Chapter 106: Chapter 106
Ha In-seong looked toward Tianshui Stronghold with a serious expression.
Though he was playful about everything, the scent of blood carried on the wind right now was far too thick.
“It is not just one or two people who died.”
Cheon Woo-jin was also sensing it. In fact, he could see and feel far more than Ha In-seong could.
A dense energy was carried on the wind along with the scent of blood. Judging from the fragments of that energy, it belonged to an expert of a level capable of casually destroying the headquarters of the Green Forest.
“Shall we run away?”
Ha In-seong said. They had already obtained everything they needed from the Green Forest. Whether they died or not was none of his concern.
But there was no answer.
Cheon Woo-jin merely looked into the distance.
How much time had passed like that?
“Go on ahead.”
Having said that, Cheon Woo-jin began walking toward Tianshui Stronghold. His heart was pounding just from sensing the energy carried on the wind.
It was an energy he had felt once before.
It was when he encountered Blood Immortal and Lust Demon during the mission to retrieve the corpse of Giant Stone Monster. To be precise, it was the energy he felt when he saw Blood Immortal’s corpse lying dead with his chest brutally torn open.
“You are going?”
By the time Ha In-seong asked that, Cheon Woo-jin was already far in the distance. Watching his retreating back, Ha In-seong let out a low sigh and soon set off after him.
* * *
When Cheon Woo-jin arrived back at Tianshui Stronghold.
An absurd sight was laid out before him.
Blood and corpses filled the entire area. As the glow of sunset was setting in, the surroundings felt all the more crimson.
Everyone except the Green King was dead. Not a single corpse had its limbs, neck, or body intact.
Merely by looking at the sword wounds on the corpses, Cheon Woo-jin could reconstruct the battle as if he had witnessed it firsthand.
The one who perpetrated this slaughter was a left-handed martial artist wielding a sword, similar in height to Cheon Woo-jin himself. His realm was at the very least above Transcendence.
Clang!
Suddenly, the sound of clashing metal erupted from behind Tianshui Stronghold.
Cheon Woo-jin took calm steps.
Behind the mountain stronghold, a fierce battle was taking place.
It was a fight between one fleeing for his life and one toying with him like a plaything.
Astonishingly, the one trying to flee was the Green King, a master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens and the Supreme Chief of the Green Forest.
The man toying with the Green King was young. His skin was so thin and transparent it seemed almost translucent, and his long, flowing silver hair was tinged reddish by the glow of the sunset.
He swung a sword similar in color to his hair. The Green King was struggling to block it with a battleaxe ten times the size of that sword.
It was precarious.
If the man swung his sword in earnest rather than in play, the Green King would be dead in an instant.
“Just who the hell are you!”
The Green King screamed as he parried the sword. But the silver-haired man merely gave a faint smile and did not reply.
Along with the smile, the slashing sword lightly grazed the Green King’s thigh. Wounds accumulated in such a manner were scattered all over his entire body.
Cheon Woo-jin observed the silver-haired man for a moment. He sensed it instinctively. That man was the one who had killed Blood Immortal and dug up his master Black Elder’s burial mound.
As Cheon Woo-jin appeared, the gazes of the silver-haired man and the Green King converged on him.
“H-Help me! Did I not even give you the Spirit Green Pill!”
The Green King pleaded desperately.
The silver-haired man merely looked at Cheon Woo-jin with eyes full of curiosity before speaking.
“It is you. The presence that has been bothering me since half a shichen ago.”
Cheon Woo-jin’s brow twitched. Half a shichen ago was when Cheon Woo-jin had just left Tianshui Stronghold. Up until that point, he had not sensed the silver-haired man’s presence at all.
In other words, it meant his sensory perception was superior to Cheon Woo-jin’s. Even superior to Cheon Woo-jin’s senses, which had caused even Black Elder and White Elder to click their tongues in admiration.
Soon, the silver-haired man moved again. As if intending to show Cheon Woo-jin, his movement was on an entirely different level from before.
Terrified, the Green King raised the flat of his battleaxe. But the silver-haired man’s sword sliced cleanly through the iron battleaxe as smoothly as cutting through tofu, burying itself in the Green King’s throat.
“Keu-heuk!”
With a blade embedded in his throat, the Green King vomited blood. Desperate to survive, he grabbed the blade with both hands.
Regardless, the silver-haired man twisted the blade.
Crunch!
In this manner, the Green King, who was hailed as a master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens at the pinnacle of the martial world, met a vain death.
Without even shaking the blood off his sword, the silver-haired man simply tossed it casually onto the ground and began acting strangely.
He plunged both hands into the Green King’s chest. Then he tore it open violently to the left and right. His ribs shattered, revealing the internal organs within. He was entirely nonchalant, acting as if he were not conscious of Cheon Woo-jin in the slightest.
Cheon Woo-jin merely watched the sequence of events. Onto the Green King’s corpse, the figures of Blood Immortal and Black Elder were projected.
Soon, the silver-haired man rummaged through the Green King’s body for a long time, then tilted his head in puzzlement.
“Why is it not here?”
Looking at the corpse with a sulky face, the silver-haired man eventually pulled a small bead from the Green King’s pocket. It was the spirit elixir that Cheon Woo-jin had discovered in Demon Physician’s heart.
“What, this belongs to the Demon Physician.”
Astonishingly, the silver-haired man recognized the bead as something extracted from Demon Physician’s heart the moment he saw it.
“This fellow killed the Demon Physician? What do you think?”
The silver-haired man asked Cheon Woo-jin out of nowhere.
Cheon Woo-jin merely shrugged his shoulders.
At that sight, the silver-haired man’s eyes narrowed.
“I see. It was you who killed the Demon Physician.”
“And you were the one who killed Blood Immortal?”
Cheon Woo-jin asked calmly.
Having arrived late, Ha In-seong looked at the two men in utter disbelief. Two men who looked to be in their early twenties at most were talking about two registered disciples of the Dark Emperor, bickering over who killed whom.
Ha In-seong instinctively felt that something bizarre was happening in the martial world. He felt he needed to discuss this with his father, the Lord of the Black Overlord Castle, as soon as he returned.
‘Assuming I can make it back, of course.’
Ha In-seong drew his sword and prepared. In contrast to the palely white blade of the silver-haired man, his looked all the darker.
Ha In-seong said.
“I am just drawing it just in case, so handsome sir, please do not pay too much mind to it.”
“Are you the Young Castle Lord of the Black Overlord Castle?”
“It is an honor that you recognize me. If you have even the slightest fear of the Black Overlord Castle, would you mind just backing off?”
The silver-haired man nodded.
“I do fear it.”
In any case, the Black Overlord Castle was a colossal faction dividing the realm’s martial world into three alongside the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The moment Ha In-seong sighed in internal relief.
Swish!
The silver-haired man’s figure vanished as the sound of tearing air rang out.
Ha In-seong momentarily lost track of his movements. When he focused his ocular vision and strained to track him.
The silver-haired man had already reached right before his eyes. His sword blade descended toward the crown of Ha In-seong’s head to slice him cleanly in two.
Clang!
But it was stopped futilely by a sturdy, ink-colored iron staff.
Cheon Woo-jin, who had drawn his Crescent Moon Staff before anyone realized, saved Ha In-seong.
An ordinary martial artist’s legs would have given way in relief, but Ha In-seong was nonetheless the son of the Lord of the Black Overlord Castle.
True to the saying like father, like son, Ha In-seong thrust his sword forward in that split second.
The sword that lunged like lightning aimed for the silver-haired man’s abdomen. Just before it connected, the man spun his body backward and dodged it by a hair’s breadth.
“You are quite something as well. The Lord of the Black Overlord Castle raised his child well.”
The silver-haired man praised him in genuine admiration. But there was no way Ha In-seong could feel pleased. The strike, into which he had poured more than half of his internal energy, had been dodged so effortlessly.
Ha In-seong’s gaze sank low. The rough energy unique to an unorthodox martial artist began to flare.
It might have been different if it had ended in words, but they had already clashed blades. He, too, was a man dedicated to the Unorthodox Path. Once a fight began, he would not bow down, even if the opponent was a superior master.
Even if it meant mutual destruction, or taking at least an arm with him to the afterlife if that were impossible, that was Ha In-seong’s Unorthodox Path.
The moment Ha In-seong, having steeled his resolve, took a step forward.
Swish!
Cheon Woo-jin’s figure shot out from the side. Then, intertwining with the silver-haired man, metallic clashes rang out one after another.
Clang, clang, clang!
Dozens of exchanges passed in a single breath.
Ha In-seong, who had made quite a grim resolution, watched the spectacle blankly with an awkward look.
“This is not a fight I can step into.”
If he stepped into that kind of battle, some part of him would be severed in an instant. Furthermore, he knew full well that his intervention would only hinder Cheon Woo-jin.
Soon, Ha In-seong sheathed his sword and sat down. Since things had turned out this way, he decided to spectate the fight between the two experts. Watching a battle of such caliber was often of great benefit in itself.
Cheon Woo-jin and the silver-haired man paid no mind to Ha In-seong and looked only at each other.
The more Cheon Woo-jin exchanged blows with him, the more he felt an inexplicable throbbing in his chest. It was not mere hostility; for some reason, a sense of familiarity kept creeping in.
‘Is he a disciple of the Dark Emperor?’
An expert who could display this degree of martial prowess while being connected to Black Elder, Blood Immortal, and Demon Physician could only be a disciple of the Dark Emperor.
Yet no matter how much he searched his memory, he had no recollection of hearing about someone with these characteristics from his master.
Even though the Crescent Moon Staff was forged from Ten-Thousand-Year Dark Iron, the silvery-white blade blocked it far too easily. Ordinarily, even a treasured sword would have its edge chipped just from clashing against the Crescent Moon Staff.
Cheon Woo-jin gradually raised his internal energy. Although he loaded even more internal energy than when dealing with Blood Immortal, the silver-haired man was surprisingly competing on equal footing with Cheon Woo-jin.
No, rather, a slight leisure could even be felt from him.
The surroundings were turning into a devastated wasteland from the shockwaves produced by their clashes. Huge trees burst apart and deep trenches were gouged into the ground from the mere shock alone.
Even Ha In-seong, a skilled martial artist, had to take a few steps back to reposition himself.
The Crescent Moon Staff repeatedly tore through the air, while the silver-haired man lightly pulled back his body, dodging or parrying the attacks.
The two quickly moved past the stronghold and into the forest.
Soon, Cheon Woo-jin’s gaze sank low. At the same time, his blazing momentum calmed in an instant. A uniquely ominous, dark energy bloomed.
Dragging out a fight was not Cheon Woo-jin’s way.
In an instant, it felt as though the surrounding air was gathering around Cheon Woo-jin. This was because even the atmosphere sank heavily to the ground due to the colossal energy.
Soon, the Crescent Moon Staff moved in a sweeping arc.
Dark Sky Full Moon.
Amid the scenery that had turned dark before anyone realized, a black full moon rose around Cheon Woo-jin.
Boom, rumble!
At that overwhelming strike, dozens of giant trees within a ten-zhang radius around Cheon Woo-jin exploded helplessly.
It was truly a strike akin to a natural disaster.
He had unleashed an unavoidable strike at point-blank range. Yet Cheon Woo-jin’s brow twitched. In the hands gripping the Crescent Moon Staff firmly, the uniquely sinister sensation felt when smashing a human skull was absent.
‘How did he dodge it?’
He had believed that no matter how fast one’s lightness art was, it could not be avoided.
But before he could even answer his question.
Cheon Woo-jin’s gaze turned to the right. A ferocious sword wind was surging forward, tearing the forest into shambles.
Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes widened slightly. It was not simply because the energy contained within the gale was fierce. Sharp blades were visible within the surging wind churning through the surroundings.
Just like…
‘Crane Wind Single Annihilation?’
It was far too similar to his master White Elder’s ultimate technique, Crane Wind Single Annihilation.
Cheon Woo-jin withdrew his Crescent Moon Staff and simultaneously swung his Crane Feather Fan.
As the two gales collided, they literally destroyed the forest. It was a sight that would have made even a mountain god beat the ground and weep.
The gales carrying blades canceled each other out for a long time before exhausting their strength and scattering into the air.
“…”
Cheon Woo-jin looked around the ruined surroundings. The silver-haired man was nowhere to be seen. He did not know when he had disappeared. Even when right before his eyes, he was an existence whose presence was exceptionally faint.
“Is he even human?”
Cheon Woo-jin muttered the words he had always heard from others.
True to expectation, Ha In-seong strode through the wreckage and said.
“Are you even human?”
“To be honest, I do not know either. This is the first time I have encountered such an existence.”
“No, I meant you.”
“…”
Cheon Woo-jin smacked his lips awkwardly. Soon, he completely put away the Crescent Moon Staff and Crane Feather Fan, then surveyed the surroundings.
The scene created by the clash of the two gales was truly a sight to behold. Not only was the forest destroyed, but over a hundred corpses, including the Green King, had been shredded into bloody fragments scattered across the ground.
It was a sight that would have surely made Song Yi-yeon vomit had he seen it.
But Cheon Woo-jin looked upon the sight with calm eyes, then spoke in a still indifferent tone.
“Let us return.”
“…Sure.”
Ha In-seong clicked his tongue at Cheon Woo-jin’s attitude, acting as if nothing had happened at all.
Ha In-seong stared intently at the back of Cheon Woo-jin walking ahead.
‘That final strike.’
They were definitely resembling ultimate techniques.
No, to be honest, it looked like the exact same ultimate technique.
The only difference was whether it was executed with a sword or with a fan.
But Ha In-seong did not bother asking. He knew from experience that Cheon Woo-jin’s lips were heavier than a thousand catties and difficult to open.
* * *
When the two returned to the Black Overlord Castle Sichuan Branch.
The Divine Physician asked in absolute astonishment.
“No, did you truly bring back the Spirit Green Pill?”
He too had heard the rumors about the current Green King. He was a fellow who was very aggressive and guarded his own interests with razor sharpness.
Moreover, he was crafty enough that he was not the type to part with his belongings easily.
‘No matter if it is the disciple of the White Flower Sword Immortal and the son of the Lord of the Black Overlord Castle…’
By what means had they obtained this treasure from the Green King, who was already called a master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens?
Reading that look in the Divine Physician’s eyes, Ha In-seong said in a light tone.
“Elder, the Green King is dead.”
“Wh-What!”
“Pardon?”
Not only the Divine Physician, but even Ma Yong-seok beside him widened his eyes as if they would pop out. Even the physicians tending to the Black Tortoise Squad Leader looked at Ha In-seong with astonished eyes.
Ha In-seong’s words continued.
“Ah, I did not kill him, though.”
At that, everyone’s gaze turned to Cheon Woo-jin.
Ha In-seong chuckled as if this situation was amusing.
“This fellow did not kill him either.”
“…?”
A similar emotion surfaced on everyone’s faces.
‘Then what kind of bullshit is that?’
It was something they could hardly bring themselves to say to the Young Castle Lord of the Black Overlord Castle.