Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Any Means Necessary
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Only silence and a desolate wind swept through the reed field.
Standing there dumbfounded, Hyeok So-jin felt a sense of the bizarre that went beyond mere absurdity.
“I don't understand. You want me to take your head.”
“Exactly as I said. I'll give you ten days. Kill me.”
Bu Eun-seol pointed calmly at himself.
“Use any method you wish. Poison, hidden weapons, ambushes—it doesn't matter.”
He met the wide-eyed gaze of Hyeok So-jin and continued calmly.
“Mobilize every means at your disposal. If you can inflict even the slightest harm on me within ten days...”
He paused, then said in a firm voice,
“I will permit you to accompany me.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“If I don't hold back, I really could kill you, you know.”
In the world of martial artists, victory and defeat are not decided by martial prowess alone.
Hyeok So-jin was the orthodox successor of Jeokcheonmakji, the Cradle of Ten Thousand Demons.
If he were to truly commit and use every trick up his sleeve, no one could predict the outcome.
“That's why I said it. If you can kill me, then by all means, take my head.”
For a moment, an intense light flickered in Hyeok So-jin's eyes.
“I don't mean to brag, but besides Shinyeolmagi, I have three hundred and thirty-one demonic arts manuals stored in my head.”
Hyeok So-jin, a genius who could master even the practical applications just by reading a manual.
Though he had never seriously trained in martial arts, he had read countless demonic arts manuals in the archives since childhood, allowing him to learn a wide variety of demonic techniques.
“And you're telling someone like me to attack without holding back? That sounds a bit too arrogant, don't you think?”
“This is tedious. Are you going to do it or not?”
“Fine.”
*Crack.*
Cracking his knuckles, Hyeok So-jin nodded with a relaxed expression.
“You said not to hold back... I'll do exactly as you ask!”
*Tap.*
The moment he finished speaking, Hyeok So-jin lightly tapped the ground and instantly closed the distance to Bu Eun-seol.
Simultaneously, he formed a Tiger Claw and unleashed twenty-four afterimages of his hand in a single breath.
It was a signature technique from the Dark Heaven Demonic Dragon Palm, one of the demonic arts stored in Jeokcheonmakji.
“A fine palm technique.”
Bu Eun-seol didn't face it head-on, instead using footwork to evade each strike of the Dark Heaven Demonic Dragon Palm.
*Swish.*
But as if predicting Bu Eun-seol's evasion, Hyeok So-jin unleashed three sharp streams of finger wind with a series of thrumming sounds.
It was a technique from the Profound Roar Demonic Finger, also known as the demonic path's Finger Flicking Art.
*Fwip, fwip, fwip.*
However, when Bu Eun-seol used Geuk-sok-mu-yeong, the three streams of finger wind passed harmlessly by his body.
*Thud.*
At the same time, Hyeok So-jin, who had been closing the distance to attack, was thrown back as if he had hit an invisible wall.
Bu Eun-seol had unleashed the First Form of the Demonic Fist without a sound.
“Damn it.”
The fist energy had only grazed him, yet his chest stung as if burned.
As Hyeok So-jin staggered back, Bu Eun-seol muttered as if to himself.
“Martial arts are not a means to vent your emotions.”
“What do you mean?”
“Once you decide to attack, you must unleash the appropriate technique in response to your enemy's movements.”
Bu Eun-seol looked down at Hyeok So-jin with cold eyes.
“Don't just charge recklessly like a wild boar caught in a forest fire.”
“Ah, is that so.”
Hyeok So-jin clasped his hands and bowed his head.
“Thank you. For the lesson you've taught me...”
His words trailed off. While pretending to bow, he unleashed a violet radiance from both hands.
It was Shinyeolmagi, the ultimate art of Jeokcheonmakji.
*CRACKLE!*
With a sound like thunder, an formless current of energy surged toward Bu Eun-seol's face.
But as if he had predicted everything, Bu Eun-seol moved to his left like lightning and threw another punch.
Startled, Hyeok So-jin tried to deflect the attack with the Shinyeolmagi he had summoned.
But the five streams of fist energy, surging with terrifying force, broke through the viscous, glue-like Shinyeolmagi and struck his body.
It was the Second Form of the Seven Demonic Fists: Extreme Soul-Shaking Roar.
*'This is different from before!'*
Hyeok So-jin's pupils dilated as he watched the fist energy pour down on him.
It was clearly the same technique he had used at Jeokcheonmakji. But its precision and power had grown even stronger.
*BANG! BANG! BANG!*
Hyeok So-jin, who barely managed to deflect two streams with his Shinyeolmagi, ended up taking the full force of the other three on his shoulder.
*'He's holding back. Then, and now...'*
Clutching his shoulder, Hyeok So-jin bit his lip.
He realized that if Bu Eun-seol had used his full power, that single move could have shattered his shoulder.
“You have too many unnecessary movements.”
Bu Eun-seol stared down at the staggering Hyeok So-jin.
“From now on, study how to execute your techniques more concisely.”
Then he added in a cold voice.
“If you don't want to die.”
Hyeok So-jin glared at Bu Eun-seol, his eyes blazing.
Normally, he should have felt negative emotions... anger, humiliation, shame, defeat.
But now, there was none of that.
A hot, intense obsession, the likes of which he had never felt in his life, was enveloping his entire body.
“I'll do it. Gladly.”
“...”
“Within ten days, I'll make sure your neck is drenched in blood.”
Despite the grim warning, Bu Eun-seol wore a satisfied smile.
“I look forward to it.”
And with that, he calmly turned away.
* * *
Around the third watch, when the world was steeped in silence.
In the detached courtyard of the Eunhwa-ru, where even the chirping of insects had faded, the quiet moonlight seemed to hold its breath as it shimmered.
*Rustle...*
Was it a gentle breeze?
The leaves on the small path leading to the Eunhwa-ru were trembling ever so slightly.
*Swish...*
The gently blowing wind came to a stop in the courtyard behind the Eunhwa-ru.
Then, a grain or two of sand on the courtyard floor shifted minutely.
Beneath the courtyard of the Eunhwa-ru.
Having used an earth-burrowing technique to arrive near the courtyard where Bu Eun-seol was staying, Hyeok So-jin's eyes glinted from beneath the ground.
Lightning Rat Earth Evasion Technique.
It was the signature art of the Black Phantom Demon, a great thief and killer from two hundred years ago. An earth-burrowing technique that allowed one to travel three *zhang* underground in a single breath.
The Lightning Rat Earth Evasion Technique was even stealthier than a real mole.
Hyeok So-jin had used this technique to evade Bu Eun-seol's notice and approach the courtyard.
*'He would never have imagined this, right?'*
At first, he had assumed the only difference between them was combat experience, and that the gap in their martial skill wasn't that large.
But after trading blows, he found that Bu Eun-seol's level of martial prowess far exceeded his expectations.
And the gap between them had widened to a point that couldn't be closed in a short time.
—*Use any method you wish. Poison, hidden weapons, ambushes—it doesn't matter.*
Bu Eun-seol, who had spoken those arrogant words, telling him to use any means necessary.
Hyeok So-jin intended to follow those words to the letter and use every trick in the book to take Bu Eun-seol down.
*Slide.*
Carefully extending an arm above the ground, he began to stealthily place something shiny around the courtyard.
He also slightly altered the position and orientation of everything within the courtyard, including the stones and trees.
He was setting up the Four Calamities Ghostly Form Formation, a technique passed down in the archives of Jeokcheonmakji.
*'With this formation, I can definitely block the senses of his Yasudo.'*
Yasudo, the otherworldly art of Nang-ya-gak, which not only pushed human senses to their absolute limit but also granted lightning-fast reflexes.
Hyeok So-jin had surmised that Bu Eun-seol was using Yasudo to see through his movements and leisurely evade his attacks.
*'Not only that, the Four Calamities Ghostly Form Formation can completely conceal my presence and appearance.'*
Peeking just his head above the ground, Hyeok So-jin looked at the garden with a triumphant smile.
*Swoosh.*
With his body buried underground, Hyeok So-jin moved stealthily, continuing to set up the formation.
However, because he moved with his presence completely suppressed so Bu Eun-seol wouldn't notice, setting up the formation took a very long time.
*'Phew.'*
By the time he finished setting up the formation, dawn was already breaking.
Surveying his surroundings, Hyeok So-jin completely buried himself back in the ground and suppressed his presence.
*Creak.*
A short while later, the gate to the courtyard opened, and Bu Eun-seol slowly emerged.
Having finished his cultivation, he was heading to the Eunhwa-ru's tavern for breakfast.
He could have had the servants prepare a meal in the courtyard, but Bu Eun-seol always went to the tavern to listen to the rumors and information circulating there.
*'Here he comes.'*
Hyeok So-jin, still underground, slowly revealed himself as Bu Eun-seol walked into the garden.
*Step, step.*
Even though Hyeok So-jin was standing right in the middle of the path leading to the tavern, Bu Eun-seol continued to walk on calmly.
*'It's working!'*
Hyeok So-jin rejoiced inwardly.
The moment he entered the garden, the Four Calamities Ghostly Form Formation had already been activated.
Despite Hyeok So-jin standing right in front of him, Bu Eun-seol didn't seem to notice at all and was walking calmly forward.
*'I have to be careful.'*
In the past, he would have jumped at the chance and unleashed a strike.
But he remembered Bu Eun-seol's advice and maintained his caution and composure with every move he made.
*'Hoo.'*
Gathering his energy, Hyeok So-jin launched a ferocious strike toward the approaching Bu Eun-seol.
*FWOOSH!*
In that instant, a purple flame shot toward Bu Eun-seol's face. He had unleashed the Demonic Haze Netherworld Fist, the ultimate fist art of Jeokcheonmakji.
The moment the spiky fist energy, sharp as a hedgehog's quills, was about to strike Bu Eun-seol's face,
*Shhk.*
Bu Eun-seol took a single step to the left and lightly evaded the Demonic Haze Netherworld Fist.
*'What?'*
Hyeok So-jin was so shocked he felt his heart would leap out of his chest.
Had he broken through the formation in that short time and seen my attack?
*Step, step.*
But something was strange.
Wasn't Bu Eun-seol's gaze fixed on the gate leading to the tavern, not on him?
Even though his five senses were dulled by the formation and he shouldn't have been able to detect Hyeok So-jin's presence, he had dodged the attack completely.
*'I can't believe it!'*
Raising a knife hand, Hyeok So-jin once again deployed the Demonic Lord's Blood Hand, aiming to envelop Bu Eun-seol's upper body.
In reality, it was a fierce technique that would have created a sharp sound as it cut through the air, but due to the formation, not a single sound could be heard.
*Swoosh.*
But just then, Bu Eun-seol, with his hands behind his back, began to move like a ghost again.
*Shhhk.*
Even though he couldn't see or hear, wasn't Bu Eun-seol dodging every single strike of the Demonic Lord's Blood Hand that Hyeok So-jin unleashed?
*'How can he dodge attacks inside the formation?'*
Bu Eun-seol's Yasudo had surpassed the stage of Mind's Eye and reached the realm of All-Seeing Emptiness.
Furthermore, he had mastered the Wind and Cloud Harmony Art, the pinnacle of the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom, which not only allowed him to control his killing intent but also to sense it in others.
Even if the Illusion Demon Hyeok Gong-baek himself had set up a bewitching formation, not just Hyeok So-jin, he still wouldn't have been able to completely deceive Bu Eun-seol's senses.
*'Is this man not human, but a ghost?'*
But Hyeok So-jin, completely unaware of this fact, felt a sense of the bizarre that went beyond mere surprise.
“Disappointing.”
Just then, Bu Eun-seol stopped walking and shook his head, muttering to himself.
“I told you not to hold back... and all you did was set up a formation?”
He sighed, looking into the empty air and shaking his head.
“It's like I've prepared a feast, and you're only drinking water.”
*'What does he mean by that?'*
Hyeok So-jin, still hidden by the formation, blinked as he watched Bu Eun-seol.
*'Prepared a feast? What does that...'*
As Hyeok So-jin pondered this, his eyes lit up with realization.
In an instant, he raised his internal energy.
*Crack.*
As he, a man with a hundred years of internal energy, unleashed his full power, the Silver Shadow Stones placed at his feet shattered.
The peaceful scenery around them then crumbled like paper, revealing Hyeok So-jin before Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
“My apologies.”
With an embarrassed expression, Hyeok So-jin clasped his hands, a purple light flashing in his eyes as he spoke.
“Let me try again, properly this time.”
Hyeok So-jin finally understood.
He understood the meaning behind 'inflict harm by any means necessary.'
It meant that he wouldn't be killed, so he should attack with every ounce of strength he possessed.
“Here I come, for real!”
*Flash!*
Drawing the treasured sword from his waist, an intense killing intent flared in Hyeok So-jin's eyes.
*'I will kill him!'*
He had never before resolved to kill anyone. He had never even summoned killing intent.
But now, Hyeok So-jin was mustering his killing intent, preparing to use his full power to end Bu Eun-seol's life.
Because he knew full well that without even this effort... he wouldn't be able to touch a single hair on Bu Eun-seol's head.
*KRRRRUMBLE!*
At the same time, the demonic arts of Jeokcheonmakji began to pour forth from his hands ceaselessly.
Killing moves from the Ten Thousand Thunders Blood Sword rained down from his treasured sword like hail, while the Dark Blood Raging Fire Palm shot from his left hand like a fierce arrow.
As Bu Eun-seol moved to evade, the treasured sword once again drew a semicircle in the air.
This time, the Dragon Slaying Demonic Sword Style, wreathed in Shinyeolmagi, and the Soul-Severing Annihilation Hand poured out like a tidal wave.
A genius.
Those with outstanding aptitude and talent can reach astonishing heights in an extremely short amount of time.
From that perspective, Hyeok So-jin was undoubtedly a genius.
Realizing that none of the martial arts he knew could stand up to Bu Eun-seol, he was now unleashing all the demonic arts of Jeokcheonmakji he had ever learned as a single, combined force.