Chapter 455: Thank Goodness (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 455: Thank Goodness (2)
Drip… drip…
Blood fell in steady drops from a wounded arm.
The sword energy that had grazed the lady’s shoulder was far more ferocious than she had anticipated, leaving a deep gash on her left arm.
The pain was enough to make anyone groan, but she remained silent and calm, experimentally flexing the injured limb a few times.
“…”
The agony was excruciating, yet bearable.
That, at least, was the conclusion she reached.
She tightened her grip on her sword once more.
It was fortunate; her left arm was injured, but she was right-handed. It wasn’t a significant impediment.
Rumble…
Dark clouds churned in the sky, their low roars promising a storm. Even a glance was enough to see the intense lightning brewing within.
Just as the lady prepared to swing her sword again…
“…You intend to continue?”
The words came from another lady standing before her. This was the Sword Emperor’s disciple, known as the Celestial Sword, the proclaimed hope of the Orthodox Faction.
Hearing this, the one responsible for the gathering lightning—the Demonic Sword Queen—regarded the Celestial Sword with an impassive expression.
“I find this difficult to comprehend.”
Rumble-!
As if repelling the Demonic Sword’s lightning, a powerful aura erupted from the Celestial Sword’s feet, rapidly dominating the surrounding space.
“What prompted this sudden decision?”
“…”
The Demonic Sword offered no reply. Instead, she calmly swung her blade.
Swish-!
Crash-!
Lightning erupted from her sword’s tip. Thousands of sharp, lightning-formed stakes shot directly toward the Celestial Sword.
Each was thin, yet each radiated undeniable, concentrated power.
“…Sigh.”
The Celestial Sword frowned, a flicker of weariness crossing her face as she gripped her sword firmly with both hands.
Ring-!
A soft hum resonated as golden light coalesced behind her, materializing into the shapes of numerous floating swords.
These ethereal blades then oriented themselves, pointing directly at the oncoming barrage of lightning stakes.
Swoosh-!
The swords shot forth to meet the intense lightning.
It seemed a foregone conclusion—a few swords against thousands of lightning projectiles. But in the midst of the clash, the Celestial Sword’s own blade suddenly began to glow.
Crack-!
Moving at an unbelievable speed, her sword began erasing the lightning stakes one after another. The motion was so swift it was impossible to track the individual blades.
Then.
Swish-!
Just as the auras of the two women were about to collide directly in the air, the Celestial Sword had already closed the distance, her blade aimed at the Demonic Sword.
At close quarters, the Celestial Sword unleashed a flurry of attacks with her dual blades, and the Demonic Sword met each strike with precise counters.
Clang! Clang!
Their movements were flawless, their precision unerring. Every clash of steel produced an explosive sound, and the resulting shockwaves violently swept through the surroundings, scattering debris like flower petals in a gale.
Yet, unlike the delicate beauty of flowers, the energy they released was pure, unadulterated violence.
After what felt like an endless exchange of blows…
Pwish-!
“…!”
Blood sprayed from the Demonic Sword’s left arm. She grimaced simultaneously. The existing cut had been torn wider.
Gritting her teeth, the Demonic Sword tightened her grip and prepared a major counterattack.
Craaack-!
A terrifying amount of Lightning Qi converged on her sword. She swung it in a wide arc, tracing a crescent moon in the air that devastated everything around her.
The grand movement slowed her significantly, but it succeeded in forcing the Celestial Sword back.
Tap-!
The Celestial Sword leaped backward, evading the attack, and recalled her floating blades to her side.
“…”
The residual lightning from the attack was already dissipating, harmless.
After taking a moment to steady her breathing, the Celestial Sword looked ahead.
Hah… Hah…
The Demonic Sword was breathing heavily, blood steadily dripping from her wounded arm. Her exhaustion was palpable.
“…”
Witnessing this, the Celestial Sword couldn’t help but bite her lip. This level of combat shouldn’t have drained the Demonic Sword so thoroughly.
She didn’t possess the Demon Emperor’s bottomless Qi, but her control over her energy was peerlessly precise. It made no sense for her to be pushed to such limits in a single engagement.
Unless…
She had fought enough to warrant this state.
The reason was simple.
A breeze brushed past the Celestial Sword’s nose, carrying with it the scent of blood—blood that wasn’t solely from the Demonic Sword.
Behind the panting Demonic Sword, the ground was littered with the corpses of the Murim Alliance.
The Celestial Sword’s brow furrowed deeply at the sight.
“…Did the Demon Emperor grant you permission for this?”
The Demonic Sword’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.
“I truly believed our deal was concluded. Am I to understand this is the Demon Emperor’s… no, the Demonic Cult’s decision?”
Roughly four hours had passed since the Demonic Sword launched her solo ambush on the Alliance, just as they were preparing to return to Henan.
The Heavenly Venerable himself had erected a barrier.
Yet, the Demonic Sword had shattered it as if it were nothing and attacked.
The Heavenly Venerable had unfortunately already departed, and the Celestial Sword had been… ‘asleep.’
Even without its main forces, the remaining Alliance members were not to be trifled with.
But she…
Not only had the Demonic Sword held out for over four hours against them, she had slaughtered more than half.
As the Celestial Sword stood silently, a grudging respect for the woman who had defied all expectations warring within her, the Demonic Sword finally broke her silence.
“…Where is he…?”
“Pardon?”
“Him… where is he…?”
The question was vague, but the Celestial Sword felt a cold certainty about who she meant. The realization made her grit her teeth.
“Pal… Jeolyub, was it? Did you come here… for him?”
“…”
The notion that the almighty Demonic Sword Queen of the Black Flame Army would launch such a reckless assault for the sake of a single martial artist made the Celestial Sword’s voice heavy with exhaustion and disbelief.
“…You are the so-called almighty Demonic Queen. Since when did you start caring for the fate of oth—“
“Wrong.”
The Celestial Sword’s attempt to rationalize was cut off abruptly.
“That is not his name.”
“…!”
The Celestial Sword’s eyes widened at the firm correction. But that wasn’t the only shock.
“…You… know that as well…”
Her voice trembled slightly. “…Why… are you pretending otherwise?”
The Demonic Sword couldn’t fathom the Celestial Sword’s act.
The Celestial Sword was visibly shaken for an instant, but she quickly schooled her features back into neutrality, tightening her grip on her sword.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Whatever your reason, you’ve made a grave error in judgment.”
A solo ambush into enemy territory… she wasn’t the Heavenly Demon. No matter how powerful, she had her limits.
Just moments ago, when the Demonic Sword committed to that heavy swing to push her back, she had left a massive opening. The Celestial Sword could have easily inflicted another, more serious injury.
But she hadn’t.
Why?
“…”
The Celestial Sword didn’t know the answer herself. She had hesitated unconsciously.
Because of that hesitation, the Demonic Sword still stood. But such a miracle wouldn’t happen twice.
Swish…
The blades around the Celestial Sword began to spin as she channeled her Qi.
“…Will you not draw the Thunder Fang?”
She posed the question to the Demonic Sword Queen.
The Demonic Sword wasn’t using her legendary weapon, the Thunder Fang. She had retrieved it after their deal, yet she wielded an ordinary sword instead.
Why? Especially when her life was clearly on the line.
Having witnessed the horrors the Demonic Sword could unleash with the Thunder Fang, the Celestial Sword found this choice incomprehensible.
The Demonic Sword offered no answer to the query. Instead, she silently raised her ordinary sword high.
Why?
The question only deepened the Celestial Sword’s confusion.
The Demonic Sword stood no chance of victory.
At first, the Celestial Sword wondered if reinforcements were coming, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Furthermore, if the Heavenly Venerable were to return, the Demonic Sword’s last shred of hope would be extinguished completely.
So why?
Just why?
Why did this swordswoman refuse to yield even a single step?
She didn’t know. The Celestial Sword truly couldn’t understand any of it.
…Calm down.
She forced herself to push aside the conflicting thoughts. Her Qi circulated through her meridians, providing a semblance of stability, yet an inexplicable heaviness remained in her heart.
This is for the best.
She convinced herself. Eliminating the Demonic Sword here would be a significant advantage for their future.
With that resolve, she tightened her grip on her sword.
Yet, unbidden, a thought arose: What would he do? How would he feel if the Demonic Sword were killed here?
The sudden intrusion of that thought caused her to hesitate once more, but she quickly enveloped herself in a surge of powerful Qi and charged forward.
Craaack-!
In response, lightning poured from the Demonic Sword’s body. But these bolts seemed noticeably weaker, dimmer than before.
In contrast, the ten golden blades floating around the Celestial Sword retained their full, radiant power.
The outcome of this clash seemed inevitable.
The golden blades shot forward with blinding speed, their trajectory leaving no room for escape. The mere sight of their approach was enough to strike fear into the heart of any ordinary person.
Facing this fierce onslaught, the Demonic Sword raised her sword, ready to meet it.
She could die here.
The thought crossed her mind calmly, but she did not retreat.
He would undoubtedly be furious if he saw her recklessness now.
Even so, the Demonic Sword had no other choice.
Even if it cost her life, he was more important.
His origins, his whereabouts… none of that mattered.
Lightning gathered weakly at the tip of her sword. She watched the Celestial Sword’s golden blades closing in, their immense size and force a clear verdict: she could not block this attack.
…
It might have been different with the Thunder Fang, but she had resolved not to use it.
There was only one reason.
She had not been given permission.
[…!…!]
The angry, echoing voice of an old man persisted in her ears, but the Demonic Sword paid it no mind.
Craaaack-!
The Celestial Sword’s overwhelming aura began to tear into her own.
In response, the Demonic Sword swung her lightning-imbued blade.
As their Sword Qi were on the verge of collision, a final thought passed through the Demonic Sword’s mind.
What expression would he wear if she died here?
Would he scorn her, calling her death pointless?
Or would he remain silent, as usual, his face an unreadable mask?
Even in this dire moment, she hoped for one thing.
Even if it’s just a little… I hope you would feel sorrow over my death.
That was the Demonic Sword’s final wish.
Crash-!
The Qi of the Demonic and Celestial Swords collided with tremendous force, sending violent vibrations through the air and earth.
“…!”
The Demonic Sword knew instantly. In her exhausted state, she could not overcome this attack.
She would fall soon.
Yet, even facing defeat, her gaze remained fixed on the woman behind the attack. She could see the hesitation still lingering in the Celestial Sword’s eyes.
Had that hesitation not been there from the start, this fight might never have occurred.
“…”
The Demonic Sword’s eyes began to slowly close as she continued to stare. Was it resentment she felt? Or perhaps a trace of pity? She herself wasn’t sure.
Skid-!
Her feet were forced backward.
Craaack-!
She felt her sword flux shatter and scatter.
The wound on her arm widened further.
The Demonic Sword felt her story approaching its end.
Then.
-Now.
A sudden, urgent voice echoed in her mind. It was the voice of a young man, not yet fully matured. It was unfamiliar, yet…
-Pull your sword out!
For some reason, she felt compelled to obey, as if charmed.
Just as her Lightning Qi was about to be completely obliterated and she was to be swept away by the Celestial Sword’s attack, the Demonic Sword’s hand instinctively reached for something.
Rumble!
Roaaar-!
A colossal wave of thunder erupted from her, shooting up into the heavens and obliterating everything in its immediate vicinity.