Chapter 64 : Chapter 64
Chapter 064. Sword Ghost (2)
However, that silence was absolutely not negative.
Rather, it was a silence born because the martial prowess Dam Jeok-san had shown reached a level hard to describe.
The one who broke the awkward silence was the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable disguised as a member of the Monster Repelling Squad.
"You seem like a completely different person in front of monsters."
She spoke with an intrigued look.
"You were already an outstanding enough swordsman, Martial Nephew, but this time..."
Un Wol-hyang looked at Dam Jeok-san closely as if choosing her words.
"It felt as if you skipped realms entirely. It was incomparable to when you faced the Severing Sword Squad Leader."
Un Wol-hyang's gaze as she said this was sharp as if piercing through Dam Jeok-san. However, an unhidden smile hung on her lips. An appearance of feeling surprise rather than interrogation.
"Well, such abilities exist in the world."
Un Wol-hyang concluded with a bright smile.
She had experienced countless actual battles in the North over the past years and had seen various kinds of people.
Among them, there were quite a few who showed particularly stronger aspects against existences with demonic energy.
Most typical were martial artists of Buddhist or Taoist sects who learned Anti-Demon Divine Arts. Moreover, Un Wol-hyang herself learned the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique, so dealing with monsters was quite easy for her.
Therefore, Dam Jeok-san's ability itself was nothing strange. Considering that what he learned was the divine art absolute technique called Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique, even more so.
'...Although it seems that isn't everything.'
She intuitively knew that Dam Jeok-san had a hidden card. Although the thought just occurred to her that it might be a sharper and more dangerous blade than she expected.
'Then it's even better.'
If the hidden card is strong, the probability of Dam Jeok-san surviving in any danger will increase. From the perspective of Un Wol-hyang who wished for his well-being, it was welcome news.
"...I felt the same way."
A woman holding a saber as huge as her own body, Peng Cho-seol, also spoke as if agreeing.
She was the party involved who had exchanged moves with Dam Jeok-san. Although she was suppressed almost in a single strike, it meant she had an opportunity to gauge the opponent's capability to some extent.
She felt that if Dam Jeok-san had emitted such dangerous momentum as he did now, she wouldn't have even dared to attack.
Baek Ri-gwan, as well as Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear, the subordinates Dam Jeok-san brought from the main castle, nodded in agreement.
It meant that even they, who knew well the fact that Dam Jeok-san displayed abilities beyond common sense when facing existences with demonic energy, were surprised.
Given the situation, respect naturally appeared on the faces of the Monster Repelling Squad members. A scene where one could tell that awe and respect for the strong were the sentiments engraved in the bones of Northern martial artists.
"Impressive. Those guys didn't have their eyes twinkling like that when they looked at me."
Baek Ri-gwan clicked his tongue watching that scene and said.
"Isn't that because 'Vice-Squad Leader' Baek Ri is weak?"
Peng Cho-seol shrugged her shoulders at Baek Ri-gwan and said.
"Oh, are you saying we are fellow Vice-Squad Leaders now?"
Baek Ri-gwan frowned and looked at her.
"Got any complaints?"
The uncomfortable atmosphere between the two lasted only for a moment.
"Enough."
As Dam Jeok-san spat out a short word, the nerve war stopped like a lie.
It almost made one wonder if they put on a skit to show Dam Jeok-san skillfully controlling the two who were powerful figures before he came.
Well, judging by the competitive spirit on Peng Cho-seol and Baek Ri-gwan's faces, it seemed genuine.
Whatever the truth, it wouldn't matter much. Dam Jeok-san turned his gaze from them and looked at the small girl disguised as a Monster Repelling Squad member.
The head of the entire Northern Wind Sword Corps and the Guardian of the North, Dark Heaven.
"What did you think?"
At Dam Jeok-san's question, she smiled faintly, seemingly knowing yet unknowing.
[I was able to see the most here.]
At the same time, her will resonated in Dam Jeok-san's mind. A feeling closer to telepathy directly inserting mental imagery rather than sound transmission.
[So, only I can guess how powerful and dangerous your ability is.]
Her story continued calmly.
[To sever the connection between 'it' and me, even you would have to risk your life.]
Dam Jeok-san frowned slightly at the continuing words.
[Since I started holding a sword, no, even before that. There hasn't been a single time I didn't risk my life.]
He sent a sound transmission to her, cutting off Dark Heaven's telepathy.
From the days he wandered after losing his family to monsters, Dam Jeok-san had always fought risking his life. So, this mission was nothing new.
[So just tell me if it's possible or not.]
[It would be worth a try.]
Dark Heaven spoke, clearly revealing a complex feeling.
[Then I will do it.]
Dam Jeok-san answered without hesitation.
* * *
"...Signal of Number Nine has completely disappeared. It is judged that someone has killed him."
Wi Cheon-rak, a Cardinal of the Yin God Cult, touched his forehead, which was full of wrinkles, while listening to his subordinate's report.
Dark Guests were existences created by a technique close to taboo even within the Yin God Cult, called the conjunction of monster and human. Even a mature ultra-peak expert possessed the power to deal with one alone.
"Kuhuhu, did you think you could draw out that terrible woman with just a mongrel watchdog?"
The moment Wi Cheon-rak's expression crumpled, a sharp voice rang in his ears.
"......."
It was a story dangerous beyond arrogance. Because he called the Dark Guest, who could be called the Cult Leader's sword, a mongrel hound, not only to Cardinal Wi Cheon-rak.
However, Wi Cheon-rak could not easily admonish the owner of the voice. Because the guy was also a Cardinal possessing the same status as him.
"...Can't help it. Sword Ghost, you will have to step in personally."
Wi Cheon-rak sighed briefly and said. If Un Wol-hyang reached this place, she would completely ruin the ritual.
'...I didn't want to owe that lunatic.'
Sword Ghost possessed the most arbitrary nature among the Cardinals and unpredictable madness. A madman who considered throwing away his life a brilliant move and sometimes even disobeyed the Cult Leader's orders if he could cross swords with a high-level swordsman.
Actually, the key point was that he survived despite that and rose to the position of Cardinal.
'...He is as competent as he is wayward.'
Sword Ghost's famous ultimate technique, Blood Killing Destruction Sword, displayed power beyond imagination in a person-to-person decisive battle of swordsman versus swordsman. He should be able to easily deal with the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable, who is still young and immature.
Of course, if there were more than two swordsmen of the Entering Transformation Realm, even the Sword Ghost might face difficulty, but...
'Sword Addict, General, and Blood Death Lord. All the dangerous ones are securely tied up in the Demonic Realm.'
If he received the Sword Ghost's help, he could sufficiently check the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable.
"Hehe, good. I just have to kill that Sword Venerable woman?"
Perhaps liking the opponent, Sword Ghost accepted his request without any particular complaint.
"It will be exciting. She was a sword I wanted to break and crush at least once for a long time."
Hiding in the darkness, he slowly walked out towards Wi Cheon-rak.
Muttering satisfactorily with a bizarre ominous smile on his lips. He was dressed in shabby clothes deeply stained with dirt and had disheveled hair. Furthermore, his feet were bare without even a single sock.
And at his feet, a sword that might have once been called a famous sword was laid.
Sword Ghost, dragging his feet and approaching Wi Cheon-rak with that sword, opened his mouth again.
"Instead, pay the price properly."
"Of course. I will forge three Blood Swords for you."
At Wi Cheon-rak's assertion, Sword Ghost nodded as if satisfied.
The Blood Swords needed for Sword Ghost to unfold his famous ultimate technique were extremely difficult to forge.
Rare demonic objects forged by soaking an originally ferocious demonic sword in the fresh blood of three hundred virgin boys and girls and the blood of an ultra-peak swordsman.
Moreover, taking the lives of three hundred virgin boys and girls is impossible without causing a blood calamity.
'That's why the Sword Ghost became a Public Enemy of Murim.'
Especially, among the villages massacred by the Sword Ghost, there was even a village where retired members of the Righteous Heaven Alliance lived together.
If Sword Ghost's traces were revealed, the Sword Emperor, the Alliance Leader of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, might personally come out to subjugate him.
So, Sword Ghost came to volunteer as a hunting dog for other Cardinals in exchange for receiving Blood Swords.
'Of course, he refuses even that if it doesn't please him.'
It is clear that Un Wol-hyang, with the title of Northern Heaven Sword Venerable, was quite an interesting opponent even from Sword Ghost's perspective.
'Anyway, if this ritual succeeds, long chaos will come to the north of the Yangtze River.'
When that time comes, slaughtering hundreds of virgin boys and girls to squeeze out their blood won't be that difficult. Wi Cheon-rak accepted Sword Ghost's demand thinking so.
Having prepared a measure to block Un Wol-hyang, Wi Cheon-rak abandoned his lingering attachment to the Dark Guest and walked deep into the desert again.
To reborn the sleeping Black Dragon as a monster.
On the day the ritual is completed, dark clouds will settle over the entire northern part of the Central Plains, and the Demonic Realm will expand to more than twice its current size.
And Wi Cheon-rak will be recognized for that merit and become the Head Cardinal, and the Yin God Cult's Grand Plan will be advanced by at least several decades.
However, even if by any chance,
'If the Sword Ghost fails?'
That is also not bad.
Unless the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable is unimaginably strong, she will also suffer injuries equivalent to fatal wounds.
Moreover, Sword Ghost's desire for survival is as strong as his craving for the sword. He will somehow survive and flee here. Because if not him, there is no strong person who would help the Sword Ghost in trouble.
Wi Cheon-rak will not turn away from him. Being fellow Cardinals, they should help each other live.
"It won't be for free, though."
Sword Ghost might have to pay a price worse than death depending on the time. However, the probability of such a thing happening was extremely low. Wi Cheon-rak shook off his thoughts and focused on the ritual again.
* * *
Sword King Namgung Gwan.
He is the Family Head of the Great Namgung Clan and a peerless expert counted as one of the martial artists closest to approaching the realm of the Eight Sovereigns of Murim.
A poet in Anhui, seeing him, said that he calls lightning with a single sword stroke and splits the sky when he swings the sword once more.
The public opinion was that his realm had already reached a level comparable to calling the wind and summoning the rain with a human body.
"Empty fame."
The Eight Sovereigns are existences of another world. If Heaven's Mandate follows, they can sway the fate of the world beyond the Central Plains with their own strength alone.
'But in this desert, it seems one can change the fate of the world even without being one of the Eight Sovereigns.'
Namgung Gwan thought looking up at the sky distorting chaotically.
He had a rather light heart when he left the clan. But coming here, he understood. This battlefield is a pandemonium where even Namgung Gwan could lose his head if he made a slight mistake.
However, Namgung Gwan did not regret this journey into the Kangho. It would be better than leaving his daughter alone in this pandemonium.
He hurriedly moved his steps towards the direction where thick demonic energy was felt.
And on that path...
"A martial artist of the Unorthodox Alliance?"
A horribly crushed corpse was seen. A scenery commonly seen in the North. But there was something about this corpse that caught Namgung Gwan's eye.
It was an overwhelming sword qi felt from the cut surface of the corpse, enough to make his skin tingle.
Surprisingly, it was something Namgung Gwan had experienced before.
―Kuhuhu, what a shame... I really wanted to kill you.
The only one among the Cardinals of the Yin God Cult designated as a public enemy by the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
Also, the one who survived despite that.
And the one who left one of the few scars of defeat in Sword King Namgung Gwan's life.
A cold glint lingered in the eyes of Namgung Gwan, who discovered traces of the Sword Ghost.