Chapter 569
Autumn passed, and winter came quickly.
In the brief span of a few months, countless lives were extinguished in the tumultuous waters of Poyang Lake.
After a period of mourning for Noh Tae-tae’s death, both sides engaged in a fierce battle.
At first, the battlefield was confined to the vicinity of Poyang Lake. But as time passed, the frontline extended its reach.
Like the eye of a storm, it absorbed everything around it and grew larger.
There were those who joined the war willingly, but there were also many martial arts sects who were forced to join.
There was no room for neutrality in this struggle.
Neither the Golden Heavenly Hall nor the Silver Lotus Hall would allow such a stance.
They coerced the sects to choose a side.
No other choice existed.
Only the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall prevailed.
Many sects were visited by the envoys of the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall. Those unable to withstand the pressure eventually had to choose a side.
Thus, the Great Kangho War grew, and the area around Lake Poyang, the center of it all, was in ruins.
The area around Poyang Lake, one of the richest places in Kangho, had become filled with the aura of death.
The seasons rapidly changed.
Winter, which had blanketed the world in white snow, was nearing its end. The snow hadn't melted yet, but the temperature had turned warmer.
Everyone knew that spring was just around the corner. But winter was far from over for Kangho. In fact, it was just beginning.
Just yesterday, another clash had taken place between the elite martial artists of the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall, resulting in numerous deaths.
Both factions had turned into battle-hardened veterans.
When they first clashed, each had valid reasons and ideals to uphold.
Their aspirations were clear.
But as the conflict prolonged, all notions of virtue and ideals faded, leaving only intense animosity towards each other.
They didn't know why they were fighting anymore, only that they had to kill each other if they wanted to live.
"It's the Silver Lotus Hall bastards."
"Kill them! Don't let a single one escape."
A fierce battle was raging in the depths of the Jade Mountain.
The Jade Mountain was located hundreds of miles to the south of Poyang Lake.
Anyone approaching Lake Poyang from the south had to cross the Jade Mountain, making it a geographically vital location.
Controlling this location allowed for the smooth mobilization of troops. Otherwise, a detour would be necessary to gather troops.
This difference was significant.
As a result, both the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall sent their elites to take control of the Jade Mountain. And these elites collided at the Jade Mountain.
"Attack the ones on the left."
"We have to block their retreat."
"These bastards!"
Commands and curses echoed throughout Jade Mountain.
The fighters who clashed at the Jade Mountain numbered over a hundred from both sides.
Although the number of fighters was small, each one was an elite martial artist from either side.
As a result, the fight was more fierce than large-scale battles.
Among them, two martial artists were locked in an especially intense duel.
"Jeon Mu-yang. I'll surely end your life today."
"Bring it on, Geum Dae-myeong."
They were demonstrating martial prowess on a level apart from the other warriors.
Geum Dae-myeong was a martial artist of the Silver Lotus Hall, and Jeon Mu-yang led the martial artists of the Golden Heavenly Hall
Both in their late twenties, they were showcasing the peak of their martial prowess.
They were fighting fiercely as if they were rivals destined to clash in Kangho.
Clang, clang, clang!
Both had mastered the Sword Technique to the Sublime Realm.
They swung their swords with terrifying force.
Already their swords had collided dozens of times.
Fighting with all their internal energy, both men were already exhausted.
It was a gruesome fight.
Whoom!
Every time their swords cut through the air, a terrifying sonic boom echoed.
Their fight was so fierce and brutal that others dared not intervene.
Not only the two men, but the battle of their followers was also reaching a climax.
On the white snow, the blood from the bodies of the dead was stained red.
It was as if red flowers were blooming on the snow.
“Argh!”
At that moment, Geum Dae-myeong fell to his knees with a scream. A deep wound appeared on his flank.
He had been cut by Jeon Mu-yang's sword.
Geum Dae-myeong clutched his side as he glared at Jeon Mu-yang.
Jeon Mu-yang was not unscathed either.
Although not as critical as Geum Dae-myeong, he had also suffered a serious injury. But he still stood tall on both legs.
The outcome between the two had been decided.
Pointing his sword at Geum Dae-myeong, Jeon Mu-yang spoke.
"Geum Dae-myeong. We will take back the Jade Mountain."
"Ha! Take it for all I care. The Silver Lotus Hall will reclaim it eventually.”
"Humph! Let them come. Anyone who does will be cut down by this sword.”
"Lucky for you to have won this time, but such an opportunity won't come again, Jeon Mu-yang!"
"You talk too much. Losers should keep quiet. Prepare to meet your end."
Jeon Mu-yang smirked and raised his sword high. With a single stroke, Geum Dae-myeong's life would be over.
Geum Dae-myeong had given up on life.
He knew better than anyone that it was pointless to resist with such injuries.
He did not mind losing his life, but it was merely unfortunate that his followers had to die as well.
Already, half of his men lay sprawled in the snow.
‘Is this the end?'
Just as he was about to close his eyes in despair.
"The stench of blood is thick."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice rang out.
It was a deep bass voice that seemed to echo from a cave, and the battle that had been raging so intensely came to a halt.
The martial artists of the Golden Heavenly Hall and The Silver Lotus Hall, and even Geum Dae-myeong and Jeon Mu-yang, looked in the direction of the voice.
Walking in the direction of their gaze was an older man, in his mid-thirties, with a massive build.
But there was something strange about him.
Where his left arm should have been, only a sleeve fluttered in the wind.
He was an amputee, his arm severed from the shoulder down.
Jeon Mu-yang furrowed his brow, raising his voice in irritation.
"Who are you? Don't you know this place isn't for just anyone to enter?"
"No, it's a road made for people to walk on. What kind of bullshit are you talking about?"
The man in his mid-thirties seemed genuinely perplexed.
Jeon Mu-yang brandished his sword at the man, yelling.
"This place belongs to us, the Golden Heavenly Hall. No one can cross without our permission."
"This is the most ridiculous bullshit I've ever heard."
"What?"
"Did the Golden Heavenly Hall buy the Jade Mountain or something? How dare you claim this place as your territory?"
"How dare you insult the Golden Heavenly Hall."
“My goodness, you are a funny one. Who insulted you? Is stating the facts now considered an insult?”
The middle-aged man snorted.
Suddenly, Jeon Mu-yang's rage erupted.
"How dare a one-armed man talk."
"I may be missing an arm, but you seem to be missing a brain. Let's see who appears more crippled."
"Nonsense!"
Finally, Jeon Mu-yang's anger exploded.
He left Geum Dae-myeong alone and launched himself at the man.
Whoosh!
His sword swung viciously towards the man.
His intention was to cut the middle-aged man's body in two with a single blow.
Everyone was expecting the man's imminent death.
Even Geum Dae-myeong, whose life was hanging by a thread, thought as such
‘This poor soul will lose his life needlessly, caught up in our fight.’
Boom!
Suddenly, a deafening noise echoed.
Surprised by the unexpected noise, Geum Dae-myeong looked over to the man, only to witness an astounding sight.
"Urgh!"
Jeon Mu-yang, who had rushed in with such killing intent, was now on the ground, writhing in pain. But his condition was strange.
His upper body was completely crushed. It was as if he had been hit by a massive sledgehammer.
"Good heavens!"
"What a punch!"
All this havoc was caused by a single punch from the one-armed man.
He had thrown a punch that seemed light as a feather, but it shattered Jeon Mu-yang's sword like a straw and crushed his upper body like a fish.
It was a display of power too incredible to believe.
Jeon Mu-yang's followers were taken aback, their mouths agape in surprise.
Losing focus in the middle of a fight could spell a quick end to one's life. But their opponents were just as stunned.
Such was the unbelievable martial prowess of the one-armed middle-aged man.
One of Jeon Mu-yang's followers yelled out in anger.
"Killing one of Golden Heavenly Hall's martial artists? You don't intend to live after doing that, do you?"
"Oh, so that guy was a martial artist of the Golden Heavenly Hall? He was so weak I thought he was just some riffraff."
The one-armed man scratched his head with his only hand, muttering.
The sight of him made the martial artists of the Golden Heavenly Hall even angrier.
"Kill him!"
"He's dead!"
They abandoned their fight with Geum Dae-myeong's followers and rushed toward the middle-aged man.
"Huh!"
The one-armed man let out a light sigh.
He didn't want a fight like this, but he didn't want to avoid it either. Even if the opponents were
from the Golden Heavenly Hall.
The middle-aged man concentrated his energy into his only hand.
His massive hand, as big and thick as a pot lid, shimmered with energy.
"Chaaa!"
The man swung his fist as it was.
Kwaaaang!
"Argh!"
"My, my ears..."
Geum Dae-myeong and his followers covered their ears in agony.
The tremendous blast noise pierced their eardrums and was transmitted to their brains. The
shock shook their brains like tofu, and they couldn't think straight for a while.
The first to come to his senses was Geum Dae-myeong himself.
Geum Dae-myeong stared wide-eyed at where the one-armed man was standing.
A large pit had formed around where he stood. As if a meteorite had fallen, the ground had been blown away to form a large circular pit. Around the pit, the martial artists from the Golden
Heavenly Hall who had attacked him were scattered.
Their arms and legs were twisted in strange directions, reminiscent of broken wooden puppets.
"Argh!"
"Keuk!"
The few survivors gasped for breath.
A single blow from the one-armed man had killed ten men and injured twelve. The martial artists fortunate enough to have escaped the main force of the blow stood frozen, unable to do anything.
"What?"
"What on earth..."
They couldn't dream of attacking again.
The one-armed middle-aged man was too much for them to handle. With that level of martial prowess, it would take the leaders of the Golden Heavenly Hall or even the Silver Lotus Hall themselves to stand a chance against him.
"Ugh!"
"Let's, let's run."
The martial artists of the Golden Heavenly Hall carried the bodies of their fallen comrades and retreated.
The one armed-man dusted off his hand, muttering.
"Was my strike too strong? I still haven't quite mastered controlling it."
He hadn't planned to use such a heavy hand.
He had merely planned to lightly scold them and send them on their way, but he had applied too much energy.
"I still have a long way to go."
Then, Geum Dae-myeong approached the middle-aged man, using his sword as a cane.
When Geum Dae-myeong reached the man, he adopted a formal stance and greeted him.
"I am Geum Dae-myeong from the Silver Lotus Hall. I am grateful for your help."
"I didn't specifically intend to help you, so there's no need to be thankful."
"Still, I can't just pass by without acknowledging the favor I've received. Please tell me your respected name so that I can repay you properly.
"Huh!"
"I earnestly beg you, please tell me your name."
Moved by Geum Dae-myeong's sincere plea, the middle-aged man reluctantly answered.
"My name is Hwangbo Chiseung."
"Hwangbo Chiseung?"
"That's right!"
"Master Hwangbo! If you don't have any special place to stay, why don't you come to our Silver Lotus Hall? Our group will treat Master Hwangbo as an honored guest.
"I must decline. I have someone I need to find."
"Who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for my master."
"Master? You mean, you already serve someone?"
"That's right! This Hwangbo Chiseung has already pledged his loyalty to his master. That's why I can't join the Silver Lotus Hall."