Chapter 168: A Formidable Enemy

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read more at Nineheavens.org
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***

Meanwhile.

The Supreme Elder of the Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace and the Great Elder of the Ice Flower Palace, who had chased Jin So-myeong and arrived at the Flow-Shearing Grassland, frowned.

“The Flow-Shearing Grassland? Did he enter here?”

“The Two-Headed Fragrance-Chasing Rat caught his scent, so it is certain.”

Their gazes turned to the large two-headed rat.

As the sniffing rat pointed clearly in one direction, the faces of the two brightened.

The Two-Headed Fragrance-Chasing Rat had a sense of smell sensitive enough to catch the scent of a single drop of blood a thousand li away, making it perfect for tracking.

“Jin So-myeong’s flying speed was so fast that we almost lost him, but it is a relief that we tracked him well.”

Since Jin So-myeong, who had done nothing but train shut inside his cave dwelling, had come out after five years, they had to deal with him on this opportunity.

Actually, it was normal that they should have caught up long ago, but because Jin So-myeong’s movement speed was faster than imagined, they had lost him in the middle and ended up coming all the way here.

“Let us go quickly. Before the Two-Headed Fragrance-Chasing Rat loses the trail again.”

Just as they flew following the direction guided by the rat.

*Splat!*

A fountain of blood erupted from the Great Elder of Ice Flower Palace’s left shoulder.

“Heh!”

Startled, he hastily cast a defensive spell. He only felt relieved after wrapping a thick barrier to protect his entire body.

‘What kind of wind is this sharp?’

The fact that it was sharp was one thing, but the problem was that it was stealthy enough to not be detected even with Divine Sense. He had almost lost an arm absurdly.

*Clang, clang!*

Seeing the gusts of wind flying from all directions ceaselessly batter the barrier, he stuck out his tongue in astonishment.

The blade-winds of the Flow-Shearing Grassland, which he had only heard of through rumors, were far more dangerous than expected.

The Great Elder, who keenly realized the dreadfulness of the Flow-Shearing Grassland, turned his gaze.

He intended to check how the Supreme Elder of the Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace responded, but his eyes widened at the dumbfounding sight.

*Ting—!*

The blade-wind clashing with the bare skin, upon which no spells were cast, bounced off hollowly.

The Supreme Elder did not make any response. He simply endured the wind as sharp as Sword Qi with his bare body. It was skin so tough that it was unbelievable even to look at.

‘Crazy.’

If someone with such a monstrous body charged like crazy, how should one face them? There was no answer. He even pitied Jin So-myeong, who had earned the grudge of the Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace.

Just as he hid his disgusted look.

*Squeak!*

The Two-Headed Fragrance-Chasing Rat signaled that Jin So-myeong was right ahead, and the two men increased their speed.

And,

they were able to confront Jin So-myeong, who sat cross-legged in the middle of the ruins…

***

Jin So-myeong, who was recalling the text of the Light-Moon Silent-Life Sword, conflicted.

Unlike the River and Cloud Sword Art, which was in a state of complete entry, he had not yet understood even a fraction of the Light-Moon Silent-Life Sword. Therefore, to register it in the proficiency system, he had to consume Supreme Great Abilities.

If so, would his resolution to achieve at least sword training on his own be blurred? Once one tasted comfort even once, it was not easy to go back.

Just as Jin So-myeong was worrying over this and that, hesitating whether to register the Light-Moon Silent-Life Sword or not, he paused.

This was because he perceived the two people rapidly approaching with his vast Divine Sense.

*Thud!*

A bulky, muscular old man standing well over two meters tall flew down and landed in front of him.

A heavy pressure was felt from the intense aura, which was strong enough to make his skin sting. It felt as if a massive mountain range was approaching.

‘At the mid Nascent Soul stage… and has he trained in body tempering as well?’

The moment their eyes met, he had an intuition: the opponent was a powerhouse who would not be pushed back even if he fought a late Nascent Soul cultivator.

Glaring with eyes like a beast with prey before it, the bulky old man spoke.

“I am Supreme Elder Gwak Hon-bi of the Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace.”

Is he suggesting we introduce ourselves when he is openly emitting killing intent? Smirking, he replied.

“Jin So-myeong.”

“I ask you one thing. Are you the one who killed Great Elder Wi Mun-seok of our Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace?”

Tracing his memory at the familiar name, the Spell and Body Dual Cultivator he had met and fought in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda came to mind.

‘Revenge.’

Jin So-myeong, realizing the reason the opponent had visited, lightly nodded his head.

“It is true that I killed him.”

“…Then you won’t feel wronged even if you die.”

Following the voice overflowing with dense killing intent, a human-sized dark-colored long staff was pointed.

Jin So-myeong, dusting off his knees and standing up, spoke to the old man who followed.

“Have you also come to kill me?”

“Jin So-myeong. I heard that you mastered our Ice Flower Palace’s specialty, the Yin-Yang Great Hand Seal. Where did you obtain that secret art?”

“Yin-Yang Great Hand Seal? Let me see… Ah! I remember. I learned it from some idiot who tried to rob me in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda. Since it is a quite useful spell, I use it frequently.”

In the eyes of the old man who identified himself as belonging to the Ice Flower Palace, a sinister killing intent spread.

“That idiot is my great-grandson.”

“Oh dear, you should have taught him better at home. It is a pity that your great-grandson died while committing robbery. No, since he reaped what he sowed, is it a bit odd to say it is a pity…?”

Following his words spoken with a bright smile, a suffocatingly heavy silence ensued.

Between breaths, in that split second.

The dark-colored long staff Gwak Hon-bi thrust flew in, parting the empty air, and he parried it with a sword drawn like lightning.

*Crrreeak!*

Centering on the point where the sword and the long staff collided, a hemispherical shockwave spread.

The half-buried building debris fluttered like blocks of wood, then split into hundreds of pieces and flew here and there.

The ruins, which were already a mess, were devastated simply by the exchange of a single blow.

Jin So-myeong’s eyes shone at the heavy, massive strength transmitted through the sword blade.

‘He is strong.’

Did he say he was the Supreme Elder of the Dragon Elephant Demonic Palace? He was not an easy opponent.

Among all the enemies he had met so far, he was by far the strongest. And overwhelmingly so.

The invisible wave permeating through his wrist tried to tear his muscles apart. Reflexively twisting his sword, he took a step back. Just as he shed the impact.

The old man belonging to Ice Flower Palace swung his hands like a windmill.

*Crrrackle!*

Along with the sound of the atmosphere freezing, a dragon white as perennial snow appeared and glared at him. Furthermore, a red fire dragon that shot up through the ground spat out fierce flames.

‘Well, really.’

As he endured the cold and flames emitted by the two dragons with his blood armor, a dry laugh naturally escaped.

He had not particularly done anything heinous, yet two Nascent Soul experts came together to kill him. It was truly a mysterious life.

*Swish—!*

He sharpened his senses at the faint sound of tearing air.

There was no time to get lost in idle thoughts. While he was distracted by the Ice Flower Palace cultivator’s check, the dark-colored long staff targeted his heart.

In an instant.

The moment he was enveloped in lightning, the world slowed down. Casting the Lightning Escape Art, he deflected the staff with a sword accelerated rapidly.

Converting the spiritual power surging from his dantian into lightning Qi, lightning settled in the Sword Gang flowing along the blade.

*Crakkkle!*

Along with a burnt smell lingering at the tip of his nose, Gwak Hon-bi’s expression distorted.

This was because he scorched his insides with the Five Elements Divine Thunder penetrated every time the sword and the staff collided.

The Five Elements Divine Thunder, which had rapidly grown stronger recently, worked far better than expected. It was a fortunate thing, but Jin So-myeong was also not perfectly fine.

*Clang!*

Every time he blocked a blow that flew in as if checking him, the joints of his entire body screamed.

A massive strength capable of crumbling even a mountain was contained in the light thrust that seemed like a tap. It felt as if the invisible wave erupted from the tip of the staff penetrated persistently and whipped his internal organs.

Just as he forced down the blood welling up.

a flock of about a hundred fire birds launched by the Ice Flower Palace cultivator surged forward.

‘Tsk.’

He casually looked at them and tried to deflect them with his blood armor, but felt a chilling sensation.

The moment he reflexively jerked his head back and retreated.

*Fwip—!*

A transparent needle grazed past the tip of his nose.

Thanks to not ignoring the warning sent by his instinct, he avoided having his temple pierced, but it was not free.

*Bam!*

The dark staff, drawing a bizarre curve like a snake, slid along the blade and struck his shoulder. Along with intense pain, his right arm bone was completely shattered.

The situation was bad.

He was fighting a powerhouse whose victory or defeat was hard to guarantee even in a one-on-one, and they were even checking him from the side.

Just before the dark staff, smoothly turning its direction, thrust at his heart in succession, he extended his left palm instead of his shattered and sagging right arm.

*Rumble!*

Pouring in a large amount of spiritual power, he fired the Yin-Yang Great Hand Seal. He intended to buy a single breath of time using the lightning generated as the super-large palm exploded.

“Where do you think you are fleeing!”

Gwak Hon-bi’s muscles, which had been pushed back by the Yin-Yang Great Hand Seal, swelled up.

As if he could not give even a split second of a gap, he roughly shook off the lightning trying to bind his entire body and charged like mad.

*Whoooooosh—!*

Just before the dark staff plunging like a lightning bolt whipped the crown of his head.

The scroll Jin So-myeong unrolled, the Myriad Thunders Chaos Sky Scroll depicting a mountain range where rain and wind raged, melted into the empty air.

*Boom!*

Starting with a first bolt of lightning, thousands of lightning strikes poured down like rain.

The moment the spiritual power in his dantian vanished like an ebbing tide, the Rank 4 medium-to-high grade Spiritual Treasure activated with all his might dyed heaven and earth in bright yellow lightning.

*Rumble! Boom! Crash!!*

Fierce roars resounded without rest.

Lightning bolts plunging like flashes of light flew toward Gwak Hon-bi and the Ice Flower Palace cultivator.

“Uugh!”

The Ice Flower Palace cultivator groaned in pain, but Gwak Hon-bi shook off the lightning by shuddering his body a few times.

‘What a crazy body.’

It was a body so robust that it went beyond being absurd and drew admiration.

Gwak Hon-bi, who escaped the influence of the lightning Qi in barely the time to exhale a single breath, glared at him.

Looking at his distorted expression like a malevolent deity, for some reason, he laughed.

“Excellent!”

Shouting according to his instinct, he forgot everything.

Both the spiritual power of which only half remained though the fight had barely begun, and the Light-Moon Silent-Life Sword he repeatedly recited in a corner of his head so as not to forget it—all of it.

Slicing through all idle thoughts, he focused solely on one thing: the enemy in front of him.

He even threw away the thought that he must conserve spiritual power.

With the resolution that he would die if he did not finish it this time, he ignored the aftermath and displayed the Lightning Escape Art with all his might.

*Clang—!*

Sparks flew as the sword and staff collided.

Until the spark that flew toward the sky drew a parabola and fell to the ground, dozens of clashes ensued in an instant in which one could not even blink.

Each and every blow targeted the other’s vitals. Just as he poured out fierce attacks to kill the opponent.

*Crrrack!*

A bizarre bone sound was heard, and Gwak Hon-bi’s build grew gradually smaller.

Whether he had displayed some secret art, his size rapidly shrank, but the massive strength contained in the staff was the same. No, rather, it became several times stronger.

‘Dragon tattoo?’

Through his clothes cut by the blade, a dragon shape crawling on his skin was visible. The moment he perceived it, the aura emitted by the opponent amplified in an instant.

Just before the goosebump-inducing strong aura reached its peak.

‘Now.’

The dark clouds summoned by the Myriad Thunders Chaos Sky Scroll poured down lightning simultaneously.

*Boooom!*

While concentrating thousands of lightning bolts, he triggered the spiritual power sleeping in his heart, one of the five viscera.

Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration.

The energy starting from the heart passed the spleen and reached the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and every time it passed a single organ, the exponentially amplified energy turned into a ruinous light.

Just before pouring out the energy that had grown vast enough to shake the atmosphere.

In the opponent’s eyes, which did not waver at all, his Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye saw the future.

If he fired like this, it would miss.

In a split second of a split second. In a time so short that it could not be perceived by senses, let alone judged, his instinct moved.

He forcibly withdrew the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration about to erupt through the tip of his sword.

Ignoring the splitting pain that turned his head white, he grit his teeth and circulated the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration one more cycle inside his body.

Through the heart and back to the spleen.

The energy, amplified once more, advanced to an uncontrollable region. He felt as if his entire nervous system was on edge at the light of ruin that grew stronger without limit.

At this rate, he would truly die. His entire body would explode before he was struck by the opponent.

In an extreme state of concentration where time seemed to have stopped, his mind, elevated to its limit, found the answer.

He withdrew all the blood armor he wore like mail on his bare skin and wrapped it around his meridians like a coating.

*Shhhhhh!*

While protecting his meridians, which were on the verge of rupturing, he used the light of the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration running wild like spiritual power.

He poured the energy generated by the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration into the Myriad Thunders Chaos Sky Scroll and the Lightning Escape Art, which consumed vast amounts of spiritual power as lightning-attribute Spiritual Treasures.

Along with a world-rending pain, the time that had stopped for an instant began to flow, and

*Clang!*

he deflected the staff attempting to strike between his eyebrows. The staff that drew a smooth arc targeted his collarbone this time, but he responded in the same way.

Was it his imagination? The staff flying without rest felt somewhat light for some reason.

“…!”

As if it was not an illusion, Gwak Hon-bi’s eyes trembled violently.

As he circulated the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration inside his body and used it as an energy source, he was able to overwhelm the opponent with strength for the first time.

His joy was only brief.

The moment the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration that passed the spleen reached his lungs.

*Ringgggg!*

Along with tinnitus, his vision blurred.

As the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration reached the third of the five organs, he could not possibly bear the amplified energy. Even the blood armor protecting his meridians could not hold out and shattered to pieces.

A mist of blood erupted from the pores of his entire body.

The Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration, slipping out of control, began to leak through his cracked skin.

“Just what is…?”

At the unusual phenomenon, even Gwak Hon-bi, who had been charging fiercely without giving a fraction of a gap, stepped back hesitantly.

Perhaps because the pain had crossed the threshold, he was rather numb.

In the state of selflessness where death chased him to the tip of his chin, the single sword strike the Star-Shattering True Monarch had shown suddenly came to mind.

A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens. Did he say it dyes the entire world?

Could he not do it now? With energy overflowing like this, what could he not do?

He only needed to pour it out through the sword.

The moment a vague belief without even a proper basis settled in his heart,

the single sword strike crossing the empty air became light and dyed the world.

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