Seok Woo-haeng bit his lip.
To think that Bu Eunseol, the man he considered his final rival, would suddenly appear here.
“Who are you?”
Gwan Seok-cheon stepped forward, blocking Bu Eunseol’s path.
“Firing off sword qi like that without a word… you must be from the Demonic Path.”
Cutting Gwan Seok-cheon off, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low, steady voice, “Wolf Fang Pavilion. One of the Ten Demonic Successors,” before adding, “I am formally challenging you.”
The eyebrows of the Masters of the Great Righteousness, including Gwan Seok-cheon, shot up in unison. They had never expected an intruder to appear out of nowhere and demand a formal duel in such a situation.
“That’s rich. Is that really something you should be saying right now?”
Cheong Cho-hyeon crossed her arms, glaring at Bu Eunseol.
“Your allies infiltrated Long Sword Manor, poisoned the guests, and attempted to assassinate the Young Lord. And now you want a formal duel?”
“They aren’t my allies.”
Bu Eunseol cast a cold glance at Seok Woo-haeng and Myo Cheon-woo.
“They are merely competitors.”
Those were the exact words Seok Woo-haeng had said to Myo Cheon-woo earlier. Had Bu Eunseol been listening even then?
“Amusing. I expected you to grab your injured comrades and make a desperate escape,” Cheong Cho-hyeon scoffed, her expression turning icy. “But you won’t be able to snake your way out of this situation with just words.” She gestured toward Gwan Seok-cheon, Han Seong, Du Ak, and Kang Jung-ryang. “If we decided to, we could eliminate you effortlessly. Why should we accept your challenge?”
“Honor.”
“What?”
“I intend to grant you the true honor of having overwhelmed the Ten Demonic Successors with martial arts.” Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed behind his mask. “Suppressing us with sheer numbers wouldn’t be much of something to boast about, would it?”
Gwan Seok-cheon, who had been listening silently, stepped forward.
“Interesting.”
In truth, Gwan Seok-cheon had been internally dissatisfied with the current affairs. He disliked the method of using overwhelming numbers to suppress the Ten Demonic Successors, feeling it wasn’t a fair and square confrontation. So when Bu Eunseol challenged them head-on, his competitive spirit flared.
“Are you confident you can win in a one-on-one fight?”
“Of course.”
“Then I shall be your opponent.”
He stepped confidently toward Bu Eunseol.
Gwan Seok-cheon had perfectly mastered the two great ultimate arts of the Diancang Sect: the Shooting Sun Sword Arts and the Whirling Wind Flowing Dance Sword Arts. His skills were outstanding even among the Masters of the Great Righteousness. In fact, the instructors of the Martial Righteous Alliance hadn’t even felt the need to teach him separate techniques to counter Demonic martial arts.
Cheong Cho-hyeon blocked his path. “Brother. There is no need to fight him.”
“Don’t worry.” Gwan Seok-cheon laughed and shook his head. “If I were weak enough to lose to a Ten Demonic Successor, I wouldn’t have stepped out into the Gangho.”
“Brother.”
Despite knowing the level of his martial arts, Cheong Cho-hyeon felt uneasy.
“Let’s just suppress him together. He looks dangerous.”
The eyes of the masked Bu Eunseol were sunken and cold, yet a fire seemed to burn deep within them. Anyone could see he exuded the aura of an exceptional expert.
Gwan Seok-cheon grinned, “Relax. He just has a good atmosphere about him. I’m certain his actual skill isn’t that impressive.”
Bu Eunseol’s energy signature felt completely ordinary, lacking the unique fluctuations of true qi that usually flowed from experts.
It feels ominous.
Cheong Cho-hyeon shook her head. A man with eyes like that could not be ordinary. She had sensed a monster coiled within Bu Eunseol.
Bu Eunseol calmly pointed at the guests who were finishing their poison expulsion. “Attack together,” he said. “If you lack hands, feel free to ask those guests for help as well.”
Gwan Seok-cheon laughed heartily and shook his head, dismissing the provocation. “There’s no need for such behavior. Once I’ve accepted the duel, no one will interfere.” He then solemnly addressed Han Seong and the Daoists of Zhongnan and Kongtong, declaring, “I will fight this man formally. Do not interfere or interrupt under any circumstances.”
The Daoists of Zhongnan and Kongtong looked dissatisfied but nodded as if they had no choice.
“I am Gwan Seok-cheon of Diancang.” Stepping refreshingly in front of Bu Eunseol, Gwan Seok-cheon grinned. “And your name?”
“Wolf Fang Pavilion, Bu Eunseol.”
“Bu Eunseol… Bu Eunseol.”
Gwan Seok-cheon’s eyes clouded over in thought.
The only Bu Eunseol known in the Murim so far was the winner of the East Drifter, West Wanderer Martial Arts Tournament, the one who had eliminated the Blood Demon Squad Captain of Infernal Blood Fortress.
Don’t tell me the winner of the Martial Arts Tournament, who has consistently walked the path of the Orthodox Faction, is a Ten Demonic Successor of the Wolf Fang Pavilion?
He shook his head.
The Ten Demonic Sects do not invade each other’s territory. If he were the Wolf Fang Pavilion’s successor, he wouldn’t have killed the Blood Demon Squad Captain.
“I see. Let us begin.”
As Gwan Seok-cheon extended his hand in the manner of an Orthodox expert, Bu Eunseol spoke calmly, ”You make the first move.”
“You want me to attack first?”
“Correct.”
Bu Eunseol looked down at Gwan Seok-cheon with cold eyes.
“I do not strike first against the weak.”
Snap.
Killing intent flared in the eyes of Gwan Seok-cheon, who had maintained a relaxed smile until now.
“I tried to be patient, but you have a death wish.”
Schwing.
Drawing his precious sword, Gwan Seok-cheon immediately extended it forward.
A whirlwind raged, exposing Bu Eunseol’s vital points, yet no sword qi or attack move extended from it. It was the starting stance of the Whirling Wind Flowing Dance Sword Arts: Flowing Dance Opening War.
How arrogant.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes glowed with contempt as he observed the scene.
Performing a ceremonial opening stance to show courtesy to the enemy in a battle where lives were at stake?
From Gwan Seok-cheon’s perspective, it might have been a display of the dignified bearing of an Orthodox martial artist. But to Bu Eunseol, who had learned practical combat martial arts, it was nothing more than playing games with one’s life.
Vwoom.
At that moment, sharp points of light began to scatter from Bu Eunseol’s Dark Sword accompanied by a low vibration. Finally, the first form of the Supreme Heavenly Flow, Meteor Chasing the Moon, was unleashed.
Flash!
Tens of thousands of light points coalesced into a single beam, digging toward Gwan Seok-cheon’s throat.
“Hup.”
Gwan Seok-cheon sucked in a breath and quickly deployed the Whirling Wind Flowing Dance Sword to take a defensive stance. However, before the sword qi of Meteor Chasing the Moon could reach his body, the move suddenly changed in mid-air. The points of light exploded like fireworks, transforming into dozens of Cross Sword Blossoms.
It was the third form of the Supreme Heavenly Flow, Morning Star of the Waning Moon.
“Ugh.”
Fast as lightning, changeable as a butterfly.
Unable to handle the pouring sword moves of the Supreme Heavenly Flow, blood spurted from Gwan Seok-cheon’s shoulder.
“Kuh.”
Gwan Seok-cheon let out a low groan and retreated. The flesh wound was minor, but Bu Eunseol’s sword qi contained a staggering thirteen strands of internal energy. As the sword tip cut his skin, that massive internal energy burrowed in as if trying to melt his meridians.
To make such an absurd mistake… To be injured in just two moves due to a moment of carelessness?
Gwan Seok-cheon barely pushed out the internal energy invading his meridians by rousing his true qi, then gathered his focus to unleash his sword art.
Paah! Flash!
But Bu Eunseol’s sword moves were ceaseless, continuing in an unbroken chain.
Gwan Seok-cheon tried to counterattack somehow, but Bu Eunseol’s Dark Sword sealed his movements as if predicting every action.
This man… is an expert who surpasses me!
Only then did Gwan Seok-cheon realize his error. He had been too overconfident in his own skills and failed to see through the enemy’s true power. Because of that, he had lost the initiative absurdly and reached an irreversible situation.
At this rate, only death awaits.
If he continued to be pushed on the defensive, it was obvious that the sharp sword would pierce his throat within forty moves. Realizing he had no choice, Gwan Seok-cheon gritted his teeth and drew up his internal power.
Boom!
A blue-green radiance erupted from his body.
Primordial Essence True Energy.
He was drawing upon the fundamental power that maintained his life force to suppress Bu Eunseol.
“Brother, no!” Cheong Cho-hyeon screamed urgently, but her voice did not reach Gwan Seok-cheon’s ears.
Vwoom.
As the blue-green radiance pouring from his body transferred to the sword, the blade grew a foot longer. By using Primordial Essence True Energy, he had created tangible sword qi.
“Flowing Dance under the Heavens!”
The power of the Whirling Wind Flowing Dance Sword, amplified by Primordial Essence True Energy, was truly like a great mountain. Pushing back all of Bu Eunseol’s pouring sword moves in a single stroke, Gwan Seok-cheon deployed not the Whirling Wind Flowing Dance Sword, but the Shooting Sun Sword Arts.
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun!”
From Gwan Seok-cheon’s sword, which drew a round circle in the air, immense sword qi poured out like an arrow. It was like a giant beam of light that could not be evaded.
Whirrr!
Bu Eunseol, watching the sword qi, suddenly spun his Dark Sword like a windmill. He began to break down the massive sword qi pressing down on him, bit by bit. It was both an absolute defense and Bu Eunseol’s life-saving technique. A move combining the Mastery Radiance Sword Control and the Illusion Returning to Origin of the Supreme Heavenly Flow.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Bu Eunseol’s rotating Dark Sword, generating flashing light, finally completely annihilated the sword qi of Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.
Flash!
Simultaneously, a fatal Killing Sword move slashed through the air, digging for Gwan Seok-cheon’s neck.
“Not a chance!”
In that split second, Gwan Seok-cheon swung his precious sword like lightning, creating dozens of sword blossoms around his body.
Swish!
However, Bu Eunseol’s Dark Sword pierced through the cluster of sword blossoms like a salmon swimming upstream, digging into Gwan Seok-cheon’s side. It was the fourth form of the Supreme Heavenly Flow, Dragon Claw Smoke Cloud, a technique that allowed one to wield sword qi at will.
Slash!
As he was wounded again, a vicious light flowed from Gwan Seok-cheon’s eyes.
I will not die alone.
Gwan Seok-cheon charged at Bu Eunseol even as the sword qi dug into his side. Was he attempting mutual destruction?
“…!”
A strange light flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes as he cut into Gwan Seok-cheon’s flank.
Clang!
Even though the Dark Sword had sliced the side, the sound of cutting hard metal rang out.
Treasure Armor?
It turned out Gwan Seok-cheon was wearing treasure armor woven from silver thread beneath his clothes.
“Die!”
Seizing the opportunity, Gwan Seok-cheon feigned slashing at Bu Eunseol’s shoulder muscles but lowered his sword tip toward his lower abdomen. He intended to pierce the lower danjeon and completely cripple Bu Eunseol’s martial arts.
But this time, a strange light appeared in Gwan Seok-cheon’s eyes.
Clang!
Suddenly, his sword, which had been stabbing toward the abdomen, stuck to Bu Eunseol’s sword like a magnet. It was as if an invisible hand had wrapped around Gwan Seok-cheon’s precious sword and lifted it toward Bu Eunseol’s Dark Sword.
Slice.
Simultaneously, a bizarre cutting sound was heard.
Before anyone realized it, the pitch-black Dark Sword had deeply penetrated Gwan Seok-cheon’s lower abdomen. Bu Eunseol had executed the Extreme Sword Stance and simultaneously returned the attack using the Peerless Thunderbolt Form.
“Ughhh.”
Thick blood flowed from the mouth of Gwan Seok-cheon, whose danjeon had been pierced. His body began to tremble like an aspen tree. The massive internal energy he had concentrated in his danjeon was leaking away.
“Ugh… Aaaah!”
A desperate scream rang out within Long Sword Manor.
The pain of dispersing internal power was truly beyond imagination. It was because the formless power that circulated within and held the body firm was collapsing. It was akin to the sensation of the entire skeletal structure supporting a human’s weight shattering into pieces.
“Huuuuuh.”
Once all his internal power had scattered, Gwan Seok-cheon burst into tears like a child. His physique had shrunk slightly, and his radiant skin tone had turned dark and sickly.
“Brother!”
Cheong Cho-hyeon rushed over and supported Gwan Seok-cheon. But Gwan Seok-cheon was in so much pain that he eventually fainted, foaming at the mouth.
“You… villain! Why did you cripple my brother’s internal energy!”
“I didn’t cripple him.”
“What?”
Bu Eunseol flicked the blood off his Dark Sword and spoke calmly.
“I merely returned his own sword technique to him.”