Chapter 55: Masters of the Blood Demon Castle (3)
“It continued this way.”
Bloodstains trailed diagonally across the ground in a disorderly pattern.
It was proof that a fierce battle had raged even while they were being pursued.
The more bloodstains appeared, the more Yong Hwarin’s insides twisted at the thought that his people could be injured or dead.
“So far, only three corpses of the Jaegal Clan’s warriors have been found. That means the Jaegal Clan is handling the situation well with formations or sword formations. As you know, the Jaegal Clan’s formations are second to none.”
Pang Giyok tried to console the deeply worried Yong Hwarin. Even Pang Giyok himself couldn’t understand why he was this concerned for someone else.
Especially for a man he’d only met for the first time yesterday.
Yong Hwarin concentrated all his internal energy into his hearing. He even drew upon the Demonic Master’s power.
Since it was linked to the soul of the Demonic Master parasitizing his Upper Dantian, the effect was even greater.
“Over there.”
Yong Hwarin pointed toward a bamboo forest that covered most of the mountain.
“If it’s there, it’s an ideal place to deploy a formation.”
Yong Hwarin launched into the Cloud-Stepping Ascending Dragon Technique.
His footwork and movement arts, passed down only within his clan, were considered among the best in the martial world. He had only realized this after having his life saved several times later in life.
Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Steps and Cloud-Stepping Ascending Dragon Technique were not inferior even when compared to the absolute arts of major sects.
Tung!
With one powerful leap, Yong Hwarin darted forward ten paces.
Seeing this, Pang Giyok’s competitive spirit reignited for no reason.
Thump!
Pang Giyok also unleashed his qinggong at full power.
It was the Qi-Controlled Gale, proudly taught by the Pang Clan.
The elite warriors of the Pang Clan followed behind him simultaneously.
Their large frames rushing forward at high speed made for an impressive sight. When the Pang Clan warriors increased their speed using qinggong, the Jaegal Clan warriors shouted.
“Our clan’s brothers are in danger! How can we let another clan arrive first? Move faster!”
As one of the Jaegal Clan’s elites shouted, everyone pushed their internal energy to the limit and threw themselves forward.
Meanwhile, the Shangguan and Seomun clans were not particularly active in this fight. Though they had joined due to justification and their Sect Leader’s orders, they had no reason to push forward and risk themselves.
They hadn’t yet suffered major casualties.
‘As expected, those brainless Pang Clan brutes… They don’t think at all, do they.’
Seeing another clan move ahead of the Jaegal Clan in someone else’s matter, Seomun Yuwon clicked his tongue.
“Master Mo! Are you alright?”
Namwook spoke with worry as he looked at Mo Biyoung, who kept coughing up blood from her side.
Jungwook was sprawled across the bamboo grove, barely distinguishable whether he was sitting or had collapsed.
And Namwook himself wasn’t in a much better state. His sword was snapped in half.
His left arm had been slashed so deeply that the white of his bones was visible.
Though he had sealed his acupoints to stop the bleeding, the real problem was Mo Biyoung, who kept bleeding despite doing the same.
Her side was a place that couldn’t stop bleeding even with acupoint sealing.
In contrast, Jong Munhye and Jong Seok were in relatively better condition.
That was because the Two Wook Sword Demons and Mo Biyoung had tried harder than anyone to protect them.
“There was no need to go this far. Because of us…”
The three of them hadn’t left the side of the pair during the entire fight.
Especially Mo Biyoung, who took the worst damage protecting Jong Munhye, who didn’t even know martial arts.
“You two are the sworn siblings of the Young Sect Leader. How could we be negligent? If something happened to you, how could we ever face the Young Sect Leader?”
They were the first people outside her sect whom the Young Sect Leader had bonded with, even forming a sibling bond.
These three wanted to protect that connection.
“How long can the Jaegal Clan’s formation hold out?”
It was only thanks to that formation that they’d been able to rest for about two hours.
But it didn’t look like it would last much longer.
Mo Biyoung glanced at Jaegal Byeok, concerned, as blood continued to drip from his chest.
It looked like his lungs were also damaged, as he coughed up blood each time. She worried that if treatment was delayed, his injuries would become irreversible.
Given that Jaegal Byeok was the older brother of Jaegal Cheongyeong, the woman who was engaged to the Young Sect Leader, she couldn’t help but be concerned.
“It’s all thanks to you two that we’re still alive. Had we not obtained the mental formula, we’d have already died at the hands of those demonic bastards.”
Jungwook spoke with a dying voice, trying to comfort Jong Munhye, who was shedding tears.
Truth be told, there had been fifteen warriors from the Jaegal Clan.
Now only five remained. But all of their own group had survived. And it wasn’t like they had been targeted less by the demonic sect members.
On the contrary, they had been attacked more viciously for getting in the way.
But the Two Wook Sword Demons and Mo Biyoung were no longer the same as before.
After acquiring a proper formula, their martial arts had advanced by more than one level, and that had produced these results.
In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that these three had broken through the encirclement of dozens of demonic enemies.
“We sent a servent to the Shangguan Clan, so reinforcements will surely arrive. Let’s hold on just a little longer!”
It was a message to everyone.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The bamboo forest shook violently as the bamboo stalks were chopped down one after another.
Unable to break the formation, the demonic sect members were cutting down all the bamboo instead.
“If they cut all the bamboo, our formation won’t hold much longer.”
“If I’m going to die, I’d rather go out fighting gloriously.”
The warriors of the Jaegal Clan, thinking all hope lost, stood with their swords.
All five were elite members of the clan. Rather than suffer disgrace, they chose death.
“Uncles…”
Jaegal Byeok looked at them with sorrow in his eyes.
The uncles averted their eyes from Jaegal Byeok and said,
“We were born as warriors, and we’ll die as warriors. That’s our fate.”
“Please endure just a bit longer. Help is on the way.”
“Until then, we’ll hold the enemy off. You must escape and report the results from Shaolin to Yohye, no matter what.”
The sound of experts from the Three Demonic Heavens chopping bamboo was now just ten paces away.
Within two hours, they would break through.
They turned to Mo Biyoung and the Two Wook Sword Demons and bowed with clasped fists.
“We wouldn’t have lasted this long without your help. The Jaegal Clan will never forget this debt.”
Mo Biyoung smiled faintly.
Though known for their intelligence, the Jaegal Clan were, in the end, also warriors.
They gave off a distinct warrior’s scent.
“Form the sword formation.”
The five elites began assembling the sword formation, ready to charge the enemy who would soon appear.
“Please take care of Jaegal Byeok.”
They bowed their heads toward the Heavenly Central Sect warriors.
Mo Biyoung also bowed her head in return.
Then it happened.
A loud voice suddenly rang through the bamboo grove.
“Master Mo! Two Wook Sword Demons! Hye-mae! Little Brother Jong!”
Hearing their names called as someone approached through the forest, Mo Biyoung let out a breath of relief.
If the Young Sect Leader had arrived, surely reinforcements had come too. Her tension eased.
“We’re here!”
Namwook, with what strength he had left, shouted.
“Young Sect Leader! We’re all alive!”
Hearing those words from the center of the bamboo grove, Yong Hwarin’s face lit up with joy.
Knowing they had survived up to now, he felt as though tears would burst forth.
It was the first time in his life he realized how precious it was to have people he truly cared about.
Hearing Namwook’s voice made his heart ache, as if he had just reunited with a long-lost lover.
But the road into the center of the bamboo grove was not easy.
Demonic experts blocked the path.
And it wasn’t just one or two. Dozens burst out from various parts of the grove.
“You damn demonic bastards, what kind of lunacy is this?!”
Pang Giyok shouted in rage.
Usually dignified, Pang Giyok now cursed as he drew his weapon.
The Pang Clan warriors moved in perfect coordination.
When Pang Giyok attacked, they attacked in unison. When he pulled back, they formed a defensive formation centered around him.
Pang Cheollyeon didn’t step back just because she was a woman either. In fact, she tried to take the front line, and the elites had to hold her back.
The Pang Clan warriors all looked like they were dying to fight.
Thanks to Pang Giyok leading the charge, the demonic experts were preoccupied dealing with the Pang Clan warriors.
Taking advantage of that, Yong Hwarin dashed into the grove using Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Steps.
Suddenly, killing intent burst forth from his left, right, and above.
‘Indeed… The Demonic Master’s power suits me far better than the internal energy I built myself.’
Strangely, the external energy from the Demonic Master felt more in tune with him than the true energy he had cultivated himself.
If he only had about half a level of internal energy, he would’ve surely missed one of those three strands of killing intent.
He didn’t realize it, but thanks to the Demonic Master’s energy, he was now more attuned to sensing the killing intent of demonic energy.
The more similar the energy, the faster one could sense it.
Yong Hwarin dropped his running body low to dodge the killing intent Soaring in from the sides, then kicked a bamboo stalk while lying down, launching himself to the right.
Skeuk!
After cutting down the enemy to his right, he spread his legs and planted them on a bamboo stalk to block a descending sword.
Chaeng!
Channeling strength into his legs, he used the bamboo’s spring and the recoil of his energy to repel the downward strike.
Then, dodging the sword slash coming from the left, he leaned his back against the bamboo and put his full body weight on it.
Whoosh!
The bamboo bent as if it would snap under his weight.
It looked like a fishing rod bending under the weight of a big catch.
Thinking Yong Hwarin had lost balance, the demonic warrior didn’t hesitate to lunge with his sword.
Just then, Yong Hwarin released his body from the bamboo, which rebounded and shot into the demonic warrior.
Fwoosh!
“Where do you think you're going?!”
The demonic warrior tried to block the bamboo with his sword.
But it was too late—Yong Hwarin’s blade had already swept through his abdomen.
Moving at a speed similar to the bamboo, Yong Hwarin had momentarily vanished from the warrior’s sight. As the abdomen split, hot steam burst forth and intestines spilled out.
At that moment, another demonic warrior dropped from above, stabbing straight down.
But as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Yong Hwarin used the Iron Plate Bridge technique, collapsing backward and driving his sword through the demonic warrior’s chest.
Watching this from afar, Mo Biyoung shivered and muttered,
“That’s the true Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Steps…”
This footwork was devised using the unique traits of bamboo.
Which meant that within a bamboo grove, it could be the most superior and terrifying of all footwork techniques.
Yong Hwarin used the bamboo’s spring and flexibility to bounce, lie low, roll, climb, and advance ten paces at a time.
When he grabbed a bamboo stalk with one hand and faced off against five enemies, Mo Biyoung found herself entranced by the sight.