Chapter 83
But it wasn’t over yet.
After sending Kang Hwan flying, Sa Won-yang began to move in earnest.
Swish!
“Hmm, where are you looking?”
Before the startled martial artists could react, Sa Won-yang’s new form appeared in an instant.
“!”
Like a wild beast pouncing, a fierce strike came flying at them.
From his hands, a crimson energy extended like long, sharp claws.
Fwoosh!
“Ahhh!”
As an Amipa master’s body split apart with a scream, Sa Won-yang’s new form was already closing in on another opponent.
His movements were like a lynx attacking a swarm of rats.
It was a massacre.
Shing!
“Ah! Chief of Amipa!”
Though Amipa had many peak masters, most were still at the early peak or just one step above, with around seventy years of internal energy.
Without the chance to coordinate their attacks, facing Sa Won-yang was like confronting an unstoppable monster.
Only then did Gyeol Han-satae snap back to reality.
The twenty or so peak masters he had brought were already reduced by half.
And the other top-tier martial artists were faring no better.
What’s worse, this was just the beginning. If things continued as they were, total annihilation seemed inevitable.
Desperately, Gyeol Han-satae charged at Sa Won-yang.
“You bastard!”
With all his strength, Gyeol Han-satae’s sword technique seemed to warp space as he suddenly appeared right before Sa Won-yang.
Shu-shaak!
It was the Amipa’s secret technique, the Mu-sang Sword Style, mastered only by the chief masters.
A sudden teleport-like strike—truly worthy of Amipa’s highest secret art.
But Sa Won-yang only showed a flicker of interest in his eyes, utterly unfazed.
“Oh? Is this Mu-sang Sword Style?”
Then, as if pulled backward by an invisible force, his new form slid smoothly backward through the air.
At the same moment, Gyeol Han-satae’s sword sliced through empty space where Sa Won-yang had just been.
Shhaak!
Sa Won-yang, now safely out of reach, smiled brightly.
“That looks fun. But I’m the type to save the best for last.”
Then his new form shot forward like a ray of light.
This time, toward another peak master who was farther away from Gyeol Han-satae.
“Coward!”
Gyeol Han-satae shouted desperately.
But his cry and the death of yet another peak master happened almost simultaneously.
Fwoosh!
“Ahhh!”
The early peak masters couldn’t withstand even a single move from Sa Won-yang.
The vivid energy extending from his hands like claws sliced through their energy, swords, and bodies in one swift strike.
Unable to keep up with Sa Won-yang’s speed and forced to watch his disciples fall, Gyeol Han-satae gritted his teeth.
He began to understand Sa Won-yang’s strategy.
The fiend was systematically thinning out the weaker opponents first.
And the outcome was obvious without needing to see it unfold.
“Everyone, gather! Don’t scatter—unite and fight back!”
At Gyeol Han-satae’s urgent command, the remaining peak masters hurriedly grouped together, trying to combine their strength.
But a bitter sneer curled at the corner of Sa Won-yang’s mouth.
“Fools.”
At the same time, sharp energy spheres formed again in both his hands.
Startled, Gyeol Han-satae shouted.
“No! Pi—!”
But the lightning-fast energy spheres pierced through the clustered peak masters once more.
Puhk!
“Ugh!”
“Chief…!”
This time, each energy sphere took down two opponents, and in an instant, four lives were lost.
If they spread out, they were hunted one by one; if they closed ranks, the energy spheres struck.
The Amipa masters were at a complete loss.
Paralyzed by fear.
Gyeol Han-satae was no different.
Despair filled her eyes.
Though she chased after him desperately, she couldn’t catch him.
Sa Won-yang toyed with her, moving at an impossible speed, and slaughtered another martial artist on the far edge.
‘At this rate…’
A clear picture formed in her mind.
Only eight peak masters remained, including herself.
All the top-tier martial artists had already been slaughtered.
For now, Sa Won-yang avoided Gyeol Han-satae, but once he felt the numbers were sufficiently reduced, he wouldn’t dodge her anymore.
And that would likely be the end for her.
Suddenly, a thought crossed Gyeol Han-satae’s mind.
‘Should I run now?’
This might be her last chance.
Though she felt a twinge of guilt abandoning her disciples, she could easily rationalize it.
If the chief master of Amipa died here, it would be a great loss for the sect.
So she had to survive—no matter what, even if it meant leaving everyone behind.
But on the other hand, another thought nagged at her.
Everyone who supported Gyeol Han-satae was here.
If she left them all behind and returned alone, could she still keep her position as chief master?
She shook her head.
‘No way. That can’t happen.’
The opposition faction would surely rise like wildfire and tear her apart.
She’d be lucky not to end up imprisoned in the brain prison.
While Gyeol Han-satae was trapped in this turmoil, unable to decide, Sa Won-yang killed yet another disciple.
Shing!
“Ugh! Chief!”
Gyeol Han-satae gritted her teeth, growing more desperate.
“Damn it!”
Then—
Suddenly, from the dark sky beyond the wall, someone came flying like a shooting star.
“Stop!”
Following the slash of his sword, a crimson energy like a sunset bled across the black sky.
The Amipa masters gasped in surprise.
“Jeokha Sword Style?!”
It was Jeokha Divine Sword wielder, Hwa Young-bin.
He was attacking Sa Won-yang with a majestic, sunset-red sword aura.
“Haaah!”
Sa Won-yang frowned slightly and, like before, slid backward through the air.
A reaction similar to when facing Gyeol Han-satae.
“Jeokha Divine Sword!”
“Hwa Sajil!”
The Amipa disciples called out his name with relief.
Though he usually mingled with the opposition faction and was not well-liked, his arrival was a welcome sight.
But Hwa Young-bin, who had forced Sa Won-yang to retreat, quickly shouted toward Gyeol Han-satae, not the others.
“Satae! Chasing him alone is pointless! Line up the remaining fighters in a row! You and I will guard both ends and slowly press him!”
Gyeol Han-satae immediately understood his meaning.
If they lined up side by side, the energy spheres wouldn’t be as effective.
And with her and Hwa Young-bin guarding the flanks, Sa Won-yang wouldn’t dare attack so easily.
A sudden clarity filled her mind.
She shouted.
“Do as Hwa Sajil says! Everyone, line up! Hwa Sajil and I will take the ends!”
Soon, six surviving peak masters formed a straight line, with Gyeol Han-satae and Hwa Young-bin at each end.
It looked like a slightly curved straight formation, or a less bent crane wing formation.
The martial artists, arranged in formation, began to slowly advance toward Sa Won-yang.
At that, the smile on Sa Won-yang’s face faded slightly.
He was still smiling, but the expression was noticeably dimmer than before.
In that moment, a flicker of hope blossomed in the hearts of the despairing Amipa disciples.
At the same time, Sun Woo-jin and Bi Sa-young were racing like a storm toward the inner part of the main hall.
Earlier, Sun Woo-jin had asked Hwa Young-bin to help buy time for Gyeol Han-satae when Amipa’s defeat seemed imminent.
But he had also begged him not to overexert himself.
If their strength weakened too much, they had to run without looking back.
For Amipa’s sake, it might be better if Gyeol Han-satae died, but Hwa Young-bin must never fall.
Hwa Young-bin had hesitated briefly but then nodded.
Still, Sun Woo-jin wasn’t sure if he would truly follow that advice.
‘Can a swordsman living for a lover dead over ten years ago really abandon everyone else and run?’
He doubted it.
So they had to rescue the women as quickly as possible and then return to him.
Bi Sa-young shouted as they ran.
“Damn it! This place is huge! How can we find the women without any info?!”
“We have to try!”
If the information from the Ma-jol of the Gwaneum Hall was correct, the women had definitely been moved inside the main hall.
And since most of the warriors there weren’t members of the Blood Sect, there wouldn’t be many places to imprison them.
That was why Sun Woo-jin was running straight toward the main hall’s central building, not the prison.
‘Only the top brass can access it. Even with tight security, no one would suspect anything.’
Sun Woo-jin thought that was probably the main hall.
Though he couldn’t be certain.
‘If they’re not there, we’ll have to retreat with Hwa Young-bin.’
Anything beyond that was too risky.
Thinking back to when Seol Poong and Elder Seok Kyung-dal fought the Bloodthirsty Demon Army’s Ji Gwang-ok, even two masters with over ninety years of internal energy couldn’t hold out long against a super peak master.
And Sa Won-yang was considered even stronger than Ji Gwang-ok.
Then Bi Sa-young’s voice rang out.
“Is that the main hall building?!”
Far ahead, among the pavilions, one building stood out with overwhelming size compared to the others.
O Gwang-hon, a master who had surpassed the eighty-year threshold of internal energy cultivation, was a top-tier warrior known as Dangrang Gwisak. He had been one of the most trusted lieutenants by Ma Gun-yang since the founding of the Jeonghyeop faction, and among the Blood Sect’s warriors, he was rare for his unwavering loyalty and steadfast character.
Even now, he remained outside the main hall of the Jeonghyeop headquarters, standing guard with two subordinates while Ma Gun-yang was away.
One of his men cautiously approached him.
“Chief Officer Oh, why don’t you come inside and rest? We’ll keep watch here.”
But Oh Gwang-hon replied firmly, “How can I rest comfortably when the Ma Gun himself has come here? Don’t worry about me—make sure the perimeter is secure.”
“Yes, sir,” the subordinate said, bowing politely on the surface but cursing him inwardly. The truth was, with Oh Gwang-hon out here, they couldn’t relax.
He glared at the back of Oh’s head, who was staring intently toward the direction of the main gate, and seethed silently, “Such a stubborn fool. Does he think he’s some righteous sect or something?”
Then, without warning, something silently fell from the roof behind him.
The descent was so quiet that Oh Gwang-hon didn’t notice until the very moment a blade sliced across the back of his neck.
Shiiik!
“Ugh!”
But this time, he was ready.
The instant he heard his subordinate’s short gasp, a chill ran down his spine.
He spun around and swung his secret weapon, the Dangrang Sak, with lightning speed.
Shiiiiiik! Chachacha-cheng!
His instincts had just saved his life.
He barely managed to block the swift sword strike coming from behind.
“Oh? Who’s there?!” Oh Gwang-hon shouted as he retreated hastily.
His other subordinate, now fully aware of the intruder, drew his sword and shouted, “Intruder!”
But before he could fully unsheathe it, a figure moving at incredible speed plunged a hidden blade into the back of his neck.
Pook!
“Gahk!”
This was no ordinary opponent.
So fast that even Oh Gwang-hon couldn’t make out his face, the attacker flew past him like a gust of wind, scattering hidden blades behind him.
Pyu-pyu-pyup!
Oh Gwang-hon hurriedly blocked the incoming projectiles.
Ti-ti-ting!
At that moment, the first attacker stabbed at Oh’s back with a sword.
Three sword shadows pierced forward simultaneously—a terrifyingly fast triple strike.
“Ugh!”
He blocked it just in time.
“Sanjo Samjeol! From the Jeomchang faction?” Oh Gwang-hon growled.
As he tried to retreat, another assailant suddenly appeared behind him, scattering more hidden blades.
Pyu-pyu-pyup!
“Ugh!”
His mind was in chaos.
These lightning-fast attackers were assaulting him from all sides like interlocking gears.
Unable to withstand it, Oh Gwang-hon dodged sideways instead of blocking the blades.
But the swordsman in front of him followed like a shadow, unleashing a dazzling sword technique that spread out like radiant wings.
“A radiant sword? So it’s not the Jeomchang faction?”
Gritting his teeth, Oh Gwang-hon swung his Dangrang Sak wildly to sweep away the glowing blades.
“Hah!”
Then, from the center of the wings, a thin beam of light shot out.
A bone-chillingly fast sword strike—Ilshisa-il.
“Gah?!”
But Oh Gwang-hon, a supreme master with over eighty years of internal energy, summoned all his strength and swung his Dangrang Sak to block it.
Jjaeng!
Blocked!
He silently rejoiced at having stopped a strike he thought impossible to defend against.
But in the next instant, he collapsed to his knees.
Without even closing his eyes in frustration, he crumpled helplessly.
Thud!
A hidden blade thrown by Bi Sa-yeong was deeply embedded in the back of his neck.
Despite using his explosive technique to charge forward, Oh Gwang-hon had been too distracted by the Ilshisa-il strike to react to Bi Sa-yeong’s hidden blade.
With Oh Gwang-hon dead, Sun Woo-jin and Bi Sa-yeong bumped fists and immediately stormed into the main hall.