Chapter 54
White-haired Blade Elder's eyes widened as he witnessed Jaseong's immense aura.
'... From the moment I first laid eyes on him in the Sword Guesthouse, I sensed he was no ordinary expert... But to think he was at this level... How could a young martial artist reach such heights...?!'
White-haired Blade Elder internally let out wave after wave of shock.
Had he known that Jaseong had found the Shadowless Body Technique manual in his cave and mastered it in one go, his shock would have been far greater.
At any rate, Jaseong's appearance was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for White-haired Blade Elder.
Currently, White-haired Blade Elder was utterly exhausted.
He'd fought three-on-one for several hours, blocked Faceless Ghost and his subordinates' poison darts, and some poison had slightly seeped into him.
On top of that, he had just confronted the three leaders of Three Souls Hall, who had consumed Devil Soul Frenzy.
Naturally, his internal power was depleted and his energy channels were twisted.
[Hold them off for just a moment. In the meantime, I'll recover my energy and join you.]
After sending a voice transmission to Jaseong, White-haired Blade Elder stood in place and breathed rapidly, recovering his depleted stamina and internal power.
During this time, Jaseong faced the three leaders of Three Souls Hall and activated his Samadhi Eyes.
Ssss—
Time slowed, and the world before his eyes was tinted with various colors.
Of these, what Jaseong focused on most were the sword intentions of the three leaders and their expanded energy channels.
Due to the effect of Devil Soul Frenzy, their energy channels had expanded abnormally, and black energy was surging wildly within them.
'Expanding the energy channels inside the body and pouring out internal power at once... It's similar in principle to the Celestial Gate Opening Art.'
Of course, the Celestial Gate Opening Art is a secret technique of the Celestial Realm that only those who possess Heaven Evading true ki can use.
It is utterly different in might from these vulgar tricks of the world.
Thus, the energy exuded by Jaseong, who had opened the Gate of Shock, was overwhelming.
Even the three leaders of Three Souls Hall, empowered by Devil Soul Frenzy, could not recklessly make the first move.
And in the next moment—
Flash!
A blinding flash grazed before the eyes of the three leaders.
In the next instant, Jaseong's form emerged to the left of Third Soul.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, sixth form: Ten Thousand Thunders.'
Jaseong's sword snapped and crackled, transforming into lightning that engulfed Third Souls entire body.
KAAAAAANG!!!!!
Third Soul hastily raised his sword to block.
Yet, even with the power from Devil Soul Frenzy, his body was flung backward with a slither.
Immediately, Second Soul lunged at Jaseong.
His Shadowless Sword Art radiated black energy as he aimed for Jaseong's flank.
But at that very moment, Jaseong unleashed Heaven Evading Phantom Step, creating four illusions that looked just like him.
Sssrk! Sssrk! Sssrk!
'... What the—?!'
Second Soul was left dumbfounded by the spectacle.
Jaseong had suddenly become four people.
He couldn't tell which was real and which was fake, so he couldn't recklessly thrust his sword.
'All that intense Heaven Evading Phantom Step training paid off. Now my mastery has increased, and the number of illusions I can create has grown...'
Jaseong smiled in satisfaction inwardly as he swung his sword.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, third form: Hundred Descending Calamities.'
Jaseong's sword sliced through the air.
The third form, Hundred Descending Calamities, was a rapid series of slashes, creating a scene like a hundred bolts of lightning striking down.
Ka-ka-ka-ka-kang!!!
Second Soul struggled to block with his sword.
But he couldn't keep up with the blistering speed of the Hundred Thunderous Strikes.
Chwak! Chwaak!
Blood burst from both of Second Soul's shoulders.
Beneath his mask, his face contorted in pain.
"Senior brother!"
The moment Second Soul cried out in anguish, Third Soul rejoined the fray.
He attacked Jaseong from behind, while Second Soul launched the Shadowless Sword Art from the front, pressing Jaseong relentlessly.
Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-chang!!!!!
The joint assault by the two leaders, empowered by Devil Soul Frenzy, was no joke.
They unleashed might befitting an elder of a prominent sect, pressing Jaseong hard.
But Jaseong calmly blocked all their attacks with a composed face.
'... I can see it. That's why I can block it.'
Thanks to the Celestial Gate Opening Art, the efficacy of the Samadhi Eyes was maximized.
Even the swift swords that a first-rate expert would struggle to parry appeared as slow as crawling insects.
Thanks to this, Jaseong could clearly see their attack routes as he swung his sword.
'He's wielding might even greater than the two leaders who drank Devil Soul Frenzy...!'
'How could such a scene be possible...?!'
Jaseong, in the Gate of Shock state, flaunted might even more astounding than the two leaders who had consumed Devil Soul Frenzy.
Utterly overwhelmed by his power, everyone around was stupefied.
But then, amid Jaseong's exchange with the two leaders—
Swoosh!
First Soul, who had been quietly watching, suddenly dashed into Jaseong's blind spot.
He unleashed a thrust with all his internal power.
'......!'
As befit the strongest member of Three Souls Hall, it was a fierce surprise attack.
Moreover, the power of Devil Soul Frenzy had explosively strengthened the force of his sword.
Jaseong countered instantly, unleashing Heaven Evading Counterstroke, a defensive form that met the opponent's attack head-on like lightning.
KAAANG!
After clashing swords with First Soul, Jaseong tumbled backward in a somersault, breaking through the siege of the three leaders.
His form skimmed across the rooftops like the wind.
First Soul frowned as he watched.
'... I had timed the opening perfectly. And yet, he blocked the critical blow I'd prepared so confidently... Where did such an expert suddenly appear to disrupt our plans?!'
First Soul realized he had made a mistake.
While Second Soul and Third Soul were fighting Jaseong, he should have dealt with his teacher, Shadowless Divine Thief.
Currently, Shadowless Divine Thief was exhausted and catching his breath.
Given a moment, he would recover enough strength to fight.
'... If our teacher joins in, when we're already struggling with this one man... Three Souls Hall will be doomed today.... So before he regains his strength, we must eliminate the man in front of us...!'
First Soul signaled to Second Soul and Third Soul with his eyes.
Then, blasting out black internal power, the three surrounded Jaseong and launched an all-out attack from three directions.
Ka-ka-ka-ka-kang!! Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-chang!!!!
With a mighty rush of wind and sharp sparks flying everywhere,
with First Soul joining, the three of them attacked in unison, and even Jaseong's composed expression hardened.
'... This First Soul really is different. Even after opening seven gates, I can't fully overpower his swordsmanship...'
And a bigger problem loomed:
Jaseong's internal power was being drained rapidly.
'... I can only maintain the Celestial Gate Opening Art for about half a quarter of an hour more at most... I spent too much internal power climbing up the cliff, and overexerted myself using the Shadowless Body Technique on top of that...'
The Celestial Gate Opening Art grants overwhelming might, but comes at a steep price.
Even a short activation drains massive quantities of internal power.
Because of this, the aftereffects of opening the seven gates began to overtake Jaseong.
His dantian quickly emptied, and his whole body grew heavy.
'I have to end this quickly.'
But First Soul had the same thought.
Thus, Jaseong and Three Souls Hall began trading attacks and counters at full force, aiming to finish each other off.
Chuak! Chuak! Chuak!
Blood spurted from Jaseong's forearm, cheek, and thigh as his wounds increased,
because the combined assault from Three Souls Hall pressed him from all sides.
In response, Jaseong unleashed his ultra-fast consecutive slashes, Hundred Descending Calamities.
And as a result—
Chwaaaaak!!!
With a sight like a hundred bolts of lightning crashing down,
suddenly, a fountain of blood erupted.
First Soul and Second Soul turned their heads and saw blood gushing from Third Souls right thigh.
"Urk!"
Third Soul groaned in pain.
Getting stabbed in the leg meant his mobility was drastically reduced.
At this, First Soul's eyes deepened.
[... This won't do. At this rate, we'll all die.]
First Soul sent a killing stare and a voice transmission to Second Soul.
Second Soul nodded grimly in response.
They'd decided to use a lethal move they had used once before.
But the true nature of this move was utterly cruel.
Thud!
In the next moment, Second Soul kicked Third Soul in the back, sending him hurtling toward Jaseong.
Powered by all his internal strength, Third Soul's body shot forward like a cannonball.
"Khak?! Sa, senior brother?!"
Caught totally off guard, Third Soul flew at Jaseong with wide, bewildered eyes.
He had no choice but to swing his sword as he careened helplessly forward.
Jaseong's eyes shifted, and he used Heaven Evading Phantom Step, avoiding Third Souls incoming strike while simultaneously thrusting his sword into Third Souls chest.
Chwak!
A violent fountain of blood sprayed from Third Souls chest.
His heart pierced in an instant, his body collapsed powerlessly.
But before Jaseong could even reclaim his sword from Third Souls corpse,
First Soul and Second Soul moved simultaneously from behind it.
They attacked Jaseong's left and right at the same time.
Shuak! Shuaaak!
This was the brutal lethal move prepared by First Soul and Second Soul—Others' End Becomes My End.
The heads of Three Souls Hall would often sacrifice subordinates to break the enemy's defense and aim for a vital point.
The only difference this time was that they'd sacrificed Third Soul, the brother-in-arms who had always fought at their side.
'They're completely insane...!'
Jaseong used his Samadhi Eyes to evade the incoming attack from Second Soul on his left.
But dodging First Soul's simultaneous attack from the right was impossible.
"This ends here!"
First Soul's sword came right before his nose,
its murderous energy brushing his skin.
In that instant, Jaseong had only one choice.
Inside the slowed time of the Samadhi Eyes, before the enemy blade touched him, he had to open the eighth gate, the Du Gate, of the Celestial Gate Opening Art.
Even if it meant emptying all his internal power in one blow, he needed to amplify his strength and speed even further—enough to evade First Soul's lethal move.
Of course, the chances of failure were high.
To open the eighth gate with an enemy blade at his nose—what a mad gamble.
'But... I have no choice. Only this path fulfills Heaven's Mandate.'
But just as Jaseong focused and touched the entrance to the eighth gate—
Chwaaaak!
Scarlet blood spurted from a sword driven by First Soul.
Yet at that very moment, both First Soul and Second Soul's eyes widened.
To their shock, the one bleeding wasn't Jaseong.
"That goddamned old man...!"
Second Soul gritted his teeth and yelled.
It was not Jaseong but White-haired Blade Elder whose back erupted with a fountain of blood.
A moment ago, having read his disciples' vicious thoughts, White-haired Blade Elder stopped recovering his energy channels.
He stepped in front of Jaseong with Shadowless Body Technique, taking the blow for him.
He hadn't even had time to draw his blade—he took his disciple's sword bare-handed.
"Khuh...! So you've finally... forsaken even your brotherhood...?"
White-haired Blade Elder stared at First Soul and Second Soul with a look of bitter sorrow.
Blood gushed from his pierced back and chest.
"You kill your master... kill your brother... What do you hope to gain from all this...?"
Splurt! Splurt!
"Is it wealth and honor...? Cough! Is it martial supremacy you desired...?!"
Splurt! Splurt!
"No, you have gained nothing... You're nothing but foolish evil spirits...!"
White-haired Blade Elder vomited mouthful after mouthful of blood with every word.
Yet, with trembling hands, he raised his blade.
"Look well. This is your master's final lesson...!"
White-haired Blade Elder gathered his last reserves of internal power as he spoke.
The calm, determined gaze of the old expert looked upon his disciples with resolve.
But then—
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA!!!
Suddenly, from behind White-haired Blade Elder,
a golden ki stormed forth like a hurricane.
Roof tiles across Wandering Warrior Village scattered, and the air itself shook.
An overwhelming aura that made everyone tremble.
First Soul and Second Soul's eyes widened in shock.
'Wh-what the—?!'
'That monstrous bastard is even stronger than before...?!'
First Soul and Second Soul's gaze landed on Jaseong.
Even before, he had displayed overwhelming power,
but now he radiated an aura on a whole different level.
White-haired Blade Elder had bought just enough time for Jaseong to open the eighth gate, the Du Gate.
Even White-haired Blade Elder momentarily forgot his anger in the face of this incredible aura.
"Step back, Shadowless Divine Thief."
"...?"
"I've told you before—those bastards are not your business alone."
Jaseong spoke in a chilling tone.
And the next moment—
Ssak!
His form vanished from before their eyes.