Chapter 285: He Had Been Foolish
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The haze spread wide and then.
KKWAKKWANG!
The Grand General’s form, which had been deeply embedded, shot straight up.
Simultaneously, rising above Cheol Ryu-heun’s head, he swung his sword down while releasing powerful energy.
SSWESSWESSWESSWESSWEUNG!
Sword energy descending fiercely.
It was in the shape of a massive, pure white blade.
The Gan jiang Sword rose upward in response.
PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPENG!
When the large amounts of energy released by each sword collided, the entire training ground shook.
DEUDEUDEUDEU… JJEOJEOJEOJEO…
Centered on the hole that had been created earlier, minute cracks rapidly spread outward.
Moreover, not only the ground but even the walls on both sides.
Amid that, the Grand General in the air nimbly flipped his body and descended.
About one zhang from Cheol Ryu-heun.
The Grand General, having rolled his eyes, let out an unpleasant laugh.
“Kekeut, let’s see this through to the end.”
His two eyes were filled only with killing intent, fear having vanished.
That’s right.
It was the eye light of one who had resolved on a life-or-death duel.
That even if he died here, he would not die alone.
Of course, death was inevitable.
From the Grand General’s standpoint.
Naturally.
Because he had just stimulated and detonated the gu poison within his body.
Since triggering gu poison was a last resort that meant giving up on life.
In exchange.
Because of that, his internal power level had risen astonishingly.
This was a kind of secret technique tantamount to mutual destruction.
KUKUKU, KUKUKUKU…
The atmosphere and ground trembled again.
It was the effect of solemn intangible force pressure being emitted as the Grand General operated his rapidly enhanced internal power.
The Murong Family members standing at a distance felt goosebumps for an instant.
Because the fighting spirit and killing intent that made their bodies shiver was touching each of their energy senses.
Murong Kang’s expression became grave.
‘Such power…!’
Ripples arose in his pupils.
The Grand General’s martial power that he had briefly experienced before Cheol Ryu-heun appeared was truly admirable.
To the point where he, who was supposedly in the upper tier of the Five Elegants of Jiangxi and called Thrusting Sword Elegant Scholar, had struggled from the beginning and even suffered internal injury.
And yet that power had grown even stronger.
It was being transmitted clearly through his keen energy sense.
The massive energy pulsing within the Grand General’s body…
Ximen Yue’s expression nearby also changed completely.
It was approaching through the violently trembling space.
That fearsome energy of the Grand General.
His extreme-level energy had amplified several times over.
For him, it was a mysterious occurrence.
‘How…!’
Because that wasn’t simple innate true energy triggering.
It was formidable power at a level surpassing that.
However.
It wasn’t easy to readily measure that level.
Because it transcended the range and limits of his energy sensing.
It was clearly at least above the energy of the Sun Moon Demon Saint Aryun-nan.
The reactions of the Murong Family’s first-rate female talents standing beside him, Stone-Piercing Sword Lady Murong Seol and Embroidery-Piercing Sword Lady Murong Song, were no different.
Both had eyes that felt oppressed before the tremendous power flowing within the Grand General’s body.
However.
Cheol Ryu-heun still maintained an expressionless attitude.
His eyes were far too indifferent.
As always.
The voice uttered from between his lips was likewise.
“How annoying.”
Did he mean he was annoyed because his stomach was growling with hunger, yet the enemy was showing off hidden tricks and buying time?
The red radiance unique to divine power that had been gathered in his two eyes had already disappeared.
At that moment.
Seuk.
The Grand General, having raised his sword at an angle, curled up the corner of his lips with a smirk.
“Hm, is that so? Then try ending it quickly.”
His words showed confidence that it wouldn’t be easy.
No.
It was a clear warning.
That rather, you might be the one to suffer miserably.
However,
To dismiss it as mere bravado, the energy pulsing within his body was extremely massive and intense for that.
“So you’re going to fight here and die?”
The Grand General fielded Cheol Ryu-heun’s question.
“You think you won’t die?”
“Yeah.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having replied briefly, raised the Gan jiang Sword at an angle.
And then the voice that followed couldn’t have been more indifferent.
“Please prepare dinner.”
It was addressed to the Murong Family members positioned behind.
At that, everyone without exception became dazed.
Wh-what did he say?
No, in this situation… he’s telling us to set the dinner table?
In the midst of that enemy’s internal power level rising and crisis intensifying?
Ximen Yue suddenly wore a faint smile.
As if the tension that had been lingering in his heart had completely disappeared.
He suddenly thought of when they encountered the Heavenly Demon Cult’s Grand Prelate.
Precisely, the overwhelming presence of Cheol Ryu-heun when he swept away the darkness illusion and faced him.
‘Hoo. Indeed, Sect Leader Cheol is…’
An inexplicable sense of relief was imbued in that remark just now.
He had felt this kind of feeling then too.
Yes.
Sect Leader Cheol, who inherited the authentic transmissions of the five unparalleled strongest in history, was in uncharted territory of martial prowess.
Someone difficult to defeat no matter how much that enemy used secret techniques to strengthen his personal martial power…
Ximen Yue quietly looked at Murong Kang standing beside him.
“Just please do as Sect Leader Cheol requested.”
“B-but…”
“It’s fine. Seeing how Sect Leader Cheol spoke to that extent, the opponent absolutely cannot win.”
No sooner had those words ended.
GOOOO- GOOOOOOO-
Some kind of power swept out and completely erased the fighting spirit, killing intent, and such that had been oppressing the Murong Family members.
It was Cheol Ryu-heun’s doing.
In other words, the intangible force he had emitted from his body had blocked it like some kind of wall.
Thus the chilling cold and heavy pressure were cleanly lifted.
Murong Kang inwardly admired.
‘Heeo!’
To think he could block the opponent’s murderous intangible aura at once and bring relief like this.
He finally realized that Cheol Ryu-heun’s power was beyond the rumors.
Questions arose along with it.
Yet Cheol Ryu-heun’s intangible aura felt extremely nihilistic.
However, that was rather more trustworthy.
Murong Kang immediately instructed.
“Go prepare the table.”
“Ah… yes, yes!”
“Understood!”
Several people answered and ran off in a flurry.
In the meantime, Cheol Ryu-heun strode forward.
“Your gu poison’s properties must be different. Anyway, if you’ve triggered it, you’ll pour out your energy within a limited time.”
The Grand General, advancing in return, sneered and spoke.
“You know well. But can you handle it?”
Each time he took a step, the atmosphere and ground created great tremors.
KURUNG, KURUREUNG, KURUNG-
Due to the intangible force of both, the surrounding scenery appeared transparently distorted.
Spirit like a tidal wave.
The atmosphere was such that anything caught between the two closing the distance would shatter like powder and disappear.
To exaggerate a bit more, the onlookers’ breath was blocked and their heads were dizzy.
“Well, it’ll be hard to read your thoughts – from now on I’ll match your level.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s blunt words, the Grand General smirked.
“Hoot, match my level?”
At that moment, with a KKWANG! sound.
JJEOEOEOEOEOEONG-!
The Gan jiang Sword, which had somehow compressed the gap, struck the opponent’s sword surface while releasing heavy sword force.
HWIIIIIIIIK- KKWADEUDEUDEUDEUK!
In the blink of an eye, the Grand General’s form was shoved in, breaking through the ground three zhang to the rear.
“Keo…!”
Pungent blood trickling out of his mouth.
The blood flow that had been settled by the earlier gu poison triggering was thrown into disarray again.
With just receiving a single sword technique.
DEOLDEOLDEOL, DEOLDEOLDEOL…
The hand gripping the sword was convulsing.
With shock and terror.
The Grand General momentarily felt as if his thoughts were paralyzed.
How could this be?
That one’s energy had risen in an instant.
Moreover, it was power that didn’t allow comparison to his maximum internal power.
And what about the fearsome speed that flew at him?
It ignored his sight and energy sense.
Literally, it had just flashed for a moment; he couldn’t properly see it.
CHEOK, CHEOK, CHEOK…
Cheol Ryu-heun walked forward with a relaxed posture while speaking in an indifferent voice.
“Why the surprise? Didn’t you say to finish it quickly?”
The instant the Grand General gritted his teeth and shot to his feet.
SHYUAAAAAAAAT!
Cheol Ryu-heun, having somehow crossed the void, scattered a vertical slash.
From his body descending together, pure white light burst from the blade.
Massive exploding sword energy.
It resembled the rugged ridges of mountains.
It was White Peak Sword Technique.
KKAAAAAANG- PEOEOEOEOEONG-!
The Grand General, who had raised his sword high above his head, collapsed into the center of the caving ground.
Flesh split and burst, blood flowing thickly.
“Kkeu… Heo…”
He had already resolved himself to death, but fear came flooding in.
Was this the true White Peak Sword Technique?
Among those from White Peak Sword Sect, there had been no hegemon of the martial world.
Therefore, he hadn’t valued it highly.
The White Peak Sword Technique itself.
But only now did he realize.
That anything differs depending on who uses it…
The sword strikes Cheol Ryu-heun had just consecutively executed were truly reminiscent of the supreme moves of a peerless martial art.
It seemed like simple-form slashes had evolved.
‘KKEUKEUK, even so…!’
The Grand General rose to his feet bearing his fear.
Simultaneously, a surprise sword move was deployed.
A thrust with extreme-level energy linked to the rising motion.
KKWAUUUUUUUUNG-!
An energy wave accompanied by an explosion spread in all directions.
The sword tip didn’t reach.
It was blocked.
With a gap of just one fist’s distance.
A pure white mountain-shaped white current had defended against the attack like solid body-protecting energy work.
“White Peak Protective Body Skill. I created it in this generation. All disciples of our sect will learn it going forward.”
The instant he swiftly sheathed his White Peak Protective Body Skill.
KKWANG- PPUDEUDEU!
He extended his right foot and kicked the Grand General’s torso.
“Kkeuhaak!”
He flew backward, ribs broken.
KKUKKUNNG…
When he thus fell on his back to the ground.
SHYUKAAAK!
Cheol Ryu-heun, standing in place, swung the Gan jiang Sword down hard.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA- DEUDEUDEUDEUDEU-!
The vertical white sword energy released along the blade advanced while scraping the ground.
Was it an enraged mountain?
The massive white energy displayed fearsome monstrous power while advancing directly, bending wildly.
‘Urk!’
The terrified Grand General, lying on the ground, rolled his body sideways and rapidly evaded.
If he had reacted even slightly slower, he would have died immediately.
Though he had already entered the path of death, had the extreme terror stimulated his survival instinct to make him want to live?
The visible world spun round and round.
Extreme dizziness.
His internal injury had worsened due to the sudden movement.
‘KEUHEUK… since it’s come to this, I’ll just charge in!’
The Grand General, having forcibly suppressed his fear, moved as if bouncing while explosively releasing true energy throughout his body.
KKWANG- PAPAPAPAPAPA-!
A form shooting forward while kicking off the ground.
He had become a living missile himself.
He armored his entire body with sword energy.
He advanced with the sword while releasing an enormous amount of internal power at once, enough to feel like his body was being torn apart.
It was a sword-body unity offensive.
Trying to somehow pierce the opponent with body and sword united as one supreme energy.
At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun swung the Gan jiang Sword with his right hand.
From above to below.
KKWAREUREUREUREUREUREUREUUNG!
The vast sky and earth let out a cry.
Tremendous wind pushed back the charging Grand General.
The friction sound of air.
CHYUCHYUCHYUCHYUCHYUCHYUCHYU-
The Grand General’s body, enduring.
It was stationary.
He could no longer advance.
In an instant, a Whispered Voice struck his ear.
-This is fifty percent of my energy.
It was Cheol Ryu-heun.
At that, the Grand General lost his will to fight.
Fifty percent.
Only half of his energy, he said?
This?
When the energy was enough to tear all the skin off his entire body.
In the meantime, the wondrous sword energy released by Cheol Ryu-heun’s Gan jiang Sword came crashing head-on.
HWAAAK-
Within the pure white light was contained the majesty of Mountain Coming, Mountain Spirit, and Mountain Road, the supreme moves of White Peak Sword Technique’s final chapter.
The Grand General intuited the moment of his death.
He had been foolish.
To think he had tried to fight someone like that.
The terror lingering in his heart changed to despair, and that despair changed again to regret.
Death was approaching.
Not as the shadow of darkness, but as pure white light.
He left his final testament.
In a time shorter than an instant.
In his heart.
My Lord, may you please accomplish the great cause.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKKWANG- PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPENG-!
Amid the heavy roar, the Grand General turned to dust and was annihilated.
KKWADEUDEUDEU, KKWADEUDEUDEUDEU… KUKUKUKUUNG, KUKUKUKUKUKUUNG…
The sword energy Cheol Ryu-heun had released destroyed the west wall of the training ground and went out, destroying a straight line of space over ten zhang.
Water spray shot up as if it had reached the surface of Poyang Lake, which sat beyond the forest.
PEOHEOEOEONG…
At that tremendous sight, not just Ximen Yue but Murong Kang, Murong Seol, Murong Song, and everyone else was dumbfounded.
Immediately after.
WAREUREU, WAREUREU…
The entire west wall collapsed in a row.
Following that, a hazy dust cloud billowed up.
At that moment.
Seuk.
Cheol Ryu-heun, having turned his head, asked the Murong Family members behind him with an expressionless face.
“That – do I have to pay for damages, by any chance?”
At that, everyone shook their heads like children saying no.
Are you crazy! Feel free to smash more! You wonderful person!