Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Fwoosh!
The black flames clinging to Youngho’s sword burned the air as they shot forward, as if determined to erase Taemyeong from this world.
Clang!
“……!”
After blocking Youngho’s Sword Qi, Taemyeong thought to himself.
‘It’s hot?’
It was merely internal energy. Yet how could something like this produce such heat?
Even Taemyeong’s Demonic Qi began to flicker as if struggling before that searing blaze.
When his Demonic Qi scattered before Youngho’s Sword Qi, Taemyeong shouted in a voice filled with fury.
“You bastard!!”
Youngho’s sword strike, imbued with ferocious black flames, shot forward, and Taemyeong’s swift spear strike intercepted it.
Shhk! Shhk!
Each time the sound of something being cut rang out, Taemyeong’s Demonic Qi was torn to shreds. Why? Why was it…
‘Being sliced so easily?’
His Demonic Qi should not have been cut so effortlessly. No—ordinarily, an attack of this level should not have been able to sever it at all.
‘Just why!’
Demonic Qi was, in the end, an evil energy. Unaware that its natural nemesis was Refined Internal Energy, Taemyeong could not comprehend this situation.
“Kraaaagh!”
With every breath he took, scorching air poured into his lungs, making it feel as though they were being roasted.
At a glance, it appeared as though Youngho’s sword was easily suppressing Taemyeong’s Demonic Qi, but in truth, directly coming into contact with Demonic Qi was extremely dangerous.
As proof, Youngho’s fingernails were gradually crumbling away. Yet he smiled. Compared to when he had fought the Heavenly Demon, this was nothing.
When he had pointed his sword at the Heavenly Demon, the flesh of his fingers had been blown away entirely, exposing stark white bone.
Compared to that agony, this was a mere scratch.
As their clash continued, Taemyeong suddenly seized the hem of Youngho’s clothing. Not knowing what he intended to do, Youngho was just about to tear his garment away—
But Taemyeong hurled him straight into the sky.
Rising upward, Youngho did not lose his composure. Kicking off the empty air, he shot back toward Taemyeong.
Spinning his body midair, he unleashed a spinning kick.
Boom!
When Taemyeong blocked the spinning kick with the shaft of his trident, an immense shock traveled into his wrist.
Feeling the wounds that had regenerated through Demonic Qi tear open once more, Taemyeong glared at Youngho.
‘……Huh?’
Youngho’s sword was right before his eyes. He did not know when he had closed the distance, but at this rate, his head would be pierced through and he would die. Taemyeong hurriedly twisted his neck, yet he still failed to avoid it completely.
Shhk.
Youngho’s blade grazed Taemyeong’s left eye and sliced all the way to his earlobe.
Though he had lost his left eye, the fear of nearly losing his life struck him far harder than the rage of losing an eye.
He hastily retreated, but as if having anticipated this, Youngho kicked off the ground and pursued him.
As Youngho charged like a streak of light, his Martial Presence began to swell to an absurd degree.
Kwaaaaa!
Savage Killing Intent erupted from his entire body. Tensing under that aura, Taemyeong swiftly maneuvered between rocks as cover, making it impossible for Youngho to lock onto him.
Taemyeong was certain Youngho would not be able to see him. Using the terrain in this manner, even a master two levels above him would struggle to track his movements.
The more he moved, the faster he became. His speed accelerated further and further, reaching its absolute peak.
At that very instant—
Paaaanng!!
His trident, imbued with dense Demonic Qi as though the weapon might explode, shot toward Youngho with a fierce air-splitting sound as it tore through the air.
Its target was Youngho’s heart.
No—even if it struck anywhere, that was enough. As long as it pierced him, the Demonic Qi infused within the trident would handle the rest.
In that fleeting moment, as though time itself had stopped, Youngho muttered,
“Open the Gate.”
With that whisper, the secret ultimate art taught to him by Cheonung—Flame Venerable Opening Technique—was activated.
His Dantian burned hot as his internal energy began to drain steadily away. But in exchange, all of Youngho’s physical abilities exploded upward exponentially.
In his eyes, the trident—which he should not have been able to perceive—was advancing toward his heart in extreme slow motion.
Not only that, he analyzed the movement of the trident.
Clang! As Youngho’s sword collided with Taemyeong’s trident, an absurd shockwave swept through the surrounding area.
Trees were uprooted, and rocks embedded deep within the earth were torn free and hurled away.
Faced with this terrifying scene, both the Water Bandits and Youngho’s group alike turned their gazes toward the source of the shockwave.
Krrrrrk!
Gritting his teeth, Youngho’s arm swelled unnaturally. His muscles bulged as though about to burst, and the blade of his sword began to bend little by little.
Kak! Kaga-gak!
A sharp metallic screech rang out as sparks scattered in all directions.
Even those who knew this was the perfect moment for a sneak attack could do nothing but watch Youngho silently.
One misstep, and they might be caught in that shockwave and have their entire bodies torn apart.
“Haaap!”
Crack.
Though a sound like bone fracturing came from his wrist, Youngho paid it no heed and forcefully knocked the trident away.
Clang!
Had his internal energy been even slightly less refined, he would have been struck down. It was an attack powerful enough to make one think so.
Youngho turned his gaze toward where Taemyeong stood after throwing the trident.
Shiver—!
Meeting Youngho’s emotionless eyes, Taemyeong involuntarily staggered back.
‘Even a master of the Transformation Realm would have suffered severe injuries from that strike, yet he’s perfectly fine……!’
He had never imagined it would be blocked. The boy standing before him was clearly not human.
Of course, he did not know that Youngho’s wrist bone was far from intact.
Revealing blood-stained red teeth—having accidentally bitten into his own flesh while clenching his jaw—Youngho spoke.
“It ends now.”
“You damned wretch!”
He had to flee. It was fortunate he had conserved some strength just in case. He could not win, but escaping with his life should still be possible.
“Did you think you could run?”
At the voice that suddenly came from directly behind him, Taemyeong was just about to throw a punch—
Shhk!
“Kuaaaagh!”
Horyeung severed Taemyeong’s leg and spoke.
“A mere Water Bandit making us go through this much trouble.”
Clicking his tongue, Horyeung flicked the blood from his sword and sheathed it.
“Horyeung, good work. What about Hosan and Chowon?”
“They’re unharmed. But they seem mentally shaken.”
“That’s to be expected. It was their first real battle—and their first kill.”
“In any case, what do you intend to do now?”
“Hmm…… I don’t think this bastard knows anything, but should we send him to the Unorthodox Alliance for now?”
“That would be best. He is, after all, a member of the Demonic Cult.”
“If he hadn’t acted so rashly, he wouldn’t have been taken down this easily. Well, nothing to be done about a lack of brains.”
Youngho coldly rebuked the Water Bandits who were staring at him blankly.
“What are you doing? Can’t you see I’m still holding a sword?”
Thinking they would be cut down immediately if they did not lower their weapons, the Water Bandits promptly dropped them. Seeing how utterly disorganized they were, Youngho clicked his tongue.
“This is why bandit scum are like this. If you don’t stay still, I’ll kill every last one of you.”
Having spoken of killing without the slightest hesitation, Youngho let out a pained groan and sat down on the spot.
“This is a bit exhausting.”
“It seems we will need a Physician.”
“There should be a branch of the Great Immortal Healer’s Medical Pavilion nearby.”
“There is also one of the Great Immortal Healer’s branch halls near the Yangtze River.”
“Really? Then let’s finish what we have to do first before going.”
“Pardon? Is there something left to do?”
“Of course. Now that we’ve dealt with the Chief Stronghold Leader, we need to clean up the aftermath.”
Youngho spoke toward Taemyeong, who lay right beside him.
“Hey, where’s the treasury? The things you’ve stolen from the Common People.”
“…….”
Thud!
“Kuaaagh!!”
When Youngho’s sword pierced through Taemyeong’s hand, a voice finally burst out from his filthy mouth.
“I asked where it is.”
“I-It’s in my room!”
“Oh really? Hosan, Chowon, follow me. Horyeung, you stay here.”
“Understood.”
Youngho questioned one of the Water Bandits and learned the location of Taemyeong’s Quarters. Upon entering, Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon could not help but exclaim in admiration.
“Wow…….”
“This is really a Water Bandit’s place?”
“It’s called a Waterway Stronghold.”
Lightly answering Kang Hosan’s question, Youngho gestured with his finger for them to follow and began searching every corner of the residence.
“He made quite a haul. A mere Water Bandit owning silk garments.”
At that moment, Youngho suddenly sensed Killing Intent from Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon.
‘What is it?’
It was not urgent. If there had been a clash, there would have been noise. Soon, Kang Chowon approached him and spoke.
“Young Master. There is something you must see.”
“What is it?”
Kang Chowon’s tone was stiff.
“You will understand once you see it.”
As Youngho followed her, he said,
“With a face that stiff, I’m guessing Common People were abducted? There are a few other possibilities, but…….”
Seeing Kang Chowon’s startled expression, Youngho let out a faint chuckle.
“Seems I was right.”
“How could you possibly……?”
“When hot-blooded youngsters get angry, it’s usually over the same things.”
Kang Chowon’s hand tightened into a fist. Youngho smirked faintly and said,
“Chowon, there’s something you’re misunderstanding.”
“What is it?”
Her voice was so cold it was hard to believe she was speaking to her own lord.
That only made Youngho’s insides churn even more.
“This one and that one…….”
“Yes?”
“Never mind. Let me explain it simply. Are only the people right in front of you important?”
“No.”
“Then do you feel guilty because you failed to save the Common People who were abducted?”
Having arrived at the place where the Common People were being held, Youngho looked at Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon and said,
“Beyond these people, there are others at this very moment suffering abduction, rape, murder, and all kinds of horrors. Can you feel guilt for not saving them as well?”
“That’s different from this!”
“It’s the same.”
“…….”
Under Youngho’s voice, as cold as the biting blade wind of the Northern Sea, Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon involuntarily shrank back.
“You feel guilty when you see those you couldn’t save. Then let’s think about it the other way. If you had come to this Waterway Stronghold alone, could you have rescued these Common People?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking whether, with only your strength, you could have killed the Chief Stronghold Leader here and freed the captives. No—more precisely, could you even have tried to free them? When a Transcendent Peak Master resided here? And if he released his Demonic Qi, even incomplete, he would reach the Transformation Realm?”
Grit.
Their teeth clenched on their own. They did not fully understand what he was trying to say. His words were difficult to grasp. They could not tell exactly what he meant.
And yet they listened. Because he was not someone who spoke without thought. If anything, he was deeper in thought than anyone else.
“You’re still young. If you were members of the Unorthodox Faction, you might brush it off lightly, but instead you burn with anger like those Orthodox Sect fools.”
“…….”
“True chivalry is not about resolving only what lies within the limits of your ability. That’s merely cowardice. It is the spirit of challenging what you cannot possibly overcome with your own strength.”
Tap.
Youngho flicked each of their foreheads with his finger and said,
“That is chivalry.”
Blank……
Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon could only stare at him. They knew. They knew their lord was not simply a kind man. No—if anything, he was frightening.
Turning his back, Youngho spoke,
“Though, to begin with, it’s laughable for someone of the Unorthodox Faction to talk about chivalry.”
They still did not fully understand his words. But in this moment, the two realized one thing. If they followed that not-so-broad back, they would never stray onto the wrong path.