Chapter 401. Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes (1)

Darkness had come and found them. It seemed endless. The enemy’s appearance was vague, their outlines blurred.

The only relief was that they could still see what was right beside them. There were one or two people they could stand back to back with.

"How cold..." a Martial Alliance warrior muttered absentmindedly.

The absence of light not only made it hard to see ahead, but also took away any trace of warmth. The cold bit through the air.

Their skin prickled. Goosebumps spread across their arms.

Gulp.

The sound of someone swallowing echoed unnaturally loud.

Clang!

The sound of steel signaling the start of the battle echoed through the poisonous clouds.

"Agh!"

“The enemy!”

It was a pitch-black darkness where not even an inch ahead could be seen.

The melee started with screams.

“Stay behind me.”

Luo Xiaoyue sent Tang Hui behind her.

“It doesn’t suit my personality to be quietly protected by someone.” Tang Hui said, frowning in clear displeasure.

“You know this isn’t the time, right?” Luo Xiaoyue replied with a wry smile, scanning their surroundings.

As expected from a Harmony Realm Master, she made full use of her physical abilities.

She abandoned sight and relied on her other senses instead.

Through her hearing and smell, and through the vibrations in the ground felt beneath her feet, she scanned her surroundings.

"It looks like even vision techniques won't help us see in this darkness."

Martial artists could enhance their eyesight using qi. They could see further, even in the dark, as if it were daylight.

“It’s not that the light disappeared. It’s being blocked by something. Think of it as a wall in your path...”

Woosh!

Before Tang Hui could finish, a dagger flew in from the poisonous cloud, cutting through the air. Luo Xiaoyue’s hand snapped forward like lightning. Instead of using her sword, she caught the flying dagger. Its tip stopped right at Tang Hui’s nose.

"Seems like that invisible wall can be passed through," Luo Xiaoyue said calmly when she saw the dagger.

"While we may have taken antipoisons, it's still dangerous if you get hit directly by a poisoned hidden weapon, so stop being reckless. What, are you that proud of reaching the Harmony Realm just because you had an elixir?"

“Oh, thank you for worrying about me.”

Luo Xiaoyue calmly accepted the harsh words.

“Senior Brother, Junior Sister, you're both the same..." Tang Hui muttered, dissatisfied.

It wasn’t always obvious, but sometimes when she looked at them, she saw the similarities. They answered every word, or they overcame dangerous situations without a single care.

“Haha. Are we that similar?”

Luo Xiaoyue smiled as if she was inexplicably pleased. Tang Hui disliked that smile even more.

Woosh!

Their banter ended.

A group of black-clad martial artists appeared through the poisonous cloud. They were presumably the ones who had thrown the hidden weapons.

Now it wasn’t just weapons flying in. It was soldiers from the Seven Stars Division, their faces covered with masks, blades in hand.

"Ha!"

Luo Xiaoyue's demeanor changed.

She didn't have her usual innocent and gentle aura.

When she flicked her wrist holding the sword, a sword wound appeared on the enemy's body. While there was no red light, reflecting off her blade, drops of blood spurted into the air.

"Tang Family, step back!" Wei Zhijie shouted.

"Mount Hua Sect, protect the Tang Family!"

The Tang Family specialized in poison and hidden weapons, so they weren’t suited for close combat.

Some among them had learned techniques like Poison Palm, but they were few. Charging ahead recklessly would only bring losses.

“The enemy seems to be assassins skilled in fighting in the dark!” Gale Sword Wang Yi of the Gold Will Sword Sect shouted.

“We’ve prepared for a battle in the darkness, so don't let your guard down, and don't act rashly!”

Although Wang Yi was a member of the Gold Will Sword Sect, he was an experienced Peak Realm expert, so no one would take his advice lightly.

Just as Wang Yi was about to speak again, he felt a chill.

What could only be called an intuition momentarily took away control of his brain and muscles, causing them to move on their own.

“Hmph!”

Wang Yi used the Gale Steps and retreated quickly.

Sssss.

A clean line was cut across his clothes. The hem tore, revealing his hardened abs beneath.

He was lucky. His skin remained unharmed, but the realization that he’d nearly been gutted sent a cold sweat down his back.

In that moment, he saw the weapon that had sliced through his robe and vanished again into the dark.

"A chakram?"

A chakram was a weapon shaped like a disc, as its name suggested. Except for the handle, its entire edge was a sharp blade.

Wang Yi quickly recalled several techniques that used a chakram in the

murim

.

"Concealed Returning Chakram?" Wang Yi muttered with a frown.

The attack hadn't made a single sound. There were only a few techniques that reminded him of such an ambush.

"Hidden Gang!"

“How quick-witted, Gale Sword," someone answered sinisterly.

Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

[1]

"Ugh!"

"Something's flying through the air!"

At the same time, shouts poured out from all directions.

“It’s a chakram!”

"This has to be the Concealed Returning Chakram... it's the Hidden Gang!"

The Hidden Gang was an assassin group active in the murim.

Unlike others, their primary weapons were chakrams.

Most hidden weapons were single-use, thrown once and abandoned. But such weapons left traces behind.

The Hidden Gang hated leaving any evidence. After much research, they developed the Concealed Returning Chakram, inspired by a returning dart.[2]

The technique involved one throwing a wheel instead of a returning dart to assassinate one's enemies, and retrieving the weapon so that no evidence would be left behind.

Ironically, if an assassination failed, everyone would think of the Hidden Gang just because their technique was so unique.[3]

“In this darkness, you'll be no match for the Hidden Gang.”

The Hidden Gang Boss laughed, licking his lips.

“I don’t know about other places, but in a place that steals your eyes, no one can keep up with Hidden Gang."

A weapon shaped like a disc spun in the darkness.

"I'll kill you all and become Pure Faith."

The chakram left the Hidden Gang Boss' hand.

"Hidden Gang Boss?"

Peng Zihu responded to the surrounding sounds.

"How fitting of the name the Dark Heavens."

“It’s different in this darkness.”

A reply came from the other side.

“Tang Family’s Little Patriarch... No, Avaricious Wolf.”

Peng Zihu’s eyes sparkled. Even though a Harmony Realm Master couldn’t see ahead in this darkness, he could sense his presence through other senses.

"The Hidden Gang's Hidden Knowledge Art is a cultivation method that amplifies every sense other than sight in order to replace the eyes. Its true value shines in the darkness where nothing can be seen."

Peng Zihu was reflected in Tang Mingren’s dry eyes.

Unlike the others, Tang Mingren could see ahead clearly.

What blocked his vision was ultimately poisonous smoke. As a master of a Poison Manipulation Art who could even handle Formless Poison, to Tang Mingren, the vision obstruction was no big deal.

"Fight among the poison and assassins. Once you tire, the Dark Heavens Army will begin their slaughter."

“You’ve become quite bold since the last time I saw you.”

Peng Zihu looked at Tang Mingren.

The man looked like a tiger perched calmly on a rock. He looked calm, but he also felt majestic like the Ruler of the Mountains.[4]

"We're not walking the same path anyway, so what's the problem with being relaxed? I'm no longer the Little Patriarch of the Tang Family, much less a member of the Righteous Faction.”

Tang Mingren’s sleeves puffed up.

“I’m Tang Mingren, the Avaricious Wolf of the Dark Heavens Association.”

The movement of his sleeves wasn’t to release hidden weapons concealed within them, it was just an illusion.

This wasn’t a feint. It was a genuine attack, hidden within the illusion. A butterfly-shaped hidden weapon, no bigger than a finger joint, was drawn and thrown in a flash.

Thwip!

The poisonous dart flew through the air. It wasn't flying like a butterfly, but rather stinging like a bee.

The tiger of Hebei watched the scene without moving, and then cut the dart in two the moment it got right in front of him.

Shing!

The poisonous dart split in two. Then, the poison attached to its wings fell like powder.

Peng Zihu couldn't see the poison powder. However, strangely enough, he raised his saber as if he could see it and blocked it.

Thoom!

Peng Zihu’s dao, which must have still had some residual force, rose like a dragon ascending the heavens, splitting the air in a relaxed manner. What was surprising was that, for a moment, the poison powder and the poison cloud that had been blocking his vision disappeared.

“As expected from the head of the Peng family, you have great martial arts.”

The Hebei Peng Family’s martial arts were the best among the Five Great Ancient Families.

“However, you will regret attacking me alone.”

"You've really become arrogant and talkative since the last time I saw you. A few seconds is enough for the likes of you.”

The mocking remark he often got, that even his brain was made of muscle, was, on the contrary, proof that everyone was confident in his abilities.

In fact, the bloodline of the Hebei Peng Family was one that passed down a martial physique. And, as its pinnacle, the Patriarch of the Peng Family had to be strong.

Even though he couldn’t see ahead, his reaction speed and accuracy were amazing.

“Your pride will become your poison, head of the Peng family.”

Tang Mingren’s eyes shone sinisterly.

“Moreover, with this, we've determined it."

Avaricious Wolf narrowed his eyes.

“Zhou Xuchuan isn’t here.”

***

The Northern Army, who almost faced the Dark Heavens Association Lord, changed course and retreated. Thanks to discovering it in advance, they were able to retreat easily.

Since their forces were similar, their advance speeds weren’t that different.

They knew they couldn’t completely shake off the enemy, but as long as they could buy time, they believed they would find a way.

Still, Shen Daoyun’s face grew more troubled by the minute.

“If this continues, we’ll end up leaving the plains.”

Shen Daoyun frowned.

“Does that mean we’re getting further away from the Northern Upper Army?” Hong Jin asked.

“Yes.”

Staying too close to the Northern Upper Army posed risks, but being too far had its own dangers. It would become harder to receive support.

Moreover, since they were getting closer to Hefei, which was currently occupied by the Dark Heavens Association, they knew they might get surrounded if they were blocked in the front.

“Then we just turn around... what’s the problem?” Ximen Erjin asked, noticing Shen Daoyun’s grim expression.

Shen Daoyun looked ahead with a twisted look. Everyone followed his gaze to the mountain range ahead.

They hadn’t noticed it before. In their desperate flight, none of them had looked back.

One of the Six Empyrean Overlords, and more importantly, the monster within their ranks who was secretly considered the best, had been chasing them from behind. That alone had been overwhelming.

"We missed the moment to turn. We were too focused on watching for pursuit and didn’t slow down in time. Now we’ve gone too far. Even without considering the time needed to turn our troops, the fact that we’ve hit a mountain range at the edge of the plain means that any attempt to regroup will allow the Dark Heavens Association Lord to either intercept us by cutting diagonally or flank us from the side.”

This was the disadvantage of the plains.

Since it was wide open in all directions, there was nowhere to hide and it was impossible to use obstacles as shields.

If a direction was blocked like it was now and they had to turn around, they would inevitably run into their enemy no matter what other direction they went.

“I should have memorized the map more thoroughly...”

Shen Daoyun blamed himself for his ridiculous mistake.

“It hasn’t been long since you were assigned to headquarters. The operational radius was also the plains itself, and no one would have imagined that the Dark Heavens Association Lord would show up. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

Hong Jin comforted Shen Daoyun.

“Stop comforting him and make your next judgment. We’ll discuss right and wrong later.”

Ximen Erjin scolded Hong Jin and Shen Daoyun.

“How about turning around through the forest?”

“We’ve been running for longer than we thought, so everyone is a little tired. The moment we climb the hill, our speed will slow down and we’ll get attacked. It’d be better to confront them head-on than to be caught from behind.”

Everyone’s expression darkened. They all knew what it meant to confront the Dark Heavens Association Lord head-on.

“What if we buy time?”

Sun Yishan finally spoke.

“If some of us hold them off, even for fifteen or thirty minutes, it should be enough. It’ll slow them down as they move through the mountains too.”

“Do you know what you're saying right now?" Ximen Erjin asked, looking at Sun Yishan.

"What the Thunder Inheriting Saber says is right. What's blocking our path right now is..."

Hong Jin trailed off.

“Is there any other way?”

Sun Yishan’s calm question left them speechless.

“It’s decided. Half of the Beggar Gang will face them."

When Sun Yishan raised his hand, some of the Beggar Gang nodded.

“Don’t worry. Trust me.”

“...understood," Shen Daoyun replied heavily.

With that single word, the fate of half the Beggar Gang was sealed.

However, the commander sometimes had to make ruthless decisions for the sake of victory.

It would be foolish to waste any more time. Since there was no better way, they chose the second best option.

There’s no choice.

The leaders of the Northern Lower Army nodded silently.

However, this choice—he would soon regret it deeply.

A moment later.

“Hmm.”

The Dark Heavens Association Lord let out a sigh.

In front of him was the Righteous Faction’s brave and courageous master, Temperance Staff Beggar Sun Yishan, who was prepared to die.

"I thought that it was strange that they had only just run away..."

The Dark Heavens Association Lord trailed off and looked Sun Yishan up and down.

No, to be exact, he only looked up.

Everything below Sun Yishan’s ribs was gone. Only a glimpse of his spine, soaked in blood, remained.

The Dark Heavens Association Lord gave the corpse a shake, then tossed the head aside without the slightest interest.

“Vast Gate Star.”

“Yes!”

“Inform Blessed Existence.”

The Dark Heavens Association Lord narrowed his eyes.

“Zhou Xuchuan might not be here.”

1. I know he just said they don't make sound... ☜

2. A boomerang. ☜

3. Lmao. ☜

4. Sangun! ☜