novelraw Chapter 1002: The Loyalty and Honor of the Death Soldiers
Chapter 1002: The Loyalty and Honor of the Death Soldiers
If I’m not mistaken, these black-clad swordsmen should be the claws and teeth of the Guiyu Clan scattered around the valley and various places in Anyun, rushing back to Soul-breaking Valley upon receiving news of the enemy attack.Han Yan secretly felt relieved, and it was fortunate to have Ye Lanfeng with them. Otherwise, if they had to force their way through the valley entrance, it would undoubtedly take more effort. Rescuing people is like extinguishing a fire; the more they delay, the more danger Uncle Yun is in.
From deep within the courtyard, a few clangs of metal sounded, then silence returned once more.
Han Yan’s eyebrows raised. These sounds of sword clashes clearly lacked Qi. Uncle Yun was either at the end of his strength, utterly exhausted, or had suffered an internal injury, leaving him with little strength to fight on.
Ye Lanfeng also discerned this and hastened forward with Han Yan and the others in tow.
...
Deep within the courtyard, before an ancient ancestral hall, four black-robed elders stood at four corners, surrounding a gray-robed elder and a young man. Nearby, three similarly dressed black-robed elders lay dead in pools of blood, clearly having breathed their last.
The elder they surrounded stood proudly with a longsword in hand, white beard fluttering, exuding a grandeur that dared not be gazed upon directly. However, the rapid rise and fall of his chest unmistakably showed he was badly injured.
The young man protected behind him was even more seriously wounded, with dozens of deep sword wounds visible to the bone, dripping blood steadily onto the ground. Yet, he propped himself up with his sword, his expression resolute, showing not the slightest hint of fear.
These two were none other than Uncle Yun and Mu Sha, who had fallen into Soul-breaking Valley while rescuing Mu Nan and Yu Qingwan.
"I never expected you to be from the Capital City Mu Family. If I’m not mistaken, you must be the shadow guard by Mu Beichen’s side?" The foremost elder sneered coldly at Uncle Yun.
Like the middle-aged man who had previously fought Han Yan, these black-robed elders exuded a bluish-green glow, their gaunt figures resembling ghosts swimming in the Nine Netherworld River.
"I also didn’t expect that after over a hundred thousand years, the Guiyu Clan would still have a chance to rise again," Uncle Yun said indifferently.
"Originally, I was planning to let you live, but unfortunately, you know too much." The elder stepped forward, murder evident in his aura.
"Mu Sha, go!" Uncle Yun said solemnly to Mu Sha. Since their identities had been exposed by the Guiyu Clan, there was no longer any need to conceal them.
"Master, I can’t leave anymore, you go." Mu Sha said with a bitter smile.
"Mu Sha, have you forgotten how I taught you? Never give up until the last moment," Uncle Yun said sternly.
"Master, I can’t drag you down any longer." Mu Sha lifted his head, shaking it, his eyes clearing of fatigue and flashing with a glimmer of determination. He summoned his last breath of Qi and charged at the black-robed elder.
Looking at that sword stance, it was clearly a strike intending mutual destruction. But sadly, in his severely wounded state, he didn’t even have the chance for such mutual destruction. Rather than saying it was a desperate fight, it was more akin to self-destruction, severing Uncle Yun’s attachments and giving him a chance to escape.
"Mu Sha!" Understanding Mu Sha’s intent, Uncle Yun’s heart twisted like a knife; he too charged forward with his sword.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Sparks flew as metal clashed, forcing Uncle Yun and Mu Sha back several steps, still encircled by the four black-robed elders.
Their strength was clearly inferior to Uncle Yun’s, not yet reaching the Sword Saint Realm, and not even at the level of a Great Sword Master, all being Ninth Rank Sword Masters. However, their offensive and defensive coordination was extremely precise. The intricacy of their swordsmanship and the eeriness of their movements far surpassed others of the same rank, surpassing even ordinary Sword Saints.
Uncle Yun, though a master of the Sword Saint Realm, was severely injured from slaying the other three black-robed elders to save Mu Sha, unable to suppress them with his cultivation and becoming entangled and unable to escape.
The sound of hurried footsteps reached them, as nearly a hundred black-clothed swordsmen retreated into the courtyard from the valley entrance. Although their strength was inferior to the black-robed elders, Uncle Yun, now at the end of his strength, was having difficulty coping with the black-robed elders, and the arrival of these swordsmen only added to the dire situation.
"Master, you must go!" Seeing the situation becoming increasingly grave, Mu Sha was frantic and shouted to Uncle Yun.
"Do you really think you can escape?" No sooner had his words fallen than the leading black-robed elder sneered contemptuously, "The mere Mu Family, daring to thwart the great plans of our Guiyu Clan; do you truly believe the Mu Family today is the Mu Family of ten thousand years ago? Once the Family Head awakens, the Mu Family will be the first to fall!"
Upon hearing his words, Uncle Yun and Mu Sha both turned a solemn gaze towards the ancestral hall behind them, their expressions turning exceedingly serious.
As if to confirm his words, as soon as the elder spoke, the ancestral hall behind them began to shake violently, and a sinister and terrifying aura faintly emanated from within.
"The Family Head is waking up!" An overjoyed black-robed elder exclaimed.
"After waiting tens of thousands of years, the ancestor has not abandoned our Guiyu lineage!" Another elder was so moved that tears filled his eyes.
"No good!" Both Uncle Yun and Mu Sha’s expressions changed simultaneously.
They actually didn’t know what secrets lay hidden in the Guiyu Clan’s Family Head, why he had fallen into a deep sleep, or what his awakening meant. But just feeling that sinister aura from the ancestral hall made it clear that once the Guiyu Clan’s Family Head awakened, he would be incredibly powerful. If they hadn’t guessed wrong, the Guiyu Clan’s Family Head must have used some sort of Evil Spell, causing him to fall asleep, and when he awakens, it would be when his evil arts were perfected.
Their identities exposed, and with a sworn enmity established between the Mu Family and Guiyu Clan, once the Guiyu Clan’s Family Head awakened, the Mu Family would surely be the first to suffer. The ancestral hall’s shaking grew more intense, and the sinister and terrifying aura intensified. They did not believe the other’s words were mere bluff.
The two exchanged a glance, seeing determination in each other’s eyes, and without further words, abandoned thoughts of escape and rushed toward the ancestral hall.
With the Guiyu Clan’s Family Head yet to awaken, now was the best opportunity to eliminate him. Only by eliminating him could the Mu Family be safeguarded.
Having been trained since youth as Death Soldiers of the Mu Family, they understood their mission: to eliminate threats to the Mu Family, to protect the Zong Family’s safety, and even to sacrifice their lives was their honor.
Seeing Uncle Yun and Mu Sha’s actions, the black-robed elders were slightly surprised but quickly understood their intent, cold smiles reappearing on their faces.
With a flicker of their figures, three of them attacked Uncle Yun, while the fourth attacked Mu Sha.