Chapter 158

Chapter 158
## Chapter 158: The Eighteen Blade Guests (2)

“Impressive. It seems you’ve actually decided to employ your intellect for once.”

Chu Seung, observing the unfolding chaos with a sharp, calculating eye, murmured a word of praise as he witnessed the desperate gamble of Yujin Gyoju.

However, his commendation was tragically directed elsewhere.

Just as Yujin Gyoju’s blade lunged toward the perceived weakness in the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation, a steel shadow hissed through the air from an unexpected angle.

Yujin Gyoju had poured his entire soul into this strike to avenge his fallen comrades; he never anticipated a blade darting toward his unprotected side.

Before his own sword could find the chest of the warrior he targeted within the Eighteen Blade Guests, a freezing edge carved deep into his ribs.

“Keurk!”

A strangled gasp of pure agony escaped him, a sensation of pain far more intense than any he had survived before.

With eyes veined in red, he looked down at his torso.

Gwak Chung, the commander of the Eighteen Blade Guests who held the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation together, wore a mocking grin as he twisted the steel buried in Yujin Gyoju’s flesh.

“Kwaaak!”

A second, more harrowing scream erupted from the sect leader.

“Sect Leader!”

“Master!”

The senior officers of the Zaha Sect cried out in desperation, throwing themselves forward to intervene, yet the impenetrable wall of the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation repelled every attempt.

“It ends here.”

With a brutal yank, Gwak Chung withdrew his weapon and, in one fluid motion, decapitated the reeling Yujin Gyoju.

The conflict effectively reached its conclusion the moment Yujin Gyoju’s head was severed and sent tumbling across the dirt.

The Zaha Sect had been in a state of collapse since the opening moments of the engagement, having lost their rhythm almost instantly. They had only persevered through the sheer willpower of Yujin Gyoju and his lieutenants. With their leader gone and most of the upper echelon slaughtered within the confines of the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation, the sect was a body without a head.

“Leave none breathing.”

At Gwak Chung’s command, the Eighteen Blade Guests dissolved their formation and fanned out. They transformed into a whirlwind of death, reaping the lives of the Zaha Sect disciples who were now wandering aimlessly in a state of total panic.

The carnage only met a temporary halt when Sanggwan Baek, the supreme elder of the Bicheon Stronghold and a master of high renown, finally arrived on the scene accompanied by an inspector from the Beggars’ Sect.

Sanggwan Baek launched a furious counterattack against the Eighteen Blade Guests.

When one of the spread-out blade guests was caught off guard by a sudden strike, Gwak Chung intervened to save his subordinate and swiftly signaled for the group to regroup.

The moment the Eighteen Blade Guests reconstructed the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation, the momentum of the battle shifted back in their favor.

Despite his mastery, Sanggwan Baek found himself being forced back. Had the inspector, along with the late-arriving Sanggwan Hong and Sanggwan Gyeol, not joined the fray, the supreme elder might have been overwhelmed.

‘Their coordination is flawless—it sends a shiver down my spine.’

Sanggwan Baek retreated a few paces, his eyes wide with a mixture of respect and dread as he studied the Eighteen Blade Guests.

He had once seen the fabled Wall of Swords Formation of the Wudang Sect, and he was convinced that this Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation was every bit its equal.

As Sanggwan Baek regulated his breathing and prepared to charge once more—

A sudden, freezing sensation pricked at the base of his neck.

Spinning around, he saw Dark Thunder Blade Chu Seung approaching him with a casual gait.

Chu Seung was idly manipulating nine throwing daggers as if they were toys. The most terrifying aspect was that not a single blade remained in his palm for more than a heartbeat.

The knives swirled in a lethal orbit around his head, shoulders, and midsection.

“So, you are the one they call Dark Thunder Blade Chu Seung.”

Chu Seung looked slightly amused by the recognition.

“Ho! You’ve heard of this old man?”

“Not through personal acquaintance. Our paths never crossed in the provinces. However, it is only prudent to recognize the commanders of one’s enemies. Those knives are a clear signature.”

“Haha! I suppose that makes me the discourteous one. And who are you?”

“Sanggwan Baek.”

“Even a cursory glance tells me you are one of the few here who truly understands the path. I hope your skill justifies a name worth remembering.”

Sanggwan Baek felt no need to take offense at the condescending tone.

He knew.

The man standing before him was a predator of a higher order.

“I shall hold nothing back.”

Sanggwan Baek leveled his blade at Chu Seung, making a silent vow of total commitment.

“Things are progressing well over there.”

The Blood Light Martial Emperor shifted his gaze as the duel between Chu Seung and Sanggwan Baek commenced.

As he had predicted, the Eighteen Blade Guests had done their job perfectly, effectively neutralizing one of the enemy’s primary flanks.

With Chu Seung—who had been scanning the field like a wolf looking for the alpha—now occupied with a legitimate challenge, the final victory was merely a matter of time.

“This sector is also stable.”

In contrast to the group under Gwak Chung that had obliterated the Zaha Sect, the unit on the right flank led by Wang Heonji had made slower progress.

The cause was evident.

The Bicheon Stronghold had concentrated a significant portion of their defense around Yongho Pavilion, which was inherently more vulnerable than the Zaha Sect. Furthermore, the arrival of reinforcements from the Hyeongsan Sect—though small in number—occurring nearly simultaneously with the Ha Hu Clan’s intervention, had been the turning point.

The Hyeongsan Sect’s Celestial Martial Sword Array, maintained by five coordinated swordsmen, could not match the complexity of the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation, but it was sufficient to hold the line.

With the Hyeongsan Sect providing a stable anchor, the warriors of Yongho Pavilion and various independent masters rallied to strike from the periphery.

Even under this pressure, the Eight Directions Severing Barrier Formation remained unbroken. The Ghost Blade Squad shifted their position toward the right to find an opening, while the Dharma Protectors known as the Black-White Twin Fiends moved like ghosts—much like Dark Thunder Blade Chu Seung—to eliminate high-value targets, gradually reclaiming the upper hand.

“The difficulty lies in the center.”

The Blood Light Martial Emperor’s brow furrowed as he observed the central front, where the violence was most concentrated.

The elite guards of the Myeongwang Gate and the Bicheon Stronghold were locked in a horrific, bloody grind.

The battle had not even crossed the thirty-minute mark, yet the ground was already carpeted with the fallen from both sides.

The Myeongwang Gate and Bicheon Stronghold were balanced in terms of power. The tipping point was the Ha Hu Clan warriors; their expertise far exceeded the fighters from Mansagok who were supporting the Myeongwang Gate.

Mansagok possessed nearly double the manpower, but the gap in individual martial prowess was glaring.

Living up to their reputation as one of the Five Great Clans, the Ha Hu Clan warriors fought with a devastating elegance.

Ha Hu Hyo, their current patriarch, was particularly dominant. The elders of Mansagok who attempted to restrain him were formidable in their own right, but they were clearly outmatched.

Following the passing of Sword Ghost Ha Hu Gok, Ha Hu Hyo had been recognized as the premier master of the clan. Furthermore, the insights he had gained from the final legacy of Ha Hu Gok had pushed him into a new realm of martial understanding. He was now operating on a level they simply could not reach.

“Hmph, if the Wind Demon Division hadn’t been lost, this would have been finished by now.”

The Blood Light Martial Emperor clicked his tongue in irritation at the delay and began to walk forward.

His eyes locked onto Ha Hu Hyo, glowing with a renewed intensity. Although he had been disappointed that Chu Seung claimed the first master, the sight of a truly superior opponent reignited a spark of combat lust he hadn’t felt in years.

—

“Gah!”

A muffled thud followed a sharp cry as a member of the Dark Shadow, who had been lurking in the shadows, collapsed dead.

“These loathsome rats. How many of them are tucked away in these woods?”

Cheol Woo shook his head, looking at the corpse that now sported a hole in its forehead from Sima Geon’s Thunderclap Point.

“That makes the seventh one. They really have eyes on every path in this region.”

Noe Jeon wiped away sweat that looked like streaks of lightning and glanced at Manchu and Gwayu, who looked as if they were on the verge of collapse.

“Are you two holding up?”

“I… I don’t know. I feel like my soul is leaving my body.”

Manchu, bent over and gasping for air, gave a feeble wave of his hand.

“Still breathing.”

Despite the claim, Gwayu looked even worse. His face was ghostly, his breath came in jagged rasps, and his legs were visibly shaking.

“And you?”

Cheol Woo directed his question to So Surin.

She had once utilized techniques similar to Noe Jeon’s, but after her transformation via the Yin Energy Point, she had become something entirely different. Unlike the others, she showed no signs of physical exhaustion.

“I am perfectly fine.”

“She’s good to go, leader.”

Cheol Woo looked toward Sima Geon, awaiting the next order.

“Hoo.”

Sima Geon let out a heavy, weary breath.

The moment they had confirmed the movement of the Blood Light Martial Emperor through their scouts, they had pushed toward Bicheon Stronghold. The connection to the Ha Hu Clan was too significant to ignore. However, even with Noe Jeon—a man known for the stamina of the Divine Demon Division—they hadn’t managed to beat the clock due to the impossible distance.

“How much further to Bicheon Stronghold?”

Sima Geon turned to Dang Cheonhwa.

“At our current pace, perhaps another hour.”

“Based on the intel from the last scout, the siege has already begun. An hour will be far too late.”

Sima Geon’s face was etched with worry. The interrogation of the Dark Shadow prisoner had given them a precise timeline for the Heavenly Demon Cult’s strike.

Against the Blood Light Martial Emperor and his elite Eighteen Blade Guests, the fate of Bicheon Stronghold was likely already sealed. It was a question of how much longer they could hold out.

It wasn’t that he doubted the gathered martial artists or the Ha Hu Clan, but the Blood Light Martial Emperor was a variable that changed the entire equation of the war.

“We have to accelerate.”

“This old man can increase the speed, but these youngsters have reached their limit.”

Dang Cheonhwa gestured toward Noe Jeon and the others who were sprawled on the ground.

Sima Geon bit his lip. Bringing them would slow the leaders down; leaving them behind made them targets for any remaining stragglers.

“I will remain here, Division Leader.”

So Surin spoke up, sensing his hesitation.

“If we go any faster, I would only be a burden and fall behind regardless.”

Sima Geon made a quick decision.

“Understood. Stay alert.”

“Don’t worry about us.”

So Surin offered a small smile and a wave.

“I will lead the way. Stay close.”

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Dang Cheonhwa did not waste a second.

His movement toward the Bicheon Stronghold was significantly faster than their previous march. Cheol Woo let out a low whistle as he saw the old man’s silhouette begin to blur into the distance.

“The old man is terrifying.”

“Move. We’re losing time.”

Sima Geon bolted after Dang Cheonhwa, and Cheol Woo pushed his lightness skills to their absolute limit.

Manchu watched the three of them disappear in a matter of seconds, his mouth hanging open.

“I thought we were moving like the wind, but seeing that? We’ve basically been crawling on all fours.”

Noe Jeon let out a short laugh and patted Manchu on the back.

“Don’t let it get to you. For normal people, we were flying. Just accept that those three are absolute monsters and leave it at that.”