42 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 42 "Finally, the tide of the battle seems to have turned." The expression on So Baek-gui's face hardened slightly as he watched the chaotic skirmish between the Hundred Specters Division and the Plum Blossom Sword Masters. Despite being called Plum Blossom Sword Masters, they were merely young lads, and there were only five of them. When compared to the fifty men of the Hundred Specters he had brought, it was a tenfold difference. Yet surprisingly, they held their ground. "Could the Plum Blossom Sword Masters have been this strong?" So Baek-gui furrowed his brows. 'They seem to be the ones who recently became Plum Blossom Sword Masters, yet they managed to hold their own against the Hundred Specters Division.' Baek-gui Castle constantly updated and gathered information about the Huashan Sect. But the level of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters was beyond expectations. Of course, if he stepped in, he could resolve the situation quickly without concern... "Your opponent is me." Hao Jin stood before him, guarding himself with a stern expression. "Did you say you're Biyeon Geomgun?" So Baek-gui twisted one corner of his lips. "You were someone I've always wanted to meet." Hao Jin's eyes narrowed sharply. He was desperately suppressing the anger that had risen to his throat. The deeds these men committed were atrocious. Not only a sudden attack, but they had also recklessly set fire to the Bipungsang Trading Company. He had no idea how many lives were lost because of it. "...You must pay for your sins." "Puhahahaha!" At Hao Jin's stern rebuke, So Baek-gui momentarily widened his eyes and burst into laughter. Even so, his eyes didn't join in the laughter that escaped his lips. The laughter abruptly stopped after a moment. "Pay for my sins? It's you who should be paying for the death of the Silhon Division." So Baek-gui retorted. From his perspective, it was they who should answer for the crime of killing the Silhon Division. Pa-ba-bat! In an instant, ten members of the Hundred Specters surrounded Hao Jin and attacked using stealth techniques. Hao Jin raised his sword to draw a circle, as if he had expected the ambush. Chaeng-chaeng-cheng! A sharp sound rang out as the projectiles that flew toward him were deflected in all directions. That was when it happened. Shooook— A new, sharper projectile targeted his left shoulder. Paat! He hurriedly stepped forward, turning his head to the side, but couldn't completely avoid the sudden attack. "Kugh!" His left shoulder's robe was torn, leaving a long red mark. Blood droplets shimmered before trailing down to his wrist. Biting his lip, he lifted his head. So Baek-gui stood there, fingers fitted with blades and iron pieces, gazing sharply at him. "Interesting, I heard the Jongnam Sect and the Huashan Sect were at odds recently, but to see you two moving together..." "...Regardless of the discord between our sect and the Huashan Sect, it's only natural when Baek-gui Castle is the enemy, isn't it?" "Hoo. Is that so?" So Baek-gui chuckled sinisterly as he waved his hand, throwing the remaining blades and iron projectiles. Whooosh— In the midst of Hao Jin deflecting the incoming blades and projectiles with his sword— Sssss— So Baek-gui's pitch-black pupils began to turn ghostly white. This was the phenomenon that occurred when he unleashed the internal energy of his Saeumgwi Hyeonsin Technique. Then he took a large step forward. Whik! With his internal energy infused in the Baekgui Yahaeng, his movements became eerie. His form stretched and extended, reaching Hao Jin seemingly in an instant. Startled by the bizarre movement, Hao Jin swung his sword as if to dispel a ghost. Whik— Whik— So Baek-gui dodged every swing of the sword with just a slight tilt of his head. His agility was astonishing. But that wasn’t all. Whoosh! A gust of wind arose. He had already pivoted on his left foot, utilizing his leg technique. Hao Jin blocked the fierce leg attack aimed at his side with his forearm. "Kugh!" A dull pain reverberated through his entire body. If he hadn't blocked it, he might have coughed up a mouthful of blood from the forceful impact. After being pushed back a step by the shock, Hao Jin repositioned his sword and thrust it forward. It was the sword technique Jongnam Sect was proud of, the 36 Heavenly Swords (天下三十六劍). "Hup!" At the sharp sword technique, So Baek-gui caught his breath and leaped back. Flutter— The torn robe flapped in the wind, having been sliced by the 36 Heavenly Swords, and then caught fire, turning to ash and disappearing. A preliminary bout that unfolded within a mere breath. With just that, both realized that the opponent was no lesser than themselves. "36 Heavenly Swords, is it." In a moment, So Baek-gui grasped Hao Jin's sword technique and vanished from sight. "Where!" Hao Jin swung his sword horizontally at So Baek-gui, who appeared right before his eyes. Whoosh! At that moment, So Baek-gui ducked his head. His jet-black hair bounced in mid-air as though suspended, and then— Whoooong! From beneath Hao Jin's chin, came the ominous sound of a palm strike imbued with eerie energy, drawing closer. "Hup!" Terrified, Hao Jin bent his waist backward, narrowly avoiding the palm strike, but the shock was directly transmitted. Kugh— A groan escaped him naturally. Grasping his head hurriedly, Hao Jin forced his staggering body to straighten. "You dodged that?" So Baek-gui's eyes displayed astonishment. The surprise palm strike, aimed at the chin, had internal energy from the Saeumgwi Hyeonsin Technique. It had reached right in front of him, and he had been sure it would hit. Yet, it was narrowly avoided. Whik— Whik— Hao Jin shook his head roughly. Though he evaded it, his chin buzzed, and his vision was utterly disarrayed because of it. The scenery around So Baek-gui was melding together like undulating waves. "To be this affected even after evading it. If I had not, then..." Drip— Cold sweat formed on Hao Jin's forehead. This opponent was no easy match. Hooo— He exhaled a deep breath from the depths of his lungs. So Baek-gui was not someone he could face in a state of tension. Soon, a gentle and pure aura emanated from his entire body. This was one of the divine techniques that had earned him the nickname "Biyeon Geomgun," and it emerged from him, the Hyuncheng Heolgang Qi. * * * "Entering the threshold of the Ultimate Realm, is it?" Chun Hui sat composedly, observing the battles unfolding before him. The scene was reminiscent of a carefree wanderer reclining, but if one were to discover what he was sitting upon, it would silence them immediately. A gruesome pile of crushed corpses. Cheon Hui was perched atop it. "They're quite evenly matched." His eyes were steady as he watched the ferocious duel between Biyeon Geomgun and So Baek-gui. A clash where neither side gained the upper hand. But soon he turned his head away. He had no interest in who would emerge victorious. Sure, one of them was supposedly an old friend of his master, but what did that matter? He didn't even know who his master was. Whik— Cheon Hui's gaze shifted to the distant, raging flames. The blazing inferno, like a dragon ascending to the heavens, illuminated the night sky with its fury. Those attempting to douse the flames with water were rendered speechless, unable to approach due to the fierce heatwinds. 'This is taking longer than I thought.' Cheon Hui's eyes focused on the heart of the fire. Amidst the searing blaze, Hyeon Do and Su Chamdok were locked in a fierce exchange of sword strikes. "He's certainly improved." Cheon Hui observed Hyeon Do's counterattacks against Su Chamdok's blade. Was it because the opponent was from Baek-gui Castle? Or perhaps he was trying to display his prowess after reaching the Heavenly Realm. Hyeon Do showcased his martial skills without restraint. An uninterrupted display of the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship. However, Su Chamdok was no pushover. Even with the disadvantage of having one arm, he blocked, diverted, and countered Hyeon Do's sword techniques. Not only that. As time went on, Su Chamdok's powerful inner energy surged, and his sword moves slashed through the air as fiercely as a desert storm. After a brief skirmish, the two fighters paused. As they stared each other down, a chilling aura permeated the air, hinting that the real battle for life and death had just begun, consuming even the raging flames. In the darkness that blossomed amidst the subdued fire, the two warriors kept their eyes locked on each other. But only for a moment. Boom! A thunderous explosion erupted between them. "Why so cautious?" Cheon Hui muttered in displeasure. Hyeon Do was more cautious than expected. It was as if he hadn't realized the extent of his own prowess. 'If he realized he's above his opponent, it would be over.' Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Cheon Hui shifted his gaze. The difference between the two was already clear; there was no need to watch further. "Are these ones handling themselves well?" He turned his head. Cheon Hui's gaze fell upon the Plum Blossom Sword Masters and the Hundred Specters Division engaged in fierce combat. "It's still a bit much for them, huh?" Initially, they were holding their own better than expected, but as time went on, their numerical disadvantage became increasingly significant. The current situation reflected that reality. The five who had been boldly standing against the Hundred Specters were growing weary. Though they might not feel it amidst the ongoing chaos, the aftermath would hit them hard. "Still, they held out longer than I thought." Cheon Hui murmured softly and then raised his index finger. Peeng— A subtle breeze swept away, deflecting the blade of a Hundred Specters member aiming for Jeokbi's back. The blade, thrown off course by the impact, sliced through empty air, and Jeokbi, realizing at the last moment, pivoted on his left foot and sliced open the enemy's waist. "Now that we've gotten what we need." Cheon Hui rose slowly. Standing on the crushed bodies, he took in the whole battlefield with a single glance and said, "It's time to wrap this up."