Chapter 83 : Chapter 83
Chapter 083. End of the Dragon
“Martial Aunt, what on earth happened?”
Dam Jeok-san asked Un Wol-hyang, suppressing a splitting headache.
Her appearance was so wretched that it was hard to compare with before he lost consciousness. Even though she had already suffered large and small injuries from fierce battles back then.
“Nothing special happened.”
Un Wol-hyang answered with a blunt attitude. That can't be true. Several ugly scars were carved on her skin, which was difficult to even scratch with burning Sword Flame. How could nothing special have happened?
“Do not lie.”
Dam Jeok-san swallowed a sigh and rebuked his Martial Aunt. Although he wasn't confident he could withstand even five of her sword moves, wasn't he a patient who had just regained consciousness? Surely she wouldn't hit me. With such thoughts.
However, Un Wol-hyang didn't seem inclined to explain the situation in detail.
She kept her mouth shut tight and tapped various parts of Dam Jeok-san's body with her long fingers, infusing genuine qi. Dam Jeok-san could physically feel the stinging pain in his fine vessels from internal injuries decreasing and his wounds recovering.
The Blood-Passing Art performed by an Entering Transformation Realm master easily surpassed the acupuncture of most famous doctors. Moreover, combined with the formidable regenerative power he obtained by awakening the ability of Predation, his body was slowly recovering even before a quarter of an hour passed.
However, in contrast, Un Wol-hyang's complexion was becoming increasingly pale, and when Dam Jeok-san tried to stop her even forcibly.
“I will explain what happened.”
Sword King Namgung Gwan, covered in whitish sand and blood just like Un Wol-hyang, suddenly approached them and spoke.
“Right after you fainted, Young Master Dam, countless monsters swarmed in.”
Namgung Gwan continued, gesturing with his chin towards the pile of corpses stacked far away.
Even at a glance, only those emitting formidable spirit were gathered. Among them, there were even individuals that even Dam Jeok-san couldn't be sure of subduing alone.
“And the Sword Venerable jumped into the middle of them.”
“Is that so?”
“.......”
At Dam Jeok-san's question, Un Wol-hyang avoided his gaze and continued her silence.
Her Heaven-Breaking Star-Destroying Style started from Shadowless and reached Traceless. Its foundation is covertness and sharpness. And unpredictable trajectory. Yet she gave up that advantage and jumped into the middle of monsters.
Dam Jeok-san held back another sigh that was about to escape.
“And she slaughtered them all with just three sword strikes.”
Namgung Gwan said looking at the Sword Venerable with a gaze bordering on awe.
The combat power of that monster horde was at a level comparable to the Monster Repelling Squad.
Although they lacked intelligence to use strategy, they had violent ferocity that more than made up for it.
Yet Un Wol-hyang split the leader-class monster in half with the first sword strike, and turned half of the monster horde into a handful of blood with the second sword strike. And when the last sword strike exploded.
Not a single surviving individual existed among the swarming monsters.
In the process, she concentrated all her power on the sword without even wrapping herself in the minimal Body Protection Qi to protect her body. In the process, she suffered quite severe external injuries.
And in the process of pouring out the Three Swords close to her limit, she suffered quite severe internal injuries again.
At such explanation from Namgung Gwan...
“It's not severe, I know my body best. And it was possible because the Sword King unfolded the domain of the Emperor Sword Form and tied the monsters in one place.”
Un Wol-hyang shook her head and spoke firmly. Indeed, although her complexion was pale, her breathing was surprisingly stable. Even when she stopped performing the Blood-Passing Art on Dam Jeok-san, her pale complexion was slowly returning.
“I wasn't the only one who realized something.”
Namgung Gwan let out a low exclamation looking at Un Wol-hyang.
For almost the first time since becoming the family head, he fought a life-and-death bloody battle with a master of equal rank or higher. He thought he had gained a small realization in the process and became different from before.
It seemed Un Wol-hyang was also different from before. Such explosive power and resilience. It reminded him slightly of the Sword Emperor he saw at the Murim Alliance several years ago.
“That is right, everyone moves forward. Rather than the back waves of the Yangtze River like us, my Martial Nephew and the Young Family Head must have realized more.”
Un Wol-hyang answered the Sword King with an indifferent air.
“...I don't feel wronged to be called a back wave, but aren't you different, Sword Venerable?”
The most important thing for a martial artist is undoubtedly internal energy cultivation. Therefore, martial artists enter their prime only after passing their thirties.
Even more, upon reaching the Entering Transformation Realm, aging slows down extremely. Un Wol-hyang was actually in an age group that could be called a rising star among Entering Transformation Realm masters.
“Compared to those children, not necessarily.”
Although she said so, Un Wol-hyang's gaze was fixed only on Dam Jeok-san.
“...Words I cannot bear to deny.”
Namgung Gwan nodded slowly.
Squad Leader of the Monster Repelling Squad, the second disciple of the Martial Sovereign, an eccentric who succeeded in making a comeback despite losing his dantian.
Even setting aside all those backgrounds, Dam Jeok-san's achievement was truly astonishing.
'Ultra-Peak at twenty-five, a speed hard to find a precedent for.'
Especially since the Heaven-Breaking Star-Destroying Style transmitted by the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle's lineage is not a martial art with fast achievement. Because it is a strange art possessing both the destructive and unstable temperament of demonic arts and the temperament of orthodox martial arts that is slow but can reach a high place.
“Please stop gilding me. It's embarrassing.”
Dam Jeok-san swept back his hair roughly and stopped them.
“...I will do so. However, the Namgung Family Head did not mention the most important thing.”
The Northern Heaven Sword Venerable suddenly hardened her face coldly and spoke.
“We lost the Sword Ghost.”
“.......”
Namgung Gwan bowed his head deeply as if ashamed.
“To be precise, we let him go, but still.”
Un Wol-hyang added as if there was nothing to blame herself for. But Namgung Gwan's expression was still dark. Because the Sword Ghost was his opponent.
“There was neither the reserve power nor the reason to catch him fleeing.”
If the Sword Ghost joined the monsters and acted as their commander, the situation could have become really dangerous.
Because the guy's blood swordsmanship and elusive lightness art are specialized for hit-and-run combat. If the Sword Ghost had persistently attacked while using the monsters as shields, at least the majority of the Monster Repelling Squad would not have avoided death.
“So, Martial Nephew... Can you still sense him?”
She was referring to Dam Jeok-san tracking the Sword Ghost just before. She probably let him go knowing he had the ability to track the Sword Ghost's location.
“I think it will be possible.”
Dam Jeok-san answered, closing his eyes slightly.
“There is no need to overexert yourself.”
Un Wol-hyang tried to stop Dam Jeok-san quickly.
But before she finished speaking, Dam Jeok-san opened his sense of qi and raised his sense of smell to the extreme.
He can smell it. But that smell was constantly moving away. North, and further north.
“I can feel him, but his destination seems to be the Demonic Realm.”
“Tsk, as expected, he would flee there.”
Un Wol-hyang sighed as if she expected it. If it's the Demonic Realm, they cannot pursue him right away.
“But isn't he a guy who can't stay cooped up in the Demonic Realm forever?”
The guy's Blood Sword is a heinous weapon forged by extorting the fresh blood of boys and girls. And without the Blood Sword, the guy's combat power is merely half.
In other words, he will inevitably have to come down to the Central Plains someday to forge the Blood Sword.
When that time comes...
“I might be able to deal with him with my sword.”
“You told me not to gild you, but you have big dreams.”
“...Shouldn't dreams originally be big?”
Dam Jeok-san laughed awkwardly at Un Wol-hyang's rebuke that wasn't really a rebuke. Although he denied it, it was true that he felt good about the praise.
“Martial Nephew, it is true that what you achieved today is very amazing. When we return to the Branch, I will commend you as the Branch Manager.”
She stared intently at Dam Jeok-san and suddenly lowered her voice.
“However, you must never take the matter of the Sword Ghost lightly.”
What takes the most lives of martial artists is a blind sword. However, once one reaches a certain level, cases of losing one's life to a blind sword become extremely rare.
Then what causes their death? Needless to say, it is grudges. Relationships between martial artists seem very loose yet dense. One never knows where someone harboring a grudge against oneself might pop out.
“Humans originally forget grace but do not forget grudges.”
In such circumstances, leaving an absolute master alive with layers of grudges but failing to take his life is a very dangerous thing.
“Especially if they are beasts who couldn't even become humans, it is even more so.”
Un Wol-hyang twisted her lips and muttered. A sarcastic remark about the Sword Ghost, a half-demon.
“Sharpen your senses day and night. Before you go find the Sword Ghost, he might come find you. No, perhaps the probability of that is much higher.”
“...Because he must also know, that I won't stop at this level.”
“Right, and the fact that you will want to cut his neck someday.”
No matter how much of a Sword Ghost he is, he wouldn't dare to attack Un Wol-hyang. Because he has a history of being brutally defeated by her.
The Sword King is the same. The Namgung Clan's base is in the Namjikrye region, the most prosperous area even south of the Yangtze River. A place where the influence of the Righteous Heaven Alliance and its Alliance Leader, the Sword Emperor, reaches powerfully.
The Sword Ghost, who fears the Sword Emperor more than anyone else, cannot approach easily.
“I am the most dangerous one.”
Dam Jeok-san muttered self-deprecatingly pointing at himself. Among those who crossed swords directly, the person he feels he could kill. And the person who would become a source of trouble if left alone.
“Moreover...”
Dam Jeok-san was about to naturally mention the Cult Leader but stopped.
Un Wol-hyang probably doesn't know. That the Cult Leader covets his body. Just establishing a grudge with the Sword Ghost makes her worry this much, he couldn't even guess how she would react if she knew the Yin God Cult Leader under heaven had his eyes on him.
But it's not a story to hide just because overprotection is burdensome.
“I had a conversation with the Cult Leader, he coveted my body.”
“......?”
Un Wol-hyang couldn't understand Dam Jeok-san's words at once and stared at him blankly.
“Did I hear correctly?”
“Yes.”
“...This is not the time for this. I must write a letter to my Senior Brother.”
“There is no need for that. Since he seems practically confined deep in the Western Demonic Realm.”
Dam Jeok-san said, stopping the Sword Venerable who was making a fuss.
“Martial Nephew, I don't know how you can be so calm. It's not just anyone, but the Yin God Cult Leader.”
The Yin God Cult Leader possesses martial power and notoriety corresponding to the Eight Sovereigns of Murim who possess the power of Heaven beyond Heaven.
No matter how unable he is to move easily, can one be that calm when he says he is targeting you?
“Didn't you also confront Master, Martial Aunt?”
Dam Jeok-san said with a faint smile as if reading Un Wol-hyang's mind.
“...That is.”
“I intend to become the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle. I don't know when that will be, but definitely.”
A person challenging that seat of power cannot shrink back from a mere Yin God Cult Leader.
“Still, we can't take no measures, I will help a bit.”
Just then.
Suddenly, a mature woman's voice was heard.
When Dam Jeok-san turned his head, a woman of mysterious age with long black hair was standing there.
The outline of her features was no different from Dark Heaven, but the atmosphere she exuded had changed completely. Complex feelings that could not be seen as just joy were felt in her expression.
Come to think of it, the purpose of this battle was to prevent her main body from being corrupted.
“He died, forever.”
Dark Heaven answered in a low voice as if reading Dam Jeok-san's mind.
“I will explain about the Black Dragon gradually, first take this.”
She threw a scale with a dark luster to Dam Jeok-san.