Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Blood Fiend's Demise
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“What...?”
The bastard had been at the 3rd Tier just moments ago. He had wrapped his body in aura, but it hadn’t changed the nature of his internal energy.
It was solid enough to briefly manifest Gang Qi, but there were no other changes beyond that.
But now it was different. Even with eyes dimmed by age, he wasn’t so old that he couldn’t distinguish between aura and Gang Qi. What enveloped the bastard’s fist now was unmistakably Gang Qi.
“H-How...?”
Even Ha-ryeong cried out in shock. But in this moment, no one was more stunned than the Blood Fiend Ghost himself.
Achieving enlightenment amid a desperate life-or-death struggle and breaking through a Tier barrier? It was possible. The Blood Fiend Ghost himself had experienced it in the past. That was precisely why martial artists kept fighting nonstop—to seize such moments of insight.
The bastard fought far better than one would expect from a 3rd Tier, with profound internal energy and a deep understanding of martial arts. Given his skill in using aura to counter Gang Qi, he clearly handled his energy adeptly and had mastered some special heart method.
In short, he possessed everything needed to break through a Tier barrier. With just the slightest trigger, he could ascend from 3rd Tier to 4th Tier at any moment.
But jumping straight from 3rd Tier to 5th Tier? That was impossible. Not just rare—utterly impossible. Tiers were climbed sequentially. One had to accumulate experience in each Tier before advancing to the next. Even heaven-sent geniuses couldn’t skip stages.
‘No, he’s 4th Tier.’
5th Tier martial artists gained entry to Gang Qi, but freely wielding it required extensive training. They couldn’t naturally sustain something like protective Gang Qi, and coating a weapon with it demanded practice.
But for pure martial artists, it was different. Compared to channeling qi into an external object and forming blade aura, coating one’s innate flesh was far easier.
Pure martial artists held the advantage in advanced Gang Qi mastery, like protective Gang Qi. With the talent the Blood Fiend Ghost assessed, it wouldn’t be strange for the bastard to immediately envelop himself in protective Gang Qi upon reaching 5th Tier. Yet what now cloaked his body was a blazing crimson aura like flickering flames.
‘Forming Gang Qi at 4th Tier...?’
Gang Qi coated only his two fists. In other words, the bastard had somehow drawn out a realm he shouldn’t have access to at his current Tier, at least partially.
Only one kind of martial art made that possible.
“You... what divine art have you mastered...?”
A divine art earned its name because it couldn’t be compared to ordinary martial arts. If what he had learned was a supreme divine technique far beyond peak arts, then forming Gang Qi at 4th Tier made sense.
“I won’t kill you.”
The Blood Fiend Ghost’s voice trembled.
“I won’t kill you. I’ll make you spit out every divine art you’ve mastered!”
The Demonic Cult brimmed with all manner of martial and demonic arts. If one had the qualifications, they could enter the cult’s martial repository at any time and learn arts suited to their level.
But even the cult’s repository, a treasure trove of martial arts, held no divine arts. Not just the cult—divine arts, by any name, could only be learned by a select few chosen ones, no matter the sect.
Any martial artist would crave a divine art. The Blood Fiend Ghost was no exception. He was convinced this encounter was a blessing from the evil god of this fateful meeting. A young morsel overflowing with talent. And an encounter with a divine art! If he nourished himself on the boy and then mastered the divine art, he could surely shake off the aftereffects of qi deviation and the ravages of age to reclaim the 7th Tier.
“Kaaaaah!”
To Yuri, the Blood Fiend Ghost’s scream sounded faint and distant.
Divine arts or whatever—none of that mattered. His attention was fixed on his own fist.
‘This is Gang Qi...’
It burned hot.
It felt like flames wrapping around his fist. It wasn’t actually heavy, but Yuri felt his fist was now ‘heavy.’ He instinctively knew that swinging it would shatter anything in its path.
The blazing Gang Qi like flames could only manifest on his fists, nowhere else. Yuri’s Gang Qi emerged solely from his fists. If he had reached 4th Tier with a sword, he could have formed blade aura.
He had instinctively formed Gang Qi and thrust out his fist, but Yuri was just as startled by his own breakthrough. Still, he didn’t panic any longer.
Even if it was just his fists, being able to form Gang Qi meant he could stand in for the injured Ha-ryeong and attack the Blood Fiend Ghost ‘directly.’ Yuri slowly turned his head and looked behind him. There was Elena, staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.
[Run away.]
He didn’t know how to send a mental message, so he just mouthed the words by moving his lips. He wasn’t sure if it got through, but he saw Elena’s pupils tremble.
Violet Electric Thunderclap Art.
The supreme martial art from Orca. He had memorized it, but never practiced or used it. Before reaching 4th Tier, where internal energy could change attributes, it couldn’t be properly wielded even if learned.
—Crackle.
Purple lightning mingled with the aura cloaking Yuri’s body. Though he had neither practiced nor deployed it before, it wasn’t difficult for Yuri. This was a qi art. Qi arts demanded high-level mana affinity and comprehension.
Yuri possessed both in abundance.
Boom! Yuri’s body shot forward. The Blood Fiend Ghost’s face twisted in alarm. Gang Qi alone had been shocking enough, but now electric currents joined it? Had he mastered a divine art that handled thunder qi? Or was that a separate technique?
He didn’t ponder long. There was no need for answers right now. Whatever the truth, the Blood Fiend Ghost intended to capture Yuri and force him to reveal every martial art he knew.
“Kaaaaah!”
His roaring palm strike met Yuri’s fist. The fist, which had barely stalled him moments ago, now clearly pushed back the Blood Fiend Ghost’s hand.
Boom, boom, boom! Fists hammered relentlessly against the palm. He barely matched the power, but their internal energies differed vastly. Each clash felt like it shook his organs. Yuri gritted his teeth against the throbbing pain.
‘I can’t fight long.’
He judged coldly. Forming Gang Qi at 4th Tier burdened even Yuri. Though he had consumed the Azure Heaven Pill and cultivated the Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art for over half a year to bolster his energy, Gang Qi consumed it too fiercely. If the battle dragged on, his dantian would deplete, leaving him exhausted.
Yuri knew little about the Blood Fiend Ghost in detail. But he remembered the conversation between him and Ha-ryeong. The old man had suffered qi deviation long ago, was in recovery, and hadn’t fully regained his lost energy.
‘Between me and the old man, whose energy is deeper?’
He couldn’t know the answer, but both were unsuited for a prolonged fight. Thus, Yuri chose a swift resolution.
Crackle.
He felt that sound from the internal energy flowing through his body. The Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art’s energy mixed with the Violet Electric Thunderclap Art. Thunder-attribute arts were all about extreme speed.
Roving Clouds of the Southern Sky Fist pursued speed, flow, and variation. Among its four forms, the fastest was the fourth: Thundercloud Dragon Fang. Yuri twisted his upper body sideways, pressing his right hand to his chest. —Crackle-crackle! Concentrated thunder qi blended into the Gang Qi. Simultaneously, the energy circulating for the form turned to lightning.
At last, the fist shot out. Gang Qi trailing it spread like clouds, dizzying the vision, and from its center, a strike sharp as a dragon’s fang pierced the Blood Fiend Ghost’s palm force.
Booom! The Blood Fiend Ghost’s body flew backward. He grimaced, steadying his trembling hands. Fast and heavy. But more than that, the bastard was visually reading his palm techniques precisely and exploiting gaps. Whether due to his Tier ascent, the bastard’s eyes were now sharper and more accurate than before.
‘Where did this monster come from...?’
The Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t consider defeat, but he couldn’t ignore the risk of tiring out if this continued. The mage could no longer fight, but the assassin was different.
The damned woman wasn’t recklessly joining but focusing on healing her internal injuries. She planned to extinguish the immediate threat before intervening. If she did, the Blood Fiend Ghost’s situation would worsen.
He needed to stop this bastard from rampaging further. He couldn’t kill him, but breaking both legs would do. With that judgment, the Blood Fiend Ghost concentrated Gang Qi into his right hand.
The thrust palm became a massive hand blotting out Yuri’s vision. Blocking or deflecting it was impossible. Countering offensively wouldn’t work either. Yuri quickly decided and sent energy to his feet.
Crackle! With the sound of sparks, Yuri’s body vanished from the spot. He had instantly infused thunder qi into Fluttering Wind Cloud Steps. Merging two entirely different arts without practice was absurd, but Yuri achieved it through instinct and sensation alone.
‘Phantom Shift?’
The afterimage that couldn’t keep up with his body flickered and vanished. A chill from behind made the Blood Fiend Ghost spin in place. Boom-boom! Gang Qi expanded in a whirlwind, sweeping the surroundings.
“Rat bastard!”
Roaring, he thrust his hand out. Beyond the fluttering qi, Yuri’s hazy afterimage appeared. The vanishing images dizzied his eyes.
“Damn it all!”
The Blood Fiend Ghost spat curses at his aged, blurry vision. The scurrying bastard suddenly hurled his body straight at him.
Boom! Palm met fist. The moment the fist recoiled, Yuri’s leg moved. His leg, infused with Violet Electric Thunderclap Art, traced a lightning arc. Crackle! The whipping instep struck the Blood Fiend Ghost’s protective Gang Qi.
He couldn’t concentrate Gang Qi into his feet. This kick couldn’t pierce the protective Gang Qi. It didn’t matter. He hadn’t planned to kill with a kick anyway. Yuri spun his body, whipping his leg repeatedly.
The barrage of kicks was light but swift. Each strike clung to the protective Gang Qi, while off-beat punches shaken it loose.
But he couldn’t land a fatal blow. He had drawn Gang Qi via Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art and blended Violet Electric Thunderclap Art into Roving Clouds of the Southern Sky Fist and Fluttering Wind Cloud Steps. This combination could overwhelm same-Tier foes and contend with 5th Tier ones—but it fell short of slaying the Blood Fiend Ghost.
He needed a decisive strike. An art to kill this old demon. Something stronger than Roving Clouds of the Southern Sky Fist, capable of breaching that sturdy protective Gang Qi and finishing the old man.
Yuri had one unused option.
Just like Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art, something taught by Lorellia.
‘Holy Flame Force Emission.’
He had never used it before Bakerd, Elena, or Ha-ryeong. Like Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art, it was not to be revealed to others.
But he had practiced diligently. This was his first real combat use, but lack of experience meant nothing now. Everything he had used against the Blood Fiend Ghost so far was a first anyway.
‘Will it work?’
He knew Holy Flame Force Emission’s power, but certainty of killing the Blood Fiend Ghost was faint. Still, no other options remained.
‘One strike.’
Being his first real use, he couldn’t gauge its exact power or energy cost precisely. But he probably couldn’t chain two. It had to end in one blow.
None of Yuri’s attacks so far had hit vital points. At 3rd Tier, the Blood Fiend Ghost hadn’t focused much on defense, but now that Yuri’s fists bore Gang Qi, he blocked them thoroughly.
Yuri’s task was singular: break through. Sweep away those blood-red palms and expose the Blood Fiend Ghost’s chest. Dragging it into attrition meant defeat. Even if his body shredded to rags, killing the Blood Fiend Ghost was victory.
No fresh resolve was needed. He had steeled himself the moment he stepped forward. Thus, all Yuri had to do was extend his foot. Crackle-crackle! Violet Electric Thunderclap Art’s thunder qi accelerated his body.
‘He wants a brawl?’
Until now, the bastard had fought with supple steps and fists laced with the essence of speed. Clashing raw power head-on was obviously disadvantageous, so his judgment was sound. But in the end, it was a matter of slow versus fast. The Gang Qi he had forcibly summoned mismatched his Tier and consumed energy massively, so the bastard likely had little margin left.
The Blood Fiend Ghost lacked much leeway too, though not as desperately. Meanwhile, the assassin was healing her injuries. Chasing this nimble rat was troublesome, so a brawl suited him too.
He also felt indignant.
‘Brat.’
Arrogant fool. How worthless did this veteran body seem for the kid to gamble like this? He wanted to smash the bastard’s head in a rage, but he couldn’t kill him.
Blood Sea Subduing Wave Palm clashed with Roving Clouds of the Southern Sky Fist. Yuri’s flurry of strikes halted against the palm arts. As expected, raw power favored the foe. With each collision, blood welled in Yuri’s mouth. His Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art Gang Qi wavered, and blood beaded on his fists.
He ignored all pain. As long as no fatal wounds landed. Difficult. Unlike the Blood Fiend Ghost, Yuri had no protective Gang Qi. Even a graze could be lethal.
Hit to win... but hitting was hard. Same as before. Thrust palms bent around fists, and shaking legwork narrowly evaded twisted trajectories.
In this pinch, he couldn’t even muster a full-powered shout. He focused deeper instead. The right hand guarding the front was a feint. Shoulder twitches and wrist shakes hinted at changes.
His prediction several moves ahead was correct. Sweep it aside, then fist. Blocked. The Blood Fiend Ghost read moves too.
No matter how sharp Yuri’s eyes, he couldn’t outmaneuver a demon with decades of combat in pure exchange. So he took the loss. Let the left go first. The clashing left fist bounced upward. Gang Qi disrupted. The fist unclenched slightly.
The Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t miss it. His red hand shot out, seizing Yuri’s left. Yuri spread Gang Qi in resistance, but the grip was stronger. In the end, his disrupted Gang Qi hand was captured.
‘Crush it now.’
It’s over, the Blood Fiend Ghost thought. Yuri thought the same. The opposite hand that had been swept away was too far. As the gripped left tightened to shatter, Yuri swiftly extended his foot, closing the distance tight.
‘Mad bastard.’
The Blood Fiend Ghost didn’t release the hand. He could smash the head by slamming down the raised arm, but refrained. His goal wasn’t killing Yuri.
He hoped for it. The right hand pressed to the chest. Rumble! Dantian energy concentrated there. Blazing Gang Qi like flames enveloped Yuri’s fist.
‘Last gasp.’
The chest was exposed, but no issue. He had guarded against cumulative damage, and a single blow at this range was fine. It would be the final attack anyway, and with the left Gang Qi failing to sustain, his energy was nearly spent. Still, he bolstered defense. Thickened protective Gang Qi concentrated on his chest.
Holy Flame Force Emission hinged on binding energy cohesively, precisely slamming it into the target, then shaping it via will alone into a form matching killing intent—without direct manipulation.
The first ‘form’ Lorellia had demonstrated when teaching was an awl.
The form Yuri had practiced countless times was the same. He packed the ‘exploding’ awl form into his fist.
‘...?’
A intense sense of wrongness hit as the fist neared. This shouldn’t connect. Instinct warned. The Blood Fiend Ghost belatedly swung his right down. Divine art or not, he suddenly felt he had to kill the bastard. But Yuri’s fist reached the chest faster than the hand could smash the crown.
The instant it touched, something had already ‘pierced’ the protective Gang Qi.
Boom!
The Blood Fiend Ghost couldn’t immediately grasp what happened. Dazed agony shook his mind.
—Thud.
Holy Flame Force Emission destroyed internals via external impact—an internal weight technique.
The Blood Fiend Ghost understood. Energy from the fist had pierced protective Gang Qi and burrowed into his chest. It burned like roaring flames, its form clear.
The tightly bound energy transformed inside his chest. Hundreds of awls exploded within. Boom-boom-boom! His chest ballooned and burst like a punctured bladder, blood spraying from his mouth.
“Th-This is...”
The Blood Fiend Ghost glared at Yuri in disbelief. His right hand, frozen mid-downward strike, trembled and went limp. No more strength entered the left hand crushing the wrist.
His body shattered inside, internals ablaze like a hell of flames. His own energy burned away in the invading blaze.
Recalling when he became one of the Seven Evils, kneeling before the cult leader for baptism, the Blood Fiend Ghost finally realized the divine art Yuri had mastered.
“Heavenly Demon... divine art...?”
That mutter became his last words.
“What... bullshit...?”
Those were the last words Yuri could utter. His dantian truly emptied. Bodily sensations faded, consciousness grew heavy.
‘Can’t pass out now...’
He tried clinging to awareness, but couldn’t.