Chapter 371: Fight Handsomely
Chapter 371: Fight Handsomely
Baek Ja-gang was truly moved.
Where Beon Cheon should have been fighting a lonely, desperate battle, three men now stood together. They had joined forces seamlessly, without damaging Beon Cheon’s honor or his pride in front of his subordinates.
Who else could have orchestrated such a result against a monster like the Blue Killing Ghost?
Baek Ja-gang had inwardly scoffed at the claims that people were bewitched by the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. Now, he had to admit it. How could anyone not be captivated by such a man?
Above all, he was grateful for the opportunity to support his disciple. The raw emotion on Bi Sa-in’s rugged face when Baek Ja-gang had stepped forward was plain to see. It made him feel a pang of guilt for having doubted his disciple, even for a moment.
That was precisely why he would not trust Geom Mu-geuk. Because he knew the man was capable of swaying even someone like himself, he would be all the more cautious. The Unorthodox Path Alliance could be destroyed by a single lie following ninety-nine truths. Nevertheless, he felt he owed the youth his gratitude.
Baek Ja-gang gave a slight nod toward Geom Mu-geuk.
It wasn't a greeting to the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. Regardless of age or status, it was a gesture from one martial artist, Baek Ja-gang, to another, Geom Mu-geuk. It was a silent thank you for protecting their honor and his faith in his disciple.
Geom Mu-geuk returned the bow politely, his expression devoid of its usual playfulness.
Watching this, the Blue Killing Ghost felt a surge of realization. Geom Mu-geuk had orchestrated this entire situation from the very beginning. He knew the youth had been intentionally provoking him, but he hadn't realized the boy had been acting on the Alliance Leader’s request all along.
He wanted to unleash a torrent of curses at Geom Mu-geuk, starting with his "filthy tongue," but he knew it would be like spitting at the ceiling.
Instead, his frustration turned toward the three men standing before him.
“Do you think the result will change just because there are three of you? You could have died with dignity; now you’ll just die in a pathetic, tangled heap.”
The Blue Killing Ghost believed the outcome remained the same. This battle would only end when one side was completely annihilated. It was merely a matter of order and process.
“Who should I kill first?”
Meanwhile, the three men were secretly exchanging voice transmissions. Bi Sa-in took the lead, issuing instructions to the other two.
— I will take the center and lead the engagement. You two support me from the flanks. We must not drift more than two steps apart. He will undoubtedly try to toy with us at first; we must not miss that opening.
Bi Sa-in burned with the determination to kill the Blue Killing Ghost.
Though he didn't show it, he was honestly terrified. Their opponent was a master far stronger than them. Furthermore, the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader and the warriors of the Alliance were watching. He had survived many real battles, but he had never been this nervous. The primary reason for his tension was a single, nagging thought:
‘If I mess up, Il-rang and Unit Leader Beon will die.’
Just as this worry began to stiffen his movements, Geom Mu-geuk’s voice transmission reached him.
— Don’t worry about those two.
Bi Sa-in almost shouted aloud, ‘Are you inside my head?!’
— If you fight to protect, you will lose. Whether they die or not, fight as if you are in a one-on-one duel. That is the only way to win.
— !
Instinctively, Bi Sa-in knew Geom Mu-geuk was right. He had to trust the other two. If he tried to protect them half-heartedly, all three of them would die.
— Fight handsomely.
Geom Mu-geuk’s final piece of advice was entirely unexpected. He didn't tell him to fight desperately, nor did he tell him to be cautious.
Handsomely.
Bi Sa-in knew it didn't simply mean to show off. Rather, this seemingly out-of-place word felt like a compass, pointing toward how he should conduct himself in this fight.
‘Right. Handsomely.’
As Bi Sa-in drew his sword, Beon Cheon and Il-rang drew theirs in unison. The warriors of the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path and the Extreme Blade Corps cheered for them as one. Not to be outdone, the Turangs let out a collective roar.
With the roar, Bi Sa-in took the initiative and struck first.
He did not use the Alliance Leader’s martial arts, of which he had only mastered the First Form; instead, he unleashed his own technique, the Soul Chasing Four Swords, which he had mastered completely.
As the First Sword, Soul Severing, was unleashed, pure white sword qi surged from Bi Sa-in’s blade like a crashing wave.
The Blue Killing Ghost did not dodge. He met the incoming sword qi head-on by emitting palm force.
Boom!
The ground shook with a thunderous explosion. As if boasting of his internal energy, the Blue Killing Ghost blocked the attack without retreating a single step. Simultaneously, Beon Cheon and Il-rang launched sword qi from the left and right.
Again, the Blue Killing Ghost neutralized their attacks by thrusting out both palms from his position. A series of explosions followed, kicking up a cloud of dust.
One might have expected him to continue mocking them while flaunting his strength, but the Blue Killing Ghost’s figure vanished instantly within the dust.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, the Blue Killing Ghost was behind Bi Sa-in, bringing down a palm strike.
Bi Sa-in twisted his body to barely avoid it, but he couldn't dodge the follow-up strike. He was fast—too fast. Just as Bi Sa-in was raising his Body Protection Qi to brace for the impact—!
Il-rang rushed in, lunging his sword toward the ghost. Il-rang’s technique was the Heavenly Yang Seven Hands. He unleashed the Quick Yang Form, the fastest of the seven techniques.
Because he was prepared to sacrifice his own body if Bi Sa-in fell into danger, Il-rang’s attack was desperate. The Blue Killing Ghost abandoned his attack on Bi Sa-in and dodged Il-rang’s blade. Since he already held the advantage, there was no need to force an attack and risk injury.
As he moved, Beon Cheon’s attack flew toward him. Beon Cheon’s sword fell like a torrential rain. His martial art was the Soul-Startling Sword Art, a technique based on speed and Extreme Yin energy.
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
The tip of his sword was always aimed at the Blue Killing Ghost, but the blade failed to pierce his body. The ghost was so fast it was hard to believe an old body could move like that. His movements were the answer to how he had survived for so long.
The Second Sword of the Soul Chasing Four Swords, Soul Pacification, was deployed. Five streaks of sword qi curved through the air as if alive, descending upon the Blue Killing Ghost.
The ghost leaped into the air to dodge, but the sword qi changed direction and pursued him. They looked like dragons chasing a Wish-Fulfilling Pearl, but they could not claim the prize in this ascent.
Twisting in mid-air to evade the qi, the Blue Killing Ghost shot down like a bolt of lightning. His target this time was Il-rang. As he dove, he unleashed a continuous barrage of palm force.
Boom! Crash!
The space where Il-rang had been standing exploded, and the earth was overturned. Il-rang barely managed to leap away, but as the dust settled, the Blue Killing Ghost charged through the haze.
A palm glowing with a pale white light flew toward him! It was the White Bone Heart-Penetrating Palm, saturated with Extreme Yin energy. It was an attack that would cause a fatal wound if it connected.
‘I’m too late.’
Knowing that being injured would make him a burden, Il-rang thrust his sword forward with a mindset of mutual destruction. He was willing to give up his life to take at least an arm.
‘I’m sorry, Young Alliance Leader! This is as far as I go.’
At that moment, the White Bone Heart-Penetrating Palm veered off course. The moment the ghost vanished—
Kacha-cha-cha!
Sword qi swept through the spot where the Blue Killing Ghost had just been. It was the Third Sword, Iron Soul.
The Blue Killing Ghost could have killed Il-rang, but doing so would have left him severely wounded by the incoming strike, so he twisted his body to evade. This time, Bi Sa-in had saved Il-rang.
Il-rang didn't even have the luxury to say thank you. The Blue Killing Ghost was already attacking Beon Cheon.
Boom!
Overpowered by internal energy, Beon Cheon was pushed back. Il-rang flew to his side and bolstered him with his own energy. Only then did the two of them come to a halt.
Bi Sa-in poured out attacks to prevent the Blue Killing Ghost from following up. The other two joined the assault. They didn't think about what would happen afterward. To save one's internal energy while fighting the Blue Killing Ghost was the height of arrogance. They had to pour everything out and settle the score before their energy was depleted.
The Blue Killing Ghost was certainly stronger than them. Every gesture he made was a sequence of certain-kill moves. Yet, in the midst of this perilous situation, Bi Sa-in actually felt a glimmer of hope.
‘We can do this!’
Their coordination was better than he had feared. In fact, it was better because they weren't trying to coordinate.
If they had tried to match their moves from the start, the fight would have been much harder. They would have hesitated to intervene, fearing they might disrupt a comrade’s ultimate technique. It would have ended up as a series of one-on-one rotations rather than a combined attack.
But now, it was different. Bi Sa-in fought with the mindset of a one-on-one duel, not caring if his sword qi accidentally harmed Il-rang or Beon Cheon.
The attack that had saved Il-rang earlier had followed Geom Mu-geuk’s advice exactly. It was an attack that saved Il-rang, but he hadn't thought of it that way. It wasn't an attack to save; it was an attack to kill the Blue Killing Ghost. The result was the same, but Bi Sa-in was fighting a fundamentally different battle.
And all of this was possible because Il-rang and Beon Cheon were fighting much better than expected. In the end, Geom Mu-geuk was right. Trusting the two of them and focusing solely on the fight was the best course of action.
Before long, the ease vanished from the Blue Killing Ghost’s face. The fight wasn't going as smoothly as he’d anticipated. He had overlooked one fact: all three men were fighting with their lives on the line.
Beon Cheon fought for the honor of the Extreme Blade Corps, Il-rang fought to protect Bi Sa-in, and Bi Sa-in fought for the Alliance Leader and the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
Frustrated by the stalemate, the Blue Killing Ghost vented his anger elsewhere. The palm force that seemed destined for Bi Sa-in was suddenly redirected toward the warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps who were watching the fight.
It was a deliberate, powerful attack, far too fast and fierce for them to dodge. Their deaths would shatter Bi Sa-in’s concentration, and more than anything, it was the only thing that would satisfy the ghost’s spite.
The warriors in the front row shouted as they thrust their palms forward.
“Get back!”
Knowing they couldn't escape, they intended to emit as much palm force as possible to at least save their comrades behind them.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion erupted, and dust filled the air. The warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps in the front looked at each other. They should have been swept away by the palm force, yet they were unharmed.
The one who had neutralized the attack was Baek Ja-gang. His hand was still outstretched toward the empty air, but his gaze remained fixed on the Combat King.
Baek Ja-gang slowly lowered his hand. Every warrior of the Extreme Blade Corps bowed deeply. If not for the Alliance Leader, they would all be dead.
The Combat King could have taken that opportunity to attack, but at that moment, Geom Mu-geuk released his aura as a warning.
If you move, I move.
The Combat King did not budge. He was certain that if he didn't eliminate Geom Mu-geuk today, the boy would become a catastrophic problem even if he managed to take the seat of the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader. If Geom Mu-geuk returned fully prepared, would he even be able to stop him?
The Blue Killing Ghost’s attack served as a signal. The warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps charged at the Turangs.
“Kill them!”
Warriors from both sides rushed at each other. Their fighting spirit had already reached its peak while watching the duel. The 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path joined the fray as well.
Neither Baek Ja-gang nor the Combat King stopped their subordinates. They had to fight eventually. With the 13 Wolves involved, the Unorthodox Path Alliance held the advantage in both numbers and skill.
Despite this, the Combat King simply watched. Of course, the moment he intervened, the Alliance Leader and Geom Mu-geuk would jump in, leading to a chaotic free-for-all. It was a situation where he couldn't easily join even if he wanted to.
Meanwhile, Bi Sa-in’s battle was reaching its climax.
Swoosh!
The Blue Killing Ghost’s fingers curled as he lunged toward Bi Sa-in. Along with the White Bone Heart-Penetrating Palm, he was preparing to use his unique martial art, the Blood Yin Iron Claw. Bi Sa-in had already nearly died twice from that attack.
The powerful Blood Yin Iron Claw, capable of shattering flesh and bone with a mere graze, flew toward Bi Sa-in’s chest to tear it open. In that split second, Bi Sa-in made a dangerous choice.
The ghost’s fingers raked across Bi Sa-in’s chest, which he had failed to pull back in time.
Skreeeeeech!
At the very moment his chest was being shredded!
‘Got you!’
The balance of the fight shattered. Just as the Blue Killing Ghost turned toward Beon Cheon with a triumphant smile—the sword of Bi Sa-in, who should have been dead with a torn chest, flashed.
Whirrrr!
At point-blank range, the Fourth Sword of the Soul Chasing Four Swords, Mad Soul, was unleashed.
Spurt!
Unable to dodge Mad Soul, the Blue Killing Ghost took the hit. As he stumbled, blood spraying from his shoulder, the final techniques arrived.
From the left, the final ultimate move of the Soul-Startling Sword Art, Soul-Startling Creation, struck. From the right, the final ultimate move of the Heavenly Yang Seven Hands, the Great Yang Form, descended.
Thuck!
He dodged Soul-Startling Creation, but he couldn't evade the Great Yang Form. As he stumbled again—
Squelch!
Bi Sa-in’s sword pierced straight through his chest. Skewered on the blade, the Blue Killing Ghost coughed up a mouthful of blood and stared at Bi Sa-in with an expression of utter disbelief.
“……You were clearly hit by the Blood Yin Iron Claw?”
Only then did the ghost see Bi Sa-in’s chest. Two layers of protective armor had been torn away. The claw had shredded the overlapping armor, but it hadn't reached Bi Sa-in’s body. The life-or-death gamble had paid off.
Bi Sa-in stared back at him and said softly, “Even from this close, I’m still better looking.”
“……Damn it!”
Thuck! Squish!
Immediately after, the swords of Il-rang and Beon Cheon plunged into his neck and heart. The Blue Killing Ghost died instantly and collapsed.
The three men let out a long sigh of relief simultaneously. Despite it being their first time coordinating, they had successfully killed the Blue Killing Ghost through a combined attack. They looked at each other, exchanging intense glances. What words were needed? They were comrades who had shared a life-and-death struggle.
Bi Sa-in turned his head first to look at the Alliance Leader. Baek Ja-gang wore a bright smile. It was the first time his master had ever smiled so broadly at him. He had a feeling that his relationship with his master would start anew from this moment.
Bi Sa-in’s gaze then shifted to Geom Mu-geuk. The reason they could win this fight was thanks to the voice transmission Geom Mu-geuk had sent before the battle. They won because they fought to overwhelm, not to protect. They won because they fought as if it were a one-on-one duel, not a coordinated effort.
‘My debt of life keeps piling up, yet that man is looking at me with such a bright smile.’
Then, another voice transmission from Geom Mu-geuk arrived.
— You fought handsomely.
As if in response to that message, the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path and the warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps all let out a thunderous cheer.
Their battle was already over. With the 13 Wolves involved, the outcome was never in doubt. The Turangs were all dead, while the losses on the Alliance side were minimal.
Now, only the Combat King and the Deputy Strategist, Hyeok Sa-gun, remained. Hyeok Sa-gun stood frozen and silent, while the Combat King remained composed.
Every eye was fixed on the Combat King. Geom Mu-geuk spoke to him calmly.
“You didn't care if these people died from the very beginning, did you?”
He had been far too indifferent to the deaths of his own side. Geom Mu-geuk was certain the man had another card to play. To say he simply trusted his own skill was insufficient, given that his opponent was the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader.
“What exactly are you hiding?”
When the Combat King didn't answer, Baek Ja-gang finally stepped forward. He walked forward slowly, his presence overwhelming everyone there.
Baek Ja-gang slowly drew his sword. From his narrow eyes, an aura sharper than any blade began to flow.
“I’ll hear that answer through my sword.”