Chapter 146

Chapter 146
# Chapter 146: Dead End

“I’ll follow your lead, Young Clan Leader!”

Frustratingly, Baek Yang-hui had simply fallen back, shouting at the top of his lungs instead.

Namgung Cheon-hu mentally pictured tearing him apart.

A one-way path. He’d never imagined the man would set such a trap.

Baek Yang-hui had claimed he was handing over command, yet in truth, there was only one possible order Namgung Cheon-hu could issue.

Attack. A head-on clash with those black path scoundrels standing opposite them.

Everything had been arranged so perfectly that no other course of action made sense.

One side might have yielded, but there was no chance of that happening.

The black path could not afford to retreat even a single step—not in the slightest.

Their leader had been called a mongrel and far worse; backing down now was unthinkable.

Given the very nature of the black path, the moment he gave such an order, his authority would crumble to dust.

In other words, Hyeongsan Yinblood had no choice but to stand his ground.

Baek Yang-hui… always running his mouth so insolently. Had he calculated all of this in advance?

If he had, then Namgung Cheon-hu’s only option to avoid this direct confrontation would be to retreat himself.

Yet doing so would make him appear utterly ridiculous, a laughingstock.

No matter how he framed it, it would look as though the numerically superior black path had frightened the Great Namgung Clan into withdrawing.

It would leave an indelible stain on the Namgung Clan’s honor.

So many people were watching—members of the Baek Clan and Tang Clan, not to mention representatives from Shaolin and Jeogal.

Regardless of the fact that they had all worked together to reach this point, the disgrace would fall entirely on the Namgung Clan alone.

A surge of rage ignited a dark thought in his mind.

What if I sided with the black path and wiped out the Baek and Tang Clans? No, that is impossible.

Slaying the Shaolin and Jeogal representatives would bring everything crashing down, but more than that, he could not betray his people in full view of all these black path ruffians.

The Namgung Clan was an upstanding white path martial family; he could never hand his enemies such powerful leverage against him.

A one-way road. A complete dead end.

Step forward and lead the fight against the black path?

Frankly, that alone was not a hopeless situation.

The Great Namgung’s Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade would not suffer catastrophic losses against mere black path rabble. The real problem lay elsewhere…

“Young Clan Leader, matters seem to be taking a turn for the worse,” came a transmission from Namgung Seong-il, the highest-ranking officer of the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade. He had been appointed by Clan Leader Namgung Il-geom to serve both as overseer and companion.

Naturally, Namgung Seong-il was already familiar with the general plan Namgung Cheon-hu had devised before offering assistance to the Baek Clan.

“If we engage in battle under these conditions, Hyeongsan Yinblood will conclude our secret agreement was nothing more than a trap.”

The Clan Leader had entrusted Namgung Cheon-hu with this mission to secure a prize great enough to justify even the risk of a tarnished reputation.

The Hyeongsan Sect was the prey he had selected.

His true intention was to overpower the Baek Clan naturally within a larger conflict, going beyond the existing black-and-white standoff in Gangseo.

Disturbed by the Great Namgung’s involvement, the black path forces in Gangseo would call for reinforcements from Honam.

The Baek Clan—once a third-rate family only a few years prior—would escalate the situation beyond their ability to control.

Despite their rapid recent growth, they remained at best a mid-tier power, and would crumble under the mounting pressure.

It was such a logical progression of events.

But Baek Yang-hui had spoiled the entire picture, staining it beyond recognition.

“If we clash now, not only will our alliance with Hyeongsan Yinblood fall apart, but the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade will sustain heavy casualties.”

“I know,” Namgung Cheon-hu replied.

“Please, give the order.”

Namgung Cheon-hu fell silent, gazing at the tense standoff between the white and black paths, every blade drawn and ready to strike.

There was no avoiding this fight. How then could he minimize losses and turn the situation to his advantage?

…There was no answer. Nothing came to him.

Just as Namgung Cheon-hu reached this conclusion, a voice boomed out.

“Namgung whelp! Do you imagine you can impose your laws upon me, Hyeongsan Yinblood?!”

Hyeongsan Yinblood roared with savage fury, and at the same time sent a private transmission.

“Young Clan Leader Namgung! What in the world is the meaning of this?!”

His tone was thick with rage and a profound sense of betrayal.

Without an explanation, the pact—everything they had agreed upon—would be completely discarded.

There would be no proof of the alliance whatsoever.

If word got out that a revered pillar of the white path like the Great Namgung Clan had secretly entered into an agreement with a black path sect—one that had even destroyed the original Hyeongsan Sect and stolen its name—then not even the Namgung Clan could survive the public backlash.

Namgung Cheon-hu had kept the arrangement meticulously hidden; only Hyeongsan Yinblood knew of its existence.

From his perspective, it would seem I was being deliberately secretive so I could betray him.

I must clear up this misunderstanding immediately, Namgung Cheon-hu thought. Send a transmission, explain the situation, bring him up to speed… this could even work in our favor.

He paused, mid-motion of sending a message to Hyeongsan Yinblood, and clamped his mouth shut.

Then he glanced over at Baek Yang-hui.

Those eyes were fixed intently upon him, studying his every move.

For some reason, he felt certain he absolutely should not send that message.

It was only a faint possibility, yet…

Transmissions were private by design, inaudible to others—except for peak masters. They possessed supernatural senses and could detect these communications by picking up on subtle fluctuations of qi.

There was no way that boy had attained such a level. Still…

The Baek Yang-hui Namgung Cheon-hu knew was a prodigy whose abilities rivaled, and perhaps even surpassed, those of his own brother, Namgung Cheon-yeong—a once-in-a-generation genius.

Geniuses frequently defied all reasonable expectations and performed what seemed impossible.

He might not be able to overhear the message itself, but he could very well sense that a transmission was being sent.

While Namgung Cheon-hu struggled with his decision, Hyeongsan Yinblood continued to send messages.

“Answer me! Was this entire thing a trap, you despicable cur?!”

If my intention had been to trap you, would I have brought so few men?

Just over forty elite warriors, including thirty peak masters.

It was a carefully calculated number. Not enough to overwhelm the black path, but sufficient to fight on favorable terms.

Especially for the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade, which would be leading the charge—heavy losses were all but guaranteed.

It was enough to make anyone tear their hair out in frustration.

“How dare you insult the leader of my sect! I will grind your bones to dust, you pathetic wretch! You are not even fit to stand beside your far more accomplished younger brother!”

Namgung Cheon-hu’s brow twitched.

Does he believe we are equals simply because we struck a bargain?

A dog of the Blood Slaughter Union who stumbled into his position, daring to speak such nonsense.

His perspective shifted. There was no turning back now; he would have to make the best of a terrible situation.

If this battle could not be avoided, then he would fight with all his might to secure as much leverage as he could for the future.

He would seize whatever advantage he could salvage from this disaster. The damage was already extensive, but he would not lose everything.

“Hyeongsan Yinblood, I have heard much of your infamy, and truly it exceeds all description. Send your accusations through transmissions as much as you wish—this Young Clan Leader has no intention of responding.”

Hyeongsan Yinblood’s face turned a deep, angry crimson. His carefully groomed beard quivered with unrestrained fury.

“Namgung Cheon-hu…!”

“Warriors of the white path! Let us teach these vile creatures the true meaning of justice!”

Nearly forty white path warriors clashed with more than one hundred and twenty black path foes. The Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade led the white path charge, while the Hyeongsan Sect’s elite forces remained in reserve. As a result, the white path held the advantage in the opening moments, despite being outnumbered.

Such was the nature of the black path.

Baek Yang-hui watched the front lines and smirked. Seeing those arrogant Namgung suffer was deeply satisfying.

The black path as a whole was less disciplined, yet with twenty peak masters and over a hundred first- and second-tier fighters, once they committed fully to the fight, casualties would mount swiftly.

Nearly twenty peak masters and a hundred high-ranking warriors was no insignificant force.

He intended to inflict as many losses as possible, so that when his own clan moved to take control of Gangseo later, they would face far weaker resistance.

Total annihilation was not realistic; his goal was to eliminate half their number and scatter the rest. It would be an added benefit if a large portion of the Namgung forces perished as well.

Even so, the Baek Clan needed to earn recognition here. By placing the Namgung forces at the forefront, he would have a ready excuse to silence any future complaints. If the Baek and Tang Clans received no credit for driving back the Honam black path, there would be serious repercussions.

In any case, he had no intention of merely watching from the sidelines. The man who had destroyed his father stood directly before him—how could he hold back?

Anyone else might have been spared, but Hyeongsan Yinblood would not leave this field alive.

He was the leader of the black path faction that had wiped out the true Hyeongsan Sect and stolen its name. Seizing the sect’s identity was just one more example of his cruel and manipulative nature. Yet for all his treachery, his martial skill was genuinely exceptional. Without such ability, even the backing of the Blood Slaughter Union would never have elevated him to his current position. Aside from his allegiance to the black path, he was a formidable adversary.

In one-on-one combat, his skill alone surpassed Baek Yang-hui’s. Hyeongsan Yinblood was over sixty years old, while Yang-hui was only sixteen—the age gap explained much, but the man was still undeniably dangerous. Having defeated multiple peak masters simultaneously in Hangzhou, he was an opponent who demanded the utmost respect.

Even so… your life is mine.

He sent a message to Jeogal Seol-ha, A-du, and Blood Lord Gu-ak.

*Yes, senior brother.*
*Yang-hui, what is it? Are you joining the fight? Speak, little brother.*

Hyeongsan Yinblood was far too cunning to lead the charge in a chaotic battle like this, and even if he did, he would remain closely guarded. To defeat him in single combat, careful preparation was essential.

*I am going to draw Hyeongsan Yinblood out and kill him. Stand ready to assist me.*
*Understood, senior brother!*
*Consider it done!*
*How do you propose we do this?*

To catch a fish, one must use the right bait. What would tempt Hyeongsan Yinblood more than anything else?

Me.

They would have scouted the enemy thoroughly before the battle began. He would know that Baek Yang-hui was the driving force behind the Baek Clan’s extraordinary rise. He would be a prime target—if he could be killed, the entire enemy alliance would be weakened.

Yang-hui scanned the battlefield. It was time to invite danger.

The black path forces had formed a wide encircling line. He directed Jeogal Seol-ha and A-du toward the right flank. “Haaap!”

A-du charged forward, wrapped in brilliant golden flames. With every note Jeogal Seol-ha plucked from her pipa, black path soldiers clutched their heads in agony and collapsed. The three of them pulled slightly away from the main white path army, standing out like a lone mushroom along the line.

Perfect.

Baek Yang-hui, Jeogal Seol-ha, and A-du—all were high-value targets for the black path. Separated from their main force, they appeared irresistible. Yet Blood Lord Gu-ak followed at a distance with the Baek Clan’s elite warriors; no ordinary soldier could get past them. Only Hyeongsan Yinblood and his personal guards would have the strength to strike such a blow.

Come on… take the bait. It is too good to resist, is it not?

In that instant, Hyeongsan Yinblood descended directly before Baek Yang-hui, his silk robes swirling around him. “Whelp, you have run your tongue freely enough. I shall cut it out for you.”

Got you.

Baek Yang-hui smiled fiercely. “I will sever your head from your shoulders first, you withered old gourd.”