Chapter 217: Body Protecting Astral Qi
Chapter 216 – Body Protecting Astral Qi
‘What should I do with this Sang-hwa…?’
I had to take into account that her sense of reality was weak since she saw and felt the world through me.
Since she had grown up in a place that was not her own body from birth, it was not incomprehensible.
However, it was not something I could just accept and move past.
Sang-hwa’s mother had even made an earnest request before leaving, so if things continued like this, I might get kicked in the shins the moment I ascended to heaven for failing to raise the child properly.
I had to educate her well.
Well, that was something to worry about gradually later.
‘Is this enough for a check?’
I summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the Sword Control I was currently deploying.
Certainly, the power of each individual sword was inferior to that of a conventional Sword Control.
I had to prioritize quantity over quality.
Although I would have to research the operational methods further in the future, for now, I could be absolutely confident about one thing.
‘In one-on-one combat, and especially in group battles, I can become the god of the battlefield.’
The title of War God was certainly something a martial artist would covet.
Of course, comparing a mere human to a god was excessively exaggerated.
I, who was always in contact with celestial beings, knew this best.
However, with about a hundred swords under control, the title of War God was not impossible.
If my body could handle the output through continuous training, the number of swords I could control would also increase.
If the number of swords to be operated at once increased, Sang-hwa’s control might become difficult, but that worry quickly vanished.
Sang-hwa’s origin was the essence of the Peach Blossom Tree, a celestial treasure.
She was an existence that transcended everything and was connected to the heavens from birth.
In a few years, Sang-hwa would be able to control about a hundred swords even while chattering.
Rather, I should worry about those increased swords acting cute toward me en masse.
Those who did not know the inner details would view me as a madman rubbing blood-stained weapons, which had slaughtered enemies, against his own body.
‘She needs education…’
I had to avoid such a future at all costs.
In any case, the situation in front of me happened to be a group battle.
I just had to tear them apart.
Tak!
I kicked off the ground and surged straight forward.
Perhaps because they had been counter-attacked after trying to strike my weakness three times in a row, the response of the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders was a beat slow.
Nine swords and an iron mace, perfect for crushing heads, followed closely beside and behind me.
Even I thought I would have lost my mind if I had seen this from the front.
If one lost their mind in actual combat, only death would return.
Kwaang!
“Kueok!”
A single fist struck directly.
The first stance of the Wuji Fist bashed a hesitating Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder.
Although he barely managed to cross his arms to block the Wuji Fist, he could not withstand all the impact and was sent flying backward.
He desperately tried to recover his posture, but it was already too late.
This was because this stance was deployed to be blocked.
Pu-pu-puk!
“Aaaak!”
The swords, which rushed in in an instant, impaled his body, which was stiffened by the impact.
It was a symbolic demonstration of what happened if one half-heartedly responded to my attacks.
Seugagak!
As the three swords embedded in his body moved, the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder was sliced into pieces in an instant.
“Do not clash with him head-on!”
“Fight thinking of him as a monster with more than ten hands!”
“Swarm him from all directions at once!”
Only after seeing blood again did the other Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders move urgently, as if having cold water splashed on them.
They quickly exchanged words, searching for a way to counter.
At least, their eyes for observing the situation did not seem to have dulled.
They did not grow old in vain, as their judgment of the situation was quick.
Indeed, the current me was no different from a monster with a total of fourteen hands and feet.
Even if they blocked one, they could not withstand the remaining attacks.
I thought a proper countermeasure would only emerge after I disposed of at least three or four more, but it seemed they had not won their positions as elders of the Heavenly Demon Cult through gambling.
But!
‘Their vision is narrow after all.’
They were focusing too much only on me.
Although the enemy they were currently facing was not just me.
“Keuang!”
Peok! Kwajik!
“Black Staaar!”
Although I did not know how the Blood Cult had broken him, the Black Star Demonic Sovereign, who had only animalistic instincts left, was no ally of the Heaven-Obeying Faction.
The Black Star Demonic Sovereign, who had been crouching in a sense of crisis, relentlessly blew off the head of a hindering Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder the moment he saw an opening.
They were guys so fast that even Old Jong struggled.
Since he had shown an opening against such an opponent, he had no choice but to die.
“You traitorous wreeetch!”
An elder of the Heavenly Demon Bloodline shrieked.
‘I’m disappointed. But you shouldn’t ignore me either, right?’
Pu-pu-pu-pu-puk!
Whether Sang-hwa had shown special consideration or her instinct had judged that a clear opening was exposed, as many as five flying swords flew in and turned that Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder into a honeycomb.
Meanwhile, the Black Star Demonic Sovereign tried to escape this place by running on all fours, but!
“Where do you think you are running!”
Old Jong caught up with the Black Star Demonic Sovereign and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.
It seemed he could cope with and catch up to that speed if it was just one.
However, Old Jong’s next action was truly meaningful.
Normally, he would have broken his neck or shattered his limbs just like that.
Yet, this time, it was neither.
“Heup!”
Old Jong threw the Black Star Demonic Sovereign, who was no different from a beast, toward the place where the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders were gathered.
“Keuaaaak!”
The Black Star Demonic Sovereign was also the enemy who had killed a Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder.
Since an enemy was thrown and flying toward them, they had no choice but to take action.
The thrown Black Star Demonic Sovereign also had to fight for his life to survive.
Cornered in a semi-surrounded state, it was difficult for the Black Star Demonic Sovereign to fully display his original skills.
Therefore, the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders, who had numbers on their side, had the advantage.
Nevertheless, the Black Star Demonic Sovereign managed to injure one of the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders and somehow extricated himself from the fight.
“I said, where do you think you are running.”
However, Old Jong caught him again and threw him back to where the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders were.
“These bastards, seriously!!”
Ultimately, a fierce battle broke out once more.
‘Look at Old Jong’s vicious behavior…’
It seemed he had accumulated a lot of resentment toward both sides.
Seeing a man, who had a strong impression of being stubborn and likely to use only orthodox methods, show such behavior made it look somewhat chilling.
The Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders also seemed greatly shocked.
‘I told you not to look away.’
Although the control was left to Sang-hwa, Sang-hwa perceived the world through me.
What I knew meant Sang-hwa also knew.
Pu-pu-puk! Pu-puk!
“Keueok!”
“Aak!”
Two flustered Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders became Sang-hwa’s prey.
‘This is scary.’
I had only thought about the characteristics of Sword Control, but after utilizing it in actual combat, I could see that other aspects stood out in particular.
Unlike normal Sword Control, the lack of burden regarding the maintenance of the swords was the truly terrifying part.
It meant I could operate them in a way that just told them to strike and break.
The method of mutual destruction, deployed as if it did not matter if one died, could exert terrifying power because it staked everything on the attack.
It meant that such indiscriminate attacks could be delivered infinitely from a safe position.
This would be impossible with normal Sword Control, but it was possible with the Sword Control (?) I deployed.
Unless it was an opponent possessing the skill to close the distance in an instant and attack me, they could never defeat me.
Just a few drawbacks, which could be called the characteristics of Sword Control, were omitted, and it had become an impregnable martial art.
In fact, it was no different from beating the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders indiscriminately while keeping them surrounded.
“Euaaaaa!”
Frustrated by the situation, one of the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders shouted and rushed out.
Pu-uk!
Sang-hwa did not miss the opening created in that way.
With a single strike that pierced through him from top to bottom like a skewer, the elder’s body went limp.
Hwiik!
Sang-hwa threw the corpse impaled on the sword to another Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder.
Somehow, she seemed to be copying Old Jong’s spiteful behavior.
I felt like she had learned something bad very quickly.
Peok!
The Heavenly Demon Bloodline elder, who smashed the thrown corpse, was drenched in blood.
Drenched in blood with his eyes rolled back, his appearance was akin to a Yaksha.
“Smash all of these mosquito-like swords!”
Mosquito-like.
Although it was a derogatory shout, if thought about in another way, I wondered if it was the greatest compliment.
Because there were few things as effective at pissing people off as mosquitoes.
‘He has finally gone mad.’
From my perspective, it was no different from making the most foolish decision.
Despite suffering so much, he still had not realized the essence of the Sword Control I deployed.
Smashed swords were not the solution.
He had to suppress me.
It was a decision made emotionally.
‘It would have been trickier to deal with if he had charged while clad in Body-Protecting Astral Qi.’
If one could close the distance and deliver a blow while prioritizing overwhelming defensive power, they might be able to shatter the Sword Control I deployed.
For example, one could mention Old Jong, who was called the Vajra Iron Demonic Sovereign.
‘Old Jong…’
Hearing that Old Jong was the natural enemy of the martial art I deployed made me feel somewhat strange.
Well, if the opponent were Old Jong, I would also have to change my methods.
If I exercised some creativity, it seemed I could utilize the currently deployed Sword Control in other ways as well.
Of course, since it only remained a concept, I would have to try it to see if it was actually possible.
‘It would be best not to meet such an opponent.’
While I was organizing my thoughts, the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders rampaged fiercely, attacking the swords floating in the air.
Although not perfect, as they had mastered a portion of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, their blows, which could not be ignored, shattered the swords.
Pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-puk!!
“Keuak!”
“H-how can this be…”
“Euaaak!”
But that was all.
A stance with great power also had a correspondingly large opening.
Even if a sword was broken, a newly risen sword replaced its position, aiming for the opening.
The result of making a misjudgment was only death.
“It’s over.”
The Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders were cleaned up in an instant.
The only one remaining was the Black Star Demonic Sovereign.
Old Jong approached the solitary Black Star Demonic Sovereign.
The Black Star Demonic Sovereign, who had been surrounded (?) and beaten by the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders, no longer had a single intact limb.
The swiftness he had boasted of had also vanished as one of his legs was half severed.
“Your task is now finished.”
Old Jong lightly twisted the Black Star Demonic Sovereign’s neck.
Udeuk!
***
As I left behind the corpses of the Heavenly Demon Bloodline elders and the two driven-mad Demonic Sovereigns, I felt gazes so intense my back stung.
I could tell without looking.
The gazes looking at me would be filled with awe.
‘Although a feeling of looking at a madman is also slightly mixed in… well…’
I could guess the reason.
After all, I thought I should set a date and have a serious conversation with Sang-hwa.
Coming outside like that, an open view entered my sight.
It was then.
Piiiiii!!
A long cry of the Azure Bird was heard from the air.
Although she sometimes chirped at me like a chick, this kind of warning was rare.
I, too, had only heard it once.
‘Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign?’
It was the sound she had made when warning that the Heaven-Entering Divine Demonic Sovereign was in the area where we were heading from Kunlun to the Heavenly Demon Cult.
And toward that Azure Bird, a red mass about the size of a child’s head was seen flying.
‘Astral Orb?!’
Kwaang!