Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: A Shattered Conviction
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“You dare to challenge this old man?”
Bukgung-ryeong scoffed as the Shandong Five Virtues glared at him, their eyes gleaming with killing intent.
“Getting your hands on a single good weapon seems to have given you a swollen liver.”
“The Ten Heavenly Weapons are no ordinary armaments.”
Gu Yeong-hwa smiled coldly at Bukgung-ryeong.
“We will now show you what that means.”
The other four Virtues also wore sinister smiles as they looked down at the weapons in their hands.
Ordinarily, they wouldn't have dared to even talk back to him, let alone fight.
But now, they held the Ten Heavenly Weapons, known as the greatest divine armaments in the martial world.
Having tested them, they found their power to be beyond imagination. They were confident they could defeat even the Tan-wang without much difficulty.
“Attack!”
At Gu Yeong-hwa’s cry, they surrounded Bukgung-ryeong as if on cue.
The first to strike was the third brother, Geum Seo-u. He swiftly brandished the horsetail whisk in his hand.
*Whoooosh!*
A razor-sharp wind, strong enough to rip through steel, coiled around Bukgung-ryeong.
It was the Geon-gon-bul-jin, the Heaven and Earth Horsetail Whisk, capable of unleashing a murderous aura with a single swing.
“Hmph.”
Bukgung-ryeong stood his ground and flicked a finger.
*Craaack!*
A powerful gust of wind surged forward, instantly repelling the storm of blades.
*Twang!*
Just then, the fourth brother, Cha U-ryang, fired the shortbow in his hand, and a shower of sharp energy rained down on Bukgung-ryeong’s head like hail.
Though only one arrow was fired, it created dozens of phantoms. It was the Eun-cheon-gung, the Silver Sky Bow, one of the Ten Heavenly Weapons.
*Crash! Crash!*
Bukgung-ryeong instantly unleashed his Internal Energy Projectiles, deflecting the arrows.
*‘Hmm.’*
Bukgung-ryeong couldn't hide his surprise.
Even an energy projectile launched lightly with only thirty percent of his power could pierce trees and shatter boulders.
But to think it was so easily blocked by the mere aura flowing from a weapon?
*Swoosh!*
At that moment, a crimson light shot toward Bukgung-ryeong’s face.
It was the blade energy unleashed from the Ung-pae-do, the Hegemon's Blade, held by the second brother, Jeong Jung-won.
“Hmph.”
As the energy from the four weapons poured down on him, Bukgung-ryeong raised his true power and condensed a formidable amount of energy at the tip of his index finger.
The weapons were more powerful than he’d expected, forcing him to unleash an Internal Energy Projectile at sixty percent of his strength.
—*Piiiii!*
Suddenly, a piercing flute note rang in Bukgung-ryeong’s ears.
Gu Yeong-hwa was using the Chang-cheon-geum-jeok, the Azure Sky Golden Flute.
“Kuh.”
Bukgung-ryeong frowned upon hearing the flute’s sound.
His eardrums throbbed as if they would burst, and the energy he had gathered in his finger dissipated in an instant.
This was the effect of the legendary weapon, the Chang-cheon-geum-jeok.
It could direct its sound to a specific target and disrupt their internal energy.
*Boom! Bang!*
Explosions erupted one after another.
The power unleashed when five of the Ten Heavenly Weapons were used in concert was immense.
The Chang-cheon-geum-jeok, a peerless weapon that could target a single person with sonic attacks and scatter their internal energy.
The Ung-pae-do, which could freely launch blade energy from impossible angles.
The Geon-gon-bul-jin, which could conjure a murderous gale at an enemy’s feet to block their escape.
Adding to that, the Eun-cheon-gung dominated the air with its descending shower of arrows, while the Geum-cheol-bu, the Golden Iron Axe, deflected Bukgung-ryeong’s own desperate energy projectile.
The Shandong Five Virtues had already mastered the use of the Ten Heavenly Weapons by slaughtering the martial artists on Ghost Island.
Moreover, having always fought together, they executed a combined attack formation as precise as if they had practiced for years.
With the five Heavenly Weapons forming a perfect offense and defense, Bukgung-ryeong’s Internal Energy Projectiles could not display their true power…
And so, the Shandong Five Virtues, who normally wouldn't have lasted ten seconds against him, were able to fight on relatively equal footing with Bukgung-ryeong.
*‘Do I have to kill them?’*
Bukgung-ryeong’s gaze wavered.
In truth, it wouldn’t matter if the Shandong Five Virtues were armed with any other divine weapon; they were no match for him.
He had come here only to save the masters of the Orthodox Faction who had fallen into Zhang Baodao’s trap.
But upon arriving on this island of hell, he found they had already engaged in a gruesome massacre, and all that remained were the Shandong Five Virtues, lost to their greed.
—*If I intended to kill these men, why did I even come to this Ghost Island?*
Bukgung-ryeong’s mind was in utter turmoil.
The renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction he knew were always righteous, selfless individuals who pursued no personal gain.
Bukgung-ryeong had always considered himself one of them and had taken great pride in it.
*‘Is this the true face of the Orthodox heroes I’ve been so proud of?’*
Was risking one’s life for secret manuals and divine weapons an instinct he had to accept as inherent to all martial artists?
Or was it a natural desire born from the desperation of being unable to progress beyond the wall of the transcendent realm?
If the Shandong Five Virtues hadn't obtained the weapons, and someone else had, would this slaughter not have occurred?
Lost in confusion, Bukgung-ryeong’s spirit wavered uncontrollably.
It was a state similar to Bu Eun-seol's, who teetered on the line between the Demonic and Orthodox paths.
A clash of convictions.
This was the first time Bukgung-ryeong had ever experienced such a thing.
*Boom!*
As a crack formed in his spirit, the power of his Internal Energy Projectiles began to visibly diminish.
The Shandong Five Virtues did not miss the opportunity. They drew out the full power of their five weapons and struck at Bukgung-ryeong’s opening.
*CRASH!*
An explosion erupted as the five weapons clashed head-on with Bukgung-ryeong’s energy projectile.
*Chk.*
Bukgung-ryeong and the Shandong Five Virtues were both pushed back about five steps.
“Hehehe. So this is all the might of the famed Tan-wang.”
As Gu Yeong-hwa flashed a sinister smile, a murderous glint flared in Bukgung-ryeong’s eyes.
“Is that so?”
Bukgung-ryeong began to draw upon his internal energy again. A faint light emanated from his body.
A single, shimmering golden pellet rose into the air.
This was the Ja-jeon-geum-hwan, the Violet Lightning Golden Pellet, the unique weapon that had earned Bukgung-ryeong the title of Tan-wang.
If he could demolish a pavilion just by throwing a stone, what would happen when he used the Ja-jeon-geum-hwan?
He could unleash enough power to shatter Mount Tai in a single blow.
*Vwooom!*
An intense light pulsed from the golden pellet hovering in the air.
But once again, hesitation flickered in Bukgung-ryeong’s eyes.
*‘Ugh.’*
All his life, he had loathed villains and never forgiven them.
If these men had been great villains with a long history of evil deeds, he would have struck them down without a second thought.
But were they not just men who had fallen into despair, unable to advance their martial arts, only to be swallowed by a cruel and selfish greed upon obtaining the divine Ten Heavenly Weapons?
Conviction.
Those who reach the apex of martial arts each have their own convictions.
Bukgung-ryeong had only ever punished evildoers who committed wicked acts, and he took pride in that.
Yet, because of the vicious Shandong Five Virtues, his conviction was now crumbling to its very foundation.
*‘Did I risk my life to come to this Ghost Island just to save scum like this?’*
Bukgung-ryeong’s gaze wavered endlessly.
*‘No, how did scum like this even earn the reputation of being heroes of the Orthodox Faction in the first place?’*
The people of the Orthodox Faction. Especially those hailed as heroes, who had built up a noble reputation.
Were they, in reality, no different from the Shandong Five Virtues?
A bitter doubt and regret washed over his heart.
*‘No. How can I let myself be shaken?’*
Shaking his head, Bukgung-ryeong steeled his resolve.
What if he killed them in a fit of rage?
Everything he had done until now, and the conviction that had sustained him, would all crumble.
“Put down your weapons.”
Finally, he took a deep breath, recalled the golden pellet from the air, and placed it back in his sleeve.
“If you repent, even now…”
But he never finished his sentence.
Spotting an opening in Bukgung-ryeong’s movement, the Shandong Five Virtues unleashed all their accumulated energy in a lightning-fast strike.
*KABOOM!*
An explosion ripped through the air, carving a massive crater where Bukgung-ryeong had stood.
The most crucial element in executing a technique is ‘timing.’
When Bukgung-ryeong had first tried to unleash the Ja-jeon-geum-hwan, his body and spirit were one, and his concentration was at its peak.
But when he withdrew the technique, his mind and body were left momentarily defenseless.
The Shandong Five Virtues seized that fleeting opportunity and delivered a decisive blow with the Ten Heavenly Weapons… and Bukgung-ryeong was struck, completely unable to defend himself.
*Crackle.*
Sparks flew as tremendous shockwaves spread through the area, and dust and dirt were thrown dozens of feet into the air.
*Whoosh.*
As the wind finally blew the dust away, a figure could be seen standing before Bukgung-ryeong in the large crater.
It was Bu Eun-seol, materializing his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol into a spherical shield.
*Zzzzzzt.*
Bu Eun-seol, who had formed a round wall of true energy, looked as if he were clad in the legendary protective aura.
*Flinch.*
Meeting Bu Eun-seol’s blood-red eyes, the Shandong Five Virtues instinctively recoiled.
Not only were they astonished by Bu Eun-seol’s ability to block their attack by himself, but the aura emanating from his entire body was far from ordinary.
“Losing your focus in the middle of a fight. Are you in your right mind?”
Just as Bu Eun-seol, who had swiftly intervened to save Bukgung-ryeong’s life, was about to utter a sharp reprimand,
“You bastards…”
Bukgung-ryeong, bent over, had eyes shimmering with a cold, blue killing intent.
He had stopped himself from even unleashing his Ja-jeon-geum-hwan and had tried to persuade them.
But those vile bastards had instead used it as an opportunity to launch a killing blow?
“Move.”
The cold, blue killing intent in Bukgung-ryeong’s eyes was already beginning to swirl into a black haze.
It was a phenomenon similar to when Bu Eun-seol unleashed his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol in a fit of rage.
*‘He’s fallen into a demonic state.’*
A man who had trained in orthodox martial arts would never have learned a demonic heart sutra like the Emotion Severing Art.
His long-held conviction had shattered, and in his extreme grief, he had succumbed to his inner demon.
“Get a grip.”
*Crash!*
Instead of an answer, Bukgung-ryeong unleashed an Internal Energy Projectile at Bu Eun-seol.
*BOOM!*
Bu Eun-seol easily dodged it, and the large tree behind him was instantly turned to dust.
*‘The power has increased, but the speed is gone.’*
Bu Eun-seol himself had once fallen into a demonic state and lost his humanity when facing Geol-wang.
The reason he had displayed even greater martial prowess then was because of the Emotion Severing Art, a supreme demonic heart sutra that chipped away at one's emotions.
Furthermore, his desire to grow stronger by eradicating his emotions at a moment of life and death had aligned perfectly with the technique.
But Bukgung-ryeong was a grandmaster of the Orthodox Faction who had trained in a heart sutra that valued qi.
When he fell into a demonic state, the power of his Internal Energy Projectile paradoxically weakened to an extreme degree.
This was because the connection between his physical reactions and the fortitude of his spirit had completely broken down.
“You dare dodge this old man’s energy projectile?”
The possessed Bukgung-ryeong began to attack Bu Eun-seol instead of the Shandong Five Virtues.
“The Tan-wang has fallen to his inner demon. Take care of that one first!”
The Shandong Five Virtues, recognizing Bu Eun-seol’s exceptional skill, had been hesitating.
They knew that if he and the Tan-wang attacked together, their lives would be forfeit.
But now that the Tan-wang, in his demonic state, was attacking Bu Eun-seol, they didn't miss the chance and immediately joined the assault.
*CRASH! KABOOOM!*
Caught between attacks from both sides, Bu Eun-seol couldn't get his bearings.
Although its speed and power had diminished, the Tan-wang’s Internal Energy Projectile was still a heaven-shattering blow.
A mere graze was enough to turn his clothes to dust and tear his skin.
—*Piiiii!*
Moreover, the sharp sonic attack from the Chang-cheon-geum-jeok rang in his ears, disrupting his internal energy.
Every time the flute sounded, it felt as if the true energy circulating in his body was reduced by a third.
If that had been all, Bu Eun-seol could have easily endured.
*Whoooosh!*
But as the Geon-gon-bul-jin was brandished, a murderous gale tore at Bu Eun-seol’s body.
The blade energy from the Ung-pae-do slashed at his limbs from unseen angles.
And if he barely dodged that, the Geum-cheol-bu was waiting to cleave through the air in succession.
The arrows from the Eun-cheon-gung rained down like a steel ring, cutting off Bu Eun-seol’s escape routes.
*‘I can't dodge this.’*
In front of him were Bukgung-ryeong’s energy projectiles.
Behind him, the attacks from the Ten Heavenly Weapons wielded by the Shandong Five Virtues rained down.
*Vwooom!*
As the heaven-and-earth-rending combined assault enveloped him, black true energy erupted from Bu Eun-seol’s entire body.
With no conceivable way to evade, he was forced to deploy his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol.
*‘I can’t take it head-on.’*
He might be able to handle the others, but he absolutely could not take the Tan-wang’s Internal Energy Projectile head-on.
Bu Eun-seol adjusted his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol to deflect the Tan-wang’s projectile at an angle.
*BOOM!*
With a tremendous explosion, the combined attack of the energy projectile and the Ten Heavenly Weapons slammed into Bu Eun-seol’s body, which was shrouded in his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol.
“Ptooey.”
Staggering back five steps, Bu Eun-seol finally spat out a clump of blood the size of a pebble.
Even with his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol at full power, he hadn't been able to completely deflect Bukgung-ryeong’s attack.
*Fwoosh!*
But the moment of spitting blood was brief.
Bu Eun-seol instantly closed the distance to Bukgung-ryeong and unleashed a flurry of fist techniques with both hands.
He, too, had experience falling into a demonic state. He knew well that the most effective way to escape was to deliver a powerful shock to the body.
*BAM! BAM! BAM!*
As he unleashed a continuous barrage of fist techniques at close range, Bukgung-ryeong also extended his hands to counter.
The Shandong Five Virtues seized the opportunity, their attacks from the Ten Heavenly Weapons closing in from behind.
But each time, Bu Eun-seol deployed his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol to block their assault.
“Get lost!”
As Bu Eun-seol blocked the Shandong Five Virtues’ attacks with his Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol, a crimson glow erupted from his fist.
*FWOOOOSH!*
Simultaneously, the Shandong Five Virtues were blasted dozens of feet away. He had used the Cheon-su-gong-pa-sik at full power.
*‘This is the last chance.’*
This was the last chance to free Bukgung-ryeong from his demonic state.
Instantly closing the distance until he was right in front of Bukgung-ryeong, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Gwon-ma-chil-sik with all his might.
Bukgung-ryeong was a master who had defeated the world’s experts with his long-range martial art, the Internal Energy Projectile.
As Bu Eun-seol engaged him in close-quarters combat, so close their noses could almost touch, his hands became a blur.
Even in his demonic state, Bukgung-ryeong instinctively used the Pa-hyeon-yeon-hwan-sik to try and push Bu Eun-seol away.
But Bu Eun-seol’s Gwon-ma-chil-sik, though incomplete, was a peerless fist art that incorporated techniques from all the world’s schools of fist and palm arts.
The Pa-hyeon-yeon-hwan-sik, with its characteristically orthodox grandness, was no match for the Gwon-ma-chil-sik.
*BAM! BAM!*
Faced with an overwhelming onslaught of speed and transcendent skill, Bukgung-ryeong was forced back six consecutive steps.
*‘Now!’*
*Zzzzzzing!*
Finally spotting an opening, a powerful sound, like steel being struck, radiated from Bu Eun-seol’s left hand.
The Mang-a-dong-swae-sik, with its intense kinetic force, rained down like a tempest, sending Bukgung-ryeong flying back dozens of feet until he slammed into a rock wall.
*CRUNCH!*
Unable to deflect the full force of the attack, Bukgung-ryeong was smashed into a stone wall ten feet away, only to be flung forward again.
Bu Eun-seol had layered the Gwon-ma-cho-hyeon-sik on top of the Mang-a-dong-swae-sik, pushing his body away and then violently pulling it back.
“You…”
Struck by the full-powered blow, the blackness in Bukgung-ryeong’s eyes finally began to recede to their original color, and clarity returned to his gaze.
“Are you back to your senses?”
Bu Eun-seol’s mouth was full of blood.
He had dodged the terrifying Internal Energy Projectiles and continuously used his limited Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol to block the attacks from the Ten Heavenly Weapons.
As a result, he had suffered not only external wounds but deep internal injuries as well.
“Why did you…”
Bukgung-ryeong’s voice trembled.
He had fallen into a demonic state, but he had not lost his sense of self.
He had clearly seen Bu Eun-seol repeatedly using his fist arts to break his possession, risking his life to block the Ten Heavenly Weapons for him.
“The Orthodox Faction bastards I trusted my whole life betray me, yet a disciple of the Demonic Path saves this old man…”
His body trembled slightly.
Falling into a demonic state with a shattered conviction could lead one’s body and soul to an irreversible state.
Knowing this well, Bu Eun-seol had risked his life, shaking his body to restore his clarity of mind.
“Thanks to you, I learned something as well.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“In the process of bringing you back to your senses, I found a way to mend the fractures in my own spirit.”
*Rustle.*
At that moment, the Shandong Five Virtues appeared behind them again.
Having been pushed back by the Cheon-su-gong-pa-sik, they had watched intently as Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung-ryeong engaged in a life-or-death close-quarters battle.
They had hoped Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung-ryeong would destroy each other.
But seeing Bu Eun-seol knock Bukgung-ryeong down, they had quickly approached again to attack him.
“You vile bastards!”
Bukgung-ryeong glared at the Shandong Five Virtues with fury.
“This old man will handle this now. Step back.”
The faces of the Shandong Five Virtues turned dark.
They realized that not only was he unharmed after being struck down by the fist technique, but he had also instantly escaped his demonic state.
—*If those two attack together, we’re dead.*
As the tense Shandong Five Virtues broke into a cold sweat and began to retreat,
“I’ll do it.”
Bu Eun-seol stepped forward and said.
“I need to try out what I’ve learned.”
Bu Eun-seol’s body was a mess, but his eyes were as clear as a lake.
Bukgung-ryeong flinched slightly.
Bu Eun-seol’s gaze had changed completely.
*‘This kid.’*
Bukgung-ryeong couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
They had only engaged in a brief close-quarters fight. Yet Bu Eun-seol had not only managed to mend the fractures in his own spirit… but his level of martial skill had suddenly and explosively improved?