Chapter 67 : Chapter 67

Chapter 67. Those Who Want to Die, Come at Me! (3)

Thinking about it, it's not strange.

Currently, besides Ghost Gate Palace, Blood Hand Gate and Poison Hand Gate are visible here.

In other words, the other two sects must have sent skilled executives to take command.

Such a prediction was fully possible. But...

'To think the Sect Leaders of all three sects gathered in one place?'

This was unexpected.

Does this mean those bastards pulled all their Sect Leaders and elite forces from their territories and gathered here now?

What that implies is...

"You bastards, did you really intend to cause a full-scale war between Righteous and Evil?"

At Taoist Qingcheng's words, the Ghost Spirit King said.

"You're slow on the uptake. To realize that only now."

"Crazy bastards! Do you mean you intend to wage a great war between Righteous and Evil?"

"Then? Did you think we would just take the Sichuan Murim and compromise appropriately with the Murim Alliance?"

"..."

When Taoist Qingcheng didn't answer, the Ghost Spirit King laughed as if pathetic and said.

"It seems he really thought so."

"Tsk tsk, being so naive."

"Righteous Way bastards are all like that."

Even the other two joined in to blatantly mock Taoist Qingcheng. Then Taoist Qingcheng shouted with spite.

"Do you think you will be safe after doing this? If the War of Righteousness and Evil breaks out, not a single pillar of yours will remain."

Then the Ghost Spirit King said nonchalantly.

"Well, we'll know that when we try."

"True words."

"Even if that happens, that's for then."

Although living only for today is the Evil Way's method, he didn't know magnates like the Sect Leaders of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way would be like this.

Taoist Qingcheng felt like he would explode with anger.

This was his misjudgment.

He misread the board greatly.

This wasn't a war where he could defeat Evil Way bastards coveting Sichuan and establish merit.

The Evil Way bastards are serious.

They invaded here prepared to wage a full-scale war against the Righteous Way Murim sincerely.

'My mistake. A big mistake.'

To Taoist Qingcheng who couldn't help lamenting, his junior brother Heon Sang approached and said.

"Sect Leader Senior Brother. You must escape."

"What do you mean?"

"We will risk our lives to block them. Senior Brother, lead the junior brothers and escape."

"Telling me to run away now..."

"Sect Leader Senior Brother!"

Heon Sang shouted.

He, who had always been Taoist Qingcheng's right arm and moved according to his will like a tongue inside the mouth, raised an objection for the first time.

"Senior Brother is the Sect Leader of Qingcheng. Do you truly not know what kind of disgrace will remain for Qingcheng if such a Senior Brother falls?"

"..."

"Escape unconditionally. I will handle the rear."

At Heon Sang's words, Taoist Qingcheng bit his lip tightly.

He was angry enough to go crazy, but his head knew. That Heon Sang's words were correct.

To avoid the worst situation here, it is right for himself and the Elders to escape.

Even if they lose, if the Sect Leader and Elders survive, Qingcheng's power can be preserved to some extent. However...

"Hahahaha! Good."

"Try it."

"Strike! Don't let a single one go!"

Even that would never be easy.

* * *

It was truly one-sided.

The moment the Evil Way's attack began, the Qingcheng Sect resisted with their best, but their resistance was meaningless.

In a situation already pushed back in momentum, even the actual power was too overwhelming.

Eight Gates of the Evil Way and Nine Sects One Gang.

They were members of sects representing Evil and Righteous respectively and similarly came gathering elites, but...

"Hahaha. What is this?"

"Are you trying to act cute now?"

In fact, the skill gap between the two sects was quite significant.

Aside from internal energy or techniques, the difference in practical combat experience was too big.

Compared to the Righteous Way who deal with trivial thieves or bandits even when they go out into the Gangho occasionally, Evil Way people are those for whom killing and dying among the same Evil Way, no, actually even within the same sect, is common.

It would be stranger if there was no difference in experience.

"Kuaagh..."

"These bastards... Aagh!"

Qingcheng disciples fell like autumn leaves, and among them, the only one struggling was...

"These Evil Way bastards!"

Elder Heon Sang of Qingcheng, the only one remaining in the rear.

"Ooooooh!"

He fought the Evil Way pouring out all his true power as if there was no tomorrow.

His appearance fighting without rest with sword flux drawn over five inches from his sword was like a small storm.

His sword art wielded violently in the chaotic melee was violent enough to be appropriately called a sword dance.

But even in that violent sword dance, the essence of the Clear Wind Sword Art he had practiced all his life was embedded.

In short...

"Kuh... This half-corpse..."

"Aagh..."

He was strong.

While everyone was being pushed back, corpses of the Evil Way group were piling up one by one around him.

When someone like an Elder of Qingcheng ran wild shaving off his own life, others had no choice but to hesitate.

And empowered by Heon Sang's performance, other disciples around him also recovered their momentum a little.

"Gather around the Elder!"

"Form a sword formation centering on the Elder. Hurry!"

A thread of hope.

In that, Heon Sang knew what he had to do. He raised the sword flux stronger and shouted sharply.

"As long as my head is attached, I cannot let a single bastard pass behind this!"

At the roar reminiscent of a wounded beast, even the opponents hesitated momentarily. However...

"Then I'll just cut and pass."

There was one person approaching nonchalantly without shrinking back at all.

A man holding a Japanese sword in one hand and covering half his face with a mask approached Heon Sang nonchalantly.

"Red Blood Saber Ghost."

Heon Sang was tense.

The opponent is a Sect Leader of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way and a figure called the Number One Saber of the Evil Way.

Thinking normally, he is an opponent clearly a cut above him. But...

'Hmph, a body that will die anyway.'

He pulled up all his innate true qi he had been saving until the very last moment and concentrated it on the sword.

CRASH!

Sword flux rose anew on his sword, reaching a length of fully seven inches.

Feeling his life force extinguishing moment by moment, Heon Sang took a stance.

'I will cut off that devil's head and take it as the last trophy of my life.'

If he does so, Qingcheng's honor will also live. Heon Sang, having made up his mind, pointed his sword at the opponent and shouted.

"Red Blood Saber Ghost! Do you indeed have the courage to compete one-on-one with m..."

That was it.

What Heon Sang saw while speaking was the opponent in front of him blurring and disappearing. And...

CLANG!

A clear metallic sound was heard.

Simultaneously, a cool sensation was felt on his neck.

There is no pain.

But...

"Talkative."

Red Blood Saber Ghost's voice heard from behind him before he knew it.

He put his saber back into the sheath and finished his words.

"Did you tell me to cut your neck?"

"Y... You bastard..."

"I did as you wanted."

That was it.

Heon Sang's head fell to the floor, and blood shot up like a fountain from his severed neck.

"E... Elder!"

"Uaaaaagh!"

Several enraged Qingcheng disciples rushed at Red Blood Saber Ghost, but it was meaningless.

The moment they entered Red Blood Saber Ghost's range.

CLANG!

A clear metallic sound rang. And...

"Ugh..."

"Kuh..."

That was the end.

The bravely rushing Qingcheng disciples became cold corpses without even realizing where they were cut.

Drawing, slashing, sheathing.

The ultimate drawing technique created by establishing these three movements as one.

Nothing was visible to people's eyes.

Only the small metallic sound generated at the moment of sheathing as it was retrieved was the only evidence.

Truly godlike skill insufficient to be called Saber Ghost.

Red Blood Saber Ghost spoke to his subordinates around him with a cold voice.

"Clean up everyone within half a gak and start pursuing. If late, I will make you bastards the rust of my blade too."

"Loyalty!"

"Loyalty!"

Knowing well that those weren't empty words, the Blood Hand Gate members hurriedly wiped out the Qingcheng disciples.

The remaining disciples resisted desperately, but the gap in power was too big to fill with will.

Thus, one hundred chosen disciples from Qingcheng became cold corpses.

* * *

Taoist Qingcheng ran gritting his teeth.

And following him, about thirty people followed behind.

Elders and some first-class disciples with promising futures.

They were running without looking back while fellow disciples bought time.

To live?

No. There was no one hoping for just their own life to be intact.

The reason they run is for Qingcheng.

Those here must remain intact for Qingcheng's martial lineage to continue intact.

They already suffered severe damage, but if even those here are annihilated, Qingcheng's status will be hard to recover even after a hundred years.

So they must live.

This is a duty to the fellow disciples protecting the rear prepared for death. However...

"Over there! Qingcheng bastards are there!"

"Hahaha. Where are you going like rats?"

"You didn't get very far."

Before they knew it, Evil Way bastards chased behind.

And the fact that bastards are chasing means one fact to Qingcheng's disciples.

"Kuh..."

"Those damn bastards..."

The annihilation of fellow disciples left in the rear.

They were prepared for their death from the start.

But even if it was something prepared for, the difference between knowing it actually happened and not is big.

"Those bastards dare..."

One first-class disciple stopped his feet and drew his sword. But...

"What are you doing? Jeong Mun!"

"Do not stop me. Elder. I will here..."

SMACK!

The face of the disciple called Jeong Mun turned sharply. The Elder who slapped his cheek spoke with a hardened face while pulling the disciple's collar.

"Do you think we are different? Do you think we don't feel like going crazy with resentment?!"

"..."

"If resentful, run. Run and run again to escape this place. And live for Qingcheng!"

"Elder..."

"Otherwise, the deaths of Qingcheng disciples who died for us will only be dog's deaths."

"Kuh..."

At the Elder's shout, the disciples gritted their teeth. But they started running again, and the Qingcheng Elder who scolded the disciple drew his sword.

"This is my role."

As long as the pursuit party attached, someone had to remain behind.

He judged that he, not the young disciples, should take that role.

As he drew his sword and stood his ground, several other Elders approached.

"It is impossible for Senior Brother alone."

"I will join too."

"I passed on all my martial arts to my disciple. So I will become a stepping stone here for Qingcheng's future."

At the hearts of fellow junior brothers sharing the will, he nodded and said.

"Thank you, Junior Brothers."

Five Qingcheng Elders prepared for death drew their swords. And soon began to dance the last sword dance of their lives against the encroaching Evil Way.

"I will kill you all!"

"I will make you all my companions to the netherworld!"

As five Qingcheng Elders ran wild crazily, the pursuit party also had to stop briefly.

Feeling difficult to ignore and pass, they formed a combined attack formation and began to corner and catch the Elders.

"Deal with them quickly!"

"Damn, if only it was as easy as said... Kuh..."

"Be careful. These old men are somewhat capable!"

Five Qingcheng Elders fought with all their might.

Even if a fellow disciple fell, they didn't give a single glance, and even if their limbs were severed, they fought as if to take even one more bastard until the very end.

But despite such struggle, the time they could buy wasn't even one tea-boiling time.

And the Evil Way pursuit party resumed the pursuit again.

"Hurry. If we lose them, the Sect Leader will dip us in poison."

"Damn it..."

The Evil Way ran hard again, and when they caught up to Qingcheng's tail, another group separated and blocked them.

"Come. You Evil Way bastards!"

"We will show you Qingcheng's sword!"

* * *

It was wretched.

No, would the expression miserable be more fitting?

The Qingcheng survivors, initially over thirty, became twenty-five, those twenty-five became twenty, and twenty became fifteen. And...

"Sect Leader Senior Brother. Go!"

"I will handle here..."

"Stoooooop!"

It was the limit now.

Taoist Qingcheng shouted loudly and yelled at the disciples and junior brothers who were about to separate and block the rear again.

"This is not right! This is not right!"

"Sect Leader Senior Brother!"

"What is the point of living by doing this? Can we really maintain Qingcheng's martial lineage by living like this?"

"Sect Leader Senior Brother, still Senior Brother must liv..."

"Living like this is worse than dying!"

"..."

"Not as me individually, but also as the Sect Leader of Qingcheng."

Taoist Qingcheng gritted his teeth and drew his sword.

His internal injuries hadn't recovered yet, but what did it matter?

Since this sword isn't drawn to win anyway.

"We all die here. But at least we cannot die chased like hunted rats."

Taoist Qingcheng gritted his teeth and shouted.

"Even if we die, we will die without bringing shame to Qingcheng's honor!"

The moment he shouted so, an answer came from the opposite side.

"That's truly good words."

It was the Evil Way pursuit parties who completely caught up to Qingcheng before they knew it. Even at their lead were all three enemy Sect Leaders.

Red Blood Saber Ghost, Myriad Poisons Demon Snake, Ghost Spirit King.

As all three appeared, Taoist Qingcheng bit his lip tightly.

'Indeed... Those bastards, they could have caught us earlier if they wanted.'

Himself slowed down by internal injuries and Qingcheng disciples exhausted from running this far.

Yet the reason they weren't caught and maintained a perilous distance was that the enemies were playing with them.