chapter 235

Fighting Through the Chaos for Blood Ties (1)

Drip, drip!

Blood dripped down the blade, falling to the ground.

Lee Gwak gazed indifferently in the direction his blade pointed. There, Noh Tae-tae was struck.

Lee Gwak’s blade had pierced Noh Tae-tae’s heart.

“Gr-gr-gr!”

Noh Tae-tae let out a grotesque groan.

Disbelief filled her bulging eyes.

She couldn’t believe that the blade piercing her heart was real. It felt like a nightmare.

Having survived countless brushes with death over the last hundred years to get to this point, accepting this reality was all the more difficult.

“You, you… how have I lived…”

Noh Tae-tae tried to speak. But Lee Gwak had no time to listen to her words.

Lee Gwak pulled the blade out of Noh Tae-tae’s chest.

Whoosh!

Blood sprayed from her heart, staining the ceiling red. Some of it splattered on Lee Gwak as well.

Lee Gwak shielded Lee Cheong with his blood-drenched robe.

Thud!

Finally, Noh Tae-tae fell to the ground.

She twitched like a bug a few times before all movement ceased. She was dead.

Noh Tae-tae had lived for over a hundred years, stirring numerous upheavals from behind the scenes in the Jianghu, but her end was utterly insignificant.

Lee Gwak was unaware and uninterested in such facts.

All he cared about was escaping the White Light Sect safely with Lee Cheong.

At that moment, Lee Cheong peeked out from behind Lee Gwak’s robe and flinched at the sight of Noh Tae-tae’s lifeless body.

For years, this old monster tormented his family, and seeing her die so easily shocked Lee Cheong.

‘Dad is really strong.’

Lee Cheong was genuinely amazed at Lee Gwak’s strength.

He had inferred from the conversations between Noh Tae-tae and Won Gong-yeo that Lee Gwak would be strong, but experiencing Lee Gwak’s strength firsthand exceeded his imagination.

But his surprise was brief. Lee Cheong pointed at a small desk’s drawer.

“Dad! We need to take the Life Saving Pills from the drawer.”

When Lee Gwak opened the drawer, he found twenty Pills.

Knowing these precious elixirs could prolong his son’s life, Lee Gwak carefully pocketed them.

Tatatatat!

Sounds of numerous footsteps approached from outside.

Finally, the elites of White Light Sect had arrived.

Screech!

Lee Gwak, with Lee Cheong on his back, tore the blanket covering Noh Tae-tae’s bed into long strips and wrapped it tightly around them, covering Lee Cheong with it as well.

It was made of thick bear hide.

While it might not stop sword or blade attacks, it could sufficiently protect Lee Cheong from hidden weapons.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Lee Cheong hugged Lee Gwak’s neck tightly and nodded.

There were so many questions.

What happened to Lee Soo-ah?

Where was Han So Cheon?

How had Lee Gwak lived all these years?

But Lee Cheong asked not a single one of these questions.

What mattered now was escaping from this place, and curiosity could be satisfied later.

‘Daddy!’

Just feeling the warmth from Lee Gwak’s broad back was strangely comforting to Lee Cheong.

Lee Gwak moved forward.

Crossing the shattered doorway, he saw numerous martial artists surrounding Noh Tae-tae’s residence.

At the center stood Won Gong-yeo, glaring at Lee Gwak with bulging eyes.

“You! What happened to grandmother? If anything’s amiss with her, I swear I’ll tear you into a thousand pieces.”

Above all, Won Gong-yeo was concerned for Noh Tae-tae’s wellbeing.

Lee Gwak silently met Won Gong-yeo’s gaze.

Feeling a bad premonition from Lee Gwak’s demeanor, Won Gong-yeo’s expression stiffened.

“You, you didn’t harm grandmother, did you?”

“Every human meets their end.”

“You beast!”

Won Gong-yeo’s voice, filled with rage, echoed throughout the White Light Sect. It seemed tears of blood might start flowing from his eyes any moment.

“Kill him! Make sure he dies.”

At his command, numerous White Light Sect experts charged at Lee Gwak.

Like a swarm of angry bees, the experts rushed towards Lee Gwak, who aimed his sword in readiness.

This was a fight to protect his child, unlike any other.

Lee Gwak was prepared to walk the path of carnage willingly.

Wham!

Lee Gwak launched off the ground, executing his Revolving Steps.

His body skimmed low over the ground like a swallow gliding across the surface of the water, surging toward Won Gong-yeo.

“Insane!”

“Monster!”

Not content with killing Noh Tae-tae, Lee Gwak now targeted Won Gong-yeo, causing the martial artists of White Light Sect to shudder.

They unleashed their deadliest techniques at Lee Gwak.

Boom!

A barrage of powerful attacks rained down on Lee Gwak.

Avoiding all attacks and reaching Won Gong-yeo seemed impossible.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a translucent barrier briefly formed around Lee Gwak’s entire body.

“Defensive Qi shield?”

“Urgh!”

The martial artists, not expecting Lee Gwak to deploy a defensive qi shield, showed confusion. Lee Gwak had not revealed any use of qi-based techniques since entering the White Light Sect.

Lee Gwak had not used qi techniques not because they were inefficient but because they weren’t necessary.

He deployed the defensive qi shield solely to protect Lee Cheong.

Crash!

The attacks hit the qi shield, causing it to ripple violently and blood to seep from Lee Gwak’s mouth.

No matter how powerful the defensive qi shield was, it couldn’t completely nullify the impact. All the force had to be borne by Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak absorbed the shock alone to ensure Lee Cheong was unharmed. This caused his internal organs to jolt and his eyes to bloodshot from burst capillaries. Yet, Lee Gwak did not stop.

Swoosh!

His blade targeted Won Gong-yeo’s throat.

“No!”

“Block him!”

At that moment, several of White Light Sect’s martial artists threw themselves in front of Lee Gwak, using their bodies to shield Won Gong-yeo.

Whoosh!

Lee Gwak’s blade pierced through two of the martial artists but was stopped by a third.

Lee Gwak’s expression hardened.

His initial plan had been to kill Won Gong-yeo amidst the chaos and escape. He hadn’t anticipated White Light Sect’s martial artists sacrificing themselves to protect their leader.

As Lee Gwak’s movements were halted, the elite forces of White Light Sect that had been lying in wait sprang into action.

The Destroy Heaven Squad.

Elite martial artists crafted to bring down the Jade Heaven Alliance surged towards Lee Gwak like demons.

“Master! It’s dangerous.”

In the meantime, the protectors retreated with Won Gong-yeo to safety.

Their faces were etched with horror.

Never had they imagined that White Light Sect, one of the ten great sects, could be so brutally ravaged by a single martial artist.

Lee Gwak, protecting Lee Cheong and fighting ferociously, resembled an enraged beast. Every time Lee Gwak moved, the encirclement trembled significantly.

Won Gong-yeo gritted his teeth.

The Destroy Heaven Squad was White Light Sect’s secret weapon, prepared over many years. They never thought it would be used against a single martial artist.

Shwoosh!

“Agh!”

One of the elite martial artists of the Destroy Heaven Squad lost their life to Lee Gwak’s blade.

Tens of thousands of gold had been invested in training just one of them. That investment vanished into thin air in an instant.

Ssshh!

Lee Gwak’s blade cut through the air again, claiming another life. Dozens from the Destroy Heaven Squad had already fallen.

Millions in gold had gone up in smoke.

“We must kill him. No matter the cost, he must die today. If we let him escape, the consequences will be endless.”

Won Gong-yeo shouted as if spitting blood.

Like ants swarming out of a hill, the White Light Sect’s martial artists converged on Lee Gwak.

No matter how formidable Lee Gwak’s martial arts were, he couldn’t instantly kill them all, especially while protecting Lee Cheong. The fatigue Lee Gwak felt was several times greater than usual.

Swoosh!

Lee Gwak sustained an injury on his left arm. Yet, without a moment to stop and tend to the wound, he had to keep moving.

There was no time for a moment’s distraction or rest.

His body was soaked in blood, some his own, some belonging to others.

Lee Gwak’s body was covered in both large and small wounds. However, not a single scratch was found on Lee Cheong, thanks to Lee Gwak’s utmost effort to protect him.

‘Daddy!’

Lee Cheong clenched his teeth.

The landscape outside the protective cover was invisible, but Lee Gwak’s ragged breathing, vigorous movements, and the curses and clashing sounds from the White Light Sect’s martial artists were crystal clear.

Lee Cheong swayed with Lee Gwak’s movements, feeling dizzy and nauseous, yet he did not utter a single groan, trying not to disturb Lee Gwak’s concentration, just as Lee Soo-ah had done.

Lee Gwak’s movements began to slow down noticeably. His breathing became more rapid than before.

Despite darting back and forth to break through the encirclement, White Light Sect’s formation only became tighter over time.

Time was not on Lee Gwak’s side.

Alone, Lee Gwak might have found a way to escape, but with Lee Cheong, it was impossible. Eventually, the White Light Sect’s martial artists began targeting Lee Cheong, recognizing him as Lee Gwak’s vulnerability.

The effort to protect Lee Cheong occasionally required deploying a protective qi shield, draining Lee Gwak’s energy and rapidly depleting his physical strength.

Just when all seemed hopeless for Lee Gwak,

Boom!

A sudden explosion erupted from the outskirts of the White Light Sect.

“What’s that?”

“What’s happening now?”

The unexpected disturbance diverted the attention of the White Light Sect’s martial artists.

The situation was already chaotic inside the White Light Sect due to Lee Gwak alone. No one wanted any more variables to complicate matters further.

Bang! Boom!

Contrary to their wishes, explosions continued to erupt, drawing closer.

Boom!

“Brother!”

As a wall burst open, a man with the stature of a bear appeared.

The man who appeared, his eyes glaring, was none other than Cheol Gwang Woo. A ferocious aura radiated from his entire body.

“Roar! Who dares attack my brother?”

Crack!

With a single strike from Cheol Gwang Woo, two martial artists attacking Lee Gwak were pulverized and sent flying.

“What’s this?”

“This bear-like bastard…”

Enraged White Light Sect martial artists attacked Cheol Gwang Woo, but their attacks barely scratched him.

Practicing the Vajra Demon Shadow Technique, Cheol Gwang Woo was like a rampaging bull. His headlong charge sent White Light Sect martial artists flying like grasshoppers.

For these martial artists, dealing with someone like Lee Gwak was preferable. The recklessness of Cheol Gwang Woo, who charged like a mad bull without regard for his own safety, was truly terrifying.

Neither swords nor the average sword qi could touch him.

Cheol Gwang Woo’s madness materialized as a sinister, flickering flame, and his wild rampaging was terrifying to behold.

Lee Gwak approached Cheol Gwang Woo.

“Gwang Woo.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“Make a path.”

“Understood!”

Cheol Gwang Woo responded energetically and took the lead.

His massive body blazed a trail, with numerous martial artists colliding and rebounding off him.

Cheol Gwang Woo handled the ordinary martial artists, while Lee Gwak dealt with the high-level masters capable of using sword qi.

Their coordination was seamless, as if they had practiced together for a lifetime.

Together, their combat effectiveness multiplied.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

Their charge tore through the encirclement in moments. Many martial artists were left twisted in grotesque positions or dead, scattered in all directions.

“This can’t be happening!”

Won Gong-yeo trembled at the sight.

He had always been a mastermind behind the scenes.

Despite the perilous Jianghu, he never had to face storms head-on. A mere command from him was enough to set countless martial artists in motion.

To Won Gong-yeo, the Jianghu was no different from a trade guild that moved at his command. The idea of him being in danger was unfathomable.

Though he understood the dangers of the Jianghu intellectually, he had never physically felt threatened. It was true that he had underestimated Jianghu.

But Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo shattered that complacency.

The reality of White Light Sect being ravaged by just two men felt like a lie.

Even considering that two of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Assassin King had left, the catastrophe unfolding before him was excessive. It was enough to instill deep fear in Won Gong-yeo.

“Eek!”

Won Gong-yeo clenched his teeth, trembling with his chubby body.

Boom!

As an explosion sounded and walls crumbled, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo vanished through the breach. The White Light Sect’s martial artists hurriedly followed, but the thought of subduing the two seemed futile.

“Ah!”

Won Gong-yeo screamed towards the sky in despair.