Chapter 169: Chapter 169
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“Keu-argh!”
Holding a large long-handled scythe, the demonic practitioner vomited a strange scream while striking down with that scythe. However, Jin Gyeon conversely avoided the scythe by sticking close to the fellow, grabbed that long handle, and twisted and pulled it. The demonic practitioner was stripped of his weapon unexpectedly.
Jin Gyeon used the long handle of the stolen scythe to poke hard into that demonic practitioner’s solar plexus, then turned it sideways to block a blade striking down at his head. However, the demonic qi contained in that blade was so monstrous that the head of the scythe snapped off with a snap.
However, Jin Gyeon was not panicked. As if he had intended it, he naturally retreated, avoiding the saber, and swung the remaining part, now a staff, with a whirring spin to strike the head of the demonic practitioner holding that saber. That fellow’s head made a cracking sound as blood splattered. Slumping forward in a heap, that fellow moved no more.
Afterward, he parried and blocked the iron skewer demonic practitioner’s continuous stabs with the staff tap-tap-tap.
Dan Sang-woon was dealing with two demonic practitioners holding a saber and a spear bare-handed. In the first clash, summoning thunderbolts to split one demonic practitioner in half from crown to groin was good, but the sword could not withstand that power and shattered instantly.
After that, before he could catch his breath, the other two demonic practitioners stuck close to him, so he was suffering a slight struggle, unable to summon the Primordial Thunderbolts again. It was a scene where his lack of experience was revealed.
However, even if struggling, he was not pushed back. Even while horrific blades flashed dizzyingly, he moved fluidly without allowing a single effective hit, and rather in between was lightly landing punches on the demonic practitioners’ faces or abdomens.
The demonic practitioners, despite swinging weapons dripping with demonic qi at outrageous speeds, could not catch Dan Sang-woon. That was due to the difference in level between Dan Sang-woon and the two demonic practitioners, while at the same time being because Dan Sang-woon could feel the overall flow of the fight rather than a method of pouring all power into a single strike.
In fact, even if the demonic practitioners’ martial arts were similar to Dan Sang-woon’s, it had no great meaning. Because he possessed thunderbolts, the true strike among strikes. And such a difference in level was similar on Jin Gyeon’s side as well.
The demonic practitioners currently fighting them were snakes active in the shadows of New Sichuan, demonic practitioners each holding a rank above Black Snake. Because of that, the enemies they dealt with were mostly common New Continent martial artists. Martial arts pouring most power into a single strike.
So the demonic practitioners, who awakened demonic arts and could perform attacks faster and stronger than that single strike, found Dan Sang-woon who seemed catchable yet uncatchable, and Jin Gyeon who landed fierce punches into openings without clashing head-on, unfamiliar to the point of being flustered.
It might have been slightly better had they completely entrusted their bodies to demonic arts and fought in the realm of instinct. However, Serpent Duke’s bell made their demonic arts boil red-hot while keeping their reason intact.
Confirming that the turning situation was not good, Serpent Duke raised the bell held in his left hand high and shook it rattle-rattle. At that sound, Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon suffered ear-tearing pain along with confusion as if their vision was dividing into two or three. The demonic practitioners did not miss the opportunity and charged.
At that instant, Jin Gyeon braced for internal injuries, raised his internal energy once more, and vomited a Lion’s Roar. With him as the center, a small dust wind rose, and a heavy booming noise oo-oo echoed through the yard and residence. The ear-tearing bell sound was buried beneath it and vanished.
Also, conversely now, the demonic practitioners about to charge clutched their heads and staggered. Though brief, the demonic practitioners, Jin Gyeon, and Dan Sang-woon all stopped attacking and groaned in that spot.
“Keu-uuu…”
“Uu-uu…”
Just then, Serpent Duke, who was shaking the bell, flipped his right-hand spear upside down and raised it high.
“Monk Jin Gyeon!”
Jin Gyeon, who had vomited the Lion’s Roar and was staggering, instinctively prostrated himself upon hearing Seo-ha’s sudden shout. However, being slightly late, he could not avoid the spear blade sweeping across his back. Blood splattered from his split back. The spear steeped in Jin Gyeon’s blood drove into a pillar and trembled.
“Monk!”
Opening the door wide and shouting a warning, Seo-ha screamed this time. And Serpent Duke’s gaze flashed toward Seo-ha.
“…Nine Yin Death Acupoint!”
As if the fight up until now was of no concern anymore, Serpent Duke fixed his gaze on Seo-ha and began striding over.
Having turned pale watching Jin Gyeon prostrate on the floor bleeding, Seo-ha faltered backward upon seeing such an appearance of Serpent Duke.
Just then, Jang Sang blocked her front and raised what he was holding:
“D-Don’t come, you bad guy!”
Shining with a blue blade, that was Jang Geon’s Azure Dragon. Jang Sang had quickly run inside and brought what was placed in Jang Geon’s room.
However, Serpent Duke did not pay any attention to it. He merely extended an empty hand to Jang Sang, then swept it sideways as if clearing away trash. Yet with just that, Jang Sang was blown away along with the Azure Dragon he held.
“Ooh-ack!”
Having blown Jang Sang away, Serpent Duke’s hand now pointed at Seo-ha. Seo-ha’s blue eyes and his dark shadow hidden inside the robe faced each other.
“You, scoundrel!”
At that instant, Jin Gyeon’s enraged shout rang out, and his two tightly clenched fists sank side by side into Serpent Duke’s robe. With a *pop, * sound of a ball bursting, Serpent Duke smashed through the door and flew into the house just like that. Furniture smashed against Serpent Duke’s body with a crashing noise.
Jin Gyeon blew Serpent Duke away like that, but soon collapsed onto one knee and groaned. Blood was flowing in streams from his back.
Seo-ha quickly approached and supported Jin Gyeon.
“Monk Jin Gyeon…”
However, Jin Gyeon gritted his teeth and tried to stand up. The demonic practitioners were still healthy, and Dan Sang-woon was in a dangerous situation as well.
However, as if making his concern meaningless, at that instant thunderous sounds *crack-crack-crack, * echoed in the yard successively. Surprised, Jin Gyeon turned around and found Dan Sang-woon holding the Azure Dragon in the middle of the yard, Jang Sang prostrate beneath him holding his head, and three demonic practitioners collapsing with their upper bodies split horizontally.
The only one standing intact was the iron skewer demonic practitioner whose nose had been broken by Jin Gyeon’s headbutt at first. That fellow was looking back and forth between Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon with flustered eyes. That fellow’s feet covertly pointed toward the main gate.
“Ugh-eargh!”
“Uncle!”
That fellow’s footsteps about to flee came to a sudden halt. Dan Sang-woon, who had bisected three demonic practitioners, vomited blood and collapsed onto his knees.
Dan Sang-woon had not properly settled his internal qi, but with Jang Sang rolling into the middle of the battlefield and Jin Gyeon’s situation looking bad, he was forced to overexert himself. The fortunate point was that Jang Geon’s Azure Dragon not only withstood his thunderbolts, but thanks to its original sharpness, he was able to handle three demonic practitioners in a single strike.
However, one demonic practitioner still remained. Furthermore, Serpent Duke who had flown into the house could not have his condition confirmed. It wasn’t that Jin Gyeon’s fists were weak, but even the other demonic practitioners were setting their dislocated jaws by themselves. It was not yet known.
Thinking right now when both Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon collapsed was an opportunity, the iron skewer demonic practitioner covertly raised his weapon and lowered his body.
“Ugh…”
However, he could not move. That was because the eyes of Dan Sang-woon and Jin Gyeon were glaring at him. Though both men were covered in blood at their lips and pouring cold sweat, the iron skewer demonic practitioner could not attack easily. Perhaps they possessed enough power left to handle just him.
Ultimately, the iron skewer demonic practitioner retreated step by step while reading their expressions. Seeing that fellow, Dan Sang-woon laughed softly and spoke:
“Are you waiting for the two fellows on the merchant guild side? Those two crossed the Styx long ago. So whether you flee or attack, do it quickly. Don’t drag out time any further.”
“W-What?”
Only then did the iron skewer demonic practitioner realize the meaning of the words Dan Sang-woon had muttered when he first appeared. The two demonic practitioners sent to clear out the merchant guild had already died at Dan Sang-woon’s hands. And the moment he heard those words, the iron skewer demonic practitioner decided to simply flee rather than fight. An excuse was also rising in his mind that should there not be someone to inform The Palace of the situation rather than everyone dying?
At that instant, *tinkle, * the bell rang out.
“Keu, keu-argh, kraaa!”
Unable to endure the demonic arts running wild through his entire body’s meridians, the iron skewer demonic practitioner about to retreat vomited a strange scream. The muscles that had already bulged tore with a riiiip noise and grew even larger, and saliva drooled from his mouth. From his hand, the iron skewer dropped thud onto the floor.
Once more, the bell rang out. At that, the demonic practitioner, who now truly looked more like a beast than a human, howled loudly and charged toward Dan Sang-woon.
Dan Sang-woon quickly pushed Jang Sang beside him to the side and charged to meet the demonic practitioner. Beneath the demonic practitioner who leaped up, Dan Sang-woon passed by.
The corpse of the demonic practitioner split from solar plexus to crotch fell onto the floor with a thud and slid straight forward with that momentum. Dan Sang-woon flicked his blade with a whack and stood upright. Since the bell rang out, the black-robed figure was still alive.
Sure enough, walking out from the smashed house, there was the grotesque figure striding out.
Jin Gyeon quickly sent the children in the opposite direction from him, staggered back, and stood side by side with Dan Sang-woon. Seeing him, Dan Sang-woon confirmed the main gate was open and spoke to the children:
“Everyone quickly flee to the merchant guild! Since the adults are there, ”
As if not letting them do so, the bell sound rang out. This sound was severe. While Dan Sang-woon and Jin Gyeon merely staggered, the children all assumed dazed expressions as if their souls had left, collapsing onto their knees.
“You bastard!”
Staggering, Dan Sang-woon saw those children, his eyes flipped in rage, and he picked up the iron skewer on the floor and threw it with all his might. The iron skewer, embedded even with the power of the Primordial Thunderbolts, struck Serpent Duke with a faint booming sound rumble-rumble.
Thanks to that, the bell sound stopped. Vitality returned to the faces of the children who had been sitting dazed. Instead, the children who regained consciousness now grew properly terrified and began to weep. Furthermore, power had drained from their legs so they could not even move further.
Seeing that, Dan Sang-woon’s face also turned pale. Because he had overexerted himself again with flipped eyes, his stomach was surging again.
“Mmm…”
Amidst that, Jin Gyeon let out a deep groan. His eyes were directed at the black-robed figure, specifically looking at the iron skewer caught in his white left hand. Dan Sang-woon’s attack was easily blocked.
“…You cannot leave this spot. Nor will anyone be permitted to flee…”
Serpent Duke’s hand crumpled the iron skewer with a crunch. As she took another step forward, Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon could properly see that person’s face. Because the robe covering her was pulled back when he was blown away by Jin Gyeon’s fist.
Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon let out flustered groans:
“What…”
“Neither an old woman nor a young girl… truly the face of Mara…”
The black-robed figure’s face exposed like that was grotesque. One half of the face, the left side, had deep wrinkles and sagging cheek skin of an old woman, while the remaining right side possessed the young, lively appearance of a young girl. Furthermore, the old woman’s eye was blue, while the girl’s eye was brown, adding to that grotesqueness.
Tossing the crumpled iron skewer onto the floor with a thud, Serpent Duke began striding toward Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon.
Seeing him, Dan Sang-woon spoke:
“I have only one strike left. What about you, Monk?”
“I am the same…”
“Good. We are two while that person is one, aren’t we? We will win. Then I will go first.”
Saying so, Dan Sang-woon raised the Azure Dragon high and charged toward Serpent Duke before Jin Gyeon could stop him. Jin Gyeon instinctively followed behind him.
Seeing him, Serpent Duke muttered:
“…Foolish…”
Before her muttering was even finished, the Azure Dragon held by Dan Sang-woon tore through the air and sounded a thunderclap. That lightning targeted Serpent Duke’s neck.
Serpent Duke grabbed for it with her right hand that was not holding the bell. Feeling strangeness, Dan Sang-woon added power to the grabbed Azure Dragon. Whatever plan it was, he thought that if it was the power of the Primordial Thunderbolts, it could slice through. Thus her pale hand and the Azure Dragon carrying the power of thunderbolts met.
“Ugh!”
Dan Sang-woon groaned at the immense repulsive force transmitted from the hilt and dropped his sword. The Azure Dragon, which tore his palm, flew through the air with a whirring spin and flew over the roof of the residence.
Dropping his sword, Dan Sang-woon’s eyes turned to Serpent Duke’s right hand. That palm was split and red blood splattered, but that was merely to the degree of skin being slightly cut. Whatever power was contained in that palm, Dan Sang-woon’s thunderbolts were insufficient.
It was a natural outcome. Right now, Dan Sang-woon’s interior was a mess due to continuous overexertion. Calling upon thunderbolts at the very end showed the depth of the internal energy he possessed. Furthermore, he was not the main attack.
Behind Dan Sang-woon who was pushed back after dropping his sword, Jin Gyeon penetrated in a low stance. His heavy two fists once more targeted Serpent Duke’s torso.
“How dare you!”
At that instant, the right hand that deflected Dan Sang-woon’s strike displayed a bizarre movement. The palm expanded in a blur of afterimages from the elbow, and among them, only the palm closest to Jin Gyeon’s fist remained to block the attack.
Jin Gyeon felt flustered by that scene where it was doubtful whether that was even martial arts. Separate from his flustered feeling, the pale palm blocking his fist expanded in a blur once more, this time seeking the shortest path toward Jin Gyeon’s chest.
And before he could react, the palm touched his chest.
“Keu-hack!”
Jin Gyeon felt pain as if struck by a hammer in his chest and flew backward. Retreating, Dan Sang-woon quickly received his body, but could not stop them from being pushed back as they were.
Ultimately, both men ended up rolling across one corner of the yard.
“…Vermin. The likes of you cannot block The Palace’s Grand Plan…”
Serpent Duke muttered in such an iron-scraping voice, then took another step forward. However, she soon came to an abrupt halt, because what should have been held in her left hand was missing.
“Are you looking for this?”
Serpent Duke’s old and young eyes turned to Jin Gyeon. Prostrate on the floor, Jin Gyeon pushed off the floor to stand up, showing what was held in his right hand. It was the bell Serpent Duke had been swinging.
Serpent Duke screamed in rage:
“You! Shaolin monk! Hand that over right now!”
However, Jin Gyeon’s hand crumpling the bell with a crunch was faster than her words. Though fleeting, a faint scream seemed to be heard from that bell.
“There is no wicked item confusing people like this that shouldn’t disappear. How about using this opportunity to grow distant from ghosts?”
Jin Gyeon trickled blood from his mouth, yet smiled softly. It was not monk-like, but it was a smile of being happier than ever to have screwed over his opponent.
“You scoundrel!”
Seeing him, Serpent Duke crumpled both her old and young faces, vomiting a roar. And she began approaching Jin Gyeon.
Seeing her approach, the eyes of Jin Gyeon and Dan Sang-woon gleamed with firm resolve. With the clash just a moment ago as the last, they could no longer raise internal power. However, neither man intended to die easily. Their dantians prepared the final spark.
And at that instant, someone stepped onto the roof of the residence, and a human shadow suddenly rose above the yard.
Stepping forward with emotions of rage in her gait, Serpent Duke came to an abrupt halt at the warning bell of instinct ringing inside her head. And slowly turning her body, she looked up at the roof of the residence.
There, a man stood with the sun behind his back, looking down below. The Azure Dragon held in his right hand flashed brightly.
From Serpent Duke’s mouth, that man’s name leaked out:
“…Jang Geon.”
He looked like nothing more than a pitch-black shadow with the sun behind him, but the two eyes inside issued a eerie brilliance as if emitting light themselves. And meeting that gaze, Serpent Duke felt as though power would drain from her legs for some reason.