Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Sado-hak withdrew his sword in an instant.

An indescribable pressure was being felt. He had clashed with so many martial artists, but this was the first time he had seen someone who made his entire body send such a tingling warning.

Come to think of it, he had a debt to that man.

Although it was because he was off guard, he had been knocked down by the first blow.

And the second.

That too had happened because he was off guard, but in any case, there were things he had to pay back to that man. It was not the time to worry about his beard being cut.

The pinnacle of the Demonic Cult.

The one called the Demonic Emperor.

He had to reclaim his pride.

“A fairly good momentum. Although I was off guard, there was a reason I fell.”

A dark haze of energy began to flow from Sado-hak’s body as he looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

It was unmistakably demonic qi. It was a pressure clearly different from when he was facing Namgung Cheon until now.

“Off guard?”

However, Dan Woo-hyun smirked. It was because he felt that energy, which was somehow extremely familiar. Also, his tone was clearly mocking the opponent’s words.

Originally, martial artists consider assessing an enemy’s capability as part of their skill.

Looking at it that way, Sado-hak now seemed to be thinking no differently from martial artists who had just set out on their first journey. Well, he thought it could easily be so, since he was a man who had stood above everyone else.

Dan Woo-hyun nodded his head.

“You must receive punishment for destroying the manor.”

“Punishment? You speak such words because you do not know who I am!”

“I do not wish to know, nor am I interested.”

Sado-hak narrowed his eyes. Staring quietly at Dan Woo-hyun, he also let out a small sigh.

Indeed, this is why those who do not know the Murim have no fear. Do they not commit the foolish mistake of failing to recognize the opponent in front of them just because they have a bit of skill?

He laughed in disbelief.

In the end, the two men were thinking the same thing.

“Sir, why don’t you stop? Causing a pointless disturbance is a bit…”

“Stop? I came a long way to fight this guy. Yet, did I not faint twice from unexpected sneak attacks! Even so, do those words telling me to stay still come out of your mouth!”

“Ugh.”

Namgung Cheon sighed.

This was Sado-hak, who possessed the nickname Mad Dog. It was no exaggeration to say that his desire for martial arts was the greatest among the Five Emperors, so his hobby was to find hidden hermits and fight them.

Ultimately, all of this was bound to happen.

He could not stop it either.

‘Even Manor Lord Dan seems to have no intention of stopping… Well, if my manor became like this, would I not feel the same?’

Namgung Cheon looked around.

They had only run away for about a quarter of an hour, yet most of the buildings were destroyed. It felt as if a fierce battle had occurred to anyone who looked.

Under these circumstances, Dan Woo-hyun would not stay still either.

Look at that, those eyes.

He had absolutely no intention of standing by.

And he smiled subtly.

Whether it was a sneer or just a chuckle.

At Sado-hak’s words, Dan Woo-hyun smiled briefly and stepped forward.

“Sam-tae, watch So-mi. Woo-jin, step back.”

“Yes!”

Answering vigorously, Gwon Woo-jin nodded his head. He did not know who was picking a fight with Dan Woo-hyun, but looking at Namgung Cheon’s behavior, he was no ordinary person.

To be able to watch a fight between such experts. There could be no greater fortuitous encounter than this.

However, Jang Sam-tae was different.

Sticking close to Dan Woo-hyun’s side, he spat on the ground and…

“Oh my… I thought I was going to die. Shibal! Hey, you crazy old man! If you are going to go crazy, you should do it gracefully!”

At those words, Sado-hak’s eyebrows twitched.

No one in this entire Central Plains dared to say such words to him. He was in such a high position and held a martial force that no one could look down on.

With a sneer, Sado-hak flicked his finger. Instantly, a single streak of black light shot out rapidly.

From the perspective of Jang Sam-tae or Gwon Woo-jin, it was merely to the extent of seeing something.

However, the sound of tearing wind was heard.

As Dan Woo-hyun, who was next to Jang Sam-tae, moved his hand, something exploded in midair.

Jang Sam-tae was startled and sat flat on his buttocks.

“Wh… What…”

It was definitely a blow meant to kill.

Sensing that indication, Jang Sam-tae swallowed hard, hastily retreated, and ran toward where Dan So-mi was. It felt like he would not be able to preserve his life if he stayed here.

“You seem to have a fiery temper. Using a killing move over a single word.”

“Hmph! No martial artist would stay still after being insulted.”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded at those words.

Indeed, it was true.

However, the story is different if the opponent is weak. If one seeks to kill over something that could end with a mere scolding, they are no different from a murderous demon rather than a martial artist.

Sighing softly, Dan Woo-hyun moved his hand and beckoned.

“Is that so. Then come. I shall make you realize your place.”

Sado-hak’s face flushed red.

That gaze looking down on the opponent with contempt.

It was the very look Sado-hak himself had used until now.

The gaze of a strong man who was certain that there was no one above him, only those below.

Since that gaze was directed at Sado-hak himself, resentment surged.

Thick demonic qi flowed from Sado-hak’s body as he held his sword. It was the pressure of an absolute powerhouse that no one could ever hope to match.

Although it was only for a moment, Gwon Woo-jin felt as if his breath had stopped. He froze at the spot where he stood, unable to even move.

‘This pressure! Could it be?!’

Why had he not realized it until now?

A man who knew Namgung Cheon and used demonic arts.

Furthermore, if his level was comparable to the Sword Emperor, there was only one person in this Central Plains.

Demonic Emperor Sado-hak.

The moment he realized that name, Gwon Woo-jin could do nothing. A sense of anxiety also crept in, wondering if he might end up seeing Dan Woo-hyun get defeated here.

As people commonly said, the skills of the Five Emperors were neck and neck, but due to the nature of demonic arts, their destructive power was the greatest.

However, Dan Woo-hyun did not even blink.

Rather, he smiled and…

“Come.”

…and lightly reached out his hand.

He did not even try to grasp a sword.

To Gwon Woo-jin’s eyes, Dan Woo-hyun trying to face Sado-hak without even a sword looked no different from committing suicide.

“You bastard!”

Sado-hak rushed in angrily.

Boom!

Along with a violent sound, countless fragments flew up. He had merely moved, but the impact was beyond imagination.

Sado-hak’s body disappeared and appeared in front of Dan Woo-hyun in the blink of an eye.

Even though he had his eyes wide open, it was a speed so fast that Gwon Woo-jin could see nothing. It could not even be compared to when he was chasing Namgung Cheon earlier.

“Tsk, tsk.”

However, Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue.

As Dan Woo-hyun turned his body slightly, the sword grazed past his neck, and his extended finger was already touching the space between Sado-hak’s eyebrows.

“Uh?!”

“I am not an opponent against whom the same trick works twice.”

Without even moving, he avoided Sado-hak’s sneak attack that flew in too fast to be seen, and instead launched a counterattack.

If Dan Woo-hyun unleashed a finger technique like that, Sado-hak would not be able to avoid it.

Yet, Sado-hak’s blade was also at Dan Woo-hyun’s neck.

It would take but a moment for Dan Woo-hyun to die.

Sado-hak faced a situation of whether to retreat or press forward.

Sado-hak grimaced.

But the choice to retreat did not exist in his dictionary. He swung his sword horizontally just like that.

Swoosh!

The sound of tearing wind violently rang in their ears.

Gwon Woo-jin, who had tightly closed his eyes thinking Dan Woo-hyun’s head would fly off, slowly opened his eyes when he heard no sound.

“What is this…!”

“When targeting each other at close range, the one whose momentum is suppressed first loses. Sado-hak has already been suppressed by Manor Lord Dan’s pressure.”

“Pardon?”

“…If you do not know, just watch.”

Sado-hak’s horizontally swung blade cut through empty air.

It was a situation where it was right that he should have cut Dan Woo-hyun’s neck. However, he was standing fine at that spot, and instead, Sado-hak had retreated four steps back, clutching his chest.

“Ugh…!”

He had been struck by a palm strike.

He had been worrying about the finger touching the space between his eyebrows, thinking he only needed to cut the neck at once before the finger technique was unleashed.

But a person does not have only one hand.

Dan Woo-hyun had extended his left hand to strike Sado-hak’s chest with palm energy, and at the same time, displayed a godlike technique of avoiding the swung sword merely by twisting his body.

What made Sado-hak even more furious was…

‘That bastard! He did not move a single step!’

No one in this Central Plains could stand fine while opposing him.

But what was this guy? The irritation surged even more because of the face that still showed no expression.

“What is the matter? Are you flustered because you experienced something unexpected at a place you visited without thinking?”

“Do not speak useless words.”

“I must have hit the mark.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

Then he looked around. Most of the manor, where he had lived and grown attached to for almost a year, was ruined. He resolved to definitely extract this price.

“I thought about taking about one limb, but since the ruined manor needs to be repaired, it would be better if the body is intact. Then is it the head?”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

Sado-hak raised his voice and gnashed his teeth.

Dan Woo-hyun was mumbling to himself.

Though it was a quiet voice, there was no way he could not hear it. Sado-hak’s hearing, having reached the realm of ultimate mastery, was several times superior to that of a beast.

However, Dan Woo-hyun did not care and beckoned with his hand.

“What are you doing? Come again.”

The word full of composure set Sado-hak’s heart on fire once more. Sado-hak moved, sparking a resolve to definitely make a mess of that damnable face.

As demonic qi flowed from his body, it created a faint afterimage. Step by step, the sight of him approaching gave off a strange atmosphere, as if a demon were walking.

“The… Heavenly Demon Descent Steps…!”

Gwon Woo-jin knew what that was.

An absolute footwork that only the pinnacle of the Demonic Cult could use.

A martial art that was said to have made countless unorthodox martial artists kneel.

Rather than simple footwork, it was said that the demon would overpower a person’s soul.

Even Sado-hak’s own form could not be seen.

Faint black demonic energies approached while creating afterimages, and because all of them exuded an immense pressure, even Namgung Cheon could not tell who Sado-hak was.

“Amusing.”

Dan Woo-hyun quietly watched the situation.

The entire surroundings were being dyed pitch black. The whole area was filled with the demonic qi flowing from his body, and it seemed as if it would soon cover even the sky.

That terrifying demonic qi seemed like it would swallow even Dan Woo-hyun.

“Is this what they commonly call demonic qi?”

Dan Woo-hyun smiled faintly.

Even though it was clearly a difficult situation, his composure did not disappear. As he slowly reached out his hand, wind began to gather around him.

As if representing Dan Woo-hyun’s heart, which felt no anxiety even while watching the gently approaching black energy, the wind blew softly and gathered into his grasp.

And the wind gathered in his hand created a small sphere, which soon began to spin at a furious speed and generate a fierce wind.

As if to swallow even the black energy!

Soon, as the wind in his grasp exploded…

Crash!

The darkness in all directions was swept away.

It was torn to shreds and blown away.

Whether it was demonic qi or demonic arts, the darkness disappeared just like that without being able to block the blades of wind, and Sado-hak rose into the air while spraying blood from his entire body.

“Aaack!”

His scream resounded everywhere.

Enjoyed the chapter?

If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!

Support on Ko-fi