Chapter 410. The Murim's Poison Master (1)

"

Kuk-huhk!

"

The Hidden Gang Boss was a first-rate assassin for a reason. Even after losing part of his arm below the elbow, he swallowed his scream and quickly tapped his acupuncture points to stop the bleeding.

Holding onto his wounded right arm, the Hidden Gang Boss tried to assess the situation.

I heard dozens of voices just now, but... How is that possible? I still can't hear anyone's breathing!

The five senses of a Hidden Gang member were enhanced by the Hidden Knowledge Art to the point of rivaling wild animals.

They could even detect the faintest final breath of the dying. It was like a sixth sense, almost like a third eye.

But even so...

They’re nearby, no doubt. So why can’t I detect them? That can only mean...!

His eyes, barely visible over his mask, narrowed sharply.

"Where are you from?" he demanded, scanning his surroundings."Which assassination troupe sent you?! You dare use the Great Tortoise Breath Technique to hide from us, the Hidden Gang?!"

It wasn’t that he couldn’t hear them breathing. It was that they weren’t breathing at all. They were holding their breath. That meant they were using the Great Tortoise Breath Technique.

The Hidden Gang Boss's furious roar echoed through the poison fog, but no one, at least none of the Phantoms, bothered to respond.

"Other assassins are hiding within the Poison Cloud Group Dance!" the Hidden Gang Boss shouted while picking up a chakram that had fallen nearby. "Find them, and kill—"

Swoosh!

If the air had been clear, there might have been a flash of light. A deadly throwing weapon, no longer than a finger, sliced through the fog and flew toward him.

"Over there!"

As if he had been waiting for this chance, the Hidden Gang Boss swung his weapon with his left hand. The circular blade drew a clean arc in the air, deflecting the incoming blade.

Clang!

For assassins, more than skill, level-headedness was key. Any assassin who lost their cool and gave away their location was a disgrace. A fool who didn’t understand what assassination entailed.

Despite knowing that, Hidden Gang Boss still shouted. It was all for the sake of alerting his allies and locating the enemy's current position.

The Hidden Gang Boss threw himself toward where the weapon had come from.

Die!

He flung the chakram with all the strength his one good arm could muster.

Whoosh!

His fingers straightened, adding power to the throw. The chakram slid off his hand like an opening flower and spun like a windmill. Despite its weight, it moved silently through the air.

Befitting the name "Concealed Returning Chakram," a skill highly specialized for stealth, the weapon would never create a sound while scything through the air.

I can see you!

His mask creased, almost like a smirk. With his five senses pushed to their limit, he could momentarily perceive his surroundings.

Vibrations coming from a source of noise could bounce off the terrain, or in this case, the enemy, allowing Hidden Gang Boss a chance to deduce what was around him. And his "third eye" detected a figure of a girl raising her left arm to defend herself.

Good! Go ahead and block it!

He wanted to stop himself from smiling, but the sneer crept in anyway.

Did you honestly think the leader of the Hidden Gang

would be an ordinary assassin?

The weapon didn't merely receive the Hidden Gang Boss's muscle strength through his hand. A dim, dark reddish-hue qi could be seen subtly oozing from its blade. The haze-like qi, undulating like waves, overlapped and solidified like a layer of ice to form chakram aura.

In the

gangho

, there was a saying among martial artists that one ought to keep at least two-tenths of their strength in reserve as a trump card. However, an assassin would go even further and hide around three-tenths of their true strength.

Since assassins mastered the techniques of the Evil path, breaking through to the Harmony realm would always prove challenging. The Hidden Gang Boss could have earned much fame had his true skills become known throughout the land, but he deliberately hid them for situations like this.

Now, die!

Another advantage of a concealed returning chakram was that it could be used with both hands. With enough training, one could produce the same level of strength regardless of whether the right or left hand was used.

No matter how she blocked, the girl’s arm would be severed. The weapon would circle back to sever her head next.

At least, that was what Hidden Gang Boss believed.

Whoosh!

The chakram spun until its blade finally touched the girl's left arm.

Clang!

What?! That's impossible!

The Hidden Gang Boss doubted his hearing just then. He even questioned all of his senses. After all, he definitely

saw

the blade touch the girl's left arm. However, rather than cutting through her flesh, the chakram bounced off as if it had collided with metal instead.

Shuffle!

One of the teachings that the Phantoms received was deceiving the enemy and making them lower their guard. That was what happened here.

Little Ghost instantly detected the Hidden Gang Boss's disbelief. She instantly lightened her weight using the Phantom Art. The sound of her feet touching the ground became inaudible. She had also been holding her breath for quite some time.

Poor visibility meant nothing, as the Phantoms always covered their eyes with strips of fabric anyway. Even their tight clothing prevented any fabric from rustling in the air.

Dammit!

The Hidden Gang Boss finally snapped back to his senses. As expected from someone of his level, his body moved first, reacting on instinct before his mind caught up. At the same time, all five of his sharpened senses kicked in, urgently searching for any new trace of the enemy.

Wait? It's not just her breathing and footsteps... how come she has no presence at all?

She couldn't be located, which made it impossible to figure out what she was doing. However, that girl was really

there.

The Hidden Gang Boss had no doubt about it. So why couldn't he detect her at all?

It's as if she doesn't even exist in... Huh?

A strange thought flickered across his mind.

N-no, that's... That's impossible!

His eyes trembled violently. A surge of emotions burst inside his chest, spilling over before he could stop it.

"Only showing yourself now?! That’s impossible!" The Hidden Gang Boss screamed, his voice hoarse and cracking.

"

Aaaaaaahk!

"

Whether that was a roar, a wail, or a cry of despair, it was hard to tell. However, even his yell couldn't last for long.

He caught sight of a

glove

at the periphery of his vision. Its material wasn't fabric, leather, or some other cloth, but steel. At least, that was the sensation he got after coming in contact with it.

At first, he thought it was some kind of protective gear, but that didn't quite feel right. The glove's fingers were sharp, claw-like, and slightly elongated.

The Hidden Gang Boss confirmed that the glove extended all the way to just below the girl's elbow, but that was all he saw, as his head was now firmly gripped in Little Ghost’s hand.

She didn’t even flinch at the Hidden Gang Boss’s scream. Her face stayed blank, emotionless. No killing intent leaked from her body. Her qi moved quietly through her meridians, and the Piercing Mark on her skin pulsed with a strange, ominous glow.

"P-Phant—"

CRUNCH!

He didn’t even get to finish the word. His head shattered in her grip like a crushed apple. Blood and brain matter spilled heavily to the floor in a thick, grisly mess.

Riiip!

The flesh around his neck tore as his now-headless body dropped to the ground without resistance.

Gang leader!

Our leader was killed instantly!

The Hidden Gang members, who didn't even bat an eyelid after witnessing the death of their comrades, finally wavered as agitation spread among their ranks like unstoppable ripples.

Even those still chasing their enemies stopped running, looking around in confusion. None of them seemed able to believe what they had just witnessed.

"

Huhk!

"

"

Aaaahk

!"

The price for losing their composure was their death. Even without orders, dozens of Phantoms sneaked closer to their targets and executed them all after noticing the agitation in the surroundings.

Their actions weren't flashy at all. Their attacks were so plain and silent that it didn't even look like they were killing someone. They hid in close by before sneaking closer to a Hidden Gang member, and then they stabbed the enemy in the arteries.

Some snapped necks with quick twists of the jaw.

A nightmare was unfolding for the Hidden Gang.

"

Uwaaaaahk

!"

"

Kuh-aaahk

!"

"

Keh-heck

!"

The Phantoms didn't bother to silence their victims. In fact, they deliberately didn't finish the job right away so that the resulting screams could sound even more wretched and horrifying.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

A member of the Hidden Gang finally began to tremble. He was the first among his group to do so. His teeth clattered noisily, and the part of his face visible through his mask had turned completely pale.

The unknown had always been a source of fear. People feared ghosts and superstitions because they couldn’t understand them. Right now, that same fear overwhelmed the Hidden Gang. They couldn’t make sense of what was happening. They couldn’t even react properly.

The unknown used to be the Hidden Gang, but not anymore.

The master of the

unknown

had changed without them realizing it. They no longer held the upper hand. Someone, or something, was here, but they couldn't see them. It was as if they didn't exist, yet they did.

Something

that didn't exist was ending their lives. The surrounding screams crushed the minds of the surviving Hidden Gang members.

"Just what the hell is going on?" Peng Zihu muttered in disbelief. It wasn't only him, but the rest of the Northern Upper Army as well. It was wonderful to receive assistance from someone, sure, but that didn't mean they could figure out what was going on.

They had been stuck in a desperate battle for survival, and now, their enemies were dropping like flies. Just moments ago, they were being chased. Now, the pursuers had vanished. Somehow, even their wounded allies had received emergency treatment.

"W-who are you people?"

"Are you reinforcements? But, from where?"

"W-wait! Say something!"

The warriors of the alliance asked various questions, but instead of answering them, the Phantoms simply pointed at the escape route before vanishing from the scene.

"Was that a dream, or did it really happen?"

"Geez, that sent chills down my back."

The alliance warriors were shocked when all those screams were ringing out all around them.

When they realized that they were spared from harm, the ensuing emotion that welled up in their hearts could only be described as "strange." They wanted to stay and understand what had just happened. But the poison fog still surrounded them, so they forced themselves to move.

Meanwhile, the cries of despair from the Hidden Gang and the Seven Stars Division warriors echoed behind them.

***

"Our allies! Our allies are back! They are alive!"

Voices of excitement came from the rear of the Northern Upper Army.

"R-reinforcements! I think our reinforcements have come!"

Tang Mingren was flustered when he heard that.

Reinforcements?

Zhou Xuchuan took advantage of Tang Mingren's hesitation and shouted, "Let's go!"

"

Whaaaaaaah

!"

The Northern Upper Army let out a roar and charged, launching their counterattack.

"

Tsk!

" Tang Mingren clicked his tongue as he retreated. He wasn’t helpless in close combat, but taking on the Sword God directly was asking for death.

Rumble, ku-gugugugu!

The land trembled as the large army charged toward their enemies. Dust clouds kicked up, covering the land in a yellow fog.

Zhou Xuchuan stood as the vanguard, and he was a ruthless one. He rapidly closed in on the terrified Seven Stars Division soldiers, and he showed them no mercy.

Arc Flower Rain!

Rumble!

He raised his sword high and brought it down hard. Thunder boomed, and everything became dyed in a purplish hue. The qi in his sword spread wide like a fan and destroyed the Dark Heavens Army in front of him.

"

Kuh-waaahk

!"

"

Uhwaak

?!"

What followed that shocking display of power was the gentle fragrance of the plum blossom enveloping the surroundings. To his allies, this was the most pleasant scent, but to his enemies, it was a nightmare.

No one could stop Zhou Xuchuan. In a way, this situation was the exact reverse of what happened to the Northern Lower Army when they encountered the Dark Heavens Association Lord.

Despite landing in the middle of a large army, he was not in any danger. He simply moved like a dancer and let the rhythm take him. And when he did, the enemies fell like autumn leaves in the wind, blood splattering in every direction.

This was the Twenty-Four Sword Forms of the Plum Blossom's Violet Haze Sword Sutra, teaching his enemies why it was considered Mount Hua's top technique and its Number One Great Divine Art. And proved to the world why Zhou Xuchuan was their Xiang Yu and Lu Bu, all rolled into one!

"Retreat!"

In the end, Tang Mingren was forced to withdraw his troops. Not only did the Sword God join the war, reinforcements had also shown up. Once the thousand Righteous-Evil warriors escaping from the Poison Cloud Group Dance had joined the battle, that situation would really be the end for him.

If his troops were to push the reinforcements away, then that would be a different story, but even now, he could hear the wretched screams of his own soldiers. So, he chose to withdraw the rapidly depleting Dark Heavens army from the battlefield.

Tang Mingren knew better than to stay. He also made sure to retreat himself. If Zhou Xuchuan came straight for him, he would need to be far away.

I will remain in the rear to monitor the situation. If things become dangerous, I must be ready to unleash the Extreme Formless Poison.

He slipped to the back without drawing attention.

"Chase after the enemies!"

"Do not let them go!"

Orders from the key players of the war, including the commander's aide, Tang Hui, rang out in the air.

"Follow the Sword God!"

Whether it was the Northern Upper Army or the Dark Heavens Association, both sides fought desperately. When viewed from above, thousands of martial artists putting their lives on the line to win had to have looked like a horde of ants.

The sun gradually set, but the warriors locked in a life-or-death battle didn't even notice it.

Tang Mingren narrowed his eyes.

Zhou Xuchuan isn't stepping up as much as I thought he would. He must be paying more attention to his sect's people, just like Luo Xiaoyue!

The Dark Heavens Association had already investigated Zhou Xuchuan's personality by now. Hadn't Blessed Existence recently used the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance to exploit that knowledge?

If this pursuit continues, I'll have to escape no matter what. I'll take Zhou Xuchuan's acquaintances as hostages as well.

Tang Mingren kept his eyes firmly glued to Zhou Xuchuan. He couldn't help it, as that man was the most dangerous variable in this war.

Eventually, the land began to glow gold under the setting sun, and the pursuing army started to slow.

"Lord Avaricious Wolf! The enemy army has slowed down. It seems they are thinking of stopping their pursuit!"

"As I thought." Tang Mingren nodded. "Their morale might have increased, but it was always going to be temporary. They must be extremely exhausted and need to rest."

"What should we do, sir?"

"This battle might drag on, so create a distance between the two camps. While facing them, set up our battle formation to—"

He suddenly stopped. His brow furrowed.

"What... are they doing?"

A shadow passed over his face.

In the distance, the warriors of the Gold Will Sword Sect were driving spears into the earth at steep angles, forming a strange pattern. Standing beside them were Zhou Xuchuan and Tang Hui. Both were staring directly at Tang Mingren.

"Could it be...?!"

His eyes widened. He quickly looked down at the ground around him.

"Y-you bastard!"

The name he shouted wasn’t his sworn enemy's. It wasn’t even his younger sister’s.

"Zhuge Shengji!"

"That's right," Zhou Xuchuan replied, his voice icy. "Whether it's me or the reinforcement, we were merely pawns."

He traveled quickly to reach this location. With how much of a rush he was in, stopping by somewhere to summon the Phantoms would have been difficult. However, that wouldn't matter if the Phantoms were based somewhere nearby.

The installation of the mechanism and its supervision weren't left up to the warriors of the Gold Will Sword Sect or Tang Hui, but to the members of the Valley of Phantoms.

The Gold Will Merchant's financial muscle, the Phantoms' manpower, Zhuge Shengji's cheat-like mechanical wizardry, the Heavenly Strategist's wisdom, and Zhou Xuchuan's martial prowess were combined into one to produce one deadly outcome.

"Yes, it's a trap mechanism."

RUMBLE! KU-GUGUGU!