Chapter 291: Great Sword Tyrant Lord
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A flicker of interest slightly rose in Danmok Cheon’s pupils as their gazes met.
‘Familiar?’
It was curious.
This was a face he was seeing for the first time today.
However, he had roughly figured out who he was.
The unique martial attire of White Peak Sword Sect Leader with the mountain pattern embroidered on it.
That told him.
That his opponent was Cheol Ryu-heun, the protagonist who had caused a sensation as of recently.
‘A nihilistic intangible aura… impressive.’
He wasn’t greatly surprised.
Since he had already heard impressions and reputation concerning Cheol Ryu-heun through worldly rumors.
However.
Coming face to face like this, he newly realized.
The difference between hearing and seeing – just how great it was.
That was certainly no ordinary thing.
It was a special presence.
He was just sitting on the horse’s back, and he hadn’t even revealed his hidden power, yet openings couldn’t be found.
It felt as if the nihilistic intangible aura was being operated as a supreme technique in the form of perfect defense.
A worthy opponent.
Surely.
Amid that, Na Rae-hyang shouted low as if brightening.
“Sect Leader Cheol…! Uuk…”
Her face distorted as soon as she spoke.
It was the effect of her injury.
“Ah! Unnie, are you okay?”
Wang Su-ah hurriedly rose and supported Na Rae-hyang.
“Heuut… don’t worry. Rather than me, the second is more…”
At that moment, Jeung Ji-rim swiftly checked Si Yu-min’s condition.
“Oh no, Unnie Si’s consciousness is fading in and out. Because of the earlier shock…”
Before they knew it, Cheol Ryu-heun and Ximen Yue had approached nearby.
“Let’s skip the greetings.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having spoken thus with his gaze fixed forward, said.
“Is it deep?”
It was a question directed at Na Rae-hyang behind.
“No. I can still endure it.”
Ximen Yue, positioned beside her, swiftly assessed the extent of her injury and added brief words.
“That’s fortunate. She avoided fatal wounds.”
Immediately after, Cheol Ryu-heun drew the Gan jiang Sword without even looking back.
“Why did you come here?”
At his indifferent informal speech, Danmok Cheon smiled.
“Hoot, did you figure out who I was the moment you saw me?”
“Great Sword Tyrant Lord.”
“You have quite an eye.”
“Well, can it be called having an eye? Martial artists who use such a large sword are rare even looking through all of martial history.”
“Right, then do you know this? I am different from the martial artists you’ve faced until now.”
In the blink of an eye.
KURUNG, KURUREUNG-
The surrounding atmosphere vibrated.
Simultaneously, Ximen Yue’s tension heightened.
The heart in his chest beat violently.
An overwhelming dominance assaulting through the space.
‘Uut!’
An oppressiveness as if countless boulders were falling on his head.
An unknowable sensation rapidly flowed while touching every nerve in his entire body.
Bones and flesh created a tingling trembling, and every single hair on his body stood on end.
Suddenly, one person came to mind.
The head of the Heavenly Demon Cult who had boasted outstanding aura.
That’s right.
He was an absolute being reminiscent of Grand Prelate Gun Mu-ak.
Setting martial prowess aside, in terms of aura alone, he seemed to approach him.
Of course, since Gun Mu-ak hadn’t brought out his true power, simple comparison was impossible.
‘Tremendous! To deliver such oppressiveness and terror just from operating supreme internal power…!’
It was the same for Na Rae-hyang’s group.
The power displayed while swinging his sword earlier had been merely a taste.
Sure enough, Cheol Ryu-heun’s Whispered Voice surprised the party.
Na Rae-hyang and Ximen Yue in particular had dumbfounded reactions.
Since the two knew Cheol Ryu-heun’s power all too well, their surprise was naturally exceptional.
At that moment, Danmok Cheon spoke with a proud expression.
“I have surpassed Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon’s prime. Someone like the Sun Moon Demon Cult Leader isn’t even in my eyes.”
“…!”
Soundless shock enveloped the party’s bodies.
Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Ba Hun was the unrivaled hegemon of the martial world who had looked down upon the Thirteen Seats in the past.
And yet… he was confidently saying he surpassed such a person.
That wasn’t empty talk.
It was a clear warning.
It was the manifestation of pride in martial prowess that exceeded even the Sun Moon Demon Saint Aryun-nan and Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Ba Hun.
Great Sword Tyrant Lord Danmok Cheon, eighty years old this year, was a person who had suddenly announced his retirement twenty years ago and gone into seclusion.
That period was when a generational shift among famous martial world powerhouses was occurring.
So at that time, this rumor circulated.
That he had been defeated by one of the newly rising powerhouses, his internal injuries worsening, and ultimately disappeared.
The series of rumors was expanded and reproduced, developing into death during seclusion.
Thus he had become a forgotten person of the past… yet he had reappeared after the span of twenty-some years.
While boasting that his martial power exceeded Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Ba Hun.
Hadn’t Black Rope Wondrous Lady Na Rae-hyang, already a warrior at the Five Elegants of Jiangxi tier, been futilely wounded in a single exchange?
With that, Danmok Cheon’s formidable martial prowess was proven.
Now Cheol Ryu-heun would test the true limits of his martial prowess.
“Right, it’s not a lie.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having replied softly, tilted the Gan jiang Sword in his right hand diagonally toward the ground.
Then.
“Carry them.”
When he uttered those brief words, Divine Wind immediately pressed close to the party’s side.
“Hold the reins and show him the way, and he’ll run on his own. Comfortably without any impact.”
Ximen Yue, Jeung Ji-rim, and Wang Su-ah quickly moved to transfer Na Rae-hyang and Si Yu-min onto Divine Wind’s saddle.
Seeing that, Danmok Cheon let out a small sound and sneered.
“Heuheut, as if they can leave nicely.”
Following that, when he sent a hand signal.
PAPAPAPA- PAPAPAPA-
Countless presences rushed in from left and right.
Around twenty people.
They were a group of swordsmen in brown attire.
“Can’t be helped. Send them first.”
Ximen Yue, having heard Cheol Ryu-heun’s words, was about to mount in front when he paused his movement and.
CHEOLSSEOK.
Signaled by lightly slapping Divine Wind’s hindquarters.
KKWANG!
Divine Wind kicked off the ground and spat out white current, then leaped up carrying Na Rae-hyang and Si Yu-min.
Simultaneously, Ximen Yue, Jeung Ji-rim, and Wang Su-ah went out to face the enemies approaching from both directions.
At that moment, Danmok Cheon’s great sword split the air.
SHYUKAAAK!
Sword energy shot toward the rear of Divine Wind, which was receding into the air.
It was a supreme attack possessing both speed and ferocity.
But.
HWIHWING!
The sword energy sharply curved and fell back to the ground.
KKWAKKWANG!
By the intangible force Cheol Ryu-heun had rapidly operated.
“Good skill.”
Danmok Cheon, having let out a soft voice, rapidly advanced head-on.
A boldness that didn’t even measure the gap, just walking.
If someone else saw it, they would consider it reckless movement.
However, that was so within the category of ordinary martial artists.
Danmok Cheon was an ultra-pinnacle supreme master.
All movements were made under thorough calculation.
Going in boldly meant he was confident.
Confidence that he wouldn’t lose his flow before his opponent’s power.
The great sword rushed in a straight line.
SHYUAAAAAAAAT!
Fearsome energy pulsed out following the movement.
It felt like dozens of spears charging in unison.
The surroundings seemed to compress transparently and be sucked in by the white sword energy concentrated at the tip.
A sword move symbolizing the prestige of the epithet Great Sword Tyrant Lord.
It was Explosive Quake Flash, a thrusting move within Great Wild Tyrant Sword Technique.
KKAAAAAAAANG!
Cheol Ryu-heun, having met it head-on, had his upper body sway backward.
It was tremendous sword force.
Through that single sword, Cheol Ryu-heun clearly realized.
Danmok Cheon’s skill.
That wasn’t simply at a level exceeding Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Ba Hun.
It was martial cultivation matching transcendent masters belonging to a higher tier among past martial world hegemons who had possessed the Divine Martial Sword.
Based on his own experience, one person came to mind.
Blood Asura Divine Sovereign Beom Geuk-jin.
An unparalleled warrior recorded as Evil Emperor Yul-Cheon’s rival six hundred years ago.
That’s right.
He matched him.
The more frightening fact was that the single sword just now wasn’t at extreme-level energy.
That meant Danmok Cheon’s true martial prowess exceeded even Blood Asura Divine Sovereign Beom Geuk-jin.
The massive sword charged again, splitting the air.
SHYUAAAAAAAAT!
Explosive Quake Flash was executed again.
However.
This time, even greater power was loaded as it rushed.
In response, Cheol Ryu-heun’s Gan jiang Sword, having released white current, went out swiftly to meet it.
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 sword strike that had guided the Grand General of the Eastern Heaven Division to the afterlife.
The energy was also the same fifty percent as then.
KKWAAAAAAAAAANG-!
A fierce roar shook all directions and.
JIIIIIK, JIIIIIIIIK…
Danmok Cheon retreated, scraping the ground with both feet.
Yet that distance was a mere ten steps.
It was truly astonishing skill.
Incomparable even to the Grand General of the Eastern Heaven Division…
“Is this all?”
Danmok Cheon spoke spiritedly and advanced again.
‘What an interesting fellow.’
Cheol Ryu-heun, having spoken briefly inwardly, also stepped forward and advanced like a beam of light.
Thus the two’s sword strikes continuously collided, making clamorous sounds.
JJEONG, JJEOJEONG- KKWAANG, KKWANG-!
Each other’s upper bodies swayed as if competing.
Amid that, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke.
“Better than that guy.”
It was surprising that he could utter words while working his hands without rest.
However, Danmok Cheon wasn’t different.
“What do you mean?”
“The leader of the caped figure gang that invaded the Murong Family yesterday and was annihilated.”
“…!”
“Unexpected? Your eyes wavered slightly. As expected, you were the same gang as them.”
“Kekeuk. If that’s true, I’ll have to fight seriously from now on.”
“Go ahead, let’s see.”
Simultaneously with Cheol Ryu-heun’s apathetic reply.
PEOHEOEOONG!
Along with a tremendous explosion.
HWIIIIK- WAJIJIK!
Danmok Cheon’s form flew backward and collided with an old tree.
In that gap, Cheol Ryu-heun charged in.
The Gan jiang Sword compressing the gap in coordination with movement.
At that moment.
When Danmok Cheon raised the great sword straight up to defend, a metallic sound and powerful repelling force was released.
KKAAAAANG- PEOEOEOEONG!
Immediately after, Cheol Ryu-heun retreated about one zhang.
Danmok Cheon, having come out several steps, pulled up the corner of his lips and smirked.
“Hoo, how did it feel to receive that?”
He had explosively released pure energy rather than blade work to strongly bounce back his opponent’s form.
At that moment.
Dark current wrapped around Cheol Ryu-heun’s form.
CHEUGEUCHEUEU, CHEUGEUCHEUGEU…
The dark demonic energy unique to Heavenly Demon Divine Art, created by the Ancient Heavenly Demon, the first owner of the Divine Martial Sword.
Upon seeing that, a light of delight rose in Danmok Cheon’s two eyes.
“Could that be Heavenly Demon Divine Art? Keut, the more I see, the more impressive.”
Then, as if refusing to lose, he operated supreme internal power while holding the massive sword flat.
“Good. If it’s you, I can use this supreme move.”
“Stop talking and come at me.”
Thus the two met again in the center of the gap and competed in technique.
JJEOJEONG, JJEONG- KKWANG, KWAKKWANG-!
In the meantime, Ximen Yue, Jeung Ji-rim, and Wang Su-ah exchanged fierce offense and defense with the rushing swordsmen.
CHAENG, CHAENG, CHAECHAENG- PEONG, PEONG, PEOPEONG-!
Amid the quiet forest becoming a scene of carnage again.
Suddenly, one swordsman who had slipped to the side grasped something.
It was a signal flare.
When the swordsman pulled the fuse, a large firework shot up and burst, playing a noisy sound.
PIIIIIING- TTADADADADAK- PEOPEONG, PEONG, PEOPEONG…!
* * *
A forest about two hundred zhang away from where the fight was occurring.
About twenty caped figures had gathered there.
They were the mysterious wanderer’s subordinates, personnel of the Eastern Heaven Division.
In an instant.
-Piiiiiing- ttadadadadak- peopeong, peong, peopeong…!
The sound of firecrackers was heard from far away.
Soon, the caped figure who appeared to be the leader of the group muttered.
“That’s the signal of the Detached Three Army Corps… could a variable have appeared?”
He sent a gesture toward everyone.
“Let’s move. Other units will respond soon too.”
“Yes! Third Commander.”