Chapter 13 : Chapter 13

Chapter 13. You’re Dead (3)

‘Where?’

Dang Pyeong was terrified.

He had completely lost track of the opponent he was facing. How was this possible?

He was an elder of the Sichuan Tang Clan…….

Shwiiiiiik!

It was closer to instinct than thought.

The moment he sensed danger, Dang Pyeong hastily moved his body, and that instinctive movement saved his life.

A streak of light narrowly grazed past where Dang Pyeong’s head had been and pierced a rock behind him. But…….

Craaaaaack!

“Keoheok!”

Dang Pyeong, whose posture had crumbled from the hasty evasion, couldn’t block the follow-up attack.

The Clan Head’s palm strike accurately hit his side, and Dang Pyeong groaned in pain as his ribs were crushed, flying backward.

But he too was an elder of the Tang Clan…….

Shwiit!

A hidden weapon he desperately threw while flying aimed for the Clan Head’s vitals. His hidden weapon accurately pierced the Clan Head’s solar plexus and the spot between his eyebrows.

“I got him!”

For a moment, Dang Pyeong rejoiced. But…….

“You are blind.”

“Heup!”

A voice suddenly came from above his head. Dang Pyeong was terrified by those words. And…….

“Huh?”

“What is that?”

The members of the Tang Clan who looked up at the sky widened their eyes in astonishment.

Countless hidden weapons leisurely revolved around the Clan Head who had soared into the sky.

The moment they saw that scene, they realized.

How could they not know that?

The pinnacle of hidden weapon techniques, which could be said to symbolize the Sichuan Tang Clan.

The Sichuan Tang Clan's art, not taught to outsiders.

A Sky Full of Flowers and Rain.

Countless hidden weapons pouring down from the sky.

It was truly a rain of death.

“Aaargh!”

“Dodge…… Keok!”

“Kuaaaaak!”

The rain of death scattered by the Clan Head from the sky delivered a deadly judgment upon those who had betrayed the clan.

The moment the Clan Head, who had dealt with over a dozen traitors with this one move, landed on the ground…….

“Keuk……. Attack!”

Dang Pyeong shouted.

But even with his command, those who had witnessed the Clan Head’s divine might hesitated for a moment. At that…….

“You foolish fools! Now is the chance, when he has exhausted a great deal of internal energy by unleashing A Sky Full of Flowers and Rain!”

At those words, some of them snapped to their senses. And…….

“Attack!”

“Kill the Clan Head!”

Realizing that if they didn’t kill the Clan Head here, their lives would not be worth living, they rushed towards the Clan Head from all directions.

The Clan Head spoke coldly towards the traitors aiming for his neck.

“Come.”

***

Dang Jin, sent ahead by the Clan Head.

He wanted to run quickly to where his sister was. But…….

Pooooow!

“It’s poison smoke!”

“Hold poison-repelling beads in your mouths and break through!”

“We can’t. The poison energy is stronger than expected.”

“Damn it……”

The opponent’s resistance was more fierce than expected, and they were unable to advance.

The enemy did not engage actively.

They focused solely on obstructing the Tang Clan’s path, repeatedly using poison smoke and hit-and-run tactics.

“Just who are these bastards?”

Dang Jin said this, but he actually had a guess.

The world may be wide, but there was only one place that could use poison against the Sichuan Tang Clan and fight on equal terms.

“The Poison Hand Gate?”

At Dang Jin’s murmur, Han Cheong-un, who was beside him, responded.

“To be precise, it’s the Red Serpent Squad, one of the Poison Hand Gate’s military units.”

“Huh?”

“Among the Poison Hand Gate’s military units, they are often deployed for independent operations. Their leader is called the Blood Poison Serpent Han Biu. His martial realm is probably around the Peak level?”

“How do you know that?”

“Well? I just picked it up here and there.”

“……”

Does that even make sense?

Just as Dang Jin was about to question him again…….

“That’s not what’s important.”

“Hmm……”

“At this rate, we’re not making any speed. They are blatantly trying to stall for time, and it’s a problem if we get tied down here.”

“……”

That was true.

“Then what should we do?”

“The Tang Clan is powerful, but their martial arts are not ones that can exhibit the characteristic of breaking through.”

“So?”

“I will take the lead.”

Dang Jin thought.

He was definitely right.

The Tang Clan’s martial arts might be specialized for mass slaughter or assassination, but they were weak in the characteristic of charging forward to pierce through the opponent's defense with force.

On the other hand, the spear was a weapon truly meant for breaking through. In that case…….

“Can I leave it to you?”

At Dang Jin’s words, Han Cheong-un smiled brightly and said.

“Just trust me and follow.”

“……!”

For a moment, a strange sense of déjá vu entered Dang Jin’s mind.

[Just trust me and follow.]

What is this?

What did I just see?

The sunlight was backlit, so he couldn’t see the face, but it was definitely…….

“Ugh?!”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I just had a slight headache……”

Dang Jin shook his head.

He must have seen a strange illusion from being in a place filled with poison smoke. Anyway…….

“Very well. Please, I ask of you.”

Having received Dang Jin’s permission, Han Cheong-un nodded and immediately ran forward. And…….

“Everyone, stand back.”

Simultaneously with Han Cheong-un’s shout, the Anbi squad split to the left and right. The enemies who saw Han Cheong-un emerge from between them immediately set off poison smoke.

Pow! Po-pow!

A thick purple poison smoke billowed up.

It was a poison smoke so strong that even the elites of the Sichuan Tang Clan, who were resistant to poison, recoiled in disgust. But…….

‘That’s only if you breathe it in.’

The tip of Han Cheong-un’s spear drew a spiral.

The small spiral that started at the spear tip grew larger and larger, and soon, a small whirlwind enveloped the spear. And…….

Kooong!

With a powerful stomp, the moment Han Cheong-un thrust his spear forward, it became a storm.

[ Celestial Pole Eight Trigrams Spear: Azure Wind Revolution ]

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!

A terrifying storm blew away the poison smoke and even pushed back the Red Serpent Squad members behind it.

“Keuk…… What power…… Huh?”

The Red Serpent Squad martial artist, who had been frowning at the raging gale, suddenly felt a hot sensation in his torso.

He reflexively looked down…….

“Uh…… uh?”

He had always seen his own body, but this was the first time he had seen it like this. There was a large hole pierced through his torso.

“Cough……”

And his body slowly collapsed to the floor.

The last thing he heard in his life was the presence of someone brushing past above his head.

“Anyone who blocks my path will die!”

Han Cheong-un, who appeared tearing through the poison smoke, roared loudly. At the same time, his spear vanished.

That’s how it looked to the members of the Red Serpent Squad.

The spear tip that had vanished from their sight was, at some point, piercing through their torsos.

Han Cheong-un’s fierce assault, charging forward with the momentum of a raging fire, shattered the Red Serpent Squad’s defensive line in one go.

“Att…… Attack!”

“Block him!”

The second line of defense, belatedly coming to their senses, moved to block Han Cheong-un.

“Raise the shields!”

Thump! Thump-thump!

They raised their shields in unison.

The shields, larger than they were tall, were covered with heavy iron plates and were difficult for even a considerable master to pierce.

“Get ready. The moment his feet stop, we all attack at once.”

The plan was to use the shields to stop the enemy and then throw poison-laced hidden weapons from all directions.

It was an extremely efficient method of operation, typical of the Unorthodox Faction. But…….

“Hmph.”

The man most familiar with these combat methods of the Unorthodox Faction was none other than Han Cheong-un.

The moment he saw the wall of shields, Han Cheong-un infused his spear with energy.

Woooooong.

The Yang energy of intense heat concentrated on the tip of Han Cheong-un’s spear, causing it to glow red hot. And then…….

“Hup!”

Han Cheong-un’s spear tip split into dozens of points and struck the wall of shields the enemy had created.

[ Celestial Pole Eight Trigrams Spear: Flaming Wave of Fury ]

Kwaang! Kwang-kwang-kwang-kwang-kwang!

Sounds that one would only hear in a blacksmith’s shop echoed.

Han Cheong-un’s spear tip struck the same spot again and again. The point where the attacks were concentrated soon glowed red hot, and the impact was transmitted to those holding the shields.

“Keo-eok……”

“Aaaargh!”

Bones broke and internal organs trembled.

Their hands were being cooked by the hot heat transmitted through the shields. And finally…….

“It’s…… It’s breaking through.”

“Noooo!”

Kwaaaaang!

Han Cheong-un’s spear strikes pierced through the wall of shields and shattered them.

“That bastard……?”

“Get him! Kill him!”

Enemies rushed at Han Cheong-un from all directions, who had broken through two defensive lines in an instant.

Should I respond for a moment?

Han Cheong-un thought, but…….

“Hmph!”

He ignored them and looked forward again.

There was no need to even glance at such small fry. Because…….

“How dare you?!”

A silver flash of light pierced straight through the enemies who were trying to attack Han Cheong-un.

“Keok……”

“Damn it……”

At the same time, Dang Jin, who had come up close behind Han Cheong-un, pulled back his silver thread to retrieve his dagger and shouted.

“Leave the surroundings to me. Just look ahead and go.”

“Ah, I will.”

He would do just that.

Just as he always had.

“Let’s go!”

Han Cheong-un, charging forward like a single spear, and Dang Jin, following closely behind and pushing back enemies in all directions.

The two displayed a perfect coordination that made it hard to believe it was their first time working together, overwhelming the enemies.

The Red Serpent Squad tried desperately to stop the two, but it was useless.

“They are truly like falling leaves in an autumn wind.”

At the words of a member of the Anbi squad following from behind, the others nodded as if in agreement.

***

The Red Serpent Squad, judging that it was difficult to maintain their defensive line, hastily reported the situation to their Grand Master.

“Grand Master. The enemy’s pursuit speed is too fast.”

“What are you all doing, not blocking them properly?”

“Half of our members are already dead. We are holding on desperately, but the distance is gradually closing.”

“Damn it……. Did the Tang Clan bastards fail to hold back the Clan Head?”

The Grand Master of the Red Serpent Squad ground his teeth.

The reason he had left the Tang Clan members behind to block the enemy during the retreat was to tie up the Tang Clan Head.

But the fact that the distance was closing like this meant that they had failed to hold back the Tang Clan Head.

Having made that judgment, the Grand Master of the Red Serpent Squad ground his teeth.

“Useless bastards. Hakso!”

“Yes. Grand Master.”

“You personally lead the Myriad Poisons Body away. I will take care of things here……”

Kwaaaaang!

It was then.

Before he could even give a new order, a man holding a single spear appeared.

As soon as he appeared on the scene, he looked directly at him and spoke.

“It’s been a while. Han Biu.”

“……?”

What? Do I know this guy?

But there was no such person in Han Biu’s memory.

“Who are you?”

“Han Cheong-un.”

“……You use the same surname as me. Are you perhaps someone I have a connection with?”

“……”

For a moment, Han Cheong-un hesitated.

Then he looked at the sky and started muttering something.

“Thinking about it pisses me off.”

“What did you say?”

Han Cheong-un looked forward again, ground his teeth, and slowly took a step.

“I was misunderstood so much because of that back in the day. I was even mistaken for being your son.”

“……?”

“I can’t suffer that injustice again. Therefore……”

Han Cheong-un aimed the tip of his spear and said.

“You’re dead.”

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