"Block them!"
The Enforcing Guards had pondered and agonized countless times.
The Central Plains—an enemy so vast that comparison seemed impossible. How could they confront and annihilate such a force?
Yet at this very moment, they faced a situation they had never once considered in all their years.
A smaller number of Central Plains people were breaking through their lines. For those who had devoted everything to the sacred Heavenly Demon, this was unimaginable.
Therefore, they could not respond instantly. How to deal with a few strong enemies was an unknown realm to them.
Swoooosh!
Chung Myung's sword swung like lightning, instantly crushing the advancing cultists. It was a cruel and decisive strike, unbelievable for a Taoist's fingertip attack. Before that strike, all were equal.
Seeing a comrade torn apart before one's eyes would make even the bravest flinch. But the cultists proved with their lives why they were called the cult.
"Kahaaak!"
A Demonic cult member behind struck away his crushed comrade's body with both arms and charged at Chung Myung. His hands, blackened with demonic qi, scratched at Chung Myung's face at that very moment.
Clang!
The cult member's hand was blocked by something flying, producing a sharp metallic sound. Jang Ilso, blocking the cult member's demonic qi claw with rings densely worn on his hand, swung his arms repeatedly.
Crack!
The cult member's head shattered into pieces, scattering blood and brains everywhere.
"Impertinent."
Jang Ilso's eyes darkened as he briefly expressed his thoughts. Then his gaze turned toward the tall watchtower beyond the Demonic cult members surrounding them.
At that moment, Hae Yeon and Namgung Do-Wei brushed past him and ran forward. Jang Ilso chuckled softly.
"I never thought the day would come when I'd be guarded by Shaolin and Namgung family people. Truly a rare event."
"If you have time to chatter, then fight!"
"…Hearing such words is rare too."
Jang Ilso shook his head as if he couldn't help it.
'This is madness.'
They had broken through about half of the cultists blocking them. But that also meant they stood in the middle of the enemy camp. Things seemed to be going well now, but if they stopped even for a moment?
'They would be attacked from all sides.'
They would be walking right into the enemy's encirclement.
At that moment, everything would end. Numerical superiority can sometimes mean nothing, but other times it's an insurmountable absolute difference.
If the moment comes when they stop and face the cult members surrounding them, only despair would remain.
'Even though they clearly know that.'
Those who calmly commit this madness and those who follow without question are here. That fact chilled Jang Ilso.
What if their target now was not the High priest's neck but Jang Ilso's? If the one waiting across was not the High priest but Jang Ilso, how would he be feeling watching them now?
"It really is rare."
Jang Ilso raised both arms. Bracelets rose into the air simultaneously and began spinning fiercely above his head.
"Could it be that in this Central Plains…"
Jang Ilso spread both arms wide at once.
"There are madmen even crazier than me!"
Kwaaaaaaang!
The spinning bracelets shot forward simultaneously. Over a dozen golden meteors flew toward the cult members in an instant.
"Yah!"
The cult members gathered all their demonic qi to strike down the bracelets flying straight at them. Or rather, tried to strike them down. But at that moment.
Whoooosh!
The bracelets flying straight wriggled as if alive. Dodging the cult members' swinging hands, they carved strange curves and pierced their bodies.
Creak!
The tough skin resisted momentarily, but the fiercely spinning bracelets literally ground the flesh, digging deeper inside.
"Gyaaah!"
The bracelet that pierced the chest tore apart the cult member's insides and pierced through the back. Still undeterred, it pierced the bodies of the members charging from behind one after another.
The fiercely spinning bracelets moved freely, carrying enough force to shatter the pierced cult members' bodies into pieces.
"Kraaaah!"
"Aaaah!"
Desperate screams erupted everywhere. It looked like ten golden snakes rampaging.
A Demonic cult member tried to grab the bracelet flying toward his chest with both hands, but the golden bracelet arced upward and pierced his face. It looked like a huge star shooting into the night sky.
"I have to keep pace too. As long as I don't stop, it'll work, right?"
The momentum of those charging fiercely collapsed instantly. Even the Mount Hua disciples running in sync were speechless, staring blankly at the scene before them.
Only one person did not lose sight of his task at that moment.
Swoooosh!
Chung Myung's sword swiftly severed the throats of Demonic Cult members trembling in pain.
"Oh-ho?"
Just as Jang Ilso was about to express admiration, two shadows rushed in from Chung Myung's left and right.
Swoooosh!
Swoooosh!
Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol, perfectly filling left and right, unleashed sword strikes clearly resembling Chung Myung's. They were extremely concise but deadly swift swords, merciless killing blades allowing no waste.
The Cult members' necks rose into the air one after another.
Then the two swords began to change as if by an agreement. The concise swings secured space and transformed into a terrifying phantom sword scattering countless sword qi.
Thousands of petals bloomed simultaneously at the sword tips. Red plum blossoms fiercely swept through the cult members still unprepared on what was happening, piercing their bodies. There was no way to block the sword qi filling every visible space.
And then.
"Amitabha! Taaah!"
Hae Yeon, uncharacteristically shouting fiercely, drew up all his internal qi. The formidable internal qi painstakingly cultivated in Shaolin Sect and perfected by Mount Hua began to fill his fist.
Bang!
A powerful true strike!
Wheeeeee!
Following was a roar like a huge building crumbling, as formidable power burst from Hae Yeon's fist.
A Buddha's fist that destroys all evil and purifies all wickedness of the world!
Hae Yeon's Arhat Divine Fist unleashed fiercely, sweeping through the cult members.
Into the space thus created, Mount Hua disciples including Yoon Jong and Jo Gul swiftly penetrated.
"Break through!"
"Open the path!"
Their sword strikes poured forward countless times, piercing the thick cult formation instantly like sharp awls.
They didn't even aim for heads. Their task was not to kill or topple enemies, but simply to carve a single straight path toward the watchtower!
"You damn bastards!"
The Enforcing Guards gritted their teeth and surged toward Chung Myung. It was clear who they must kill first.
Bang!
But the Mount Hua disciples and Hae Yeon, as if by agreement, scattered in all directions to block the charging Enforcing Guards.
Kaaang!
The Enforcing Guard's hand and Mount Hua disciple's sword clashed in midair, creating a huge metallic sound.
"Get out of the way, you filthy bastards!"
"No way!"
Jo Gul smirked mockingly at the Enforcing Guards.
"We're desperate too!"
Jo Gul's eyes glanced at Chung Myung running ahead.
"That step won't stop before I die, you stupid cult bastard!"
Mount Hua's swordsmen fiercely pushed back the impatient Enforcing Guards.
"Ugh!"
"These bastards!"
The Enforcing Guards were clearly strong. But since their hearts were elsewhere and they couldn't give their all to the opponents before them, they couldn't show their true strength.
While Mount Hua disciples briefly dealt with the Enforcing Guards, new faces stepped forward to fill the gaps.
"This seems a bit tough alone."
"Ugh. Now it's the front again, gotta handle it properly!"
Un Geom and Im So-Byeong, leaving the rear to the Red Dogs, rushed forward.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
Seeing that scene, sparks flew in Namgung Do-Wei's eyes. Panting as if about to collapse, he gritted his teeth.
"The vanguard!"
A loud lion's roar burst out.
"That's my spot!"
Namgung Do-Wei, having drawn up his nearly depleted internal qi, dashed forward raising his sword.
Goooooo!
White sword qi at the tip grew endlessly. Namgung Do-Wei unleashed sword qi larger than most great swords, glaring fiercely as he swung his sword in one stroke.
"Ooooooh!"
Emperor's Manifestation.
The Emperor Sword Form, containing the essence of Namgung, was unleashed instantly.
Kwaaaaaaang!
The white sword qi that fell in the enemy's midst caused a massive explosion.
"Go, Taoist!"
"Go, Chung Myung!"
Hearing all the shouts, Chung Myung stomped the ground. He didn't turn his head. No need to check those behind him; that would insult those who opened the path.
He had only one task: to run along that path and reach the end!
As Un Geom and Im So-Byeong pushed away the urgently charging cult members, Chung Myung and Jang Ilso stomped the ground simultaneously as if by agreement. The two, glowing red and black, pierced the thinning encirclement at terrifying speed.
Finally!
Bang!
Chung Myung grabbed the last blocking cultist's head with one hand and slammed it into the ground, using the recoil to leap up. His raised Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword gleamed white.
"Tahahaaap!"
The red sword qi burst forth and instantly struck the lower floor of the watchtower.
Kwaaaaaaang!
With a deafening explosion, the already half-destroyed watchtower began to collapse instantly.
Rumble! Rumble rumble rumble!
"Ah…"
Jeok-Il's eyes were filled with despair and fear.
Dust rose thickly from the collapsed watchtower. It was proof that Chung Myung's sword had finally reached its destination.
Kurrurrung! Kurung!
The watchtower completely collapsed in an instant. The thick dust was slowly blown away by the wind.
And… in the midst of the ruins of the watchtower, now too ruined to recognize, a man slowly appeared.
The world was enveloped in silence.
"H-high priest…!"
Only Jeok-Il's scream echoed like a wail.
The man who heard the cry slowly turned his head. Even through the still settling dust, his cold gaze was clearly felt.
Chung Myung bared his teeth like a wolf meeting those eyes.
"Should I say it's good to see you?"
The Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword emitted a chilling sword cry.