Chapter 175

Chapter 175
## Chapter: 175

### Chapter Title: Misjudgment (3)

—

“That will do. We should conclude this.”

Tang Cheonhwa pulled back his palm and retreated a few paces, leaving So Surin bent double, her lungs burning as she tried to catch her breath.

“Your movement technique is truly marvelous, Elder. No matter how many times I witness it, it appears slow, yet I cannot lay a finger on you. It is deceptive and constantly shifting, yet it glides as effortlessly as a serpent traversing a stone boundary.”

Cheol Woo attempted to replicate the steps of Tang Cheonhwa, taking a few strides, but he barely managed three before his limbs tangled awkwardly and he nearly collapsed.

“You simpleton, do you imagine just anyone can master that?”

Tang Cheonhwa gave a derisive snort, taking a long drink from the water skin provided by Manchu.

“You have a point. This is remarkably difficult.”

Cheol Woo made a few more half-hearted attempts before admitting defeat and stopping.

“So, what is your assessment of my progress?”

So Surin inquired, her breathing finally becoming regular.

Her cheeks were bright with the thrill of the fight, her eyes searching Tang Cheonhwa’s face for any sign of approval regarding her performance.

“It was superb. Your dedication during this period is evident.”

The praise from Tang Cheonhwa caused So Surin’s expression to beam with pride.

“The toxic energy that once sat stagnant within you appears to be completely integrated now. You are capable of manifesting it at a moment’s notice.”

“I am.”

“What strikes me as most remarkable is your Ink Moon Palm Art. It feels as though you have pushed past the tenth realm—am I correct?”

So Surin gave a small nod, a faint flush creeping into her face.

“Haha! It has been barely a year since I initiated you into the Ink Moon Palm Art. What secret training did you utilize to advance with such terrifying speed?”

“I simply remained steadfast in my practice. There is no other secret besides that…”

So Surin cast a quick glance toward Sima Geon and Cheol Woo.

“Of course, it was not merely solo training. I applied the techniques in genuine combat, refining my form through trial and error.”

“Well reasoned! You sharpened your blade through skirmishes with those two.”

Cheol Woo gave Tang Cheonhwa a look of pure disbelief at that statement.

“Skirmishes? Hah! Since when does someone lunging at you with lethal intent qualify as a friendly bout? If I weren’t a man of such immense restraint, I would have flattened you long ago!”

Clearly still feeling the sting of her aggression, Cheol Woo snorted in annoyance.

“It was training conducted as if it were a true life-or-death struggle, exactly as the Division Leader always commanded.”

“Try that twice more, and I might actually finish you off.”

“Out of ten encounters, you were my opponent for eight or nine of them. Do not pretend you only humored me once or twice.”

“What? Pretend? Oh, honestly…”

Cheol Woo was so stunned by her bluntness that he lost his words.

“You didn’t exactly pull your punches either. You struck me with everything you had because you knew my constitution could withstand it.”

As So Surin scolded him, Cheol Woo opened his mouth to fire back, but Sima Geon rested a hand on his shoulder, laughing softly.

“In the beginning, her volatile poison qi was quite a headache for us. However, once she gained control, things smoothed out. Though, as Cheol Woo mentioned, she certainly fought as if her life depended on it.”

“I see. There truly is no substitute for the crucible of real combat.”

Tang Cheonhwa nodded with conviction. He then turned his attention to several Tang Clan retainers who had been observing the duel from the periphery.

“Did any of you notice anything unusual about her execution of the Ink Moon Palm Art?”

“It seemed remarkably polished. As if she had been wielding the style since her youth.”

“I concur. It is hard to fathom she reached the tenth realm in a single year, yet her movements were as fluid as a lifetime of habit.”

“Perhaps it is just my perception, but it felt somewhat distinct from the version of the Ink Moon Palm Art we were taught.”

Tang Cheonhwa grinned, clearly pleased by their observations.

“It is only natural that you would notice a difference. No matter how many years one spends in repetitive drills, it is difficult to break free from rigid forms. Even simulated duels have their constraints—you reach a certain plateau but cannot break through. But she is a different case.”

Tang Cheonhwa gestured toward Sima Geon and Cheol Woo.

“She engaged them in genuine warfare. No, ‘sparring’ is the wrong word. It was actual combat. Did you not hear? She attacked with the intent to kill. That is an experience you cannot find within the safety of the main clan.”

The onlookers nodded, seeing the logic in Tang Cheonhwa’s explanation.

“She forged her Ink Moon Palm Art in the heat of battle. That sets it apart from mere academic study. That is why it feels foreign to your eyes.”

“It wasn’t just her being aggressive. She endured a massive amount of punishment as well. A lesser martial artist would have stood before King Yama hundreds of times over by now.”

While the Tang retainers looked slightly confused, Tang Cheonhwa caught Sima Geon’s meaning instantly. Because they knew her body was durable, they hadn’t held back their strikes. She had learned through the pain of those impacts.

“Tracking that Myriad Poison Valley master must have been an arduous task as well. You have all done well.”

“It was incredibly taxing, failing to pin him down no matter how we exerted ourselves. We trailed him relentlessly, only to discover he had slipped away months prior. It felt so hollow. We eventually chose to return. Our paths will cross again eventually.”

Sima Geon shook his head, a self-deprecating smile on his lips.

The sense of futility and the quiet anger behind his smile was palpable to everyone present.

Sensing the atmosphere becoming somber, Sima Geon pivoted the conversation.

“We received reports that Hwicheon, while engaged with the Heavenly Demon Cult, launched a sudden strike against the Emei Sect. What is the current status?”

—

“Hahaha! This is a massive triumph, Elder.”

Oh Hong, the elder who had successfully shattered the defenses at Incense Road Pass, laughed heartily while gripping his stained blade.

“As we suspected, their numbers were thin. Our deception to make them believe Phoenix Ridge was the primary target worked perfectly.”

Tae Bo, the Red-Eyed Horse Bandit, ran a hand over his long beard, a satisfied smirk on his face.

“Any word from Phoenix Ridge yet?”

“Nothing so far. However, we have received a report from the Illusion Feather Branch Leader.”

“And the news?”

Oh Hong asked, his voice thick with competitive spirit.

“They were victorious in their initial engagement, much like us. They took some casualties due to stubborn resistance, but nothing catastrophic.”

“With the support of the Black Heaven Gang and the Ghost Water Gate, that is to be expected. When four-tenths of Hwicheon’s total strength is mobilized, we shouldn’t be failing. What of Jang Hoe? Has he been silent? The Shadow Hand Gate and Spirit Sand Faction are lacking in raw power, but given their remote position, they should be fine.”

“Hmm. I expected his report first, but it hasn’t arrived. There’s likely no issue. We will rendezvous at the central point shortly.”

Tae Bo remained unconcerned, assuming the difficult terrain was merely delaying the couriers.

As if to prove him wrong, a messenger covered in blood stumbled into view.

“E-Elder.”

The relaxation vanished from Tae Bo’s face as he saw the man’s condition.

“From where do you come? Who is your commander?”

“I come… from Elder Jang Hoe.”

At that name, a cold shiver ran down Tae Bo’s spine. A sense of impending disaster took hold.

“Tell me what happened,” Tae Bo demanded, struggling to keep his voice steady.

“We… we were ambushed by the Tang Clan.”

“The Tang… Clan?”

Tae Bo’s eyes stretched wide in utter disbelief at the mention of the name.

“How is that possible? If the Tang sent reinforcements, the Thunder Sound Temple and Demon Buddha Temple were supposed to intercept them. Even if they slipped through, we should have seen a force of that size coming.”

“I don’t know how they hid themselves, but just as we were winning the day, nearly a hundred Tang warriors descended upon us.”

“A… hundred?”

Both Tae Bo and Oh Hong were breathless at the reported numbers.

“And… what then?”

“We fought with everything we had, trapped between two fronts, but…”

The messenger’s voice failed him. The conclusion was written in his injuries.

“If the Tang have arrived, the Qingcheng Sect cannot be far behind,” Oh Hong muttered, his jaw tight.

“Most likely.”

“The Thunder Sound Temple and Demon Buddha Temple must have botched their mission.”

“Or perhaps they allowed them to pass intentionally?”

“What did you say?”

“Maybe they didn’t miss them—maybe they were let through on purpose.”

“Preposterous,” Oh Hong barked, though the uncertainty in his eyes betrayed his fear.

“Regardless, we need more information. Where is the strategist?”

A guard, moving like a shadow, responded to Tae Bo’s shout.

“He is trailing behind at a slower pace with the Lord.”

“Bring him here this instant.”

“As you command.”

As the guard vanished, Oh Hong asked, “Do you believe the strategist is playing a double game?”

“To what end?”

“He was originally a member of the Myriad Poison Valley.”

“No. His loyalty isn’t to a valley; it is to whoever can help him tear down the Heavenly Demon Cult. That is why I trust him. If he were a traitor, he wouldn’t have sacrificed the Myriad Poison Valley or the Crimson Flame Clan at Phoenix Ridge. He planned to use them as shields from the start—never forget that.”

“I was indeed taken aback when he proposed sending them there.”

“It was a cold, calculated move. By pairing the Black Killer Gate and Moon Manzhang together, he ensured the mission’s success. He is thorough.”

“True. My suspicions were likely unfounded.”

Oh Hong dismissed his doubts.

“Still, the failure to track Tang movements is a massive blunder. Perhaps he already knows and has devised a solution.”

Tae Bo gripped onto his fading confidence in Strategist Jong Yo.

—

“The defenses at Incense Road Pass and Moon Pine Pavilion have been breached.”

Even upon hearing that two of the four routes into Emei were lost, Gold Well Monk remained stone-faced. He had stationed few men there, intending only to gauge the enemy’s momentum.

“At the current pace, the enemy will reach Ox Heart Courtyard within half a shichen.”

Gold Well Monk gave a silent nod to Won Myeong’s update.

Ox Heart Courtyard was the junction where two paths met; it would be the decisive theater of this conflict.

“Are our preparations complete?”

“We are positioned at the vantage point. It is promising that the defenders from Phoenix Ridge can now move to strike the enemy’s flank.”

“Amitabha!”

The chant escaped Gold Well Monk’s lips almost involuntarily.

Phoenix Ridge was the primary artery for the Emei disciples; its fall would have opened the sect’s heart to the invaders. It had been the site of the heaviest fighting, yet an inexplicable miracle had occurred.

A mutiny!

For reasons unknown, the attackers had turned on one another in a bloodbath.

A third of the enemy force had been slaughtered by their own allies, and the survivors had retreated in a panic. The sect had erupted in cheers at the news.

Gold Well Monk had suspected a trap at first. Only after his scouts confirmed the enemy had fled to the base of the mountain did he order the Phoenix Ridge troops to maneuver toward Ox Heart.

As Gold Well Monk visualized the counter-attack, the door was flung open.

Guest Quarters Leader Won Yul burst into the room.

“Junior Sister, why such a lack of decorum?” Won Myeong snapped, scolding her.

“M-my apologies, Senior Brother. But…”

“Speak. What has happened?” Gold Well Monk asked, gesturing for calm.

“Reinforcements from the Tang Clan have arrived—they have achieved a massive victory.”

“Is this the truth?” Gold Well Monk stood up abruptly.

“Yes. A report just arrived—they decimated the enemy forces marching toward the Immortal Peak Temple.”

“Amitabha! Amitabha!”

Overcome with relief, Gold Well Monk chanted the mantra over and over.

He had known the Tang were coming, but he never dreamed their arrival would be so perfectly orchestrated. He had spent his hours praying they would simply arrive in time.

“The Qingcheng reinforcements must be close as well, then. If they link up with us, the destruction of these villains is certain.”

Won Myeong, who had been crushed by the weight of planning against Hwicheon, found his eyes welling with tears.

“Indeed. This is all through the grace of the Buddha.”

Turning away, Gold Well Monk bowed toward the statue of Buddha, his face a mask of profound gratitude.

“Amitabha!”

“Amitabha!”

Won Myeong and Won Yul joined him, offering their humble thanks for the salvation that had arrived.