Preparations Complete (2)
“Huu.”
The young man caught his breath.
“Training lightness skills by crossing mountains and rivers really is the best. What I’d only memorized without mastering has already become second nature.”
Of course, this applied only to lightness techniques. In actual combat, it was a different story. One had to know how to blend swordsmanship and lightness skills at the right moments to maximize combat efficiency.
Brother can probably do all of this effortlessly.
The young man thought of his own flesh and blood. A latent dragon waiting to roar toward the world.
After clearing up their somewhat awkward relationship from childhood, his brother had become a completely different person. Until just a few years ago, the young man had watched his brother’s growth with endless admiration in his eyes. In a way, it had been a relief. For brothers with an extraordinary history, his brother far surpassing him was actually fortunate.
But now, the young man had finally straightened his own resolve. He was genuinely happy for his brother’s achievements—the fame of the world’s greatest late-generation talent who had broken through to Mujongjibyeok in his early twenties. At the same time, he realized he must not tarnish that fame.
His brother was a once-in-a-lifetime genius. He couldn’t show his brother the sight of an incompetent little brother.
And so, after days of shedding blood and grinding bones...
Finally, the young man could place his confidence in his own power and realm. Confidence that he wouldn’t disgrace his father and brother’s reputations.
“Alright, I’ve rested enough. Time to run again.”
He fully restored his slightly disrupted breathing in that brief moment. An astonishingly quick recovery.
Regardless of the quality or quantity of his inner energy, without tempering his stamina to the limit, he couldn’t have reset his breath this fast.
The young man kicked off the ground.
Bam!
He shot forward like a loosed arrow. An incredible speed—his lightness technique had reached a level where even most peak masters couldn’t follow with their eyes.
And in that short instant, his slightly awkward movements and breathing were rapidly falling back into place at a frightening pace.
A genius. Truly a heaven-sent talent.
Not the kind analyzed and absorbed by the mind, but a natural-born sense so extraordinary that his body remembered before his head—this was the mark of a once-in-a-generation martial prodigy.
Bam!
Baaaam!
His already swift lightness technique grew even faster as time passed. His breathing distribution adjusted ever closer to perfection. His limbs began moving as one, unnecessary breaths diminished, and naturally, his inner energy consumption slowed.
He moved like a lofty scholar riding a crane through the skies.
This was the true form of the Bi-san Yeon Family’s supreme lightness skill, Cheonjong Unhaengbi.
How far had he gone like this?
……?!
The young man’s eyes sharpened.
That’s the sound of metal clashing.
Chiiiing.
Craaaack.
From somewhere far ahead, intense metallic clashes rang out. The sound of weapons colliding.
Beyond those fierce impacts, sparks of killing intent and the acrid stench of blood surged like waves.
This direction... it has to be where Brother and the others are headed...
That was when it happened.
Fwaaaah!
The young man’s eyes widened. Amid the savage auras and blood stench, one familiar yet alien energy made his heart tremble.
Roooar!
It was a brilliant energy like nothing he’d ever felt before—like flames devouring the world.
No, it was a fire qi incomparable to anything, roiling as if to incinerate the heavens and earth.
And supporting that fire qi was a divine skill approaching the realm of perfection.
Bi-ra Jin-gyeol!
Geomgeuk Sagi exploded forth.
Boooom!
The young man’s body turned into a streak of light and shot away.
* * *
Craaaack!
Spluuurt!
The blood spraying through the air looked like black ink even under the bright moonlight.
Shhhrrrrk!
Thud thud thud!
The fangs of the Jiao Dragon Chain swept across a wide area, mercilessly ripping out the throats of the black-clad assailants.
Yeon Hojeong shouted.
“Moyong Gunjang!”
“I know!”
Bam!
Moyong Woo instantly shifted to the left assault path and stomped down with a sturdy stance.
Boom!
The earth trembled. A stance of power.
It lacked the raw might of Yeon Hojeong’s stomps but sent vibrations spreading farther, revealing the nature of Moyong Woo’s martial arts.
Geon Gon.
Moyong Woo’s Tang Ma Greatsword moved like a beam of light.
Craaaang!
Slash!
Craaaang!
Slash!
Every time the heavy blade cleaved the air, the enemies’ narrow swords and child-mother mandarin duck axes shattered and scattered.
The black-clad warriors gripping those weapons met the same fate, their lives crumbling to pieces.
Yeon Hojeong wasn’t the only one enraged by the sudden ambush—Moyong Woo, too, rarely unleashed such killing intent as he cut down foes.
Thud!
Thud!
Ching ching ching!
He smashed heads with the flat of his blade and swept up seven short spears and narrow swords in a single swing. A fluid linking technique of supple swordsmanship.
It lacked one-strike kills but flowed like the relentless current of the Yangtze River.
Moyong Woo twisted his Tang Ma Sword.
Crack!
The weapons caught on his blade shattered entirely.
At the same time, his left hand erupted with force.
Thud thud thud!
The seven black-clad foes struck by the soft palm force vomited blood from all orifices and collapsed.
A brutal killing technique.
This was the Moyong family’s secret hand skill, Huang Wind Palm, revealing its might to the world.
Craaack!
Slash!
Spluuurt!
Moyong Woo’s swordsmanship was astonishing. Though he’d left most battles to Yeon Hojeong until now, his skill rivaled the top among his peers.
And he possessed a talent. One even Yeon Hojeong lacked—a gift unique to him in the Moyong family.
Five.
Moyong Woo closed his eyes.
Meanwhile, his sword created a majestic flow, coiling around the black-clad warriors leaping high into the sky.
In that instant, the inner energy of Geon Gon Pal Gyeok Jin Gi sharpened to a razor’s edge.
Spluuuurt!
A rain of blood poured from the heavens.
He bound the targets with formless sword qi, then yanked and slashed them down in one breath. A technique absent from Geon Gon Baek Pal Geom Hae, instantly replicated from observing the Jiao Dragon Chain’s movements—a sword qi manifestation.
It was truly remarkable.
Even gaining enlightenment in a flash, applying it immediately in combat was an entirely different matter. In life-or-death struggles, unfamiliar insights rarely worked properly.
But not for Moyong Woo.
In extreme situations, he poured what he saw and felt directly into his sword forms without a hint of awkwardness, as if he’d practiced it hundreds of times.
That was Moyong Woo’s talent.
Different from Yeon Jipyeong’s absorptive senses. His was accelerating learning speed itself.
Not exceptional combat prowess, but the ability to wield any martial art proficiently after one glimpse.
His analytical insight turned realizations into embodied skill at an inconceivable pace.
This is it.
Shhhwaaaak!
Fresh blood sprayed in all directions, blotting out the moonlight.
This is my martial art!
His majestic sword forms flowed without interruption.
He was manifesting the martial path he’d realized through his prior conversation with Yeon Hojeong, right here and now.
At that moment, a massive net unfurled over Yeon Hojeong and Moyong Woo’s heads.
Moyong Woo’s eyes wavered.
This is tricky.
Too many enemies swarming to cut the net. His swordsmanship was at its limit just binding their feet.
Then—
Bwoooom!
Boooom!
A single steel arrow, carrying force beyond even a cannon, obliterated the net entirely and shoved it back.
Muk Bujang!
Muk Bi, who hadn’t joined the front lines until now, intervened at the perfect moment.
As expected!
A splendid strike. Moyong Woo admired not the arrow’s power, but her impeccable timing.
No need to waste arrows while she recovered from internal injuries under the pretense of helping.
With Yeon Hojeong and Moyong Woo’s ironclad offense and defense showing a gap, her archery sufficed.
This let her conserve strength, boosting their survival odds in emergencies.
Yeon Hojeong shouted.
“Moyong Gunjang! This isn’t the time to get distracted!”
“Ah, my apologies!”
Shhhrrrrk!
Thud thud thud!
The Jiao Dragon Chain’s tip pierced the black-clad warriors’ torsos like a blade. An all-encompassing monstrous technique.
And whenever the eighty-catty Gwang Yong Bu swung, their bodies burst like shells exploding, with resounding booms.
Even the fiercest beasts would falter at this.
The black-clad warriors hesitated, retreating to reform their formation.
Then, Yeon Hojeong’s transmission shot to Moyong Woo and Muk Bi.
[These guys’ attacks aren’t consistent. They’re not one organization—multiple groups mixed together.]
Both agreed with Yeon Hojeong’s assessment.
The assaults seemed fierce at first glance but lacked cohesion. Impressive in numbers and killing intent, yet they jostled pointlessly, creating needless sacrifices.
[Those ones are pulling back! They’re forming up to fight calmly! We can’t give these bastards time to think!]
In an instant, crimson fire qi rippled across Yeon Hojeong’s entire body.
Moyong Woo and Muk Bi’s eyes widened.
Boom!
Yeon Hojeong plunged into the enemy center three times faster than their retreat, swinging Gwang Yong Bu.
Thud thud thud!
“Th-this!”
“Scatter in all directions!”
Screams finally burst from the silent black-clad warriors.
Moyong Woo yelled.
“Yeon Gunjang!”
Yeon Hojeong hoisted Gwang Yong Bu overhead.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A savage axe barrage. He cleaved down from on high, splitting foes, at maddening speed. Not even firewood could be chopped this fast.
Kwaaang!
With a mighty stance came Hong Yeom Yuk Sal Gong. Not the power-and-advance Tiger King Nine Thunder Strikes, but the initial kill of the Six Kills Art, craving enemy blood and burning corpses.
Thud thud!
Boom!
Boom!
Krarum!
It was a solo killing spree beyond words. Against disorganized foes, he swung like a mad slayer, more ferocious than usual, grabbing every chance.
Slash!
Spluuurt!
But no matter how strong Yeon Hojeong was, the enemies’ numbers overwhelmed. Wounds accumulated from narrow swords, harpoons, mandarin duck axes, and hidden weapons.
His internal injuries from shattering the cannon hadn’t fully healed.
Yeon Hojeong’s face paled gradually.
Moyong Woo’s expression twisted at the sight.
“Yeon Gunjang!”
As he instinctively moved to rush forward—
……?!
An unknown, overwhelming aura surged from the rear.
Moyong Woo and Muk Bi started in shock.
A master?!
An intense presence. It carried urgency, but the problem was the newcomer’s terrifying speed.
A blade-like aura matching that velocity churned the surroundings like a storm.
Not a match for Yeon Hojeong or Moyong Woo, but their entry would change everything.
Moyong Woo shouted.
“Muk Bujang!”
“Got it!”
Muk Bi could no longer afford to hold back.
Kraaaak!
Drawing her Hong Ryeon Palace bow, Muk Bi locked onto a rapidly approaching youth.
A swordsman! And fast! His reaction speed must be incredible... Huh?
Muk Bi blinked.
Why? The aura felt familiar.
And the face of the fast-approaching figure—it seemed she’d seen it somewhere before.
As Muk Bi hesitated with a “Huh, huh”—
The youth, whipping up a gale, kicked off the ground mid-stride and leaped skyward.
Boooom!
His soaring form rivaled a great peng gliding the firmament.
Moyong Woo, about to shout to Muk Bi, couldn’t help staring at the youth.
The leaper had already reached the skies over the enemy ranks.
Beautiful.
Astonishingly swift, mesmerizingly graceful.
But the moment the youth drew his sword, the entrancing aura flipped in an instant.
Chaaaaang!
A charging draw. Sword qi erupted like a net poised to cleave heaven and earth, drawing every gaze regardless of friend or foe.
His eyes, incomparably mature and steel-strong.
Yeon Jipyeong’s fierce gaze unleashed a terrifying sword light for a split second.
“Brother!”
Surprise flashed across Yeon Hojeong’s face.
“Jipyeong-ah!”
Yeon Jipyeong’s sword force swept all directions, coiling around the enemies’ wrists.
Spluuurt!