Chapter 162
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable laid down the rules.
"We will draw lots to determine the matchups. The duels will be fought one-on-one, with the loser eliminated."
He paused for a moment, then coldly added,
"Lethal force is permitted. Such is the rule among the unorthodox sects. A fight without risking one's life is meaningless."
"The last one standing will earn the right to wield that Wicked Flame Sword."
The unorthodox bigwigs, one by one, agreed.
They all possessed absolute confidence in their martial arts.
None believed they would be the one to lose.
Even the hall lords of the Hao Sect held their breath.
Never in the history of the martial world had such a tournament of heaven-grade experts taken place.
Warriors from every sect could not hide their shock.
A container for drawing lots was prepared at the center of the grand arena.
The ten unorthodox bigwigs approached, one after another.
It was at that precise moment—
"I, too, shall participate."
Jaseong stepped forward.
The gazes of the unorthodox bigwigs all turned to Jaseong.
The King of Ten Thousand Poisons furrowed his brow.
"What? You?"
The Killingsword Demon burst out laughing.
"Don't make me laugh. Your rank is far too low to participate in this duel. Where does some nobody like you get the nerve to stand as our equal?"
Jaseong's gaze grew cold and steady.
"In that case, let me prove it to you. Let's find out if my rank is indeed too low, or if you are simply blind."
At that moment, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable interjected.
"I allow his participation."
"Heavenly Black Sword Venerable! What nonsense is this!"
The other bigwigs protested, but Heavenly Black Sword Venerable remained resolute.
"This man is the one who defeated my disciple, Heuk Muguk. Furthermore, he personally decimated the Blood Cult. Therefore... he more than qualifies."
Because these words came from a supreme expert—one counted among the highest of the Five Great Evil Ones—everyone fell silent.
They, too, inwardly acknowledged Jaseong's might.
Thus, eleven competitors were confirmed.
The ten unorthodox bigwigs, plus Jaseong.
Jaseong approached the lot-drawing container.
His eyes were cold.
He seemed to have something on his mind.
The eleven each drew lots in turn.
Tension reached its peak.
Since the number was odd, one would advance by default.
The matchups were announced.
[First Round, match 1: White Bone Clan head, white Bone Spirit Monarch vs. Allied Rings Sect leader, Twelfth Linked Rings]
[First Round, match 2: Mixing Heavens Clan head, mixing Heavens Devil Lord vs. Shadow Pavilion lord, gucheon Amyeong]
[First Round, match 3: Thousand Kill Gate sect leader, Killingsword Demon vs. Steelblood League alliance leader, steelblood Overlord]
[First Round, match 4: Blood King Sect sect leader, Blood King Legion vs. Poison Valley valley lord, King of Ten Thousand Poisons]
[First Round, match 5: Twin Dragon Clan head, myriad-Hand Fist Emperor vs. Black Star Sect sect leader, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable]
[Hao Sect sect leader, Jaseong: advance by default]
"You lucky bastard. You've bought yourself a little more time to cling to your life."
The Myriad-Hand Fist Emperor sneered.
"You'll drop out in the next round anyway. Your luck ends here."
Blood King Legion once again burst out laughing.
"Keke, just sit tight and watch the duels between true heaven-grade experts. Try not to wet yourself."
Jaseong said nothing.
His eyes swept across the unorthodox bigwigs, one by one.
'Fortunately, no one suspects I tampered with the drawing.'
The truth was, when the Hao Sect subordinates prepared the container, Jaseong had lightly dusted the stick signifying 'advance by default' with a dandelion seed.
Upon activating his Samadhi Eyes, the life intent emanating from the dandelion seed was clearly visible to him.
Thus, when it was his turn to draw, Jaseong deliberately chose the stick marked by that life intent, ensuring his advancement by default.
Of course, the only reason this worked was due to the complacency of the heaven-grade experts.
It never occurred to them that someone would be bold enough to cheat at the drawing in a contest among such titans.
'This will let me observe the enemy's martial arts and strength first. And while my enemies kill each other...'
In the center of the arena, the dueling ground was prepared.
The unprecedented tournament of heaven-grade experts in the martial world was only just beginning.
* * *
First Round, match 1.
White Bone Clan head, white Bone Spirit Monarch vs. Allied Rings Sect leader, Twelfth Linked Rings.
The two stood facing each other at the center of the dueling ground.
Tension crackled between them.
The White Bone Spirit Monarch, masked by a white bone, radiated the stench of decaying corpses, while the alluring, mature woman Twelfth Linked Rings exuded a sweet yet deadly aroma of poison.
"Begin!"
At the cry of the Hao Sect hall lord, who acted as referee, Twelfth Linked Rings moved first.
Chwararak!
From within her sleeves, twelve whips shot out like serpents.
This was the Twelve Linked Rings Whip Technique.
Whooosh! Whoosh! Whee-ing!
The dazzling whips danced through the air.
It was as if a host of venomous snakes were striking at their prey.
Yet beneath that display lurked a deadly trap.
Tiny barbs adorned the tips of the whips, each coated in the lethal Seven Steps Intestine-Severing Poison—so toxic, even an elephant would perish with a mere graze.
"Heh heh heh, bony old man! Taste my whip!"
Twelfth Linked Rings smirked flirtatiously as she cracked her whips.
The whips tore through the air, targeting every inch of the White Bone Spirit Monarch's body.
It was a perfect, inescapable encirclement.
But the White Bone Spirit Monarch did not move.
He neither tried to evade nor to block.
He merely let out a strange shout.
"Krururung!"
At that moment, a gray energy burst from his entire body.
He had activated the White Bone Divine Art.
Crack! Crackle!
With strange sounds, his skin turned deathly pale and hardened like bone itself.
His muscles contracted and his joints jutted out, rendering him less a man than a walking skeletal monster.
Slaaap! Slap!
Twelfth Linked Rings's lashes struck the White Bone Spirit Monarch's body with crushing force—enough to shatter stone—but not even a scratch appeared on his form.
Instead, a dull thud resounded as if metal and stone collided.
"What, what is this...!"
Twelfth Linked Rings's eyes widened in shock.
Her poisonous whips had no effect.
The White Bone Spirit Monarch grabbed a flying whip with his bare hand.
Barbs pierced his palm, yet he showed no sign of pain.
"Poison? Laughable. Before my White Bone Divine Art, all poisons are worthless. What good is poison to bones that are already dead?"
His voice was as chilling as if echoing from a crypt.
Twelfth Linked Rings's expression hardened.
She desperately tried to pull the whip free by channeling her inner energy.
"Let go!"
But the White Bone Spirit Monarch's grip was monstrous.
The whip did not even budge.
"Now it's my turn."
He yanked on the whip, closing the gap between them.
Twelfth Linked Rings resisted, but the difference in strength was overwhelming.
In desperation, Twelfth Linked Rings unleashed the final movement of the Twelve Linked Rings.
"Serpent's Death Annihilation!"
The remaining eleven whips simultaneously targeted the vital points of the White Bone Spirit Monarch—eyes, throat, heart, and lower dantian.
A trajectory of inescapable death.
But the White Bone Spirit Monarch merely smiled.
That smile, hidden beneath the white bone mask, grew even more grotesque.
"White Bone Blood Claw!"
Kwaang!
His fingernails grew into long, razor-sharp bone claws.
He slashed through midair, shredding the incoming whips to pieces.
Even whips made of steel were torn like straw.
Seizing that opening, he drove his claws straight through Twelfth Linked Rings's shoulder.
Thunk!
"Kyaaaagh!"
Twelfth Linked Rings screamed in agony and spat blood.
Her shoulder blade was crushed, the claws of the White Bone Spirit Monarch sunk deep.
"Heh heh... the scent of a woman's blood is always the sweetest."
When the White Bone Spirit Monarch pulled his hand free, Twelfth Linked Rings dropped to her knees, powerless.
The outcome was decided.
"White Bone Clan head, white Bone Spirit Monarch, victory!"
The Hao Sect hall lord declared.
The unorthodox martial artists in the stands erupted in cheers.
But the White Bone Spirit Monarch was not entirely unscathed.
As he stepped down from the stage, his hardened skin softened, and black blood oozed from wounds.
Twelfth Linked Rings's poison had not been utterly ineffective.
He staggered, hurriedly swallowing an antidote.
Jaseong quietly observed the entire scene.
A blue gleam flickered in his eyes.
He had activated his Samadhi Eyes to analyze the White Bone Spirit Monarch's martial art.
'White Bone Divine Art... a martial technique that relentlessly tempers the body's exterior until it becomes a weapon, strengthening the bones and blocking pain reception. However...'
Jaseong saw the flow of the White Bone Spirit Monarch's energy channels with perfect clarity.
Venomous energy had seeped between his joints, obstructing the flow.
'It's not total immunity to poison. He merely hardens the bones to delay penetration. In a protracted fight, his weakness will be exposed.'
Jaseong nodded to himself.
He had finished evaluating his first opponent.
Match 2.
Thousand Kill Gate sect leader, Killingsword Demon vs. Steelblood League alliance leader, steelblood Overlord.
The two took the stage.
As they faced each other, the air itself grew heavy.
A murderous intent so suffocating it was hard to breathe filled the ring.
The Killingsword Demon had a gaunt frame and hollowed eyes.
But the instant he drew his sword, his frail appearance became terrifying.
Sleek—
Killing Primordial Sword Art.
A technique crafted solely for slaughter, the very essence of unorthodox swordsmanship.
The sword aura and overwhelming murderous intent pressed in from all sides.
Opposite him, steelblood Overlord was a giant of a man.
He casually hefted a massive blade nearly as tall as a man in one hand.
"Kahaha! I'll slice off your head and use it as a wine cup!"
With a burst of maniacal laughter, steelblood Overlord swung his blade.
Steelblood Sword Art.
A domineering style designed to destroy everything through sheer force.
"Perish!"
KWAANG!
Sword and blade clashed.
With one collision, the arena floor cracked wide open.
Stone fragments flew in all directions.
Clang! Slam! Boom!
Neither man gave an inch.
The Killingsword Demon ghosted about, seeking Steelblood Overlord's openings, while Steelblood Overlord struck like a tempest, relentlessly pressing his foe.
They exchanged thousands of blows.
The supporting pillars around the duel ring collapsed, and the floor became a wreck.
The spectators could only swallow nervously at the ferocity of the fight.
How much time had passed?
"Gh...!"
"Grrr..."
Both men were gravely wounded.
Blood poured from the Killingsword Demon's flank, while Steelblood Overlord's shoulder was cut so deeply that bone showed through.
But their eyes only burned more fiercely and savagely.
"This is the end!"
Both shouted at once.
There was no point in further probing.
It would come down to a single, decisive blow.
The Killingsword Demon raised his sword upright.
Red energy gathered at the blade's tip.
"Heaven-Slaughter Lone Sword!"
Steelblood Overlord raised his blade above his head.
A massive sword aura soared skyward.
"Steelblood Sky-Cleaving Blade!"
Both techniques erupted simultaneously.
Sword and blade energies collided in midair, unleashing a tremendous explosion.
KWA-A-A-ANG!
A blinding flash and a cloud of dust swept over the ring.
Everyone stilled their breath, awaiting the outcome.
When the smoke cleared, the two fighters were revealed.
The Killingsword Demon was standing.
His sword was impaled through Steelblood Overlord's shoulder.
Steelblood Overlord's blade hovered above the Killingsword Demon's head—no more than an inch away.
Just 0.1 seconds.
That infinitesimal gap decided life and death.
"Ghuuh..."
Steelblood Overlord spewed blood and collapsed.
His giant blade clattered to the floor.
"Thousand Kill Gate sect leader, Killingsword Demon, victory!"
The Killingsword Demon staggered as he withdrew his sword.
He, too, had suffered severe internal injuries; blood dripped from his mouth.
But the gaze of a victor remained bright in his eyes.
Myriad-Hand Fist Emperor murmured with his hand on his chin,
"That Killingsword Demon is stronger than I thought. He's at least twice as formidable as ten years ago."
Jaseong silently observed him.
Through the Samadhi Eyes, the Killingsword Demon's energy glowed red;
A vortex of pure murderous intent, nothing but the will to kill.
'Pure murderous intent... that, too, is a realm of its own. Beyond technique or inner energy, he overwhelmed his opponent with sheer will to kill.'
Jaseong nodded.
There was something to be learned from this contest.
And soon, it would be his turn...