Chapter 164
Flash!
Jaseong moved.
No, he vanished.
A sword, moving faster than lightning, split apart the poisonous mist.
Wherever the Black-Gold Sword Aura touched, the poison energy sizzled and burned away.
A sword aura fused from immortal energy and demonic ki unleashed absolute power, burning up even the poison energy that was said to be immune to all venom.
"Kgh!"
The King of Ten Thousand Poisons panicked and unleashed a poison palm attack into the air.
It was a variation on the Myriad Poisons Heaven Snare Palm.
A giant poison-formed palm blocked Jaseong's charge.
Bang!
A shockwave spread out in all directions.
The floor of the dueling arena cracked open.
But Jaseong did not stop.
At that moment, he had opened the Tenth Gate, reaching the mid-supreme peak realm.
He moved about as if teleporting, relentlessly pursuing the King of Ten Thousand Poisons.
Swoosh! Shwick! Chang-lang!
Jaseong unleashed attacks from every direction, leaving only afterimages behind.
Now sudden striking from the east, now from the west.
And then, in an instant—
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, Third Stroke—Hundred Descending Calamities.'
A storm of sword strikes, as if a hundred bolts of lightning were crashing down, rained upon the King of Ten Thousand Poisons.
Because of it, the King could hardly maintain his wits.
"Y-You brat...!"
The King hastily activated a poison array in defense.
But the Black-Gold Sword Aura tore through the poison array like mere paper.
"Myriad Poisons Ghost Demon Palm!"
Driven into a corner, the King of Ten Thousand Poisons shrieked and unleashed his final deadly move.
Countless hands of poison energy surged from his body and struck all at once.
There was nowhere to hide—a true rain of death.
But to Jaseong's eyes, all of it appeared slow.
The Samadhi Eyes had already discerned the trajectory of every attack.
'In his desperation, his openings only grow wider.'
Jaseong gripped his sword anew.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword, Fourth Stroke—Heaven Evading Sky Breaker!'
Golden light and black flames merged into one, forming a massive sword beam.
Like a comet cleaving the sky, it pierced through the gaps between the poison palms.
KWAANG!
With a thunderous explosion, all the poison palms of the King vanished.
The poisonous energy dispersed, dust settled.
And then—
Shhk.
Jaseong's sword stopped right before the King's throat.
Black-gold heat radiating from the sword tip singed the skin at his throat.
A thousand moves, exchanged in an instant.
But the time felt like a mere blink.
The outcome had been decided.
The King of Ten Thousand Poisons stared blankly at the sword aimed at his neck.
His whole body was drenched in sweat and his legs were trembling.
By contrast, Jaseong hadn't even broken his breathing, looking down at him with cold eyes.
"... I admit defeat."
The king ground his teeth and stepped back.
His face was drained pale.
His pride was wounded, but he had no choice but to admit it.
The difference in power was overwhelming.
"Victory to Jaseong, Sect Leader of the Hao Sect!"
At that moment, silence fell over the dueling ground.
There wasn't even a cheer.
The spectacle had been so overwhelming that everyone was at a loss for words.
The leaders of the unorthodox sects all clamped their mouths shut.
They already knew Jaseong was strong.
There had been rumors he half-destroyed the Blood Cult and toyed with both the Murong Clan and the Zhongnan Sect.
But, they never expected it to be this degree.
One of the Five Great Evil Ones, the King of Ten Thousand Poisons, had been crushed, not even injured.
And in a direct contest, at that.
The face of the White Bone Spirit Monarch hardened.
His bones creaked audibly.
The Mixing Heavens Devil Lord broke out in a cold sweat and swallowed dryly.
To face such a monster made his spine freeze.
Killingsword Demon's gaze wavered intensely.
Even Heavenly Black Sword Venerable could not hide his shock.
The might Jaseong had just displayed surpassed the level he'd seen in the past by an unfathomable degree.
'How could a human possibly become that strong so quickly...?'
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable's hand trembled.
'Supreme peak...no, perhaps soon he'll reach the threshold of the transformation realm...!'
The silence was finally broken by the cheers of Hao Sect disciples.
"Sect Leader!!"
"Long live the Sect Leader! Long live Hao Sect!"
Their voices shook the White Crane Temple.
All the pent-up frustration of hiding in the shadows burst forth at once.
Lee Rin and Gu Janghu exchanged relieved glances.
Their eyes brimmed with boundless faith and pride in Jaseong.
Jaseong calmly sheathed the Wicked Flame Sword.
The black flame dissipated, and the sword returned to cold metal.
He slowly descended the dueling ground.
His gaze remained cold and level.
Rather than the joy of victory, his eyes held the composure of a warrior already preparing for the battles ahead.
'This is only the beginning.'
Jaseong swept his eyes over the remaining unorthodox leaders.
Confirming the wariness in their eyes, he coldly smiled to himself.
From this moment, the order of the martial world was being rewritten.
* * *
Second Round, match 2.
White Bone Spirit Monarch, head of the White Bone Clan, versus Mixing Heavens Devil Lord, head of the Mixing Heavens Clan.
Both had already been battered in the previous round.
The White Bone Spirit Monarch was suffering from poison, his skin rotting away.
The Mixing Heavens Devil Lord, having been wounded in his fight with Gucheon Amyeong, spat blood with every breath.
"Keh keh keh...you're a sight, devil Lord."
"And it looks like you'll be in a coffin soon, White Bone Spirit Monarch."
They mocked each other as the duel began.
"White Bone Blood Claw!"
"Mixing Heavens Demonic Art!"
The Spirit Monarch's claws lengthened and flew at the Devil Lord, who countered with a surge of black demonic ki.
Though both were wounded, their attacks still held deadly intent.
KWAANG!
Their attacks collided, shaking the dueling ground.
But their bodies, already at their limits, couldn't withstand more.
"Kegh!"
"Kkuaaagh!"
The two overlords spat blood at the same time and collapsed.
They glared at each other and tried to rise, but their bodies wouldn't move.
"A draw! Both are eliminated!"
A sigh swept across the stands at the officiant's declaration.
For two heads of unorthodox factions to be eliminated together—it was an extraordinary turn.
Second Round, match 3.
Killingsword Demon of the Thousand Kill Gate, versus Heavenly Black Sword Venerable, sect leader of the Black Star Sect.
Killingsword Demon staggered onto the stage, a deep wound from Steelblood Overlord's attack gaping in his chest.
In contrast, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable had expended his internal energy in his battle against the Myriad-Hand Fist Emperor, yet still stood tall.
Killingsword Demon looked at Heavenly Black Sword Venerable and gave a bitter smile.
"... I forfeit."
He was already beyond his limit.
Even an assassin of his caliber knew only death awaited in a pointless clash with Heavenly Black Sword Venerable.
"A wise decision."
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable nodded.
And so, only two remained in the arena.
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable of the Black Star Sect, and Jaseong, head of the Hao Sect.
"Let's begin right away."
At those words, Jaseong slowly took the stage.
His eyes were calm.
Advancing by default, both his stamina and energy were at their peak.
In contrast, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable stood blood-soaked.
His internal energy depleted from his life-and-death struggle against the Myriad-Hand Fist Emperor, his body was covered in wounds.
Yet his gaze burned as fiercely as ever.
Of the Five Great Evil Ones, he alone had trained a successor to the Sword Demon—a master's pride and spirit.
'... My opponent is a grandmaster among grandmasters, vying for title of greatest sword with Namgung Cheon-rui. Even if weakened... if I relax for an instant, I could lose my head.'
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable spoke.
"You have achieved truly dazzling growth since that day, prodigy of the Red Light District."
His voice held genuine admiration.
The nickname he'd given Jaseong now belonged to someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Thank you for the title."
Jaseong gave a brief cupped fist salute.
Then immediately began his preparations.
'Celestial Gate Opening Art.'
Jaseong opened the immortal gates within his body.
From the First Gate to the Tenth, and Heaven's Gate, all at once.
KWAAAAA!!!!
Golden ki exploded from Jaseong's body.
The air vibrated, dust spiraling across the arena.
The pressure was so intense that the audience held their breath.
"Begin!"
At the signal, the duel commenced.
'Heaven's Black Sword Art.'
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable's sword sliced through darkness toward him.
Black sword ki filled the air, cutting off Jaseong's vision.
Even wounded, his sword art remained razor-sharp and precise.
It carried the presence of severing stars from the night sky.
Jaseong responded.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword.'
Flash!
A golden light ripped the darkness apart.
Jaseong's sword moved like lightning, clashing with Heavenly Black Sword Venerable's sword aura.
CLANG! BANG! KWAANG!
Their swords met violently in midair, sparks flying and shockwaves spreading out.
"Oh...!"
The audience gasped in astonishment.
Jaseong was fighting Heavenly Black Sword Venerable, one of the world's greatest, as an equal.
No, in speed and strength, he seemed to be pressing the advantage.
However—
CHACHA CHACHA CHACHA CHAAAAANG! KAKAKANG!!! KWAAAAANG!!!
As time passed, the flow of battle shifted oddly.
Despite his lack of energy, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable used his worn experience and skill to deflect Jaseong's attacks.
Jaseong's sword only barely missed, but Heavenly Black Sword Venerable's blade found tiny openings in reply.
'So...is this the difference in experience?'
Jaseong clicked his tongue.
He had the edge in strength, but the wisdom of Heavenly Black Sword Venerable—tempered by decades wandering the martial world—was not an easy wall to surmount.
Jaseong made his decision.
If he dragged things out, the time for maintaining the Celestial Gate Opening Art would end.
He needed to finish it first.
'Time to use the final move I used to kill the head of the Hebei Peng Clan.'
Twelve gates in total made up the Celestial Gate Opening Art.
Now, the Eleventh Gate.
The forbidden realm he'd used to kill Peng Yun-ho, head of the Hebei Peng Clan.
For the Eleventh Gate, heavens' Opening.
"Heavenly Black Sword Venerable."
"?"
"Since it's a duel, may I ask for a moment?"
Jaseong stepped back and lowered his sword.
To ask for a pause mid-duel was a strange request.
But Heavenly Black Sword Venerable lifted his brows and nonetheless nodded.
As befitting a leader of the unorthodox, he had the arrogance and composure to accept his opponent's best.
"I'll wait. Show me the depths of your power."
Jaseong steadied his breathing and activated the Samadhi Eyes.
Ssss—
The world slowed as if time ceased.
Jaseong peered deep within himself.
Between the meridians coursing with golden inner strength, he saw a massive, tightly sealed gate.
It was like a dam blocking the flow of heaven and earth's energies.
Jaseong drew upon the innate true ki within his middle dantian.
Like white flames, the innate true ki mixed with golden inner strength, causing a great vortex.
'Break through.'
Jaseong forced that vortex of energy into the Eleventh Gate.
WOOOOOM!
A terrible vibration rocked his body from within.
His bones screamed, his muscles threatened to tear, pain racking his entire being.
His mouth filled with the metallic scent of blood.
'Just a bit more...just a bit...!'
Jaseong squeezed out every last drop of willpower.
His mind almost blanked from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
And finally—
Creeeeeak—BOOM!
The tightly-locked gate burst open with a tremendous crash.
KUKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!!!!
At that instant, incomprehensible energy exploded from Jaseong's body.
It wasn't merely a release of internal strength.
It was power that forcibly drew in the ki of nature itself, overriding natural law and claiming it as his own.
A golden pillar soared into the sky from around Jaseong.
The entire White Crane Temple was bright as day.
Every living thing within a hundred-yard radius was pressed down by the overwhelming presence, barely able to breathe.
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable stiffened.
He stared at the golden pillar in disbelief.
The sword in his hand trembled minutely.
'Could he still have more to reveal...?!'
The other unorthodox leaders, lips trembling, stared at Jaseong.
The White Bone Spirit Monarch cried out in astonishment.
"The transformation realm...?! That young one has set foot on its threshold?!"
The legendary realm only reached by shedding the limits of the human shell, beyond supreme peak.
The energy of that realm was emanating from Jaseong.
At that moment, the Wicked Flame Sword in Jaseong's hand began to hum.
—My master.
The sword's voice echoed directly in Jaseong's mind.
—You have opened that gate again.
"......."
—As I said before, your body cannot withstand this power. You are already at your limit.
Jaseong felt it too.
His blood vessels were about to burst from the strain.
Just maintaining this power was burning away his life.
—You can make only one strike. After that, your body will be destroyed.
'That's enough.'
Jaseong slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils were no longer black.
They blazed gold—the eyes of a god.
"Wicked Flame Sword. Unleash your final power."