Chapter 83: The Unfinished Fight
Read more at Nineheavens.org
Jeo Gyeom could be seen standing with his back to the currents spreading like great ripples.
He had instantaneously and exquisitely defended against the massive shield-like intangible energy that followed Cheol Ryu-heun’s hand gesture and crashed upon his back.
The Ghost Skull Divine Armor’s unique ability.
Cheol Ryu-heun knew well what that power was.
Ghost Face Barrier.
It was a ghost-energy attribute unique ability that spread wide an energy membrane resembling a ghost’s face to protect the body from an opponent’s energy attacks.
In other words, because of the amplification of owner Jeo Gyeom’s bloodlust and killing intent, the Ghost Skull Divine Armor’s ghost energy had been amplified along with it, enabling him to naturally operate the Ghost Face Barrier like this.
This was a defense technique belonging to the category of Body Protection Energy Technique – a first-rate level energy study that struck a solid wall through the release of internal energy for self-protection – a power more solid than simply generating an intangible energy membrane.
Yet Jeo Gyeom himself, who had executed the Ghost Face Barrier, thought internally that it was unexpected.
In truth, he had merely been led by protective instinct to hurriedly operate an intangible energy membrane, but that energy had suddenly transformed into a tangible barrier.
He realized it was not an ordinary Body Protection Energy Technique but a profound use of ghost energy harmonized with internal cultivation.
A step forward.
Jeo Gyeom’s conviction.
Indeed.
The bloodlust in his chest must have exceeded a certain level and awakened the Ghost Skull Divine Armor’s hidden power.
Heh.
A soundless laugh.
Immediately after, Jeo Gyeom charged forward with fierce momentum and executed a horizontal slash with indigo sword energy gathered on the blade.
SHO-SHWING!
Not to be outdone, Cheol Ryu-heun rapidly moved the Ganjiang Sword in his right hand and met it with an identical slash.
KA-CLANG!
Each other’s sharp blades collided without yielding an inch.
KA-BOOM!
The fiercely exploding cultivation spread in all directions, creating wave-like haze.
FWAAAA, FWAAAAA…
Cheol Ryu-heun and Jeo Gyeom’s upper bodies seemed about to sway backward and fall when.
PA-FWAP-
As if having leaned against an invisible wall and bounced back with that repelling force, both quickly stood upright again and unleashed their attacks.
Identical thrusts.
CLANG-!
The tips of sword and sword met precisely, spitting metallic sound, and currents generated from that heavy collision of sword powers dispersed in waves in all directions again.
A scene reminiscent of acrobatics.
In an instant, the two sword tips broke contact and moved slightly apart before deploying another offensive.
SHWIIING!
The Hunming Sword flashed upward then fell diagonally.
The Ganjiang Sword rose to meet it.
Swift swordwork of the two accomplished in the blink of an eye.
CLANG-CLANG!
No sooner had the metallic sound burst forth than Jeo Gyeom’s arm shot up in reverse FLICK!
He had been pushed by the sword power that Cheol Ryu-heun had struck upward.
A tingling sensation transmitted from fingers to shoulder.
It was brute cultivation beyond compare.
However, Jeo Gyeom had no time to even be conscious of that as he stretched out his left palm to fill the spatial gap.
CHWA-CHWA-CHWA-CHWA-!
A linear palm wind like a gale.
An excellent tactical transition where offense became defense.
In response, Cheol Ryu-heun was about to exploit the small gap revealed when the opponent’s arm rose, but he withdrew his attack and kicked off the ground, moving his body to the left.
Rather, it was Jeo Gyeom who struck at that instant of time.
SWI-SWIT!
The Hunming Sword laden with indigo sword energy was somehow already piercing the air, rushing toward Cheol Ryu-heun’s torso.
A thrusting form executed while calculating that he would dodge.
In barely the time it takes to draw one breath, he had predicted the direction and point where Cheol Ryu-heun would step aside, and it was a hand movement accomplished with lightning speed.
CLAAAANG- KABOOM-!
Cheol Ryu-heun, having raised the Ganjiang Sword before his chest to block the opponent’s sword tip, was pushed strongly backward.
However.
HALT!
Cheol Ryu-heun’s body suddenly stopped abruptly as if hitting an invisible wall, then without any motion, shot straight forward like a ray of light.
A sword tip extending along with the movement.
White sword energy flickering along the blue-green sword body flashed and flashed, displaying a formidable force.
This time it was Jeo Gyeom who raised the Hunming Sword to defend against that charging offense.
CLA-CLA-CLANG- KABOOOOM-!
Due to heavy impact force reminiscent of a boulder of enormous size, Jeo Gyeom’s figure slid far backward.
SCRAAAPE, SCRAAAAPE-
While the sound of ground being scraped hard continued.
WHOOSH.
Cheol Ryu-heun compressed the widening distance in one stroke and once again rapidly thrust the Ganjiang Sword.
However, Jeo Gyeom’s reaction movement was equally fast.
PA-FWAP.
He bent his body that was sliding with soles touching the ground far back as if lying down.
SWISH-
The Ganjiang Sword just pierced empty air and passed by, leaving a futile wind sound.
CRE-CRACK, CRE-CRA-CRACK-!
In the end, the thick wall behind suffered ordeal once again and let out an agonized scream.
Simultaneously.
TAP.
Jeo Gyeom, who had bent his body backward, touched the ground with his left hand and did one aerial flip before landing.
FWOOOOSH!
Centered on his back, he burst forth a circular energy membrane resembling a terrifying ghost face, spreading it wide.
It was the Ghost Face Barrier.
At that moment, the intangible energy that came crashing against the back of his body collided and caused a great explosion.
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRASH-!
It was Cheol Ryu-heun’s handiwork.
Though blocked by the Ghost Face Barrier, the gap between the one-sword charge and immediate intangible energy surprise attack was incomprehensibly fast.
Earlier, Cheol Ryu-heun had deployed an intangible energy attack through this same method as a surprise.
Soaring Through Air Controlling Energy.
A supreme-level study with the essence of moving intangible energy released across space to attack a target.
That was not internal energy technique belonging to a category that just any first-rate master could master.
Just like Grasping Objects from Void, the supreme-level study of taking surrounding objects using only inner power without touching them.
Amid the thick, deep bloodlust in his chest, Jeo Gyeom felt a thread of competitive spirit blooming.
It was truly admirable martial prowess.
How could a fellow barely at the age of twenty have such high achievement in internal energy technique study?
Among the martial artists in their twenties of the current martial world, this was an ability that could be called firmly in the top ranks.
Yet the impressions in his head lasted only an instant, literally.
FLICK.
Because Cheol Ryu-heun was rushing in like a ray of light again.
The Ganjiang Sword laden with white sword energy and the Hunming Sword laden with indigo sword energy collided, creating a cross with horizontal and vertical momentum.
CLANG!
Without fail, round haze appeared along with the metallic sound.
No sooner had each other’s blades separate than they collided again, howling.
CLA-CLANG!
Sparks flew.
TING!
Wave-like energy spread.
CLANG, CLA-CLANG!
Sharp trajectories burst cutting sounds without regard for up, down, left, or right.
Thus, the Ganjiang Sword and Hunming Sword continued fierce contention without rest, pressing bodies together on behalf of their two masters.
Offense-only Cheol Ryu-heun, and defense-only Jeo Gyeom.
As the saying goes, it was a contest of evenly matched opponents.
No.
At first glance, the aspect where Cheol Ryu-heun was pressing fiercely with attacks seemed slightly more advantageous.
At the point when the collisions between Ganjiang Sword and Hunming Sword had surpassed forty exchanges.
‘Ha.’
Jeo Gyeom inwardly let out a meaningful laugh again.
The time was finally approaching.
Now at the fifty-exchange mark, he would gain complete superiority.
It couldn’t be helped.
Because Cheol Ryu-heun was exhausted.
He detected that the sword’s cultivation had fallen compared to the early stage.
It was a natural phenomenon.
Since internal cultivation was originally finite.
The amount of energy that could be held in the body was fixed.
Though the level of that cultivation would vary vastly depending on the martial artist, it wasn’t infinite.
Cheol Ryu-heun had poured out tremendous cultivation every exchange, intending to finish as quickly as possible.
On the other hand.
He himself, protecting his body with the Ghost Skull Divine Armor, had focused more on defense while properly allocating his internal cultivation usage.
CLA-CLA-CLANG- KABOOOOM-!
When Cheol Ryu-heun’s continuous sword strikes struck hard against the front of the Ghost Skull Divine Armor, Jeo Gyeom retreated step by step.
It was the aftereffect of the repelling force.
However.
The heavy sword power contained in the Ganjiang Sword couldn’t penetrate the surface of the Ghost Skull Divine Armor and enter his body.
“See? Your sword can never reach my heart.”
Words that Jeo Gyeom uttered while moving his attacks.
His attitude showed composure.
Yet Cheol Ryu-heun merely executed sword strikes expressionlessly throughout.
Metallic sounds rang out again.
CLA-CLANG- KA-CRASH-!
Jeo Gyeom’s figure retreated another ten paces along with the roundly spreading haze.
Proportional to the widened gap.
‘Kekek!’
The laughter in his chest grew.
He sensed that the opportunity for counterattack he had calculated in his head since the start of the match was now looming before him.
CLANG- CLA-CLANG- CL-CLING!
Within the collisions of Ganjiang Sword and Hunming Sword, Jeo Gyeom’s low voice flowed in.
“Did you judge the White Peak Sword Scripture useless?”
The series of sword attacks Cheol Ryu-heun had shown were powerful but weren’t forms of the White Peak Sword Scripture.
How to put it, it was free swordwork without form or style.
Yet it wasn’t working.
Jeo Gyeom’s words were a kind of mockery, asking whether it wouldn’t be better to execute powerful ultimate techniques of the White Peak Sword Scripture instead.
At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun’s fierce sword attacks underwent a change.
As if accepting the opponent’s words, he brought out an ultimate technique of the White Peak Sword Scripture.
The first sword form of the final chapter, Peak’s Arrival.
SHO-SHWING!
A thrust like a great mountain peak charging forward in its entirety.
White light combining the pressure of sword wind and the power of sword energy into one rushed straight forward like an awl.
CLA-CLAAAANG- KRABOOOM!
Jeo Gyeom was pushed back hard again.
Yet.
He was openly smiling on his face.
As if saying go ahead and do as you please.
Cheol Ryu-heun closed the gap and swung the Ganjiang Sword flickering with white energy waves horizontally.
Peak’s Spirit.
The second sword form of the final chapter.
A horizontal slash like a spirit guarding a mountain peak swinging a giant sword wreathed in white mist.
Following the Ganjiang Sword’s trajectory, white sword energy resembling a pointed peak burst forth grandly, assaulting Jeo Gyeom’s front.
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRASH!
Jeo Gyeom’s figure, having met it with an identical slash, slid far backward wrapped in great haze.
It was sword power of tremendous force as if warning that the final moment of the match was imminent.
But one more remained.
Having thus advanced rapidly, Cheol Ryu-heun swung the Ganjiang Sword in his right hand diagonally downward.
SHWIIIING!
White sword energy burst along the sky-blue blade, bending out in straight lines toward the opponent’s body.
Mountain Road.
The third sword form of the final chapter.
Befitting its name, it was a terrifying majesty like a mountain peak furiously shaking.
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRASH-!
A thunderous explosion that greatly shook the entire area forest including the manor.
Beneath the air where the echo resounded, Jeo Gyeom THUDDED his back into the wall and crashed in.
RUMBLE, RUMBLE…
Bricks collapsing like a sand castle swept by waves.
Jeo Gyeom was still standing on two feet.
Soon, the moment Cheol Ryu-heun was about to advance with the Ganjiang Sword tilted diagonally.
WHOO-WOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, Jeo Gyeom kicked off the ground, compressed the distance, and extended the Hunming Sword loaded with maximum cultivation.
Just from the flow of air being split by the blade, one could easily tell.
That it was rapid, heavy, and powerful.
The indigo sword energy of the Hunming Sword burst forth in the form of a large blade thrown fiercely by a yaksha.
It was Nine Springs Soul Shattering Cry, one of the three great ultimate techniques of the Nine Origins Sword Forms.
KRABOOOOOOOM-!
By the time the clamorous explosion burst forth, Cheol Ryu-heun’s figure was already bouncing one jang backward.
Not to be outdone, Jeo Gyeom kicked off the ground KICK! and advanced, executing another Nine Origins Sword Forms ultimate technique.
Indigo sword energy in the shape of a fire pillar shot from about a dozen paces’ distance.
It was Nine Hells Calamity Fire Sword.
KABOOOOOOOOM-!
Cheol Ryu-heun, having taken the impact from the terrifying sword power, was bounced even more accelerated to beyond three jang.
Blood droplets falling to the ground.
Most likely traces of internal injury.
Jeo Gyeom, having raised one corner of his mouth, stood in place and brought out the final ultimate technique of the Nine Origins Sword Forms.
The moment he extended the Hunming Sword forward, indigo sword energy spread wide and transformed into something like a roof tile inscribed with a yaksha’s terrifying face before charging forward.
Nine Capitals Fork Face Tile.
The essence of the Nine Origins Sword Forms’ core that performed the profound uses of offense and defense simultaneously, the ultimate finishing skill.
SCHWAAAAAT- KRABOOOOOM!
Cheol Ryu-heun, swept up in the massive sword energy, was pushed like a fallen leaf driven by strong wind and CRASHED far into the wall behind, spewing blood.
A brief silence.
With the collapsed wall behind him and waist bent, fresh blood continuously dripped from the corner of Cheol Ryu-heun’s mouth.
Red dots imprinted on the ground.
DRIP, DRIP…
He had avoided external injury.
However, he seemed to have suffered even more severe internal injury.
Soon, Jeo Gyeom tilted the Hunming Sword downward and sneered coldly.
“Heh heh. Forget swinging a sword, you look like you don’t even have the strength to move your mouth.”
The true worth of Netherworld Sword Fork.
It felt like his powerful martial prowess, said to rival the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan, was finally displaying its true value.
STEP, STEP, STEP…
Jeo Gyeom moved his steps, intending to end it.
Neither slowly nor quickly.
A walk overflowing with the composure of a powerhouse who had gained superiority.
But then.
SPRING.
Cheol Ryu-heun, having rapidly raised his upper body, wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve and let an indifferent voice flow.
“Shall we end this?”
No sooner had his words ended than a mighty intangible aura was released.
RUUUUUMBLE-!
The space within one jang radius created great tremors.
CRACK-CRA-CRA-CRA-CRACK-!
Great cracks like a giant spider web spread along the ground.
Jeo Gyeom stopped walking.
He was shocked.
It was an incomprehensible situation.
He had clearly exhausted from the effect of consuming massive cultivation, and had even suffered internal injury severe enough to cough blood, and yet…?
At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice reached his ears.
“Are you bewildered? In common parlance, this is what they call ‘being fucked.'”