Chapter 255: Even If You Try to Tear Us Apart (2)
A clash between two of the mightiest forces in the Central Plains—Dao Zun and Hwan Pyeong.
Their confrontation proceeded in an unexpectedly quiet and still atmosphere.
Of course, upon closer inspection, the exchange between them was nothing short of ferocious, with high-level techniques clashing in a deadly dance.
Kwa-jik! Kwa-jik! Kwa-jik! Kwa-jik!
Before anyone realized, Dao Zun's entire body was riddled with hundreds of swords, embedded like quills in a hedgehog.
“Keurgh!”
The moment Dao Zun, now resembling a pincushion, coughed up blood—
“Amitabha!”
Dao Zun recited her Buddhist mantra and unleashed her internal energy.
Countless swords turned to dust and flowed to the ground like sand.
As they vanished, so too did the bloodstains soaking his robe, as if it had all been an illusion.
Hwan Pyeong frowned at the sight.
“As expected of an old monster—your mental fortitude is outrageous.”
“Is it my turn now?”
Wudang Sword Art
Supreme Tai Chi Divine Sword
With powerful evil-purging capabilities, Dao Zun’s sword art, imbued with intent, targeted Hwan Pyeong’s true body hiding within the illusions.
Pit!
However, the sword merely grazed Hwan Pyeong’s shoulder, failing to deliver a decisive blow.
Dao Zun clicked her tongue as she retrieved her blade and shouted,
“How long do you plan to waste time with these cheap tricks?”
“Who knows….”
Hwan Pyeong’s voice echoed through the thick mist.
Moments ago, he had charged in like a madman, driven by rage, and now he was suddenly keeping his distance, even though the battle had only just begun.
Dao Zun sneered and snapped at him.
“You know what people call bastards like you, right? ‘Master of Anger Management,’ wasn’t it?”
“That’s a rather outdated insult, Granny.”
“You son of a—!”
Dao Zun's fist suddenly condensed an enormous orb of power.
“……!”
Sensing real danger this time, dark qi rapidly surged around Hwan Pyeong.
“You’re dead!”
Ten Thousand-Phase Supreme Return
Karmic Seizing Strike
Disregarding all process and order, Dao Zun’s strike smashed into Hwan Pyeong’s entire body.
Though a moment later, Hwan Pyeong’s twin swords resonated in a delayed defense….
Blood trickled from his shoulder, and he let out a curse.
“A reversal of causality? Dammit, to think you’d break through the Illusory Soul Demonic Sword’s barrier so easily….”
He casually stanched the bleeding on his shoulder and sighed.
“Even rotting, you’re still one of the Three Supremes of the Central Plains. Reaching the latter stages of Transcendence… nothing to scoff at.”
At that level, the line between martial arts and magic arts begins to blur.
Dao Zun’s strike just now was far removed from the conventional concept of martial logic.
Still, both had their own grievances with the situation.
Dao Zun, in particular, wasn’t satisfied.
“Tch. That was my ultimate technique, infused with sincerity, and all it did was leave you with a scratch?”
Her opponent’s latent potential was abnormally high.
For now, he was fighting conservatively—
But if that man were to get serious, could Dao Zun truly win?
Dao Zun grew slightly anxious.
‘More importantly, the situation outside isn’t good. I need to finish this quickly….’
Judging by the look of it, her opponent had noticed that too and was deliberately stalling for time.
“Hey, how long are you going to keep that sword as decoration?”
“…….”
“It's obviously on par with this flag. Don’t you think it’s about time we finish this?”
After a moment of silence, Hwan Pyeong finally spoke.
“The True Star Sword wasn’t drawn to deal with the likes of you.”
“…Did you just say ‘the likes of me,’ you bastard?”
Hwan Pyeong grabbed one of the two swords floating around him.
“The Illusory Soul Demonic Sword alone is enough for you. The True Star Sword only moves when I pierce the Young Cult Leader’s heart.”
The Illusion Clan’s sacred blade, Illusory Soul Demonic Sword, once caused quite the stir when it was stolen.
Though it couldn’t compare to the Three Great Treasures, it was still a mighty treasure in its own right.
“In any case, you won’t escape this place. Soon, the strongest blade I’ve prepared will arrive here—hm?”
“Hm?”
Both Dao Zun and Hwan Pyeong blinked, sensing a new presence near them.
To Dao Zun came a Wang Cheongeol of the Demonic Cult.
To Hwan Pyeong, the ‘Seventh’ had arrived at his side.
“Dao Zun, sir. A message from the Young Cult Leader: We’ll be escaping soon, so she says to withdraw appropriately.”
“Is that so? So there was an escape route after all.”
Seeing Hwan Pyeong conversing with another person who arrived almost at the same time, Dao Zun made an immediate decision.
“Let’s go. While he’s distracted.”
“At your command.”
And just like that, Dao Zun and the Wang Cheongeol swiftly disappeared from sight.
Hwan Pyeong, caught off guard by the intruder, couldn’t stop their escape.
He turned and glared at the uninvited guest with hostility.
“…You should be leading the caravan. Why are you here?”
The uninvited guest, wearing a white mask, bowed politely to Hwan Pyeong.
“It’s been a while, Lord of Sichuan.”
The voice was melodious and graceful, like jade beads rolling across a silver tray—clearly a woman.
“Lord of Cheongcheon. I’m not in the mood for greetings.”
“Is that so? Then let me get straight to the point.”
The woman called the Seventh Heavenly Lord seemed uninterested in pleasantries as she got to the heart of the matter.
“The Grand Heavenly Lord is quite displeased with your arbitrary actions this time.”
“…What did you say?”
“He is nearby. I came to deliver his message.”
“……”
Tension immediately clouded Hwan Pyeong’s face.
The Heaven-Defying Society usually didn’t interfere with its members’ affairs, but that was only true when personal ambitions didn’t conflict with the group’s interests.
“What did he say?”
The Seventh Heavenly Lord replied,
“Abandon the Young Cult Leader’s life.”
“……”
Hwan Pyeong’s face twisted.
“I can’t do that. I’ve invested too much in this operation….”
She cut him off.
“He also said this: ‘I won’t stop you from performing the ritual with the prototype, but if you lay a finger on the Young Cult Leader, I’ll consider it a challenge to my authority.’”
“……Tch!”
A defeated expression crept onto Hwan Pyeong’s face.
He had already turned against the Heavenly Demon Cult. If he were to oppose the Grand Heavenly Lord as well, he would truly have nowhere to stand in the Central Plains.
His main forces were still hidden in the Mongol steppe, but so what?
Ruling over foreign lands would be meaningless in the end.
Half giving up, Hwan Pyeong let his arms fall and asked,
“Did he say anything else?”
“You’re to focus all current forces on killing Jin Yeomyung, the Demonic Heaven Dragon, who is fighting the Third Heavenly Lord.”
Hwan Pyeong’s expression twisted in confusion.
“…Huh? Jin Yeomyung? That brat?”
“Yes.”
He had left that guy alone, distracted as he was by the Young Cult Leader.
Still, he had assumed the brat would die anyway, so he hadn’t bothered to target him.
“Don’t tell me… he survived that massive dose of Heaven-Destroying Poison?”
“More than just survived. He is currently slaughtering the Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders and battling the Third Heavenly Lord.”
“……”
The Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders were a personal guard unit of the Evil Path Castle Lord—each and every one of them had reached the peak Master Level.
Compared to the Murim Alliance’s Golden Dragon Heavenly Sword Squad, they were fewer in number but far superior in average individual power—elite among elites.
“Well, then. He must die, without a doubt. If that brat is truly such a monster…”
Now that the Grand Heavenly Lord had stepped in, the Young Cult Leader’s life was off the table—
But…
"Ga-ji, just in case, you should lend a hand too."
"I was already planning to."
A venomous glint flickered in Hwan Pyeong’s eyes.
***
"The Grand Heavenly Lord doesn't want Cheon Yura to die. That’s quite the fortunate outcome."
I spoke while staying alert to the Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders surrounding me.
"My apologies. Now that the Grand Heavenly Lord has given the order, I can’t insist on a one-on-one anymore…"
Gam Unbi genuinely sounded sorry.
I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders.
"Well, if it's for the greater good, I understand. Can't be helped."
"If you lay down your weapon, I can at least promise a painless beheading."
That offer came from sincere goodwill.
The problem was that I couldn't accept it.
"Sorry. I have to return alive no matter what."
"A hopeless dream."
Gam Unbi raised his hand coldly.
Then, a dozen Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders and master-level emissaries of the Evil Path Castle surrounded me all at once.
‘The Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders of the Evil Path Castle—I’ve heard of them even in my past life.’
These peak Master Level warriors had modified their bodies with dark arts to the point they had practically become evil spirits.
Because of the backlash from such modifications, they were said to be incapable of ever reaching the Transformation realm, but even so, they were considered an invincible unit with no equal.
‘They're somewhat like the Awakened Forms of the Heaven-Defying Society.’
Chwaaa!
I cut off the head of the nearest commander with a single strike and continued thinking.
‘Just like them, if you take their head, it’s over.’
Of course, the fact that decapitation was the only way to kill them was a massive advantage. Against opponents of a similar or lower level, they were practically reapers.
"He's a high-level demonic master! Deploy the Ten Thousand Soul Formation!“
The remaining nine elites simultaneously unleashed their qi and began closing in.
A classic demonic formation technique that boosts their regeneration while draining the opponent’s stamina and energy.
‘Sorry, but my current power is a natural counter to yours.’
Now that I’ve activated my vitality, I don’t have time to waste on the likes of you.
Fwaaaa!
The qi of the Ten Thousand Soul Formation that they had just spread began spiraling out of control and converging onto my sword.
"O-our qi is being drawn in!"
"This can’t be happening!"
"What the hell…?!"
Originally, it was a technique meant to counter.
But once your level reaches a certain height, this becomes possible.
Heavenly Earth Returning Seal
Ninth Form of the Heavenly Record Demonic Sword: Heavenly Earth Returning Seal.
The more you master the power of intent, the more you realize how absurd this technique is.
Kugugung!
As I spread the collected power outward in a wide arc, a quake erupted across the ground and the Ten Thousand Soul Formation shattered in an instant.
"Aaaargh!"
"S-someone… save me…!"
Despite their bodies being little different from jiangshi, the attack overwhelmed even the Ten Thousand Catastrophe Commanders to the point of feeling the approach of death.
Only after his elite guard had been shredded did Gam Unbi leap back into the fray, slashing his massive sword once more.
"Fuhahaha! You're quite the entertaining fellow!"
I dove in without hesitation, charging at Gam Unbi head-on.
‘Now that I know they can’t kill Yura, there’s at least a sliver of hope for escape. If I can match the timing with when the emissaries board their ships…!’
Clinging to that hope, I began a fierce duel with Gam Unbi.
A club and a toothpick collided.
Kwa-jik!
Toooom!
This time, however, I wasn’t so easily pushed back as before.
In fact, in a contest of pure strength, now that I had tapped into vitality, I was slightly overpowering Gam Unbi.
"Hahaha! More! Swing harder, even stronger!"
Even though he was being pushed back in terms of power, his sheer momentum and presence still overwhelmed me.
As time passed, I noticed Gam Unbi’s face was gradually changing.
His eyes widened, his features twisted grotesquely, and his skin lost all traces of humanity.
His overall form began to resemble something I’d only ever seen in ancient texts.
‘Is that a Taotie?’
If Colorful Flower Lord of the Ten Heavenly Lords had inherited the power of the sacred beast Spirit Turtle, then this was likely its antithesis—one of the Four Fiends (Sahung).
Pah!
As soon as I slashed across his face with sword qi—
Thud!
His enormous, blunt-edged sword smashed into my ribs.
A fight like this should have involved shattered bones and blood spraying everywhere, but both Gam Unbi and I regenerated our wounds within seconds and lunged at each other again.
"Kukuk! That regeneration—you’re practically kin to me!"
"……."
"Now I understand why the Grand Heavenly Lord wants you dead. To show such monstrous prowess at your age… already nearly matching a supreme’s might!"
Though Gam Unbi laughed heartily and praised me—
I, on the other hand, grew increasingly anxious.
‘There’s no opening to escape…’
At this rate, we could fight until morning without a victor.
In other circumstances, stalling for time would have been my goal, but now that they had zeroed in on me as their only target, I couldn’t afford to be tied down by just Gam Unbi.
I could feel it.
‘I’ll end this in a single blow.’
While trading attacks with Gam Unbi, I quietly stored up power.
Heaven-Crushing Demon Severance.
The final form of the Heavenly Record Demonic Sword—if I could land it, even someone like Gam Unbi would be severely wounded.
"Try taking this one!"
Gam Unbi’s giant sword surged with a force so intense it defied even the word qi projection.
Exploding Demon Sword Technique
Single Slash that Cuts a Mountain
The name sounded plain, even dull.
But the moment I saw Gam Unbi’s sword, I knew.
That strike could literally split a mountain in one blow.
To counter his move, I summoned every ounce of my strength.
In terms of pure force, this strike surpassed even the one I’d used against Venerable Buddha.
"Conqueror King…!"
However—
Puuuk!
Heaven-Crushing Demon Severance never left my sword.
– I prepared this to kill the Young Cult Leader, but to think I’d use it on you instead.
The gathered qi slowly scattered into the natural world’s internal energy.
I collapsed, having lost my center.
“Keurgh!”
The True Star Sword, one of the Illusion Clan’s Three Great Treasures—
Somehow, it had already pierced through my abdomen.