NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 60 - The Realm of First-Rate (4)
Chapter 60. The Realm of First-Rate (4)
“General He Jin has…!”
“General!”
“What are we supposed to do now?”
Under the serene moonlight, Xu Rong lifted his cup slowly in response to his subordinates’ cries.
General He Jin, who was once deemed invincible, had finally lost his life.
A star had fallen, and now a new one would rise.
And that prediction was not wrong. Events quickly spiraled out of control.
Absorbing He Jin’s imperial guards, Dong Zhuo capitalized on his momentum and marched into Luoyang, eventually installing Emperor Xian and seizing control of the court.
And there were those who were troubled and worried about this.
An old man, stroking his white beard and chuckling, sat before Xu Rong, who had since become a general under Dong Zhuo’s command.
“Have you become a ghost?”
The old man asked.
Xu Rong replied calmly.
“Indeed.”
It was a night with a crescent moon.
***
—Clang!
It was just one exchange.
Xu Rong stared at his blade in disbelief.
If he hadn’t instinctively deflected the trajectory of the man’s sword at the last moment, Xu Rong’s sword would have shattered.
That’s how deeply it was cracked.
Xu Rong caught his breath and spoke.
“Strange. There should have been a considerable number of troops stationed at the rear. Even if you set up an ambush, I didn’t expect a small force to reach this far. Unryong, how did you make it here?”
“Well, I had my ways.”
Unryong pointed his sword.
“I cut them all down.”
“That sword is strange, too. What’s with that light?”
“Do you really need to know before you die?”
“I suppose not.”
Xu Rong stroked his blade.
“So, is this where I die?”
“Yeah, that’s how it is. You should’ve lived a little kinder.”
Unryong tapped his shoulder with the back of his sword.
Without turning around, he continued.
“You over there, get up and run away.”
“…Unryong.”
Cao Cao was barely standing on her trembling legs.
Glancing at her, Unryong smirked bitterly and jokingly pointed in a direction.
“If you go that way, my brothers have probably taken care of these bastards.”
“Don’t be careless. Xu Rong is a strong man.”
Cao Cao said, half-closing her eyes.
“Be careful.”
“Damn, this is embarrassing.”
Unryong scratched the back of his head.
Come to think of it, Cao Cao had never seen him fight.
So, no matter how renowned Unryong was, Cao Cao had never truly had the chance to gauge his abilities.
As Unryong was momentarily distracted, Xu Rong charged.
“Unryong!”
Cao Cao shouted.
Unryong sighed and gripped his sword.
“Don’t make such a fuss.”
He effortlessly deflected the sword strike flying toward his side.
Unryong took a step forward.
In an instant, he closed the gap, prompting Xu Rong to pivot on his right foot, spinning his body.
At that moment.
Xu Rong looked at Unryong in disbelief.
It was a fleeting moment.
Unryong’s gaze flowed leisurely as if time had stopped.
Then, he spun his body in the opposite direction.
Once again, the two blades clashed.
—Crackkkkk!
Xu Rong widened his eyes.
Again.
His sword was being swallowed by that light again.
It was a technique he had never seen before.
“Ugh!”
Xu Rong gritted his teeth.
One mistake and he would die.
That instinct consumed Xu Rong’s body.
So, he adjusted his grip on his sword, perfectly redirecting the trajectory to deflect Unryong’s blade.
In that moment, Xu Rong’s experience and the martial prowess of a seasoned general shone brightly.
Ultimately, Unryong’s sword was deflected, and Xu Rong quickly retreated, regaining his stance.
His breathing was ragged. His hands shook from the exertion, and cold sweat dripped down his spine.
Had he ever been this shaken in the decades he’d spent on battlefields?
What stood before Xu Rong was no ordinary human.
At least, that’s what Xu Rong thought.
Xu Rong wasn’t the only one stunned.
Cao Cao looked at Unryong in disbelief.
“This… what in the world…?”
Her usually steady red eyes were quivering uncontrollably.
The blue sky enveloping Unryong’s sword shone more brilliantly than ever today.
Meanwhile, Unryong struggled to swallow his breath, which had risen to his throat.
How long had he been wielding sword qi?
This is why stamina is so damn important.
“Indeed, as you said, this battlefield may very well be my last.”
As Unryong caught his breath, Xu Rong, who had been staring at his sword, slowly lifted his head.
Damn, it’s hard to talk right now; why does he have to start running his mouth?
In the end, a frail body like his was incompatible with the glass cannon-like techniques and sword qi.
Mind, energy, body.
If there were three basic elements in martial arts, then body was the part in which he was sorely lacking.
“Being cut down by a warrior like you might not be such a bad end. I’ll surely be recorded in history as the one who blocked your path. So, I’ll at least put up a fight.”
Hah, I feel a bit better now.
Unryong steadied his breathing and spoke.
“Damn it, you’re going down in one move.”
“One move, huh. No matter how miraculous your swordsmanship is, that would be difficult.”
Xu Rong said as he assumed his stance. He took a step forward with his right foot, gripping his sword firmly.
Unryong also gripped his sword with one hand.
A heavy sensation coursed through him.
The wind blew.
Dust whirled up, and the silhouettes of the two men were swallowed by the dust storm.
Xu Rong’s only way to survive was to deflect the sword strikes. He focused his eyes, zeroing in on Unryong’s blade.
No matter how the trajectory flowed, Xu Rong would deflect it.
And Unryong.
He simply swung his sword casually in a familiar stance.
The sword qi-imbued blade rushed toward Xu Rong’s right side.
‘It’s slow.’
Is he exhausted?
If it’s like this, Xu Rong could deflect it easily.
Xu Rong met the incoming blade, angling his own sword to intercept it.
But there was no sensation.
No sound at all.
The solid form of the sword dispersed like a cloud.
“…!”
A chill ran down his spine.
The sword, which should have been there, had vanished.
At that moment, the blade pierced Xu Rong’s shoulder.
Crackkkkkk!
His black armor shredded like paper, tearing through flesh and ripping muscles.
It was an instinctual feeling.
He was certain: in this one exchange, he would die.
‘General He Jin has passed. What will you do now?’
‘Master Wang Yun, I am a soldier. The Imperial Guard now serves a new master, and I will follow him.’
‘But Dong Zhuo is a setting star. He is unfit to rule the world. If things continue, you won’t escape punishment.’
‘No matter what he becomes, I am a blade that will cut down the enemy.’
‘Is it honor?’
‘It is conviction.’
The sword path was now flowing to the left.
Xu Rong slowly turned his gaze toward it.
The blade had already moved past his shoulder and was heading for his chest.
‘Xu Rong, remember this: Clouds will eventually pass. No matter how they block the sun, clouds will always find their way. How could mere humans ever block the sky?’
The blue light shone even brighter.
Thus, the azure sky reflected in Xu Rong’s eyes.
‘You’re right. Even I, Xu Rong, will accept it when the time comes.’
The sword moved without resistance, slicing from the shoulder, through the chest, and cutting through multiple organs.
‘But it won’t be easy.’
I see. Xu Rong closed his eyes.
Thud!
A dull sound resonated.
Xu Rong’s upper and lower body were completely separated.
A pool of blood gathered at Unryong’s feet.
Heaven remains heaven.
The world has no master.
Unryong silently recited a mantra as he flicked his blade clean.
He then grabbed Xu Rong’s head.
“What, you’re still here?”
“It’s quite frustrating. There wasn’t even enough time to escape.”
Cao Cao staggered over, leaning on Unryong’s shoulder.
“So, I wasn’t mistaken.”
“About what?”
“Never mind.”
Cao Cao, with Unryong’s support, slowly began to walk.
“There’s much I want to ask. But there’s something more important right now.”
Cao Cao then pushed Unryong forward.
“What are you doing? Isn’t it your turn to step forward?”
“Whatever, I don’t care much for titles. Hurry up and take it.”
Unryong scratched his cheek in annoyance as he walked.
With each step, the sound of clashing steel reverberated.
All eyes were on him.
Thud! Thud!
One by one, Xu Rong’s soldiers began to kneel.
Unryong lifted Xu Rong’s severed head.
It was a declaration of victory.