Chapter 173
Chapter 173
＃1
7
3. <The Black Flame Dragon That Swallows the Blood Sea (3)>
“Hey! Are you conscious?!” (Cheol Sunjik)
Cheol Sunjik checked the pulse of the Qingguan Sect disciple he had found. ‘He is alive.’ (Cheol Sunjik) Fortunately, he was alive.
But seeing his eyes rolled back while he kept foaming at the mouth, his condition did not look very good.
“There is someone here!” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“There is someone here too!” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
“This side too!” (Twelve Peak Stars Member)
Most of the people found not far from where the incident had occurred had lost their reason.
Their righteous minds had been contaminated by evil arts they had only learned about in theory.
If more time was wasted like this, they might have to live the rest of their lives with their reason lost.
He placed a hand on the man’s qi center and infused qi.
But the hasty first aid only made the other person’s condition more critical.
“Krrrk, krrrk, krrrk.” (Qingguan Sect Disciple)
The Qingguan Sect disciple trembled all over and even spewed bloody foam. ‘This is no ordinary evil art.’ (Cheol Sunjik) If he had fallen this deeply into inner demons, this was no longer something they could do anything about.
Only sorcerers who had trained in Pasa, Evil-Breaking,
and Jeryeong, Spirit Suppression,
would be able to save him.
“Move aside for a moment.” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran suddenly pushed Cheol Sunjik away and examined the Qingguan Sect disciple.
“This is beyond our abilities…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
Whether Cheol Sunjik continued speaking or not, Seong Moran suddenly took a talisman from inside her robes and attached it to the Qingguan Sect disciple’s chest.
Then she placed her hand over the talisman and began infusing qi.
“No, if you recklessly touch the middle qi center-” (Cheol Sunjik)
“Just stay still, please!” (Seong Moran)
“…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
The middle qi center was a more dangerous place than the lower qi center.
If an outsider touched it incorrectly, it would not end with merely turning him into a madman.
Yet was Seong Moran not injecting qi as if she did not care about such things at all?
Cheol Sunjik stared straight ahead with eyes full of distrust. But then.
“Hm?” (Cheol Sunjik)
Strangely, the Qingguan Sect disciple’s face slowly began to grow peaceful.
Color returned to his complexion, and his breathing quieted.
A moment later, he even slowly began to open his eyes.
“Sa, save…….” (Qingguan Sect Disciple)
“Do not worry. We came to save you.” (Seong Moran)
The Qingguan Sect disciple, who had regained consciousness, fainted again with a thud.
After checking the Qingguan Sect disciple’s pulse and confirming that he had entered a stable condition, Seong Moran rose from her seat.
Cheol Sunjik awkwardly stepped back and made room.
“H, how did you do that? About Pasa and Jeryeong…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
“That is not it. It is this.” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran showed the talisman.
Cheol Sunjik realized at a glance what the talisman was.
“Is it the Demon-Subduing Talisman of the Mount Heng Sect?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“You recognize it at once?” (Seong Moran)
“There may be no one who buys this item, but there is no one who does not know what it is.” (Cheol Sunjik)
“That is true.” (Seong Moran)
“Does the Iron Sword Sect always carry this around?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“No.” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran shook her head.
“This was given to me by Mister Jin Soun.” (Seong Moran)
“Representative Jin…… did?” (Cheol Sunjik)
Again.
Again, it was Jin Soun.
“Yes. For some reason, he told me to take this with me. I did not know I would end up using it like this.” (Seong Moran)
“…….” (Cheol Sunjik)
Cheol Sunjik could not understand it at all.
Was Jin Soun saying he had foreseen everything, from an enemy even the Beggars Sect could not properly grasp to what was happening now?
It was not as if he had come from the future.
In the end, it had turned out this way.
All actions that had not been predicted were ultimately moving according to his intentions, and all these matters would ultimately…….
“Mister Cheol!” (Seong Moran)
Cheol Sunjik, who had been lost in thought, abruptly came to his senses.
“Ye, yes?” (Cheol Sunjik)
“Can you not see we are busy right now?” (Seong Moran)
Seong Moran and the members of the Twelve Peak Stars were each receiving one Demon-Subduing Talisman and awakening the people’s minds.
“If you are not going to work, then at least stand guard properly! We do not know when the enemy will ambush us.” (Seong Moran)
“U, understood.” (Cheol Sunjik)
Cheol Sunjik nodded and climbed up a tree.
Seong Moran looked at him, shook her head, then let out a sigh.
“I wonder if the others are all right.” (Seong Moran)
#“Brother Geumpyo, what do we do now?” (Eunho)
Eunho and Dongryong looked at Geumpyo while running, but Geumpyo did not know what answer he should give.
“…….” (Geumpyo)
At the academy, they had once been taught three procedures to keep in mind when reporting to a superior.
One,
report as briefly and clearly as possible.
Two,
when, where, who, what, why, response, time, result.
Summarize the key points and convey them specifically.
Three,
exclude emotion and speak logically.
The instructor had said.
If they reported according to these three points, a superior would certainly listen carefully to a subordinate’s words and act accordingly. ‘It does not work!!’ (Geumpyo) The Elders and disciples of the Kunlun Sect did not listen to the three brothers’ words at all.
It was exactly what he had expected from the beginning.
There was no way the people who had entered the event to keep their Big Senior Brother’s power in check would listen to Big Senior Brother’s warning.
But no matter how he thought of it, how could they ignore the words of Big Senior Brother, who was like the heavens?
Of course, the three brothers did not know exactly what was happening in Sichuan right now either.
But at the very least, they knew very well that if Big Senior Brother said something was “dangerous,” then it was truly “dangerous.” ‘It was said by a person whose standard of common sense does not match ours in the first place!!!’ (Geumpyo) If a crazy person who had looked down on the regular exam and said he would jump in alone was tense to this degree, then it was surely the same as saying the opponent possessed a terror comparable to those bizarre people they had met on the Fuyang Plains.
“Damn it…….” (Geumpyo)
Yet those fools did not even know they were in the position of ants walking into an antlion pit of their own accord and were ignoring the warning.
“Eunpyo, Dongryong.” (Geumpyo)
After deep thought, Geumpyo looked at the two of them.
“What was Big Senior Brother’s order?” (Geumpyo)
“If we see traces of the enemies, first run away, report, and if the academy students have not met the enemies, stop them as much as possible.” (Eunho)
“Right. But the enemies have not appeared yet, and the academy students have not met the enemies, have they?” (Geumpyo)
“…….” (Eunho)
“And if we leave them like this, they will meet the enemy Big Senior Brother called ‘dangerous.’” (Geumpyo)
At Geumpyo’s action of nodding as if he had made up his mind, Eunho asked uneasily.
“Brother, what are you thinking of doing?” (Eunho)
“What we learned at the academy is useless anyway.” (Geumpyo)
“……
No way.” (Eunho)
Geumpyo looked at his younger brothers with a resolute expression.
“Then we have to use what we learned from Senior Brother.” (Geumpyo)
“……
What is that?” (Eunho)
Geumpyo did not answer Eunho’s question.
But soon, Eunho realized what it was.
Eunho frowned deeply.
“……
This is driving me crazy.” (Eunho)
Geumpyo looked at Eunho and Dongryong and asked,
“You can leave it if you do not want to do it.” (Geumpyo)
“…….” (Eunho)
“…….” (Dongryong)
Eunho and Dongryong glared at Geumpyo at the same time and frowned.
“Brother, that is not like Big Senior Brother at all. Do not imitate him.” (Eunho)
“Big Brother, it is weird. Do not do that.” (Dongryong)
Geumpyo’s face flushed red.
“I was not imitating him!” (Geumpyo)
Chang! Chang!
Whether Geumpyo shouted or not, Eunho and Dongryong drew their swords at the same time.
“Are you doing it with me?” (Geumpyo)
“……
If you die, I have to inherit the mill, don’t I? I have decided to become a warrior who races through the martial world. So it would be a little troublesome if you died.” (Eunho)
“Mom and Dad would be sad if Big Brother died.” (Dongryong)
“You might as well curse me outright, curse me.” (Geumpyo)
Geumpyo began to raise his speed.
Eunho and Dongryong matched him and sped up, and in the three people’s field of vision, the disciples led by the Kunlun Sect Elder and the academy students of the secular martial sects soon came into view.
Whiriririk. Tak.
The three crossed the forest and landed in front of the Kunlun Sect.
“Ahem.” (Geumpyo)
Seeing that, Elder Sangwon of the Kunlun Sect frowned and shouted.
“Did you fail to understand even though I spoke nicely?” (Elder Sangwon)
“I apologize. But we cannot stand by and watch you walk into the jaws of death on your own.” (Geumpyo)
Geumpyo politely clasped his hands and bowed his head, but Elder Sangwon’s anger showed no sign of fading.
“It seems you are under the illusion that the Taeul Sect has become some great existence merely because you seized the academy representative seat……. What are you doing? Do Kunlun disciples intend to halt their steps merely because of the Taeul Sect?” (Elder Sangwon)
“““Yes, sir!””” (Kunlun Disciples)
With a resounding shout, nearly twenty Kunlun disciples surrounded the three brothers at the same time.
“Haa…… I thought there would be no more fighting with our own side after the regular exam.” (Geumpyo)
At Geumpyo’s grumbling, Eunho raised his sword and whispered.
“At this rate, maybe what people said is true, and we were actually of the Black Path?” (Eunho)
No sooner had Eunho’s words ended than the Kunlun disciples began swinging their swords.
Chachachachang!
Dongryong unfolded the White Tiger Certain Kill Sword Formation, which he could now deploy as freely as his own hands and feet, and blocked seven swords from the Kunlun Sect disciples.
The Kunlun Sect disciples, who knew Jin Soun’s skill well but did not know much about the three brothers’ abilities, raised their eyebrows.
“Hm?” (Kunlun Disciple)
Despite the swords clearly being imbued with qi, Dongryong, who had blocked seven blades alone, bared his teeth and growled.
“We…… are not of the Black Path!” (Dongryong)
“What is this!!” (Kunlun Disciple)
Chachachachang!
The seven swords scattered in every direction as if flower buds were blooming, and through the gap, the Manhwa Invincible Fist exploded.
Papapapapapuck!
The Kunlun Sect disciples, struck by the unexpected blow, had no choice but to swallow the words that burst out with the pain of their breath catching.
Who called you Black Path!
#Nam Hwaseong swallowed hard.
The blood-robed people standing before his eyes felt different from those he had seen in the illusion formation.
The people he had seen in the illusion formation had strangely moved at the same time with movements that were far too identical.
On the other hand, these people were likewise disciplined, but they definitely felt human. ‘These are real…….’ (Nam Hwaseong) Jin Soun, who had dealt with enemies using only an iron staff until now, drew his sword.
Srrng.
The clear ring of the sword blade made Nam Hwaseong even more tense.
“Nam Hwaseong.” (Jin Soun)
“Ye, yes!” (Nam Hwaseong)
“Do not join the fight. Conserve as much of your inner arts as possible.” (Jin Soun)
“U, huh? What does that mean?” (Nam Hwaseong)
“Shut up and do as I say!” (Jin Soun)
“U, understood…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Before Nam Hwaseong could even finish speaking, Jin Soun launched himself toward the blood-robed people.
Chachachachachang.
At the same time, the blood-robed people, who had drawn heavy swords from their backs, also launched themselves and pressed Jin Soun from every direction.
Chang, chang, chang, chang, chang.
Jin Soun blocked the dozens of swords thrusting in from every side with a single Black Dragon Sword.
Pababababak. Pababababak.
Each time Jin Soun’s Black Dragon Sword was swung, more than ten illusion swords appeared and disappeared repeatedly.
Keuheuk.
Kuk.
Kkeuak.
The blood-robed people who had flown up after Jin Soun fell like fallen leaves.
Thud.
The blood-robed people rushed like a pack of dogs toward Jin Soun, who had landed on the ground, from all eight directions.
Far from retreating, Jin Soun instead advanced, swinging his sword with one hand and his fist with the other.
Chachachachachachachang.
Whenever illusion swords and true swords swept across the right side, blood sprayed everywhere and bodies and pieces of flesh flew in all directions.
Papapapapapapapang.
When the fist forms swept across the left side, as if a storm had passed through, the arms and legs of the blood-robed people bent where they should not have bent, and they flew away even faster than they had rushed in.
It was truly an unstoppable momentum like Xiang Yu sweeping across a battlefield alone. ‘What kind of martial art is that…….’ (Nam Hwaseong) If they thought it was an illusion sword and ignored it, a true sword was there.
If they thought it was a true sword and blocked it, it was an illusion sword.
The blood-robed people could not distinguish which among the dozens of swords and fists aiming for their lives were real and which were illusions.
It had become even sharper than what he had witnessed before, so Nam Hwaseong himself could not distinguish the illusion swords from the true swords either.
No, could this even be called an illusion sword in the first place?
How stupid had he been to look down on it all this time because it used illusion swords?
He had never imagined there would be such a realm within illusion swords.
Moreover, what about that fist technique?
At a glance, it seemed he had put all his effort only into illusions, but each and every blood-robed person struck could not properly control their own body.
The destructive power itself had already surpassed a martial artist’s defense.
It was not even a martial art focused on fist power,
yet each and every bit of its destructive force was already comparable to the Green Horn Radiant Fist.
With illusions layered on top of that, the enemies could not block it even if they knew, and even if they blocked it, they could not remain intact.
Kwajik, kwajik, kwajik.
Along with the sound of bones breaking, three blood-robed people collapsed to the ground.
But soon, they struggled to rise again on their broken legs.
“Heavens…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Sickened by that tenacity, he frowned.
The pain of broken bones was clearly something humans could not endure.
Their irrational will was so chilling it made him feel like retching. ‘That is the enemy we must face…….’ (Nam Hwaseong) He already felt his spirit shrinking.
“Huh?” (Nam Hwaseong)
Yet at that moment, Jin Soun, indifferent to it, swiftly ran toward them.
Then, without delay, did he not send out the Black Dragon Sword and cut off the three people’s heads?
“Cockroach-like bastards…….” (Jin Soun)
After saying that, he leaped once more into the midst of the blood-robed people.
Nam Hwaseong merely stared at the sight with his mouth open.
The blood-robed people, who tried to rise even with broken legs in order to kill their enemy.
And Jin Soun, who cut off the necks of such people without delay.
He could not gauge which side had the greater tenacity. ‘But one thing is certain…….’ (Nam Hwaseong) The one he did not want to face as an enemy was not the blood-robed people……. ‘It is Jin Soun.’ (Nam Hwaseong) While he was thinking that, more blood-robed people rushed in and began surrounding Jin Soun.
So many people rushed at Jin Soun that he could not even guess how many he was surrounded by.
Like ants swarming to catch a single spider, countless blood-robed people surrounded Jin Soun, who was dressed in black.
Even for Jin Soun under heaven, it looked like an extremely dangerous situation.
“Ji, Jin Soun! Should I help you?” (Nam Hwaseong)
Nam Hwaseong mustered his courage and shouted, but Jin Soun’s answer was cold.
“Shut up and conserve your inner arts, you bastard!” (Jin Soun)
“Th, that bastard, every word out of his mouth……” (Nam Hwaseong)
The good feelings that had briefly arisen crumbled like a sandcastle collapsing.
Watching Jin Soun even pull the blood-robed person who had arrived before him with a strange golden rope and deal with him, he could not even guess what scheme he had.
The moment he was lost in such thoughts. A shout burst from Jin Soun.
“Nam Hwaseong! Are you ready?” (Jin Soun)
While Nam Hwaseong was bewildered by Jin Soun’s sudden shout.
“I asked if you are ready to run, you bastard!” (Jin Soun)
Ready to run?
At that moment, he felt the air tremble faintly.
The vibrating air began to sweep rapidly to one side.
It was a feeling different from wind, as if a giant enormous enough to swallow the air was doing so.
And the place the air was being sucked into was none other than Jin Soun’s hand.
Kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwang.
With a tremendous rumbling sound as if the sky were collapsing and the earth were sinking, an enormous palm force poured out from Jin Soun’s hand.
The blood-robed people who had swarmed thickly like a colony of ants were swept away like fallen leaves in the wind, and even the hard surface of the ground was driven away with them. ‘What kind of palm force is that……!’ (Nam Hwaseong) At the moment he was slightly stunned by the destructive power, as if a storm had been shrunken down, Jin Soun’s voice struck his eardrums hard.
“Run! Nam Hwaseong!” (Jin Soun)
“Eek!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Gathering every last bit of strength he had, Nam Hwaseong unfolded the Green Horn Wind Cloud Step.
The path he ran along after Jin Soun was full of the corpses of blood-robed people.
In a way, it was no different from charging into the middle of enemy lines, yet Jin Soun was unhesitating.
Outside the range of Jin Soun’s palm force, the blood-robed people who had been blown away by the shockwave began rising one by one.
Then they tried to surround Jin Soun and Nam Hwaseong as if forming an encirclement.
“Ji, Jin Soun, is this all right?” (Nam Hwaseong)
No matter whether he looked front, back, left, or right, there were only blood-robed people everywhere.
Even if they broke through the blood-robed people like this, it was obvious they would not be able to escape their pursuit.
Jin Soun was composed.
Thinking about it, he had always been composed like this.
“It is fine. Reinforcements will come.” (Jin Soun)
“Reinforcements?” (Nam Hwaseong)
For Seungho Hall to reach this place, they still had far to go. When had he called separate reinforcements?
At that moment, noisy sounds began to come from afar.
“There they are! Catch those bastards!” (Green Forest Bandit)
“To think they looked down on our Jeokhwa Keep, we will tear them apart!” (Green Forest Bandit)
“Our Hwaeom Keep comes first, move aside!” (Green Forest Bandit)
From behind, hundreds of Green Forest Bandits were running wildly while holding great blades and axes.
“……
No way, the reinforcements are…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Jin Soun, whose face was smeared here and there with blood from the fierce bloody battle he had fought against the blood-robed people just moments ago, smiled wickedly.
“Then why do you think I dragged the Green Forest keeps along?” (Jin Soun)
Only then did Nam Hwaseong remember the time they had spent being chased by the three Green Forest keeps.
“……
Did you think this far from the beginning?” (Nam Hwaseong)
Jin Soun smiled broadly.
“It is called a strategy of using barbarians to subdue barbarians.” (Jin Soun)
“Fuck…….” (Nam Hwaseong)
Nam Hwaseong cursed without realizing it.
Just how deep did his schemes run for him to be able to think this far?
No, setting aside the depth of his schemes, he could not even estimate how audacious one had to be to personally execute such a plan.
Nam Hwaseong was now at the point where Jin Soun looked frightening to him, beyond merely impressive.
Gulp.
He swallowed thick saliva.
Indeed, how many times had he crossed the line between life and death in front of Jin Soun since the regular exam? ‘I was dancing in front of the grim reaper.’ (Nam Hwaseong) Right now, dancing in front of the grim reaper seemed less dangerous than his past actions.
“Nam Hwaseong! I am going to speed up from now on. So follow me like your life depends on it! If it gets annoying, I will leave you behind.” (Jin Soun)
“Ye, yes!” (Nam Hwaseong)
Without realizing it, Nam Hwaseong spoke politely and desperately moved his legs.