Chapter 108
Crimson blood was still dripping from Jaseong's sword.
And behind him, Heuk Muguk had collapsed, utterly powerless.
In stark contrast to his reputation as the Sword Demon's heir, he had been utterly destroyed—his whole body marked by dozens of sword wounds.
On the other hand, Jaseong looked perfectly clean, without any major injuries.
His overwhelming might stunned both Gu Janghu and Kang Ryong. Kang Ryong, in particular, was more than shocked.
'To defeat Heuk Muguk in less than half a shijin... and to come out almost completely unscathed! Even if Heuk Muguk's a bald, perverted bastard, his martial arts are the real deal! Has the Tianxia Association's leader always been this strong?!'
Indeed, as befitted his nickname as the Sword Demon's heir, Heuk Muguk was a true genius.
He had reached the late peak realm at a young age, and even elders of the Black Star Sect wouldn't dare treat him lightly.
But Jaseong, chosen by the Celestial Realm as an executor of Heaven's Mandate, was a genius who could not be compared to him.
Sssaa—
Half a shijin ago.
When Jaseong activated the Samadhi Eyes, Heuk Muguk's sword path became clear within the slowed flow of time.
As befit the Sword Demon's descendant, Heuk Muguk's swordsmanship was intricate and deadly.
But under Jaseong's Samadhi Eyes, everything was laid bare—what was a feint, what was real, and exactly where the openings lay.
On top of that, Jaseong even unleashed his ultimate move, the Celestial Gate Opening Art.
Even opening the Eight Gates, one step below the limit of Nine Gates, increased his speed and power explosively. The result—
'Wha—What is this?! He's reading all my techniques! No matter what variation I use, they're all blocked! It's as if he's reading my thoughts in advance!!'
For the first time in his life, Heuk Muguk felt a "wall"—literally, the feeling of facing an insurmountable barrier.
After about a hundred seconds of back-and-forth—
"Keheuk..."
Heuk Muguk collapsed, coughing blood.
In truth, his crushing defeat was only natural.
Before coming here, the last opponent Jaseong had fought was a disciple of the Heavenly Demon—Yeom Musa, the fourth disciple, with might on par with a First Elder of a major sect. Jaseong had defeated even him.
No matter how much of a genius Heuk Muguk was within the unorthodox factions, he was not on the level of the Heavenly Demon's disciples.
So it was only natural that Heuk Muguk was helplessly beaten by Jaseong.
'Th-this... is a monster... I heard the Tianxia Association leader's martial skill was only about the same as a low-ranked Evil Path Association elder, but how...'
Even as he coughed and gurgled blood, falling into unconsciousness, Heuk Muguk was consumed by suspicion and shock.
* * *
Having settled Heuk Muguk, Jaseong raised his blood-dripping sword and once again addressed Gu Janghu.
"Need some help? Say the word if you do."
But it wasn't Gu Janghu who responded—it was Kang Ryong.
"Kuhaha! As I thought, the most entertaining prey here is you!"
Suddenly, Kang Ryong burst into wild laughter, eyes ablaze with excitement as he charged at Jaseong.
He looked every bit the battle-mad lunatic—but beneath that madness, his cunning remained.
"You haven't forgotten, have you?! We agreed that if I beat you one-on-one, the Tianxia Association leader's seat is mine!!"
It was a clever move.
Right now, Kang Ryong was locked in an even fight with Gu Janghu. If Jaseong got involved?
Kang Ryong would lose even more wretchedly than Heuk Muguk.
So, to Kang Ryong, betting everything on defeating Jaseong one-on-one was the far more appealing gamble.
Unfortunately for Kang Ryong, that plan ended in vain hope.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, ultimate form—Heaven Evading Shadow Annihilation Sword.'
Jaseong's movement shot forward like a bolt of lightning. Then, right before Kang Ryong's eyes—
Shyushushushushuuk!!!
Twelve sword auras rained down at once, creating a dazzling spectacle.
Kakakakang! Chwak! Chwak! Chwaaaak!!!
Kang Ryong managed to block nine of the twelve sword auras, but the remaining three struck home.
Blood gushed from his shoulders, thighs, and abdomen.
"Kkgh...!!"
Suppressing a groan, Kang Ryong tried to counterattack by unleashing the Infinite Black Emperor Fist. But it was futile.
About two sicheng after Kang Ryong challenged Jaseong one-on-one—
"Grhh..."
With a groan, Kang Ryong collapsed beside Heuk Muguk, eyes rolled back white.
"Hoo..."
Jaseong let out a long breath.
The repeated use of the Celestial Gate Opening Art had consumed a considerable amount of his internal power.
Yet at this moment, he felt not weariness but deep satisfaction.
At the time of the Dark Path Duel Banquet, he and Lee Rin had barely managed to win against Kang Ryong in a combined assault.
Now he could easily bring Kang Ryong down on his own.
And even the so-called successor of the unorthodox world, Heuk Muguk, was nothing before him.
'I've reached a realm where I can easily bring down the two dragon prodigies of the unorthodox factions... If I press on a little further, even those enemies—'
Jaseong's eyes flashed coldly.
The Murong Clan, the Zhongnan Sect, the Hebei Peng Clan, and the Demonic Cult—the faces of his enemies passed vividly before his eyes one by one.
Of course, the fight wasn't over yet.
Among the three rising stars of the unorthodox factions who had chased them, Dokgo Yeon from Poison Valley remained.
If Heuk Muguk had displayed overwhelming might with his sword, and Kang Ryong with his fists, Dokgo Yeon was different.
In terms of pure martial skill, she might lag a little behind Heuk Muguk or Kang Ryong, but she wielded a far more terrifying weapon.
Namely, Poison Valley's treasured secret weapon, the Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder.
If Dokgo Yeon used it, every living being within thirty jang would have their energy channels twisted and cough blood—except for her, immune due to her body immune to all poisons.
In some ways, then, the greatest threat to Jaseong's group wasn't Heuk Muguk or Kang Ryong—but Dokgo Yeon.
Yet unexpectedly, that threat was overcome more easily than anyone anticipated.
'Ice Lord Asura Sword Art, third form—Frost Chains in Flowing Stream.'
Lee Rin wielded North Sea's treasured sword and unleashed an intense cold toward Dokgo Yeon.
The air's moisture instantly turned into snow, blanketing the area.
Dokgo Yeon met her with her beloved Green Scale Whip, but she couldn't withstand the cold and was driven back again and again.
'Such terrifying ice power... Who is this woman, really?!'
In truth, North Sea Ice Palace's ice arts were the natural enemy of Poison Valley's venom-users—after all, the snakes would freeze before getting close.
Furthermore, Lee Rin's internal power, boosted after taking the Celestial Cloud Pill, had reached the level of a 90-year cycle and a half.
When she unleashed the Ice Lord Asura Sword Art at full force, the very air crackled and froze around her.
Because of that, even Dokgo Yeon's most prized venomous snakes—Green Scale and Black Snake—froze solid before ever reaching their target.
'Still, it's fine. I still have that left...!'
With her now-whitened brows twitching, Dokgo Yeon pulled a flask from her robes—inside was Poison Valley's greatest secret poison, the Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder.
But the moment Dokgo Yeon took out the flask—
"?!"
The unexpected occurred—the flask containing the Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder was entirely frozen solid.
'Wh-what...?! For the Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder to freeze...!'
Panicking, Dokgo Yeon shook the flask desperately—but the poison inside had already solidified into ice, refusing to budge.
"What is that? Don't tell me it's something like the Demonic Cult's Devil Soul Frenzy?"
Not recognizing the flask's true contents, Lee Rin mistook it for one of the secret elixirs used by the Demonic Cult's Three Souls Hall.
Deciding to act before Dokgo Yeon could make any underhanded move, Lee Rin immediately rushed in and deployed a palm strike.
'Frost Jade Palm!!'
A fierce wave of cold burst from Lee Rin's palm. At the same time, Dokgo Yeon's energy channels—busy desperately trying to thaw the flask—were struck and frozen solid.
"Kkgh?!"
The internal power surging through Dokgo Yeon's body stiffened rapidly; she tried desperately to force it out—
'Frost Jade Palm!!'
In the next instant, Lee Rin's follow-up strike landed squarely on Dokgo Yeon's chest.
"Kyaaah!!"
That was the end.
With a single piercing scream, Dokgo Yeon's body was hurled away and slammed into the ground.
"Hmph. She kept acting so high and mighty, so I thought she had some kind of incredible trump card—but it was nothing much, after all."
Completely by accident, Lee Rin had frozen the Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder flask and saved Jaseong's group from peril.
If the head and elders of Poison Valley—who had gone to such pains to create the powder—had seen this, they would have collapsed in shock.
* * *
Thus, Jaseong's group had defeated Heuk Muguk, Kang Ryong, and Dokgo Yeon.
Now they bound the three unconscious successors of the unorthodox sects tightly and headed for the canyon entrance. There, North Sea's guardians were locked in fierce battle.
"How can a bunch of women's swords be this sharp?!"
"Break through! We have to get through!!"
The swordsmen of the Black Star Sect shouted as they tried to force their way through the narrow canyon entrance, where Han Soweol and three other North Sea guardians stood firm.
Their skills were extraordinary. The Black Star Sect's swordmasters—renowned experts—were being subdued in just a dozen seconds.
'As expected, the Palace Lord sent only the best experts.'
Of course, the unorthodox experts still outnumbered the defenders sevenfold. But because the narrow canyon only allowed three or four at a time, the numbers did them no good.
Moreover, atop the high canyon walls, Ansun branch's martial forces rained arrows down in support. Whenever an arrow flew, the unorthodox experts had to duck and dodge, making it all but impossible to break through the canyon entrance.
"The skill of North Sea's guardians is always impressive."
At Jaseong's words, Lee Rin answered with pride.
"Our North Sea Ice Palace's martial arts are the best in the world. Fufu. Mother even said that she'd send more swordswomen if needed."
These North Sea swordswomen, sent only to specially trusted sects, enjoyed a great prestige even in the martial world.
Composed solely of women, they were experts on par with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of Mount Hua Sect among the Nine Great Sects.
Jaseong could call upon that trump card at any time, but he held off for now.
He couldn't summon North Sea's swordswomen whenever he pleased—it was a card to use only in an all-out war against the orthodox factions or the Demonic Cult someday.
"But, branch leader, how will you resolve this situation?"
Gu Janghu asked.
Though North Sea's guardians were holding out well, it was not easy to subdue over thirty elite unorthodox experts.
Moreover, Jaseong's group had expended quite a bit of internal power in the recent battles.
If they faced all thirty head-on, there was a real risk of unwanted casualties.
But Jaseong merely shrugged, replying as if it were nothing.
"Let's try persuading them first. If that doesn't work—I'll wipe them out."
"Huh...?"
It was a bold answer, perfectly in line with his character. And so was his next move.
With a *shuak*, Jaseong flashed forward, plunging into the thick of the battlefield.
Kwa-kwakwaang!!!
"Kkghaaak?!"
Unleashing his sword aura, he sent a Black Star Sect swordsman flying as a warning.
"...!"
"...!!"
"...?!"
Faced with that overwhelming might, the unorthodox experts' pupils widened in shock.
Jaseong swept over them one by one with an aura as fierce as a tiger.
And in a low voice, he spoke.
"Your masters have been defeated by me."
'What...?! Senior Heuk Muguk was beaten?!'
'The Third Young Master lost? What is going on?!'
"From now on, you all have two options."
"...?"