Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Sword-Shattering Ghost
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Slash!
"Cough... gurgle..."
Ha Woojin, who had cut down the charging warrior, readjusted his grip on his sword and furrowed his brow.
'Still this many?'
It felt like he had already felled at least dozens.
Yet there was no sign of the number of warriors before him decreasing, making his chest feel tight.
At that moment.
"Well, now."
A clear voice rang out from above.
"I thought the Murim Alliance had launched a raid from all the commotion, but you're getting trounced by just three people."
Standing at the doorway, silhouetted against the moon, was a middle-aged man with a dignified bearing.
"N-Northern Commander!"
Ha Woojin's eyes hardened slightly.
'Northern Commander? Then this must be the Sword-Shattering Ghost!'
Ha Woojin pieced together the man's identity from someone shouting "Northern Commander."
"Pathetic lot."
The Sword-Shattering Ghost addressed the warriors.
"You're no match for them."
The moment the Sword-Shattering Ghost lightly kicked off the ground.
"...!"
Ha Woojin's eyes widened in shock.
His figure stretched like a lengthening shadow, closing the five zhang distance in an instant.
'A bizarre and astonishing lightness skill. Is it the Blazing Sword Sect's Phantom Form Step?'
Ha Woojin's face stiffened slightly.
The Sword-Shattering Ghost stood at the perfect interval where their swords could just touch—one step away.
All in a single breath.
"For the four battalions of White Ghost Castle to be shattered by a mere three foes... Even if we resolve this incident, this disgrace will be gossiped about for ages."
The Sword-Shattering Ghost's eyes narrowed.
"Since it's come to this, I'll rip you all limb from limb right now and take some small comfort in it."
No sooner had the words left his mouth.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ten figures appeared around Ha Woojin, swinging their swords horizontally.
Scree!
Ha Woojin spun desperately, dodging the sharp swift swords raised from all directions while attempting a counterattack.
Clang!
Sparks flew around Ha Woojin.
Moments later, the eight warriors who had ambushed him leaped back, retreating.
Surprise flickered across the Sword-Shattering Ghost's face.
"Impressive. Fewer than ten have ever withstood the Ghost Execution Squad's combined assault."
Ha Woojin bit his lip.
Drip...
A line of blood trickled from his cheek, sliced by a swift sword he couldn't fully evade.
Drip. Drip.
Not for nothing was it one of White Ghost Castle's Three Great Corps—the Ghost Execution Squad. Every one of the eight wielded their swords with extraordinary skill.
'Facing the Ghost Execution Squad and the Sword-Shattering Ghost alone at the same time is too much...'
"So you're the Sword-Shattering Ghost."
A familiar voice came from beside him.
"Senior Brother?"
Ha Woojin glanced at Hyeondo's profile, who had appeared at his side like a ghost.
It was an expression Ha Woojin had never seen before.
The face of one consumed by rage.
"...What remarkable resolve."
The Sword-Shattering Ghost's face hardened for the first time.
The spirit surging toward him from Hyeondo rivaled the presence he had felt when facing the Lord of White Ghost Castle alone.
"Ghost Execution Squad."
At his call, the squad readied themselves for an immediate strike.
"Attack."
In an instant, they scattered.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Ha Woojin hurriedly scanned with his eyes.
Their lightness skills were so light and swift that the sound of their sleeves flapping in the wind reached him belatedly.
Hyeondo glared at them as well.
Everything was clear in his eyes.
Not just how the Ghost Execution Squad moved, but how they would swing their swords.
Hyeondo erupted his internal energy.
Whoooosh!
As the Ghost Execution Squad flinched at the oncoming storm of qi, Hyeondo suddenly vanished.
"...!"
As the flustered squad heightened their senses upon his traceless disappearance.
"Hup!"
The leftmost squad member, hearing the wind-cutting sound lashing at his ear, quickly arched his back backward.
Plop.
Severed hair fell to the ground.
Seeing the thick pile of fallen hair, a chill ran down the squad member's spine.
'An incredible swift sword!'
The sharp blade he glimpsed in that fleeting moment had been too fast, a blur.
But it wasn't over.
Startled by the following "scree" from behind, he whipped around.
In that instant, a white sword blade swallowed his vision, and his mind faded.
Slash!
Hyeondo, looking at the squad member whose head had split open, swept his icy gaze—colder than a north wind blizzard—over the remaining Ghost Execution Squad members one by one.
"Today, I can finally avenge my youngest martial brother."
His words, spat out as if chewing, dripped with indescribable thick killing intent.
The squad members trembled, unable to believe this was a Daoist's demeanor, as their eyes met his fierce presence.
Thud.
This time, Hyeondo moved first.
As he appeared behind a squad member and swung to sever his neck.
Clang!
Someone blocked the sword.
The Sword-Shattering Ghost glared at Hyeondo with sharp eyes and instantly drew his own sword.
"...I'll handle you."
The sword drawn with a clear ring gleamed dangerously in the Sword-Shattering Ghost's hand.
"They say Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Sword Art carries the fragrance of plum blossoms and blooms flowers, right?"
The Sword-Shattering Ghost moved his sword.
"I've always wanted to see it. Perfect timing."
In an instant, sword qi bloomed from his blade, forming a crescent shape and shooting toward Hyeondo.
Whoooosh!
It was the Blazing Sword Sect's forbidden sword technique, sealed by successive sect leaders as too dangerous—the Sword Shattering Record.
Boom!
Shockwaves exploded in all directions.
A storm of dust swept through White Ghost Castle, engulfing even Ha Woojin, who had kept his distance.
"Tch!"
Ha Woojin staggered back from the intense storm laced with numbing energy, narrowing his eyes.
'That's not a fight I can intervene in.'
Watching Hyeondo vent his fury on the Sword-Shattering Ghost, Ha Woojin turned his body.
'What I need to do is...'
Ha Woojin infused his sword with the energy of the Present Heaven Sword Gang Art, then pointed it at the Ghost Execution Squad.
'Take down those guys!'
His eyes hardened with resolve.
His sword began to move slowly, unveiling the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords.
Third Form: Heavenly River Star Scatter.
Beautiful swords reminiscent of a meteor shower rained down on the Ghost Execution Squad members.
Thud!
But as befitting the Ghost Execution Squad, they stepped nimbly, scattering in all directions and escaping the influence of the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords.
At that moment, Ha Woojin's sword changed trajectory.
Whoosh!
He had already anticipated their evasion. Twisting the downward slash into a reverse upward stroke.
Fourth Form: Heavenly River Pouring Down!
One of the fleeing squad members was struck instantly by the upward Heavenly River Pouring Down, his chest splitting open wide.
"Number Seven!"
The squad members cried out in panic.
But the already-dead member's chest bones were exposed, entrails spilling out.
"How dare you to Number Seven...!"
With their comrade fallen, the surviving Ghost Execution Squad's eyes blazed with murderous intent.
Killing intent bloomed from their swords as sword qi rose, and they unleashed fierce sword techniques.
Whoosh—whoosh—
As an elite few, their sword arts had all reached a profound realm.
But their opponent was Ha Woojin of the Jongnam Sect, whom no one doubted would become the next greatest sword of Jongnam.
'I need to settle this in one exchange.'
Ha Woojin gripped his sword tightly and unleashed three sword forms in a brief moment.
Heavenly River Surging Waves, Heavenly River Flying Script, and finally, Heavenly River Star Formation.
The fierce, lightning-fast three ultimate techniques chained together, slashing at them.
As Ha Woojin danced his sword dance.
Splatter!
"Urk!"
Blood sprayed toward the sky as the Sword-Shattering Ghost faltered, retreating.
His retreated form was in poor shape.
His robes were torn to shreds, deep sword wounds plainly visible beneath.
"Is that the Blazing Sword Sect's martial art you sought even at the cost of heavenly punishment?"
The Sword-Shattering Ghost frowned.
'That he's my equal?'
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he recalled the Military Strategist's words.
His sword-gripping palm was slick with sweat.
The relaxed expression from his entrance had long vanished; he bit his lip.
'What nonsense!'
The opponent was clearly superior.
Not by one or two moves, but by several.
Thud!
Then Hyeondo charged again.
"Receive the price for heavenly punishment."
"Damn it!"
Gnashing his teeth, the Sword-Shattering Ghost infused his internal energy into his sword, unleashing a blue crescent sword qi—the Moonlight Wave.
'That bizarre sword technique again...'
Hyeondo, charging in, hesitated.
That sword technique had been bothering him since earlier.
The unique sword waves it produced every time he approached were blocking his advance.
Clang!
Hyeondo deflected the Moonlight Wave aside, leaving a long scar on the ground amid an explosion.
"...Damn it all!"
The Sword-Shattering Ghost's expression turned wretched.
Since the clash began, he had brushed death countless times.
Fortunately, the supreme ultimate art Sword Shattering Record had barely preserved his life.
But even that was reaching its limit.
'Half my internal energy is depleted.'
The major flaw of the Moonlight Wave.
It was an astonishing sword technique that allowed launching sword qi with low skill, but its energy consumption was incomparable to others.
'No choice. I hid it to face the White Four Gods, but...'
In the end, the Sword-Shattering Ghost prepared his final hidden ultimate technique.
Internal energy surged, enveloping him.
Then, heat haze bloomed from his sword, intense colors melting into it.
The sword moved in the hazy landscape.
Whoosh!
Multiple Moonlight Waves poured down, seemingly ready to tear Hyeondo to shreds.
"I acknowledge your skill."
As the Sword-Shattering Ghost smirked in anticipated victory, seeing Hyeondo seemingly frozen by the dozens of Moonlight Waves.
'This scent... plum blossoms?'
The Sword-Shattering Ghost's eyebrow twitched.
A strong, thick plum fragrance tickled his nose, overwhelming his senses.
"Your tricks end here."
A dry voice drummed in his ear, and the Moonlight Waves shattered miserably.
"Moonlight Heaven Breaker..."
The Sword-Shattering Ghost's eyebrows trembled.
With it, dozens of plum blossoms bloomed, completely engulfing him.
"N-No way..."
Dozens of red bloodstains bloomed across his robes as he wore an utterly incredulous expression.
Thud—
The Sword-Shattering Ghost dropped to his knees.
Hyeondo looked down at the collapsing Sword-Shattering Ghost and flexed his sword-gripping hand.
"Is the Blazing Sword Sect's sword art only this much?"
Hyeondo shook his head.
"No. It's I—no, Mount Hua—that is strong."
His eyes burned intensely.
The Blazing Sword Sect's sword arts were excellent.
However, he himself was far superior, and the Plum Blossom Sword Art was no less than the Blazing Sword Sect's techniques.
This hard-won victory over the Sword-Shattering Ghost filled him with confidence.
"White Four Gods..."
His gaze turned toward the depths of White Ghost Castle.
Then, the Shadow Shuttle technique unfolded in an instant. The scenery warped briefly from the speed; soon, he arrived at the entrance.
"Senior Brother Hyeondo?"
Ha Woojin had arrived at the entrance first.
His robes were torn in places from the fierce battle, and the blood from his cheek was smeared with others' blood.
"Can you continue in that state? If your wounds are severe, there's no need to follow."
At Hyeondo's words, Ha Woojin shook his head firmly.
"I'm fine. I'm not following with a light heart."
Hyeondo said no more.
He knew better than anyone how hard it was to change the mind of one who had resolved himself.
Instead, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ha Woojin and took a step together toward White Ghost Castle.
*** Cheonhwi, the first to enter White Ghost Castle, was passing through a dark corridor without light.
"Planning to keep hiding?"
He suddenly spoke.
Then, tilting his chin up, he gazed at the ceiling and issued a low warning.
"This is your last chance."
In that instant, those who had been lying in ambush on the roof poured down.
Whoosh!
They rained down like a storm, thrusting their swords at Cheonhwi—but his hand moved first.
As his hand slashed the air, five blade auras appeared, cleaving them in one stroke.
Slash—!
With a gruesome sound, dozens of limbs and blood scattered everywhere.
"Always so annoying."
A path opened before Cheonhwi.
A path through blood and corpses.
His five swung fingers had bisected them, forging the way.
The result of godlike precision.
"Let's see. Is it that way?"
He resumed his paused steps.
Step—step—
After walking along the path for about fifteen minutes, he stopped.
Thud.
At the corridor's dead end stood a lavish door.
And flanking the door were two elderly men, identical as twins, standing rigidly like statues guarding it.
"Oh ho."
Cheonhwi's eyes curved.
As he approached the door.
Whoosh—
The two, who had been staring straight ahead, dropped their gazes downward.
Without a flicker of expression, merely twisting their heads to capture Cheonhwi in their eyes, they slowly spoke.
"You cannot pass here."
"You cannot pass here."
Their voices resonated, echoing.
Cheonhwi smirked at the tickling, mocking tones.
"Is that so? Lucky for me."
In an instant, Cheonhwi's atmosphere shifted.
The surrounding air grew heavy, his presence altering.
"...!"
"...!"
At the change, the two statue-like elders flinched and hastily gripped the sword and saber at their waists.
"I was planning to kill you anyway."
At Cheonhwi's following words, their eyes flashed fiercely. Simultaneously, they swung their sword and saber horizontally in a cross.
Whoooosh!
Tremendous internal energy loaded into their crossing sword and saber.
It soon descended toward Cheonhwi's crown.
Booom!
The entire building shook.
Their sword and saber were embedded in the ground, creating massive cracks. Seeing the deep depressions, the two sharpened their eyes.
Cheonhwi, whom they thought crushed by the swung sword and saber, stood leisurely just as before.
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?"
Their anger-laden voices overlapped.
"Me?"
Cheonhwi, who had dodged their attacks merely by twisting sideways, chuckled.
"The one who's going to kill you."