corps was maximized.
They rode their horses without restraint.
Dududu!
The charge of over a hundred horsemen was truly a magnificent sight. But for the Jin Clan martial artists who had to face them, it was a disaster.
“H-How?”
“Everyone, Escape.”
The Jin Clan martial artists tried to flee.
But no matter how fast a person’s feet were, they could not be faster than a galloping horse.
“Amitabha!”
“Damn it!”
The Qiankun Merchant and Lee Hee-soo exchanged glances.
Their minds connected as one.
In the current situation, they were the only Experts who could stop the charge of the Black Cloud Corps.
“Perhaps today will be our last. Amitabha!”
“Haha! So it seems. But at least we can go out in a blaze of glory. What more glorious death could there be for a martial artist?”
“Amitabha! I hope to continue my friendship with you, Great Hero, in the next world.”
“Let’s really drink to our hearts’ content then.”
“The Buddha will surely permit that much.”
The two men looked at each other and smiled faintly.
They drew upon all their Internal Power and stood in the way of the charging Black Cloud Corps.
“Stop!”
“Haaat!”
They unleashed the Buddha Shadow Light Heavenly Hand and the Peacock Soul-Devouring Sword with all their might.
Kwaarreu!
As if the sky were collapsing, a terrifying force swept toward the Black Cloud Corps.
“Chyahat! Not a chance.”
Jang Muryang charged at the forefront, holding his spear.
Over a hundred horsemen followed behind him.
They became one mass and collided with the two men.
Kwaaaang!
A massive explosion and a Qi Wave swept across the battlefield.
There wasn’t even a scream.
The scene after the cloud of dust settled was truly horrific.
About thirty horsemen were scattered on the ground.
In a single clash, a staggering thirty members of the Black Cloud Corps had lost their lives.
“Eek!”
Jang Muryang stared with bloodshot eyes at the bodies of the Qiankun Merchant and the Mountain-Exchange Tower Master, Lee Hee-soo.
The bodies of the two men had been trampled by horse hooves, mangled beyond recognition.
No matter how great of Experts the two men were, they could not have survived a head-on collision with over a hundred members of the Black Cloud Corps. Still, they had died with a willing smile.
Because they were able to take a full thirty members of the Black Cloud Corps with them as companions on their final journey.
“Damn it!”
Jang Muryang’s face contorted at the far greater than expected damage.
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Kowloon >> nine dragons