Chapter 404: What's Different About You
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Chapter 404 – What’s Different About You?
The pitch-black martial uniform was projected in Peng Cheon-jin’s pupils.
The youth’s attire filled his pupils before his features did.
A pure white pattern was magnified.
A mountain.
An embroidery depicting a giant mountain in concise lines.
He understood.
Who that unfamiliar person was.
Even without hearing his name.
A low, short exclamation burst out from somewhere.
“Cheol Ryu-heun…!”
It was a man positioned far back behind Sang-jan.
It was precisely the exclamation of Eastern Heaven Division’s Sixth Great General.
Amid the disorderly scattering dust beginning to thin out.
“Are you proud of winning against an exhausted person?”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent gaze and voice were directed forward.
Sang-jan was there.
He quietly answered the question thrown at him.
“Do you plan to rescue him?”
Cheol Ryu-heun replied with a disinterested face.
“Yeah.”
A voice as emotionless and apathetic as his eye-light.
It was a dismissive-seeming posture.
Then Sang-jan formed a faint smile.
‘Hu… an nihilistic aura, they say, how amusing.’
Beyond that smile, killing intent was hidden.
Also.
A strange elation at having found the ultimate target.
Fighting spirit and murderous desire blended in his chest.
That was soon projected in Sang-jan’s pupils, creating a brutal light.
In an instant.
SEUREUREUK.
Soft formless aura enveloped Peng Cheon-jin’s entire body.
It was the energy of void object grasping that Cheol Ryu-heun had released at some point.
Without even moving his hand.
Like that, an invisible force moved Peng Cheon-jin’s form beside a rock to one side.
So that he could rest in a comfortable posture, leaning his back against it.
“Let’s skip the introductions. Please sit there for a moment.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s words, Peng Cheon-jin stated worriedly.
“We should look for an opening and escape… EUUK…”
The moment he uttered words, the pain of his internal injuries shot up stingingly.
At that time, Cheol Ryu-heun expressionlessly stated.
“Didn’t I just tell you? That I’ve come to put an end to this.”
Peng Cheon-jin’s complexion stiffened at that sound.
‘Heo…! Does he really intend to settle things here?’
Setting aside the numerical inferiority, the martial power of that unknown old demonic cultivator was the problem.
He had personally experienced the extent of his power.
It was truly at a phenomenal level.
Cheol Ryu-heun must have sensed it too.
The massive energy lurking within the old demonic cultivator’s body.
Yet his attitude showed he would fight to the end. For Peng Cheon-jin, it couldn’t help but be worrisome.
If things went wrong, he might die here in vain.
‘I must stop him!’
Just as Peng Cheon-jin, having shouted inwardly, was about to open his mouth again, in that flash.
“I’ve already killed several enemy groups on the way here. So set aside needless worry.”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent voice delivered a shock.
Peng Cheon-jin’s eye-light wavered.
“…!”
He killed them on the way here, he says.
Several times, even.
He knew he wasn’t someone who would spout pointless nonsense.
That’s why his surprise was greater.
In an instant, the worried heart disappeared and expectation and trust began to coil in his chest.
It was a strange feeling.
It was mysterious.
A sense of relief arrived as if by magic.
At just one word.
Perhaps he felt that way even more because of the extremely indifferent attitude that was unshaken by anything.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice reaching his ears again put his heart at ease.
“The Young Master is safe.”
“Ah…!”
“He’s currently moving to a safe place.”
No sooner had Cheol Ryu-heun’s words ended than Sang-jan threw a cold voice.
“How unfortunate. You yourself will not be safe.”
Warning accompanied by intensifying dark currents.
CHYUT… CHYUCHYUT… CHYUT…
The navy heat haze draped around Sang-jan’s body trembled, emitting chilling sounds.
He had finally begun operating ascending internal power.
When the grand pressure emitted by that internal power wrapped around all sides.
DEUDEUDEUDEU… KUKUKUKUKU…!
Once again, the atmosphere and ground shook violently and released roaring sounds.
The peeled-up soil swirling up as if planed represented that heavy power.
But Cheol Ryu-heun’s attitude was still merely indifferent.
Seeing that, Sang-jan gestured with his chin and spoke.
“It seems you killed Uk Uk Bon-sa.”
It was something easily surmisable even without seeing.
Because Division Commander Raging Saber Monster Uk Uk Bon-sa had been pursuing Tiger Step Saber Young Master Peng Ya-hwi.
That’s right.
He was certain he had been struck down by Cheol Ryu-heun’s techniques.
At that time.
SEUREUREUNG.
Cheol Ryu-heun, having drawn the Gan Jiang, opened his mouth to speak.
“The remaining martial artists of the Hebei Peng Family are likewise. All safe.”
“What?”
“Those who were pursuing them were killed by Gun Mu-ak. So you should have played moderately. Especially near the Ten Directions Ghost Road Lost Soul Formation.”
“…!”
The light of killing intent in Sang-jan’s two eyes grew even darker.
He had earlier sent personnel there, including former-era martial arts masters Division Commanders Thundering Heaven Thunder Guest and Faceless Deadly Sword.
Yet they had all been killed by Gun Mu-ak’s techniques.
Thick anger welling up in his chest.
His cold eye-light spoke in place of his lips.
That Cheol Ryu-heun absolutely must not be left alive.
That it was only right to eliminate him here before the variables grew because of that existence.
Of course, he was confident he possessed the power to do so.
WOONG…
The sword that had caused trembling around Sang-jan had navy currents fluttering gently around it.
Demonic energy mixed with killing intent and fighting intent danced along the blade.
Soon, Sang-jan released a voice with a feeling as cold as a blade.
“Are you alone?”
It was a question thrown after confirming there were no other presences around.
“You know, so why ask.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having bluntly answered, set the Gan Jiang’s blade at an angle.
“Foolish one, you should have brought Gun Mu-ak. I give high marks to that audacity of yours. Do you know who this body is?”
“Nine Springs Demon Dragon Sang-jan, a relic of the frontier demonic path.”
Sang-jan’s complexion stiffened slightly at that sound.
“…!”
It was mysterious.
How could he know that?
The words Cheol Ryu-heun subsequently uttered delivered great surprise.
“And the leader of the Detached Three Army Corps under the Heaven Emperor Society.”
“Heoeo…”
Consternation leaked from Sang-jan’s quiet voice.
Truly a succession of surprises.
There was no way someone would have leaked that secret.
KWAK!
Sang-jan, having gripped his sword hilt tightly, steadied his spirit while flicking his left hand.
“Bastard, the questions end here. Now, go ahead and try swinging your sword. This seat will personally test that martial power.”
Simultaneously with those words, Cheol Ryu-heun’s Gan Jiang drew a cross forward.
A movement accomplished in less than even a flash.
CHWAAAAAAAAA… CHWAAAAAAAAAAA… CHWAAAAAAAAAAA… !
From the cross flash that sparkled and burst, countless sword energies poured out.
Startled, Sang-jan kicked the ground and fled to the side.
KKWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG… !
A roaring sound as if heaven and earth were collapsing burst out.
The countless sword energies passed that spot and struck the enemy camp.
An indiscriminate explosion of sword light mixed with both horizontal and vertical momentum.
Vast dust clouds wildly covered the air.
The forest behind where Sang-jan had been standing was destroyed.
No less than over ten Zhang of space was annihilated by the tremendous power.
Ruins made in an instant.
It was fearsome cultivation for which even the expression “terrifying” was insufficient.
Thus, all the waiting enemies were exterminated.
No, only one survived.
It was Eastern Heaven Division’s Sixth Great General.
But he too had received a massive shock and collapsed.
Lying face-down on the ground, he showed no movement.
In a state of unconsciousness after suffering severe internal injuries.
Peng Cheon-jin, leaning his back against the rock, lost his soul.
‘That is…’
The name of one martial art flashed through his mind.
Defying Heaven Sword Forms.
The great Evil Emperor Yul-Cheon’s supreme art, Defying Heaven Sword Forms, revealed its fearsome marvelous application through Cheol Ryu-heun.
Meanwhile.
The reaction of Sang-jan, who had fled to one side, was the same.
His wavering pupils represented shock.
‘The majesty of Defying Heaven Sword Forms is that destructive!’
A wave-like tremor running through his entire body.
He was certain.
Because the sword technique Cheol Ryu-heun had just executed perfectly matched the characteristics of Defying Heaven Explosive Cannon Strike, said to be the main finishing move of the Evil Emperor Yul-Cheon in his lifetime.
At that time, Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent voice awakened Sang-jan’s spirit.
“You’re also alone now.”
At that moment, the extremely intensified sense of crisis guided Sang-jan’s movement.
KKWANG!
Having explosively released energy through his Bubbling Spring acupoint, Sang-jan charged at high speed.
A gap being incomprehensibly compressed.
He thrust his sword forward as he rushed upon Cheol Ryu-heun.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA… !
One navy demonic dragon released from the sword tip.
That was a finishing move among the supreme demonic path sword discipline Grinding Heaven Nine Dragon Sword Forms, symbolizing his personal sobriquet of Nine Springs Demon Dragon.
Thus, the giant demonic dragon that had been emitted opened its maw.
In a flash.
KUHAANG… KWACHAHANG!
Vast sword power exploded, playing a piercing sound and metallic sound.
“Keoh…!”
Sang-jan let out a short sound and was flung backward.
Then he barely planted both feet into the ground.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAK… !
A long trail scraped along the ground as he slid backward.
The moment he steadied his center and stood.
SYUKAAAK!
The Gan Jiang rushed from the front.
Completely startled, Sang-jan reflexively raised his sword.
JJEOEOEOEOEOEONG… KWAAAAAAANG!
He was once again rapidly flung backward.
KKWAANG… KKWADEUDEUK!
His body was deeply driven into a shattered rock.
Bitter blood surged up from his throat.
“Wekek…!”
Thus his clothes were soaked with fresh blood.
The match was decided in two clashes.
For Sang-jan, it was a situation difficult to accept.
He knew Cheol Ryu-heun’s martial power was outstanding, but to think there was such a great gap in martial power.
It was a moment of realizing a gap in power that could never be narrowed.
JEOBUKJEOBUK, JEOBUKJEOBUK…
It was the sound of Cheol Ryu-heun walking over with his sword tilted downward.
More than that, his indifferent voice approached first, crossing the gap.
“What’s different about you from Aryun-nan who died at my hand? Tell me.”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s words evoked chilling fear again.
‘KKEUKEUK… I cannot die like this…!’
Thus Sang-jan moved desperately by survival instinct.
Having pulled his body from the rock, he swallowed blood and swung his sword.
SSWAESSWAESSWAESSWAESSWAENG!
It was the execution of a finishing move at extreme cultivation, even accepting worsening internal injuries.
Following the sword’s trajectory, a giant dragon was shot out.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA… !
Heaven and earth shook under the pressure of the navy sword energy.
At that moment, a pure white current came to greet it.
It was a mystical sword energy.
One reminiscent of mist.
Light and soft.
A complete absence of sword energy’s inherent sharp attribute.
When that enveloped the navy dragon.
PEOHEOEOEOEOEOENG…
It just extinguished with an explosive sound.
On the other hand, that pure white current didn’t stop and touched Sang-jan’s flesh.
SEUREUREUREUREUK.
It was a current being sucked into his body as if it were water.
Immortal Wandering Sword Energy.
The ultimate immortal technique essence that Martial Immortal Dongbang Ya had created in the past.
A study of the immortal realm displaying the marvelous application of opposing extremes.
When Immortal Wandering Sword Energy permeated the body, opposite results would appear according to the wielder’s will.
Life conclusion and death conclusion.
It meant the target could be saved or killed.
This time was the latter.
A chain explosion occurred inside Sang-jan’s body.
KWAKWAKWAKWANG, KWAKWAKWAKWANG, KWAKWAKWAKWANG, KWAKWAKWAKWANG…!
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians, Twelve Primary Channels along with the three dantians ruptured.
“Kkeuaaaaaaaaak!”
As Sang-jan screamed, Cheol Ryu-heun expressionlessly stated.
“You said you’d test me, so I used extreme power. Are you satisfied?”
Sang-jan, whose internal organs were torn, skin split, and bones of his entire body cruelly crushed, soon collapsed to the ground.
TEOLSEOK.
Cheol Ryu-heun, having quietly approached beside him, spoke while stepping on his head.
“From now on, I will test the Heaven Emperor Society. Watch the results from the underworld.”