Chapter 24: Poison Forest-6
Chapter 24: Poison Forest-6
"To think there was a space like this deep within the Poison Forest. How astonishing."
Tamhyeolmugun Ji Gwang-ok surveyed his surroundings as he stepped onto the solid ground that existed like an island deep within the Poison Forest, a place otherwise consisting entirely of swamp.
Except for the narrow path at the entrance and the space inside where the thatched dwelling and stable stood, everything around them was swamp.
Moreover, seeing that snakes and insects swarming the vicinity did not enter the area, even though no wall had been erected, it seemed likely that a scent disliked by poison creatures had been spread throughout the entire space.
"The work of someone well-versed in both poisons and medicinal herbs."
Ji Gwang-ok felt as though he knew who the half-Buddha, half-immortal elder mentioned by the soul-captivated Miao child was.
He murmured with a ferocious grin.
"At last, I meet you again, Elder Seok."
However, when they finally arrived at the thatched dwelling and the door opened, the ones who emerged were an unexpected young man and woman.
The man cupped his fists in greeting first and spoke.
"I am called Seol Pung, squad leader of the 7th Squad of the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads. Where do you hail from, senior?"
"Hoh, the Flying Dragon Squad, you say?"
A ferocious grin spread across Ji Gwang-ok's lips.
His subordinates, seeing Hae Cheong-yeon standing beside Seol Pung, were already in an uproar.
"A woman! A young wench!"
"Heuheuheu! Quite the figure she has."
"With a face that's probably killer, why hide it?"
"What's there to worry about? We'll just pull it aside for her, keuheuheu!"
Ji Gwang-ok finally answered Seol Pung.
"I am called Ji Gwang-ok of the Blood Cult. I have business with the old man here. Do you intend to block me?"
Seol Pung once again cupped his fists respectfully and spoke.
"So you are the senior Tamhyeolmugun Ji Gwang-ok. Your fame precedes you. How could I dare to block your path, senior? However, this place is a safe house where we, the Flying Dragon Squad members, occasionally stay. If you are not disregarding the non-aggression treaty personally concluded by the Murim Alliance Leader and the Blood Demon, would it not be best for you to withdraw?"
The moment the Blood Demon's name was uttered, Ji Gwang-ok's eyes twitched.
Famed for his powerful loyalty to the Blood Demon, he could not ignore that name.
It was just as Seol Pung had anticipated.
The smile faded from Ji Gwang-ok's face as he growled,
"This place is a Flying Dragon Squad safe house? I do not think so."
At that, Seol Pung hastily replied,
"That is not so! Is there not the mark of the Flying Dragon Squad over there?"
"Huh?"
It was the moment Ji Gwang-ok turned his gaze toward where Seol Pung urgently pointed with his finger.
Seol Pung's form shot toward Ji Gwang-ok like a ray of light.
Paaat!
That it would come to a fight in the end was obvious anyway.
Seol Pung, having thought so, had drawn out the enemy's carelessness with an attitude of utmost respect and feigned fear.
Furthermore, thinking this might be the first and last chance, Seol Pung even drew upon the secret technique he had been hiding.
Between his tightly shut eyelids, a crimson gleam flickered.
He struck the back of Ji Gwang-ok's head with all his might using the Tiger Claw Hand as Ji Gwang-ok turned his head away.
It was his true ultimate technique, the Wild Beast Fist, which he had hidden from his comrades under the name of the Fierce Tiger Fist until now.
Kwaaaaang!
"Eeik!"
Seol Pung gritted his teeth.
At the final moment, Ji Gwang-ok had turned back toward him and raised his arm to block the attack.
But as Ji Gwang-ok staggered, unable to fully dissipate the impact, Seol Pung began to rain down a flurry of blows upon him.
It was a fierce assault, striking with both arms like a wild beast and whirling like a tornado to unleash kick techniques.
The time Seol Pung could maintain his current level of martial prowess was at most half a watch.
Thus, he had to bring the matter to a conclusion within that time, no matter what.
Simultaneously with Seol Pung's ambush, Hae Cheong-yeon had also launched herself forward.
As prearranged, she aimed for the subordinates standing behind Ji Gwang-ok.
Her form, which had followed behind Seol Pung like a shadow, suddenly appeared in the Blood Cultists' field of vision.
"Haaap!"
Syuhak!
From the tip of her sword, an ultra-high-speed thrust erupted.
It was the ultimate technique her father had guaranteed was not inferior to the Jeomchang Sect's Four Sun Sword Technique, Comet Star Black.
The sword that shot forth like a comet cleaving the darkness took but an instant to pierce the chest of one Blood Cultist.
Puuuuk!
"Keuheok!"
Now, four remained.
Hae Cheong-yeon's gaze coldly swept over the survivors.
But the Blood Cultists, who had recoiled in surprise, had already solidified their defensive stances.
The effect of the ambush seemed to end here.
From now on, she had to somehow overcome four opponents who appeared to be first-rate upper-level martial artists, on par with herself.
The enraged Blood Cultists rushed her all at once.
"This wench dares!"
"Overwhelm her!"
"Hey, hey! Don't kill her! We have to eat her with her limbs intact!"
"Don't scar her face either! I like licking a perfect face!"
Such mockery would have enraged an ordinary martial world woman.
But hearing it, Hae Cheong-yeon smiled instead.
Limbs intact, face perfect too.
With an attitude like that, she was rather grateful.
While Hae Cheong-yeon felt thankful toward her enemies, Seol Pung's situation was unfolding rather unfavorably.
Ji Gwang-ok, who had been pushed back by the ambush, was gradually beginning to recover his momentum.
Even in a desperate situation, his manner of coldly maintaining a defensive posture and recovering his body was worthy of a veteran of a hundred battles.
Ji Gwang-ok barely endured the crisis and breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
He had paid a harsh price for his carelessness.
That a whelp who looked barely in his twenties—and whom he had initially assessed, even at the highest, to possess around eighty years of internal energy—had displayed martial prowess approaching the transcendent peak was truly astonishing.
It likely had something to do with the fact that the bastard kept his eyes closed.
But now that the ambush was blocked, it was merely an astonishing fact, nothing more.
Because that bastard had failed to seize the first and last opportunity, and now he himself, a true transcendent peak martial artist, had regained his composure.
Wearing a smile like a savage beast, Ji Gwang-ok slowly began to shift from defense to offense.
Kwareung!
With a sound like thunder splitting the sky, Ji Gwang-ok's palm struck at Seol Pung.
It was the Blood Cult's ultimate technique, the Explosive Thunder Blood Palm.
Peoong!
"Kreuuuk!"
Seol Pung crossed both arms to block, but he was inevitably flung backward by the tremendous force.
As Seol Pung barely managed to regain his balance and land, he saw Ji Gwang-ok pouncing on him like a fierce tiger.
"Kuhahahaha!"
Ji Gwang-ok's twin palms, wreathed in crimson hand blade energy, battered Seol Pung like giant boulders.
Peooeoong!
"Hoh?"
Ji Gwang-ok, who had thought it was the end, let out a small exclamation of admiration.
Seol Pung's response had been astonishing.
Curling his body as small as possible and spinning fiercely, his form had narrowly deflected Ji Gwang-ok's powerful strike.
It was truly beast-like movement.
Then, Seol Pung, carrying through the rotation, lashed out with a kick technique aimed at Ji Gwang-ok's head.
Shaaaak!
The two stepped back and momentarily ceased their attacks.
Blood was trickling from Ji Gwang-ok's torn cheek.
It was the result of Seol Pung's razor-sharp kick technique grazing him.
Ji Gwang-ok wiped his own blood with his hand, then licked it with his tongue and chuckled lowly.
"Heuheuheuheu! You are truly a remarkable bastard. To think there was someone like you among the young ones of the Flying Dragon Squad. I am fortunate to be able to kill you before you grow further."
Then he leaped out like a fierce tiger once more.
"Kuhahahaha!"
Watching Ji Gwang-ok pounce on him like a gigantic demonic hand, Seol Pung had to grit his teeth hard.
***
The Elder Seok Gyeong-dal inside the thatched dwelling had not yet fled. After giving the books recording his research over the years to Dakam, he hurriedly instructed him.
"Take your younger siblings and go hide in that place. You know it, yes? You absolutely must not come out until at least six months have passed."
Dakam asked, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Tokno! Tokno needs to come too!"
But Elder Seok Gyeong-dal shook his head with a satisfied smile.
"I am going to die soon anyway. If my life is forfeit, shouldn't I use it a little more worthily?"
After pushing Dakam and his siblings into the secret passage, the elder rose to his feet.
The arms and legs that had been immobile for years were finally regaining sensation after a long time.
In truth, his half-crippled state had been a measure he'd taken to seal his own demonic arts.
Watching his friend Jeon Mu-gwang's mind being progressively eroded by demonic qi, he had taken that measure to prevent himself from suffering the same fate.
Because of it, he had been able to preserve his sanity against the Blood Cult's insane demonic arts, which would otherwise destroy the practitioner's body if their martial power was not constantly strengthened.
For the first time in a long while, demonic qi surged through his entire body, setting his heart ablaze with ferocity.
It meant the demonic qi had begun to encroach upon his brain, but a brief moment of madness was fine.
He wasn't going to use it for long anyway.
Just as he was about to burst out the door with a savage grin,
someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
An old man with a deeply furrowed brow shouted, looking behind him.
"Dakam! You little bastard, you still...?!"
***
Hae Cheong-yeon was still holding out, surrounded by four first-class upper-level warriors on par with herself.
However, this was less due to her own ability and more a choice made by the Blood Cultists.
"Oh! Nice!"
"Kihahaha! The skin on her thighs is so tender?!"
"Let's try for the chest next!"
"Whoa, that one's gonna be a bit trickier, huh?"
The Blood Cultists were toying with her, slicing off bits of Hae Cheong-yeon's clothing.
They were gleefully carving knife marks only into the cloth of her upper arms, thighs, and calves, exposing glimpses of the skin beneath.
It was a situation that would make any woman of the martial world tremble with humiliation, yet Hae Cheong-yeon was essentially letting it happen.
In the fight between Seol Pung and Ji Gwang-ok unfolding right beside her, Seol Pung's situation was extremely dire.
Under Ji Gwang-ok's relentless, one-sided assault, Seol Pung was enduring desperately; the mere fact that he hadn't collapsed yet was praiseworthy enough.
Hae Cheong-yeon had judged that recklessly expending her strength in such a situation was meaningless.
Defeating these four by herself would be difficult anyway, and if she were to be captured while launching a reckless offensive, Squad Leader Seol Pung would be finished.
So she had actually been letting the enemies push her around in order to lull them into complacency,
when suddenly Hae Cheong-yeon's ears perked up.
Beneath the hair that fell past her nose, her lips drew a faint, subtle arc.
"Now, let me have a go!"
One of the Blood Cultists, growing bold, rushed at Hae Cheong-yeon with a greedy laugh.
But just as his blade was about to graze the chest area of Hae Cheong-yeon's clothes, her sword suddenly quickened.
Shuhaaak!
In an instant, a hazy sword qi spread out like the Milky Way. It was the ultimate technique of the Stellar Net Sword Art, Stellar Cloud Spreading Heaven.
"Wha, what the?!"
The startled Blood Cultist tried to defend in haste, but it was already far too late.
Chaechaechaechaeng! Pushushushuk!
"Uwaaaaak!"
As the countless tangled and intertwined strands of sword qi passed through his defenses and grazed his body, his skin began to split open like a spider's web.
In the next moment, blood erupted from his entire body like a fountain.
Puhaaaak!
"Kuaaaaak!"
Only upon witnessing their comrade's gruesome death did the Blood Cultists realize that she had deliberately hidden her skill to lure them into dropping their guard.
Their eyes turned vicious.
"This bitch dares!"
"Overwhelm her all at once!"
"I don't care if we tear off an arm or two! Subdue her first!"
The remaining three rushed at her simultaneously.
Three first-class upper-level martial artists charging in earnest — they were opponents Hae Cheong-yeon could hardly handle alone.
But for some reason, Hae Cheong-yeon wore a relaxed smile, and from behind her, two figures shot out like beams of light.
"You've done well, Miss!"
"Die, you bastards!"
It was Seonwoo Jin and Bi Sa-yeong, finally awakened from their energy circulation.
***
Power surged through my entire body.
It was the sensation of my senses finally aligning with the memories of my past life.
My internal energy had approached nearly sixty years.
To think I'd gained over thirty years of internal energy from eating just half of a single pill — the old man's claim that this would be comparable to the Small Reversion Pill could only be described as excessive modesty.
The incredible speed, backed by sixty years of internal energy.
The bewildered face of the Blood Cultist was rapidly growing larger.
"Haaaap!"
Shuhaaaak!
From the tenth form of the Seon-woo Thirteen Swords onward, first-class internal energy or higher was required.
That's why I had never once been able to execute them until now.
In my past life, because I hadn't known them; in this life, because my internal energy had been insufficient.
The eleventh form of the Seon-woo Thirteen Swords, Great Roc Spans Ten Thousand Li, unfolded for the very first time — its dazzling sword qi spread like enormous wings and engulfed the bastard's entire body.
Startled by the illusion of hazy wings enveloping him, the Blood Cultist screamed and swung his blade desperately.
"Uwaaaaap!"
But the wings were merely an illusionary sword.
The moment a single ray of light shot out from their center and lightly grazed his throat, his movements came to an abrupt halt.
Puhaaaak!
By the time blood was spurting like a fountain from his half-severed neck, I was already descending upon the Blood Cultist exchanging blades with Miss Cheong-yeon.
She had been holding off his blade without overexerting herself,
as if she had known all along that I would finish quickly and come.
The eyes of the Blood Cultist who spotted me swooping down from behind like a hawk widened hugely.
And the instant his gaze turned to me, Miss Cheong-yeon's sword traced a sharp line, as if she had never been losing ground at all.
Pyushuk!
My sword and Miss Cheong-yeon's blade simultaneously grazed past the bastard's body.
With his chest and throat splitting open, the bastard collapsed, gushing blood.
I grinned at her and asked,
"I'm not sure if that was unwanted meddling on my part?"
She answered, a rare smile gracing her features.
"It was welcome meddling."
The rare glimpse of her small crimson lips smiling beneath her hair was as beautiful as ever.
At that moment, Bi Sa-yeong yelled as if screaming.
"What are you doing?! You're supposed to help me too!"
Bi Sa-yeong was being pushed back by the one remaining Blood Cultist.
His internal energy was now close to forty years, but he still hadn't reached the first-class realm, so it seemed he was having trouble against a first-class upper-level Blood Cultist.
Still, it was only that facing him head-on was tough — it didn't look to be an especially dangerous situation.
That was because he was lightly evading the opponent's attacks using the Bi Sect's Cheonpung Step, a movement technique said to turn the practitioner into a wisp of air to flow past enemies' strikes once mastered to the extreme.
As I launched myself toward them, I replied with a laugh.
"Exaggerating when it's not even that dangerous!"
"Exaggerating, my ass!"
The sense of speed from a movement technique powered by sixty years of internal energy was truly astonishing.
In an instant, my sword closed in, splitting into five streaks to engulf the Blood Cultist.
"Urghk!"
Chachachachachang!
I watched him grit his teeth and block my sword.
It seemed he was the most outstanding of the ones who remained.
He even managed to somehow block the strike I had brought down with full force upon his defense, already disrupted by the illusionary sword.
"Hap!"
Chang!
It was a considerable feat, no doubt about it.
I felt the urge to keep pressing and see just how long he could hold out, but regrettably, there was no time for that.
The moment he barely blocked my sword, I grinned, then simply let go of it.
Flustered by the sudden disappearance of pressure, the bastard voiced his confusion.
"Wha, what the?!"
At that very moment, having stepped inside his guard, I headbutted him full-force in the face.
Ppagak!
"Kuaaaack!"
My head, diligently hardened through external training, was in no way inferior to a chunk of rock.
Thus, the face of the bastard who had suddenly been smashed by my rock-hard skull caved in completely.
In that same moment, I lightly caught my sword, which was still floating in the air, and slashed his throat.
Shaak!
By the time the blood erupted from his neck, I had already leaped far backward.
An electrifying exhilaration coursed through my whole body, and a laugh escaped me involuntarily.
I had finally nearly caught up to the martial prowess of my previous life, my primary goal.
I swept back my disheveled hair from the headbutt and murmured.
'Hah, not even a match for me.'
Then Bi Sa-yeong, who had been staring at my headbutt with a dumbfounded expression, yelled.
"Stop acting cool, you brute!"
Hmm, it seemed he wasn't aware that his own body was similar to mine.
When I turned my gaze, I saw that the battle against Ji Gwang-ok, which the old man Seok Gyeong-dal had now joined, was entering a new phase as well.