Chapter 1271: A Tiger in A Trap (Part 1)

Shattered fragments of the sword swept across the beach with tremendous force.

It seemed like no one made of flesh and blood would be able to escape unscathed. But at that moment, Chung Myung pulled the sword towards his body and began a fierce rotation. Simultaneously, a red petal-like energy spewed from the sword, enveloping Chung Myung's body.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique (二十四手梅花劍法), "Plum Blossom Impenetrable Wall" (梅花難壁)!

Known for its extreme aggressiveness, the technique was closer to the martial arts of the Evil Sect than those of the righteous sects. Among the twenty-four offensive techniques, the Plum Blossom Impenetrable Wall was the only one with a strong defensive nature, creating a radiant wall of plum blossoms around Chung Myung.

Clang, clang, clang!

The explosive momentum of the flying sword pieces bounced off the plum blossom energy surrounding Chung Myung.

"Hah!"

In a rare occasion, Chung Myung roared. At that moment, the plum blossom energy swirling around him instantly exploded in all directions.

Pwoosh!

Already shredded by the exploding sword pieces, the bodies of the Myriad Man Manor members who had recklessly approached him were pierced consecutively by the plum blossom energy.

However, even with holes through their bodies, the members attacking Chung Myung did not make a single groaning sound. That sight alone hinted that these individuals were different from those he had faced before.

Then, the subsequent actions of these individuals even made Chung Myung's expression stiffen.

Swish!

Instead of retreating, the Myriad Man Manor members charged forward.

Squelch, squelch, squelch!

A reckless charge without a plan. The sharp plum blossom energy retaliated against this foolhardy rush, but those charging forward did not blink an eye. They simply protected their heads and necks with both hands, accelerating forward.

Even if they were pierced dozens of times by the sword energy, as long as they protected their heads, it seemed there was no immediate threat of death.

"Huaaaa!"

Their first scream erupted from their mouths. Those who had reached right next to Chung Myung spread their arms and embraced him forcefully.

A mad dash that anyone would find bewildering. Unfortunately, Chung Myung wasn't anyone.

Chung Myung, who slightly tilted his body backward, swung the sword horizontally in an instant. If they were rushing in without defense, then counterattack where they left themselves open. Chung Myung's swordsmanship sacrificed precision for speed and strength, making it incredibly fast and powerful.

Paaaaaaaa!

Those who had charged in were split in half from the chest.

However, dealing with those who were attacking from all directions in a single strike was impossible. The remaining ones charged at Chung Myung without slowing down. In their hands, they held dark [poisoned] small knives (小刀) whose origins were unclear.

A desperate situation.

However, at that moment, Chung Myung's eyes became even colder.

Swooooosh!

Chung Myung's sword emitted a crescent-shaped sword energy in all directions, instantly cutting the bodies of those charging into pieces.

However, those who survived did not even blink. As a Myriad Man Manor member reached Chung Myung's side, he swung a poisoned dagger (毒匕) with great force.

Even in a situation where comrades were dying one after another, and their own lives were at stake, the eyes of the Myriad Man Manor member wielding the poisoned dagger as they swung it at Chung Myung's side showed no trace of emotion.

Rather than coldness, it felt more like something close to an inanimate object.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth and swung his sword. The hand holding the poisoned dagger, tainted with venom, was cut off and flew into the air.

At that moment, Chung Myung's eyes widened.

'Poison?'

The blood spurting from the severed wrist strangely had a blackish tint. It was a clear symptom of someone poisoned.

Perhaps if that blood were to touch him, there would be a high probability Chung Myung would be poisoned as well. If he were at leisure, he could simply burn away such toxins through meditation, but in the current intense battle, there was no room for such relaxation.

'Well, as long as I don't get poisoned, it's okay.'

Paaaaaaat!

Chung Myung's sword cut through the air like a beam of light, surging toward the heart of a Myriad Man Manor member.

Whoosh!

Chung Myung's beloved Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword pierced through the well-trained muscles of the member like a needle through cloth, stabbing into the heart three inches deep.

"Grrr…"

However, at that moment, the Myriad Man Manor member raised his hand and gripped the sword embedded in his heart. It was a behavior closer to instinct than intention. Chung Myung looked at the scene with indifferent eyes, devoid of any sympathy. At the moment when he was about to cut off the fingers holding the sword...

Thump! Thump!

Despite facing imminent death, the abdomen of the Myriad Man Manor disciple, who should have been on the brink of death, suddenly swelled. Sensing that something was happening, Chung Myung was about to step back when, a moment faster than him, the abdomen of the member exploded.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

An explosion came out of nowhere, raising a massive cloud of dust on the coast.

"...What is this?"

Even the typically unflappable Ho Gakmyung seemed flustered. He turned his head to look at Gwayang, the Blood Sword King. The long scar across Ho Gakmyung's face seemed to please Gwayang. The ones currently assaulting Chung Myung are none other than the members of the Blood Sword Unit. Only Gwayang could comprehend the nature of their actions.

"You seem to be enjoying the show."

Gwayang sneered as he spoke. The long scar across Ho Gakmyung's face seemed to please him considerably.

"What have you done? Did you obtain the Golden Dragon Scripture from the Tang Family?"

"Golden Dragon Scripture?"

Gwayang let out a faint chuckle.

"I don't see why it's necessary. As long as the result is the same."

"..."

"It's not complicated. I just split their stomachs and put in the explosives obtained from the Byeoglyeog Sect [not important]. Of course, I surrounded it with poison-soaked steel needles."

"...Putting explosives inside a person's belly? And with poisoned needles?"

"Yes."

Ho Gakmyung looked at Gwayang as if he had lost his words. Ho Gakmyung, who was also part of the Evil Sect, believed that any means were acceptable as long as the result could be achieved. However, this act went beyond even the standards of the Evil Sect.

"Can you even survive after that?"

"Don't say foolish things, Commander. Naturally, you'll die even if the explosives don't go off. If the poison was so poorly made that someone could survive even if they kept it in their stomachs, it wouldn't have been used in the first place."

"..."

"There are things that you can't catch through normal means anyway. If their lives can leave a mark on the body of such a monster, it'll be an honorable death, won't it?"

Ho Gakmyung remained silent without responding.

'It's atrocious.'

It was an act horrifying to the point of inducing vomit, but there was no doubt that it was an incredibly efficient method.

Even if that weren't the case, Ho Gakmyung had nothing to say.

The units within the Myriad Man Manor were each independent entities. While it is possible to give orders to a unit, how to train and utilize the members within the Blood Sword Unit was solely the authority of the unit leader.

"...So did you catch him?"

"No way."

Gwayang nonchalantly replied.

"I told you. He's a monster. Everyone probably looks similar due to your low martial arts skills, but that guy is in a different league."

"..."

"At most, each one might add one or two holes. No, perhaps just a scratch."

Gwayang stared at the gradually settling dust cloud with indifferent eyes.

"But that's enough. Because those scratches pile up and eventually form an immobilizing wound. At that point, just tighten him slowly and it'll be enough."

Ho Gakmyung's gaze turned towards the dust cloud. Soon, the dust cleared, revealing a figure.

Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung.

He didn't appear to have any significant wounds, but Ho Gakmyung saw it clearly. Small holes scattered across his clothing, and the areas around those holes were stained darker.

Chung Myung glanced down at his own body.

Blood oozed from the pierced holes. Fortunately, the poisoned daggers didn't completely pierce through his body, averting a catastrophe where vital points would be exposed. However, it was questionable whether that should really be considered fortunate.

"Tch!"

He spat out pooled blood from his mouth, tainted with a dark hue. The poison had undoubtedly spread.

"...It's quite something."

Unimaginable.

Chung Myung had experienced an untold number of battlefields. He had fought in chaotic battles against the dreadful fanatics of the Demonic Cult, unmatched in their fervor.

Yet even those fanatics never attacked in this manner.

If they were fanatical beasts stained with madness, these were like emotionless hunters excluding sentiment.

"This is how it should be…"

Chung Myung twisted his lips. His bloody teeth were eerily exposed.

"The Myriad Man Manor."

The man who led them was Jang Ilso. There was no way that guy would raise his subordinates normally.

Chung Myung turned his body. Enough was enough of this spectacle. If he delayed any longer, it would become truly dangerous.

Paaat!

His body drew a black line as he rushed towards the coast. A group that had bypassed him already occupied the coast, blocking Chung Myung's path as if they had been waiting for him.

They wore red clothes and carried swords.

They were different from the Myriad Man Manor members he faced earlier. The moment he sensed this, Chung Myung lowered his posture further, and in an instant, those rushing towards him swung their swords.

It was an incredibly rapid sword strike, as if it were completely based on speed. Instead of avoiding, Chung Myung calmly met the incoming swords.

Clang!

As the swords collided, the sword of the Blood Unit member struck against Chung Myung's Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword, flexibly wrapping around it.

'Soft Sword?' (軟劍)?

No, definitely not!

No matter how much internal force was exerted, a Soft Sword would never be able to withstand Chung Myung's Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword.

At that very moment, the sword entwining Chung Myung's Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword twisted like a snake, revealing fangs and extending towards Chung Myung's face. It was like the segmented bones of a snake, each section disjointed.

Chung Myung opened his eyes wide.

'Serpent Belly Sword!' (蛇腹劍)

A sword designed to connect the central part of the blade with wire, allowing for elongation!

A deformed weapon that was rarely encountered even after facing countless formidable enemies. At this moment, it had its sights set on Chung Myung's face.

Chung Myung pulled on his sword. However, the Serpent Belly Sword entwined around the Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword desperately clung and wouldn't let go. The pulling motion and the thrusting motion happened simultaneously.

This strange and unpredictable maneuver was only possible due to the deformed weapon.

Hwaaaah!

At that moment, Chung Myung's left hand scattered in the air.

It might be an odd expression, but it was literal. Just as Chung Myung's hand seemed to blur, numerous shadowy hand shapes appeared between the sword and his face, much like plum blossoms scattering.

Peak Plum Blossom Mountain Hand Technique (梅花散手)!

Kagaagaak!

The shadowy hands that bloomed in the air deflected the swords coming towards him. The Serpent Belly Sword, bizarre as it was, couldn't breach the defense of the Plum Blossom Mountain Hand Technique.

However, the problem was that there was more than just one sword.

Chyaaaah!

Successive Serpent Belly Swords entwined around Chung Myung's Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword.

The tightly pulled Serpent Belly Swords firmly immobilized Chung Myung's Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword. They showed no intention of letting go!

Meanwhile, other Blood Sect members rushed forward, striking their swords. The swords they extended bent grotesquely, like a multitude of venomous snakes targeting a deer.