Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Decisive Battle
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Golden Fang Poison Claw ducked, but seeing the angle of Blade Leaf Demon’s greatsword, he shot into the air, narrowly dodging the attack.
“Tsk… He still has this much strength?”
He couldn't believe the situation.
‘I fed him all those poison elixirs, yet he's still this strong?’
No matter how skilled a transcendent master he was, this shouldn't be possible.
With such severe internal injuries, he should have died just from trying to draw out his internal energy.
‘Something is wrong here…’
If I had tried to block that last strike head-on, I wouldn't have survived either.
Calm down. That can't be right.
I predict that was his final strike.
‘He must have stimulated all his blood vessels, starting with his innate true energy, to forcibly draw out his power.’
The backlash would only worsen his internal injuries.
He made a poor move just to bluff.
In the brief moment Golden Fang Poison Claw was airborne, lost in thought and confusion, Mu-heun lunged, thrusting his sword at Gu Cheong. With his leg already severed by Blade Leaf Demon's slash, Gu Cheong had no way to escape.
"Hiek!"
Lying on the ground, all he could do was extend his own sword.
"W-wait…"
The moment Gu Cheong's sword met Mu-heun's, he lost his grip. Mu-heun seized the opening, fluidly slipping past Gu Cheong's defenses to slice his throat.
"It's over."
*Swish.*
In an instant, Mu-heun had beheaded Gu Cheong, and blood gushed from the severed neck.
The severed head, its mouth agape, rolled across the ground. The mind that had managed Blade Leaf Valley would never speak again.
The life of Gu Cheong, the malevolent administrator who had briefly controlled Blade Leaf Valley, was thus meaninglessly snuffed out.
His eyes were wide open, his mouth agape.
The death of Gu Cheong.
Death.
It signaled the failure of the Tang Clan and the Red Demon Pavilion to control Blade Leaf Valley.
Golden Fang Poison Claw, having witnessed the scene unfold in the blink of an eye, landed on the ground and immediately shot a condensed ball of poison energy from his hand toward Mu-heun.
"Puppet Poison Palm!"
The poison palm technique tore through the air. The dark, greenish glow of the poison energy was truly terrifying.
Just then, Blade Leaf Demon, with a speed that defied his massive frame, intercepted the Puppet Poison Palm aimed at Mu-heun with his blade energy.
A deafening roar echoed out from the immense impact. To mitigate the recoil, Blade Leaf Demon immediately spun his greatsword, creating a diagonal gust of wind that blew the poison energy away.
However, a portion of the deflected poison energy touched Gu Cheong's body. Though it was a minuscule amount, Gu Cheong's corpse, unprotected by any defensive energy, instantly melted away.
"You son of a bitch…!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw cursed under his breath.
But he was a seasoned veteran of the martial world.
He regained his composure in an instant.
‘Despite our numerical advantage, we're being pushed back. I need to be more careful and efficient.’
Golden Fang Poison Claw took a deep breath and shouted.
"Everyone! Don't just fight! Stall for time!"
They're clearly exhausted. If we just drag this out, they'll destroy themselves.
After shouting his command, Golden Fang Poison Claw smirked at Mu-heun and Blade Leaf Demon.
"My, my… I was planning to return Blade Leaf Valley and Transcendence once my work was done. But things seem to be getting ugly. Do you not care if both Transcendence and Blade Leaf Valley are destroyed?"
"What? You black-hearted bastard, you've still got a sharp tongue!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw provoked Blade Leaf Demon, hoping his anger would aggravate his internal injuries. The provocation seemed to work, as Blade Leaf Demon furiously retorted.
As the enraged Blade Leaf Demon took a step forward, Mu-heun quickly intervened.
"That mouth of his will be shut soon enough. We'll break his golden fangs and poison claws. I don't know about the poison claws, but those golden fangs might be useful somewhere."
"A fine idea."
Golden Fang Poison Claw had provoked them with Blade Leaf Demon's injuries in mind, but Mu-heun and Blade Leaf Demon turned the tables and provoked him back.
From Golden Fang Poison Claw's perspective, having such a young whelp interfere was infuriating.
"You… Where did you learn such insolence?"
"You're asking about manners, you who are still wet behind the ears? You'll be dead soon, so you can find out who taught me in hell."
When Golden Fang Poison Claw spoke of insolence, Mu-heun met it with insolence of his own. At first glance, it seemed absurd for the younger Mu-heun to be questioning someone's manners.
But Mu-heun was serious. After all, as the former Divine Doctor of Sichuan, he was technically older than Golden Fang Poison Claw.
"Insolent brat…!"
Feigning rage, Golden Fang Poison Claw shouted while gathering hidden weapons in his sleeves and infusing them with energy, preparing to attack the moment he saw an opening.
Before the fight began, Mu-heun had coordinated with Blade Leaf Demon.
"-We need to drag this out and make Golden Fang Poison Claw believe he can win. If we can stop him from using his poison mist and drain his internal energy, we can finish this easily."
"-Understood."
Mu-heun kicked off the ground, his body a blur as he thrust his sword—charged to its peak with internal energy—at Golden Fang Poison Claw. A sinister, violet demonic energy emanated from the blade.
"Hah…? You dare charge at me?"
Golden Fang Poison Claw selected three of the hidden weapons in his sleeve and threw them at Mu-heun. However, wary of Blade Leaf Demon, he didn't infuse them with his full power.
The first weapon, imbued with powerful internal energy, flew straight ahead. Another curved around to strike from behind, while the last one flew hidden in the first's shadow, delayed by a fraction of a second.
An exquisite hidden weapon technique.
If one were to block the powerful weapon in front while mid-air, they would be defenseless against the one coming from behind.
If not that, they would surely be struck by the delayed weapon. It was Golden Fang Poison Claw's secret art for cornering an opponent.
However, Mu-heun used the demonic energy explosion of the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.
He thrust his sword forward, clashing two refined lines of energy against the first weapon flying toward him.
The hidden weapon and the sword collided.
A powerful explosion, strong enough to shatter a boulder, erupted. Mu-heun used the force of the blast to propel himself higher and faster, causing the weapons from the front and rear to slice through empty air.
Mu-heun rose into the sky, riding a violet flame.
"Th-th… This brat?"
Just as Golden Fang Poison Claw was about to throw another weapon at the airborne Mu-heun, Blade Leaf Demon appeared before him.
"Finally, you face me."
Sword Wind Cleave.
Blade Leaf Demon brought his greatsword, raised high, down in a straight line at Golden Fang Poison Claw. A powerful gale instantly raged, sending Golden Fang Poison Claw flying.
It was powerful enough to demolish an entire pavilion.
"Keoheok-!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw was caught in the storm and slammed into the ground. But he brushed off the dirt and stood up, laughing like a madman.
"Kekeke. Blade Leaf Demon, your limit is finally showing, isn't it? Seeing as you couldn't kill me with an opportunity like that, I suppose this is all you have left. Am I wrong, Blade Leaf Demon?"
It was a powerful blow, but not like the first one. A true transcendent master should have been able to kill him with that strike. In short, he stood a chance.
Just as Golden Fang Poison Claw was chuckling, an unexpected sword strike descended from the sky.
Startled by the sudden attack, he nonetheless reacted with the composure of a veteran master.
He channeled his internal energy to its peak and formed a sword seal with his fingers to counter.
The owner of the sword strike was, of course, Mu-heun, who had been floating in the air.
"This brat-!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw drew upon his internal strength and threw a punch, which Mu-heun met with the Sun and Moon Sword.
Mu-heun was pushed back a fair distance by the force of Golden Fang Poison Claw's punch. But Golden Fang Poison Claw couldn't hide his own astonishment.
‘The brat's demonic energy is sinister and extremely condensed. That's why it's so powerful for its size.’
In contrast, a smile played on Mu-heun's lips.
‘Good, unlike before, I can withstand it… I'm steadily chipping away at his internal energy and stamina.’
However, their own situation wasn't much better.
"Keok- Cough. Keuk…"
As if to prove Golden Fang Poison Claw's words, blood trickled from Blade Leaf Demon's mouth. Seeing this, a smile once again bloomed on Golden Fang Poison Claw's face.
‘This is it. That Baek Mu-heun fellow is annoying, but how can he compare to Blade Leaf Demon? Now I have a chance. In fact, I can use him to take them both down.’
"Puppet Poison Palm!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw fired a palm strike at Mu-heun. The energy was so immense that Mu-heun would have had difficulty blocking it alone. Just then, Blade Leaf Demon shielded Mu-heun, splitting the Puppet Poison Palm with his blade energy.
The divided poison energy struck the ground nearby, and a patch of earth about twenty feet wide instantly melted away.
Furthermore, Golden Fang Poison Claw didn't miss the opportunity of having Mu-heun and Blade Leaf Demon in one spot. He immediately launched himself into the air and unleashed all the hidden weapons he had prepared.
"Sky-Covering Flower Rain!"
Hundreds of different hidden weapons rained down from the sky toward Mu-heun and Blade Leaf Demon. Each weapon was imbued with considerable internal energy; some were coated with poison, while others were infused with poison arts.
It was an attack capable of annihilating even the central pavilion. An attack that contained nearly all of Golden Fang Poison Claw's internal energy.
"Now!"
"I know."
But this was the moment Blade Leaf Demon had been waiting for. He had an attack prepared, knowing from the start that Golden Fang Poison Claw would use Sky-Covering Flower Rain.
Transcendent Wind.
Blade Leaf Demon coughed up blood as he once again focused his energy into his greatsword. He gathered a sharp edge of power and created a violent storm.
Heaven Ascension.
He then unleashed the storm in a single burst, sending it flying toward the Sky-Covering Flower Rain that adorned the heavens.
The storm pierced through the moonlight obscured by the weapons. The clang of metal sounded like thunder, and the gale seemed to tear through the sky itself, even making the clouds swirl. It was a display of heaven-shattering power.
The hidden weapons fell powerlessly, embedding themselves in the ground.
"You… managed to block it."
A proper Sky-Covering Flower Rain would have been difficult to block even for Blade Leaf Demon in his peak condition.
However, Golden Fang Poison Claw had already expended a great deal of internal energy, so his technique was far from perfect, allowing even the weakened Blade Leaf Demon to counter it.
However…
Perhaps from using such a powerful technique in his weakened state, Blade Leaf Demon clutched his chest and dropped to one knee.
"Keoheok-!"
Blood poured out.
Golden Fang Poison Claw rejoiced. Though he had nearly exhausted his internal energy and hidden weapons, look at Blade Leaf Demon. He was on the verge of collapse. But… Mu-heun was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't tell me…"
Suddenly, he felt a sinister sword energy from behind, slashing upward from his lower left to his upper right.
He barely dodged, but his left leg was grazed by the Sun and Moon Sword. A violet flame even burrowed deeper into the wound.
"Keuk… H-how did you…? More importantly, how did you get past my senses?"
"Don't assume that a lack of internal energy means a lack of skill in controlling it. I happen to be the disciple of a rather incredible man, so my ability to conceal and manipulate energy far surpasses yours."
"W-what…?"
Unable to comprehend those words, Golden Fang Poison Claw felt a chill run down his spine.
Blade Leaf Wind.
From behind, Blade Leaf Demon squeezed out every last bit of his internal energy to launch a powerful sword qi.
Golden Fang Poison Claw hurriedly raised his defensive energy to block it, but as his body was lifted into the air, he realized he hadn't blocked it completely.
"Keoheok."
Where Golden Fang Poison Claw was sent flying by the Blade Leaf Wind, several talismans and splatters of blood were scattered on the ground.
It was the Demonic Blast Thunder Formation—a grand technique Mu-heun had prepared with Gu Cheong's blood, combining diagrams with the Heavenly Demon's energy to create an explosion.
As the flying Golden Fang Poison Claw landed on the spot of the grand technique, Mu-heun channeled his Heavenly Demon energy.
"Demonic Blast Thunder!"
*Kwwaaaaaaaang!*
A massive explosion erupted with a roar that shook the very earth.
Within it stood Golden Fang Poison Claw, who had barely managed to save his life with his defensive energy but was already in tatters.
Mu-heun seized the opening and relentlessly attacked Golden Fang Poison Claw's legs.
"What… in the world is this!"
"Keuk, m-my legs… D-damn it. I-I'm at a disadvantage."
Even to Golden Fang Poison Claw, it was clear Blade Leaf Demon had worsened his internal injuries by forcing his internal energy. He probably couldn't even move from his spot.
And Mu-heun's martial arts were still no match for his. That should have been the case, but…
‘How did I end up exhausting almost all my internal energy and hidden weapons? My left leg? The internal damage…? The explosion? Don't tell me I fell for their scheme?’
Looking around, he saw that Blade Leaf Demon's subordinates had dealt with all of his own men.
‘Th-this can't be. If they took my poison elixirs, their life force should have been extinguished by now, no matter how desperately they fought.’
Realizing the tide had completely turned at some point, Golden Fang Poison Claw panicked.
"What in the world is going on!"
"Leaf Severing Wind!"
Blade Leaf Demon launched a sword wind at the dazed Golden Fang Poison Claw.
"Keukeuk."
The Poison Claw barely managed to block it, his mind racing.
‘I have to escape. But can I, with my leg like this? Damn it… It's no use thinking now. My only choice is to gamble on unleashing the poison mist.’
Mu-heun aimed for the moment the Poison Claw prepared his poison mist. Neutralizing the poison of a Golden Fang Poison Claw with almost no internal energy left would be a piece of cake.
"Poison Mist!"
Golden Fang Poison Claw unleashed his poison mist.
‘Even though it's an incomplete mist due to my depleted internal energy, it should buy me some time.’
"You should know this isn't the end!"
The poison mist spread out from Golden Fang Poison Claw, instantly tainting a wide area with death. Now, not even a skilled master would be able to enter it. However…
"No, this is the end for you."
Through a gap in the poison mist, Mu-heun appeared behind Golden Fang Poison Claw.
"Heavenly Demon Slash."
A red line of blood was drawn across Golden Fang Poison Claw's neck.
The Poison Claw's head spun at an odd angle.
As his eyes, now rolling on the ground, looked up, they saw Mu-heun neutralizing the poison with his own.
He couldn't shake the question that arose in his mind. Removing the Gu poison, and now this. How was he inside the poison mist? Could it be…
"Si-Sichuan, Div-Divine Do-ugh…"
Mu-heun grabbed the head of Golden Fang Poison Claw, which had fallen to the ground with a look of shock, and muttered in a low voice.
"You won't find peace even in hell."
In one hand, Mu-heun held the Sun and Moon Sword.
In the other, he held the head of Golden Fang Poison Claw.
A sight he could never have imagined in his past life.
Mu-heun raised Golden Fang Poison Claw's head high and spoke.