Chapter 82
After finishing his words, the sect master drew his sword.
As he lightly swung it, an immense sword wind surged, as if it could split the stone walls apart.
‘If I stay here, I’ll get caught in it!’
I quickly collected a few swords that had been dropped by the fallen disciples of Cheonhwa Mountain Sect.
“Leave it to me.”
My father replied calmly, then lifted two of the fallen disciples with ease.
The martial artists of the Tang Clan, who had followed behind him, also carried the injured.
If this was a matter between the Great Heaven Ghost and Cheonhwa Mountain Sect, the Sa Cheon Tang Clan couldn’t intervene.
Of course, if the sect master of Cheonhwa Mountain weren’t present, my father would have stepped in out of courtesy as a guest.
‘Right now, the sect master is here, and Master Yu is an expert far stronger than my father.’
Yet even so, it would have been awkward for my father to step forward.
We left the sect master and the Great Heaven Ghost in the underground chamber and escorted the wounded disciples of Cheonhwa Mountain Sect out.
But outside…
“Ugh!”
“You brat!”
“Don’t think you’ll escape alive!”
The area had already turned into a battlefield.
Subordinates of the Great Heaven Ghost, clad in black, were attacking Cheonhwa Mountain disciples indiscriminately.
Sect Master Yu Pyung-hyeok and Peng Sim-yeong, along with the elders of Cheonhwa Mountain, tried to hold them back, but it was clear they had limits.
Cheonhwa Mountain was not a large sect with many disciples.
And these villains weren’t only the subordinates of the Great Heaven Ghost…
“Green Forest?”
There were a few who looked like bandits from nearby mountains.
Had the black path (Heukdo) allied?
But why target Cheonhwa Mountain specifically? It didn’t make sense.
“Oh dear… the timing is bad.”
One of the Tang Clan warriors muttered as he carried an injured disciple.
He was right. The timing was terrible.
Bloodshed sometimes occurred in the martial world or among sects, usually because someone sought revenge. In such cases, it was typically a matter for the sect or faction alone, resolved without outside interference.
But…
‘This is different.’
It wasn’t simply that someone held a grudge against Cheonhwa Mountain.
If this was the work of an alliance of black path factions, it was no longer just Cheonhwa Mountain’s problem.
Then—
“Ugh!”
Peng Sim-yeong staggered as she was struck by the sword of a man with high, red hair.
Her sleeve instantly soaked with blood.
“Mother!”
“F-Father! Mistress Sim!”
My father narrowed his eyes upon spotting the red-haired man.
“One of the Four Fierce Beasts… is that Do-eul?”
The Great Heaven Ghost, leader of the Da Cheon faction, had four trusted subordinates who acted as his hands and feet: Do-eul, Hondon, Gung-gi, and Do-cheol.
Each was a renowned master of the black path, playing a huge role in controlling half of Hubei’s black path under the Great Heaven Ghost.
If all four were here with the Great Heaven Ghost…!
‘The sect master could be in danger.’
In terms of sheer skill, Master Yu would naturally be overwhelmingly strong.
But the outcome of battle isn’t determined solely by skill.
Sometimes the circumstances overpower strength.
The sect master of Cheonhwa Mountain had disciples to protect.
Young disciples, not fully hidden, were being mercilessly struck by the black path swordsmen.
At this moment, every young disciple in the sect was effectively Master Yu’s weakness.
The red-haired man spun around at my father’s muttering.
“Huh? Sa Cheon Tang? Why is the Tang Clan here?”
“You black path trash, crawling in here without fear.”
After finishing, my father drew a hidden blade from his sleeve and threw it at him.
Shreeeeek!
Six streaks of light shot out like bolts aimed at the fierce beast.
“Argh!”
He twisted instinctively, but couldn’t dodge all six.
Two of the blades lodged deeply in his shoulders.
“You Tang bastard!”
“Don’t think you’ll escape alive.”
From my father’s sleeve, a toxic thistle (dokjillyeo) shot out.
When he scattered it at his feet, the movements of the black path warriors temporarily halted.
Then—
“Everyone, fall back!”
My father’s voice, imbued with inner power, boomed, and everyone flinched and turned.
The disciples of Cheonhwa Mountain, understanding his intent, quickly withdrew.
When the Tang Clan warriors fought, one shouldn’t stand behind them.
The poison of Sa Cheon Tang strikes indiscriminately.
But it wasn’t only the disciples who were aware of my father’s presence.
“Hah!”
One of the Four Fierce Beasts, Do-eul, snatched Peng Sim-yeong and aimed his sword at her neck.
“Try me if you dare!”
“Ugh…!”
“Darling!”
“Mother!”
As the mistress was taken hostage, the disciples of Cheonhwa Mountain instantly turned pale.
The sect master and Yu Ja-heon were no exception. Peng Sim-yeong struggled under his firm grip.
“Go ahead, spread your poison!”
“You brat…”
As long as Peng Sim-yeong was a hostage, my father couldn’t use his poison technique.
The black path forces, previously hesitant, renewed their assault on the disciples.
The Tang Clan warriors quickly intervened to block them.
In an instant, Cheonhwa Mountain became chaos. Screams of young disciples rang out everywhere.
Do-eul, holding Peng Sim-yeong, shouted to Hondon.
“Hondon! We retreat for now. If we interfere with the Tang, it’ll be troublesome.”
“What about the sect master?”
“He’ll get out safely! For now, we retreat. Seems he fell for that bastard’s trap.”
Do-eul’s voice conveyed trust.
I sensed his faith in the Great Heaven Ghost.
I had heard that the power of the Great Heaven Ghost came from these Four Fierce Beasts.
‘Or maybe that wasn’t entirely true.’
Hondon glanced at the chaotic sect and nodded.
“You may have come in at will, but not so when you leave!”
“Hohoho… I wonder if your mistress feels the same?”
Do-eul pressed his irregular, saw-blade sword closer to Peng Sim-yeong’s neck.
Her face went pale. She no longer struggled or begged for her life.
“Mother!”
“Quiet, Ja-heon!”
He even shouted at his stomping son.
“Hoho… you’ve got spirit. Truly a Peng.”
Do-eul aimed his blade at my father.
“We don’t wish to fight the Tang after being tricked. Once they’ve retreated safely, we’ll release this woman at the end of the assault.”
“Nonsense!”
“Then shall we watch your mistress die here? I don’t care if I die. But can you allow this woman to die as well?”
Do-eul’s sword threatened Peng Sim-yeong’s life.
With such resolve, my father had no way to act.
“Freeze! One step and she dies!”
At his growl, both the Cheonhwa disciples and the Tang warriors ceased fighting.
Since my father didn’t move, neither could they.
‘But I can’t just let them take her.’
Let her live? Ridiculous.
Even if she died here, Peng Sim-yeong’s death technically had nothing to do with the Tang Clan.
Thus, they wouldn’t spare her life.
The moment she left the battlefield, she would be mercilessly killed.
Everyone here knew this.
Yet, no one could act rashly in the current situation.
But…
‘If I can just create a brief moment of opening, she can escape.’
Peng Sim-yeong was from a branch of the Hebei Peng Clan. She was a skilled female martial artist.
The reason she remained calm without struggling was…
‘She’s waiting for the chance to escape.’
The disciples, the Tang warriors, the sect master, and my father—all understood this.
However, with Do-eul watching like a hawk, even a brief moment couldn’t be created.
Do-eul wasn’t some third-rate martial artist. The moment she moved, Peng Sim-yeong’s neck would be cut.
But…
‘He’s not watching here.’
Do-eul and Hondon’s focus was on my father, the sect master, and the strong warriors.
They weren’t paying attention to me, beneath their gaze.
Then, I could create… a brief moment.
