Kang Sogun

'Kuh.'

Jungrang swallowed the groan that was about to erupt.

The energy contained in the Blood Flute's red flute was strong. Jungrang thought that his internal energy was probably stronger than that of the Three Blade Sect Master, Yeon Seongyeol.

'For a man who could be the master of a sect to be a mere subordinate of the Heavenly Martial Faction.'

Jungrang's thoughts could not continue.

The red flute drew an arc and flew again. The sound that shook his soul was enough to make his mind and body shrink.

Jungrang ducked his upper body and struck the sword diagonally. It was One Star Crossing the Heavens, one of the life-saving ultimate moves of the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms.

"Quite something."

Although the Blood Flute praised him cheerfully, he was inwardly surprised.

The Blood Flute had already made a name for himself twenty years ago. Although he remained at the fifth rank of the Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial, he was proud that he could be compared to the ten great masters.

No one knew that the level of his internal energy, which he had cultivated through the method of gathering yin to supplement yang, had reached a full sixty years. He had even hidden it from the same Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial.

A sixty-year cycle is sixty years.

The Blood Flute had achieved the internal energy that a person could obtain by training for sixty years in his mid-forties. If he continued to accumulate internal energy through the method of gathering yin to supplement yang, he would be able to obtain the internal energy of two sixty-year cycles when he turned sixty. At that time, he would surely be able to enter the ranks of the ten great masters.

But a mere guard was receiving that sixty years of internal energy.

'This bastard's sword art is profound.'

The Blood Flute noticed that Jungrang's sword art contained the principle of Tai Chi, which controlled strength with softness.

It was not easy to cut off the flow of the sword that continued endlessly.

The Blood Flute took a step back and asked.

"Are you a disciple of Wudang?"

Jungrang had no time to answer.

Jungrang spun around and deflected the twin halberds that were flying towards Yeon Hwasim.

The Twin Halberds of Noisy Death, Gongno, let out a hollow laugh. He could have entangled Yeon Hwasim with one move just now, but Jungrang's sword had intervened in the middle and had ruined it.

Gongno sheathed his twin halberds and said to the Blood Flute.

"You seem to have some leisure. To be asking about his sect while trespassing in someone else's house and stealing a woman."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Master Gongno. I am just asking Miss Yeon to have a quiet talk to resolve the current situation amicably. I have no intention of seeing blood."

The Blood Flute was a cautious man. In the past, he had almost died after violating a daughter of the Tang Clan.

The Wudang Sect, along with Shaolin, was considered the leader of the martial world. In terms of the sword, it wielded a prestige that surpassed Shaolin.

If he killed a disciple of Wudang, he might have to flee not to the Heavenly Martial Faction, but outside the borders. The Blood Flute thought that Jungrang's sword was a secret art of Wudang.

Jungrang was quick-witted. He immediately noticed that the Blood Flute was misunderstanding, but he had no reason to clear up the misunderstanding.

Jungrang silently blocked Yeon Hwasim's front. He was going to face Gongno himself.

Looking at him, the Blood Flute was a lustful villain aiming for Yeon Hwasim. So it seemed he would not take her life, but Gongno was different.

If the twin halberds he had just unfolded had gone in properly, Yeon Hwasim would not have been unharmed.

Although Yeon Hwasim's sword art was improving by leaps and bounds through arduous training, it was not enough to face the fourth of the Ten Guests of Heavenly Martial, the Twin Halberds of Noisy Death.

Even Jungrang did not know how many moves he could receive.

Jungrang had a premonition that tonight would be a bad night. But he had not thought that he would suffer such a thing in the Jeongha Martial Hall, which was a branch of the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

"I'll kill you first."

Gongno glared at Jungrang and spat out gloomily.

Gongno, hearing that the Jeongha Martial Hall was empty and that the Blood Flute had gone to find Yeon Hwasim, had followed with the intention of killing Yeon Hwasim and Jungrang.

Unlike the Blood Flute, Gongno was a cold-hearted man. He handled the tasks he was given cleanly and demanded accordingly.

On the assassination list that Gongno had received were Yeon Hwasim, Jungrang, and Kang Sogun.

Although Jo Gaeryang had said to capture Yeon Hwasim and Kang Sogun alive if possible, Gongno had no intention of doing so.

'The words "if possible" mean that if the situation is not favorable, it's okay to kill them.'

Gongno hated troublesome things.

As Jungrang took on Gongno, Yeon Hwasim had to face the Blood Flute.

As Jungrang raised his sword, Gongno sneered.

"The young pup is quite something. But it's difficult to handle my twin halberds with just the subtlety of your sword art."

Gongno swung the halberds in both his hands from left to right.

-Swish!

The qi wave that arose from the twin halberds rushed in as if to cut Jungrang's waist.

Jungrang's internal energy was still shallow. Although he had received a proper internal art from Yeon Seongyeol after entering the Three Blade Sect and had trained whenever he had time, it was far from enough compared to his peers who had grown up in famous families. Moreover, it was Gongno's twin halberds, which contained decades of internal energy. He had no confidence in receiving it head-on.

Jungrang drew a circle with his sword and let the qi wave flow away.

A strange light also flowed in Gongno's eyes.

'It's worth the Blood Flute asking about his sect.'

He also noticed that Jungrang's sword art was beyond subtle and could be called a supreme art.

Jungrang, having encountered the essence of the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms, was heading towards the pinnacle of the sword. And he was realizing that the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms, while ordinary, contained the profound principle of qi.

When he did not know, it was just a form of striking down, cutting, and stabbing, but now the movement that cut between the internal qi of the body and the external qi of the outside felt like a divine dragon swimming in the mid-heaven.

Gongno knew that he did not have much time. Although the Great Righteous Martial Hall had gone out of the city to face a powerful enemy, he did not know when they would return.

'That bastard's internal energy is nothing special. I must break it at once.'

Although Jungrang was relying on the subtlety of his sword art, if he pushed and broke it with his decades of internal energy, there would be nothing he could do. Gongno made up his mind and raised his internal energy.

"Take this too."

Gongno suddenly withdrew his twin halberds and then thrust them out like a thunderbolt. It was the Twin Dragons Leaving the Sea, into which he had poured all his internal energy.

As a powerful qi wave rushed from the twin halberds, Jungrang rather took a step forward and tried to cut the qi wave.

'Hehehe.'

Gongno was inwardly overjoyed. A tangible energy of about a foot extended from his twin halberds.

'Energy?'

Jungrang had not expected the enemy to use a decisive move so quickly. He had tried to let the qi wave flow away with his sword force, but since he was pushing with energy in front, there was no way.

Jungrang used all his internal energy to deflect the energy.

-Boom!

An explosion erupted, and with the rebound force, Jungrang hastily retreated. His internal organs vibrated from the aftermath of the energy, and his blood flowed backward.

"Kuh."

Jungrang finally spat out a lump of blood.

It was the first time Jungrang had fought with such a master. He keenly felt the difference in internal energy.

"Miss Yeon is also quite something. Since the martial arts of the young people are so outstanding, the future of the martial world seems bright."

The Blood Flute praised Yeon Hwasim. He, who had captivated the hearts of countless women, was good with words.

But inwardly, he was annoyed. He had already exchanged hands several times, but he had not been able to subdue Yeon Hwasim.

Of course, he was refraining from using killing moves with the intention of subduing her without injury, but Yeon Hwasim's sword art was also not to be taken lightly.

Yeon Hwasim's sword art was ever-changing, and the sound of her sword cutting through the air was loud, strangely disturbing the ghost-like sound that his red flute made.

The Blood Flute realized that Yeon Hwasim's sword art was similar to Jungrang's, yet different.

'Is this bitch also from Wudang? Was there such an ever-changing sword art in Wudang?'

A gloomy light appeared in the Blood Flute's eyes. If she were a disciple of a famous family, her internal energy would be pure and her conduct would be proper, so taking Yeon Hwasim would be a great help in increasing his internal energy. Moreover, Yeon Hwasim's beauty was also outstanding, so he was eager. Although he was reluctant to incur the grudge of Wudang by killing Jungrang, the Blood Flute was willing to endure being chased for taking a woman.

"Instead of this, how about we go together? The Heavenly Martial Faction cannot disregard my words. Since the past grudges have been resolved with a price of blood, isn't it now time to resolve it with words?"

The Blood Flute tried to persuade Yeon Hwasim.

Yeon Hwasim felt an instinctive repulsion from the Blood Flute. Although he looked like a man of letters with dignity, he somehow felt like a snake, which gave her the creeps.

Moreover, when he mentioned the price of blood, the death of her father, Yeon Seongyeol, came to mind. Resentment welled up in Yeon Hwasim's eyes, and she unfolded the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms with even more of her full strength.

The Blood Flute, as if teasing her, stirred his red flute and aimed for Yeon Hwasim's vital points. The internal energy contained in the flute was sinister and strong, and Yeon Hwasim soon ran out of energy.

'Even if I die, I must protect this place. If I retreat, my older brother will be in danger.'

Yeon Hwasim knew that Jungrang had taken on the powerful enemy in her place. She had had a premonition that he would be greatly defeated when Gongno's twin halberds had rushed in, but Jungrang's sword had barely blocked it.

Yeon Hwasim gritted her teeth. She was determined not to retreat a single step, even if it meant giving up her own arms and legs.

But suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from behind, and she was greatly surprised as Jungrang was pushed back and spat out blood.

Yeon Hwasim wildly sprinkled her sword forms at the Blood Flute and then quickly approached Jungrang's side and supported him.

"Older brother!"

"!"

Jungrang, with his mouth full of blood, could not answer.

Fortunately, Gongno was catching his breath after using all his strength in one move, so he could buy a moment of leisure.

Jungrang spat out the blood that was welling up and said.

"Go. The Great Warrior Jang brothers have gone to the market, so go there and tell them that the enemy has come."

Jungrang said, pulling Yeon Hwasim behind him. Even as he was speaking, blood flowed.

"Older brother, your injuries..."

"I told you to go."

Jungrang staggered back and pushed Yeon Hwasim.

Jungrang, Gongno, and the Blood Flute were in a "品" shape.

'I can hold out for a quarter of an hour.'

Jungrang glared at Gongno and the Blood Flute and raised his sword. His hand, which was holding the sword hilt, trembled as his internal energy did not follow.

Yeon Hwasim shook her head. She was no longer the precious daughter of the Three Blade Sect who had to be protected. Since she had entered the path of a martial artist who risked her life at the tip of a sword, it was only right for her to die in this place if her skills were lacking.

"I can't go alone."

"..."

Jungrang was about to speak, but blood welled up again, and he could not open his mouth.

Gongno, who was watching the two, secretly circulated his qi, shot a look at the Blood Flute, and said.

"Do I have to spoon-feed you? Are you trying to ruin things?"

He rebuked the Blood Flute, who was still not using his full strength, even though he had subdued Jungrang at the cost of his own internal energy.

Although he knew that the Blood Flute was fond of women, he was very displeased that he was clinging to his private desires in the face of a major event.

The powerful enemy, Kang Sogun, had defeated the fifth to the tenth of the Ten Guests. The Demonic Sword of Qilian, Son Jo, who was a man of considerable skill, had returned as a cold corpse along with the Jade-Faced Handsome Youth and the Red Rakshasa.

He did not know when that bastard would appear. Gongno could not pour all his resources here.

Since Gongno had openly urged him to step up, it was difficult for the Blood Flute to refuse.

"Haha. Of course not. I was just trying to give them a chance. But since they are stubbornly refusing, I have no choice."

The Blood Flute tapped his palm with his red flute and glared at Yeon Hwasim.

"Miss Yeon. This is your last chance. Your guard's injuries are serious, so let's go together. I will treat him."

"Madman!"

A curse finally came out of Yeon Hwasim's mouth. She had cursed for the first time in her life, enraged at the sight of Jungrang, who was continuously vomiting blood.

The Blood Flute let out a sinister smile. Although he coveted women, the Blood Flute could not stand being ignored by a woman.

"So you're determined to drink the penalty shot."

The Blood Flute's figure slid towards Yeon Hwasim without a trace. His proud Flower Shadow Step was a supreme art that approached the opponent's face without a sound.

-Swish!

As the Blood Flute appeared in front of her without a sound, Yeon Hwasim was surprised and swung her sword.

-Clang!

The sword and the red flute clashed in succession, and Yeon Hwasim was pushed back, unable to handle the Blood Flute's internal energy. The Blood Flute laughed sinisterly.

"Hehe. Quite something, but you still lack experience, so this old man will enlighten you!"

While Yeon Hwasim was hesitating, the Blood Flute unfolded his Dark Fragrance Step to the extreme, grabbed her by the collar, and threw her. And he immediately stabbed the red flute, aiming for Jungrang's chest.

Jungrang twisted his sword to deflect the red flute, but he could not handle the force contained in it, and his sword was pushed back.

-Thwack!

Jungrang's chest, which had been grazed by the force of the red flute, was covered in blood.

Just then, a scream erupted from the direction where Yeon Hwasim had been thrown.

"Aak!"

The place where Yeon Hwasim had been thrown was coincidentally where Gongno was.

Gongno did not miss the opportunity and thrust his halberd, stabbing Yeon Hwasim.

Gongno twisted his halberd.

"Kuh!"

A short groan erupted from Yeon Hwasim's mouth again. Yeon Hwasim clutched the halberd that had pierced her abdomen and knelt.

"Hwasim!"

"Miss Yeon!"

Jungrang and the Blood Flute shouted at the same time.

(End of Chapter)