Chapter 249
Chapter 249
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: My Friend... (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Urk!”
Cho Yeon-un ground his teeth.
Bloodshot veins marred his eyes.
In the distance, he could see Immortal Sword Sage Hyeongeom collapsing. With a sword plunged into his chest, the immortal’s fall symbolized the crumbling of Mount Hua itself.
Immortal Sword Sage Hyeongeom’s death shook the morale of the Mount Hua Sect disciples.
“Uncle Master...”
“How...?”
Immortal Sword Sage Hyeongeom had been the sky over Mount Hua. His death meant that sky had come crashing down.
The demoralized Mount Hua Sect disciples grew disorganized, and the Demonic Cult elites didn’t miss the opening.
“The Sword Sage is dead.”
“Mount Hua’s nothing special after all.”
The Demonic Cult warriors’ momentum soared skyward. They swept over the Mount Hua fighters like a tidal wave.
Cho Yeon-un wanted to help them. But Dan Ho-sang blocked his way.
Kwa-kwa-kwa!
Dan Ho-sang’s spear technique was truly terrifying.
Each thrust unleashed over a dozen spear shadows pressing down on Cho Yeon-un.
“Eight Desolations Flash Net.”
Cho Yeon-un countered with the Eight Desolations Divine Fist, dispersing the spear shadows.
“Not bad. But it’s immature. With that level of skill, you can’t even graze the hem of my robes.”
Dan Ho-sang sneered at Cho Yeon-un.
They had already exchanged dozens of blows. Cho Yeon-un hadn’t gained the upper hand even once.
It was because of the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag in his hand. Wielding the flag in one hand while executing the Eight Desolations Divine Fist with the other robbed it of its full power.
Yet he couldn’t set the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag down.
Even now, countless enemies eyed it covetously. The moment he let go, they would tear him apart.
“Kuh!”
Cho Yeon-un bit his lip until it bled and tore a long strip from his sleeve. He pressed the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag against his back and bound it tightly with the cloth.
Seeing this, Dan Ho-sang mocked him.
“Foolish to the end. You’d bind your own ankles just to protect that rag of a flag?”
Binding the flag to his body might protect it momentarily. But in the long run, it restricted his movements.
Tadak!
Dan Ho-sang charged at Cho Yeon-un with blinding speed. The spear in his hand spun ferociously.
He thrust it straight forward.
Swae-ae-ak!
Ripping through the air, the spear flew toward Cho Yeon-un’s brow.
“Die! You Hundred Battles pup!”
In that instant, Cho Yeon-un’s eyes darkened deeply.
‘Bone Slash, Flesh Sever—give flesh to take bone.’
Cho Yeon-un threw his fist forward.
Infused with qi to its limit, his fist glowed bluish.
“Fool!”
To meet a honed spear with bare knuckles? Common sense dictated the spear held the advantage in equal clashes.
Kwaduk!
“Kuh!”
A harsh tearing sound echoed as Cho Yeon-un let out a low cry.
His left palm was pierced through by the spear blade. The bones in his palm shattered, blood pouring from the hole.
Dan Ho-sang’s lip curled upward.
“See?”
“Got it.”
“What?”
Kwajik!
Cho Yeon-un grinned and clenched his pierced hand around the blade.
Dan Ho-sang yanked in surprise, but the spear didn’t budge.
As Dan Ho-sang’s eyes twitched, Cho Yeon-un’s counterattack began.
“Cha-at!”
The Eight Desolations Divine Fist’s ultimate techniques unfolded in succession.
Eight Desolations Subduing Demons, Eight Desolations Infinite—techniques poured forth.
“Urk!”
Dan Ho-sang released the spear shaft and retreated. But it wasn’t a helpless withdrawal.
He was a master who had reached absolute heights.
Though the spear was his primary weapon, its absence didn’t greatly diminish his prowess.
Bare-handed, he unleashed the Soul-Chasing Spear Art.
Chae-eong!
Fist met fist in collision.
Both bodies jolted simultaneously. Internal injuries afflicted them equally. But their responses differed sharply.
Cho Yeon-un advanced; Dan Ho-sang withdrew.
Dan Ho-sang defended while retreating; Cho Yeon-un attacked while charging.
Pa-sus!
His left hand remained impaled on the spear. Undeterred, Cho Yeon-un unleashed his strongest ultimate technique.
One he had never used before due to insufficient internal energy: Eight Desolations Opening the River.
Qi surged through his body. Fiery power gathered in both fists. The price: his heart meridian shook violently, organs churning.
Lacking the qi, executing it once would exhaust him completely, leaving him defenseless. Yet he had no choice.
‘Everything on this one move.’
Sword aura condensed to a single point.
Sensing the dire intent, Dan Ho-sang unleashed his own strongest ultimate technique.
Though bare-handed, its power was undiminished.
Ku-ku-kwa-kwang!
Sword auras clashed, erupting in a massive explosion.
“Kraaak!”
“Kehek!”
Warriors in the vicinity were swept into the blast and lost their lives.
The horrific disaster left onlookers speechless. But the combatants, Cho Yeon-un and Dan Ho-sang, were more shocked.
“Urk!”
“Kuhp!”
Their faces turned ashen black. They had inflicted grievous internal wounds on each other.
Wounds gaped across their bodies, soaked red in spilled blood.
It was a miracle they lived. Despite the devastation, they glared at one another.
Their bodies teetered on collapse, but their wills remained unbroken. Warrior’s pride held them upright.
“Impressive, young one!”
Dan Ho-sang unwittingly voiced admiration.
No one had pushed him this far before. Especially not a youth like Cho Yeon-un.
“Huh!”
Cho Yeon-un laughed. His exposed gums were bloodstained.
His face smiled, but his body was moments from falling. Superhuman will and the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag propped him up.
The flag bound to his back served as a brace.
He couldn’t fall even if he wanted to.
The Hundred Battles Victorious Flag fluttered behind him.
Even his enemy, Dan Ho-sang, was moved by the sight of him standing braced against it.
“Waaah!”
The image of Cho Yeon-un standing tall beneath the massive Hundred Battles Victorious Flag reignited the faltering morale of the Mount Hua warriors. Conversely, the surging Demonic Cult fighters wilted before it.
Seureuk!
The cloth binding Cho Yeon-un and the flag snapped. Helplessly, he gripped the wind-whipped flag with one hand. His stance evoked a celestial deity, majestic and imposing.
“Want to trample Mount Hua? Then get past me and the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag.”
His mighty roar echoed like a lion’s across all of Mount Hua.
A true one-man army aura.
The weary, wounded young lion bound all eyes to him with his solitary presence.
“Senior Brother Cho!”
Dan Hwa-ran, fighting at a distance, teared up at the sight. The Hundred Battles Sect disciples drew courage from it too.
It was then.
Puk!
“Keok!”
Suddenly, Cho Yeon-un cried out.
A long blade protruded from his chest. Someone had ambushed him from behind.
“Who?!”
The furious bellow came not from Cho Yeon-un, but Dan Ho-sang.
His duel with Cho Yeon-un was a private affair. He hadn’t wanted anyone interfering.
Answering Dan Ho-sang was Sang Han-cheon.
“Sorry, Elder Dan.”
“What is this? Strategist.”
“We’re at war. No time to waste.”
Dan Ho-sang’s eyes twitched at Sang Han-cheon’s cold reply.
Sang Han-cheon gazed over the battlefield with emotionless, doll-like eyes.
As battlefield commander,
In war with the orthodox sects, he held absolute authority over the Demonic Cult, second only to the Cult Leader. Most warriors fell under his command.
Even the Seven Great Demon Lords.
Though resentment boiled in his throat, Dan Ho-sang swallowed it.
Sang Han-cheon passed him and approached Cho Yeon-un.
“Krat!”
Cho Yeon-un roared, expelling qi. The ambusher behind him exploded chest-first and flew back.
The attacker was from the Illusion Demon Squad, Sang Han-cheon’s personal unit of death ghosts who obeyed only him.
Silently, the Illusion Demon Squad encircled Sang Han-cheon and Cho Yeon-un.
Sang Han-cheon extended his hand toward Cho Yeon-un.
“Hand it over.”
His gaze fixed on the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag in Cho Yeon-un’s grasp.
A sacred relic of glory to the orthodox sects, a symbol of defeat and humiliation to the Demonic Cult. Any within its ranks shuddered at the sight.
Sang Han-cheon was no exception.
“Hand it over! The Hundred Battles Victorious Flag.”
“Fuck... off.”
Cho Yeon-un spat blood-mixed phlegm at Sang Han-cheon’s face along with the curse.
The sticky red spittle trailed down Sang Han-cheon’s cheek. His expression didn’t change. But those who knew him would sense his rage.
Sang Han-cheon turned.
“Erase him from the world along with the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag.”
At his command, the Illusion Demon Squad moved.
Sa-sa-sak!
Their blades silently grazed Cho Yeon-un’s side as they closed in.
“Krhek!”
Cho Yeon-un screamed.
His side gaped open like a fish’s gills, blood gushing. Yet he didn’t collapse.
He reached out and seized an Illusion Demon Squad warrior’s head.
Peoseok!
The head burst like a watermelon.
“I am Cho Yeon-un.”
Puk!
In that moment, another blade pierced his back. Yet another Illusion Demon Squad ambush.
Cho Yeon-un staggered as if about to fall. But he endured, clutching the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag with both hands.
“Kuheuk! I am the master of the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag.”
His eyes turned to the flag in his hands.
It still fluttered vigorously. The dense signatures of countless sects filled his vision.
He had come all this way staring only at that flag.
The Hundred Battles Victorious Flag must never fall.
Cho Yeon-un swung it. Two ambushing Illusion Demon Squad warriors tangled in it and tumbled away.
Their blood stained the flag red.
Gathering all his strength, Cho Yeon-un shouted.
“I am... Cho Yeon-un! I am the guardian of the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag! I am... Keok!”
Seogeuk!
In that instant, an Illusion Demon Squad blade pierced his abdomen once more. The blood he vomited splashed red onto the flag.
‘Master!’
Cho Yeon-un’s pupils quivered.
His master’s death on Zhongnan Mountain flickered in his mind. His words resurfaced.
—Become a warrior this flag can be proud of, Yeon-un.
Bracing himself with the Hundred Battles Victorious Flag, Cho Yeon-un roared.
“Come at me, you bastards!”