Chapter 83 The Alliance of the Righteous – Part 2

Chapter 83: The Alliance of the Righteous – Part 2

But it wasn’t over yet.

Saryang, who had fired the steel rings, now began to move in earnest.

Shashak!

“Kekek, where are you looking?”

The startled warriors, who had hesitated, saw the new form of the temple maiden appear before their eyes in an instant.

“!”

A savage strike flew straight at them like a predator.

Red energy surged from his hands like long claws.

Puhwaak!

“Kwaaah!”

As the Amipa master, his body split open, screamed, Temple Yang’s figure was already closing in on another target.

A movement like a wildcat attacking a pack of rats.

It was slaughter.

Swoosh!

“Aaah! Sect Leader!”

While Ami Pa had many peak masters, most were still at the very beginning of their peak or just one step above, possessing seventy years of cultivation.

Facing Saryangyang without being able to coordinate their attacks, he was like a monster they could never hope to defeat.

Only then did Gyeolhan snap back to his senses.

The twenty or so peak masters he had brought had already been reduced by half.

The remaining first-rate martial artists were in an even worse state.

Moreover, that was just the situation up to now. If left unchecked, their complete annihilation seemed only a matter of time.

The situation suddenly descended upon the temple.

“You bastard!”

The sword strike, unleashed with all of Gyeolhan Satae’s might, seemed to warp through space, suddenly appearing before Saryang’s eyes.

Shuuuwaaah!

It was the Musang Sword Technique, a supreme skill only the masters of the Amipa could master.

The sudden attack, as if moving through space, truly embodied the essence of the Amipa’s supreme technique.

But Sa Won-yang merely flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes, showing no sign of panic.

“Hoo, so this is the Muwang Sword Technique?”

Then, as if pulled backward from behind, his figure swiftly retreated through the air.

Simultaneously, the sword of the sudden crisis slashed through the air in vain at the spot where he had been standing.

Shhhhh!

Having effortlessly evaded the attack, the temple maiden smiled brightly and said.

“That looks interesting. But I’m the type who saves the tastiest for last.”

Then, his figure shot out like a beam of light.

Toward another peak-level master who had been separated from the Decisive Situation.

The desperate situation cried out urgently.

“You cowardly bastard!”

But her cry and the killing of another peak master happened almost simultaneously.

Puff!

“Aaaah!”

The masters at the peak of their power couldn’t withstand even a single move from Miss Sa-won.

For the vivid, sharp energy that shot forth from Saryang’s hands like long claws instantly shattered not only their energy and swords, but their very bodies in one blow.

Gyeolhan, who couldn’t keep up with his speed and had to watch his disciple die, gritted his teeth.

He thought he understood what Saryangyang intended.

The bastard was trying to reduce their numbers, starting with the weak ones.

And the outcome was obvious, even without needing to see it play out.

“Everyone, gather together! Don’t scatter—unite and fight back!”

At the urgent command in this critical situation, the peak masters hurriedly gathered together to combine their strength.

But watching them, a faint, bitter smile appeared at the corner of Saryangyang’s mouth.

“Fools.”

Simultaneously, vivid energy rings formed once more in both his hands.

Startled, Gyeolhan Saeya shouted.

“No! Get out of the way…!”

But the steel rings, shot like lightning, once again pierced through the bodies of the gathered peak masters and passed through.

Thud!

“Guh!”

“Master…!”

This time, two people per fireball—four lives vanished in an instant.

If they spread out, they were hunted down one by one; if they closed ranks, the steel rings flew in.

The masters of the Amipa now had no idea what to do or how to proceed.

They were completely overcome by terror.

The situation for Gyeolhan was not much different.

Her eyes, too, were filled with the light of despair.

She was chasing hard, but she simply couldn’t catch up. As if to taunt her, the temple maiden had once again slain the outermost unmanned sentry at a speed impossible to pursue.

‘If this keeps up…’

A vision of what was to come suddenly flashed through her mind.

Only eight peak masters remained, including herself; all the first-rate warriors had already been slaughtered.

While the peak masters remained, the enemy avoided confrontation. But once he deemed their numbers sufficiently depleted, he would no longer evade her.

And it was highly likely that would be her end.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Gyeolhan’s mind.

‘Should I run away now?’

This might be her last chance.

A slight pang of guilt at abandoning the disciples flashed through her mind, but she could easily rationalize that away.

If she, the head of the Amipa, died here, wouldn’t that be a great loss for the Amipa as well?

Therefore, he absolutely had to survive.

Even if it meant abandoning all the disciples.

But another thought also crossed his mind.

All those supporting this situation were right here at this very moment.

But if he were to lose them all and return alone, could he truly maintain his position as head of the sect?

He shook his head.

‘No way. That absolutely won’t happen.’

The opposition would surely rise like wildfire and tear him apart.

He’d be lucky not to be imprisoned in the dungeons, let alone retain his position as head of the sect.

It was during this state of paralysis, caught between a rock and a hard place, that chaos erupted.

Meanwhile, Saryang had killed another disciple.

Splash!

“Kyaaah! Sect Leader!”

Gyeolhan clenched his teeth, his impatience growing.

“Yik!”

That was the moment.

Suddenly, someone flew in like a shooting star from the dark sky beyond the wall.

“Stop!”

His sword sliced through the air, trailing a crimson aura like sunset light that dyed the black sky.

The startled Amipa masters cried out.

“The Crimson Fall Sword Technique?!”

He was none other than Hua Yingbin, the Red Rain Sword Master.

He was overwhelming the temple with a majestic crimson sword aura like a sunset.

“Haah!”

Sawen Yang, slightly frowning, retreated by swiftly moving through the air as if pulled back, just as before.

It was a reaction similar to when facing a critical situation.

“Red Heaven Sword!”

“Fire, Strike!”

The Amipa disciples greeted him warmly, calling out his name.

He, who usually associated with the opposition faction in critical situations and was not particularly fond of them, could not have been more delighted.

But Hwayeongbin, who had pushed the temple maiden aside, quickly shouted not at them, but toward the crisis.

“Satae! Chasing him alone is pointless! Have the rest of you line up in a single file! Satae and I will guard both ends and slowly apply pressure!”

Gyeolhan Satae immediately grasped the meaning of his words.

If they line up sideways facing the enemy, even throwing fireballs won’t be very effective. And if either myself or Hwayeongbin are positioned on either side, wouldn’t the enemy hesitate to charge so easily?

In that instant, her mind felt clear.

She immediately shouted.

“Do as Hwa Sajil says! Everyone line up in a single file! Hwa Sajil and I will take the two ends!”

Soon, the six surviving peak masters formed a straight line, with Gyeolhan Satae and Hwayeongbin positioned at either end.

It resembled a curved straight formation, or perhaps a less curved crane wing formation.

The warriors who had formed their formation thus began slowly advancing toward the temple.

At that, the smile faded slightly from Sa Won-yang’s face.

She was still smiling, but her expression was noticeably fainter than before.

It was the moment a glimmer of hope rose in the hearts of the Amipa disciples, who had been filled only with despair.

***

At the same time, Sunwoojin and Biseoyoung were dashing like the wind toward the inner chambers of the Jeonghyeopbang.

Earlier, Seonwoojin had asked Hwayeongbin to help stall for time if the Amipa’s defeat became imminent.

He had specifically requested she not push herself too hard.

If our power becomes too weak, we must flee without looking back. For the sake of the Amipa, it would be better to die than face such a situation, but Hwa Yeong-bin absolutely must not be allowed to meet that fate.

Hwa Yeong-bin hesitated briefly at Seon Woo-jin’s words before nodding.

But Seon Woo-jin couldn’t be certain he would truly follow through.

‘Could a swordsman living for a lover dead over ten years truly abandon others and flee?’

It seemed unlikely.

Therefore, he had to rescue the women as quickly as possible and return to him.

Biseyeong, who had been running alongside him, shouted.

“Damn it! It’s too damn big! How the hell are we supposed to find where they’re holding the women with no leads?!”

“We’ll just have to try!”

If the information extracted from the Guanyin Hall’s thugs was correct, the women had definitely been moved inside the Zhengxie Hall.

And considering that most of the Zhengxiefang warriors seen earlier weren’t Blood Sect members, there couldn’t be many places capable of holding the women.

That was precisely why Sun Woo-jin was now racing straight toward the main building of the Zhengxie Hall, not the prison.

‘A place accessible only to the top brass, where even the tightest security raises no suspicion.’

Sunwoo Jin thought that place was probably the headquarters.

Of course, he couldn’t be certain.

‘If I go to the headquarters and he’s not there, I’ll just have to retreat with the great hero Hwayeongbin.’

Anything beyond that seemed impossible, no matter how much he thought about it.

He recalled when Sergeant Seolpung and Elder Seok Gyeongdal had faced the Bloodthirsty Demon General Jigwangok. Even two masters with over ninety years of cultivation hadn’t lasted long against such a peerless expert.

Moreover, Master Sa was a master ranked even higher than that Jigwangok.

At that moment, Bisea-yeong’s voice rang out.

“Is that the main temple building?!”

Far in the distance, among the other halls, one hall of overwhelming scale, incomparable to the others, came into view.

***

Dang Lang Gui Xue Wu Guang Hun, a master who had surpassed the eighty-year barrier in internal cultivation, was a trusted confidant who had assisted Sima Yang, the leader of the Small Demon Army, since the founding of the Alliance of Heroes. He was a rare, loyal warrior among the Blood Sect members.

So he was still stationed at the main hall with two subordinates, guarding the front of the main sanctuary while the temple master was away.

Then one of his subordinates cautiously addressed Wu Guanghun.

“Commander Oh, why don’t you go inside and rest? We’ll keep watch here.”

But Wu Guanghun replied firmly.

“How could I alone rest comfortably when His Majesty the Demon King has personally arrived? Set aside your concern for me and ensure vigilance is at its utmost.”

“Yes, sir, Commander.”

The Blood Sect warrior, a top-tier master of the highest caliber, bowed respectfully outwardly, but inwardly cursed him.

The truth was, he had said that because they couldn’t relax properly with him here.

He glared at the back of Oh Gwang-hon’s head, who was staring intently in the direction of the main gate, cursing him silently in his mind.

‘Stubborn bastard, does he think he’s some righteous faction leader?’

That was when it happened.

Something fell silently from the roof of the pavilion behind him.

The descent was so utterly silent that he didn’t notice until the moment someone landed behind him and slashed at the back of his neck.

Sssshhh!

“Guh!”

But not anymore.

The moment Oh Kwang-hyuk heard his subordinate’s short groan, he felt a chill run down his spine.

He spun around instantly and swung his ear-gate weapon, the Dangrangsak, in a hasty arc.

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He realized his instincts had just saved his life.

He had barely managed to block the swift sword strike flying in from behind.

Warning!

“Who the hell are you?!”

Another subordinate beside him finally recognized the intruder, drew his sword, and shouted.

“Intruder…!”

But he couldn’t draw his sword all the way.

It was because someone flying at tremendous speed from behind had driven a dagger into the back of his neck.

Thud!

“Gah!”

He possessed incredible flying skills.

For an instant, even Oh Gwang-hon couldn’t make out his face.

Flying like a beam of light, he swept past Oh Gwang-hon like the wind, scattering daggers.

Puuuup!

Oh Gwang-hon hurriedly blocked the hidden weapons from behind.

Ting!

And in that instant, the first man thrust his sword into Oh Gwang-hon’s back.

Three sword shadows stabbed simultaneously—a sword strike of terrifying speed.

“Guh!”

Clang!

He blocked it hastily as well, and Oh Gwang-hon shouted.

“Three steps, three bows! Are you one of the Dots and Stabs faction?”

Just as Oh Gwang-hon, having blocked the attack, stepped back to evade, another figure had already closed in behind him, hurling hidden weapons.

Pew pew pffft!

“Ugh!”

He was completely disoriented.

Attackers moving at incredible speeds were advancing like interlocking gears, pressing forward from both front and rear.

Unable to endure it, Oh Gwang-hon didn’t block the darts but threw his body sideways to dodge.

Then, the swordsman in front followed him like a shadow and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes.

This time, it was a Hwan-geom that seemed to unfold brilliant wings before my eyes.

‘A sword of light? Not the Piercing Star technique?’

Gritting his teeth, Oh Gwang-hon wildly swung his Tanglang Axe, attempting to knock down that sword.

“Hah!”

At that moment.

A slender beam of light shot forth from the center of the wings.

A sword strike so swift it chilled the blood—a single, decisive blow.

“Huh?!”

But Oh Gwang-hon was also a peak master with over eighty years of internal energy cultivation. He swung his Dangrangsak with all his might to block it.

Clang!

‘Blocked it!’

Having blocked the swift sword that seemed impossible to stop, Oh Gwang-hon silently cheered inside.

But the next moment, he had to drop to his knees.

And without even closing his eyes in frustration, he collapsed, utterly defeated.

Thud!

Deep within the back of his fallen neck was embedded the dagger thrown by Bise-yeong.

It was the result of Oh Gwang-hoon, momentarily distracted by the sudden commotion, failing to react in time to Bise-yeong’s dart, hurled with all his might.

With Oh Gwang-hoon dead, Seon Woo-jin and Bi Sa-yeong, who had just exchanged a fist bump, immediately advanced into the main hall.