Chapter 54: Cooperation (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: Cooperation (4)
“So, you saw it.”
It was only a single sentence, but it sent a chill down my spine, making my skin crawl.
The atmosphere was entirely different from the Muchen Sword Emperor Tian Wuxing I had seen at the shrine. Rather than the aura of one of the Eight Great Masters, he exuded an extremely dangerous and wicked pressure that felt closer to that of a villain.
Tian Wuxing looked back and forth between Baek Hye-hyang and me.
“I asked if you saw it.”
My flesh trembled. It was the same feeling I had when I first encountered Moon Evil Sword Sama Chak.
The air inside the cavern was thick with killing intent. If I let my guard down for even a second, it felt as though my heart and head would be pierced instantly.
Ssk!
Baek Hye-hyang shifted her weight, planting her feet firmly. Internal power was surging toward the Yongcheon pressure points on the soles of her feet. She, too, was preparing for the worst.
I gripped the hilt of the Namcheon Iron Sword tightly and glanced toward the black iron prison out of the corner of my eye.
It was utterly incomprehensible. If this was true, we had just witnessed an incident that would be considered a catastrophe not just for Peerless Fortress, but for the entire Martial World.
Just then, Tian Wuxing took a step forward from the tunnel into the cavern. I spoke up hurriedly to buy some time to think.
“Senior... I don’t know who that person inside is, but I have no desire to be further entangled with you in a negative way over this.”
“That was an option before you looked inside.”
At those words, I feigned ignorance.
“I didn’t see anything clearly.”
“Do not play petty tricks. You saw it with your own eyes—the old man in there who shares my face.”
To think he would admit it himself.
Inside the prison lay an old man who, though emaciated to skin and bone, possessed a face nearly identical to his. Had he been in a healthy state, anyone would have mistaken him for the Muchen Sword Emperor Tian Wuxing standing before us.
At that moment, Kang Mu-hyeok, who was still bound by the Silver Smoke Threads, cried out.
“M-Master! I couldn’t help it! My... look at my eyes! They forced me...”
Before the boy could even finish, Tian Wuxing clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. You prove your own uselessness in such a pathetic manner.”
He then formed a sword hand with his index and middle fingers, aiming it at Kang Mu-hyeok like a blade. In that instant, I felt a sharp killing intent.
‘Wait, surely not?’
Without a moment to think, I instinctively swung the Namcheon Iron Sword toward the direction of that killing intent.
Clang!
With the screech of metal, my body was pushed back about three steps. The blade vibrated violently. To think that merely parrying his killing intent would carry such power.
“Y-You... at me...”
Kang Mu-hyeok, who had nearly had his brow pierced in an instant, turned pale and couldn’t close his mouth. It was exactly as he had feared. If Tian Wuxing had considered him a disciple even in the slightest, he wouldn't have tried to take his life so casually.
“It is the proper procedure. A price for one with a loose tongue.”
Baek Hye-hyang didn't seem to find this strange at all. Hearing her, Tian Wuxing spoke in a voice tinged with mock regret.
“What a pity. Both of you are far superior to that useless wretch. Had you stayed still, I would have put both of your talents to great use.”
The killing intent grew even stronger.
“...Those words sound an awful lot like you intend to kill us.”
“You should never have entered this place.”
This wasn't a situation I could think my way out of. One way or another, a collision with this man was inevitable. My entire body shook with tension. Regardless of his true identity, he was a monster whose capabilities rivaled the Eight Great Masters.
I raised the blade of the Namcheon Iron Sword and asked Tian Wuxing.
“If you’re going to kill us, at least clear the air so we don’t go to the afterlife frustrated. Who is the real one?”
At my question, Tian Wuxing gave a sinister smile.
“I wonder. Who could it be?”
Ssk!
As soon as he finished speaking, Tian Wuxing drew a horizontal line in the air with his sword hand. The air in front of us distorted as a sharp blade of energy cleaved through the void. He intended to cut us down in a single stroke.
“You must be the fake!”
Baek Hye-hyang raised her sword and swung it against the incoming energy. I also opened my Middle Dantian, retracted the Silver Smoke Threads, and swung my sword in perfect synchronization with her.
Slash!
The energy collided with our blades and scattered in all directions. As the remnants struck the walls, they left deep gouges as if carved by a physical sword.
Cr-crack!
The ceiling of the cavern cracked and shook slightly. Compared to the sturdy black iron prison, this cavern seemed to have a weak foundation, likely because it was excavated underground.
‘Ah!’
A brilliant idea flashed through my mind. I looked at Baek Hye-hyang and saw that she, too, was staring at the ceiling.
As if reading our thoughts, Tian Wuxing approached with a cold gaze.
“Abandon those foolish thoughts. Do you truly believe you can escape my grasp with such tricks?”
“We’ll see about that.”
A red haze began to rise from Baek Hye-hyang’s body. The blade of the sword she held turned a vivid crimson.
—Screeeeeech!
The scream of the sword echoed in my mind. As expected, an ordinary sword could not withstand the energy of the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art.
Tian Wuxing’s eyes narrowed as he saw the blood-red blade.
“You... are you a descendant of the Blood Demon?”
He seemed genuinely surprised. Baek Hye-hyang didn't answer. She was focusing all her internal power into the sword.
Cr-cr-crack!
Fissures began to appear on the blade. I also concentrated all my power into the Namcheon Iron Sword to perform the most powerful technique I could muster.
Baek Hye-hyang said to me, “Match my signal.”
“Hmph!”
Tian Wuxing, knowing exactly what we were planning, wasn't about to let it happen. He finally made his move. Baek Hye-hyang thrust her crimson-stained sword toward him.
Crunch! Shatter!
The cracked sword shattered completely, and the fragments flew forward. It wasn't a standard form of the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Sword. It seemed to be a technique she had improvised. The fragments, dyed red by her art, swirled like a cyclone, enveloping Tian Wuxing.
“Now!”
Baek Hye-hyang and I leaped toward the ceiling simultaneously. But then, something unexpected happened.
Swish-swish-swish!
Tian Wuxing tore through the storm of broken fragments with unstoppable momentum and flew toward us.
‘Damn it!’
At this rate, we would be struck down before we could even hit the ceiling. I twisted my body and redirected my sword away from the ceiling. Gripping the hilt with both hands, I unleashed a technique toward the approaching Tian Wuxing.
‘Meteor Falling Sword!’
The 5th form of the True Life Bright Sword Technique: Meteor Falling Sword.
As I blocked Baek Hye-hyang’s path and unleashed the technique, Tian Wuxing roared.
“Foolish brat! I’ll split you in two!”
Clang!
The sharp energy erupting from his sword hand instantly deflected the Namcheon Iron Sword. The palms of my hands gripping the hilt were torn apart. I gritted my teeth and endured, but the energy had already reached my abdomen.
‘I have to hold on!’
In that split second, I circulated the Golden Blood Body and concentrated all my energy into my stomach. However, the moment the energy touched me, my abdomen felt as if it were being sliced open, rendering my defense meaningless.
Slash!
“Aaaargh!”
An unbearable pain forced a scream from my lungs. The energy had cut through my abdominal muscles and seemed to be carving into my internal organs. My consciousness began to fade.
It was then.
BOOM!
“Oh no!”
With a massive roar, the ceiling split and collapsed as if an earthquake had struck. As the ceiling came down, Tian Wuxing hurriedly threw himself backward. I, on the other hand, was struck by debris and began to fall.
Grab!
In that brief moment, someone caught me by the scruff of my neck. It was Baek Hye-hyang.
Rumble!
The fallen stone fragments from the ceiling formed a massive barrier, blocking off half the cavern. The plan seemed to have succeeded.
—Unhwi!
—Are you okay?
I was far from okay. My body was nearly split in half at the waist. Blood welled up in my throat, and I felt like I would lose consciousness at any moment.
“You!”
Baek Hye-hyang’s face flushed red with emotion, her expression contorted as she looked at me. It felt like something was about to spill out of my stomach. She hurriedly laid me down, tore off my upper garment, and pressed both her palms against the gaping wound.
“Grit your teeth.”
Sizzle!
“Mmmph!”
Whether she had mastered the Scorching Yang Palm or something similar, a searing heat flowed from her hands, burning my flesh. She was trying to cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding. After searing the injury, she took off her outer robe and tied it tightly around my waist.
“Gah! Cough, cough.”
Blood continued to spill from my mouth. Baek Hye-hyang scolded me urgently.
“You idiot! Why would you do something so reckless!”
Why else? If I hadn't blocked him, we both might have been killed. But looking at Baek Hye-hyang’s arms, I saw that her sleeves were also stained with blood, likely from her encounter with Tian Wuxing. She must have fought him off while trying to bring down the ceiling.
“Ugh... isn't it... the same for both of us?”
“You moron! Is having your stomach split in half the same thing?!”
“Stop... yelling... cough.”
My throat was so clogged with blood that it was hard to speak. Baek Hye-hyang hurriedly hoisted me onto her back. I could feel her arms trembling violently as she carried me.
“Don’t you dare die. You belong to me. I don’t let what’s mine die.”
Even in this situation, she was being greedy. It was a very Baek Hye-hyang thing to say. For once, I didn't find it repulsive.
“So Woon-hwi! So Woon-hwi!”
She kept calling my name, afraid I would lose consciousness. Even though she wasn't in great shape herself, she was focusing all her attention on me.
“My ears... hurt. I have no... intention... of dying.”
“Ha! At least your mouth is still working.”
There was one thing I was counting on that I couldn't tell her. Though I didn't know if it would work this time.
—Are you talking about that recovery ability?
Yes. I had healed the wounds on my palms in no time. Even if it wasn't as fast as the Golden-Eyed Man, I was hoping my severed body would knit back together.
—What if it doesn't heal...
Thump! Thump!
Just then, a massive booming sound echoed from the barrier of fallen rocks. Then, a voice thundered from the other side.
—Fools! Do you think such petty tricks will let you escape me!
Boom!
The rock barrier shuddered. Judging by the force, it looked like it would be breached any second. Seeing this, Baek Hye-hyang bit her lip and immediately used her lightness skill to flee, carrying me on her back. Every jolt sent a wave of pain through me that threatened to black out my vision.
“Stay awake.”
—Unhwi!
—Don’t close your eyes!
Baek Hye-hyang, the Lesser Conversation Sword, and the Namcheon Iron Sword all kept talking to me to keep me conscious. Squinting, I saw the end of the passage. There was a staircase leading upward.
At that moment, a massive explosion sounded from behind. It seemed Tian Wuxing had succeeded in breaking through the rock barrier. He would catch up in no time.
“Tsk!”
Baek Hye-hyang hurried up the stairs. At the top, like the other exits, an iron door blocked the way. When she pushed it open, we emerged into a small, enclosed space.
“What is this?”
Baek Hye-hyang irritably kicked the top of the space. It seemed to be made of wood. When we stepped out, we realized we had emerged from a large crate. Looking around, the room was filled with similar crates. It appeared to be a warehouse for storage.
Baek Hye-hyang looked back at the crate we had come out of. Then, she suddenly began throwing open the other crates one by one.
“Cough... cough... What... are you doing...”
“Be quiet.”
She found an empty crate. She lifted me from her back and tucked me inside. After laying me down, she performed a pressure point technique on my chest.
“It’s the Turtle Breathing Technique. Hide here. I’ll lure him away.”
‘!?’
Baek Hye-hyang pulled up her sleeve and bit into her own wound, forcing more blood to flow. Was she planning to lure him away by leaving a blood trail? She touched my cheek with her blood-stained hand.
“Don’t die. If you... if you die, I promise you this. I will kill not just that man, but every living thing that breathes in this Peerless Fortress.”
With those final words, she pressed the last pressure point with her finger. My breath hitched, and my eyes slowly drifted shut.
How much time had passed?
—Unhwi?
—Wake up!
The voices of the Namcheon Iron Sword and the Lesser Conversation Sword echoed in my ears. I opened my eyes. It was pitch black. I was still inside the crate.
—Are you okay?
At the Lesser Conversation Sword’s words, I reflexively touched my abdomen. To my surprise, I felt no pain.
‘It doesn't hurt.’
—Really?
Why would I lie? I unwrapped the cloth she had tied around my waist.
‘Ah!’
It was smooth. There wasn't a single scar on my stomach. Even the burns from Baek Hye-hyang’s Scorching Yang Palm were gone.
—Wow... you’re basically a lizard at this point.
It was truly astonishing. I had been half-doubting it, but I didn't know the recovery ability was this potent.
‘I’m alive.’
This time, I really thought I was a goner. Without this incredible recovery ability, those wounds would have certainly been fatal.
‘Whew.’
I opened my Middle Dantian and used my Qi Sense to check the surroundings. Fortunately, I couldn't sense anyone nearby. I slightly pushed open the lid of the crate.
‘Light?’
Peering out, I saw sunlight streaming through the roof tiles of the warehouse. Exactly how long had I been in here?
—You were unconscious for nearly several double-hours. We thought you were dead because you weren't even breathing, probably because of that Turtle Breathing Technique.
I had been out for that long?
‘Do you know what happened while I was unconscious?’
—We were trapped too, so we only heard things.
—Yeah. After you passed out, it sounded like Baek Hye-hyang left the warehouse. Not long after, that scary old man came out too. Fortunately, he seemed to chase after the girl immediately.
—He probably thinks you escaped with her.
It seemed her diversion had worked. I climbed out of the crate and stood up. On the wooden floor of the warehouse, a trail of blood—presumably Baek Hye-hyang’s—led all the way to the entrance.
“.......”
I never imagined she would go this far for me. That arrogant woman. I wondered if she had managed to escape safely. Her opponent was a monster with power rivaling the Eight Great Masters.
—If she’d been caught, wouldn't there have been an uproar, or wouldn't he have brought her body back here?
That made sense. Considering the secret he was hiding, he couldn't exactly harm us openly.
‘Who exactly is he?’
I was curious about his identity. The man in the black iron prison had the same face as the Muchen Sword Emperor Tian Wuxing. That meant the man who tried to kill us might not be the real Muchen Sword Emperor. The people of Peerless Fortress clearly didn't know this. That was why he had tried to silence us.
‘...Is he the one who killed my biological father?’
The Muchen Sword Emperor was my prime suspect. But who could have guessed such a massive secret was hidden behind him? I had come here to meet my father, only to get caught up in this. My head was spinning.
—You’ve unintentionally discovered his secret, but this doesn't seem like a problem you can handle on your own, Unhwi.
The Namcheon Iron Sword was right. As a mere outsider to Peerless Fortress, meddling in this recklessly would only put me in more danger. Moreover, the opponent possessed peerless martial arts on par with the Eight Great Masters. Whether in terms of influence or martial power, there was nothing I could do.
Then, the Lesser Conversation Sword spoke.
—That’s true, but are you going to be okay?
What did it mean, okay?
—It looks like it’ll be noon soon.
‘Noon? Ah!’
I had momentarily forgotten because of the chaos. If I didn't reach the eighth floor of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect’s Star Tower by noon, I would fail the second exam.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.
‘If it’s a problem an outsider like me can’t handle...’
Half a quarter-hour before noon.
As the sun approached its zenith, the area in front of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect’s Star Tower was crowded. Normally, the exams should have been well underway, but they had been halted. This was due to the announcement regarding the second exam.
Because of the rumor that three people had passed the first exam for the first time, the gathered martial artists were watching with a mix of disappointment and a secret hope that they would fail.
“Wait, why hasn't one of them shown up yet?”
“You mean the one-eyed guy with the eyepatch?”
“It’s almost noon. Did he give up on the second exam?”
“Maybe it’s because his opponents are the descendants of the Eight Great Masters.”
“True. Even if he passed the first exam, he must have seen their skills with his own eyes.”
“Still, he could have at least tried. He’s giving up surprisingly fast.”
A heated debate broke out over the one person who had yet to arrive. Gap Wonchun, the official overseeing the event, smirked to himself as he watched them. It was laughable to see them chattering away, unaware of why the man couldn't make it.
Murmur, murmur!
Suddenly, a stir went through the crowd.
‘What is it?’
As he wondered, the crowd began to part to the left and right, as if a predator had appeared among a flock of sheep. A man drenched in blood walked through the path. Gap Wonchun was struck with horror when he saw him.
‘No, how can he be here?’
It was Ha Un. The man who was supposed to be trapped underground.
As Ha Un approached the entrance of the Star Tower, Gap Wonchun hurriedly blocked his path.
‘What on earth happened? How did he get out?’
He didn't know the details, but he couldn't let him in. It was almost noon. He had to stall for time, even if just for a moment. Gap Wonchun feigned concern and spoke.
“Young hero. What on earth happened to you? Did something...”
He couldn't finish his sentence. Ha Un—no, So Woon-hwi—was glaring at him with eyes full of killing intent. The gaze was so intense, as if he were about to strike him down then and there, that Gap Wonchun couldn't find his voice.
‘No. He’s not someone I can stop. If I provoke him and he exposes the truth, I’m finished.’
He decided that once So Woon-hwi entered the tower, he would immediately report this to the Mucheonjeong Sect.
“P-Please, go inside.”
Gap Wonchun stepped aside, clearing the way. He hoped the man would just go in quickly. However, So Woon-hwi didn't take his eyes off him.
‘Why isn't he going in?’
Just as he was wondering, he blinked, and the scenery around him suddenly changed.
‘Huh!?’
It was unbelievable. He had clearly been outside, but now he was inside the Star Tower. Even the tower doors were tightly shut.
“W-What is the meaning of this?”
“Official? My ass.”
Startled by the voice behind him, he whipped his head around.
Grab!
So Woon-hwi’s hand clamped around his throat. Though Gap Wonchun was a martial artist at the peak of the Supreme Peak Realm, So Woon-hwi’s internal power far surpassed his.
So Woon-hwi spoke to him in a voice as cold as ice.
“I’m short on time, but I’m not in a good enough mood to just let this slide.”
Thwack!
“Gah!”
In that instant, So Woon-hwi’s hand plunged into his abdomen like a lethal weapon.