All the space that lingered around Guan Zun’s sword would be sliced and sucked into the void with this technique.
It was different from his previous attacks where he mixed the unique spatial essence with his ‘intangible’ sword strikes. He had condensed the spatial essence into his sword and was able to temporarily cut through space itself.
It would lead to an inevitable death for anybody, Guan Zun thought.
If he attacked someone within the range of his sword, it would become an attack that one would never quite be able to recover from, even if they somehow survived the strike.
Lee Sungmin immediately took a step back from Guan Zun and retreated.
The distance between him and Guan Zun quickly became destroyed and cracked, and Guan Zun shot forwards and chased Lee Sungmin.
Only destruction was left in the wake of Guan Zun’s sword running rampant.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwaquaquaqua!
The ground itself shook and trembled violently. The bodies of the dead wolves and elves still on the floor became mangled together through the distortion of space and eventually disappeared all together.
Even though the sword had not yet been swung, as Guan Zun ran towards Lee Sungmin, the distance traversed by Guan Zun was left in ruin.
There would be no place where Lee Sungmin could avoid the blow. What was Lee Sungmin going to do?
Heoju seemed very interested in the current situation. Although Lee Sungmin was quick to notice the change in Guan Zun’s sword and retreated quickly, he was going to have to do something.
Lee Sungmin started to move differently all of a sudden.
The Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Ring Martial Arts were incredibly flexible and were able to be combined well with almost any martial art technique in existence.
The Nine Heavenly Spear techniques were a martial art that was fundamental for Lee Sungmin’s spear techniques that complimented well with the Blood Rings techniques. What was incredible was that, along with the Nine Heavenly Spear techniques, the Shadowless footwork techniques also did not clash with the Blood Rings techniques as well since they were fundamentally different techniques emphasizing different parts of the body.
The Blood Rings Martial Arts techniques consisted of 6 moves : Blood Rings, Blood Gale Nova, Blood Mist of the Night, Blood Mist Explosion, Blood Ring Smithereens, and Blood River Predation.
The Bloody Heavenly Demon of the north that Lee Sungmin had slain, was only capable of using 5 of these moves. Hence why Lee Sungmin, as he had mastered all 6 moves, could be said to have truly mastered the martial art.
Lee Sungmin unfolded the Shadowless footwork techniques in succession along with the Blood Rings.
The Blood River Predation started to disperse and form into dozens of Blood Rings. The rings of blood started to merge and condense into one, thick ring of blood.
The singular blood ring then, began to spin. Due to the shadowless footwork, the space around Lee Sungmin started to shake and his image started to blur as he moved at high-speed.
The two strong forces started to intertwine and resonate with each other as they created an entirely new force that was not one that could be taken lightly.
While jumping towards Lee Sungmin, Guan Zun was amazed by the enormous flow of strength.
The indescribably ominous and powerful current that was flowing around Lee Sungmin started to shake the ground intensely.
It was an effect similar to the spatial distortion created from the spatial essence applied to Guan Zun’s sword. However, it was created in an entirely different way since it was not something achieved through being in the Transcendent Realm.
Guan Zun continued to run forwards but started to question himself. Should he crash with Lee Sungmin as he was right now? Could his technique he deemed to be unparalleled, actually stand atop the fearsome storm of purple energy and red blood created by Lee Sungmin?
How long had it been since he felt this kind of uncertainty? And the most odd, yet scariest fact about all of this was the fact that Lee Sungmin had not even reached Transcendence.
But Guan Zun did not want to admit it. He had his pride and technique he had absolute faith in, riding on this. How could he, of all people, lose to some Peak Realm martial artist?
The crushing sword coated with spatial essence flung inside the purple and red storm along with Guan Zun.
Inside the storm.
It was quieter than Guan Zun thought. Was it just loud on the outside?
Guan Zun had such thoughts for a moment. The moment he entered the eye of the storm was where it was quietest. However, what would happen when the storm could choose its target?
The strong turbulent winds of energy started to thrash and focused their rage on Guan Zun.
It was a huge drill-like current that aimed itself at Guan Zun. Guan Zun brought up his sword and swung the sword coated with spatial essence.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The turbulent forces collided with a huge torrent of energy swaying in the surroundings. The entire bloody field within the forest shook.
No matter how much force was in the turbulent storm, it wouldn’t be able to be cut open for Guan Zun’s sword coated in spatial essence.
In the middle of the storm, Lee Sungmin raised his spear. It was not yet time for him to act. The spatial essence within the sword still required a bit more internal energy to be expended for him to successfully take Guan Zun down.
The reason Lee Sungmin created the large vortex was because he wanted to make Guan Zun expend more of his internal energy and mental strength on cutting through the storm.
[So, what are you going to do?]
Lee Sungmin raised his spear. The distance was not far. Guan Zun was busy cutting through the turbulent winds of the blood storm.
The effects of the Blood Rings and Shadowless technique were still not completely cut down by Guan Zun’s sword
Lee Sungmin took a step forward.
Lee Sungmin started to unfold the 5th move of the Nine Heavenly Spears techniques : Void Rendering, into the storm of the turbulent energy and blood.
– Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!
The explosions within the storm with the spatial essence started to collide and clash violently.
Guan Zun hardened his expression. He collected his sword back to himself since he was nearing his limit of mental strength.
However, he could not collect the same amount of spatial essence within the sword as before.
The extreme turbulence of wind, blood and circular motion encapsulated from all 3 martial arts of Lee Sungmin, exploded and surged with strength. Guan Zun drew his sword with the weakened spatial essence.
Then, he swung the sword with all of his might. Even if he did not have a full reserve of spatial essence ready, it would not matter if he supplemented the energy with his transcendental strength.
BA- BOOOOM!
The sword and storm collided violently causing the space to be cracked and teared.Lee Sungmin carefully watched Guan Zun, and Guan Zun did the same as he was completely wary of this man known as the ‘Ghost Spear’ now.
How long would Lee Sungmin be able to keep up his expenditure of internal energy? Guan Zun knew that Lee Sungmin was aiming at depleting his mental strength. He did not know how Lee Sungmin knew so much about the Realm of Transcendence but Guan Zun refused to underestimate Lee Sungmin any further.
‘These skills and their applications of them, are something that a Peak Realm martial artist…No. even an early stage transcendent should not be capable of pulling off.’
Didn’t An Zun say specifically that even though he was caught off guard, the other six divinites should not underestimate this man? An Zun and the divine maiden even agreed together that even Kang Seok and Wolhu should keep the name ‘Ghost Spear’ in the back of their heads. However, none of the other 5 took An Zun seriously for it.
Guan Zun had to put all his faith in his sword right now. Even though he had trained with the sword for this long, he had to believe his diligence with the sword would be more impressive than Lee Sungmin’s diligence with his spear….
‘Now.’
Guan Zun examined carefully the flaws with absolute focus within the storm Lee Sungmin created and swung with conviction. The sword cut right through the flaws Guan Zun had exploited and completely shattered the storm in its entirety.
Lee Sungmin had no choice but to honestly admire such skills with the sword from Guan Zun.
The scattered energy and blood from the storm started to recollect and re-materialize around Lee Sungmin’s speartip.
Lee Sungmin churned his internal circuits to the limits as he poured and replenished his internal energy into the spear at a rapid pace.
There was still a lot of strength within Lee Sungmin’s dantian that had almost a bottomless pit of internal energy.
Whoo-hoo!
The Bloody Aura around the speartip started to hum and compress itself with a golden luster.
Lee Sungmin fired the spear with all of his might. The power caused Lee Sungmin to step back in recoil at the moment of fire, but his spear still fired in a straight line of trajectory like he had aimed for.
Guan Zun wasn’t going to avoid it.
Thanks to cutting down all the strong energy within the storm of blood earlier, the spatial essence was almost completely depleted, but there was still room to draw forth the power of space.
As long as he still had any bit of spatial essence, he was confident that he could cut down Lee Sungmin’s attack here and now.
‘No…!’
Guan Zun’s face distorted. The power of the spear that approached at the speed of lightning was unfathomably deep.
Guan Zun twisted his body and hips with all of his might. The spatial essence was completely drained in this final gambit as he brought the sword that was distorting the space to meet with Lee Sungmin’s spear.
But.. the spatial essence was smashed to pieces.
“That’s ridiculous……!’
Does that mean that the technique Lee Sungmin mentioned earlier could compress this much internal energy? Without any kind of limitations? How ridiculous was this man’s internal energy reserves, Guan Zun thought.
Guan Zun’s sword clashed ferociously with the spear wrapped in condensed blood. His feet started to get dragged backwards as he met the spear with his sword.
However, the force within the blood filled spear was not decreasing at all! The blood wrapped around the spear was screaming for Guan Zun’s blood.
“Oh, my God!”
It was impossible to stop. Guan Zun positioned his sword in a defensive posture with humiliation and was flung back with a bang.
Puuu!
There was nothing left to be seen in the path of which Lee Sungmin’s bloody spear traveled in. Guan Zun quickly tried to raise his body up as Lee Sungmin retrieved his spear via telekinesis with his internal energy.
Lee Sungmin jumped and leapt towards Guan Zun. Lee Sungmin’s mutated body was not exhausted in the slightest and had almost endless stamina, even when compared to Transcendent Realm Martial Artists, Lee Sungmin’s body was a nightmare to face against.
Guan Zun raised himself up as he saw Lee Sungmin rush in with zero hesitation and was noticing how Lee Sungmin seemingly had not lost an ounce of stamina. Guan Zun raised his sword to block Lee Sungmin’s swinging spear.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The ‘Formless sword’ of Guan Zun shot out dozens of blows at Lee Sungmin who was approaching fast.
However, his sword strikes were brushed off by Lee Sungmin like he was throwing paper at him. Guan Zun gritted his teeth in frustration at his precarious situation.
Then, Guan Zun decided to boldly approach Lee Sungmin with his intangible sword strikes forming an interesting pattern.
The lines of trajectory from Guan Zun’s formless sword, formed neatly into something resembling a net.
He layered several strikes behind the net and disguised them so that Lee Sungmin would take them as light blows and then become injured by a grave mistake.However, Lee Sungmin didn’t even bother with it as he rotated the bloody energy around his spear like a coating of a drill head and pierced right through the next of blows like butter.
“What a powerful spear technique……!”
“It’s not just the spear.”
Lee Sungmin answered bluntly at Guan Zun’s misinterpretation for thinking it was Lee Sungmin’s spear techniques alone, and not the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Ring techniques. Lee Sungmin jumped right through the hole in Guan Zun’s next of sword strikes.
Lee Sungmin’s emotions started to flare as he called forth the power of Heoju. The bright purple energy burned brilliantly like a flame around Lee Sungmin along with the red glow of his spear.
“It seems you still don’t understand that I am combining the Blood Ring’s techniques that you looked down on so much into this spear.”
It was blasphemous to Lee Sungmin that such a martial artist like Guan Zun stubbornly still did not see The Crazy Heavenly Demon’s technique as the main contributor in alignment with his other techniques as the reason Lee Sungmin was overpowering Guan Zun right now.“You should have never ignored the power of the Crazy Heavenly Demon.”
Lee Sungmin’s spear shot forwards as several rings of blood circulated and churned around the shaft of the spear, compressing and rebounding the internal energy.
Guan Zun brought his sword to his chest as he was getting incredibly irritated at Lee Sungmin’s annoying talk, but had no chance to show it as he was flung back once more like a ragdoll from the fierce blow.
“That man was a warrior that you should have at least shown respect to, because he was well worth every ounce of my own respect.”
Lee Sungmin unfolded technique after technique, thrashing Guan Zun and penetrating his coating of internal energy around his body, racking up cut after cut on Guan Zun’s body.
Once again Lee Sungmin shot forward his spear with several blood rings churning in rotation like small vortexes.
Guan Zun hurriedly tried to block the blow with his sword but was unable to keep up with Lee Sungmin’s speed and power.
Guan Zun grunted and noticed that Lee Sungmin’s spear only had one hand on it. As he shifted his eyes to Lee Sungmin’s left hand which was free he saw a purple and red energy glowing from Lee Sungmin’s palm. Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Rings Martial Arts : Blood Ring Smithereens (血環破碎)
“Uuuck!-”
Guan Zun’s body flew and landed on the dirt rolling a couple of times as he slowly started to call upon the slim amount of spatial essence he had somewhat regained over the past minute of being thrashed by Lee Sungmin.
Guan Zun skidded as he thrust his sword into the ground as a placeholder for his balance and then lowered his body, shooting himself forwards at Lee Sungmin calling upon the spatial essence within his sword, distorting the space around him. However, Lee Sungmin simply twirled his spear and hammered it down on the weakened sword of Guan Zun mercilessly.
Lee Sungmin’s strength was seemingly growing stanger and stronger as the battle progressed.
[Here he comes again.]
Guan Zun regained his balance and started to recall the spatial essence once more into his sword as he swung at Lee Sungmin once more.Lee Sungmin could feel his internal circuits whirring and churning smoothly like a well-oiled machine as his body felt light.
Lee Sungmin pointed the spear forward. As soon as the sword came into contact with his spear something changed fundamentally within Lee Sungmin at that moment.
Suddenly, the space around Lee Sungmin’s spear started to distort and fluctuate with wonder.
Lee Sungmin had finally reached it. What he had been hoping to reach for so long. What The Crazy Heavenly Demon genuinely wished for Lee Sungmin and what he had seen within himself in the trial of time.
As the sword coated in spatial essence came into contact with Lee Sungmin’s spear, the space around the sword suddenly cracked around it and crushed the sword’s spatial essence.
In front of Guan Zun’s very eyes, his sword was crushed apart and time seemed to be moving in slow motion as Guan Zun noticed the change within Lee Sungmin’s spear and his body.
Guan Zun’s vision started to blur and turn white. At the end of Lee Sungmin’s spear a brilliant violet and red glow enveloped the entire area they had fought.
Lee Sungmin lowered the spear calmly as they both had stopped moving their bodies in earnest. Lee Sungmin had stopped his movement out of his volition as the fight was over.
But for Guan Zun, he was not able to move due to the large hole seeping through his chest as he collapsed and fell to his knees on the ground.
“You…that…power…of space..”
It was only released for a brief moment, but it was clear to both parties what had happened. Lee Sungmin was able to handle the space and distort it around his spear.He had reached the earliest stage of the Transcendence Realm.
Lee Sungmin calmly gazed at Guan Zun’s blurring eyes that looked up at him with a bitter smile.
“That last technique… what was it?”
“What shattered your sword, was the martial arts of the Crazy Heavenly Demon.”
Lee Sungmin answered in a calm voice.
“……but what was the technique… called again?”
“The Blood Rings Martial Art techniques”
“That’s too …. humiliating..”
Guan Zun murmured like that and coughed up clots of blood.
“You reached the Realm of Transcendence…… congratulations, but…… you will not be alive much longer due to… what you have done.”
“Your organization ‘Beyond the Heavens’ will come to kill me, you mean.”
“You are…… outstanding. It was ridiculous.… You’re still so young.…… your spear. It was incredibly excellent, but…… it was not as strong as Kang Seok’s…….”
Guan Zun’s corners of his mouth dripped with black blood.
” As for killing me…I’ll give you a piece of advice…it is good to acknowledge yourself and feel pride when it comes to your spear… But… if you ever run into… him.. Kang Seok…. Just run.”
Those were the last words of Guan Zun. His breath had gone faint.
The hole in his chest was fatal. If he somehow had an elixir on hand, he might be able to survive, but he did not have one on hand, nor did he have the strength to even apply it on himself if he did.
‘The Divine Maiden didn’t tell me about my death.….’
In his blurring conscience, Guan Zun recalled what the Divine Maiden had prophesized. Qian Zun had the possibility of dying, but had never mentioned Guan Zun in that prophecy.
Upon hearing that prophecy and order from the Divine Maiden, he came to this forest to protect Qian Zun.
He could feel his consciousness blurring further. Was he abandoned by the Divine Maiden? Was he wrong in believing in the Divine Spirit of the Heavens?
He didn’t want to close his eyes, but unlike his wishes, his vision was getting darker and darker.
‘Maybe… maybe she didn’t say it on purpose…….’
Just before his death, Guan Zun finally realized that his life and goals were for naught. A chess piece that could be disposed of at any time. That was all he was to his organization.
Lee Sungmin looked down at the dead body of Guan Zun with a complicated gaze. He never had heard of the name Kang Seok but, it shouldn’t matter to him right now as he had more business to take care of.
This ‘Kang Seok’ was not here and Lee Sungmin needed to depart. But… his mind was feeling complicated emotions.
If possible, he wanted to somehow kill Guan Zun without using any other techniques aside from the Blood Rings Martial Arts.
‘But, I did it.’
Lee Sungmin hung the spear on his back with one hand, as he recalled Byuk Won-Pae, the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s sorrowful smile in his mind.Lee Sungmin had to move on now.
It was time to go to the village of the elves.