Chapter 202

Chapter 202
## Chapter 202

### Chapter Title: Conflict at Phoenix Mountain (1)

—

“Gwaaaak!”

A piercing shriek split the air as the rear guard of the Yeongho Clan began to crumble. In a flash, more than ten warriors fell under a coordinated strike that seemed to materialize from thin air.

“Ambush!”

“They’re hitting us from the back!”

Chaos erupted instantly as a brutal close-quarters struggle commenced.

While the individual martial prowess of the hidden assailants far outmatched the rank-and-file of the Yeongho Clan, the attackers were few in number. Maintaining their composure, the Yeongho Clan warriors pushed back with steady pressure, eventually reclaiming the upper hand and forcing the mysterious foes to retreat.

“They’re running!”

As the shadows began to pull back, Yeongho Pyeong, standing at the vanguard of the Yeongho Clan, watched with a strange, calculating glint in his eyes.

“The hostiles are withdrawing. What are your instructions, Elder?”

“We tail them, obviously.”

Yeongho Gi, who had asked the question, looked visibly unsettled by the brevity of Yeongho Pyeong’s command.

“But sir, if we give chase, we won’t be able to protect the Sword Pavilion’s rear. Our formation is already stretched thin—this smells like a diversion to pull us away. I fear we might be walking straight into a snare.”

“Silence. Those mongrels were positioning themselves to stab the Sword Pavilion in the back.”

Yeongho Pyeong completely brushed aside Yeongho Gi’s concerns.

“First, send word to the Sword Empress about this development.”

The runner, catching a subtle, meaningful look from Yeongho Pyeong, took off like a shot toward the main body of the Sword Pavilion.

“They must be Blood Death Cult scum. After them!”

Following Yeongho Pyeong’s roar, the adrenaline-fueled warriors of the Yeongho Clan launched into a full pursuit.

“Why would he…”

Yeongho Gi could only spur his horse and lead his subordinates into the chase, staring at Yeongho Pyeong’s back in utter confusion.

“We were intercepted?”

Chest heaving from his sprint, the messenger nodded at Nung So Hwa’s inquiry.

“Correct. Roughly a quarter-hour ago, we were set upon by what looked to be operatives of the Blood Death Cult.”

“What was their strength?”

“They swarmed from every direction, making a precise count difficult, but there were at least fifty of them.”

“I see.”

Nung So Hwa’s eyebrows knit together slightly.

The count was lower than she had anticipated, but she didn’t linger on the thought. A smaller unit often indicated a specialized elite force.

The reality, however, was that the group harassing the Yeongho Clan actually numbered fewer than twenty—a far cry from what the messenger reported. Yeongho Pyeong had intentionally bloated the enemy numbers, and the Sword Pavilion had no way to verify the lie.

“If it was a surprise attack, the toll must have been high.”

“It was. More than twenty men were cut down in the first breath of battle.”

Hearing the number twenty, Nung So Hwa and the senior leaders of the Sword Pavilion felt their expressions turn grim. Even with the element of surprise, for a force to inflict those kinds of losses on the Yeongho Clan so quickly meant the enemy’s combat ability was every bit as terrifying as rumored.

“Luckily, decisive action prevented a total slaughter, though the survivors are all dealing with heavy wounds.”

“That is tragic. Please extend our deepest sympathies to the elder.”

“I shall.”

The messenger offered a low bow.

“And so, you are currently hunting them down?”

Hwang Ye interjected.

“Yes. However, the elder is wary of a trap and is moving with great care. He has dispatched scouts across the perimeter to sniff out any hidden reinforcements.”

“Wise.”

Hwang Ye, who had been worried the Yeongho Clan might recklessly charge into a feint, looked relieved. From her perspective, Yeongho Pyeong was handling the crisis with a level head.

“It brings peace of mind to know the Yeongho Clan is guarding our backs. Tell the elder he has our full confidence.”

Nung So Hwa expressed her thanks once more.

“Understood. Please remain on high alert, everyone.”

With a polite bow, the messenger withdrew. Nung So Hwa turned her attention to Hwang Ye and Seo Yo Ryeong.

“It’s exactly as we suspected—the Blood Death Cult had a secondary unit waiting in the wings.”

“Indeed. Requesting the Alliance Lord to have the Yeongho Clan support us was an inspired move.”

Hwang Ye gave a warm smile, thinking of how the Sword Empress had firmly asked Jeong Cheon Ryeonju for the Yeongho Clan’s aid. Seeing her niece-in-law grow into such a capable leader was deeply moving.

“We can’t afford to be lazy with our own rear security—some might still slip past the Yeongho Clan’s perimeter.”

Hwang Ye and Seo Yo Ryeong shared a knowing smile at Nung So Hwa’s diligence.

“Rest easy. We’ll keep our own scouts toward the back just in case.”

Nung So Hwa nodded at Seo Yo Ryeong’s assurance and let out a long, quiet breath.

“Yes, there is no need to worry. Even if the situation shifts, the Yeongho Clan will be there to reinforce us in an instant. Now, we can dedicate our focus entirely to the enemies in front of us.”

Nung So Hwa looked toward the horizon where the mountain ridges loomed.

Beyond those peaks, the Blood Death Cult was waiting.

As a force specifically gathered to destroy her and the elite of the Sword Pavilion, they would undoubtedly be formidable—perhaps even devastating. But there was no turning back.

This was the path she walked for the sake of the Murim, and for her mentor.

“Advance.”

Nung So Hwa took the first step, moving forward.

As if her radiating energy had sparked a flame in them, the morale of the swordsmen behind her surged with visible intensity as they followed her lead.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“The Yeongho Clan, acting as the Sword Pavilion’s rear guard, has been engaged. Enemy strength is roughly twenty.”

“Combat is ongoing. The Yeongho Clan has sustained damage but is holding the line better than expected.”

“The attackers have broken off; the Yeongho Clan is now in pursuit.”

“The gap between the Sword Pavilion and the Yeongho Clan is widening.”

“The Sword Pavilion has begun its final approach toward the Blood Death Cult forces stationed in eastern Phoenix Mountain.”

Sima Geon and his companions watched in awe as a constant stream of informants appeared and vanished, providing a live feed of intelligence. It was impossible to guess just how many eyes and ears had been deployed.

“This wasn’t just the work of the Wyrm Dragon Squad?”

To Sima Geon’s question, Zhuge Jian let out a strained laugh and gestured toward Zhuge Su, who was still trying to cozy up to Black Wolf. The young man’s stubbornness had finally won him a small patch of dirt next to the usually prickly creature.

“Because that boy insisted so loudly, we’ve pulled in agents from surrounding provinces and even some from distant deep-cover operations.”

“Brother, how many did they say hit the Yeongho Clan just now?”

Zhuge Su turned his head to ask.

“About twenty.”

“Twenty. That settles it then.”

“Settles what?”

“The Blood Death Cult force creeping around the edges of Phoenix Mountain is over a hundred strong. Dammit, so many lives were traded just to get that number. Either way, a measly twenty men proves this is a fixed game.”

Thunderbolt tilted his head, looking skeptical of Zhuge Su’s certainty.

“Isn’t that a bit of a leap? It could easily be a simple lure.”

“Yeah, judging them just because their numbers were low seems like a stretch,” Man Chu added, voicing his own doubts.

Having bonded over their shared affection for Black Wolf, Thunderbolt and Man Chu had begun speaking informally with Zhuge Su.

“Think about it. The Blood Death Cult doesn’t do lures like this. They have the power to just steamroll people. The Yeongho Clan isn’t weak, but against the kind of monsters sent to kill the Sword Pavilion? They’d be wiped out before they could even scream for help.”

“I… I suppose that makes sense,” Thunderbolt muttered.

“It does. This is a smoke screen—a built-in excuse for when things go south and the Yeongho Clan needs a reason for why they ‘lost’ the Sword Pavilion’s rear. If even one person survives the Sword Pavilion, questions will be asked. Even if we pretend it was a lure, chasing twenty people into the woods makes zero sense. No one with half a brain would do that in this situation.”

Zhuge Su tapped his temple for emphasis.

“Now I’m curious about what the Jeong Cheon Ryeon is doing. Will they leave the dirty work to the Blood Death Cult, or send their own people in secret? Heck, they might even be plotting something across Phoenix Mountain. The whole Shandong martial world could be in danger. But that’s for later—if my gut is right, they’ll send a small strike team. Just wait.”

As he muttered to himself and rambled on, the others could only stare at him in shock. What truly stunned them was that an agent arrived before Zhuge Su even finished speaking—reporting that a specific faction from the Jeong Cheon Ryeon had broken off from their original mission and was moving toward the Sword Pavilion’s path.

The doubt vanished; everyone looked at Zhuge Su with newfound respect. He, meanwhile, just happily petted Black Wolf’s fur, grinning ear to ear.

“So, what’s the move?”

At Sima Geon’s question, Zhuge Su’s answer was blunt.

“The hard evidence is thin, but the logic is ironclad. It’s time to break them. We can ask questions once they’re in chains.”

“Handling the Yeongho Clan might be delicate. They’ve technically been attacked and are ‘fighting’ the Blood Death Cult.”

Zhuge Su shook his head at Zhuge Jian’s worry.

“Like I said: we don’t need a paper trail. The situation is so obvious that no excuse will hold up.”

“I’m with you. Not knowing is one thing; but we know what they intend to do. Making them talk will be the easy part.”

Zhuge Jian felt a shiver run down his spine at the cold, calm smile on Sima Geon’s face.

“On another note, Brother Sima, when are you going to stop being so formal with me? It feels like there’s a whole ocean between us.”

“Ha!”

Zhuge Jian turned away with a soft sigh, clearly embarrassed by Zhuge Su’s sudden shift back into a pouting child.

“I’ve seen my fair share of freaks in the Divine Demon Division, but this kid is something else.”

Cheol Woo pulled back Black Wolf’s lip, watching the giggling Zhuge Su with a look of pure disbelief.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

There were no tricks, no hidden traps. Both sides were fully aware of the other, coiled and ready for the kill.

“You took your time. I thought I’d be a skeleton by the time you arrived.”

Go Yang Sun flashed a wide grin at Nung So Hwa. To a casual observer, he looked like a grandfather happy to see his granddaughter, projecting an aura of warmth.

“Truly? I thought I was moving quickly, but I suppose I am still lagging behind.”

Nung So Hwa offered a sharp retort as her eyes scanned the area.

Figures with cold, predatory eyes were drawing their steel, leaking a concentrated killing intent that felt like needles on the skin.

The groups were roughly equal in size. The enemy had a slight numerical advantage, but it was negligible. Expanding her perception to check for hidden threats, Nung So Hwa found the surrounding area empty.

“I was under the impression the Blood Death Cult intended to wipe us out, but is this ragtag group really all you brought?”

“We’ll find out soon enough.”

“Waiting for reinforcements? You’ll be waiting a long time. There are some very skilled people making sure they stay busy.”

“Heh heh! Don’t get too ahead of yourself. The world is full of surprises. And for the record, I’m not waiting for anyone.”

“You seem very sure of yourself.”

“I have faith in my own blade.”

Go Yang Sun let out a soft chuckle and slowly unsheathed his sword.

“Well then, why don’t we see if the rumors about the new Sword Empress are true?”

He leveled his blade at Nung So Hwa, his face twisted with a hungry anticipation.

“Whenever you are ready.”

Nung So Hwa took her stance, her eyes calm and clear—a perfect mirror to Go Yang Sun’s chaotic fervor.

“Kill them!”

The moment the steel of Go Yang Sun and Nung So Hwa met, the swordsmen of the Sword Pavilion and the disciples of Go Yang Sun collided in a massive, bloody wave.