43 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

**Chapter 43** "Urgh!" The fatigue that had accumulated in his weary body finally took its toll, and the adversarial sword he wielded could no longer withstand the fierce onslaught of the Hundred Demons Unit. Inevitably, the sword slipped from his grasp. "Huurk—" Perhaps due to the impact, he began to cough up blood. The dark, clotted blood and bits of his insides stained his martial uniform below his throat. At that moment, the Hundred Demons Unit closed in once more. Clang! Clang! Though he managed to block their attacks, his adversarial sword wobbled heavily. These blows, imbued with the overwhelming force of the Hundred Demons Unit, were too lethal for him, already suffering internal injuries. 'My strength is failing me.' It wasn't just his hands; his entire body felt weighed down. He swiftly surveyed his surroundings. The situation was deteriorating rapidly. His junior disciples and fellow martial artists could barely hold themselves upright, swaying precariously as if a mere touch would topple them. Witnessing this, his face darkened. 'Is this the end for us?' As time dragged on, he could feel death's approach, and both he and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen resigned themselves, closing their eyes tightly in surrender. Then, all of a sudden... Thud! Thud! Thud! Something dark bounced across the ground a few times before collapsing heavily in front of them. Startled, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen blinked rapidly, only to gasp when they realized its identity. "……!" "W-what is this!" It was a body, brutally mangled. Where the head should have been, there was nothing, and the torso was crushed as if smashed by a massive boulder. Step― Step― Amidst the eerie silence, footsteps echoed steadily, enough to make the Hundred Demons Unit shudder. They turned their heads as if compelled. Emerging slowly, with the flames roaring fiercely behind him, was a young man. Clad in a rare blackish-red martial uniform, the young man was tall and broad-shouldered, with visible muscle that suggested intense training. However, as he approached, the Hundred Demons Unit felt drawn more to his eyes than his physique. Eyes, so cold and dark they seemed to swallow even the roaring flames behind him. At that very moment, the fears and terrors lying dormant in the depths of their hearts began to stir. Finally, one of the Hundred Demons stepped forward to shake off these emotions. "We've still got a living one remaining…." Crack! In an instant, brains and blood sprayed everywhere, pouring down like rain. Covered in their comrade’s blood and brains, the Hundred Demons Unit stood marooned in shock. They couldn't comprehend what had happened. A head had just exploded, resulting in a sudden and senseless death. Yet, they instinctively knew that the young man before them was responsible for this calamity. Where he had once been empty-handed, he now held a sword gauntlet. "So more survived than I expected." No sooner had the words left his mouth than— Crack! Another head was sent flying. This time, the Hundred Demons Unit saw it clearly. The black sword gauntlet had moved with vicious swiftness, shattering the head of another member. Witnessing such brutally precise skill, the remaining members were petrified, their complexion drained of color. "Master…." "Y-you've come." Below, they heard voices. Tianhui coldly gazed down at the collapsed Plum Blossom Swordsmen, sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion. They were completely worn out. Only the adversarial swordsman and Seollan, still with some energy to move, hadn't succumbed to the floor. "Still not enough?" The indifferent words of Tianhui made the previously relieved adversarial swordsman and Seollan turn pale, hastily trying to explain. "It's just that…." "No, we—" "Enough." Turning his head, Tianhui slung his sword sheath over his shoulder and, glaring at the Hundred Demons Unit, said, “I'll handle them for now, but we'll speak later.” * * * "Impressive skill." Su-chamdok-geom, a renowned sword master, couldn’t help but express his admiration. Against the formidable Heoya-gi of the Blood Night Scripture, Hyundo wasn’t losing ground. In fact, he was dominating. "Quiet." But Hyundo’s response was icy. Inside him burned a fire hotter than any flame. After all, his opponent was one of the regional lords under the bitter enemy, Baekgu-seong. Su-chamdok-geom’s eyes dimmed with malice. 'I thought he was merely my equal at best.…' The standing rumors and the intelligence Baekgu-seong had gathered were nowhere near accurate for the level of skill demonstrated. He was, at a minimum, Hyundo's equal, if not superior... "The intelligence on the Hwasan Sect was wrong." His whispered acknowledgment was firm and rigid. Despite being known as the best swordsman of Hwasan, he had subtly underestimated the Hwasan Sect. Grinding his teeth, Su-chamdok-geom roughly gripped his sword and twisted his body significantly. His movement was bizarre; his left sleeve fluttered in the wind, and his right hand reached behind his back as if concealing his sword. This maneuver was part of the secretive Heoya Sword Technique within the Blood Night Scripture, a martial art created by an unknown one-armed swordsman of old. Crrrunch— His muscles twisted, accompanied by unsettling sounds. Yet, Su-chamdok-geom's expression remained unruffled. Then, his entire body spun. Swooosh! The air tore apart. His sword whipped with lethal precision, like a sharpened lash. Opposing him, Hyundo imbued his sword with concentrated energy. Pure, white, and transparent energy began to coil around his blade like fine threads, eventually enveloping it solidly like a cocoon. It was the manifestation of sword ki, a feat achievable only by those who had attained the apex level of martial mastery. Clang! The blades clashed. But surprisingly enough, the result seemed anticlimactic. "Gah!" Su-chamdok-geom staggered from the impact, stepping back in surprise. ‘…How could this be!’ His eyes widened. Though he had initially attempted a surprise attack, the one reeling from the shock was none other than himself. Hyundo, too, exhibited some surprise. Though his reasons differed. ‘Is this truly all he is?’ Su-chamdok-geom was among the top three elites within Baekgu-seong. Yet his current assault felt feeble. Reading the expression briefly shown by Hyundo, Su-chamdok-geom’s eyes hardened. He desired strength, and had relentlessly pursued it. When he had discovered the Blood Night Scripture in his youth, he'd even severed his own left arm in his pursuit to master its techniques. Once he had mastered the Blood Night Sword Technique, he became a top martial artist, neither bound by the orthodox sects nor the unorthodox sects, ruling the martial world unfettered. But one day, he encountered defeat. From that day forward, his goal shifted. To defeat the White Death, the one who had bested him. This was why he joined the Demonic Sect Baekguseong, though he had no allegiance to either the orthodox or unorthodox sects. Yet, to be looked down upon by someone he hadn’t even considered a worthy opponent? His gaze turned wild. It was more than his eyes; a dark, insidious energy began to seep from his entire body. Sensing the abrupt change in atmosphere and momentum, Hyundo also slowly unleashed his inner power. In that moment— Whoosh— Su-chamdok-geom, who had been three meters away, vanished and reappeared right in front of him. Clang! Their swords collided. The immense thunderous crash was so powerful that everyone around clamped their ears shut and sank to their knees. With blades locked, they stared intensely at each other, pouring out their energies simultaneously. Rumble— The air, suffocated by their tremendous power, began to quiver with fear. Their countenances, however, differed. Su-chamdok-geom seemed pressured, almost desperate, while Hyundo remained calm and composed. Just then, Su-chamdok-geom’s eyes grew bloodshot, his face alternating between red and pale. "Ugh!" With gritted teeth, he swallowed back the blood rising up his throat, determined not to give in, even as his eyes bulged. His face was a chaotic mess. His eyes were bloodshot, threatening to spill scarlet tears, and a thin trail of blood leaked from his mouth. Whoosh— Hyundo twisted his wrist. In the midst of their power struggle, he abruptly dismissed his blade. Swoosh! Su-chamdok-geom's sword, brimming with pent-up energy, swung uncontrollably. "……!" He tried desperately to retreat his blade, but his balance was lost, and he staggered. Hyundo was not one to miss an opening. Following the disrupted flow of energy, he instantly executed the "Fragrant Plum Blossom Dance." Whirl— Su-chamdok-geom hurriedly stamped his left foot and spun in the air, desperately trying to evade the perfumed scent and sharp aura pricking his nose. Whish— His empty sleeve fluttered around him, providing cover. Hyundo moved to strike the suspended man but reflexively stepped back in surprise. Swoosh! A blade thrust into the space he had just occupied. Su-chamdok-geom had managed to thrust his sword even while spinning mid-air, maintaining his focus. Hyundo’s eyes narrowed. ‘To wield such a blade despite severe internal injuries, truly a tenacious fighter!’ The mental fortitude of Su-chamdok-geom, swinging his sword through agony that would cripple most warriors, was astonishing. At that moment, Hyundo unleashed a surge of energy. "Gah!" Su-chamdok-geom, hit head-on by the raging force emitted by Hyundo, could not hold back a spray of blood. The impact of this assault was tremendous. His eyes, stained red, finally shed blood tears, and his mouth gushed a torrent of blood. His face was now drenched in blood. Nevertheless, he didn’t cease his attack on Hyundo. "Ugh! I will not fall!" With a desperate shout, blood spewing in every direction, his “Blood Night Blade” now carried even more destructive force. His whip-like arm and blade lashed out, aiming to shred Hyundo. Hyundo reacted by swinging his sword in a wide horizontal arc. A swordplay neither fast nor slow. Yet the force within was exceptionally powerful and resolute, exceeding imagination. It was the "Taeul Miri Sword," renowned for its supreme power among the sword techniques of the Hwasan Sect. Swoosh! The concealed edge within the massive storm of energy targeted Su-chamdok-geom. At last, their blades clashed. Whoosh! Blood scattered as silence descended. Covered in blood, Su-chamdok-geom struggled to speak. "In the end…." Still lingering in pain from his internal injuries, his voice was barely recognizable. His fingers finally released their grip. Clink, clink, clink… The sword tumbled a few times before lying still. After parting from the sword that had been with him most of his life, he turned his head towards Hyundo. His bloodshot eyes glistened with envy. For so long, no matter what he tried to overcome the imposing wall before him, it had been impossible. Yet the man standing before him had attained the Celestial Martial Realm; how could he not envy him? "…I couldn't… surpass it." His voice spread softly, akin to ripples expanding across a tranquil pond. Thud! Exhausted, Su-chamdok-geom collapsed. Hyundo gazed at the fallen form. From the sword marks etched onto the corpse emanated the lingering aura of his Taeul Miri Art, shimmering like the roaring flames. “If this is his strength…” Murmuring quietly to himself, Hyundo glanced at his palm, then clenched his fists tightly. Although he had reached the Celestial Martial Realm, he had long hesitated about the certainty of his prowess. Now, clarity dawned on him. His skills ranked among the greatest in the martial world, perhaps even— ‘Even facing the White Death …’ Fire ignited in his eyes. His goal remained the annihilation of Baekguseong and the widespread recognition of the Hwasan Sect’s might. He was one step closer to achieving that. As Hyundo envisioned the future— "East Guardian?!" A startled voice rang nearby. Startled, Hyundo turned to see Sobakgui and Ha Woo-jin fiercely engaged in combat. “……This can’t be.” Sobakgui, stunned, turned to regard the lifeless Su-chamdok-geom, disbelieving. Could it be? “……!” His eyes shook turbulently, like an earthquake's epicenter. Preoccupied with Ha Woo-jin, he had failed to notice; the presence of the Hundred Demons was absent. “Damn it!” As realization dawned, Sobakgui’s face twisted hideously, like a specter. At that moment— "Now only you remain." A cold voice resonated nearby. Whoosh— In haste, he unleashed his sonic palm technique. Yet, no expected cries, or the sensation of clashing with the technique, reached him. Suddenly anxious, he cautiously craned his neck. Before him stood a black wall. From above came a voice. “Where do you think you’re going?” As Tianhui murmured, gazing down at Sobakgui who barely reached his chin— Pat! Sobakgui leapt back without hesitation. ‘I won’t die here! I am the heir to Baekguseong!’ He poured all his remaining energy into a desperate escape. His figure darted like a shooting arrow, and the speed at which he fled seemed to stretch endlessly across the distance, making it feel as if his retreat left a lingering trail behind him. "We can't let him get away...ugh!" Just as Ha Woo-jin was about to give chase, he staggered and groaned. The aftermath of internal injuries sustained while battling Sobakgui had caught up with him. It was then— "My, how troublesome." With a light step, Tianhui's figure vanished. Swoosh— "Keuk!" Sobakgui, in his frantic escape, suddenly jolted. His fleeing form had been stopped abruptly, as if his clothing had snagged on something, the fabric tightening ominously around his neck. "Keck, keck." As he choked and coughed from the pain constricting his throat, a shadow loomed over him. In an instant, Tianhui had seized his collar and was glaring down at him as he spoke. "Did you really think you could escape alive after causing all of this?" "Ke-keck. S-spare me..." Coughing and desperate, Sobakgui abandoned his pride, groveling and begging for mercy. "What? Begging to be spared?" At those words, Sobakgui jolted upright, nodding his head rapidly. At that moment, Tianhui's lips twisted into a grin. "Why should I?" As that icy smile spread across Tianhui's face, Sobakgui's complexion turned ashen. Crack! Tianhui stomped down on his head. Blood and brain matter splattered in all directions. Casually shaking off the splatter from his garments, Tianhui glanced coldly at the corpse before turning away. "It seems I'll have to uproot this entirely."