Four Gods Unleashed (6)
“Young Master Yi! We've breached the southwest main gate! The flames there are under control!”
“R-Really?”
Sin Mo looked at Yeon Jipyeong with puzzled eyes. The boy's expression was strange. It seemed like he was afraid of something, yet also amazed.
“Young Master Yi?”
“This isn't the time to stand around! Hurry and evacuate the people!”
Yeon Jipyeong dashed forward.
“I'll bring the Jegal family members!”
“Gasp! Young Master Yi! That area's dangerous! The enemy's leader is...!”
“It's fine! My brother took care of him!”
Brother? Does he mean the eldest young master?
Sin Mo turned his confused gaze toward the shattered main gate beyond.
At that moment, a deafening explosion rang out.
Boom!
Gah!
Right after the fierce clash, Ma Bang instinctively staggered back.
It hurts?
He stared at his hand. His palm was swollen red.
The hand that could split logs barehanded without channeling inner energy was faintly trembling.
Ma Bang glared at Yeon Hojeong's iron staff. A blue aura shimmered like heat haze from the tip.
A spear?!
It didn't look like staff arts. It felt like spear technique. Though shaped like an iron staff, that thrust just now was unmistakably a spear strike.
A murderous thrust that could pierce straight through an opponent's chest in one blow.
“You bastard...”
“Draw it out.”
“What?”
Yeon Hojeong said coldly.
“Didn't your Yin Fire Red Flow cultivation hit a wall?”
“...!”
“I'll take it, so come at me.”
Ma Bang's eyes turned bloodshot. Long-forgotten rage slowly welled up.
It wasn't because the opponent was more skilled than expected. It was shock at facing someone who knew of Yin Fire Red Flow.
“No point asking how you know, is there?”
Whoosh!
Yeon Hojeong charged like a mad demon. Nothing special about the speed, but the ferocious momentum was overwhelming. That savagery alone made evasion difficult.
Like a wild beast.
Whoosh!
The thrusting staff targeted his throat in an instant. Not the chest, but the throat. Aiming for the smaller target meant absolute confidence in precision.
Clang!
He deflected the staff's path with his daggers in both hands.
Urk!
A powerful shock lingered in his dagger-gripping hands. He might not know about other things, but raw strength was superior.
How could that slender frame produce such power? Unfathomable.
Only three exchanges, but Ma Bang finally realized. He couldn't win in this state.
This bastard!
Fwoosh.
Scarlet flames seemed to erupt from his dantian.
If you want to see it that badly, I'll show you!
Killing intent surged from Ma Bang's eyes.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flashed. That was the problem.
Whether Yin White Flow or Yin Fire Red Flow, practitioners of yin-flow arts never revealed killing intent.
They were created for assassination from the start.
Anyone could see Ma Bang wasn't sane. He showed no fear before the Jegal family's children, even planning to torture and sell the siblings.
Ma Bang was lost in qi deviation, suffering madness.
But to Yeon Hojeong, it was a golden opportunity.
“You dog bastard!”
Wham!
Ma Bang's movements changed. His insidious, passive footwork turned wild and aggressive in an instant. He'd tossed his poison-daggers aside, barehanded now, aiming for Yeon Hojeong's head.
Here it comes.
Whoosh!
The palm slicing through the air was ferociously savage. As exposed as his killing intent—fast, radical, truly fiery arts.
Bam!
Boom!
Explosions like bursting drums echoed in the air.
Against the Brain Fire Room thugs or Ma Bang until moments ago, Yeon Hojeong never stopped attacking. He seemed ignorant of defense or evasion.
Not now. Facing Ma Bang's flaming arts, he evaded thoroughly.
Jerky, unnatural movements, but not a single strike landed.
This guy?!
Ma Bang, pressing relentlessly, couldn't hide his panic.
Does he know the traits of Yin Fire Divine Palm too?
Yin Fire Divine Palm specialized in penetrating energy, a covert palm. Not destructive power, but infiltrating to damage internals.
Even blocked, it pierced defenses to induce internal injuries. Tricky to handle.
No choice but evasion or exploiting gaps.
Ma Bang channeled more inner energy, thrusting his palm at Yeon Hojeong's chest.
Scree!
Boom!
Yeon Hojeong spun, slipping behind Ma Bang.
Ma Bang's eyes shook. The chest strike was a feint. Pretending Yin Fire Divine Palm, he'd aimed a toe kick at midsection—and even that was dodged.
He read this too?
His trump move evaded. Astonishing evasion.
Without turning, Yeon Hojeong swung the staff back.
Thud!
“Urk!”
Ma Bang staggered. His back felt split where the tip struck.
With inner energy, ribs and scapula would've shattered.
“Did you steal and half-ass learn it somewhere? Why so sloppy?”
“...!”
“Try doing it properly.”
Ma Bang's eyes blazed with fury.
“I'll roast your guts thoroughly.”
Whoosh!
Yeon Hojeong spun the staff. Gripping mid-shaft, it sucked in air like a vortex.
Sparks flew from Ma Bang's eyes.
Yeon Hojeong's face showed no expression. Languid, perhaps, but no clear emotion.
Ignoring me completely?!
He didn't see him as an opponent. Boiling inner energy surged to his crown.
“Dog bastard!”
Whoosh!
Faster than before. Precision gone, but far more threatening. Especially the faint red glow rising from his hands instilled inexplicable dread.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed.
Fire qi!
The enemy finally drew true power.
Ma Bang's hand targeted Yeon Hojeong's face.
Crack!
A tree struck by Yin Fire Divine Palm snapped midway, surface charred black.
Impressive.
Yeon Hojeong, who evaded masterfully, was satisfied with the level.
Ma Bang ground his teeth, seeing the pleased smile.
“You punk! I am the successor of the Yin God!”
Bam!
Boom boom!
Air heated up. Faint red glow deepened, soon forming flame-like shapes.
A bit more.
Boom boom boom!
Fwoosh!
Tiny flames flickered in the air, vanishing. The more he unleashed, the more fire qi rose, power and speed increasing.
Ma Bang's eyes were bloodshot. Utterly insane.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes cooled to ice.
More!
“Die!!”
Hwoof!
Ma Bang's motion swelled momentarily. Maximum attack, powerful aura extending. Fire qi and killing intent peaked.
Yeon Hojeong's gaze sharpened.
Now!
In an instant, from seven paces away, Yeon Hojeong closed to Ma Bang's nose.
Startled, Ma Bang thrust his palm.
Boom!
Yeon Hojeong's left hand gripped Ma Bang's right.
Ecstasy surged on Ma Bang's face.
“Stupid bastard! You're dead!”
Woooong!!
A bizarre resonance hummed from their clasped hands.
Ma Bang, wearing a cruel grin, suddenly looked baffled.
What?
The palm force should've incinerated veins and organs instantly.
Yet Yeon Hojeong stared blankly, transparently unaffected—even by the penetrating energy.
“...Huh?”
Ma Bang muttered dumbly.
“What? Why are you fine?”
Then it happened.
From Yeon Hojeong's faintly blue-glowing eyes, pitch-black something surged.
Darkness, yet not ordinary. Inexplicably chilling, soft blackness.
Billowing like floodwaters, threatening to pour from his eyes and engulf Ma Bang.
Sizzle!
Pale steam rose from their clasped hands.
Ma Bang's eyes bulged.
Fire qi?!
Yin Fire Red Flow's energy was being sucked into this kid's palm.
Like water flowing high to low, naturally, uncontrollably—as if that was its true home.
Gasp!
Ma Bang's body shuddered.
Yeon Hojeong exhaled.
“Hooo.”
Thick moisture laced his breath.
Good. I drew it out.
Like the legend of West Chu Overlord amid four-sided siege songs, the encircling firewall around Choseong-ru spewed desperate fire qi.
But insufficient. Four Gods Martial Arts was human art, properly activating under enemy's killing intent and battle spirit.
Deep realm might differ, but entry assumed life-or-death combat.
More easily, more surely—clashing with fire-qi and killing intent foe, Yeon Hojeong finally awakened the sealed legend of the Four Gods in his soul.
Yeon Hojeong swung the iron staff in his right hand.
Whoom!
Thwack!
“Keurk!”
Ma Bang groaned, tumbling forward. Like struck by a massive whip.
Pain like his left collarbone shattering made regaining senses hard.
Thud!
Yeon Hojeong slammed the staff down, inhaling deeply.
Fwoooosh!
Suppressed flames tilted toward him instantly.
Come.
Stimulated by Ma Bang's fire qi, the Four Gods' secret art raised its head, drawing far stronger flames to amplify water qi.
Amplified water qi enveloped his body, making it supple. Channels scorched by penetrating energy restored instantly.
Whiiiish!
Wind blew. Yeon Hojeong's water qi met it, forming a translucent divine beast shape.
A bizarre form: snake head, turtle body.
Guihai's water god. Ruler of the north. Black Tortoise of Four Gods Martial Arts revealed itself.
Water qi surges, forming the impenetrable guardian of the north. Absolute defense awakens.
Sizzle!!
Soaring water qi swirled around the entire staff.
Ma Bang, vomiting blood, roared monstrously.
“Raaagh! You dog bastard! What did you do to my inner energy!!”
Ma Bang thrust his blood-smeared fist with remaining power. Destructive enough.
Then, Yeon Hojeong spun the staff.
Bang!
Ma Bang rocketed back, rolling on the ground.
His body twitched. Right arm grotesquely broken.
Monstrous repulsion.
Weeeeng!
A faint barrier formed before the spinning staff. Black Tortoise arts.
At peak, it could block cannon fire and siege rams—absolute defense secret art.
“Thanks. You let me draw it out faster than expected.”
Passing Four Gods Martial Arts entry, summoning the other three gods was just time.
The legendary ancient Murim absolute art Four Gods Martial Arts never knew defeat over a millennium. Invincible.
Once awakened, Ma Bang's arts couldn't touch a hem of Yeon Hojeong's robes.
Just one god awakened, yet enough to block most attacks.
Yeon Hojeong grabbed Ma Bang's collar, hoisting him up.
“You shortened my time, so I owe you some payback, right?”
“Cough!”
“Looks like you like fire, so at least let your end be in flames.”
Powerless Ma Bang's eyes widened.
“N-No...”
Crack!
Front teeth shattered against the staff.
Under everyone's gaze, Yeon Hojeong dragged Ma Bang toward the roaring inferno.
Disbelief colored faces—including Yeon Jipyeong, Sin Mo, and the Jegal siblings.
Yeon Hojeong raised Ma Bang by the throat.
“Next life, play with fire alone.”
“Grk!”
Yeon Hojeong hurled Ma Bang into the fire demon.
Fwoooosh!
Ferocious flames devoured him.
Grievously wounded inside and out, Ma Bang couldn't escape.
Eerie screams echoed through Choseong-ru.
The crowd shuddered in horror at the man burning alive.
Behind the eaves. Choseong-ru's flames were extinguished.