Chapter 135: An Unapproachable Domain

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Beon Sa released the hands he had clasped at his chest in formal greeting and wondered.

‘What, there’s a challenger? But why at Black Ox Hall…?’

Then he saw the Black Ox Hall member standing with a tense expression behind Do Yun and roughly figured it out.

‘Did someone attack them? How fearless to touch Black Ox Hall, which is under our Manor…’

And on top of that, to openly pick a fight with a mighty existence who held one of the Five Martial Paragon seats?

It was hard to understand.

If it were a formal sparring request, that would be one thing, but openly provoking like this was quite rare.

Could it be a master from an enemy faction they had a grudge against…?

Surely there was no way one of the Paragon-level figures would come here to settle the hierarchy.

At that moment, Do Yun walked toward the middle gate beyond the spacious garden while speaking briefly.

“Listen while walking.”

Still a cold voice.

And not just the voice.

Frost-like formless presence rippled across his entire body, creating a chilling sense of tension.

“Yes, Master.”

Beon Sa quickly followed and glanced at the Black Ox Hall member beside him.

“What happened?”

“Yes, Young Master. Well…”

The hall member scratched the back of his head and briefly explained the situation, and upon hearing it, Beon Sa’s face was filled with surprise.

Cheol Ryu-heun.

A three-character name he had never even expected threw his mind into disarray.

After the disgraceful death of Sagong Woon, called the Hundred Patterns Sword Gentleman, the existence of White Peak Sword Sect had fallen to a point where no one paid attention, like a pebble on the roadside.

And yet.

Cheol Ryu-heun, the rising talent of White Peak Sword Sect they had considered to be practically going through closure procedures, had suddenly appeared and overwhelmingly subdued Ox Strength Sword Tang Ja-gae and Fighting Ox Great Sword Bae Pyeong…

“Are you sure it’s Cheol Ryu-heun?”

Beon Sa’s eyes swam with doubt and disbelief as he asked.

The hall member scratched the back of his head again and answered quietly.

“Ah… I don’t know for sure. He said so with his own mouth, so I just took it at face value.”

“Well, there’d be no reason to lie about his identity when he’s openly showing his face and causing a ruckus like this.”

“Yes, I think the same. Though he wasn’t wearing White Peak Sword Sect’s distinctive martial attire…”

“This is truly incomprehensible.”

Beon Sa continued following his master Do Yun, whose blue robe fluttered as he walked, and lightly furrowed his brow.

‘Even if we accept that he became a vegetable – practically a living corpse – and luckily woke up and recovered, the fact that his martial prowess has risen to such an astounding level… Hmm, some kind of opportunity of fate?’

For a rising talent without even a proper alias unlike himself, known as Mountain Shattering Sword, to have absorbed it with his lacking talent even if he obtained a great opportunity – that was absurd.

But he soon cleared the thoughts from his mind and muttered internally.

‘We’ll find out when we get there.’

* * *

Two people were quietly treading along a shaded forest path.

Young men carrying ordinary swords with ordinary attire.

One had a fairly sturdy build with handsome features, and the other had a massive build beyond sturdy with a gentle face like a child’s.

They stopped walking and quietly examined the dirt ground.

“This path seems right.”

“Let’s look. By now he should be quite tired, so he must have left another trace.”

“There’s… no one around?”

“Of course not.”

“Good, watch our backs for a moment.”

“Got it.”

The two young men who whispered their conversation as quietly as possible were none other than Namgung Heon-rin and Jeon Kwae, in the midst of carrying out a certain secret military mission.

RUSTLE RUSTLE.

Namgung Heon-rin rummaged through the bundle on his shoulder and pulled out a long, large bamboo tube.

Jeon Kwae, standing beside him, emitted a sharp gaze unfitting his childlike appearance while sweeping his eyes all around the quiet forest path.

Using energy sense enhanced by internal energy, he was carefully observing whether there were any suspicious presences somewhere nearby.

At that moment.

POOF.

Namgung Heon-rin unplugged the bamboo tube and slowly walked forward, tilting his hand toward the ground.

SSSHHH… SSSHHH…

Something like a whitish powder fell along his path onto the ground.

‘Let’s see.’

Namgung Heon-rin continued the work while rolling his eyes until all the white powder in the bamboo tube was exhausted.

Some time passed.

‘Ah!’

Namgung Heon-rin’s dark brown pupils suddenly gleamed.

He had discovered several very faintly imprinted footprints on the dirt ground.

“Kwae, here.”

“Found it?”

“Look, it’s that guy’s footprints.”

“Oho.”

Jeon Kwae quickly went to his side and crouched his large body.

Then, pulling out a string, he measured the length and width of the footprint and curved up one corner of his mouth.

“Yeah, seems right. The turtle pattern on the shoe sole is similar too.”

At those words, Namgung Heon-rin nodded and gazed at the far end of the forest path.

“To leave such clear traces, he’s definitely tired.”

Though the footprints revealed by the whitish powder were faint, the two actually perceived them as clear.

Why?

Because the owner of the footprints was someone capable of using light movement techniques, naturally making footprint tracking quite difficult.

However, since his internal energy cultivation wasn’t deep, he occasionally left traces like this that could serve as tracking clues, and thanks to that, the two had been able to follow him this far.

“Hmm, judging by the flow of the footprints, it seems he stopped to rest here while low on power.”

At Namgung Heon-rin’s speculation, Jeon Kwae also nodded in agreement, then asked quietly.

“By the way, how much is left? The Tracking Powder.”

That was the name of the white powder currently scattered on the ground – one of the special military tools commonly used for tracking enemy missions.

“Four. You?”

“Hmm, same.”

“Barely enough.”

“Well, since the intervals at which he’s leaving traces have shortened, shouldn’t we be able to catch him before we use it all up? Since it’s certain he’s heading south toward the Guangdong region.”

When Jeon Kwae shrugged, Namgung Heon-rin’s eyes flashed.

“Even if we use it all before catching him, we absolutely cannot give up. We must find out whether stealing that item was an independent act of madness or if someone instigated it.”

His voice was heavy with unwavering determination.

At that moment.

Namgung Heon-rin and Jeon Kwae swiftly moved their feet and began erasing the series of Tracking Powder scattered on the dirt ground.

Because they had spotted a cart carrying goods approaching from far along the forest path.

The two cleanly swept up the Tracking Powder and then walked as if nothing had happened.

CLATTER CLATTER…

The squeaking of wheels gradually getting closer.

Finally, when the distance between them was about ten paces.

“Excuse me, just a moment.”

Namgung Heon-rin lightly waved both arms and stopped the cart.

SQUEAK.

The young man of about twenty sitting in the driver’s seat pulled the reins to stop, then looked at them and asked.

“Yes, what is it?”

Beside that young man sat a woman who appeared to be around fifty.

It was Gwak Woon-bi, who had left Zhanzhou, and his mother.

“Ah, it’s nothing much… Did you happen to see a middle-aged man who’s a bit short with a fairly large mole on his left cheek on your way here?”

When Namgung Heon-rin asked while gesturing, Gwak Woon-bi pointed behind him and said.

“Quite a while back… I think I saw someone similar, please keep going along this road. I believe he was heading toward Zhanzhou.”

At that, Namgung Heon-rin’s face lit up as he bowed deeply.

“Ah! Thank you so much.”

“Well, I rode the cart to get here, but if you two want to reach Zhanzhou, you’ll need to hurry a bit more.”

“Yes, understood! Please take care on your way!”

No sooner had Namgung Heon-rin finished speaking than he conversed with Jeon Kwae via sound transmission.

<Kwae, that fellow is probably planning to stay in Zhanzhou overnight!>

<Right, before crossing into the Guangdong region. Ha, at this rate we might pull this off.>

Meanwhile, Gwak Woon-bi resumed driving the cart, then suddenly turned his head to look behind.

‘Wow!’

Seeing the two figures already far away like black dots, he was startled and clicked his tongue again.

‘Amazing. Such fast movement… They didn’t seem much different in age from me.’

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice crossed his mind.

Mountain Martial Association Head – that is your position.

Gwak Woon-bi quietly smiled and gripped the reins tightly, setting his martial desire aflame in his chest.

‘Yes! I need to train even harder so I can reach that level too!’

* * *

The space before Black Ox Hall’s main gate.

He had finally arrived.

Among both orthodox and unorthodox factions of the Hunan region, a master swordsman in the supreme predator position, one of the Five Martial Paragons – Blue Robe Sword Noble Do Yun…

Right behind him, that Black Ox Hall member and four executives of Broken Mountain Sword Manor stood in a line.

Manor Head Do Yun’s disciple Mountain Shattering Sword Beon Sa, and the middle-aged swordsmen ranked first, second, and third of the Broken Mountain Hundred Sword Assembly.

In the blink of an eye.

BANG-!

The pitch-black main gate swung open violently to both sides, and a young man in shabby clothes walked out.

The Black Ox Hall member lowered his voice and said.

“Manor Head… It’s Cheol Ryu-heun.”

At that, the Broken Mountain Sword Manor group led by Do Yun each held sharp light in their two eyes.

Beon Sa observed Cheol Ryu-heun standing before the wide-open main gate and tilted his head.

‘What?’

It was strange.

Nothing reached his energy sense at all.

A feeling like facing an ordinary person who knew nothing of martial arts.

Do Yun was the same.

‘Interesting.’

This was the first time he’d experienced this.

Even for a Paragon-level powerhouse, perfectly hiding the energy in one’s body like that wasn’t easy… Yet the other party stood expressionless as if it wasn’t difficult at all.

“Cheol Ryu-heun, correct?”

When Do Yun asked with a cold gaze, Cheol Ryu-heun nodded and spoke in an indifferent voice.

“Everyone out.”

Immediately after, about a hundred Black Ox Hall members flowed out through the main gate like a receding tide and gathered behind where Do Yun’s group stood.

Cheol Ryu-heun soon placed his palm on the end of his sword hilt.

“No need for lengthy words. We settle this in a one-on-one duel. When the underlings do wrong, the boss should rightfully take responsibility.”

Do Yun’s lips twisted.

“Kuk…”

A reaction of receiving great stimulation from the arrogant provocation.

FLUTTER.

In the instant his blue robe fluttered.

GOOOOO…

The air began to settle heavily around where Do Yun stood.

‘URGH…!’

Beon Sa and numerous others were startled by that terrifying aura and stumbled backward.

RUMBLE, RUMBLE-

The fierce vibration of the air representing mighty power.

The formless presence currently coiling around Do Yun’s entire body was suffocatingly threatening and domineering.

Explosive fighting spirit and battle intent.

Surrounding objects began to appear transparently distorted.

An unapproachable domain.

It felt like being swept up in that aura Do Yun was emitting would immediately cause internal injuries close to qi deviation.

Suddenly, Beon Sa recalled a sparring match from before.

‘Truly fearsome. Just like that time…’

Severing Finger Sword Venerable So Cheon-ak, the Sword Seal Sect Master and one of Hubei’s Six Polar Stars. In the past, Do Yun had exploded the same level of fighting spirit and battle intent against him.

Though the result of that sparring match was a regrettable defeat, with such an opponent, it hadn’t blemished his martial reputation.

‘The price for recklessly provoking Master will be great!’

However, Cheol Ryu-heun, facing Do Yun’s fearsome aura, still maintained his indifferent attitude.

“Save the power display for inside. Leave the small fry there.”

Meaning they should enter Black Ox Hall’s interior, set up like a kind of sparring arena, and settle the match.

Do Yun would not refuse.

“Wait here.”

With that brief command, he walked after Cheol Ryu-heun, who was heading inward.

Soon after.

BANG-!

The main gate firmly closed through the power of Do Yun’s gesture using space-grasping technique, heralding the start of the battle.

Before long.

KA-BOOM-!

A massive explosion and tremor that shook the ground arose violently, and from beyond the main gate, a vast wave of energy surged high.

Following that.

CRASH-!

An ear-splitting thunderous roar echoed.

Debris from a building destroyed in its entirety could be seen scattering chaotically into the air.

‘What, Master is already using the ultimate technique of his peak power…!’

Beon Sa perceived what the energy he just felt was.

One of the final four techniques from his sect’s absolute art – Broken Mountain Great Sword Style, bearing the name meaning to ruthlessly shatter a mountain – had been executed.

BOOM, CRASH- CRASH CRASH- BOOM, CRASH CRASH, BOOM-!

As successive explosions rang out and the interior buildings were utterly destroyed, Beon Sa’s face had become as bleached white as a blank sheet.

‘WHAT! This can’t be…!’

It was growing louder with each sound.

Not his master Do Yun’s energy, but the opponent Cheol Ryu-heun’s.

It was impossible.

To have power that surpassed and overwhelmed the martial level of Do Yun, who bore the title of Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province…

At that moment.

CRASH- CRASH- CRASH-!

With a series of roars striking their eardrums, a silence like death descended.

GULP.

How dire was it that someone’s dry swallow could be clearly heard?

Immediately after.

CRUMBLE, CRUMBLE…

Unable to withstand the accumulated impacts, the main gate and walls collapsed like a sandcastle swept by waves.

SSHHHH, SSSHHHHH…

A hazy dust cloud blocked their vision.

A single figure flickered within it, then slowly walked out into the open space.

Beon Sa and the others who confirmed that form were each aghast, their eyes dazed.

On the slantingly held blade of Cheol Ryu-heun’s long sword, Do Yun’s body was skewered like a kebab.

At that moment, Beon Sa saw it.

No.

He could see it.

A vision overlapping like a backdrop behind the other’s back.

A tremendous, magnificent mountain.

An enormous sword, as if wielded by a giant of the celestial realm, stood vertically in its center…

When Cheol Ryu-heun stopped walking and swung his long sword, Do Yun’s body was plucked out and slammed into the ground beside him.

THUD- SLUMP.

Immediately after, an indifferent voice devoid of any emotion reached everyone’s ears.

“Anyone else want to take me on?”

But in that arena, not even the faintest breath, let alone an answer, leaked out.

* * *

At the same time.

On a tall cliff to the east of Zhanzhou, a wandering swordsman wearing a bamboo hat pulled deep quietly appeared.

Exactly as he had looked when he destroyed the Divine Martial Sword and slew Sagong Woon.