Chapter 440: The Black Tortoise Itself
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A fearsome offensive blocking all four directions and rushing in.
For Wang-ryu, there was no space to slip out.
No, there was exactly one.
Above.
Yet leaping up could invite danger.
No matter how much pinnacle internal power was exerted, in the air, limitations followed in the work of offense and defense and movement.
Moreover, it was already too late to leap.
Before he could escape by jumping, he would take a great blow.
Thus, the energies of Heavenly Demon, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal, and Blood God, transformed through the essence of Heavenly Demon Grand Sacrifice Ritual, struck the center of the space.
KKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG, KKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG, KKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG……!
A series of roars as if heaven and earth were splitting asunder echoed.
CHWAAAAAAAAAAT, CHWAAAAAAAAAAT, CHWAAAAAAAAAAT……!
Multicolored shimmer, spreading in a round pattern, wildly overturned the ground.
Residual energies extending endlessly from the explosive force.
The forest was becoming more and more ravaged.
In that midst, a giant mushroom-shaped dust cloud shot high into the sky and even blocked the sunlight.
A broad shadow was cast on the ground.
It was tremendous power.
Even the expression “strength to uproot mountains and spirit to cover the world” felt insufficient to describe how extremely powerful that shockwave was.
Indeed, who could possibly withstand this?
Gun Mu-ak had also been struck by such power of Cheol Ryu-heun before.
By internal power compressed five times and then released.
That power was at a sublime level that looked down upon even the internal power Gun Mu-ak had increased by consuming his lifespan.
The technique just executed was in the same vein.
Only the order of application had been changed.
Before, he had compressed pinnacle internal power five times and released it all at once.
But this time, he had not combined them but dispersed them in all directions.
He first scattered five portions separately in all directions.
Then he operated them so they would gather into one.
So ultimately, they would merge and explode.
The formula of the execution process was different, but the ultimate essence was identical……
Of course, the merged power was starkly different.
What he had executed on Gun Mu-ak was simple energy.
But now, he had displayed various-attributed inner energy cultivation techniques at the pinnacle level.
That’s right.
They were the inner energy cultivation techniques of the five individuals recorded as the singularly supreme strongest in martial history.
Powers each possessing different attributes.
A complete defense would be difficult even if one explosively released immense internal power of corresponding level to reflect them.
It was natural.
Adapting to each one individually was not an easy task at all.
The timing he aimed for was also very appropriate.
Cheol Ryu-heun had sensed earlier.
The fact that Wang-ryu’s internal power had considerably deteriorated.
Complete defense was practically impossible.
Unless he possessed some special power.
Abruptly.
PAAAAAAAAAA…
A vast formless energy spread like a tidal wave from the explosion point.
Thereupon the giant dust cloud vanished in the blink of an eye.
Following that, Wang-ryu’s form appeared clearly.
Standing upright, he was unharmed.
Astonishingly, he had successfully blocked that power.
Only.
His appearance differed from before the various powers had swept in.
Metal fragments had clung to his entire body as if bundled together as one.
It was the Black Tortoise Iron Armor that had shattered to pieces and flown away.
At some point, it had gathered together and protected its master from Cheol Ryu-heun’s power.
That was not all.
Looking closely, frost had formed between the fragments.
Like seams that held those pieces together.
Cheol Ryu-heun expressionlessly shrugged his shoulders.
“Heum, interesting. did that artifact sacrifice itself at the end? for its owner’s safety?”
No sooner had those words ended.
KKWAJAJAJAJAK… TUDUDUDUDUK… !
With a stinging metallic sound, the Black Tortoise Iron Armor that had been precariously assembled shattered to pieces and scattered.
In that midst, Wang-ryu adjusted his stance and spoke.
“Hu…… in the end, the Armor’s life force has run out. now it can never be used again.”
“Is that so? one more blow and it’ll be over.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s dry retort, Wang-ryu raised his sword.
“Is that What you think?”
A voice that was somehow meaningful.
In an instant, the internal power within Wang-ryu’s body began to surge rapidly.
KUREUREUREUNG, KUREUREUREUNG…… DEUDEUDEUDEU, DEUDEUDEUDEU……
The surrounding atmosphere and ground shook wildly once more.
Thus, his internal power level was recovering in an instant.
Was it the essence of Nature Assimilation Realm?
No.
It was different.
There was no way to replenish the energy within one’s body that quickly.
There must be something else.
Cheol Ryu-heun spoke nonchalantly along with that judgment.
“Looking at it, it’s not a forbidden drug.”
“Indeed…… it’s on a completely different level from such forbidden drugs.”
Having nodded slightly, Wang-ryu’s body emitted light.
It gave a feeling that was somehow dark and murky.
Then it soon vanished without a trace.
What could it be?
There was no change in external appearance.
Then perhaps some change had occurred inside his body……
Wang-ryu quietly began walking, emitting a chilling gaze.
“Do not think that only your body is special. that would be indulgence and arrogance.”
“Sorry, But it’s more special than yours.”
Cheol Ryu-heun separately gathered pinnacle internal power while speaking.
Intending to deploy the same technique as before.
Some time was needed until execution.
Whether in the form of explosion after compression, or in the form of combined explosive attack after distribution.
So the arrangement of operation had to be done in advance.
The situation was as good as having already seized the advantage.
Hadn’t that wondrous armor been rendered useless?
So the second decisive offensive would be hard to withstand.
Well, if it didn’t work, he would just keep pouring out power until it did.
Three times, four times, five times……
Right then, Wang-ryu wore a bitter sneer.
“Foolish.”
Killing intent was showing through that mockery.
Along with it, his eyes were also filling with murderous light.
Abruptly.
SYUSYUSYUSYUSYU, SYUSYUSYUSYUSYUSYU……
Strange smoke rose hazily from here and there on the ground.
It was a current derived from the Black Tortoise Iron Armor fragments.
That was absorbed into Wang-ryu’s body and vanished in an instant.
“Cheol Ryu-heun…… do you know the power called Divine energy?”
“Don’t beat around the bush, just tell me.”
“So-called Divine energy is the power to manifest will (?) into tangible form.”
“What you just absorbed was the spiritual power dwelling in the Black Tortoise iron Armor?”
“Indeed, it is the will and Divine energy original to the Divine beast Black Tortoise. for example, it is an essence identical to the abilities the Divine Martial Sword was said to possess.”
Mysterious energy that manifests and handles will into tangible form.
In other words, it meant wielding the same essence as the arcane divine energy of the Divine Martial Sword.
He raised the corners of his mouth and uttered a forewarning in a quiet voice.
“Fear and fear again. from now on, I am the Black Tortoise itself. I never expected the opponent I’d have to use this power on would be you.”
As that power transferred into Wang-ryu’s body thus, the Black Tortoise Iron Armor became mere scraps of metal.
In an instant.
KKWANG!
Wang-ryu’s form, having kicked off the ground, scattered afterimages.
Illusions appearing due to lightning-fast movement.
Each one’s posture was also different.
Moreover, their number looked to be fully over dozens.
Clones dancing wildly.
Each one possessed presence as if they were real.
It was truly upper-level swift body movement.
Confusing the opponent’s field of vision while simultaneously disrupting their senses.
Not to be outdone, Cheol Ryu-heun stomped.
KKWANG!
Blood-red current rose like a great wave.
The advancing forms resembled countless shadows.
Was it a horde of blood-craving ghosts?
That was precisely Blood Star King of Death Steps, a technique that Blood God Mu-wol had once boasted.
A power that penetrates the blood vessels immediately upon touching the shimmer and tangles the blood pathways within the body.
Thus, the countless clones and the blood energy wave clashed.
PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG… !
Yet.
The clones that had been scattering from the shockwave suddenly bunched together and charged.
Along with the real Wang-ryu.
No, placing him behind, they were advancing terrifyingly fast like a vanguard.
Cheol Ryu-heun immediately thrust out the Gan Jiang.
KKWAANG!
The combined energy of the clones scattered in all directions once more.
SYUKAAAAAK!
Wang-ryu’s iron sword rushed in.
Fearsome sword force bursting from the sword point.
JJEOGEOEOONG… KKWAUUUUNG!
The two swords butted heads and let out a great sound.
Right then, the energy of the scattered clones once again bunched together as one.
And.
SYUSYUNG!
In an instant, it was an energy rushing toward the top of Cheol Ryu-heun’s head.
PEOHEOEOEOONG!
To the internal power the sword force had scattered was added that internal power.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s body swayed from the sword force he had received.
It was an imitation of the technique Cheol Ryu-heun had displayed earlier.
As if proving his astonishing skill.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s upper body swayed from that power.
He then rolled both feet in place.
A swift retreat.
Right then.
PIPIPIPIPIPIT… PIPIPIPIPIPIT… !
Small objects rushed in from all directions, letting out sharp sounds.
They were fragments of the Black Tortoise Iron Armor.
Those clung to Cheol Ryu-heun’s entire body instead of their owner Wang-ryu.
TEOTEOTEOTEOTEOTEOK, TEOTEOTEOTEOTEOTEOK… KKIRIRRIRIRIK, KKIRIRRIRIRIK… !
Because of that, Cheol Ryu-heun’s movement was halted.
DEOLKEOK!
Simultaneously, Wang-ryu’s sword released freezing energy.
SSWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!
Small but solid ice bound the armor tightly.
Thereupon tremendous power constricted Cheol Ryu-heun’s entire body.
In a flash.
The martial attire made from the shed skin of the Blood-Eye Black Divine Python turned mushy and melted away.
And.
SEUSUT, SEUSUT, SEUSUT…
An unfamiliar poisonous energy penetrated into Cheol Ryu-heun’s body.
It was amazing.
To render even the shed skin of the Blood-Eye Black Divine Python useless.
It was an unprecedented poisonous energy that even Cheol Ryu-heun was encountering for the first time.
Was this the true power of Black Tortoise divine energy harmonized with pinnacle internal power?
In that midst, the pressure from the Black Tortoise Iron Armor fragments became even fiercer.
KARARARARAK… KKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAK… !
Did he intend to keep constricting and then dissolve him to death with the poison?
Then Cheol Ryu-heun too should counter with divine energy.
There was no choice.
Originally, he had saved surplus divine energy in order to peer into Wang-ryu’s mind.
Yet the current situation was not such.
The divine energy’s essence wielded by the Black Tortoise was more threatening than expected.
FLASH!
The energy of a new stage, perfectly merged with the original divine energy of the Divine Martial Sword, was explosively released from his entire body.
KYUKYUKYUKYUKYUKYUKYUKYUKYUNG… !
Sword Force.
As that was released as mighty Protective Body Sword Energy.
KKWAJIJIJIJIJIJIK, KKWAJIJIJIJIJIJIK… TITITITITITING, TITITITITITING… !
The metal fragments that had been covering and constricting his body were all crushed to powder and bounced off.
Simultaneously, chain finishing moves maintaining divine energy were executed.
Martial Immortal Dongbang Ya’s Immortal Wandering Sword Energy, and Blood God Mu-wol’s Blood Demon Reigning Palm.
A ray of light that had advanced like a feather rapidly wrapped around Wang-ryu’s body.
It was the Immortal Wandering Sword Energy of mysterious attribute, completely devoid of sharp properties.
Crimson shimmer as if made of blood immediately followed and approached.
PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG… !
Thus, a series of explosive sounds burst.
It was truly a counterattack achieved in the blink of an eye.
Yet.
The Immortal Wandering Sword Energy and Blood Demon Reigning Palm were rendered powerless by some kind of tremendous external force.
They had not been able to enter his body but were bounced right back out.
A strange light flashed past Cheol Ryu-heun’s eyes.
‘That is……!’
Right then, Wang-ryu shot a giant sword energy merged with divine energy.
An extreme-fast, extreme-powerful energy in the form of the divine beast Black Tortoise.
JJEOGEOEOONG… KWAHAAANG!
Cheol Ryu-heun’s form flew three jang backward due to the tremendous power.
‘Uek!’
It was somehow not like him.
The reason was one.
The moment he hastily assumed a defensive posture, his internal power operation was blocked.
This was because the poisonous energy that had penetrated into his body was interfering with his internal power and divine energy operation like a hook.
Immediately after, Wang-ryu let out a triumphant chuckle.