Chapter 76 – Unrivaled Hero (1)

Chapter 76 – Unrivaled Hero (1)

Under the cover of a pitch-black dawn, when the enemy’s vigilance was at its lowest, something remarkable was taking place on a section of Hanzhong’s wall.

Creeeeak—!

A corner of the stone wall swung open like a door, revealing a narrow passage. It was a secret stone gate disguised as part of the wall. Through this opening, about thirty dark figures silently emerged. They wore pitch-black armor, with small bundles slung over their shoulders.

After closing the stone door, they lowered their posture and moved carefully toward the edge of the wall.

In less than ten minutes, they arrived at the blind spot where the enemy’s watch was the weakest. Standing before the moat, So-mu raised his hand.

“Using the water-skimming technique might draw the enemy’s attention, so we will swim across.”

While the rest of the squad members nodded in agreement, a few spoke up in embarrassment:

“C—Captain, I don't know how to swim.”

“Me neither…”

The average width of the moat was about ten zhang. No matter how strong one’s martial arts were, it did not mean they were immune to the fear of water. Still, they could not be left behind.

So-mu stepped into the water first and said quietly, “I will help you. Get in.”

The two squad members carefully entered the water and held onto his shoulders.

Following So-mu, the squad members successfully crossed the moat in absolute silence.

“Phew. Thank you, Captain.”

So-mu placed his left index finger to his lips, signaling for silence. The enemy camp also possessed experts with sharp ears, so one could never be too careful.

He signaled to his men and led them in a detour around the main Hui camp. Moving low, it took them about half an hour to slip past the enemy’s line of sight.

“From here, we will use lightfoot techniques.”

The issue lay with the enemy scouts stationed around Hanzhong. So-mu pushed his senses to the limit, evading the patrol network as they moved toward a nearby mountain. They reached the top of an unnamed hill about three hundred zhang away from Hanzhong. It was an excellent vantage point overlooking the enemy’s main headquarters.

Upon reaching their destination, everyone stripped off their armor to let it dry. Since he had verified there were no scouts in the vicinity, there was no need to be overly cautious.

“Good work, everyone.”

So-mu sat down and crossed his legs in meditation. One of the squad members approached and asked:

“Captain, what do we do now?”

“We wait. Get plenty of rest.”

However, they had no way of knowing whether they would have to wait for a single day or ten.

They had brought ample rations. The only issue was having to endure the tedious waiting.

Dawn broke, and another two days passed.

Il-gwang approached and asked, “Captain, what are you doing? How can you sit there cross-legged without moving a muscle for two whole days?”

Without eating, drinking, or moving in the slightest, So-mu remained still. Receiving no response, Il-gwang asked again:

“Are you dead?”

At that moment, So-mu slowly opened his eyes.

“I was meditating. How much time has passed?”

Il-gwang replied with an exasperated expression, “Two days have already passed. What kind of meditation lasts that long?”

“You asked how I reached the Transformational Realm, yes? It was by attaining enlightenment through meditation.”

Il-gwang tilted his head, unable to comprehend. Then, looking toward the enemy camp, he asked:

“By the way, do those bastards have no intention of attacking?”

“No. They will definitely move.”

Sighing, Il-gwang sat down next to So-mu and crossed his legs, attempting to copy him.

They sat like that for an hour. Suddenly, So-mu’s lips parted slightly:

“It seems it is beginning. Assemble the men.”

Il-gwang stood up and gathered the squad members.

So-mu’s gaze was fixed on the enemy camp. He could see tiny specks rushing fiercely toward Hanzhong’s north gate. The enemy command headquarters, however, remained completely still.

Approaching him, Il-gwang pointed to a section of the field and said, “Where are those guys going!?”

So-mu’s gaze locked onto the same spot. A group of about three hundred soldiers was behaving suspiciously. They had secretly broken off from the main force and were heading rapidly toward the west.

“They intend to launch a surprise attack on the west gate with elite troops.”

The west gate was flanked by mountains and had a narrow road, making it impossible for a large army to move through. However, if a small group of elites could scale the wall and cause chaos from within, the entire defensive force could be thrown into disarray.

Some defensive troops were stationed there, but they were not strong enough to repel such an assault. Furthermore, Xianhua Hall, where his daughter was currently staying, was located near the west gate.

“Captain, what do we do?”

A decision had to be made quickly. They either had to assassinate the enemy commander or support the west gate.

‘If Yeon Seo-hwa steps in, she will be able to hold them back for a while. I will take Temur’s head as quickly as possible and join them.’

Having organized his thoughts, So-mu turned to Il-gwang:

“Take the men and reinforce the west gate.”

“Are you planning to attack their headquarters alone?”

“The enemy’s top experts are currently charging the walls. Right now is our best opportunity.”

“Understood. But what about you?”

“If things go wrong, I will withdraw, so do not worry. So-so is at Xianhua Hall near the west gate, so you must hurry.”

Il-gwang did not hesitate any longer. Although he regretted not being able to assault the headquarters alongside So-mu, protecting his beloved niece was far more important. The two exchanged a firm nod and parted ways.

A moment later, Il-gwang led the squad members, running at full speed toward the west gate.

“So-so, just wait. Uncle is coming!”

Before they even departed, So-mu had already vanished from their sight.

At the enemy headquarters, about a thousand soldiers remained in formation. They were likely Temur’s personal guard. Several commanders could also be seen standing on standby.

However, So-mu did not hesitate. Charging forward in a straight line, he closed the distance to his target in a breath.

Shring—!

His blade slid from its scabbard, humming with energy. In that instant, fury welled up in So-mu’s eyes. The moment he sensed Temur’s presence, the pain of the past rushed back.

‘On the day Yoo-hwa was murdered, you were in Baiyang County. I will hold you accountable today.’

Like a bolt of lightning, So-mu crashed into the rear of the thousand-man formation.

Boom!!!

Under the sudden ambush, a dozen soldiers were sent flying into the air.

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

At the sudden commotion, everyone turned their heads toward the rear. A streak of light was tearing through their ranks at an unbelievable speed.

Slash! Splat! Plunge!

The soldiers watched in disbelief. Like a parting wave, the soldiers fell to the left and right like cut reeds.

An officer shouted in panic:

“Block him!!!”

Temur’s personal guards formed a dense wall, drawing their swords. However, the intruder had already penetrated deep into their center.

So-mu’s left hand spread open, enveloped in a crimson sword qi. His palm slammed into the chest of the soldier in front of him.

Boom!!!

The soldier, his chest completely crushed, flew backward, knocking away five other guards behind him. Everyone gasped at the terrifying display of power.

Seeing this, two commanders tried to block his path. In that instant, So-mu shifted his footwork.

Talhon Sword Technique, Second Form: Lightning-Chasing Trace.

His figure surged forward like a thunderbolt, passing straight through the two commanders.

Thud!

Behind So-mu, two heads soared into the air.

Seeing two of their commanders fall in a single exchange, panic gripped the Hui headquarters.

“Ah!?”

“How can this…”

The fifty Salatai warriors guarding Temur’s inner circle sprang into action. They quickly dispersed, taking up positions to construct a formation. Their movements were on a completely different level compared to the regular soldiers.

But before they could complete their formation, a brilliant flash of light flared and vanished. It was the Sword Saint’s lightfoot technique, the Lightning Shadow Step.

Tearing through the Salatai in a single bound, So-mu thrust his blade toward Temur.

Boom!

Having parried the strike and taken a step back, Temur was utterly shocked.

“Y—You…?”

How could he forget the man before him? The warrior who had overwhelmed ten thousand men with his terrifying martial arts in Baiyang County.

Temur also knew that the opponent was a master of the Profound Realm.

‘To think the fierce general of Hanzhong was the Sword Saint himself!’

Temur was a cautious man. Had he known this from the start, he would never have formulated such a strategy. He would have gathered every peak expert in his army to surround and face this man.

But it was too late for regrets. He frantically swung his sword, barely managing to block the incoming strikes.

Clang! Clang-clang!!!

Temur was faster than Vanguard Commander Yelu Huan. Even so, he could not overcome the barrier of the Profound Realm on his own. So-mu’s attacks grew faster and more precise by the second. If he showed even a sliver of an opening, a fatal strike would surely connect.

Swinging his sword in desperation, Temur screamed:

“All of you, get in here!!!”

It was no easy task to intervene in a battle between superhuman masters. However, the Salatai were heartless killing machines. Without hesitation, the fifty warriors threw themselves into the fray.

“Impudent!”

A powerful wave of qi erupted from So-mu, causing them to flinch.

Whoosh—!

While Temur and the Salatai faltered, So-mu kicked off the ground and soared into the air.

Talhon Sword Technique, Third Form: Soaring Chaos Strike.

The sword in his hand erupted in a brilliant light as he slashed wildly through the air. Dozens of crescent-shaped blades of energy rained down toward the ground.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

In a single strike, a dozen Salatai warriors rolled on the ground, turned into corpses. Even the surviving Salatai were heavily injured. The ground was gouged with deep craters, creating a horrific scene.

This was a technique that consumed a massive amount of internal energy, so So-mu rarely used it. But now was not the time to be conservative.

The moment So-mu’s feet touched the ground, Temur was already fleeing. In the blink of an eye, he had sprinted twenty zhang away.

So-mu could not let him escape. He activated his lightfoot technique and pursued Temur. The remaining Salatai ran after them, but the distance between them and the two masters steadily widened.

Temur was heading toward the walls of Hanzhong. He intended to join the other Transformational Realm master and make a stand.

Coincidentally, he spotted the fierce general Hua Lun, wielding his long spear atop the command tower. The flashing sparks of battle made him easy to spot. He too was a Transformational Realm master leading a corps. Hua Lun seemed to be trying to capture the general directing the defense.

‘He is not someone I can face alone. Once I join Hua Lun, we can assemble the Salatai and face him with a formation.’

As the distance closed, Hua Lun’s movements became clear. But something was strange. Hua Lun was being pushed back repeatedly, unable to get close to the general, as if blocked by an invisible wall.

‘What is he doing?’

There was no time to ponder. Temur gathered his internal energy and shouted toward the tower:

“General Hua Lun, come this way!!!”

He was running out of time. The Sword Saint pursuing him from behind was drawing closer.

However, Hua Lun was in no position to assist him.

A moment later, Temur fell into despair as he realized why. He saw the dark shadow that was pressing Hua Lun.

It was General Jang-yang’s bodyguard, the King of Assassins.

‘Damn it…’

Stopping his retreat, Temur turned and swung his sword. A cold wave of blade-light split into five streaks and erupted toward his pursuer.

Clang-clang!!!

Having instantly dispelled the attack, the Sword Saint launched a counteroffensive. The sword qi thrusting toward his chest was too fast and precise to block. Grimacing, Temur threw his upper body back, letting the blade glide past.

Whoosh!

The sword qi grazed his chest, slicing his armor. A cold wind hit his face.

Though he barely managed to evade the blade, he had no way to block the follow-up kick. So-mu’s left foot swept in a curve, slamming into his side.

Crack!

“Ugh!”

Stumbling three steps back, Temur quickly steadied himself. So-mu stood before him and said:

“Will you die miserably while fleeing, or will you face me like a man?”

After a brief hesitation, Temur steeled his expression and assumed a stance. He was, after all, the commander of the Hui Dynasty. He had no intention of dying a pathetic death.

“It won't be that easy.”

A moment later, a life-and-death duel between the two masters began near the city gates.