Chapter 498: Chapter 498

The first time he saw him was when he was very young.

He still remembered it.

It was a child he had seen while wandering aimlessly through the Central Plains. Disheveled hair, a body so emaciated from not even eating properly.

In a way, it was like looking at a mummy.

He didn’t know what he was thinking at the time.

Perhaps it was the first time a sympathy he had never had in his life arose.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor reached out a hand toward that child.

He didn’t just simply reach it out.

He didn’t even reach it out telling him to follow.

It was nothing more than handing over a small piece of candy held in his hand.

Why did he do that?

Perhaps it was because the child’s gaze and expression somewhat resembled someone else without him realizing it.

One who had given up on life.

The eyes of one who wanted to lay everything down and die.

“Do you want to die?”

It seemed to be the first time he had spoken to him.

For someone who looked at everyone like trash and never said a word, it was also a bizarre thing to speak to a young boy who wanted to die.

And the answer that came back was also bizarre.

“I want to live.”

Wasn’t it truly a funny thing?

The expression and gaze of the boy saying he wanted to live were saying he wanted to die. Perhaps because of that, the Heavenly Martial Emperor, smiling even more, spat out one decisive word to the child.

“Then try to live. You will have to become strong. Whatever is in front of your eyes, kill it. Kill and kill again and move forward. That is the path for you to live.”

That very moment was when the energy of the Heavenly Murder Star dormant in the child bloomed. It was something even the Heavenly Martial Emperor hadn’t anticipated, nor did he ever think that this child would block his path in the future.

Did he recall that time?

The Heavenly Martial Emperor wore a despondent expression with a smile.

“I wonder how long it has been since we faced each other properly like this.”

“…I think it was just a few months ago?”

“Hahaha, that wasn’t my real face then, was it?”

“You fooled me well.”

“Hiding is one of this old man’s specialties.”

The Heavenly Martial Emperor burst into laughter, going “Haha.”

As he advanced step by step, that face had changed countless times. Then it suddenly stopped at one, which was none other than the face of Tae Gong-jin.

However, Dan Woo-hyun didn’t even budge.

He didn’t make a surprised expression, nor did he scoff at it.

Eventually, as that face returned to its original form, only then did Dan Woo-hyun smirk and open his mouth.

“Your current face is much better.”

“I’m glad you say so. I thought this old man wouldn’t be recognized again.”

“…”

“Do you remember? A very long time ago.”

Recalling matters from the distant past, the Heavenly Martial Emperor opened his mouth. Thinking back to that time, this situation was truly ridiculous and something he hadn’t even imagined.

Who would.

Dare to.

Think they would block the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s path?

Not even in the immortal realm, but in this land of the Central Plains.

“I should have recognized it then. What the meaning of the Heavenly Murder Star residing in you was… and who it was that the Heavenly Emperor created to kill me.”

“What a joke…”

“Your life, every single part of it, is all according to the Heavenly Emperor’s intentions. Did you not know that?”

“I don’t care. I walked my path, and since you are standing in front of it and being a hindrance, I intend to cut you.”

“Hahaha.”

That straightforward gaze, still stubbornly knowing only himself, didn’t change. Because of that, he was unpredictable and couldn’t be drawn in.

If back then, he hadn’t left the small Dan Woo-hyun behind and had embraced him instead, would all these circumstances have changed?

Such a curiosity arose.

‘No, it definitely would have changed.’

The Heavenly Emperor must have taken a gamble as well.

Also, seeing that it was himself who created all these situations, he couldn’t help but feel bitter, yet he also harbored no small amount of anger towards the one blocking his path.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor took his stance.

It was a starting posture he hadn’t unfolded in a long time.

But he wasn’t like Ryu Tae-seo.

Because the Heavenly Martial Emperor was an immortal, and the strongest being fully prepared to fight anytime, anywhere.

Boom-!

The movements of the two people couldn’t be seen.

But something exploded and the ground vibrated.

Neither of them even said they would start first, nor did they utter foolish words about yielding a move. This was because they were well aware that it would be an insult to the opponent, and it was not a situation to do so.

The hand and the sword clashed.

With every clash, their movements became increasingly fiercer.

Who was winning?

Slash!

The moment they retreated, the collars of both men were sliced off simultaneously. Spouting blood was also the same. It made one sweat with tension, as if watching a fight decided by a paper’s margin.

Clang, clang, clang, clang-!

Even though hand and sword clashed, it sounded as if sword and sword were clashing.

The fight was becoming even fiercer.

Cut, torn, and crushed.

Palm force poured down, sword aura ran wild, and the wind blowing between the two was fierce, swirling like a gale and surging to push each other away.

The surroundings turned into ruins in an instant.

Powers incomparable to when he fought the Blood Demon last time went berserk and exploded from all directions.

If anyone else had been in this place, they wouldn’t have even been able to find a trace.

Dozens of zhang were devastated and nothing was left.

The power of an immortal and a Martial God truly evoked a natural disaster, and the violent power swirling every time the two clashed made one wonder if it perhaps surpassed even that.

Boom, boom, boom!

Would it be like this if hundreds of artillery shells were fired?

No, maybe that wouldn’t even be enough.

Power exploded and everything around was crushed and trampled.

This sight of powers clashing that seemed capable of cutting not only the moonlight but even the moon itself was so mighty and incredible that it was impossible to even watch.

No matter who it was, if there were any onlookers, they wouldn’t be able to hold back their astonishment.

Although the moment they let out a scream of astonishment, not a trace of them would remain.

Splash!

The two men retreated more than five steps from each other.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor’s appearance was a mess.

Blood was flowing from all over his body, and the torn and sliced areas were also considerable. He had avoided only major injuries, but that wasn’t all.

Blood was pooled in the saliva he spat out.

He had even suffered internal injuries, albeit mild ones.

And that was the same for Dan Woo-hyun as well.

His hair was disheveled and he was bleeding from all over. Considering he was someone who had suppressed opponents without shedding a single drop of blood properly until now, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the gap between the Heavenly Martial Emperor and Dan Woo-hyun was truly a paper’s margin.

“Amazing, truly. To go this far…”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun was feeling it anew.

He had clashed with the Heavenly Martial Emperor a very long time ago. At the time, he had claimed victory quite easily, and judging from that situation, he had suspected whether he was hiding his strength.

But seeing it now, that was true.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor hadn’t brought out his true power until now.

Whatever the reason was, he could easily feel it just by exchanging swords now.

A sense of tension began to set in.

A martial artist’s competitive spirit that had disappeared a very long time ago emerged.

A fight of life and death.

How long had it been since he recalled having such a thing?

He didn’t remember well.

Every time he cut down countless people, each of those instances was a battle dividing life and death, but it had been so long since he felt such a feeling from clashing head-on with a single person that he couldn’t even remember.

Dan Woo-hyun laughed.

The thick smile on his face was just like that of a pure child.

His competitive spirit and noble spirit boiled over.

Who would actually survive this battle.

The chill felt every time swords were exchanged further heightened Dan Woo-hyun’s heart and was drawing out his past self even faster.

Clang-! Clang, clang, clang-!

Dan Woo-hyun’s sword blade became even fiercer.

As if revealing everything he had been hiding until now, his power and technique changed. The sword was sharper and his movements added an extreme degree of agility.

Every time he swung, the wind moved and encroached on the surroundings.

He tried to resist fiercely, but the wind flowed as if swallowing and toying with the opponent, lingering around the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

“Keuk!”

The Heavenly Martial Emperor bit his lip, twisted his body, and blocked.

He counterattacked, exhaling palm force and stretching out his legs to keep him in check. The triple combo extending in that instant contained strength that no one could withstand, yet Dan Woo-hyun blocked and dodged without even blinking an eye.

Rather, he was enjoying this situation.

As if fighting the Heavenly Martial Emperor was extremely fun.

And as if he liked those things very much.

Cutting, falling back, and unhesitatingly countering a threateningly incoming move, he began to pressure and corner the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

Slash, slash, slash, slash!

Boom, boom!

The sword was swung numerous times, cutting the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

At the same time, the extended palm force and finger techniques pierced Dan Woo-hyun’s body. It looked as though they were exchanging blows, but unlike the retreating Heavenly Martial Emperor, Dan Woo-hyun advanced and clashed with a thick smile hanging on his lips.

Boom!

The winds clashed.

Dan Woo-hyun’s wind and the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s wind collided, creating a fierce gale. A massive power that seemed ready to crush and turn to dust whatever was around it.

It contained such a formidable strength that even the two of them couldn’t endure it.

Eventually, one step.

That difference of a single step created something decisive.

At the same time as an unbearably fierce wind swirled, contrary to the Heavenly Martial Emperor who took a step back, Dan Woo-hyun took a step closer, closing that gap.

“…?!”

“Too late!”

Dan Woo-hyun didn’t cut.

He stabbed.

He thrust the sword straight through, piercing the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s heart.

Stab!

The moment the blade dug deep into the flesh, the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s face changed by the second. His body trembled violently, but he couldn’t die like this.

Such a death was tantamount to smearing mud on the name of the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

Gritting his teeth, his full power extended from his grasp.

Bang-!

He was hit squarely.

A tremendous palm force shot out, sending Dan Woo-hyun’s body flying. The moment his body soared up, the Heavenly Martial Emperor stretched out his fingers with all his might.

Smack, smack, smack!

Fierce sounds were heard.

Several finger techniques pierced Dan Woo-hyun’s body.

Eventually, Dan Woo-hyun, who had flown well over several zhang, crashed to the ground with a loud ‘Thud!’.

“Keugh!”

At the same time as engraving that in his eyes, blood burst from the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s mouth. He couldn’t breathe properly and his vision gradually grew dark.

He tried to raise his immortal power to heal himself, but the strength that had already begun to drain out did not return easily. He tried to live somehow, but Dan Woo-hyun’s blade was by no means as forgiving as he thought.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor, who had collapsed, forced himself to stand up.

Staring intently at the blade lodged in his heart, he let out a despondent laugh.

“So this… is how I go…”

The strength in his voice disappeared.

His gaze gradually lost focus, and his face instantly turned pale.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor who had created the Eight Immortals to protect this Central Plains.

The true immortal and guardian of this land of the Central Plains, who had at times taken on the role of destroyer.

Thud-

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