Chapter 358 ·Epilogue – The Immortal-Slaying Division
Chapter 358: Epilogue – The Immortal-Slaying Division
The rat Beastkin embedded in the massive boulder struggled to rise to his feet.
"Still not enough."
Although he was grinning, his condition was anything but good.
His tail, known as his third arm, had been torn off.
His left arm was gone.
On top of that, his chest had been crushed and was regenerating while spewing white smoke.
"Urgh!"
As the rat Beastkin tried to stand, he suddenly staggered.
Looking down, he saw that his left leg had disappeared below the knee.
"When did this disappear?"
Grumbling to himself, he regained his balance.
At the same time, he looked at the approaching figure.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
A man walked toward him, speaking in an annoyed tone while radiating an overwhelming domineering aura.
Crunch!
The ground shattered beneath each step he took, and even the air seemed to flee from him.
His thick eyebrows and sharply defined features made him look powerful, and his gaze seemed capable of crushing anything in existence.
His hair was unkempt, and despite being the leader of an enormous organization, his clothing was simple rather than extravagant.
One glance was enough to tell what kind of person he was.
"Guild Leader... you're as strong as ever."
The black rat Beastkin, Seo Ryeom, revealed the man's identity.
Hyeokryeon Pae, the Guild Leader of the Hundred Martial Guild.
The absolute ruler of the Myriad Streams Hundred Martial Guild.
The man who stood at the pinnacle of those obsessed with martial arts and battle.
His strength far exceeded Seo Ryeom's expectations.
Although he was one of the Seventeen Lords...
"At this level, he might even rival the Ten Thrones."
Seo Ryeom was certain of it.
Hyeokryeon Pae was every bit as powerful as True Person Cheon Heo, said to be the strongest of the Seventeen Lords, or Il Cheonma of the Demon Subjugation Hall.
Even though Seo Ryeom had grown stronger, he still could not reach that level.
"He really is a monster..."
Yet despite facing an opponent so far beyond him, he did not feel overwhelming fear.
He even felt that with just a little more effort, his attacks might start landing properly.
"...Compared to the Captain, he's manageable."
They were both monsters.
But Jang Woo-hyun felt fundamentally different.
Hyeokryeon Pae was a monster he could oppose.
His sword could reach him.
He could attack him.
But against Jang Woo-hyun...
He could not even bring himself to think about attacking.
Watching that unbelievable rate of growth and overwhelming strength always left him with only one thought.
"Huh? Wait... Is this even possible?"
Then he would simply accept it and move on.
"Ryeom, no matter how much I think about it, I just don't understand. Do you honestly believe you can beat me?"
Rumble—
Each step Hyeokryeon Pae took split the ground apart, torrents of Qi erupting from the cracks.
It looked as though volcanic lava were bursting from the earth.
"I happen to need the Guild Leader's seat."
The Guild Leader of the Hundred Martial Guild smirked.
He liked that kind of fighting spirit.
If someone stronger than him appeared, he would gladly hand over the position.
Unfortunately, Seo Ryeom's current strength was nowhere near enough.
"You're weaker than me. That's not happening."
"You won't know until we try."
The moment Seo Ryeom bent his only remaining leg—
Hyeokryeon Pae was already standing right in front of him.
Boom!!
With a thunderous explosion, Seo Ryeom blasted through the enormous boulder behind him and flew away.
"I really don't understand why you can't tell the difference between what's possible and what's impossible. What do you think?"
Hyeokryeon Pae turned his head.
Mak Ya-wol stood there, wearing a bitter smile.
"Please understand him, Guild Leader. Ryeom has been deeply influenced by our Captain."
"By Captain... do you mean the Heavenly Sword Alliance?"
After finally returning from the years-long war fought near the territory of the Cultivators, Hyeokryeon Pae had found the Central Heavens Martial World completely transformed.
The Ten Sects and Three Clans that represented the Central Heavens Martial World.
Several of them had disappeared.
Meanwhile, an organization he had never even heard of before—the Immortal-Slaying Division—had risen to a level of fame comparable to the Ten Sects and Three Clans.
"'Heavenly Sword Alliance' was his old title. These days, everyone calls him Invincible Divine Sword."
A title now spoken in the same breath as the absolute experts known as the Five Great Heavens.
Some even placed the Divine Sword ahead of all Five Heavens.
"Invincible Divine Sword..."
That naturally piqued Hyeokryeon Pae's curiosity.
Strength aside, he found it impossible not to wonder about someone who had completely won over the Battle Ghost Division—the very lunatics considered the craziest even within the Hundred Martial Guild.
Clink—
While Hyeokryeon Pae was lost in thought about Jang Woo-hyun, Mak Ya-wol raised his chain sickle.
"Oh, and by the way... I've also been deeply influenced by our Captain, Guild Leader."
"...Hah."
"I'd also like to challenge you for the Guild Leader's position. I may have been the former Division Leader. I can't exactly let my former Vice Division Leader leave me behind."
"...You bastards."
Frowning, Hyeokryeon Pae unleashed his aura.
Boom!
An overwhelming wave of Qi exploded outward from him.
"I suppose I'll have to meet him myself."
Just what kind of man had managed to steal the hearts of both Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol?
His curiosity continued to grow.
"Battle Ghost Division of the Hundred Martial Guild. And Right Wing of the Immortal-Slaying Division, Mak Ya-wol."
Mak Ya-wol also charged toward Hyeokryeon Pae in pursuit of the Guild Leader's seat.
"So... you challenged the Guild Leader's position, and that's why the two of you ended up looking like this?"
"'Looking like this'? That's a little harsh."
"Yeah. What's wrong with us?"
Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol.
Standing before Maeng Ye-ju, the two men had each lost an arm and a leg, while all sorts of healing Dharma Treasures hung from every part of their bodies.
Although both were masters of the Infinite Realm, the injuries to the very foundation of their cultivation were so severe that they could not recover quickly.
"You two just charged at the Guild Leader without thinking."
"What do you mean without thinking? We challenged him because we wanted the Guild Leader's seat."
"Exactly. That's what I mean by not thinking. Both of you are strong, but you're nowhere near that level."
"You never know until you compare—"
"I don't need to compare to know. Besides, you already knew you came up short, and yet you challenged him several more times."
"..."
Faced with Maeng Ye-ju's perfectly logical response, neither man could argue.
In the end, they changed the subject.
"...So, what brings you here?"
"Master Craftsman Cho-su asked me to deliver something."
"The Young Sect Leader is personally delivering items?"
"The Beast King Sect owes Master Craftsman Cho-su quite a bit. Besides, maybe you've forgotten because you've been traveling with him, but Master Craftsman Cho-su isn't someone you can just meet whenever you want."
Cho-su was the successor of Cho-yul, a craftsman regarded as one of the Nation of Ingenious Mechanisms' Three Great Master Craftsmen.
No matter how famous Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol had become throughout the Central Heavens Martial World, without their connection to him they never would have received so much help.
"That's true. Brother Cho really is a big shot."
"But why are you two here?"
"We came to recover using some of Brother Cho's Dharma Treasures."
"And while we're here, we figured we'd see if there was any news about the Captain. Ye-ju, do you know anything?"
"How would I know? Besides, it's only been two years."
"Two years is a long time."
"Right. For the Captain, two years is an incredibly long time."
In two years, Jang Woo-hyun probably would have cut down three or four Great Monsters.
That was simply the kind of martial artist he was.
"He may have already Ascended."
"If it's the Captain, that's entirely possible."
"If he reached the Upper Realm, he's probably already killed a few True Immortals by now— Huh?"
Seo Ryeom suddenly stopped speaking.
All three of them immediately turned their heads toward the same direction.
At that very moment, a wave of scorching heat surged over the buildings and walls.
It felt as though the surrounding environment had changed in an instant.
"An attack?"
Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol smiled.
Even while seriously injured, they released killing intent the moment they judged that an enemy had arrived.
"I'll go take a look. You two stay here."
"Come on. Why should I stay put when my arms and legs still work?"
"That's what you call having working arms and legs?"
"They've still got one each attached."
"...Right."
Unable to argue against such absurd logic, Maeng Ye-ju simply gave up and moved.
Upon arriving where the aura had erupted, she saw Kang Yong baring his fangs and growling.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Apparently sensing just how powerful his opponent was, Kang Yong refrained from charging in recklessly.
The three of them looked toward what appeared to be a large training ground.
Standing amidst the blazing earth and dozens of destroyed puppets...
...was a man Maeng Ye-ju knew very well.
"Young Palace Master, what exactly are you doing?"
Hwa Jin-myeong.
The Young Palace Master of the Solar Palace of Flame.
He was the intruder who had barged into Cho-su's residence.
"Young Sect Leader. My apologies. Those puppets suddenly attacked me, so I had no choice."
"That's because you walked into someone else's house without permission!"
"Well... I clearly asked for permission outside, but nobody answered, so I had no choice but to come in."
The moment Kang Yong growled at him, Hwa Jin-myeong's attitude completely changed.
"Young Palace Master, it's nice seeing you again, but this situation is... rather shocking."
"Senior Mak. Senior Seo. It's good to see you again."
Hwa Jin-myeong greeted Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol with a respectful clasped-fist salute.
As they exchanged brief greetings...
The owner of the residence, Cho-su, approached together with dozens of puppets.
"What a complete mess. An absolute disaster. I think you'd better explain exactly why you caused all this."
"Master Craftsman Cho-su, I'm truly sorry. I'll properly compensate you for everything I destroyed. But before that... please accept this."
Hwa Jin-myeong took out a rather large box from his Inner Robe and handed it over.
"Isn't this Flame Jade Tree Fruit?"
While negotiating with the Solar Palace of Flame, Cho-su had once requested the Flame Jade Tree Fruit, which only grew within their territory.
Hwa Jin-myeong had not forgotten.
"That's simply a gift I brought personally. I'll compensate you separately for the damaged puppets. I acted rashly because I was in a hurry. My deepest apologies."
No one had been injured.
He had promised compensation.
He was apologizing this sincerely.
It was difficult to press the matter any further.
Besides, the amount of Flame Jade Tree Fruit he had brought was already valuable enough to cover the cost of the destroyed puppets.
"Forget the apology. Why did you climb over someone else's wall?"
"I came looking for the Young Sect Leader. I was simply in too much of a hurry."
"You were in a hurry?"
"You came looking for Ye-ju?"
Everyone present simultaneously turned toward Maeng Ye-ju.
She stood there wearing an awkward expression.
"Ah..."
"Hehehe..."
Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol narrowed their eyes and grinned mischievously as they immediately understood the situation.
"It's not like that. Open your eyes properly. Otherwise... I'm going to hit you."
"Ahem. I didn't do anything. Ryeom's the one making weird faces."
"Why are you dragging me into this again?"
Ignoring the ridiculous expressions on the two older men's faces, Maeng Ye-ju spoke.
"Didn't our sparring end the last time?"
"You two fought?"
"Not seriously. We just had a light match using the Immortal-Slaying Division's training method. We weren't enemies, so there was no reason to fight with everything we had. Besides, I was already busy enough."
The Beast King Sect was currently at war with the Sovereign Family.
At the same time, they were suppressing the small and medium-sized sects causing trouble within their territory.
Because of that, Maeng Ye-ju was constantly busy.
"So who won?"
"I did."
The Immortal-Slaying Division's training method involved wearing Dharma Treasures on the arms to suppress one's strength before fighting.
Had they fought at full power, Hwa Jin-myeong would have held a considerable advantage.
However, he lacked experience and had never trained using the Immortal-Slaying Division's methods.
Defeat had been inevitable.
"I enjoy fighting too, but let's do it another time. I'm too busy right now. Besides, you admitted defeat last time."
"That's true... but once isn't enough."
"If once isn't enough, are you saying we need to fight several more times?"
"At least five. No... ten times. I'll need time to adapt too, won't I?"
"Why would we fight ten times? I don't have time for that. Fine, let's just say I lost."
Already exhausted by the conversation, Maeng Ye-ju tried to end it.
Hwa Jin-myeong, however, continued speaking as though nothing had happened.
"This feels rather strange."
"I know."
"She said it wasn't like that... but I can definitely smell something."
"Right?"
"I don't think he came here just to fight."
"What do you mean?"
As Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol whispered to one another, Kang Yong walked over.
"What kind of lunatic asks for ten matches? Even the Captain wouldn't do that. He didn't come here just to spar."
"Then why?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"What is?"
"How can you be so dense? You're a wolf Beastkin. Can't you smell it? The scent's obvious. A man and a woman meet... what else could it be?"
"A man and a woman? Then..."
Kang Yong looked back and forth between Maeng Ye-ju and Hwa Jin-myeong.
"Whaaaaaat?!"
He screamed and jumped straight into the air.
Meanwhile, Maeng Ye-ju and Hwa Jin-myeong continued bickering over whether they should spar again.
Kang Yong repeatedly muttered,
"My sister...?"
His face twisted as though he had witnessed something he never should have seen.
"Our little Ye-ju has really grown up."
"She certainly has. Makes me feel proud."
Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol.
The two middle-aged men watched the young man and woman with thoroughly mischievous smiles.