Chapter 86
Upon the sudden appearance of the person in black clothes, Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak's eyes twitched simultaneously.
The black-clad figure who had been fleeing earlier with the Seven-Star Cloud Blade had now reappeared.
And upon hearing the voice, it became clear—the figure in black was a woman.
'... Just what is the true identity and purpose of this black-clad person, that she keeps appearing before us?'
Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak gazed coldly at her.
Slowly, they raised their swords, letting out a wave of murderous intent.
"It seems your life must not be precious to you, young lady. Had you left peacefully, you would have kept your life... now it's too late."
Their unspoken murderous intent weighed heavy on the air.
At the tips of the two Zhongnan disciples' swords, a slight vibration started, and the fallen leaves on the ground trembled all at once.
But at that moment—
A smirk—
The corners of the black-clad woman's lips twisted into a shallow smile.
"... You're smiling?"
"What's so amusing?"
"Did you think I came here alone?"
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, something flashed from within the bushes.
Shuak! Shuak! Shuak! Shuak! Shuak! Shuak!
Suddenly, hidden weapons suffused with sword energy ripped through the wind and flew at them.
It was an ambush they hadn't anticipated at all.
Ka-kang! Chae-chaeng!
Reacting reflexively, Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak swung their swords and knocked the hidden weapons aside.
But unfortunately—
"Kugh?!"
Disciple Yun-hak failed to completely block the flying weapons.
From his thigh, red blood began to gush out in a torrent.
At last, the black-clad figures within the brush started appearing one by one.
Srrk— Srrk—
"......!"
"......!!"
Five in total.
They outnumbered the two Zhongnan Sect disciples.
Moreover, every one of them gave off the presence of true experts.
'It's a trap...! Is this why that black-clad person kept appearing before us?!'
While hastily pressing down on his wound, Yun-hak sent a tense glance.
At that moment, the figure standing foremost among the black-clad figures slowly reached out and shed her black clothes.
Chuk—!
From within the black garb emerged an insignia of a great clan.
A martial robe embroidered in blue thread with two phoenixes.
It was unmistakably the martial robe of the Murong Clan.
'Murong Clan...?!'
'These treacherous bastards!'
A thick tension descended over Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak's faces.
Now that members of one of the Five Great Clans, who, alongside Zhongnan Sect, were famed throughout the land, had arrived.
Just from their movement skill, they had realized these weren't ordinary opponents, but to think they were swordsmen from the Murong Clan...
Just then—
"No one interfere."
A youth in Murong Clan martial robes stepped forward and spoke.
Among those who'd appeared, he looked to be the youngest.
But the aura radiating from him—
Goooo—
Was more overwhelming than anyone else present.
With each step he took, the air tore apart—pachut, pachut!
Confronted by such immense intimidation, Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak broke out in cold sweat, tension running high.
At the same time, they wondered—
'Was there such a young expert in the Murong Clan...?'
'The only renowned young expert from the Murong Clan is the young head, Murong Hwang... But even Murong Hwang couldn't be at this level...! Then who is this young master?!'
A young expert with an intense venom in his eyes.
His true identity—Jaseong.
At last, as planned, Jaseong had donned the Murong Clan's martial robes, disguised himself as Murong, and now, it was time to cut down Zhongnan Sect.
'Following Murong Hwang, these are the second foes I've met here in Yinyang County... I'll wipe them all out.'
Jaseong slowly raised his sword.
But as they watched Jaseong, Lee Rin and her companions sent him anxious glances.
They knew Jaseong was strong, but Yun-hyeon was the Zhongnan Sect's eldest disciple—a hero who'd won at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, the greatest talent among orthodox sects.
Disciple Yun-hak, too, possessed formidable skill.
For Jaseong to confront them both alone—
'... If the hero is ever in danger, I'll have to jump in immediately.'
Lee Rin murmured inwardly at that moment.
"... Celestial Gate Opening Art."
Jaseong muttered quietly, and KWA-KWA-KWA!!! a powerful energy surged from his body.
"Heaven Evading Phantom Step."
Then, Jaseong's figure began to split into several forms.
Srrk! Srrk! Srrk! Srrk!
One, two, three... twelve.
Twelve illusions soon surrounded Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak.
Each one assumed a different stance.
'What is this...?!'
Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak were simultaneously shocked.
Having broken past the peak's threshold, Jaseong's Heaven Evading Phantom Step was now at an entirely new plane of enlightenment.
The illusions were so precise and vivid that they could not be distinguished from reality.
"Hak, get a hold of yourself! Don't be deceived by illusions—trust your sense of energy!"
Yun-hyeon shouted, but it was already too late.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, third move - Hundred Descending Calamities.'
All twelve Jaseongs drew their swords at once.
In that instant, Yun-hak's vision turned white.
Chwak!
"Kugh?!"
Yun-hak screamed and staggered back.
In the blink of an eye, blood spouted from his side.
Because the dazzling twelve illusions had confounded his focus, he couldn't pick out the real body.
"I'll take you on myself!"
Eldest disciple Yun-hyeon shouted, launching his attack.
As the greatest talent in the Zhongnan Sect's history—the Azure Dragon of the orthodox world who'd surpassed the peak barrier—he could tell the minuscule differences in the energy radiating from Jaseong's true body and the illusions.
"Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art—Blue Dragon Emerges to Sea!"
At Yun-hyeon's sword tip, blue sword light surged up like a dragon.
At that ferocious presence, the air around let out a roar—KWA-AH!
Lee Rin and Jaseong's party's eyes twitched at the sight.
'That's an incredible heavy sword...! Is that the Zhongnan Sect's ultimate move, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art?!'
The Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art was Zhongnan's supreme sword art, created by their patriarch, master Un.
From the insight that one would never lose if you perfectly grasped all thirty-six directions centering yourself, it counted as the greatest 'heavy sword' technique—along with Wudang's supreme sword, the Taiji Sword, and Mount Hua's supreme sword, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art, and was regarded as the greatest among all heavy swords.
In other words, it stood in stark opposition to Jaseong's Heaven Evading Flash Sword, which pursued supremely fast swordsmanship.
'The greatest orthodox heavy sword... How will the leader face this?'
Gu Janghu exhaled deeply, focusing on Jaseong.
Naturally, he expected Jaseong to win by speed, rather than a direct confrontation.
After all, Jaseong's Heaven Evading Flash Sword was based on Speed(快).
But the next instant—
KAANG!!!
Jaseong directly received the mighty heavy sword of the orthodox sect, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art.
What's more, the one who was sent skidding back—rattle!—was Yun-hyeon.
'He forced back the greatest heavy sword in the orthodox world with just a fast sword...?'
'Just how powerful must his internal strength be...?!'
Everyone present stared, eyes wide.
As mentioned before, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art was the most powerful heavy sword technique in the orthodox world.
Just by internal force alone, there were hardly any sword arts in the martial world that could stand against it.
Perhaps only the Namgung clan's Imperial Sword Form could compare.
Yet Jaseong easily pushed back such a heavy sword with light-speed sword strikes—everyone was left in shock.
Yun-hyeon clenched his teeth and launched a counterattack.
"Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art—Pinnacle of Heaven and Earth!"
Yun-hyeon's sword traced a massive arc as it was brought down.
This time, overlapping layers of sword energy formed an immensely heavy strike.
KWA-AANG!
The powerful force shattered the surrounding rocks to pieces.
However—
Flash! KAANG!!!
Once again, Jaseong's Heaven Evading Flash Sword lightly deflected Yun-hyeon's Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords Art.
"Urgh?!"
This time, Yun-hyeon's palm tore open.
But the pain he felt was only just beginning.
Flash! KAANG!!! Flash! KA-KA-KANG!!! Flash! KAAANG!!!
Jaseong relentlessly pressed Yun-hyeon with overwhelming energy.
Thanks to opening the Eight Gates—including Closing Gate—through the Celestial Gate Opening Art, his power was truly earthshaking.
Yun-hyeon was pushed back—skid, skid!—barely able to defend himself.
'... What's more, ever since reaching the peak, infusing the sword with energy has become that much easier. At this rate, I might even form sword aura—the mark of a late peak expert.'
A fierce smile spread on Jaseong's lips.
Even as he unleashed illusions to dazzle Yun-hyeon's eyes and attacked from all sides.
Then, at some moment—
"Eldest brother!!"
Despite his injury, disciple Yun-hak forced himself into the battle, gathering his internal power to unleash his best technique.
But, regrettably—
"You're not qualified to interfere."
Jaseong's cold voice rang out.
His sword flashed toward Yun-hak like lightning.
Chwak!
"Aaagh!"
Without even managing to show a single move, Yun-hak's abdomen was pierced, and he coughed up blood.
He was simply outclassed to intervene in a clash between peak experts.
Much less while Jaseong, in Eight Gates open mode, was outstripping even late peak experts.
Witnessing this, Yun-hyeon trembled faintly.
Instead of anger at his disciple's death, there was sheer terror on his face.
'S-So powerful... Just where did this monster come from...?! Could he truly be from the Murong Clan?!'
In that moment, Jaseong's illusions merged instantly, all drawn into the single tip of his sword.
"Heaven Evading Flash Sword, twelfth Stroke—Heaven Evading Absolute Annihilation."
As Jaseong muttered, the final stance among the twelve forms of the Heaven Evading Flash Sword was unleashed.
KU-KWA-KWA-KWANG!!!!
A thunderous crack resounded.
A huge bolt of lightning streaked down at Yun-hyeon's head.
Yun-hyeon desperately displayed the Thirty-Six Swords' omnidirectional defense, but it was futile.
"Kuaaaagh!!"
Even Zhongnan Sect's ultimate global-defense stance couldn't block Jaseong's absolute move.
Almost like light itself, Jaseong's sword pierced straight through Yun-hyeon's body.
Chwak!
Yun-hyeon's body was thrown into the air, then dropped limply to the ground.
His eyes still trembled in disbelief to the very end.
Everyone around could only stare, not even daring to breathe.
Having ruthlessly cut down the two Azure Dragons of Zhongnan in an instant, Jaseong's martial might left all speechless.
"Hoo...."
Jaseong sheathed his sword, flicked off the blood, then stared coldly down at the blood-vomiting Yun-hyeon.
"So the famed Dragon-Phoenix Gathering champion amounts to this? How disappointing."
Yun-hyeon, blood bubbling in his mouth, managed to speak.
"Cough! Y-You... who are you...?"
"......."
"The sword art... you used wasn't the Murong Clan's. And there's no young expert like you in all of the Central Plains... Who... are you...?"
Yun-hyeon wrung out his last bit of strength to ask.
To that, Jaseong smirked and replied.
"Ansun's Red Light District."
"What...?"
"Don't you remember?"
"What... does that..."
"That day, you and your master entered the Red Light District, saying you were there to wipe out demonic cultists. And under the banner of eliminating leftover demonic cultists, you slaughtered innocent civilians."
"......!"
At last, Yun-hyeon's eyes widened as he recalled.
"Cough! That was... for the greater good... a sacrifice...."
"Among those 'sacrificed innocents'—were my big brother and my sister-in-law."
"......!"
"So? Do you remember who I am now?"
Jaseong subtly lifted his mask as he asked.
He was not wearing a human-skin mask, but his true face.
The moment Yun-hyeon met the malice in Jaseong's eyes, memories came unbidden—
'Th-this is the boy who recklessly challenged the sect leader and heads at that time...?!'
Only a few years ago, a boy from the Red Light District who knew nothing of martial arts.
Even when there was no spit left and he vomited blood, he couldn't even touch a corner of his enemies' robes—a feeble, powerless boy.
Yet now, that boy had become a mad, predatory beast.
"Don't even dream of a quick death. My elder brother died with his body mutilated, thanks to you."
"......!"
"And my sister-in-law... was impaled along with my unborn nephew."
"......!!"
"So die slowly—suffer for a long, long time."
Jaseong's fingers pressed ruthlessly on Yun-hyeon's lower abdomen meridian.
Then, his internal power rushed fiercely into Yun-hyeon's veins.
"Gahh?!"