Chapter 203: Vigorous Wings
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One Long Sword Soul Eum Seon, commander of the Cruel Sword Squad and second-in-command of the Sword Seal Sect.
Hyeop Mu-geuk on the opposite side also quickly advanced and thrust his sword straight out.
KWAAAAAAAANG-!
Immediately after the explosion burst.
HWIRIRIRK-
Eum Seon, wrapped in pure white haze, was bounced backward fiercely like a wind-struck fallen leaf.
Then, having barely balanced his body, he stood still while his two feet scraped long marks on the ground.
JIIIIIK…
He retreated a full two zhang before Hyeop Mu-geuk’s formidable sword power.
It was a spot right near the wall.
Had he been pushed back a little more, his back would have been driven into it.
Eum Seon, having quickly readjusted his grip on the sword handle, had lights of surprise swirling in his eyes.
‘KURGH…! Is that guy’s skill this level?!’
It was something he couldn’t readily believe.
He knew from before that Chief Supervisor Hyeop Mu-geuk, with the alias White Flash Sword Tiger, was a first-rate swordsman representing White Peak Sword Sect, but actually exchanging blows revealed him to be a powerhouse of martial might far exceeding the expected level.
THROB THROB.
His wrist ached.
That told him.
How heavy the internal power the opponent had just released was.
Seol Pan-gyo’s gaze wavered greatly at seeing the two’s contest.
‘White Flash Sword Tiger and One Long Sword Soul…!’
The majority’s assessment was that Eum Seon, called the Sword Seal Sect Leader So Cheon-ak’s right hand, had martial might so powerful, it would not be an exaggeration to say it rivaled the Six Extremes of Hubei.
But then.
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s power had overwhelmed such a person.
It was amazing.
He didn’t know when he had become so strong.
Suddenly, the words of Dark Hall Master Dark Sword Fragrance Mun Bin came to mind.
-There’s a martial sect I want to recommend to you. If you go there, you’ll truly learn a lot.
Those words struck his heart with newfound significance.
At that moment.
A heavy voice bored into Eum Seon’s ears.
“Diversionary tactics. The Sect Leader already anticipated everything.”
It was Hyeop Mu-geuk.
Eum Seon, with his gaze fixed forward, bit down hard on his molars while surveying the battle situation around him.
Already the majority had collapsed.
No.
Two-thirds.
Over seventy percent of the total was in a state of combat incapacity.
He hadn’t expected this.
Everything had been reversed.
The original plan was for Sect Leader So Cheon-ak to kill Cheol Ryu-heun through the duel, and for himself to annihilate White Peak Sword Sect’s leadership and set them on the path to closure…
From the start, he had thought bringing the Cruel Sword Squad personnel was excessive.
He had considered that just a few masters would be sufficient.
However.
It was a misjudgment.
This place was, as it turned out, a swamp.
One difficult to escape from.
It was a blunder.
He realized too late.
That all the sect leadership including Hyeop Mu-geuk were powerhouses possessing martial might strong enough to easily handle the entire Cruel Sword Squad.
The ultimate goal of this battle was to secure the Ghost Shadow Sword Art manuscript expected to exist within White Peak Sword Sect.
However.
That had been Cheol Ryu-heun’s game plan.
His objective was immediately revised.
Escape.
Yet it wouldn’t be easy.
It had to be that way since, though the current White Peak Sword Sect leadership numbered only four, they were fighting while blocking the retreat route as if executing perfect coordinated attacks.
Hyeop Mu-geuk spoke with his sword raised before his chest.
“Go ahead and try to leap over the wall behind you if you can.”
“I can’t be the only one to survive.”
Befitting a commander who leads a group, Eum Seon steeled his fighting spirit and refined his stance.
CLACK.
Formless killing intent and fighting spirit explosively burst.
Once again, the Sword Seal Sect’s second-in-command’s majesty was revealed.
THUD!
Eum Seon, having gathered his energy and kicked off the ground, charged fiercely.
A linear path toward Hyeop Mu-geuk’s face.
And.
A linear sword strike extended out and vibrated the air.
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s sword strike immediately came out in greeting while releasing heavy power.
JJEOEOEOEOENG- KWAAAAAAAANG-!
Metallic sounds and explosive sounds shaking the entire training ground.
Thus Eum Seon, his fierce momentum rendered meaningless, slammed into the rear wall.
KWADEUK, KWADEUDUK-!
“KEO…!”
Pain rapidly spreading through his back cut off his breath.
As broken stone fragments fell to the floor.
TUNG!
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s form, having kicked the ground, shot forward.
The speed of his distance compression was like an instant.
KAKAK- PEOPEONG!
A round crack etched on the wall surface.
JJEOJEOJOK, JJEOJEOJIEJOK.
It was the spot where Eum Seon’s back had been touching.
He had dodged.
Barely.
The moment Eum Seon, having moved his body left, worked his feet to create distance.
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s sword, having struck the thick wall, suddenly drew a trajectory sideways like a winding river.
It was the opposite direction from Eum Seon.
Two Cruel Sword Squad members who had attacked to help their commander were swept by the sword force.
PUHAK, PUHAAK!
Each of their arms was severed.
PEOHEOEONG-!
With a clamorous explosion, both bounced far away and collided with a KUNG! sound with the ground.
Seizing that opening, Eum Seon who had approached quickly thrust his sword tip forward.
KAKANG!
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s blade blocked it.
‘URK!’
Eum Seon again felt the pain in his wrist.
In an instant.
KKIRIRIRIRIRIRK-
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s blade ran along the opponent’s blade, sparking friction, and then.
JJEOJEOJONG!
Struck forcefully as if to shatter the sword guard between blade and handle.
“EUUK!”
Eum Seon, having let out a brief groan, twisted his face severely as he executed retreating footwork.
He had nearly dropped his sword.
Instead.
Starting from his wrist, the energy blood in his right arm went wild.
The meridians and blood vessels flared hot, causing pain.
Internal injury that interfered with internal power circulation.
If his arm was like this, it was difficult to load proper vital energy into the sword.
Sure enough, the gap was immediately revealed.
KAKANG, KANG, KAKANG-!
Along with successive metallic sounds, Eum Seon was pushed backward haltingly.
A thin line of blood even flowed at the corner of his mouth.
Likely the effect of worsening internal injuries.
Seeing that, Seol Pan-gyo’s gaze wavered greatly again.
‘WOW! He’s tremendous!’
Each time Hyeop Mu-geuk swung his right hand’s sword, a heavy energy like a great mountain was released.
He immediately felt it.
That the power contained in that series of sword moves now was no less than that of his father, Azure Prodigy Sword Master Seol Hu-yong, who held a seat in the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province.
It wasn’t just the power.
The skill of linking various sword moves to apply pressure was also excellent enough to evoke his father.
It was the essence of the White Peak Sword Art.
Essence and wondrous application unbound by form and style.
Inherently simple moves connected into one, transforming into another complete move.
Ever-changing.
Jagged, treacherous mountains were condensed into the sword path.
Dropping down like a sheer cliff, then suddenly rising like a pointed peak, then narrowing greatly like a gorge, then spreading wide like a forest – compared to other sects’ supreme sword studies, it was an exceptionally flexible and free flow.
That’s right.
The sword path diverging greatly according to the practitioner’s talent and characteristics was precisely White Peak Sword Art’s ultimate sword path.
Hyeop Mu-geuk had evolved.
At a glance it seemed simple, but it was a realm where any move could be harmoniously attached, causing multiple sword moves to smoothly weave into one.
At last, the tiger had grown wings.
Thanks to the “blessing of pain” Cheol Ryu-heun had arranged.
Seol Pan-gyo was certain.
That the current martial might of Hyeop Mu-geuk was equal to the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province.
It had to be.
Because One Long Sword Soul Eum Seon, who had wielded great fame as a high-ranking master in the Hubei region, now almost looked like a second-rate junior.
Was it just Hyeop Mu-geuk?
Elder White Mountain Sword Excellence Yeop Hwon, too – having somehow risen from his sickbed – was displaying formidable martial might at a similar level.
Furthermore, the three demon-like figures presumed to be leadership were also leading the battlefield’s atmosphere while scattering fierce sword moves befitting their appearance.
In a short while, the number of enemies had rapidly decreased.
‘Hmm, this isn’t the time for this! I should help wrap things up too!’
Just as Seol Pan-gyo had flashed his eyes and was about to move toward visible enemies nearby.
SSYANG-!
Before he knew it, one of the three demon-like figures had approached his arm’s length and swung their sword.
It was Guyang In.
Goosebumps prickled.
Both the face and the bladework.
Startled, Seol Pan-gyo narrowly dodged the sword force and shouted urgently.
“WAAAT! P-please stop! I’m not one of them! I’m Seol Pan-gyo of the Azure Heaven Sword Sect!”
“Hm? Seol Pan-gyo?”
The moment Guyang In raised one eyebrow, Seol Pan-gyo struck away KANG the sword of a Cruel Sword Squad member aiming at his side.
“Do you believe me now? I’ll help too!”
“HAHA! Good! Don’t kill them but just knock them down! We have to hand all of them over to the government!”
“Yes!”
Seol Pan-gyo, having jumped into the fight, watched the leadership take down three or four while he took down just one, and stuck out his tongue.
‘WOW! They all have exquisite skills! Seeing with my eyes, I understand! The meaning of what Dark Sword Fragrance said…!’
-I’ll tell you something that’ll perk up your ears.
-Hm?
-I recently obtained one of the Ten Great Heavenly Weapons, the Ink God Robe.
-What? Ink God Robe…!
-I received it unexpectedly as a gift.
-Ha…
-I told you earlier, didn’t I? This power of mine was obtained a few days ago.
-Wait, then…?
-That’s right. I achieved it with Sect Leader Cheol’s help. The lost supreme martial art of a previous generation master.
-Even awakened all the dormant divine power of Ink God Robe with Sect Leader Cheol’s help…?
-That’s right. To a perfected level.
-…!
-Would it just be me? There are already more than one or two instances of remarkable feats Sect Leader Cheol has accomplished. If you go there, you’ll find out too.
‘Right, Sect Leader Cheol exercised his abilities to rapidly elevate White Peak Sword Sect’s power!’
Just as the fight was reaching its conclusion.
Hyeop Mu-geuk, having taken down two Cruel Sword Squad members attacking from left and right in one stroke, rapidly advanced toward Eum Seon not far in front.
JJEOJEONG- KWAKWANG!
“KEOK!”
Eum Seon, having vomited blood, flew backward.
KUGUGUNG…!
Having slammed into the training ground floor, he trembled violently and coughed blood again.
“WEK!”
Pushed onto the defensive throughout, he had only worsened his internal injuries.
He could no longer endure.
Despair swept through his chest.
Setting aside the defeat’s result, the most miserable part was that Hyeop Mu-geuk had yet to display perfected-level internal power even once.
‘GU… This is… an impossible level of growth. How did he… gain this power…’
Hyeop Mu-geuk’s majesty was absolute.
A presence rivaling the Six Extremes of Hubei and Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province.
Eum Seon, having fallen facedown and dropping his head, was seized by fear hearing the approaching footsteps.
STEP, STEP, STEP, STEP…
This felt like an enraged So Cheon-ak approaching.
The venue had gone quiet.
The situation had already been completely resolved.
‘KURGH, I’m the only one left…’
At that moment, a cold voice reached his ears.
“Is this not the result brought on by misguided desire and obsession?”
It was Hyeop Mu-geuk.
Eum Seon, having lifted his head drawn by the voice, felt his breath catch.
The formless presence Hyeop Mu-geuk radiated was that heavy.
‘You too… have become… a giant.’
A tall, great white mountain overlapped like an optical illusion or phantom.
It was the same for Seol Pan-gyo.
The sight of Hyeop Mu-geuk standing firm facing Eum Seon evoked a mountain soaring as if to pierce the sky.
The moment Yeop Hwon, Guyang In and others gathered beside him.
“Now sleep. And when you wake, watch from prison. How high we will fly.”
As Hyeop Mu-geuk swung his sword down with those words, heavy sword wind struck and shattered Eum Seon’s muscles and bones.
WODEUK, WODEUDEUK, WODEUK…
Thus Eum Seon lost consciousness without being able to even let out a brief scream, his entire body’s bones cracked.
The Sword Seal Sect’s second-in-command and the elite swordsman group’s powerless defeat… it was a signal flare announcing White Peak Sword Sect’s brilliant revival.