Chapter 96
Paat-!!
The Heavenly Demon Jiangshi’s body leaped like a flash of light, rushing at me with its Sword.
“Eugeugeugeuk-!”
Jiiiiing-.
Just clashing for a moment was enough to make the Sword ring.
I had to use both hands to block the greatsword that the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi swung with one hand. Even then, my hands trembled from the overwhelming force.
“They made it properly.”
I had never met the Former Heavenly Demon when he was alive, but at this level, his physical strength at least had to be similar to that of his prime.
However,
Paat-!
Chwaaaak-!
“It’s still just a replica-!”
To a Martial Artist, the most important thing in the end was Internal Strength. The Heavenly Demon Jiangshi could never perfectly replicate the Internal Strength of the active Heavenly Demon.
It was only natural.
If the Blood Demon Corpse King could make the Heavenly Demon into a jiangshi with the same power as his prime, he wouldn’t have just stayed an elder, but would have become a Grand Elder or even higher.
Of course, that didn’t mean it was easy to deal with.
Hwareureu-.
As I tried to swing my Saber, Black Flames flickered on the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi’s greatsword.
Furthermore…
Chwaaang-!
…long nails extended from its right hand, which wasn’t holding the Sword, just like the Blood Demon Corpse King had shown earlier.
It was different from the Blood Demon Corpse King’s claw art.
A grotesquely twisted hand, with long nails grown out in a dark blue hue.
“Black Corpse Demonic Claws…!”
The Black Killing Demonic Sword in the right hand, the Black Corpse Demonic Claws in the left.
If either of them landed properly, it would inflict pain upon the opponent until death.
Because it was Left Sword, Right Claws, I couldn’t use the Unknown Destroying Sword. I couldn’t ask Imugi, whose teeth were already worn down and broken, to bite it again this time.
“I have to deal with it using a different Saber Art for now…!”
It was then.
Peoseok-! Peoseoseok-!
“What the fuck is that now…”
Before my eyes, I saw the ground split open again and jiangshis rise up, just like the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi had done.
There were a little over ten of them.
They were Elite Jiangshis that would be difficult to deal with comfortably.
How many more jiangshis were left? This had to be the end of them, right?
If he had more jiangshis to deploy, he would have brought them out all at once. But seeing as he deliberately brought out a small number, those were probably the last of them.
‘If I take my time dealing with them, it’s somewhat manageable…’
My stamina wasn’t in a good state then. I raised my Saber defensively to hold out and buy time.
But as if sensing my intentions, the Blood Demon Corpse King smirked with his half-blown-off face and spoke to me.
“Do you really have the time to be so leisurely?”
“…What?”
“Do you think the jiangshis here are the only ones that can hide their bodies in the ground?”
“…”
For a moment, it took me a little while to understand what he meant.
And soon after…
“Oh, fuck.”
…Understanding the meaning behind his words, I had no choice but to spit out a curse.
I wasn’t the only one fighting the jiangshis.
The Subordinates of our Mountain Stronghold.
Those guys are also fighting fiercely against the jiangshis right now.
Only then did I realize why these countless jiangshis hadn’t been spotted at all on their way to Hunan Province.
“They were moving underground.”
Not knowing this, my Subordinates would be too busy dealing with the jiangshis charging from the front to pay attention to their feet.
And if the jiangshis rising from the ground were to ambush them from behind…
‘…It’s annihilation.’
I had to quickly let them know that the jiangshis were coming from underground.
But I was blocked by the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi and the others, unable to move an inch.
“I will teach you the sensation of losing something precious.”
The Blood Demon Corpse King smirked as he said that. When I first saw him, his face looked like that of a kind grandfather.
But what I saw on his face now was the despicable smile of an evil Arch-Demon.
* * *
“Everyone, prepare the Fire Arrows!”
“Yes!”
At that time, the Mountain Stronghold was preparing to use its second Fire Attack.
The oil they had applied earlier had already dried up, blocked by the corpses.
The Green Forest Members first attached Oil Pouches to their arrows and fired them, and then…
Pyung-pyung-pyung-!
…this time, they lit the arrows on fire again to create Fire Arrows.
“Fire!”
Pyung-pyung-pyung-!!
The Fire Arrows drew perfect trajectories and headed straight for the places where the oil had been scattered.
Peo-eong-!
“Waaaaah-!”
“It’s a success!”
Although not as much as the first time, a fairly strong blaze caught on, and the Green Forest Members all cheered.
The fire immediately spread to the mountain of corpses, causing the movements of the swarming jiangshis to falter once again.
“It worked…!”
Seeing that, Dongryong also cheered inwardly.
With the jiangshis unable to move due to the flames, it felt like they could form a solid defensive line once again if they just used Artillery Bombardment over there.
Therefore, Dongryong hurriedly looked at the Haomun Leader to receive the order for the bombardment.
However…
“Haomun Leader! Please give the bombardment order quickly… Hmm?”
“…”
…Unlike the other cheering Subordinates, the Haomun Leader’s expression was not very bright.
She looked around at the battlefield with an anxious face before suddenly closing her eyes.
“Haomun Leader… Why are you suddenly closing your eyes…”
“Shh.”
When Dongryong spoke to her, she raised her index finger as if telling him to be quiet.
At that, Dongryong shut his mouth…, and even amidst the noisy atmosphere, a stillness settled over her as she kept her eyes closed.
With her eyes closed, she tried her best not to miss a single minute vibration.
And then…
“…!!”
…When she opened her eyes again, her face was filled with immense shock.
Having realized something, the Haomun Leader immediately shouted at Dongryong.
“Deputy Leader-!!”
“Yes? Yes, yes! Command me, whatever it is.”
“Tell all the personnel below to come up onto the Wooden Palisade!”
“Excuse me?”
Dongryong tilted his head and looked down below the Wooden Palisade.
Down there, hundreds of Green Forest Members were currently holding their swords, preparing for a potential Melee Combat.
“The Wooden Palisade is narrow. If all those people come up, it will be quite cramped.”
If there were too many people on the Wooden Palisade and confusion ensued, it would definitely cause delays in carrying out smooth bombardments.
There was no way the Haomun Leader didn’t know that, yet she was giving the order with extreme urgency.
“There is no time to explain everything. Hurry and bring the personnel up onto the Wooden Palisade! And send a carrier pigeon to the Reserve Forces at the bottom of the mountain, telling them to come up immediately!”
“…Yes, understood.”
Seeing her desperate expression, Dongryong hurriedly called other Subordinates to send the carrier pigeon and had the personnel below come up onto the Wooden Palisade.
Watching the personnel come up to the cramped Wooden Palisade while flustered by the sudden order, Dongryong asked the Haomun Leader.
“But Haomun Leader… Why such an order…”
“…After bringing everyone up, block the path leading up to the Wooden Palisade. We must prepare for Melee Combat.”
“What?!”
Melee Combat.
There was no one who didn’t know that Melee Combat against jiangshis was incredibly disadvantageous.
So why…
It was then.
Murmur, murmur.
“Uwaaaaah-!!”
“Wh-what is this-!!”
Suddenly, a commotion broke out below the Wooden Palisade with someone’s piercing scream and the panicked voices of the Subordinates.
“Wh-what-!”
Startled by this, Dongryong looked closely down below…
“Aaaaaah-!”
“F-from the ground!”
…He saw the jiangshis breaking through the ground and revealing themselves inside the Mountain Stronghold.
“…No, how.”
While Dongryong’s face contorted at the unimaginable situation, the Haomun Leader, having regained her composure, grabbed his shoulder and commanded.
“…Prepare for Melee Combat, Deputy Leader.”
“…Yes.”
Hearing those words, Dongryong had no choice but to nod heavily.
Melee Combat was truly a last resort.
Just how long they could hold out against the jiangshis…, he hardly dared to guess.
* * *
Pabababat-!
Following the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi standing in front of me, the other jiangshis that rose from the ground also rushed at me, prompting Imugi to step forward.
“I’ll take those guys…!”
“No!”
“What?”
But I stopped Imugi.
“I’ll handle those guys.”
“N-no, how can you handle this many alone…”
“It’s fine. It’s fine, so you…”
I extended my finger out far.
Where I pointed my finger, the Blood Demon Corpse King was standing behind the jiangshis, wearing a despicable smile.
“Catch that bastard.”
“…!”
I couldn’t fly to the Mountain Stronghold right now. If so, the only way to resolve the current situation was to catch the main body controlling the jiangshis, the Blood Demon Corpse King.
But I had no room to move while dealing with the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi and the other jiangshis.
The only one who could approach the Blood Demon Corpse King right now was Imugi.
It was a difficult task, but I had no choice but to ask him.
Still, the fortunate thing was…
“You can do it, right?”
“…Yeah!”
…that Imugi nodded willingly, even while wearing a nervous expression.
Chwaaaang-!
I shouted at him while blocking the Heavenly Demon Jiangshi’s Sword.
“Then go and bite him right now-!”
Pababat-!
With my command, Imugi dashed toward the Blood Demon Corpse King in his human form.
* * *
Thinking that his much smaller human form would be better for slipping through the gaps between the jiangshis than his main body, Imugi charged right in.
“…!”
Seeing this, the Blood Demon Corpse King must have controlled them, as he deployed jiangshis toward Imugi, but…
Chwaaaak-!
“Hurry and go-!”
Because Muyeon blocked them with his Saber Qi, Imugi was able to rush forward without delay.
Tadak-.
When he finally broke through the jiangshis and reached the front of the Blood Demon Corpse King, the latter gathered energy in his Palm with an enraged expression.
“Where does a mere monster think it’s going?!”
“…!”
Seeing this, Imugi’s body flinched.
‘I’m scared…’
After all, the one who had personally captured Imugi and entrusted him as the Moran Caravan Agency’s escort goods was none other than the Blood Demon Corpse King.
As he witnessed that energy again from so close, his body reflexively shrank back.
However…
“Kyaaaaaak-!”
…Imugi controlled his trembling body and narrowed his pupils into vertical slits.
Even humans who hadn’t lived a quarter of their lifespan were fighting, risking their lives.
If he shrank back in fear in such a situation, he wouldn’t dare to become a dragon soaring through the sky.
Perhaps today he would vainly throw away hundreds of years of Training and end his life without becoming a dragon, but Imugi threw his body forward without regret.
Throb.
For some reason, it felt like something hot was surging up from his stomach.