Chapter 253: The Shining Ones
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An invisible force instantly pushed up Cheol Ryu-heun’s foot.
HUK-
An intangible pressure being released.
It was the harbinger of an explosion.
This was.
Sure enough.
FLASH!
As if air had been blown in, light haze gushed madly from within Aryun-nan’s swelling body.
Everything was happening in an instant.
It would explode any moment now.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s thoughts also cut across that instant.
The gu poison!
That which he had experienced not long ago!
Simultaneously with the judgment, the Gan Jiang headed toward Aryun-nan’s abdomen.
The target was the lower dantian within his body.
Pure white smoke poured from the blade.
It was pure white.
A mysterious sword energy.
Reminiscent of mist.
The sharp properties inherent to sword energy were completely absent.
It was incomparably soft.
Lighter than feathers.
It felt like real mist.
As if it was clearly visible to the eye but couldn’t be touched with the hands.
Thus the mysterious sword energy seeped into Aryun-nan’s lower abdomen.
It was instantaneous.
The entire process was a succession of instants.
An extremely rapid process that could barely be seen only when a transcendent’s senses reached their peak.
In truth, the white cloud-like sword energy that Cheol Ryu-heun released was an arcane energy of Celestial Path nature.
A peerless martial art called Celestial Wandering Sword Energy.
A study of the celestial realm that manifests two opposite extremes of wondrous functions, and its creator was a person called the absolute immortal of the martial world in the past.
It was Martial Immortal Dongbang Ya.
It was the ultimate Celestial school energy essence that he newly comprehended through repeated cultivation after completing the Ultimate Immortal Sword Technique at that time.
When the Celestial Wandering Sword Energy seeped into the body, two polar results would appear according to the practitioner’s will.
Life configuration and Death configuration.
In other words, it could either kill a person or save them.
Put differently, it could inflict the impact of internal injury on the target, or conversely, perform a wondrous healing method.
It was truly a peerless art equivalent to divine ability transcending the mortal world.
Currently, Cheol Ryu-heun intended to use the Celestial Wandering Sword Energy to temporarily suppress the explosive force of the gu poison.
He was certain.
That most likely, the gu poison parasitized in the lower dantian’s Energy Sea point.
The explosion had already started.
It couldn’t be stopped.
However, using this Celestial Wandering Sword Energy, he could forcibly manifest the wondrous function of circulating energy to heal as if, controlling the expanding energy as much as possible to delay time.
The intention was to extend Aryun-nan’s life somehow.
Of course.
Because the contents in his mind could only be glimpsed at least somewhat while his breath was still attached.
It was solely because of the mysterious ronin who had destroyed the Divine Martial Sword.
Therefore, he absolutely had to verify.
If the person Aryun-nan had mentioned was really that fellow, he would secure an important clue.
Celestial Wandering Sword Energy coursed through from the lower dantian to the four limbs and hundred bones and meridians.
The explosive energy of the gu poison that had been expanding all energy channels and pressure points was calming down.
Aryun-nan’s body also faced change accordingly.
SEUSEUT…
His swelling body shrank somewhat.
Of course, it was a temporary phenomenon.
Continuing to hold on was impossible.
Since the gu poison’s power had already activated and Aryun-nan’s physical condition was also a complete mess.
He had somehow kept the breath attached.
So he had to hurry and examine Aryun-nan’s memories and thoughts.
Cheol Ryu-heun, maintaining extreme concentration, meticulously adjusted the Celestial Wandering Sword Energy.
Not a single strand could become scattered.
Why.
Because even slightly touching that gu poison directly would cause the explosion to proceed.
FLASH-
The divine power’s red light that had briefly paused burst forth again.
A red light mixed with bright and dark sensations connected silently and directly to Aryun-nan’s two eyes.
‘HEOP!’
The moment that light entered his eyes, Aryun-nan felt as if his breath was suddenly cut off.
His body starting to become paralyzed.
Amid the agony, a series of questions flashed through his mind.
What is that?
Is it some kind of eye technique in the mind’s eye lineage?
He himself had also learned a similar art.
An eye technique of demonic nature that brainwashes others.
That was not a traditional secret art of the Sun Moon Demon Cult.
It was a power he had created himself.
Based on achieving two Rejuvenations.
And he had named it the Mind-Casting Demon Eye.
With the meaning of inserting his own thoughts into the target and freely manipulating them like a puppet.
‘KEUK… don’t… look down on me!’
It wouldn’t be easy as one might think.
He couldn’t know what the wondrous function of the strange eye technique Cheol Ryu-heun was operating was, but penetrating the upper dantian would require consumption of a massive amount of mental power.
However.
What was more curious than that was his own body.
Precisely regarding the incomprehensible phenomenon.
All the while, Cheol Ryu-heun enhanced his mental power even further.
To break through the mental barrier within the opponent’s mind.
The spiritual energy protecting Aryun-nan’s upper dantian was indeed solid.
But it wasn’t newly surprising.
It was something he had expected from the start.
Because he had indirectly experienced the loftiness of Aryun-nan’s mental achievement through the First Seat who had already been brainwashed.
The mental barrier within Aryun-nan’s upper dantian remained immovable.
Indeed, he was befitting a demonic absolute master with extraordinary mental power.
Generally, Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, Rejuvenation, Body and Marrow Cleansing, Five Energies Returning to Origin and other such supreme martial attainments required enlightenment accompanied by mental power.
Therefore, Aryun-nan’s outstanding mental power was extremely natural.
Of course, the divine power not yet being complete was also a factor.
Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly felt something lukewarm flowing gently down below his chin.
DRIP… TUK, TUK…
Immediately the taste of iron along with a bloody smell rose.
That’s right.
His nose had already started bleeding.
The solidity of the upper dantian that Aryun-nan’s mental power had become a barrier was one factor, but it was also the effect of operating both the Celestial Wandering Sword Energy and the Divine Martial Sword’s unique divine power simultaneously.
Suddenly.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s vision turned to darkness.
As if black paper had been spread before his eyes.
It was the space of thoughts where divine power had manifested.
Something akin to a realm connected to the ultimate state of samadhi.
The real fight was from now on.
If light bloomed in the darkness like this, he could break through.
But the problem was that time was pressing.
The amount of nosebleed had increased.
Still, Cheol Ryu-heun didn’t care.
‘I’ll break through!’
Having shouted inwardly, he raised his mental power even higher.
At that moment.
CRACK-
A sound of cracking that no one could hear quietly leaked out.
Following that, some light shimmered in the pitch-black place before his eyes.
It soon moved like thin mist and gathered together.
SEUSEUSEUSEU, SEUSEUSEUSEU…
And then it clearly created one scene.
It was a memory of Aryun-nan spending leisure time.
It had finally begun.
The peeking.
Now he had to find truly important information.
Not such trivial fragments of memory…
Thus Cheol Ryu-heun concentrated his mind while enduring the rapid consumption of mental power.
Following that, mist-like light again shimmered in the darkness.
SEUSEUSEUSEU, SEUSEUSEUSEU…
* * *
HWAK!
Flashing light.
It was a brilliant golden radiance.
When the light spread in all directions.
PEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG!
A heavy explosive sound echoed.
At the same time, over ten Sun Moon Demon Cult members collapsed onto the ground, spewing fresh blood.
It was an omnidirectional palm technique.
The owner of the light soon murmured.
“Amitabha…”
It was Dharma Master Won-gong, the Abbot of Shaolin Temple.
The wide-ranging palm force just executed was Eighteen Path Demon-Subduing Palm Technique, an in-house ultimate art famous for countering demonic energy.
In an instant, one member of the Sun Moon Eighteen Elite moved like a ghost to take position to Dharma Master Won-gong’s rear and launched a surprise attack.
It was First Elite.
SHUAAT!
A truly fierce and formidable sword force.
To the extent that the surrounding atmosphere and ground trembled.
Befitting the number one ranking among the Eighteen Elite, it was heavy power.
Flashing light instantly came out to meet it.
UWOONG-!
It was golden energy released from Dharma Master Won-gong’s form.
The moment First Elite’s sword touched that light, it emitted a metallic sound.
KKIRIRIRIK, KKIRIRIRIK!
The blade bent and snapped, looking pitiful.
It was the overwhelming efficacy of the Vajra Immovable Divine Art, the supreme ultimate technique within Shaolin Temple with its essence of stillness in motion.
Startled, First Elite only then realized.
That he had deliberately left his back open.
He had intentionally exposed a weakness.
It was a lure, having read the presence in advance and anticipated the move.
He was genuinely awestruck.
To display such precise energy sensing in the midst of chaotic combat.
JJEOJEOJONG- TITITING-!
The blade was ruthlessly shattered.
Before he knew it, flashing fist force was striking First Elite’s chest.
KWANG- DEEEEEEEENG-!
An energy sound resembling the striking of a bell.
A great shockwave rattled his internal energy and blood.
Having spewed blood, First Elite flew fiercely backward.
It was the majesty of another ultimate technique, Golden Bell Heaven-Shaking Fist, which boasted majestic released fist power.
The Sun Moon Demon Cult members nearby who saw it slowly backed away.
Everyone wore expressions of being thoroughly intimidated.
Before Dharma Master Won-gong’s overwhelmingly dominant martial prowess.
First Elite, who had been struck by Golden Bell Heaven-Shaking Fist and fallen, felt dizzy.
It was the aftereffect of internal injury.
‘KEUK…!’
But he couldn’t lie so pathetically like this.
Having barely erased the dizziness, he quickly picked up someone’s sword that had fallen on the ground beside him.
HOP.
His form rose, using the sword as a cane.
At that moment, a figure appeared in front of him without even a hint of presence.
It was Dharma Master Won-gong, who had compressed the gap before he knew it.
Floating Shadow Movement.
It was an extreme-level lightness skill that slightly lifts the body to move swiftly.
Startled, First Elite reflexively swung his right-hand sword.
It was a vertical sword force.
Against that, Dharma Master Won-gong’s golden hand moved.
A single move that rose as if soaring.
It was the execution of Brahma Heaven Great Power Hand, a Buddhist ultimate technique created by the great Shaolin patriarch Bodhidharma.
KKAANG- PASASAK!
The golden edge of the hand ruthlessly broke the silver blade.
The broken metal scattered in disarray like sand.
It was a wondrous hand technique.
A tremendous level of internal power.
It made one keenly feel the supreme and finest majesty of Shaolin Temple, which had maintained its legacy for the past thousand years.
The moment First Elite’s complexion turned deathly pale.
PEOHEOEONG!
Dharma Master Won-gong’s magnificent palm force struck the exact center of that body.
Thus First Elite, who had flown backward, crashed into a building wall and breathed his last.
The allies who saw that divine power were filled with admiration and each thought.
That Dharma Master Won-gong was an existence like light that dispels darkness.
He was undisputedly the strongest Buddhist.
Who under heaven could withstand that light?
However.
Dharma Master Won-gong was instead admiring a different light.
‘Amazing.’
A brief murmur within his heart.
Light.
Look.
Simply light.
Aren’t they all shining brilliantly?
What was captured in Dharma Master Won-gong’s vision was none other than the White Peak Sword Sect party.
Elder White Mountain Sword Excellence Yeop Hweon and Chief Supervisor White Flash Sword Tiger Hyeop Mu-geuk, Instructors Guyang Cheon, Guyang Ji, Guyang In… each and every one was demonstrating outstanding martial prowess.
They clearly surpassed the martial power of the former Sect Leader White Peak Sword Gentleman Sagong Woon.
No.
They were at a distant height.
Could the first Sect Leader of the White Peak Sword Sect, White Peak Sword Patriarch Do Dae-dam, have possibly been like that?
Was it only the executives’ martial power that was surprising?
The guests over there were the same.
Former Nine Demon Alliance Leader Gal Jung-heon, the legend of assassin’s path Seop Pyo, the legitimate heir of Namgung Family, Namgung Sang-rin, the owner of the Enchanting Flower Sword Hae Su-yeon.
All of them were shedding light on the battlefield with outstanding martial prowess.
Dharma Master Won-gong was certain.
That they would all become lights that drove back the darkness for a long time to come.
Also, that the order of the current martial world would be reorganized around White Peak Sword Sect before long…
Having thought that, Dharma Master Won-gong immediately utilized his superior internal power and unleashed a Lion’s Roar.
“From now on, I shall open the final killing field! The corrupted demons shall surely be annihilated!”