Chapter 55: Merciless Wind God (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 55: Merciless Wind God (3)
“My mother’s... keepsake? Haryeong’s child?”
The voice of the Merciless Wind God, Jin Seong-baek, trembled ever so slightly.
Not only had I shown him the Flying Crane Moon Token, but I had also mentioned his mother. It seemed that even the man called 'merciless' could not remain unmoved.
It was at that exact moment.
An intense light shimmered within my left eye, hidden behind the eye patch.
I hurriedly jerked my head to the side.
Swish!
Along with a ripple in the air, a sharp killing intent grazed my cheek.
“You brat!”
Muchen Sword Emperor Tian Wuxing scowled.
In that fleeting moment when Jin Seong-baek’s emotions were wavering, he had quietly flicked a streak of killing intent toward me with a Sword Formula Finger from his other hand. He clearly hadn't expected me to dodge such a sudden ambush.
—The Golden Eye is truly useful.
I agreed.
Those at the level of the Eight Great Masters possessed such overwhelming energy that they appeared like human masses of light. Even so, being able to perceive the attack itself was a massive advantage.
Tian Wuxing spoke, radiating a thick aura of slaughter.
“You are lucky, boy. Let’s see how long that luck lasts...”
Jin Seong-baek cut him off.
“Sect Leader Tian. I have not made the decision to hand this young man over to you. That attack just now was nothing short of an insult to this Sect Leader.”
“An insult? Ha! Didn't I tell you this brat killed my disciple? Are you truly going to protect such a person...?”
“Let’s get the facts straight, Sect Leader Tian. We haven't heard a single word regarding why he killed your disciple.”
At Jin Seong-baek’s words, Tian Wuxing’s eyes bulged. He wrenched his wrist free from the other's grip and lunged forward to seize me. He seemed desperate to kill me before I could open my mouth.
However—
Snap!
“Sect Leader Jin!”
Jin Seong-baek blocked his path with a Body Lightening Method as swift as the wind.
It was an admirably fast movement. Earlier, I had been surprised when he arrived first despite moving later than Tian Wuxing, but he was truly a master of the Body Lightening Method, worthy of his title as the Wind God.
“Move!”
Jin Seong-baek warned the frantic Tian Wuxing in a blunt voice.
“As long as I am here, you shall not lay a finger on this child.”
Tian Wuxing’s expression hardened. Beyond the matter of killing me, it seemed his pride had been wounded.
“I shall not lay a finger? Hehehe... Hahahaha!”
Tian Wuxing burst into a mad laugh. His appearance was a far cry from the dignified image of the man long hailed as the supreme martial artist representing Peerless Fortress. It was as if a hidden side of him was being revealed.
Even the warriors of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect watching the scene frowned at his behavior.
Tian Wuxing stopped laughing and spoke with a dead-serious face.
“You’ve grown quite a bit, Jin Seong-baek. To think a mere fledgling who couldn't even utter such arrogant words before breaking the wall would say this to me.”
When he spoke again, there was no longer any respect for his opponent.
Perhaps sensing the change in Tian Wuxing’s attitude, Jin Seong-baek also turned serious, the energy radiating from his body intensifying.
Jin Seong-baek commanded the members of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect.
“Protect this child.”
“Understood!”
As soon as the command fell, the Flowing Wave Palm masters and warriors of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect swarmed around me. It seemed they did not fear even one of the Eight Great Masters if it was their Sect Leader’s order.
Lee Jeong-gyeom and Jin Yong could only watch, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
Sensing an opportunity, I shouted.
“Where is she?”
Tian Wuxing smirked at my question.
“You’re all going to die anyway, so what use is there in knowing?”
“Is it alright if your secret is revealed?”
“Secret?”
Everyone looked puzzled at the mention of a secret.
Tian Wuxing’s eyes sharpened at their reaction.
“You continue to provoke me to the very end.”
“Tell me where you’ve locked her up. Unless you want your secret to be known.”
I had to use this as leverage to find out Baek Hye-hyang’s location. If she hadn't sacrificed herself by luring him away for my sake, I would have exposed the secret immediately, but this was the only way to save her.
“What do you mean by 'her'? Sect Leader Tian.”
Tian Wuxing remained silent at Jin Seong-baek’s inquiry.
Though I hadn't revealed the secret yet, my words made it seem as though a representative martial artist of Peerless Fortress and the leader of one of the Four Great Martial Sects had imprisoned a woman. His reputation would crumble the more he spoke.
Then, Tian Wuxing, who had been glaring as if he wanted to kill me, flashed a strange smile.
I thought I had pushed him into a corner, but what was he thinking?
Tian Wuxing spoke.
“I captured and imprisoned a descendant of the Blood Demon who infiltrated this fortress. To think you would ask me to release her... what exactly is your relationship with that wench?”
“!?”
The surroundings buzzed at the mention of a descendant of the Blood Demon.
I was inwardly flustered. I hadn't expected him to play this card. The fact that she had used the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art with all her might had come back to haunt us.
—He’s truly cunning.
The man’s expression brightened, as if he felt he had overcome the situation.
Tian Wuxing said mockingly, “That wench is imprisoned in the Star Tower of my sect. Since I’ve captured a descendant of the Blood Demon, how could I possibly release her from this fortress?”
“Is that true?”
At Jin Seong-baek’s question, Tian Wuxing shrugged.
“What reason would I have to lie to you? I can show you if you wish. One look at the source of her internal energy will tell you everything, won't it?”
So she’s locked in the Star Tower.
He seemed to be revealing the truth to act as if he were innocent.
Tian Wuxing pointed a finger at me.
“I thought it was strange that you kept trying to save a descendant of the Blood Demon. You must be a remnant of the Blood Cult as well.”
In an instant, he had turned public opinion against me.
At his words, the gazes of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect members became filled with suspicion. He was a truly wicked man whose mind worked as fast as his martial arts.
However, this man also didn't know who I truly was.
I put on a bewildered expression and said, “This is quite distressing. She is a woman I met while being forcibly imprisoned in a dungeon, and we went through many hardships together to escape. You captured the woman who helped me, and when I asked for her release, you frame her as a descendant of the Blood Cult?”
“What?”
“I never dreamed the great Muchen Sword Emperor would be such a skilled liar. Speaking of which, I didn't kill your disciple either, did I? If I recall correctly, you were too busy saving your own skin while your disciple was crushed to death in the collapsing cave.”
“You...!”
I threw his mockery right back at him. Lies aren't your exclusive property.
—Indeed, indeed. How many years of experience as a spy do you have?
Lesser Conversation Sword chuckled.
On the other hand, Tian Wuxing’s face turned beet red, as if it were about to explode. I had successfully provoked him.
But Tian Wuxing was no pushover. Perhaps because he was a master who had broken the wall, he was skilled at emotional control. He calmed his anger and addressed Jin Seong-baek and the others.
“Though we may have disagreements, we are brothers of the same Peerless Fortress. Do you truly trust the lies of this mere fledgling outsider over the words of this Sect Leader?”
I shook my head and said, “It’s laughable to talk about trust when you’re still deceiving everyone with lies.”
“You brat!”
Tian Wuxing thrust his Sword Formula Finger toward me.
Jin Seong-baek hurriedly deflected the sharp, fast-moving killing intent upward.
Swish! Boom!
Sharp sword marks appeared on the ceiling. Indeed, Jin Seong-baek was the only master here capable of facing him.
Jin Seong-baek, standing in Tian Wuxing’s way, asked me, “What is this lie you speak of?”
“You little rat!”
Flash!
Tian Wuxing used a Body Lightening Method to try and bypass him and kill me. His figure blurred, appearing here and there, but Jin Seong-baek’s form constantly blocked his path, obstructing his route.
Crash!
A powerful wind pressure erupted as the two collided. The aftermath was so great that warriors with weak internal power were blown backward.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
They were a blur to the naked eye, but the sound of the air tearing apart indicated that their clash was growing increasingly violent.
So this is a battle between those who have broken the wall.
As expected of a battle between superhumans, the aftermath seemed likely to grow even larger.
At that, I shouted for everyone to hear.
“The Muchen Sword Emperor here right now is not the real one! The real Muchen Sword Emperor, Senior Tian Wuxing, was the one imprisoned!”
Snap!
As soon as my shout ended, the two men who had been clashing retreated from each other.
Tian Wuxing’s face was hideously distorted. He glared at me as if he wanted to tear me apart for finally revealing his secret.
“Not the real Muchen Sword Emperor?”
“What does that mean?”
“Is he really a fake?”
Everyone seemed shocked by my revelation. It was a natural reaction, considering that the Muchen Sword Emperor, a man revered as a representative of Peerless Fortress, was being called a fake.
Of course, it was hard for them to believe easily.
Tian Wuxing, glaring at me with murderous intent, spoke with a cold face.
“It is a lie. Do you truly believe such preposterous words? That I am a fake? Where could such an absurd falsehood even come from?”
“It is not a lie.”
“Not a lie? Then if your words are true, it means someone defeated me, one of the Eight Great Masters, and is impersonating me. Do you think that is possible?”
His words were quite logical.
However, he was currently very shaken. Although he was speaking while maintaining as much composure as possible, he was like an explosive with a lit fuse.
I sent a request to Jin Seong-baek via Sound Transmission. Then, I pointed to the left and said, “I knew you would make such excuses, so when I escaped from the underground, I brought the real Muchen Sword Emperor with me. Look!”
Tian Wuxing sneered at me, looking as if he found it ridiculous.
Of course he would. The cave had collapsed, and in all that chaos, he must have moved the real Muchen Sword Emperor somewhere else.
Standing where I pointed was Jin Yong, the grandson of the Ardent King Hegemon. He also looked back, and seeing no one there, he looked flustered, wondering if I was pointing at him.
“I-I don't know anything about this.”
Of course you don't. I just pointed at a random spot.
But that wasn't what I intended. There was one thing Tian Wuxing hadn't expected.
“Why are you the only one looking at me?”
At those words, the man’s expression froze.
And for good reason—everyone except him was looking to the left where I had pointed.
“...What are you talking about? I looked as well.”
The man made a false excuse. Of course he would.
Then, Jin Seong-baek spoke.
“How strange. I followed this child’s request and did not take my eyes off you for even a second. Are you saying my eyes are mistaken?”
“!?”
Tian Wuxing’s face contorted. He had fallen into the small trap I had set.
As the atmosphere buzzed with murmurs, Tian Wuxing’s body trembled. His energy was rising terrifyingly.
Slide!
Jin Seong-baek, who had appeared before me at some point, said, “Do not leave my side.”
Suddenly, Tian Wuxing burst into a mad laugh.
“Hahahaha!”
It was followed by a hollow chuckle, as if he were exasperated.
Still chuckling, he said, “A mere insect has ruined a perfectly prepared meal.”
He raised his Sword Formula Finger. Jin Seong-baek took a stance, ready to respond to his attack at any moment.
Tian Wuxing suddenly slashed his Sword Formula Finger toward a certain spot a couple of times. Sharp killing intent flew out, slicing right through the wall of the Star Tower.
Slash! Boom!
A hole appeared in the severed wall, revealing the outside of the tower. Why would he fire killing intent at an empty space?
Just then, a loud shout was heard from outside.
“Attack!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
The sound seemed to come from below.
Could that have been a signal just now?
Hearing the continuous sound of clashing metal from below, it seemed a battle had broken out. It appeared the warriors of the Mucheonjeong Sect, who had been surrounding this place, were on the move.
Tian Wuxing gave us a sickening smile and said, “I intended to handle this more quietly, but thanks to you, I’ve had to move up the schedule.”
“...”
As I thought, it was him. This man was undoubtedly the one who had killed Jin Seong-baek’s biological father.
Jin Seong-baek shouted at him, “Are you starting a war!”
Tian Wuxing snorted.
“Hmph! It has already begun. The war will only end when everything inside this cursed Star Tower is dead.”
“I won't let that happen.”
Vroooom!
An immense fighting spirit erupted from Jin Seong-baek’s body. Not to be outdone, Tian Wuxing also unleashed a powerful aura.
The vast energy released by the two superhumans of the Eight Great Masters level made my heart thrum, and the surroundings felt as if they were being crushed by heavy True Qi.
Tian Wuxing spoke, making sure I heard him.
“Do you think that signal just now only meant to attack?”
“Could it be?”
“Will you die first? Or will that wench die first?”
Damn it. The signal also included an order to kill Baek Hye-hyang.
“It seems you will die first.”
Tian Wuxing approached, radiating a chilling amount of bloodlust.
Then, Jin Seong-baek spoke quietly to me.
“I do not know who the woman you are trying to save is, but I will handle things here.”
“What?”
“There is nothing more sorrowful than losing a precious bond. Hurry.”
Flash!
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Seong-baek lunged toward Tian Wuxing.
The two great masters collided on the spot. As the two superhumans clashed with all their might, a powerful sound of tearing air and wind pressure erupted, shaking the very foundation of the eighth floor.
The figures of the two men split into several paths, clashing incessantly.
Grip!
Watching this, I bit my lip hard. Then, I looked at the wall the fake Tian Wuxing had just pierced.
There was no time to take the stairs. I threw myself toward the opening without hesitation.
Looking out, the ground below was in utter chaos.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A fierce battle was raging between the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect warriors defending the Star Tower and the Mucheonjeong Sect warriors trying to push their way in.
I had thought it was high when looking down from above, but it really was high. The height of the eighth floor seemed difficult to jump down from in one go, even with the Body Lightening Method. I would have to descend by clinging to the side.
It was then.
A shout came from behind.
“I told you I’d kill you first!”
It was the voice of the fake Tian Wuxing. Looking back, his figure was approaching at a terrifying speed.
He was too fast.
In desperation, I threw myself outside.
The fake Tian Wuxing also leaped out without a moment’s hesitation. He gave a sickening sneer, mocking me.
“Foolish brat. You’ve brought about your own death.”
Was a master who had reached the level of a superhuman beyond the wall capable of handling this height with ease?
He thrust his Sword Formula Finger toward me. He seemed intent on killing me right here in the middle of the air.
“Die!”
“By any chance, can you walk on air?”
“What?”
“That’s a relief.”
I twisted my body and reached out my left hand toward the outer wall of the Star Tower. In that instant, the Silver Smoke Thread shot out and wrapped around a rounded structure protruding from the wall.
Zzzzzzzzt!
As I channeled my internal power, my body was pulled toward the wall through the air.
“!?”
The fake Tian Wuxing’s face contorted hideously at the sight. No matter how great a master who had reached the realm of superhumans was, he wouldn't be able to perform the legendary Void Step, would he?
As expected, his body began to fall.
“You little...!”
He tried to hurriedly fire killing intent with his Sword Formula Finger to finish me off before he fell. He must have been incredibly angry with me. He was determined to kill me.
“Not so fast!”
At that moment, someone burst out from inside the Star Tower.
It was the Merciless Wind God, Jin Seong-baek.
Jin Seong-baek’s figure split into eight paths in mid-air, turning into blurred afterimages.
Then, those eight afterimages simultaneously unleashed the techniques of the Fist, Palm, Kick, Finger, Claw, Saber, Sword, and Spear toward the fake Tian Wuxing.
They were the ultimate techniques of each stream that I had seen while coming up to the eighth floor.
Ha!
This was the true essence of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams.