Chapter 157

Chapter 157
## Chapter 157: The Eighteen Blade Guests (1)

“The enemy has arrived,” Sanggwan Cheon declared.

His brief statement pulled a thick shroud of tension over the assembly hall.

“What is their estimated arrival time?”

Sanggwan Baek inquired, slowly lifting his lids after a moment of deep focus.

“I would calculate less than half a shichen.”

“It aligns with our projections, yet they moved with unexpected haste.”

“The skirmish at Cheonri Plain likely forced their hand.”

Sanggwan Baek turned a confused gaze toward Ha Hu Hyo.

“Cheonri Plain? Their trap failed, so why the rush? It would seem more logical to pause and consolidate their strength.”

“They lack the peace of mind for such a delay. Not after confirming the involvement of those individuals.”

“Ah, you mean them.”

“From the perspective of our foes, the participation of those figures is a disaster. They are likely tracking their every shadow, paralyzed by the possibility of an intervention. Even though we have put significant distance between ourselves and Heavenly Sky Hall, the enemy remains convinced they might still strike. We understand the reality of the situation, but they remain ignorant and fearful.”

While Ha Hu Hyo spoke, he carefully observed the expressions of the high-ranking members of Heavenly Sky Hall.

Though many looked distressed or shifted in their seats, Sanggwan Cheon remained entirely unmoved. If anything, he looked disgusted that the subject had even been broached.

Sanggwan Baek noticed Ha Hu Hyo’s look of disappointment and let out a soft, tired breath.

When reports originally reached them that the Heavenly Demon Cult was hunting the Ha Hu Clan’s support units, Heavenly Sky Hall had been thrown into a panic. Many allies were coming to their aid, but the quality of the Ha Hu Clan’s warriors was unmatched. The potential loss of such a force was a terrifying prospect, and though they organized a relief party immediately, it had been far too slow to act.

Then, the unbelievable report arrived: the Ha Hu Clan’s reinforcements were unharmed, and their pursuers had been nearly wiped out.

The leaders of Heavenly Sky Hall, previously choked by anxiety, erupted in cheers of triumph. However, the mood soured instantly when it was revealed that Sima Geon’s group had provided the salvation. The prospect of taking help from such a source had already been a point of fierce contention.

The dispute, which had temporarily cooled upon the arrival of the reinforcements, flared up again. Sanggwan Cheon and his loyalists remained immovable, refusing to acknowledge or accept any cooperation from those tied to the Heavenly Demon Cult.

“Let us speak no more of them.”

Sanggwan Baek made a small dismissive gesture toward Ha Hu Hyo.

As a senior pillar of Heavenly Sky Hall, he felt a sense of shame for his inability to break Sanggwan Cheon’s pride. Yet, with a siege looming, they could not waste breath on circular arguments. Recognizing this, Ha Hu Hyo fell silent.

Sensing the friction, Sanggwan Je moved to steer the conversation back to the task at hand.

“Very well, a final review. When the first blow falls, our initial maneuver will be…”

—

“A perfect twilight for a slaughter.”

Dark Thunder Blade Chu Seung showed his teeth in a grin, watching the sun bleed crimson across the western horizon.

“How much further to the objective?”

The Blood Light Martial Emperor, standing beside him and observing the dying light, asked over his shoulder.

“Once we navigate past this timberland, Heavenly Sky Hall lies directly ahead,” Jang Gon answered.

Blood Light Martial Emperor gave a short laugh and a nod.

“When the carnage begins, pull the support units back. They are our personal assets—I won’t have them thinned out by random projectile fire.”

“I will take every precaution, but I shall heed your command just in case.”

Jang Gon offered a stiff, nervous smile.

“Regardless, are you monitoring the movements of the Divine Demon Leader accurately?”

“I cannot claim perfection, but there are no reports of movement out of the ordinary.”

“That suffices. Just ensure no maneuvers toward our position go unnoticed.”

“We are maintaining a constant vigil. Rest easy.”

“Fine, I understand.”

“Why such worry? This will be finished before the moon reaches its peak. Even if they try to step in, it will be over long before they arrive.”

Faced with Chu Seung’s bluntness, Blood Light Martial Emperor gave a self-deprecating smirk.

“I suppose you’re right. Ha! Perhaps I am growing weary and overthinking. I am becoming an old man.”

“Concern regarding the Divine Demon Leader or Diamond Yaksha isn’t entirely misplaced. But for now, we look forward.”

Chu Seung gestured toward the silhouette of Heavenly Sky Hall, which was now coming into focus.

The massive front gates were thrown wide, and a formidable line of defenders was already positioned on the flat ground before the entrance.

“They are prepared for us.”

“And in significant numbers.”

Chu Seung surveyed the front-line soldiers and the reinforcements visible behind the walls.

“It matters little—a mob is still just a mob.”

Blood Light Martial Emperor reached out, and an attendant immediately placed a polearm into his palm.

The shaft was far broader and longer than a standard spear, topped with a blood-hued blade that seemed to pulse with a dark light. Hanging beneath the head was the Iron Blood Flag, the dreaded banner of his personal legion.

“I believe a greeting is in order.”

With a cruel grin, Blood Light Martial Emperor threw the heavy spear with deceptive ease.

It cut through the air like a bolt of lightning, striking the center of the Heavenly Sky Hall’s nameplate and burying itself deep into the wood.

“Those arrogant wretches!”

Sanggwan Baek’s voice thundered with rage.

He had initially thought the projectile was a stray shot, but to target their clan’s very identity was an unforgivable insult.

It was a direct slap to the face of Heavenly Sky Hall.

“Attack!”

Sanggwan Cheon roared as he surged forward. The warriors of Heavenly Sky Hall followed with a deafening war cry, spreading their ranks—the Purple Flower Gate took the left flank, while the Dragon Tiger Pavilion moved to the right.

The elite reinforcements from the Ha Hu Clan followed close behind, maintaining the pressure.

“Eighteen Blade Guests!”

At the Blood Light Martial Emperor’s sharp command, the silent, middle-aged figures behind him stepped out.

“Clear the path.”

“As you command!”

The Eighteen Blade Guests bowed in unison before splitting into two distinct squads and advancing.

While each was a master in their own right, their true lethality lay in the Eight Roads Chain Lock Formation.

Eight warriors governed the cardinal directions while a ninth acted as the pivot—nine minds functioning as a single entity. Their formation was whispered to be an invincible force.

As they fanned out to the flanks, Blood Light Martial Emperor looked back.

“I shall provide the breach your Gate Lord requested.”

“You have my gratitude.”

Bright King Gate Lord Yu Sa Hyu bowed, his eyes burning with the desire to lead the charge.

“The enemy’s energy is high, but teach them the true power of the Bright King Gate.”

“Consider it done.”

Yu Sa Hyu gave a confident shout and signaled his followers. Roughly seventy warriors of the Bright King Gate followed him into the fray.

“Winding Path Valley will provide rear support.”

“Understood.”

Dong Chuk moved his men into position, suppressing his irritation at being denied the vanguard.

“And finally…”

Blood Light Martial Emperor’s eyes fell upon the group waiting at the very back.

His gaze softened with a flicker of pity.

They had been tasked with stopping the Ha Hu Clan’s support—a vital objective—only to return after a humiliating defeat.

It had been such a complete rout that “failure” seemed too kind a word; they were the lucky few who had managed to crawl away. Yet, they faced no mockery. Instead, they were met with quiet sympathy for their misfortune.

“You are still in the process of healing—are you certain you can participate?”

Blood Light Martial Emperor asked with sincere concern.

“We are capable. Through the Supreme Elder’s intervention, our injuries have stabilized.”

Though fluid still seeped from the stump of Ghost Path Branch Lord Gok Seon’s missing arm, his expression remained like frozen stone.

“And what of you?”

“I am fit for combat.”

The eyes of Elder Jo Geon Saeng were equally devoid of warmth.

“If you are determined, I will not hold you back. You have no set objective—strike where you see fit.”

Blood Light Martial Emperor granted this freedom as a gesture of respect to the survivors of the Divine Demon Leader.

“Thank you.”

Gok Seon and Jo Geon Saeng offered a shallow bow before leading their remaining subordinates toward the center, where the collision of the two armies promised to be the bloodiest.

“Tsk. They could have stayed behind to recover.”

Blood Light Martial Emperor clicked his tongue, and Chu Seung laughed softly.

“It’s a matter of pride, I imagine. They were crushed while trying to earn glory—now they need to wash away that stain. Not to mention seeking vengeance for their dead.”

“I hope they survive the night.”

“Hahaha! You’ve become soft-hearted. It doesn’t look right on you. It’s been ages since I’ve seen those men in action—I wonder if their style has evolved.”

Chu Seung turned his attention toward the Eighteen Blade Guests as they crashed into the Purple Flower Gate.

‘These men are monsters!’

The eyes of Yu Jin Gyo, the Purple Flower Gate Lord, trembled with shock. A ragged breath escaped his lips.

Though they were outnumbered, the sheer presence of those nine men as they swung their massive blades made it clear they were elite killers.

His dark instinct was proven correct almost immediately.

“Gah!”

“Agh!”

The screams began to overlap in a chorus of agony.

Purple Flower Gate warriors who crossed paths with the Eighteen Blade Guests were cut down without mercy.

Caught between life and death, the sight of friends—men they had been joking with just moments prior—turned into mangled corpses shattered their resolve.

A mixture of grief, shame, and the cold relief of still being alive twisted into a desperate rage. But the Eighteen Blade Guests were far too skilled to be overcome by emotion alone.

In a heartbeat, more than twenty warriors were slaughtered.

There was no chance for a counter-offensive.

Every strike from the Guests was a killing blow that ended a life instantly.

Like predators in a pen of livestock, the Eighteen Blade Guests shifted their formation effortlessly, carving through the Purple Flower Gate at will.

“Fall back!”

“Look out!”

“Help me—”

Despite their numerical advantage, the Purple Flower Gate was helpless.

The defensive ring they believed was solid was shredded in seconds, collapsing before they could even attempt a coordinated stand.

Yu Jin Gyo and his lieutenants tried desperately to intercept the slaughter, but they couldn’t slow the enemy’s momentum. Some of the officers were lured into the traps of the Eight Roads Chain Lock Formation and perished uselessly.

When even the leaders failed to hold the line, a paralyzing fear began to take root in the hearts of the Purple Flower Gate warriors. They began to instinctively retreat.

Seeing the enemy’s spirit break, the Eighteen Blade Guests pressed their advantage.

They showed no compassion, delivering their strikes with a focus on maximum brutality and terror.

“You soulless monsters!”

Yu Jin Gyo’s fury reached a breaking point as he watched the Eighteen Blade Guests continue to hack at a fallen, dying soldier.

He had nearly been killed himself when he was briefly caught in the formation, leaving him wounded from head to toe. But the sight of such depravity broke his restraint.

At that moment, the other leaders of the Purple Flower Gate launched a desperate, combined assault. The sudden pressure created a momentary gap in the Eight Roads Chain Lock Formation.

Yu Jin Gyo’s eyes flared as he spotted the opening.

He lunged forward, pouring every ounce of his hatred and killing intent into a single, decisive strike.

“Die!”

He abandoned all thought of his own safety, driven by the need for retribution for his fallen brothers.

Having exploited the flaw in the formation perfectly, it seemed impossible for the Eighteen Blade Guest to recover in time.

Or so Yu Jin Gyo believed.