Chapter 172
Chapter 172
＃1
7
2. <The Black Flame Dragon That Swallows the Blood Sea (2)>
Seong Moran, who was accompanying Cheol Sunjik, did not utter a word the entire time they traveled.
The Jukhyeon Gang, which occupied the second of the Hundred Eight Peaks, and the Iron Sword Sect, which had long acted as the old local power of Hefei, were entities that had always looked upon each other with hostility, so moving together was unbearably awkward. ‘It is not only that.’ (Seong Moran) Above all, what had happened during the regular exam was making Seong Moran feel uncomfortable dealing with Cheol Sunjik.
From the standpoint of the simple and clear-cut Seong Moran, Cheol Sunjik, who seemed to calculate this and that and whose inside and outside appeared different, was a rather unsettling opponent.
“Heh heh heh. It seems Miss Seong dislikes me.” (Cheol Sunjik)
As if he had seen through Seong Moran, Cheol Sunjik did not seem particularly bothered by her attitude either.
“Yes?” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran spoke as if to ask what he was talking about, but even that seemed amusing to Cheol Sunjik, whose expression remained utterly composed.
Annoying.
“Or perhaps Miss Seong seems unable to trust me.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“I have no idea what you are talking about…….” (Seong Moran)
“Have you not been following behind me at all times? Are you not so distrustful of me that you dislike showing me your back?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“…….” (Seong Moran)
Only then did Seong Moran realize that she had kept taking the rear behind Cheol Sunjik and the Twelve Peak Stars, but she was not particularly flustered just because she had been caught.
“……
My last memory was so unpleasant, you see.” (Seong Moran)
At Seong Moran’s sharp words, Cheol Sunjik chuckled.
“Is it not an unwritten rule of the martial world that matters of the regular exam are left in the regular exam?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“To forget the result but remember the process is a martial artist’s instinct, isn’t it?” (Seong Moran)
“That is true.” (Cheol Sunjik)
At his attitude of not really caring whether she trusted him or suspected him, the one who eventually spoke first was Seong Moran.
“What scheme are you plotting this time?” (Seong Moran)
“What do you mean?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“I am asking why the Twelve Peak Stars followed Mister Jin.” (Seong Moran)
“As students of the academy, is it not only natural that we take an interest in the actions of the academy representative?” (Cheol Sunjik)
At the brazen answer, Seong Moran’s eyebrows shot upward.
“So you were going to skip the Soul-Annihilating Formation event and have people investigate it in your place?” (Seong Moran)
“…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
For the first time, Cheol Sunjik’s face stiffened.
“Did you think we would not know? The Righteous Path Association simply moved first, but after that, the White Path Association and even the Twelve Peak Stars were going to do the same thing, weren’t they?” (Seong Moran)
“You knew.” (Cheol Sunjik)
Cheol Sunjik merely shrugged. His expression showed he did not mind.
Seong Moran’s cheeks trembled.
“You people truly are…… shameless beyond belief.” (Seong Moran)
“It could not be helped on our part either. If only the Righteous Path Association and the White Path Association learned about the Soul-Annihilating Formation, the Twelve Peak Stars would suffer great harm.” (Cheol Sunjik)
Seong Moran drew out the fundamental question.
“Could you not have followed Mister Jin from the beginning? The Twelve Peak Stars are ultimately only one of the Hundred Eight Peaks, are they not?” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik smiled as if looking at a child and said,
“If the existing system collapses, chaos will come. And Mister Jin is trying to destroy that system.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“It seems the Mister Jin I have seen and the Mister Jin you have seen are different people.” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik shook his head as if to say they were not different.
“Is that not true even now?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“What is?” (Seong Moran)
“To save someone close to him, the academy representative has forgotten his duty and come to Sichuan. Moreover, he even mobilized the Seungho Hall to do it.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“That is because there is a dangerous being.” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik took out a letter from his robes and handed it to Seong Moran.
“This is the material the Beggars Sect investigated regarding what happened in Sichuan. It clearly contains the investigative conclusion that the group death incident during the regular exam occurred because they were attacked while they were already heavily injured from the fierce admissions process.” (Cheol Sunjik)
Seong Moran held the letter and could not continue speaking.
“The Beggars Sect’s conclusion is that the opponent was not particularly strong. The Elders’ Council event, too, is grand in name only and is nothing more than something with a strong excursion-like nature. The ‘danger’ Representative Jin spoke of does not actually exist.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“…….” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik smiled broadly.
Seong Moran found that face so hateful that she felt she would have no other wish if she could drive her fist into it right away.
“Whether he failed to conduct a proper investigation or whether he made a fuss over a small matter, either way, he is unqualified to be representative.” (Cheol Sunjik) A small laugh broke out among the members of the Twelve Peak Stars.
“That is why a system is necessary. A person who excels alone, whether competent or incompetent, ultimately creates problems.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“So you followed him all the way here in order to drag Mister Jin down from the representative position?” (Seong Moran)
“……
Let us say we came to set right what is wrong.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“As expected, you never had any intention of listening to Mister Jin from the start.” (Seong Moran)
“There is no reason to follow what is wrong.” (Cheol Sunjik)
As if there was no need to hear any more, Seong Moran turned her head away.
But Cheol Sunjik did not seem to want to end the conversation here.
“Miss Seong seems to trust Representative Jin completely. Do you know Representative Jin so thoroughly?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“No.” (Seong Moran)
“Oh, that is somewhat unexpected……” (Cheol Sunjik)
“Rather, it would be more accurate to say I do not know him well. I do not even really know what is in his heart.” (Seong Moran)
“Yes?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“But I do know this much: the moment he says something is ‘dangerous’ is the moment it is truly ‘dangerous.’” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran continued with an unwavering face.
“It was so at the Demonic Spirit Plateau, it was so during the regular exam, and it was so during the Soul-Annihilating Formation. While accompanying him, there were countless moments dangerous enough for our lives to hang by a thread, but at the moments when he truly said something was ‘dangerous,’ a danger of an entirely different dimension came.” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran looked at Cheol Sunjik and the faces of the Twelve Peak Stars looking at her.
“So. It is frustrating. No matter how much he says it is ‘dangerous,’ you people do not properly believe him. No, far from believing him, you suspect him even more and bring that ‘danger’ upon yourselves.” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik shook his head as if objecting to Seong Moran’s opinion.
“That is because he judges danger only from his own position. Just as the Jukhyeon Gang and the Taeul Sect cannot be viewed on the same level from the start, what may be ‘dangerous’ to him is often not ‘dangerous’ to us.” (Cheol Sunjik)
Seong Moran moved her lips, then closed her mouth.
Trying to persuade him any further here would only tire her mouth.
Right now, as Jin Soun had said, it was more urgent to confirm what the “danger” was and stop the people.
Cheol Sunjik did not stop and laid out his opinion.
“Representative Jin is a person bound up in obstinacy……” (Cheol Sunjik)
“Shut up!” (Seong Moran)
At Seong Moran’s shout, he made a triumphant expression.
For the fact that the other party had cut off the conversation one-sidedly was proof that his logic had won.
But instead of the expression of a loser, Seong Moran wore a grave face and pointed to one side.
“Look over there.” (Seong Moran)
Because there, she saw an ominous shadow cast in the moonlight.
“…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
“…….” (Seong Moran)
Not only Cheol Sunjik, but the movement techniques of the Twelve Peak Stars also came to a sudden halt.
And each of them began taking out their weapons.
“Stay alert to the surroundings.” (Seong Moran)
After saying that to the Twelve Peak Stars, Seong Moran slowly approached.
An unpleasant smell pierced her nose. ‘Corpses…….’ (Seong Moran) Darkness covered every direction, and nothing could be seen.
Seong Moran quickly took a flint from inside her robes and struck it.
Click, click.
Each time the small flint sparked, the surroundings briefly appeared and vanished.
And sighs burst from the lips of the Twelve Peak Stars.
“What is this…….” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“Aren’t they academy students?” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“What in the world happened here…….” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
Cheol Sunjik approached near Seong Moran.
Seong Moran struck the flint once more and showed him the corpses.
“They are a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect and a disciple of the Xiangzhang Sect, one of Qingcheng’s secular branch sects.” (Seong Moran)
It was strange. Originally, the second
group they were supposed to meet consisted of the Mount Hua Sect, the Kongtong Sect, and their secular branch sects.
Yet what they had actually encountered was the third
group, the Qingcheng Sect and its secular branch sects.
She did not know how matters were unfolding, but it was no different from saying that the current situation had gone severely wrong, to the point of straying beyond Jin Soun’s expectations.
“Could something so urgent have happened that they could not even collect the bodies?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“…….” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik asked the silent Seong Moran,
“Miss Seong?” (Cheol Sunjik)
Seong Moran spoke as if murmuring.
“You said…… the Jukhyeon Gang was stronger than the Taeul Sect, did you not?” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran pointed at the corpses scattered across the ground and said,
“Then how does it compare to the Qingcheng Sect and its secular branch sects?” (Seong Moran)
“What is that supposed to mean?” (Cheol Sunjik) The Twelve Peak Stars also continued to stay alert while checking the corpses.
“They are academy students.” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“It is a disciple of the Qingguan Sect.” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“There is also a disciple of the Qingye Gang.” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
The identities of the corpses were revealed here and there.
“Is the ‘danger’ Mister Jin spoke of nothing much to you, Mister Cheol?” (Seong Moran)
“…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
“I intend to search for other survivors as Mister Jin said. What will you do, Mister Cheol? Do you still not want to listen to Mister Jin?” (Seong Moran)
Instead of answering, Cheol Sunjik looked again at the corpses with a bloodless face.
There was only one thing Cheol Sunjik could choose.
“……
Go ahead. I will follow.” (Cheol Sunjik)
#Jin Soun spoke while looking at a space darker than darkness itself.
“Do not break the lantern under any circumstances.” (Jin Soun)
“What?” (Nam Hwaseong)
Before Nam Hwaseong could answer, Jin Soun moved first.
Jin Soun shot forward like a flash of lightning and vanished straight into the darkness.
At the same time, violent metallic sounds began to ring out from within the darkness.
Chachachachachachachachachang.
No sooner had the sound of metal clashing fiercely against metal ended than a roar like the air bursting began to ring out.
Papapapapapapang.
Within the darkness, a golden radiance surged, like clouds holding lightning inside them just before a storm poured down.
“What in the world……” (Nam Hwaseong)
Kwa-rurururururung.
The shadows of giant humans revealed within the black mist.
The shadows of giants repeated the process of fighting fiercely, collapsing, and clashing again.
Ziiing──────At that moment, Nam Hwaseong clutched his head at the torment that seemed to stab through his skull.
Nam Hwaseong, who had crouched down to offset the pain, was startled by the killing intent that suddenly assailed him and blasted fist qi toward the rear.
Papapapapapang!
When he felt impact from within the darkness where there should clearly have been nothing, a chill seeped through one side of his chest. ‘If I had been just a little late, I would have died.’ (Nam Hwaseong) The touch of a sharp sword containing unmistakable killing intent.
An action containing genuine murderous intent, unlike anything he had felt during sparring bouts meant for class.
Nam Hwaseong pushed his five senses to the limit and began searching for an unseen opponent within the dark space.
“Is it there!!!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Nam Hwaseong threw himself forward with a shout, as if deliberately trying to shake off his fear.
However, with a tremendous impact striking his abdomen, he was flung quickly backward.
“Kuh-heok, uuk.” (Nam Hwaseong)
A single exchange.
With that alone, he could understand.
The opponent in the darkness was absolutely no ordinary foe.
Nam Hwaseong immediately prepared the final ultimate technique of the Samwon Sect, the Green Horn Radiant Fist.
From his two fists, green radiance flashed, illuminating the darkness and briefly casting the figure hidden within it.
“Haaap!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Nam Hwaseong’s Green Horn Radiant Fist shot forth, leaving a green trail like the tail of a firefly, and the moment it touched one point in the darkness, it scattered green light in all directions and aimed for the opponent’s vital points.
Papapapapapapapapapuck!
He unleashed nearly thirty fist strikes in a single breath, but astonishingly, there was no sensation of flesh bursting.
As if he were swinging his fists underwater, his hands and feet felt even more stifled than usual.
“Uaaaaaaaagh!” (Nam Hwaseong)
As he poured out all of his inner arts, amounting to fifty years, the light of the blazing Green Horn Radiant Fist dispelled the darkness, and the opponent’s true form began to reveal itself little by little.
The corners of Nam Hwaseong’s eyes shook violently. ‘Just how many are there!’ (Nam Hwaseong) The group located where the darkness had been dispelled seemed to number well over a hundred.
If the darkness were cleared away, he could not even guess how many more there might be.
In the very brief instant he was distracted by other thoughts, countless numbers of sword qi too numerous to count began pouring out from within the darkness.
“Damn it.” (Nam Hwaseong)
He poured out fist qi like a storm, but not only could he not block them all, it was also impossible to resist the hidden force concealed among them.
Papapapapang!
Nam Hwaseong’s body, struck by the hidden force, flew as if shot from a cannon.
Kwajik.
A sound of something breaking rang out from his back, but Nam Hwaseong, who could not afford to care about every little thing, sprang to his feet and assumed a stance.
The opponent had once again hidden itself within the darkness, concealing its form.
“If you have confidence, come out! Let us fight fair and square!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Was it in response to Nam Hwaseong’s words?
The darkness began to slowly lift.
And through it, a moving form entered his eyes.
Chururuk.
To confirm the true form of the being that had appeared, Nam Hwaseong had to raise his head vertically.
“……!!!” (Nam Hwaseong)
The moment he saw that “being,” the hair all over his body stood on end.
“A, Azure-Scaled One-Horned Serpent Dragon?” (Nam Hwaseong)
A demonic beast called a dragon
because its body was so extraordinarily huge and massive.
A gigantic snake difficult for an ordinary person, no, even a warrior who crossed the entire martial world, to see was flicking its tongue toward him.
Nam Hwaseong, who had been backing away in instinctive fear, turned his head so sharply it seemed his neck might break at another sound coming from behind him.
Suek, suek, suek.
A spider the size of a house, with eight legs.
“A, Human-Faced Blood Spider?” (Nam Hwaseong)
A hideous demonic beast with a face similar to a person’s and four fangs was tilting its head as it looked at Nam Hwaseong.
“U, ueoek!” (Nam Hwaseong)
The operation and the investigation of Jin Soun were not the important issues right now. ‘I will die! I am going to die!’ (Nam Hwaseong) The moment Nam Hwaseong used the Green Horn Wind Cloud Step and desperately tried to escape the area.
The Azure-Scaled One-Horned Serpent Dragon moved its enormous body like a ghost and coiled around Nam Hwaseong’s body all at once.
“Uaaaaaaaaagh!” (Nam Hwaseong)
When Nam Hwaseong’s form was lifted into the air, all kinds of demonic beasts began rushing at one another in the space where he thought there had only been the Human-Faced Blood Spider, each trying to taste Nam Hwaseong’s flesh.
“Fuck, I am nothing but muscle, so I taste terrible!” (Nam Hwaseong)
He swung his fists and fired fist qi, but as if they did not feel even a scratch, the creatures ignored it and opened their horrible maws wide toward him.
-Nam Hwaseong! (Jin Soun)
At just the right moment, a powerful voice rang through his head.
-Burn the talisman. (Jin Soun)
A voice he had always hated hearing so much.
Yet at that voice, which was like salvation, Nam Hwaseong burned the talisman he held in his hand.
Hwareureuk.
Along with the talisman, which caught fire even from a small spark and quickly turned to ash and vanished, the sound of cloth tearing came from the air, and a being holding a golden sword leaped through the space.
“Lower your head, Nam Hwaseong!” (Jin Soun)
“Uaaaaaagh!” (Nam Hwaseong)
The being with the golden sword descended like a thunderbolt and cut the Azure-Scaled One-Horned Serpent Dragon in half.
Nam Hwaseong’s form, which had been floating in the air, dropped with a plop
* and fell to the ground.
“Uaaaagh!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Even though the impact was considerable, Nam Hwaseong sprang up from the ground and assumed a combat stance.
Jin Soun turned to him and roared.
“You damned bastard! I told you not to break the lantern!” (Jin Soun)
“I, I did not break it!” (Nam Hwaseong)
“Then why did the Corpse-Blood Four-Soul Chaos Formation activate?” (Jin Soun)
“Co, corpse-blood what?” (Nam Hwaseong)
“It is an illusion formation! Have you ever learned Pasa, Evil-Breaking,
or Jeryeong, Spirit Suppression?” (Jin Soun)
“D, Demon-Subduing Mantra Beads…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
“Damn bastards, they treat Demon-Subduing Mantra Beads like a family’s treasured blade. Try facing the Demonic Cult with that!” (Jin Soun)
Jin Soun spat out curses whose meaning could not be understood.
Nam Hwaseong instinctively realized something had gone wrong.
“Wh, what should I do?” (Nam Hwaseong)
“What do you mean, what? It is not as if your puny righteous heart is enough to withstand this illusion.” (Jin Soun)
“Then I, I……” (Nam Hwaseong)
Jin Soun adjusted his grip on his sword.
“……
We have to tear our way out.” (Jin Soun)
At Jin Soun’s words, Nam Hwaseong wore a dazed expression.
Getting out of this place, where demonic beasts swarmed on every side and he could not tell where the exit or entrance was?
“……
Run, you bastard!” (Jin Soun)
“Huh, huh?” (Nam Hwaseong)
At that moment, a slap came flying in and struck Nam Hwaseong’s cheek hotly.
“Get a grip, you bastard! Do you want to die here?” (Jin Soun)
“……
N, no!” (Nam Hwaseong)
“On a battlefield, listen only to the commander’s voice. Do not trust that pathetic head of yours! Understood?” (Jin Soun)
“G, got it…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Jin Soun took two Demon-Subduing Talismans from inside his robes and placed them in Nam Hwaseong’s hand.
“You survived, so I will give you two. If you survive once more, I will give you three.” (Jin Soun)
“Th, thanks.” (Nam Hwaseong)
“From now on, we escape their illusion formation. Do not turn your eyes anywhere else, stick close to me, and follow. Understood?” (Jin Soun)
“Y, yes!” (Nam Hwaseong)
“Let us go!” (Jin Soun)
Jin Soun began running without delay toward the demonic beasts blocking every direction.
A golden radiance dwelled in his sword, and before anyone knew it, a long golden rope had stretched out from his left hand.
When the enormous Human-Faced Blood Spider opened its hideous maw and tried to swallow Jin Soun, Jin Soun swung his sword.
Chwaak, chwaak.
When the rope emitting golden radiance poured out, that enormous demonic beast was bound tightly and rendered unable to move, and when the golden sword was swung, that enormous demonic beast was cut into two and three pieces.
Jin Soun dealt with the demonic beasts at once, again and again, and advanced forward.
Papapapapang.
Papapapapapapang.
Though scenes that did not feel real unfolded continuously right before his eyes, Nam Hwaseong moved as Jin Soun shouted.
“Fire your fist qi!” (Jin Soun)
“You bastard! What are you saving your inner arts for? Are you going to take them to hell after you die?” (Jin Soun)
“Is this all there is to the Samwon Sect’s ultimate techniques?” (Jin Soun)
“Hit them, hit them! Illusion formations have weak durability. If you strike and strike again, they will eventually break!” (Jin Soun)
Then, strangely, the energy that had been constricting them from every direction became noticeably thinner.
It became a little easier to breathe, and somehow even the demonic beasts seemed to be growing smaller. ‘On a battlefield, trust only the commander’s voice. On a battlefield, trust only the commander’s voice.’ (Nam Hwaseong) Nam Hwaseong recited and repeated what Jin Soun had said like mad, moving his feet as if his life depended on it.
How long did they run like that?
At some point, Jin Soun vanished along with the demonic beasts in every direction.
“Ji, Jin Soun! Jin Soun! Where did you go?” (Nam Hwaseong)
The moment Nam Hwaseong called for Jin Soun like a chick looking for its mother.
Someone grabbed Nam Hwaseong by the back of the neck and began hauling him up.
“Heoheup!” (Nam Hwaseong)
When the horrified Nam Hwaseong struggled, a familiar voice pierced his ears.
“It is me! Stop flailing! You are heavy!” (Jin Soun)
Jijijik.
Along with the sound of a large cloth tearing, the space before his eyes changed in an instant, and clear moonlight appeared.
“Heok, heok, heok. Wh, what is this.” (Nam Hwaseong)
The feel of dirt under him, the chill in the air.
He had escaped the illusion formation Jin Soun had spoken of and returned to actual reality.
“Ji, Jin Soun…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Before the joy of having escaped the illusion formation, questions filled his head.
He belonged to the Twelve Peak Stars, and he had come here to monitor Jin Soun. ‘But…….’ (Nam Hwaseong) Jin Soun had saved him from that illusion formation.
“Th, thank you, Jin Soun…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
But the answer was nothing but blunt.
“Shut up and get up. The main part starts now.” (Jin Soun)
“U, huh?” (Nam Hwaseong)
Jin Soun was already staring only at the front.
And in that front, the blood-robed people he had seen inside the illusion formation stood arrayed.