Chapter 178
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: The Best Solution (3)
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“If the Third Young Master is right, the Tang Family should be arriving soon.”
“Indeed.”
Yeo Ganghui’s face, turned toward the north, was tinged with an inexplicable sense of frustration.
Ma Dongpil asked calmly.
“Are you frustrated?”
“I can’t say that I’m not.”
From a great distance, he could faintly feel Seo Ryang’s demonic energy and another foreign aura. The Third Young Master was surely in the middle of his dealings with the Lord of the Beast Palace.
The Third Young Master was fighting alone in a place where he should have been. That fact deeply troubled Yeo Ganghui’s heart.
“I’m not worried about the Third Young Master. I know what a remarkable person he is. At least when it comes to resolving conflicts, I know he is far better than I am.”
“That’s…”
“But I am not there.”
Ma Dongpil felt he could understand. It was a situation where a third party was struggling to rescue his own flesh and blood while he was absent. Although he had requested the help himself, his mind was bound to be in turmoil.
“Furthermore, the Third Young Master is not acting solely to save my sister. He intended to handle several other matters in the process.”
“…”
“I am not disappointed. He hasn't violated our contract. I am simply worried that someone might get hurt in the process.”
Ma Dongpil did his best to console him.
“Do not worry. The Young Master will handle it well.”
Yeo Ganghui glanced at Ma Dongpil.
“How strange.”
“Pardon?”
“Of course, as the Third Young Master’s close aide, it’s natural for you to trust him. But sometimes, Guard Ma, your faith in the Third Young Master seems so profound it feels close to worship.”
It was a remark that could easily be misunderstood, but Ma Dongpil paid it no mind.
“He is the one who gave me a new life.”
“A new life?”
“And even if my trust wasn't this deep, I would still believe that the Young Master can resolve this situation better than anyone else.”
“Why is that?”
Ma Dongpil’s eyes gleamed.
“Because I know his hatred.”
“…Hatred?”
“Yes. His hatred for the ‘enemies’ of our Cult is truly…”
It was then.
Ma Dongpil’s eyes flashed once more.
“They’re coming.”
Yeo Ganghui turned his head.
Far beyond the distant gorge, a group clad in green martial uniforms was approaching.
* * *
In a fraction of a fraction of a second.
Seo Ryang thought.
*Fast?!*
Long, slender fingers converged to form a sharp spearhead. The pointed tips of the nails seemed to emanate the sharpness of a divine sword or treasured saber.
*How is she so fast?*
There wasn’t even a hint of killing intent. Her speed was enough to startle even a master who had reached the pinnacle of the demonic path, yet the lack of killing intent delayed his reaction by half a beat.
A single strike, more lethal than any assassin’s technique in the world.
*Squelch!*
With a gruesome sound of tearing flesh, Seo Ryang’s body swayed.
In that instant, Cheonho’s eyes flashed.
*You bastard!*
*Fwoosh!*
Cheonho moved.
Lowering his stance until he was nearly prone, his speed was like the wind. He propelled himself forward by pushing off the ground with his thick, long arms, rushing like a pouncing beast.
*I’ll make you pay the price for mocking me!*
*Whoosh!*
A golden internal energy shimmered on his right arm as it tore through the air. The motion was like a tiger swiping with its forepaw.
A devastating martial art capable of shattering boulders.
It was then.
*…!*
Just as Cheonho’s hand reached the vicinity of Seo Ryang’s head.
Cheonho saw it. Seo Ryang’s eyes, flashing toward him.
Within the terrifying demonic energy radiating from his blood-red pupils, he could read a sense of triumph.
*Flash!*
Three streaks of lightning shot toward Cheonho’s head, shoulder, and back.
Their speed was truly exceptional. If he didn’t stop, Cheonho’s hand could obliterate Seo Ryang’s head, but in doing so, Cheonho’s own body would be torn apart, leading to a gruesome death.
Cheonho’s body spun like a top.
*Whoosh! Thud-thud-thud!*
In an instant, Cheonho retreated three yards.
Three sabers were now embedded in the ground between him and Seo Ryang.
A jet-black long saber, and a pair of smaller, identical sabers of a different color—the Seven Nights Saber and the Twin Meteor Sabers.
*Saber Control Art!*
The fact that he had used a mutually destructive tactic was even more surprising than his use of the Saber Control Art. Even at the level of controlling sabers with ki, he couldn't have employed such a reckless method without preparing it in advance.
“…You crazy bastard!”
*Ssssk.*
Seo Ryang straightened his upper body. A woman's wrist was now caught in his left hand.
*Drip.*
Blood flowed from his collarbone. The woman’s hand strike had torn his skin.
“I knew you’d have something prepared, but I didn’t expect it to be something so simple and effective.”
The woman screamed.
“Kiaaaaaaah!”
It was not a scream of reason. Her eyes were glazed over, and her cry was akin to a hawk’s.
Cheonho shouted.
“Bring them!”
*Fwip-fwip-fwip!*
A hundred of the Hundred King Beasts scaled the cliff at a terrifying speed.
Their elastic movements allowed them to scramble up the cliff face with incredible agility. They moved with the grace of monkeys climbing trees or leopards scaling branches—a truly divine display of movement.
Seo Ryang couldn't move. Cheonho’s aura was pinning him down.
At this rate, the hostages would be taken from him, yet there was not a trace of urgency on Seo Ryang’s face.
He simply muttered under his breath with an indifferent expression.
“Block them.”
*Craaaash!*
No sooner had he spoken than the edge of the cliff crumbled.
*Scrabble!*
The Hundred King Beasts dug their fingers into the cliff face, moving chaotically.
It was no exaggeration to say their mastery of the Gecko Art had reached a divine level. The cascading shower of rocks failed to even touch the hems of their clothes.
But no matter how skilled they were in the Gecko Art, while they could evade physical objects, they could not evade sound.
*ROOOOAR!*
“Kuaargh!”
“Uwaaaah!”
Half of the Hundred King Beasts tumbled down.
A devastating shockwave had erupted right in front of them—a true Lion's Roar. Not even the world's foremost master of sonic arts could produce such a blast.
*Thud-thud-thud!*
The limbs of twenty of the fallen Hundred King Beasts were instantly broken. The thirty or so who managed to land properly still coughed up blood, having suffered internal injuries from the sound waves.
*Grrrrr!*
The King of Tigers, crouched low with its fur bristling, let out a tense growl as it looked up at the cliff.
Cheonho’s eyes widened.
Seo Ryang smiled.
“Did you think I’d go down so easily?”
*Thump!*
A single beast stood on the shattered edge of the cliff, slamming its massive forepaw down.
Its fur, fluttering in the wind, resembled golden flames. It was smaller than the King of Tigers but as large as any great tiger, exuding an air of majestic dignity.
“…What is that?”
Cheonho’s jaw dropped.
*A fox? A wolf?*
He couldn't tell. Its flowing mane resembled a male lion, its long, pointed snout a wolf, and its powerful legs and retracted claws a tiger.
But its eyes, gleaming with five different colors, were unlike those of any other animal. Its overall appearance was that of a fox, yet it carried the aura of all the predators at the top of the food chain, blended into one.
A spiritual beast, more sacred and mysterious than any other creature in the world, yet one that could be just as ferocious.
*Poke.*
Seo Ryang pressed on the woman’s acupoint and opened his mouth.
“You’re the one who made this situation worse.”
Startled, Cheonho looked back at Seo Ryang.
Seo Ryang gave a pale smile.
“Well, maybe this is what I wanted.”
*Thud!*
Geumho slammed its forepaw on the ground and howled at the sky.
*Awooooooo!!*
A howl twice as low and ten times as eerie as a wolf’s.
Hearing that cry, Cheonho felt a chill run down his spine. His senses, more feral than any martial artist's, foresaw the result of Geumho's roar.
“King of Tigers!”
*Keoheong!*
The king of the mountain’s roar was far deeper and more resonant than Geumho’s.
But it was too late. While the King of Tigers' roar contained a killing intent that could shock even a supreme master, Geumho’s howl held the majesty of a spiritual beast that ruled over all creation.
In this era, or perhaps in all of history, was there another spiritual beast like Geumho?
As the true King of Beasts in the Central Plains cried out, the entire Aenoe Mountain range trembled.
*Rumble.*
The ground shook.
*Thud-thud-thud-thud!*
Beyond the earth’s groan, more violent than an earthquake, countless reinforcements were stampeding toward them.
Cheonho thrust his fist toward the sky.
*Booooom!*
A golden fist wind soared high into the air, signaling the Beast Palace’s forces, stationed ten miles away, to move. The Lord of the Beast Palace had instinctively realized that this situation could not be resolved by personal might alone.
*Rumble-rumble-rumble!*
As time passed, the shaking grew more violent, and the air became suffocatingly thick. Killing intent from all directions was converging on this single point.
“The beasts here are different from those elsewhere.”
Startled, Cheonho turned to look at Seo Ryang.
With the woman slung over his shoulder, Seo Ryang drew the Seven Nights Saber and pointed it at Cheonho. The Twin Meteor Sabers now circled him mystically, as if guarding his body.
“The beasts here are anything but ordinary. They’re fierce, sensitive, and they seem quite intelligent.”
“…!”
“Let’s see you try to stop this.”
“You bastard!”
*Fwoooosh!*
Cheonho charged at Seo Ryang. His fists, swung with full intent, seemed twice as fast and powerful as before.
Just then, Seo Ryang moved.
*…?!*
A look of astonishment appeared on Cheonho’s face.
*What is this movement?*
A blow from the Tiger-Suppressing Divine Fist, certain to carry the power of a cannonball or more.
Seo Ryang evaded the strike with a fluid spin and, in the blink of an eye, closed the distance like a fish swimming against a river's current. It was like swinging a fist at a leaf falling on a windy cliff.
*Thump!*
He didn’t even know when Seo Ryang had gotten so close. Stepping within half a yard, Seo Ryang stomped down hard and swung the Seven Nights Saber.
*Slice!*
A long gash was carved into Cheonho’s collarbone. He had dodged with his beast-like instincts, but his skin was still cut. If he hadn't pulled his torso back, his entire right shoulder would have been severed.
It didn't end there. Seo Ryang flipped the Seven Nights Saber into a reverse grip and threw a punch. He had executed the Heavenly Demon's Thunderous Fist with the hand holding the blade.
*Boom!*
Cheonho staggered. With the Thunderous Fist only at the third stage, it couldn't inflict a fatal wound no matter how much energy he poured into it.
But it was enough.
*Fwoooosh!*
While Cheonho was off-balance, Seo Ryang scaled the cliff. He swung the Seven Nights Saber at the Hundred King Beasts in his way, and in an instant, a dozen of them rained down.
Demonic Emperor's Reigning Steps.
Had it been the Earth-Shrinking Divine Steps, he would have overwhelmed him with speed alone, but the Demonic Emperor's Reigning Steps was different. It was a combat footwork specialized in suppressing and killing the opponent.
Letting go of the Seven Nights Saber and sending the Twin Meteor Sabers flying to his side, Seo Ryang pulled out the Dragon Scale Saber, which had been embedded in the cliff all along.
“Hyaap!”
*Craaaaaash!*
A single strike from the Dragon Scale Saber brought a whole section of the cliff face crumbling down. All the Hundred King Beasts who were still there plummeted below.
Just then, the trees began to shatter.
*Crack! Craa-aack!*
Thousands of beasts emerged, trampling over the splintered wood.
Seo Ryang spoke coldly.
“This is your divine punishment.”
*Keoheooong!*
With the King of Tigers’ terrifying roar, a merciless battle between beasts began.