Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Evil Ties Cling Tenaciously (3)
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“Bear with the pain.”
“Don’t worry, sister. I can’t even feel it anymore.”
At Kwak Yeon’s words, Jong Ri-yeon felt tears welling up in her eyes.
As the blanket was pulled away, Kwak Yeon’s arms and legs were revealed—gaunt as dry twigs.
She had endured this far with a body so fragile it seemed it might snap at the slightest touch. Jong Ri-yeon felt both immense pride and deep pity for her.
“First, sister will have you drink this medicine. Then I’ll apply acupuncture. We’ll repeat that process three times.”
“Three times?”
“Yes! The illness ravaging your body is so vicious there’s no helping it. I’ll do my absolute best, but I can’t promise a full recovery.”
“Thank you, sister. For finding a way to help me. No matter the outcome, I won’t hold it against you.”
Having battled her illness for so long, Kwak Yeon was far more mature than her age. That grown-up demeanor only pierced Jong Ri-yeon’s heart deeper.
Jong Ri-yeon stroked Kwak Yeon’s hair as she said,
“Let’s begin.”
“Yes!”
Jong Ri-yeon had Kwak Yeon drink the decoction she had prepared in advance.
It looked like ordinary herbal medicine, but it contained over a dozen rare ingredients she had painstakingly gathered.
Kwak Yeon gulped it down.
Moments later, heat surged from her lower abdomen, clouding her mind. Jong Ri-yeon carefully laid Kwak Yeon’s body down and drew silver needles from her bosom.
Before administering the acupuncture, she handed two packets of herbs to Kwak San.
“Please decoct these medicines, Father.”
“Understood.”
“They must be ready exactly on time and handed to me when I say. That’s the only way to save Yeon.”
“Don’t worry, Divine Healer. With my daughter’s life on the line, how could I be negligent?”
Kwak San carefully accepted the herb packets as he replied.
Jong Ri-yeon nodded and was about to begin the acupuncture when—
“Miss!”
Hwa No’s voice came from outside.
“What is it?”
“You must hurry.”
“Pardon?”
Jong Ri-yeon looked out the window. Black silhouettes encircled the lodge.
They were part of the Sword King Squad.
“I’ll hold them off. Finish the treatment as quickly as possible.”
“Got it.”
Jong Ri-yeon bit her lip.
She had already given Kwak Yeon the medicine. If she didn’t apply acupuncture to guide its effects, it could damage Kwak Yeon’s heart meridians instead.
There was no turning back, no time to rest.
It was do or die.
Jong Ri-yeon hurriedly began inserting silver needles into Kwak Yeon’s body.
Life-Death Soul-Suspending Needle.
It was the acupuncture technique Jong Ri-yeon had devised to save Kwak Yeon.
Whether it would truly work was anyone’s guess. With more time, she could have tested it thoroughly, but unfortunately, she had none.
‘I’ll save you no matter what.’
Jong Ri-yeon vowed as she executed the Life-Death Soul-Suspending Needle.
Clang!
At that moment, the clash of weapons rang out from outside.
The Sword King Squad had collided with Hwa No.
Now it was a race against time.
Jong Ri-yeon’s hands moved faster.
***
Snap!
A broken rib pierced through the skin and jutted out.
For the first time in his life, Namgung So-myeong got a close look at his own bone—and it was the last sight he would ever see.
Thud!
Namgung So-myeong’s massive body toppled over.
“So-myeong!”
A nearby warrior called out, but he was already gone.
“You bastard!”
Flames of rage blazed in the warrior’s eyes.
Namgung So-myeong was his cousin. Thirty years ago, they had both been selected for the Sword King Squad—how overjoyed they had been.
He had survived the fierce battles against the Demonic Cult, only to lose his life to a single blow from Dam Ho. What a futile end.
Namgung So-myeong was not the only one dead. Already, over a dozen Sword King Squad members lay scattered on the ground, lifeless.
With Dam Ho deploying his shield, attacks from crossbows and hidden weapons lost their edge.
Dam Ho had leaped into the heart of the Sword King Squad, turning the fight into chaotic close-quarters brawl. A dogfight where friend and foe blurred.
Because Dam Ho had plunged into their midst, the Sword King Squad had no choice but to discard all other weapons and fight with swords alone. Exactly as Dam Ho wanted.
Swoosh!
A sword laced with sword energy flew at him.
Remarkably, every member of the Sword King Squad could manifest sword energy. Above all, they were all veterans who had weathered countless battles.
Though Dam Ho had seized the initiative and inflicted heavy casualties, they quickly regained their composure and counterattacked.
Rip!
Dam Ho’s garment tore long and deep under a sword strike. A gash on his flesh peeked through the rent cloth.
A chilling pain raced up his spine through his entire body, but Dam Ho didn’t utter a single scream. Instead, he made sure to kill the one who had wounded him.
Crush!
A man’s head burst like a watermelon, spraying blood and shattered bone fragments everywhere.
“Urk!”
The Sword King Squad warriors, suddenly splattered with their comrade’s flesh, let out groans of dismay.
In that instant, Dam Ho spun like a top, his arms whipping out like lashes. A Single Yang Strike.
Boom! Boom!
The faces of warriors struck on the nose by his fists caved in and collapsed.
“Eek!”
Watching their comrade die, the warriors bit their lips until they bled.
Their brother’s death fueled their fury even more.
They feared death, too. But what they feared more was the Namgung Clan’s honor hitting rock bottom.
If the Sword King Squad was mobilized and still couldn’t handle one man, the world would mock the Namgung Clan. That could never be allowed.
“Die!”
The Sword King Squad warriors hounded Dam Ho relentlessly.
They had long since cast aside their own lives.
They didn’t care if they sacrificed themselves—as long as their comrades could kill Dam Ho.
Dam Ho rampaged like a mad demon.
Sword King Squad warriors crumbled under his devilish fists, unlike any they had ever seen. In exchange, they desperately carved wounds into Dam Ho’s body, but he remained standing strong.
Now they knew for certain: capturing Dam Ho had been an impossible mission from the start.
‘His madness ends only in death.’
‘The Fist Demon isn’t the sort to be captured by anyone.’
‘I’ll sacrifice this life to drag him down if I must.’
Madness dominated the battlefield.
Su Cheon shuddered, sensing that same frenzied madness permeating the field.
The entire hundred-man Sword King Squad had been deployed. Twenty had been diverted to capture Jong Ri-yeon, but even eighty Sword King Squad members were a force capable of facing any supreme master.
Yet that force couldn’t handle a single Dam Ho. Rather, his madness was overwhelming the battlefield.
‘Demon spawn!’
Su Cheon trembled with rage.
He hadn’t anticipated this when mobilizing the Sword King Squad. Dam Ho’s frenzy was making even a battle-hardened veteran like him break out in cold sweat.
There was no going back with Dam Ho—they had crossed an irreversible river.
“If we don’t kill him here, the Namgung Clan has no future.”
Su Cheon grasped the situation clearly.
Someone like Dam Ho would never reconcile. Once an enemy, he was the type to cling like a leech to the bitter end, no matter the outcome.
“We end this here. No matter the cost.”
Shing!
Su Cheon drew his sword.
He couldn’t stand by any longer. It was time for him to join the fray. Only then could he minimize the Sword King Squad’s losses.
“You demon! This will be your grave.”
Su Cheon unleashed the Namgung Clan’s secret sword art, Heavenly Wind Thirteen Slashes.
Scree!
A razor-sharp sword energy from his blade targeted the back of Dam Ho’s head.
Clang!
But Dam Ho didn’t even turn, swinging his arm to deflect the sword.
Whoosh!
Dam Ho spun in place, his right arm lashing out like a whip.
The Single Yang Strike slammed into Su Cheon’s blade.
A jolt that made his innards ring. But Dam Ho’s assault wasn’t over.
Swoosh!
The Exploding Sound Pursuit followed.
Su Cheon hurriedly opened his left palm wide to block Dam Ho’s fist.
It was the Namgung Clan’s palm technique, Heavenly Thunder Palm.
Boom!
“Guh!”
A stifled groan escaped Su Cheon’s lips as his body lurched. Even blocked with Heavenly Thunder Palm, the shock pierced through to his organs.
Su Cheon staggered back.
Dam Ho didn’t miss the opening and charged. His black robe fluttering as he rushed forward evoked the image of a demon god.
“Block him!”
“Protect the leader!”
At Su Cheon’s peril, Sword King Squad warriors rushed forward one after another.
Boom! Boom!
“Kyak!”
“Argh!”
Thunderous blasts erupted, screams echoed.
On the ground rolled the mangled corpses of Sword King Squad warriors, reduced to meat paste.
Thanks to his subordinates’ sacrifice, Su Cheon barely saved his life, but a chill wind blew through his chest. Had they been a moment slower, he’d be the one sprawled on the ground.
“Urk!”
Su Cheon’s face twisted like a demon’s.
He realized it now.
No ordinary method could deal with Dam Ho.
Dam Ho was stronger and more vicious than the Demonic Cult experts who had invaded the Namgung Clan thirty years ago.
One man holding off ten thousand—an invincible might that no army could breach.
It felt like witnessing the very limit of individual power.
Such a being couldn’t be killed through normal means. Drastic measures were needed.
Su Cheon shouted.
“He’s a Heaven-grade warrior! Deploy Blood Scatter Flower!”
The Namgung Clan classified rivers-and-lakes warriors by achievement and threat level.
Commonly acknowledged masters were Human-grade.
Renowned experts, like sect leaders or elders of the Nine Great Sects, were Earth-grade.
Heaven-grade wasn’t just for superior skill. It was reserved for those whose threat surpassed that of major sects.
The Demonic Cult Leader and Four Demon Envoys fell into this category.
In other words, regardless of pure martial prowess, Su Cheon judged Dam Ho equal in danger to them.
The Sword King Squad’s eyes changed.
Until moments ago, their gazes had been resolute; now they held a trace of detachment.
One Sword King Squad warrior hurled himself at Dam Ho.
He didn’t even swing his drawn sword. He simply threw himself defenseless.
“We’re going to hell together, Fist Demon.”
Boom!
In an instant, the warrior’s body exploded right before Dam Ho.
Blood Scatter Flower.
A final technique that detonated one’s own body for mutual destruction.
Shattered bone fragments and flesh pelted Dam Ho like hidden weapons.
Caught off guard, Dam Ho hastily raised his shield to protect himself. But deployed in haste, it wasn’t perfect.
Bloodied bone shards were embedded in his side and shoulder.
“Uahaha! It’s not over yet, Fist Demon.”
Boom!
Another Sword King Squad warrior unleashed Blood Scatter Flower, perishing together.
A storm of blood engulfed Dam Ho.
“If this body can exalt justice in the rivers and lakes, what is there to fear? The rivers and lakes and Namgung Clan will remember my sacrifice.”
With a mad cry, yet another detonated in Blood Scatter Flower.
The surviving Sword King Squad warriors used their comrades’ sacrifices as shields to assault Dam Ho.
“We won’t let your sacrifices be in vain.”
“Return to the depths of hell, Fist Demon.”
Swoosh!
A storm of sword winds battered toward Dam Ho.