Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Stratagem of the Startled Dog
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Bu Eun-seol and U-gang exchanged a flurry of blows at point-blank range, their faces nearly close enough to touch.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
As time wore on, U-gang’s expression soured as he continued to unleash his fist techniques.
Although the Jade-Shattering Fist was a superb art, it was little more than a convoluted and unfocused technique when compared to the world-renowned Seven Demonic Fists.
Forced to defend against the unrestrained power of the Seven Demonic Fists, his own techniques and internal energy were repeatedly scattered.
“Fine, then!”
In that instant, a faint light gathered around U-gang's fist.
Unable to match Bu Eun-seol's fist techniques in skill and form, he intended to overwhelm him with sheer internal energy.
BOOM!
As fist met fist, a shockwave rippled outward in concentric circles.
Simultaneously, U-gang was forced a full three steps back, while Bu Eun-seol stood firm, as unshakable as a celestial general descended from the heavens.
“……!”
U-gang’s eyes filled with shock as he stared at the sight.
‘To think his internal energy is this powerful.’
With the help of the elders, he had consumed countless elixirs beneficial to the body since childhood.
And that wasn't all. He had not missed a single day of cultivating his internal energy until he reached his forties.
Because of this, he had always prided himself on having internal energy superior to masters of his generation... yet he was being pushed back by a mere upstart.
“I admit that both your fist techniques and your internal energy are a cut above mine.”
A sharp glint appeared in U-gang’s eyes as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“Prepare the formation.”
Shffk.
At his cry, the Beggars' Sect disciples all drew their long staffs and surrounded Bu Eun-seol.
“Draw your sword. You won't be able to face this formation with just your fists.”
To U-gang’s advice, Bu Eun-seol replied with a deadpan expression.
“I will draw it when the time is right.”
“Are you also one of the Ten Demonic Champions?”
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow at the out-of-place question.
When no answer came after a moment, U-gang continued.
“Our sect has always upheld the path of righteousness. Even for a seed of the demonic path, we must see to the recovery of the body.”
His eyes swept over Bu Eun-seol from head to toe before he spoke again.
“Tell me which sect you belong to. I will send your body there with care.”
“No need to concern yourself.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke with an unwavering gaze.
“If I am defeated, leave my body as it is, so the beasts may feast on my flesh.”
Bu Eun-seol had no attachment to life, no lingering regrets. Thus, he didn't care what became of his corpse.
Only moving forward. That was all he had to do.
But U-gang simply looked at Bu Eun-seol with an odd expression.
“You don't believe you can be defeated.”
“You talk too much.”
As Bu Eun-seol’s face showed his distaste, U-gang’s thick eyebrows twitched. He then silently took a step forward and joined the formation.
Vmmmm.
At that moment, a low vibration began, and a powerful energy erupted from the bodies of the five beggars, including U-gang.
It was a vibration and an aura not seen in ordinary formations.
‘This isn't the Dog Beating Formation.’
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes narrowed.
The Beggars' Sect possessed the Dog Beating Formation, an unparalleled technique in the martial world, said to rival the Shaolin's White-Haired Arhat Formation.
But the Dog Beating Formation required thirty-six members. This meant the masters of the Apricot Blossom Branch were using another of the Beggars' Sect's formations.
‘I'll find out once we clash.’
Bu Eun-seol lightly threw a punch, unleashing the power of the First Demonic Fist.
“Hahp!”
In response, the four Beggars' Sect disciples surrounding him swung their long staffs, effortlessly dissipating the fist's energy.
Clack, clack, clack, clack.
Then, as if using a ground-sweeping saber art, they lowered their stances and thrust their staffs, relentlessly targeting Bu Eun-seol’s lower body.
‘Is this the power of the formation?’
Until now, no opponent had ever dissipated the power of his First Demonic Fist so easily and immediately launched a counterattack.
Bu Eun-seol perceived that a strange energy surged each time they stepped on specific positions while executing their staff techniques.
Shhhffff.
Executing his footwork to evade the long staffs, a radiance once again flashed from Bu Eun-seol's fists.
Fwoosh!
In that instant, five sharp streams of fist energy shot out at different angles and directions, hurtling toward U-gang and the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars.
It was the profound technique of the Seven Demonic Fists' second form, the Extreme Soul-Shaking Roar.
Clack. Whirrrr.
As the seemingly unavoidable streams of fist energy rained down, the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars gathered like a closing flower bud, then scattered again, repeating the motion as they swung their staffs.
Using a unique yet perfect joint attack, they had once again dissipated Bu Eun-seol's fist energy.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
This time, the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars began their counterattack. They swung their long staffs, occasionally unleashing fist techniques with one hand.
Observing their watertight assault, Bu Eun-seol’s eyes flashed.
‘The martial arts of the Beggars' Sect are more diverse than I thought.’
The fist techniques they used were all different, and each held a unique stance.
Just as their members were countless, it seemed the martial arts passed down among them had also developed with great diversity.
Whirrr! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
After a brief exchange of some thirty moves, Bu Eun-seol retreated a step.
‘The formation is profound, but those executing it are not perfect.’
The formation was too profound to be broken in a short time, but the beggars executing it were each using their own distinct martial arts.
Because of this, Bu Eun-seol could clearly see the openings in their techniques.
Just as Bu Eun-seol, who had been leisurely observing their methods, was about to unleash his own fist technique,
Swish! Thump!
a sharp sound of something slicing through the air and a dull thud echoed from the distance.
Bu Eun-seol knew at once that it was the sound of the White Horse Whip striking the ground.
‘Yu Un-ryong.’
There were no techniques in the White Horse Whip Style that involved striking the ground.
Yu Un-ryong must have struck the earth in vain. That meant the tide of battle was turning against him.
‘So it was impossible after all.’
The martial arts of the Great Righteous Masters had already reached the pinnacle of transcendence.
To defeat them, one needed not only superior martial techniques, but also a spirit that surpassed their own fortitude.
“Now!”
As his thoughts momentarily strayed, Bu Eun-seol’s focus wavered. U-gang, spotting this instantly, shouted.
“Boiling Sound, Startled Dog!”
Fwoosh!
At his command, the masters of the Apricot Blossom Branch, who had been swinging their staffs, all leaped into the air.
As he watched them, Bu Eun-seol frowned in disbelief.
‘To seize such a good opportunity only to use a technique like that...’
Humans cannot remain airborne like birds, so a great opening is revealed as they descend.
Therefore, leaping into the air during a fierce battle was one of the greatest taboos in actual combat.
CLANG!
But then, the unexpected happened.
The Apricot Blossom Branch beggars, having leaped into the air, suddenly and violently struck their long staffs against one another.
SHREEEEE!
In that instant, the outer surface of the staffs shattered, revealing the silver metal within.
Simultaneously, a sharp, jarring metallic sound pierced his ears.
It was a bizarre, piercing sound that felt as if it were boring into his skull.
‘Kgh.’
Having mastered the Beast Path, Bu Eun-seol's senses were several times sharper than even those of exceptional martial artists.
The moment he heard the metallic screech, it felt as if daggers were being driven into his ears, and the world around him bleached to white.
Thud.
Seizing the opportunity, the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars landed and struck Bu Eun-seol's body.
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
Struck repeatedly by the long staffs, Bu Eun-seol was sent staggering backward.
“Hehehe.”
U-gang wore a triumphant smile as he looked at Bu Eun-seol, whose clothes were torn to rags from the staff blows.
“No matter how great a master you are, this is what happens when you fall for the Boiling Sound, Startled Dog technique.”
“A dog startled by a loud noise.”
Bu Eun-seol, however, just let out a short laugh.
“A technique worthy of beggars.”
“Hehehe. Do you know a dog's weakness?”
U-gang said with a confident expression.
“A dog's weakness is its nose. You can strike it there, but it suffers even more if you splash vinegar on its nose. That's because of its superior sense of smell.”
Smiling once more, U-gang continued.
“You demonic path followers generally use martial arts that amplify the senses. I've heard that Nang-ya-gak is like that, as are Myeol-in-gung and Geuk-sal-mil-gak.”
“Are you so proud of using such dirty tricks?”
“Hehehe. Just as you said, we're beggars. It would be ridiculous for beggars to only use clean methods.”
U-gang said with a wide smile.
“This technique was created to deal with demonic seeds like you, so of course it's special.”
“A technique to deal with demonic seeds, you say.”
In that moment, something clicked for Bu Eun-seol.
“So the technique called Boiling Sound, Startled Dog was a countermeasure against demonic arts, passed down from the Murim Alliance to the Great Righteous Master of the Beggars' Sect.”
“Oh? You knew?”
“Yeo Hwan-jin told me. He said each of the Great Righteous Masters had been taught one secret art to break demonic martial arts.”
“Yeo Hwan-jin?”
At that moment, U-gang's expression turned bizarre.
“Does that mean you're the Ten Demonic Champion who killed him?”
“That's right.”
“Hehehe... Hahahaha!”
U-gang roared with laughter and nodded his head.
“To think I've caught such a big fish!”
U-gang nodded, looking pleased.
“Since we'll have taken care of two of the Ten Demonic Champions at once, my junior brother will have no problem becoming the next Young Sect Leader.”
“Taken care of?”
“Don't pretend to be at ease.”
As Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted, U-gang sneered.
“Now that you've been struck by the No-Seeking Staff Arts, your heart meridian should be so shaken you can't even move your body.”
When U-gang had executed his staff technique, he had poured powerful internal energy into it.
Since Bu Eun-seol had been struck helplessly by the attack, he was certain he had suffered internal injuries.
“Then why aren't you finishing me off?”
Bu Eun-seol muttered as if to himself, his gaze fixed on U-gang.
“Or are you afraid?”
Too stunned by Bu Eun-seol's placid expression, U-gang snorted.
“Are you pretending to be calm? Or have you accepted that this is the end?”
Raising his long staff, U-gang wore a triumphant grin.
“You were unlucky.”
As U-gang slowly approached, his eyes burned with excitement.
Although he had volunteered for this to help Seong-ryun, he had now achieved the merit of taking down one of the Ten Demonic Champions with his own hands.
“Farewell.”
U-gang once again unleashed his No-Seeking Staff Arts, which danced through the air like a fluttering butterfly.
He was executing his signature move, Self-Purifying No-Seeking, intending to smash Bu Eun-seol's head in a single blow.
“……!”
U-gang felt something was wrong.
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes as he watched the long staff descend toward his head.
That was by no means the look of someone who had suffered severe internal injuries.
‘Damn it!’
He sensed something was amiss, but it was too late to retract the technique he had already unleashed.
Shing!
In that instant, the cry of a sword sharp enough to shake the heavens and earth rang out.
Simultaneously, a cloud of ink-black light erupted from behind Bu Eun-seol's back and enveloped U-gang's body.
It was like the flow of nature itself—impossible to dodge, impossible to block.
Slish.
With a chilling sound, a paper-thin line of blood appeared on the neck of U-gang, who was in the middle of bringing down his staff.
The peerlessly swift killing sword, the Peerless Lightning Flash Style, had been unleashed.
“How...”
U-gang’s dimming eyes were filled with disbelief.
How could Bu Eun-seol, whose heart meridian should have been shaken by the No-Seeking Staff Arts, be perfectly fine and capable of unleashing such a swift sword strike?
“Because I wasn't injured.”
Having reached the fourth level of the Reverse-Polarity Divine Art, a powerful protective energy flowed throughout Bu Eun-seol's entire body.
And it protected Bu Eun-seol’s body at all times, twenty-four hours a day.
But U-gang, who had never anticipated this, was convinced of his victory the moment his staff hit its mark.
Thud.
The head, having lost its owner, fell futilely to the ground.
“Branch Leader!”
Only then did the four remaining Apricot Blossom Branch beggars come to their senses, swinging their long staffs as they charged at Bu Eun-seol.
And they were nothing more than good prey for the bloodthirsty Ink Sword.
SWOOOOSH!
The ink-black sword energy spread out like the ribs of a fan before transforming into a cross-shaped wave of energy that swept over the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars.
The profound technique of the Formless Heavenly Flow's third form, the Waning Moon, Morning Star, had been unleashed.
“Iyaaap!”
Watching the cross-shaped sword energy rain down on them, the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars were seized by terror and swung their staffs like madmen.
It was like a battle between black light and cyan light, each fighting to occupy space.
In the end, victory and defeat would be decided by which side occupied more space.
And the result... was the victory of the Ink Sword, which dyed all the space black.
SPLAT!
A spray of blood scattered into the air as fresh blood spurted from the bodies of the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars.
Thump.
Having dealt with all the Apricot Blossom Branch beggars, Bu Eun-seol launched himself into the night sky with all his might.
‘Yu Un-ryong!’
His destination was the reed field where Yu Un-ryong and Seong-ryun were fighting.