Chapter 50

Awakening

"Damn it, I feel like I've been through this before. Still... huff, huff, there's no way this could happen twice. Something must be wrong with my mind. Damn it... huff, huff."

Gukgwang was running for his life, but the pursuit by the black- and red-clothed figures was relentless. Whenever they saw an opening, they would throw hidden weapons at Gukgwang. Already, five Blood Feather Arrows, which were about five inches (about 15 centimeters) long and designed for long-range attacks, were embedded in Gukgwang's back. Of course, these couldn't penetrate his protective qi and pierce his skin, but they dangled from his clothes, causing considerable inconvenience.

Hidden weapons come in many varieties, from thin and light Black Hair Needles to large and heavy Blood Feather Arrows. The thin and light ones are usually thrown with internal power and are unlikely to hit if the distance exceeds two zhang (about 6 meters). However, heavy ones like Blood Feather Arrows, when thrown with a combination of internal power and physical strength, can fly a great distance and are used to attack enemies who are fleeing or charging.

Again, a whistling sound and a terrifying aura came from behind.

"Who do you think I am?"

The moment he sensed the aura getting closer, Gukgwang turned around and swung his sword.

"Ha!"

Clang!

The sword, sparking with fire, was deflected and deeply embedded in a nearby tree. Seeing this, Gukgwang turned and started running again. He ran with all his might. Then, another whistling sound came from behind.

'Don't stop, just deal with it. If you keep stopping, they'll catch up.'

Without stopping, Gukgwang slightly turned his head back. He saw a sword approaching at a terrifying speed. Timing it just right, he didn't stop but turned his body slightly and swung his sword to deflect it.

Clang!

Seeing the sword fly to the side, Gukgwang shouted excitedly.

"Hehehe, I can survive... ah!"

Splash!

His focus on the sword from behind made him miss the one in front. It was dark, so he could barely see, but it was better to see than not.

"Ugh, what is this?"

Muhyang used his internal power to easily pull the sword out of his stomach and emerged from the water.

'My body is in a terrible state...'

Immediately, he began to use the Northern Mystic Art to absorb internal power from the surrounding earth. Muhyang's body emitted a transparent blue light, and the bright light helped the pursuers pinpoint his location. Seeing the blue light emanating from Muhyang's body, Neng Bijie asked Haigonggong.

"Haigonggong, is there such a technique in the imperial martial arts?"

"Perhaps... I've never seen this before. There are about twenty incomplete martial arts, and I can't know all the techniques in the imperial armory."

"I see."

Neng Bijie felt uneasy as he approached Muhyang. The blue light emanating from Muhyang's body was gradually diminishing, now emitting only a faint glow. Because of this, everyone gathered around him, mesmerized by the beauty and strangeness, but no one dared to get closer.

Muhyang looked at the black-, red-, and yellow-clothed figures who were pointing their swords at him and said,

"Damn cowards! The methods you used are mine! How dare you ambush me with the very methods I enjoy using...?"

Everyone looked at each other with puzzled expressions at the sudden outburst of confusing words.

'Is this guy crazy?'

However, they missed the simplest thing due to the darkness: Muhyang's wounds had already healed.

"The sect leader has been secretly creating all sorts of people. Hehehe, how dare you draw your sword against me...? And the leader of the pursuit team is Neng Bijie?"

Muhyang lowered his slightly raised sword. Slowly... Seeing this, Neng Bijie felt a strange sensation.

'Why did he lower his sword? Lowering the sword below the waist is not a good stance. And the momentum of lowering the sword is as heavy as a mountain...'

"Get out of the way!"

At the same time, an invisible sword wind created a whirlwind, and the swordsmen were knocked back or sent flying. Muhyang didn't miss this opportunity.

"Today is your last day."

Muhyang dashed forward at a speed almost like light and swung his sword, releasing a terrifying aura of energy from the Muhun Sword in all directions. Ah, it was the moment when the cursed sword technique, known as the Supreme Sword Technique, was revived in the martial world.

'Heh, applying the principle of Du Gang to Tong Gang... How dare you rely on numbers and attack me...'

Seeing Muhyang cutting down his subordinates and approaching him at a terrifying speed, Neng Bijie felt a chill.

'It's over. He's awakened. It's impossible to flee from a master of the Talmah technique. Now, there's only one way...'

Neng Bijie's body began to swell, and a faint red light emanated from his entire body. His hair stood up, giving him a demonic appearance as he gathered all his internal power.

"Red Sun Art!"

At the same time, he brought his hands together and released all his internal power at Muhyang.

Boom...

A red mass of energy shot forward from his hands. But Muhyang charged straight at it. Without bothering to dodge, he immediately executed the 1.4th form, Fang, and the massive energy mass was deflected to the sides, causing a massive explosion. By the time Neng Bijie tried to evade, Muhyang was already in front of him, and the Muhun Sword, glowing blue, fell from above.

"Kyaah!"

Everyone was shocked when Muhyang's sword, now emitting a burning blue light, cut Neng Bijie in two. Only now did the black-clothed figures realize what was happening.

'The deputy sect leader's memories have returned!'

This alone was enough to sap their morale. They remembered how, when the purge of Muhyang began, all the top 100 experts and major forces of the Devil Sect gathered to prepare for any eventuality. It was only with such preparation that they dared to attempt to eliminate him. Fortunately, they managed to sink the giant ship with successive ambushes without major losses.

But now, with his memories returned, it would be impossible to ambush him with any ordinary method. Moreover, his supposed weakness, the Child Technique, was clearly a fake. So, with Neng Bijie cut in two and lying on the ground, they could only think of one thing.

"Deputy Sect Leader... please forgive us..."

The black-clothed figures immediately prostrated themselves on the ground, pleading for mercy. This was a better survival strategy than fighting.

The yellow-clothed figures were stunned by the sudden turn of events.

'Are these guys crazy? They're begging for their lives just because their leader is dead, even though they were fighting to the death... The Devil Sect is just a name.'

Haigonggong laughed and said,

"Hehehe, the Devil Sect is nothing. Begging for their lives just because their leader is dead... Hehehe, and the so-called top experts of the Devil Sect using such crude techniques, relying only on direct confrontations. They don't even know the basics of martial arts, hehe."

Muhyang was curious about this non-male, non-female figure. His senses told him this was a formidable opponent, but he was an unknown figure. The high-pitched, grating laughter...

'The food I ate three years ago is coming back up. Disgusting...'

Muhyang withdrew the internal power he had poured into the Muhun Sword, and it stopped glowing.

"Who are you, sir?"

Surprised by Muhyang's respectful question, Haigonggong said,

"I am Haigonggong."

"Ah! Lord Haigonggong. It's unexpected to see you involved in martial world affairs from the imperial palace."

Haigonggong was puzzled by this question.

'What is this guy talking about? The martial world is interfering with imperial affairs... Ah, this is the place to settle the grudge with the Devil Sect, so it's a threat to leave peacefully...'

"Hehehe, the imperial palace can also interfere in martial world affairs. Even if they claim not to, haven't they secretly been helping or hindering each other for ages?"

Muhyang subtly released internal power towards Haigonggong and still spoke politely.

"Is that so? But I think the imperial palace is too deeply involved this time."

"Hmph! What do you know? Aren't martial artists subjects of the imperial soil?"

"Maybe not."

"What do you base that on... ah!"

Boom!

Haigonggong lost his balance as he was caught in an invisible sword wind. This brief moment was enough for Muhyang to finish him off. Muhyang shot forward, infused his Muhun Sword with maximum energy, and cut Haigonggong from top to bottom.

"Damn, you coward... Using underhanded methods."

Muhyang laughed at Haigonggong's desperate words.

"I'm a coward by nature, you fool. You're not even worth fighting. I only fight humans. I don't fight monsters like you who aren't men or women."

Puh!

Haigonggong, though not easily killed, had become complacent after confirming he was superior to Muhyang. As Haigonggong was cut in two, the red-clothed figures nearby charged with fury. But they were no match for Muhyang. The remaining eleven red-clothed figures were quickly cut down, and after disposing of them, Muhyang looked at the yellow-clothed figures, who were pale with fear, and spoke to one of the black-clothed figures.

"Long time no see, Chienli Duxing!"

A fearful voice replied,

"Yes."

"Will you swear loyalty to me as my subordinate, or die here as the sect leader's dog?"

"Hehehe, our sect has always followed the law of the jungle. Of course, I will serve the mighty Lord Muhyang."

"Good. Did you come alone to eliminate me?"

"No, Yan Wang also came."

"Good. Then I have a command for you."

"Please give your command."

"Eliminate all the annoying yellow-clothed figures."

"Understood! Follow me."

The remaining black-clothed figures, about a hundred, charged the seven hundred yellow-clothed figures. The clash between the two forces, who had never fought before, resulted in a nearly one-sided slaughter. The elite of the Devil Sect was overwhelmingly powerful.

The Song Empire lost too much in the process of eliminating General Yokyungjin, who was only one person, and that too due to Yan Sheng's ambition. Part of the brilliant Black Wind Corps, which General Yokyungjin commanded, was dispatched to rescue him and his commanders but was nearly annihilated in a battle with unknown demons and scattered. All the high-ranking officers, including the hundred-man commanders, at General Yokyungjin's residence were killed.

The remaining 5,000 members of the Black Wind Corps, seeing the new commander Yan Liang's incompetence, all resigned and went into seclusion. Yan Liang, appointed not for his martial skills or loyalty to the emperor but as the most capable among Yan Sheng's relatives, was seen as incompetent by the Black Wind Corps members.

In fact, the Black Wind Corps, due to their formidable strength, were often sent to the most dangerous missions. With an incompetent commander, even if they had ten lives, they wouldn't survive. It was understandable that they went into seclusion.

The 1,000 warriors of the Golden Guard and the twelve warriors of the Imperial Guard, sent to eliminate General Yokyungjin, were mysteriously killed, leaving the Imperial Guard without almost all its top experts and the Golden Guard severely damaged. This led to the collapse of most of the forces protecting the imperial authority, resulting in a rebellion.

Jin Tianwang, the ruler of the Western Capital, who governed one-third of the Song Empire's territory, took advantage of the weakening imperial authority, following the advice of his excellent strategist Shun You, and conspired with Guanghai, the deputy commander of the Western Army, to kill General Guo Jin and start a rebellion. The Song army's main forces were all deployed in the war against the Jurchens, so the 200,000 elite troops of the Western Army, which had not sent a single soldier for this expedition, faced almost no opposition. The local forces crumbled before the rebellion, and the rebel forces spread out in all directions.

The court, lacking a strong force to counter the rebellion, took advantage of the weakened Mongols to mobilize 200,000 troops from the Northern Army to stabilize the front and wait for the end of the war with the Jurchens. The war with the Jurchens soon ended, but due to the internal rebellion, Generals Jin Jilin and Li Changhai had to halt their plans to subdue the Jurchens and instead focus on pacifying them to withdraw their troops.

They made a radical proposal to cede the territory east of the Songhua River to the Jurchens, satisfying them, and returned to fight the rebellion. Agholta, who learned the techniques of mass combat from the Song war, took advantage of the Song's distraction to unify the Jurchens and establish the Jin dynasty, becoming a tiger in the northeast that would shake the region until its fall to the Yuan dynasty.

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Continued in "Muhyang" Volume 3