The Sichuan Alliance maintained its front lines in a triangular formation, connecting three key regions: Qingcheng Mountain and Mount Emei to the north and south of the central town, and Chengdu to the east. This strategic positioning allowed them to move their forces fluidly, supporting each other as needed.

However, when the Emei Sect, one of the triangle’s pillars, closed its gates, Chengdu, which had primarily acted as a support base, found itself directly confronting the forces of the Overlord’s Castle.

In response, the Sichuan Tang family in Chengdu was bustling with activity. Observing this, the Sichuan Duke burned the letter he had been reading with a flick of his fingers.

“Hmm. The Sichuan Tang family. It’s been a long time.”

“Looks like it won’t be long before we return home,” his loyal aide remarked with a hint of anticipation. The Sichuan Duke’s close aides and the Poison Brigade he had founded were all members who had left the Tang family with him.

Though they currently served under the Overlord’s Castle, they harbored hopes of returning to the Tang family and restoring it to its former glory.

“Prepare thoroughly. You know as well as I do that this family won’t fall easily.”

The aide hesitated before asking, “What about the current head of the family?”

Though the Sichuan Duke and Tang Ki-ho had parted ways due to differing views, they were still blood relatives. There might still be familial affection between them.

Yet, the Sichuan Duke’s expression and voice were chillingly cold, dispelling any such concerns.

“I’ll make an example of him, melting him from the toes up, slowly and painfully.”

Even the faint poison emanating from the Sichuan Duke’s fingertips was enough to dissolve the armrest of the chair he was touching.

Alarmed, the aide quickly gathered his own poison energy.

The Sichuan Duke’s mastery of poison, enhanced by the secret techniques of the Poison Sect, was formidable enough to intimidate even fellow poison users.

“I won’t spare the elders who sided with the head’s foolish decisions. They’ve made the Tang family so weak.”

“Indeed.”

“When I return, I’ll become the new head and rebuild the Tang family.”

A dangerous smile played on the Sichuan Duke’s lips, but it was interrupted by a sudden crack in his expression.

Sensing something amiss, the aide asked, “What’s wrong?”

“The Sichuan Alliance. I thought those cowards would just hide and defend as usual, but they’ve shown some courage.”

“Could it be?”

Understanding the Sichuan Duke’s words, the aide sprang to his feet just as the alarm bells rang and shouts filled with internal energy echoed from all directions, signaling an enemy attack.

“I’ll go check it out.”

The Sichuan Duke nodded, and the aide quickly exited the tent.

Left alone, the Sichuan Duke leaned back in the half-melted chair.

His extraordinary senses, honed to surpass human limits, allowed him to survey the entire Overlord’s Castle camp without difficulty.

The Sichuan Duke paid little mind to the unfolding battle. He knew that if he intervened, he could turn the tide, regardless of the situation. Even if his forces were annihilated, it wouldn’t matter.

Yet, he meticulously scanned the camp with his senses, searching for someone.

Finally, he detected a presence rapidly approaching, distinct and commanding amidst the multitude of others.

“So, you’ve come.”

With a smile, the Sichuan Duke withdrew his senses and slowly stood up. As he did, the chair he had been sitting on vanished, leaving only a wisp of black smoke and a pungent odor in its place.

* * *

The Sichuan Alliance, rather than focusing on defense, opted for a preemptive strike.

They aimed to catch the Overlord’s Castle off guard, bolstered by the firepower capable of challenging the forces led by the Sichuan Duke himself.

This was largely thanks to the presence of Mu Hui.

Moreover, the goal of this surprise attack was not merely to inflict damage but to take the Sichuan Duke’s head.

The preemptive strike was Mu Hui’s proposal.

Boom!

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen charged forward in unison, their plum blossom robes fluttering like banners, accompanied by the screams and shouts of the Overlord’s Castle warriors.

“How dare you attack here!”

“I was dreading the trip to Chengdu, but this works out nicely!”

The warriors of the Overlord’s Castle, who had been instrumental in toppling various sects under the command of the Five Armies, were now struggling to hold their ground against the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

With each swing of their swords, purple sword light and petals of sword energy filled the air, leaving a trail of red blood staining the ground.

As the vanguard, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s coordinated attacks gradually opened a path.

Their mastery of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, the Secret Plum Blossom Formation, and the Plum Blossom Sword Art allowed the twenty-four swordsmen, who had trained together for years, to move as one.

They became a single sword, the Plum Blossom Sword.

This was the power of the Plum Blossom Sword Formation.

However, the formation they employed now was different from usual.

Previously, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen used the formation to handle large numbers of difficult opponents.

The Plum Blossom Sword Formation was designed to adapt fluidly to any situation, whether attacking or defending.

Yet, their mastery of the formation had not been sufficient to unleash its full offensive potential.

But now, things had changed.

“Mu Cheol, move half a breath faster. Mu Cheol and Mu Hwa, widen your gap by one step!”

At Hyun Baek’s command, the movements of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, led by the Hwasan Swordsman, shifted.

Swoosh!

Mu Cheol, known for his destructive power among the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, unleashed a fierce sword wind with the Iron Plum Sword Technique.

The overwhelming force of the sword wind, capable of toppling entire buildings, swept over the Overlord’s Castle warriors.

Using the space Mu Cheol created, Mu Jin and Mu Hwa formed a wedge, altering the formation’s overall movement.

Mu Cheol and Mu Hwa exchanged glances and nodded.

Previously, the Plum Blossom Sword Formation had taken the shape of a circular flower.

But now, centered around Mu Cheol, Mu Jin, and Mu Hwa, it formed a wedge, with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen stretching out behind them in a long, sword-like formation.

“Mu Ryun and Mu Sang, move from Seon to Tae. Mu San and Mu Ho, shift from Gam to Gon!”

Under Hyun Gak’s direction, the positions of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen constantly changed, maintaining the formation’s forward momentum.

The Hwasan Swordsman at the wedge’s center acted as the spearhead, driving the formation forward, while Hyun Baek and Hyun Gak coordinated the overall formation, fulfilling the role of the sword’s body.

As the Plum Blossom Swordsmen advanced rapidly, a barrage of hidden weapons rained down from above. The Poison Brigade, personally trained by the Sichuan Duke, had appeared.

“It’s the Poison Brigade!”

Though the Seven Armies of the Overlord’s Castle were renowned as elite forces, the Poison Brigade was considered equally formidable.

The Overlord’s Castle warriors’ morale surged.

Chachachacha!

Despite the overwhelming number of hidden weapons covering the Plum Blossom Sword Formation, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen did not falter.

“First and third squads, upper wind!”

At Hyun Baek’s prearranged command, the designated members unleashed sword winds to intercept the falling hidden weapons.

The overlapping sword winds formed a dense barrier.

Even the few hidden weapons that pierced through were easily deflected by the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s plum blossom robes, made from celestial silk.

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen continued to cut down the Overlord’s Castle warriors, undeterred by the Poison Brigade’s assault. The Poison Brigade leader scowled.

“Release it!”

At the leader’s stern command, the Poison Brigade members unleashed their poison energy. Green, red, and black poison clouds rose from various points.

“Those lunatics!”

“Run!”

Even the Overlord’s Castle warriors, who had shown no fear in the face of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s formidable martial arts, recoiled in terror at the sight of the Poison Brigade’s poison.

The Poison Brigade’s poison was feared even by their allies. Hyun Baek quickly issued a command.

“Everyone, be cautious!”

At Hyun Baek’s order, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen channeled their internal energy to specific acupoints, preparing to burn or suppress any poison that breached their defenses.

Despite having taken antidotes and elixirs prepared by Mu Hui and the Sichuan Tang family, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen remained vigilant and ready to counter the poison.

“Do you think you can stop the Plum Blossom Swordsmen with mere poison?”

With a fierce shout from Hyunbaek, some of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen leaped onto the tent. Not only did they block the path of the Poison Brigade on the ground, but they also took positions atop the tent.

Clang!

Even if poison didn’t affect them, the Poison Brigade had more than just toxins at their disposal. Some hurled hidden weapons, while others unleashed poison-infused techniques.

Yet, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen seemed unfazed by any tactic their opponents used. With unwavering focus, they extended their swords, painting the air with the elegance of plum blossoms.

Though the Poison Brigade and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were chaotically intertwined, the poisonous aura was gradually replaced by the fragrance of plum blossoms, and the numbers of the Poison Brigade dwindled.

“That dreaded Poison Brigade, falling so easily!”

“The Plum Blossom Swordsmen! Truly the elite of the Mount Hua Sect!”

“They’re even more formidable than the rumors! They could stand against the Seven Swords of Wudang or the Eighteen Arhats without faltering!”

The martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance, watching the battle between the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the Poison Brigade, couldn’t help but express their admiration.

The sight of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen overwhelming their foes, scattering petals as they moved, was nothing short of spectacular.

Thwack!

The leader of the Poison Brigade, his right arm torn and flung skyward by the plum blossoms, paid no heed to his injury. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Mujin, who was scattering his sword strikes.

Defeat was already looming.

Determined to take Mujin down with him, he pulled a fist-sized black orb from his sleeve.

The Sichuan Poison Marquis had restored several forbidden weapons when the Sichuan Tang Clan turned to the righteous path, and the black sand orb he now held was one of them.

With poison dissolving the seal on the black sand orb, the leader of the Poison Brigade charged at Mujin.

His outstretched left hand failed to grab Mujin, instead getting pierced by the Plum Blossom Sword.

But the leader of the Poison Brigade merely grinned, as if this was his plan all along, and pushed his hand further forward. As he recklessly closed the distance, Mujin realized his intent.

“Too late to realize now!”

Using his impaled hand to forcibly close the gap, the leader of the Poison Brigade unleashed the black sand orb between himself and Mujin.

Boom!

With a small explosion, the orb burst, releasing a cloud of black dust.

This was no ordinary poison; it was mixed with ghostly sand, a deadly substance. Countless tiny shards of hidden weapons, ground finer than the ghostly sand, were also mixed in.

Too small to be deflected by weapons, any contact with the skin would cause it to burrow in, rot the flesh, and leave internal injuries.

‘How will he block it without moving his sword?’

The leader of the Poison Brigade looked proudly at his hand gripping Mujin’s Plum Blossom Sword.

Watching Mujin get enveloped by the black sand’s poison, the leader of the Poison Brigade smiled even as his own skin began to rot rapidly.

Whoosh!

Just then, a sound of wind arose.

The source was Mujin’s left hand.

With a gentle motion, his left hand and its five fingers moved gracefully, creating a flow.

Centered on Mujin’s left palm, five streams of wind arose, swirling into a vortex around which petals spun.

The complex air currents began to draw in the black sand’s poison, pulling it into Mujin’s palm.

“What the…?”

The leader of the Poison Brigade, already succumbing to the poison, blinked in disbelief.

As Mujin’s left hand completed five rotations, the black sand’s poison formed a floating black sphere above his palm.

The leader of the Poison Brigade gaped, blood dripping from his mouth.

“This is the Plum Blossom Mountain’s technique, the Vortex Petal Filter. We were informed about the black sand orb by the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

“Damn it.”

Realizing his plan had failed, the leader of the Poison Brigade let out a hollow laugh and lowered his head in resignation.

* * *

“Surprising. I expected you to lead your forces in a grand assault, yet here you are alone?”

Perched atop the central tent, the Sichuan Poison Marquis showed interest as Mu-hwi appeared alone.

“I don’t need to lend a hand. They can handle it.”

Mu-hwi assessed the Sichuan Poison Marquis.

She wore a lavish gown, tailored to fit snugly, allowing for unimpeded movement in battle.

Mu-hwi narrowed his eyes at her long hair, which cascaded down to her waist. His keen senses didn’t miss the powder-like substance falling from her hair as she moved.

“Could it be that your hair is laced with poison?”

“You have a keen eye for a man. Yes, some say long hair is a hindrance for a warrior, but for me, it’s a weapon.”

Mu-hwi shook his head.

If her words were true, every movement she made would scatter poison dust in all directions.

“Poisoning even your own hair? You’re truly a poison-crazed woman.”

“Hehe. Would you like to touch it? It’s soaked in poison, but the texture is soft.”

Mu-hwi gripped the hilt of his sword gently.

“You might find it embarrassing when you realize poison doesn’t work on me.”

“That won’t happen.”

With a firm voice, the Sichuan Poison Marquis unleashed a poison-infused palm strike. A massive green force shot towards Mu-hwi.

Swoosh!

As he drew his sword and sliced through the poison strike, the concentrated poison burst, enveloping Mu-hwi.

The Sichuan Poison Marquis laughed, but Mu-hwi, facing the poison head-on, laughed as well.

“It just smells foul.”

Mu-hwi launched himself towards the Sichuan Poison Marquis.

Around him, dozens of iron butterflies took flight.

“Let’s have some fun, shall we?”