Chapter 189: Infiltrating the Martial Emperor's Tomb-5
Chapter 189: Infiltrating the Martial Emperor's Tomb-5
When Seonwoo Jin and Seol Pung dealt with their opponents, the lone remaining Blood Wind Demon Lord Eo Chi-ram grew desperate.
He had already been steadily losing ground against Jeung Chil, and now he was in a situation where he would have to face a combined attack from the others as well.
He glanced sidelong at the stone chamber door, but the firmly shut door had blocked off even his escape route.
Judging by the thudding sounds from outside, someone was trying to break the door down, but it seemed to be a door built remarkably sturdy, as it did not budge in the slightest.
'How, how am I supposed to handle this?'
His mind was spinning desperately, searching for a way to survive.
But at that moment, Eo Chi-ram was not the only one whose heart had grown frantic.
Jeung Chil, who alone had failed to finish off his opponent, was the same.
'Th-this... I came in last place?!'
These mere whelps had disposed of their opponents far faster than he, a renowned transcendent peak master, could manage.
Even though their opponents had all been transcendent peak masters as well.
His heart now desperate, Jeung Chil suddenly bellowed.
"Stop running away and come here and die already, you dwarf bastard!"
At that, Eo Chi-ram, who had been fighting while flying about like a gale with his signature movement technique, shouted back.
"Shut your mouth and you die instead! You monkey bastard!"
"You wretched cur!"
Unable to contain his rage, Jeung Chil roared at the top of his lungs, but dealing swiftly with Eo Chi-ram, whose specialty was superior movement technique, was no easy task.
Then Bi Sa-yeong, who had been watching their verbal sparring as if it were a pitiful sight, abruptly spoke up.
"How about it, shall I lend a hand, Sasuk?"
At his question, Jeung Chil snapped back with a shout.
"Don't make me laugh! No one lay a hand on him! Do you think I can't handle a wretch like this on my own?! Even by myself, I could easily...!"
But it was while he was shouting like that.
Eo Chi-ram's eyes flashed and he suddenly hurled his body to one side.
It was toward where Na Seo-yu and Sak Mu-heun were watching, their acupoints released.
Pabak!
'If I can just take that wench hostage?!'
Given the situation, the reason these people had come in here seemed to be to rescue those young things.
So if he could take them hostage, could he not find a path to survival?
That was the thought that flashed through Eo Chi-ram's mind in that instant.
But while Jeung Chil gaped in dismay at the sight, Bi Sa-yeong clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Tsk, of all things."
It was just as Eo Chi-ram, his face bright with anticipation, was lunging toward Na Seo-yu.
Abruptly, two figures flew in like streaks of light from both sides of him.
Shwiiik!
"!"
It was Seol Pung and Seonwoo Jin.
They had already anticipated such a situation and had moved closer to those whose martial prowess was lacking.
That the frantic Eo Chi-ram had failed to account for them was his gravest mistake.
Seol Pung's fist and Seonwoo Jin's sword strike flew in from both sides of Eo Chi-ram.
Already mid-lunge with no way to dodge, Eo Chi-ram twisted his body with a scream-like kihap, trying to block them.
"Uwaaaap!"
But it was useless.
Peoseok!
Shaak!
When Seol Pung's single fist punched through Eo Chi-ram's small defending arm and shattered his head, Seonwoo Jin's sword passed through Eo Chi-ram's waist and out the other side.
After the two men flew past on opposite sides and crossed paths, all that remained was a single corpse, its waist severed in two and its head obliterated.
The next moment, Na Seo-yu, seeing the tattered corpse flying toward her, hastily threw her body aside to avoid it.
Teolpudeok!
At that, Jeung Chil let out a shriek.
"No! He was mine, I tell you!"
But no one paid any attention to his shrieking.
Seol Pung approached Na Seo-yu and asked with a worried face.
"Are you alright, Sojeo?"
Na Seo-yu, her eyes brimming with tears, nodded.
She still could not believe that Seol Pung was truly here.
As the two gazed at each other with tender eyes, Bi Sa-yeong approached Sak Mu-heun and asked.
"You've been through a great deal, Sak Hyeongnim. Are you alright?"
Sak Mu-heun, who had been staring in wonder at Seol Pung and Seonwoo Jin in turn, smiled bitterly and nodded.
"Yes, my body seems fine enough, but my state of mind is a bit unsettled. When did those two grow to such a level... At any rate, thank you. I truly cannot believe you came all this way to rescue us."
At his answer, Bi Sa-yeong smiled as if in sympathy and replied.
"With those monsters, just pay them no mind. Anyway... Lady Hae, is she by any chance...?"
At Bi Sa-yeong's cautious question, the gazes of those around also converged on him.
Sak Mu-heun answered with a somber expression.
"Cheongyeon is not here. She is with the Blood Demon. At that time, that child was together with the Blood Demon..."
At that, Seonwoo Jin cut him off and interjected.
"In any case, as long as Miss Cheongyeon is alive, that will suffice. It seems that story must be left for later."
As he spoke, Seonwoo Jin's eyes were directed toward the stone chamber door.
Everyone's gazes followed his toward the door.
Kung! Kung! Kung! Kung!
The sound of collisions, as if someone were pounding on it from outside, rang out, and dust sifted down from the ceiling of the stone chamber.
It seemed even that sturdy door would not hold out much longer.
With his gaze fixed in that direction, Seonwoo Jin spoke rapidly.
"Squad leader, as you must have sensed as well, the one outside is Black Blood Illusion Demon Du Dang. It also seems two transcendent peak masters have joined him. Other peak-level masters will likely keep swarming this way as well."
At the mention of Black Blood Illusion Demon Du Dang's name, the group's expressions could not help but darken.
For the name of one who was among the Thirty-Six Stars of the World was on an entirely different plane from ordinary transcendent peak masters.
Only Seonwoo Jin's expression was different.
He spoke to the group with a face that betrayed no sense of crisis.
"He will most likely attempt to use the Soul Captivation Art the moment he enters. In my judgment, Sa-yeong, Lady Ya, Na Sojeo, and Sak Hyeongnim may be in danger."
Na Seo-yu glanced briefly at the still-thudding door and nodded in agreement.
"That's right. Even when we were captured and brought here, we lost consciousness without being able to put up any resistance against his Soul Captivation Art."
It was as the group was sending startled looks at her words.
Seonwoo Jin nodded and spoke.
"So, I will take charge of Du Dang. Squad leader, please lead the others and break through to the outside of Muhwangchong."
At Seonwoo Jin's words, everyone could not help but be deeply startled.
It was not because of his confidence that he would face Du Dang alone.
It was because his words sounded as though he meant to stay behind by himself.
Bi Sa-yeong hastily objected.
"What are you talking about! We must all leave together when we go!"
"That's right, Seonu Gongja. Don't try to sacrifice yourself alone."
"What kind of bluster is this? Do you think this Elder Jeung would leave a greenhorn junior behind and go?!"
It was as everyone was dissuading Seonwoo Jin with worried expressions.
Abruptly, he smiled faintly and spoke.
"Thank you all for your concern. But you are all mistaken. The reason I intend to stay behind is not to sacrifice myself to buy time. It is because while all of you draw the eyes of the demon heads, I have something to do inside, after dealing with Du Dang."
"...Something to do?"
"Something to do, you say?"
Seonwoo Jin answered while looking at Bi Sa-yeong with a slightly sinister-looking smile.
"Should we not bring this Muhwangchong crashing down?"
At that, the group's expressions went blank for a moment.
Everyone had been thinking only of escaping this situation; no one had thought that far.
Bi Sa-yeong stammered as he asked.
"N-no, well, that is true, but... is-is that even possible?"
At his question, Seonwoo Jin answered, wearing a deliberately arrogant expression.
"Heh, trust me. The plan is already fully laid."
At that, the group found themselves in an odd mood where they could not quite muster a reply.
They did, after all, trust Seonwoo Jin fully.
But the real issue was that no one could be sure whether they could trust his bold claims in a situation like this.
It was then that Seol Pung spoke with a grave face.
"Jin, don't overdo it. No matter how skilled you are, wouldn't it be difficult to face Du Dang alone?"
That was the moment.
Kwarurung!
The stone door that had been continuously banging finally shattered.
Through the broken gap, a demon head was the first to leap inside.
It was Gye Seoksa, the Dangwon Magun, one of the Blood Cult's transcendent peak masters.
"Kuhahahaha! You bastards! It's all over now!"
In that instant, Seonwoo Jin summoned Mukrang inwardly.
'Elder.'
Immediately, Mukrang's cheerful reply came back.
— I've been waiting!
And in the next moment, Mukrang, having taken control of Seonwoo Jin's body, swung his sword.
From the tip of the Mukrang Sword, the deep purple energetic force he had shown when defeating Am Hyeol-hyang before erupted like an explosion.
Hwaaaak!
The first move of the Mukrang Sword Technique.
Opening Heaven.
Chwaaaak!
When his sword carved through space, the group suddenly felt as if they had glimpsed an illusion of the world splitting apart.
It was a sensation as though space itself had briefly torn open, allowing them to peer into the gap of an abyss opening into another world.
Everyone who saw that single sword strike lost their words and could only tremble in awe.
Compared to the unfathomable depth just displayed by that one sword strike, the fact that Gye Seoksa, a transcendent peak master of the Blood Cult, had been split in half and killed instantly by that very strike was hardly surprising at all.
Seonwoo Jin, who had executed the sword strike that left everyone speechless, was now looking steadily at Seol Pung.
His expression seemed to ask, 'Do you still think it's too much for me?'
Gulp!
Having unconsciously swallowed his saliva, Seol Pung nodded and spoke to the other members of the group.
"We'll escape while Jin holds off Du Dang. Everyone, please close your eyes until I give the signal."
Meanwhile, Du Dang had entered behind the Dangwon Magun Gye Seoksa, who had been turned into a departed soul by the single sword strike.
He had not yet seen exactly how Gye Seoksa, who had entered first through the broken door, had died.
"What? Gye Seoksa's dead? Already? What happened?"
It was when he was looking around with a flustered expression, about to habitually use the Soul Captivation Art.
Suddenly, the faces of the people who already had their eyes closed entered his vision.
"Huh? These little rats are using tricks...!"
That was when it happened.
Feeling a chilling sensation as if doused in the cold of hell, Du Dang hastily threw his body to the side.
Chwaaaak!
Once again, it was the first move of the Mukrang Sword Technique, One Stroke Opening Heaven, being unleashed.
Du Dang realized it the moment he dodged.
If he had stood still and tried to receive that single sword strike, he might very well have died.
Having crossed the wall to the transcendent peak through the realm of the Soul Captivation Art rather than combat, and on top of that having lost an arm to the Sword Saint recently, it was a sword strike Du Dang simply could not withstand head-on.
And the moment Du Dang stepped aside, Seol Pung shouted.
"Now!"
Then he himself was the first to rush out through the broken door gap.
Pabak!
Between his tightly shut eyes, a crimson glow was faintly spreading out.
The first opponent Seol Pung encountered as he rushed out through the door gap was Gwa Gan-yeol, the Hyeolsu Magun, the last transcendent peak master remaining in the Martial Emperor's Tomb.
He had been just about to follow Du Dang through the gap when Seol Pung suddenly burst out, and he hastily thrust out his twin palms.
"What?!"
Syuhak!
But Seol Pung, who had already read his presence, threw a single fist toward the twin palms using the momentum of his charge.
Kwaaaaang!
"Keuk!"
It was a terrifying destructive power.
In the face of the unimaginably huge impact, Gwa Gan-yeol retreated backward in a daze.
Blood was also surging up from his throat.
No matter how much of a surprise attack it was, he had sustained internal injuries from a single strike.
"W-What is this...?!"
Gwa Gan-yeol hurriedly tried to calm his internal injuries and ready himself.
But Seol Pung gave him no time to do so.
Having blasted Gwa Gan-yeol away with a single fist, Seol Pung pressed in like a fierce tiger without a moment's rest.
His other hand was already shooting out a cannonball-like fist strike.
Syuhak!
Faced with Seol Pung's fist bearing down on him again, Gwa Gan-yeol had no choice.
He also gritted his teeth and thrust out his palm.
"Euhaap!"
Once again, fist and palm collided in the air.
Kwaaaaang!
"Kueoeok!"
Gwa Gan-yeol had no choice but to be pushed back again.
His momentum had already been broken, and Seol Pung's martial power, unleashed through the Red Eye Martial Art, was already far surpassing his own.
Moreover, Seol Pung's attack did not end there.
Seol Pung was bearing down on Gwa Gan-yeol again as he was flung backward.
Once again, the right-handed straight fist flew in like a cannonball.
Syuhak!
"Keuk!"
Gwa Gan-yeol bit his lip hard and, gathering his last strength, shot out his twin palms.
His mind was filled with the thought that if he was pushed back in this power struggle again, he would never be able to recover.
But it was just as the twin palms and the straight fist were about to collide.
Seol Pung's form suddenly spun around like a cat, deflecting Gwa Gan-yeol's twin palms.
This straight fist had been a feint.
"W-What?!"
Before the startled Gwa Gan-yeol's eyes, Seol Pung's foot, spinning around and lashing out, rapidly expanded.
"Ah, no...!"
Peoseok!
His head burst like a watermelon.
It had all happened so quickly that the other peak-level demon heads watching from behind couldn't even find a gap to launch a combined attack.
Behind Seol Pung, who had dispatched Gwa Gan-yeol, the other group members came rushing out one after another.
At this, Du Dang let out a furious roar and tried to attack them.
"You bastards! How dare you...!"
But he was forced to hurl his body away once again because of the cold sensation he felt once more.
Chwaaaak!
Again, a hellish single sword strike flew in.
Seonwoo Jin—or rather, Mukrang, wearing Seonwoo Jin's face—was speaking to him with a playful expression.
"You need to focus. It'd be such a shame to die because you weren't paying attention, don't you think? Though dying's dying either way, I suppose."
At those words, Du Dang's face burned red with rage as he stared at him.
Meanwhile, the moment Na Seo-yu and Sak Mu-heun came out of the stone chamber following behind Seol Pung, the expression of the Blood Demon woman, who had been standing by watching blankly because she hadn't received orders from Du Dang, suddenly twisted.
"No! My friends!"
She screamed and rushed at Seol Pung.
Seol Pung, who had just killed the Hyeolsu Magun Gwa Gan-yeol, was about to launch a lethal strike at her as well.
It was then that Na Seo-yu shouted.
"Don't kill her!"
Seol Pung, who had hesitated for a moment at her voice, gently caught the body of the woman swinging at him, then spun around using that very force and threw her.
Hwiiiik!
At that, the woman's body flew into the gap of the stone door through which the group had escaped.
Kudangtangtang!
Her body, having crashed to the floor, was rolling around inside the stone chamber.
Without paying her any further attention, Seol Pung charged toward the peak-level demon heads he could see before him.
Now it was time to break through them head-on and escape outside for the sake of Seonwoo Jin, who was left behind.
***
At the same time, Du Dang, who stood confronting him inside the stone chamber, gnashed his teeth and shouted.
"A green young brat dares to look down on me! I will show you what my true hell looks like!"
At the same time, his eyes began to emit a deep crimson blood glow.
Du Dang, who had crossed the wall of the transcendent peak through the realm of the Soul Captivation Art, was finally beginning to unleash the Soul Captivation Art with his full power.
Hwaaaak!
The blood glow pouring from his eyes began to dye the entire interior of the stone chamber a deep red.
Even the Black Panther, who had been taking cover to one side, was growling as if in pain.
But Mukrang merely smiled.
He spoke scornfully through Seonwoo Jin's lips.
"How laughable. That is not how one uses the Soul Captivation Art."
The next moment, Seonwoo Jin's eyes began to shine brilliantly with a golden light.
Hwaaaak!