Chapter 110: Abyss Valley (9)
A corpse buried in the frozen earth does not rot even as time passes.
If it is exposed for a long time to the extreme Yin essence flowing deep underground, it changes into an existence called a preserved corpse or an Iron Jiangshi.
And if there is an Iron Jiangshi whose body has not burst even after absorbing extreme Yin essence beyond the limit, it is renamed a Blood Jiangshi or a Living Jiangshi.
It was around the time Beigong Seol was making these Blood Jiangshi that she joined hands with Hong Gong.
Normally, one should pickle the corpse using only the mountain’s essence, but Beigong Seol, following Hong Gong’s advice, mixed and used the blood energy of the spear ghost extracted by killing the Abyss Valley assassins with the mountain’s essence, and as a result, the speed at which Iron Jiangshi were made became twice—no, three times faster than before.
From this point, Beigong Seol spurred her research.
It was confirmed that if a high-quality corpse was grafted with a high-quality spear ghost, the time for an Iron Jiangshi to turn into a Blood Jiangshi was also shortened much further.
Afterward, Beigong Seol commenced the task of turning the assassins under her command into Jiangshi one by one.
The robust bodies and souls of the Abyss Valley assassins were materials to manufacture even higher-quality Jiangshi.
The souls of the assassins, which had been discarded during the Jiangshi manufacturing process until then, now turned into the form of spear ghost and fused with the mountain’s essence, and this method made Beigong Seol’s plans several times more efficient.
Blood Jiangshi in which a spear ghost dwelt.
This was capable of mass production much faster than the previously manufactured Blood Jiangshi.
Beigong Seol gradually turned the assassins into Jiangshi while avoiding the gaze of the Valley Master, Old Master Abyss.
The assassins who had been loyal only to the Valley Master gradually became puppets moving solely for Beigong Seol.
Beigong Seol’s own independent influence had begun to grow within the Abyss Valley.
Even after that, Beigong Seol continued to secretly expand her influence.
If there was a robust assassin, she without fail killed him to turn his soul into a spear ghost, and kept it half-attached to the frozen corpse so that he could not achieve salvation.
Thus, the assassins of the Abyss Valley became trapped deep inside the frozen earth, neither dead nor alive, suffering in agony.
…And this was precisely what Chui targeted.
‘I will steal every single one of them.’
Namely, the spear ghosts of the Abyss Valley assassins Beigong Seol had stacked up and gathered until now.
Thud!
The waist of one Jiangshi struck by Chui’s spear was severed.
Tssssssssss…
As the Jiangshi’s physical form crumbled, a soul that had become a spear ghost was drawn out unstably.
Chui absorbed that spear ghost while simultaneously brandishing his spear.
Whoosh—
Beigong Seol retreated far back to avoid Chui’s spear.
Beigong Seol narrowed her eyes, looking at Chui’s spear where ominous energy was flickering crimson.
“What is this? What on earth is this sorcery?”
“I don’t think those are words to hear from someone who makes Jiangshi.”
Chui absorbed the rest of the spear ghost as if he felt no particular emotion.
The spear ghost that had dwelt within the Jiangshi were absorbed into Chui all too easily.
Chui quickly diagnosed the situation.
‘Is it the result of the combination of the facts that they were spear ghost who died long ago, that the time they had been trapped inside the physical forms was long, that it had become difficult during that time to realize whether they were in a living state or a dead state, and that they perceived the one who destroyed that physical form as having killed them? I thought the situation would fit well, but to think it would be to this extent…’
Although Chui had not killed them directly, the specificity of the situation made this possible.
In other words, the Spear Ghosts were killed twice at Chui’s hands.
Chui provoked Beigong Seol.
“If it’s the spear ghost you’ve gathered, I’ve been drawing and using them since earlier. If you only noticed that now… your senses must be on the dull side.”
In fact, ever since the battle began, Chui had been continuously sucking in the spear ghost underground like plucking dried persimmons.
Stealthily enough that Beigong Seol could not notice.
Soon, the surged internal energy spewed from Chui’s entire body.
Shweeeeeeek—
The spear ghost buried in the snowfield turned into the form of haze and flickered.
His insides boiled like lava, and his skin froze solid, becoming increasingly hard.
Solid changes straight into gas without passing through the liquid phase.
The blood flowing from Chui’s body seemed to turn into crispy thin ice, but soon dispersed, converting into red haze.
Chui locked the rapidly surged internal energy in his dantian and quietly put it away.
Substituting the spear ghost that had been attached to the Jiangshi with internal energy, the amount was colossal.
Although the purity was low, the amount absorbed at one time was to the extent of being unprecedented and unequaled across before and after his return.
“Let’s clash again.”
Chui immediately closed the distance with Beigong Seol.
Just before, in the fight where internal power and internal power collided, Chui had suffered a crushing defeat.
…But it was different now.
The spear ghost extracted from the numerous Jiangshi became Chui’s internal power in their entirety.
One could say it was like having taken a tremendous amount of spiritual medicine all at once.
Boom!
When Chui’s spear and Beigong Seol’s flying dagger clashed, a loud explosion burst out.
“……! ……! ……!”
Beigong Seol, seeing her flying dagger being pushed back, withdrew her arm with a bewildered expression.
However, Chui did not pull his spear back but straightaway pursued behind her.
Once more, Chui’s spear targeted Beigong Seol’s abdomen.
Thud!
Chui’s spear struck Beigong Seol’s shoulder for the first time.
Although it merely scraped, a long bloodline was drawn on her shoulder and chest.
“Ugh!?”
Beigong Seol scattered three flying daggers and widened the distance.
However, Chui deflected all of the flying daggers by brandishing his spear three times, and drove the fourth blow into Beigong Seol’s foot.
Crunch—
Her right instep was sliced about halfway along with her snow boot, and fresh blood splashed upward.
Withdrawing her foot had been slightly late.
“You cannot escape.”
“…….”
“This is your grave.”
Chui’s face was still expressionless.
The brandished Plum Blossom Ghost Spear also spat out an extremely dry cry.
Swish—
Beigong Seol retreated back to avoid it, but.
…Clack! Chrrrrrr! Swish!
The Plum Blossom Ghost Spear extended deformedly, pursuing Beigong Seol.
Furthermore, because it was loaded with the surged internal power, the speed at which it shot forward was much faster.
Crack—
Chui’s spear sliced off Beigong Seol’s left arm and even cut diagonally through the giant rock beyond it.
Boom, boom, boom!
The rock collapsed and swallowed Beigong Seol’s left arm.
However, Beigong Beigong Seol extended her right arm even through the collapsing falling rocks and sent flying daggers.
Thump, thump, thump!
Three flying daggers flew piercing through the rock and lodged in Chui’s shoulder, stomach, and thigh.
However, Chui pushed in with the flying daggers lodged in his body and once again thrust his spear into Beigong Seol’s abdomen.
…Crunnnch!
The spear blade broke through the wall of internal energy and finally ripped open her abdominal skin.
Splat! Plop, plop, plop—
Beigong Seol hurriedly twisted her body to the side to pull out the spear blade, but at the cost of losing a significant portion of her intestines.
“Kuhack!?”
She spat a handful of blood.
Then, staring wide-eyed with her bloodshot eye, she brandished her right arm twice.
Thump, thump, thump!
A counterattack that made one wonder where on earth so many flying daggers were hidden in that small body.
Flying daggers that easily seemed to number over dozens headed toward Chui.
Chui rotated the Plum Blossom Ghost Spear, deflecting the flying daggers.
The problem was.
“……!”
Gyeon Sul and Namgung Yul, who were behind Chui.
* * *
…Thud!
Gyeon Sul’s Dog-Head Guillotine was driven into the Red Yaksha’s chest.
The Red Yaksha stumbled while pouring blood, collapsed in the middle of the snowfield, and could not rise ever again.
“Fhew—I really thought I was going to die. Why is he so strong when he’s just an assassin?”
Gyeon Sul turned his face smeared with sweat and blood.
At that moment.
“……Uh!?”
Flying daggers were seen filling Gyeon Sul’s vision tightly.
“Hey! Run!”
He hurriedly shouted toward Namgung Yul who was beside him.
“……!”
Namgung Yul, who was confronting a single Blue Yaksha, opened her eyes wide.
There was no time to even shriek.
The Blue Yaksha in front of Namgung Yul was bombarded by the shower of flying daggers, turning into rags.
Thump, thump, thump!
Thanks to the Blue Yaksha serving as a meat shield at least, Namgung Yul was able to preserve her life.
However.
Grab!
What was waiting in the place where the shower of flying daggers had ceased was Beigong Seol’s rough grasp.
“Kuhack!?”
Namgung Yul was lifted into the air, caught by her neck by Beigong Seol.
Beigong Seol turned to Chui while gritting her teeth.
“Budge even a single finger. I will snap this bitch’s neck immediately.”
A hostage situation staged at the final moment.
In fact, Beigong Seol herself was not sure if it would work.
True to form, there was not a trace of facial expression change on Chui’s face.
Namgung Yul herself was also shouting.
“Young Hero Chui! Do not mind me and kill this villain…! Urk!”
Beigong Seol shook her hand forcefully once, blocking Namgung Yul’s voice.
A brief confrontation followed between Chui and Beigong Seol.
Soon, Chui stepped back one pace.
“I will let you go, so put that woman down.”
“……!”
The eyes of Gyeon Sul and Namgung Yul went wide.
Because they had not expected Chui to agree to a negotiation at all.
Even Beigong Seol, who had attempted the hostage situation, could not believe Chui’s words.
“……You don’t seem like a fellow who spits out lies. Are you serious?”
“I do not say it twice. I will let you go, so put that woman down.”
Chui repeated the same words in a dry tone.
“…….”
Beigong Seol contemplated something for a while.
And then she added at the end.
“Both of you retreat a hundred paces backward. If so, I will leave this woman here and go.”
“…….”
Chui moved his body immediately.
Gyeon Sul also followed behind him with a displeased expression.
Step, step, step, step—
As Chui’s figure grew distant, Namgung Yul lamented.
“Ah… because of me… because I am weak… Young Hero Chui… let the villain of the Jianghu…”
She was so vexed that tears were even welling in her eyes, which she kept gritted tightly.
Soon, a fishy smile spread on Beigong Seol’s lips.
“Good. I am also a person who keeps promises. Take her!”
She flung Namgung Yul onto the snow.
Then she immediately thrust a single palm into her stomach.
Boom!
The pale energy unique to the Bare Hand Demonic Art burst out.
“Kuhack!”
Namgung Yul lost consciousness on the spot.
Beigong Seol dashed with all her might.
“If you take her to a physician immediately, her life will be saved!”
She rode down the slope at a speed faster than the north wind.
Then crossing a giant rock, flying over the cliff, she sprinted like an arrow toward the forest of withered trees.
Although her right foot, which had been dangling half-severed, fell off completely, now was not the time to care about such a thing.
‘Perhaps because it is cold, the pain is less.’
Beigong Seol ran across the snowfield, continuing to move her feet even while spraying blood.
At that moment. She felt it.
“……!?”
The gaze that had been following behind from some time.
The spear tip rapidly closing in toward her back.
“What…!?”
In the eyes of Beigong Seol, who turned back, Chui’s face was visible.
Seeing that his unique expressionless face and unwavering red eyes were fixed toward her, a chilling goosebump crawled up her spine.
At the same time.
Stumble—
She felt the center of gravity of her body waver.
‘…Poison!?’
Why had she not noticed until now.
At the very least, she should have noticed earlier when her right foot was cut about half-severed.
Come to think of it, ever since she was hit in the shoulder by the spear earlier, she felt as if the sensations of her body were growing subtly dull.
“It is the poison of the Miao Tribe. I applied it to the spear tip.”
Chui spoke, holding up the Plum Blossom Ghost Spear.
The poison of the Miao Tribe, obtained by killing the Snake Butcher at the Yangtze River Water Bandit Union, did its part handily.
“Ughhhh! You bastard! What kind of lightfoot art is…!?”
Beigong Seol shouted as she saw Chui closing in at a tremendous speed.
If nothing else, Chui had reached the transcendental peak realm in lightfoot art alone.
That had even been recognized by the Sword King Namgung Cheon, with whom he had clashed previously.
Soon, Chui prepared his final blow.
The muscle fibers, twisted to the limit, loaded force onto the spear blade.
The moment Chui extended his arm forward, the muscles of his entire body squeezed out strength as if exploding.
Boom!
The spear tip loaded with all of his internal energy shot forward.
The target was Beigong Seol hovering in the air.
“Uaaahhhhhhh!”
Beigong Seol also thrust her single remaining arm.
Awls and flying daggers loaded with white Yin energy flew toward Chui.
The result of the exchange of bladed weapons in the air soon came out.
…Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
Although Chui had his entire body slashed dozens of times, he avoided all vital points such as the glabella, temple, eye, neck, heart, lung, liver, and groin.
On the other hand, Beigong Seol had allowed the spear blade only about half a span into her body in just one place.
Thump—
…Precisely between her eyebrows.
Unrivaled Spear Ghost