Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: Desperate Clash Against the Demonic Sword
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Namgung Hyeok's eyes darkened.
‘Heavenly Rite Demonic Art!’
The blade-sharp demonic energy, upon reaching its peak, could manifest as tangible force and be swung around.
It was the martial art of those called the Heavenly Rite Demon Sect.
The Heavenly Rite Demonic Art, once manifested at its peak, was so sharp it could slice even sword auras.
‘The Demon Sect's leader wielded this with terrifying skill!’
Namgung Hyeok had once clashed with the Heavenly Rite Demon Sect's master, an absolute demonic expert. But the Heavenly Rite Demonic Art this foe wielded was on a different level from that one.
‘Fifth Realm? No, around the sixth.’
A vast gulf in realms.
Yet conversely, Namgung Hyeok was no longer the Lone Tyrant of the past.
Even against a mere sixth-realm Heavenly Rite Demonic Art, he felt his life hanging by a thread.
But he had never fought without staking his life.
This time was no different.
He had fought half a day with a sword lodged in his back, chased down Seven Lords Night with a broken arm.
Yet he had survived every time.
‘Keep pounding, and it’ll crack.’
The Tyrant Soul's Celestial Grasp, Celestial Slayer, and Single Stroke moved.
Shing! Shing!
The energy surging from Jang Taesan's sword grazed his demonic blade.
Piercing metallic clashes rang out incessantly, and just the energy alone drew cuts across his skin.
It was precarious, like dancing on thin ice.
“Hah!”
Jang Taesan’s murderous gaze chased Namgung Hyeok.
Like falling autumn leaves, the Heavenly Rite Demonic Art's sword energies whipped around wildly.
Namgung Hyeok swung his sword.
One became two, two became four...
From his hand arose a hundred and eight illusions.
The demonic sword's crimson sword energy began to scatter.
Skakakang!
“It won't work!”
Jang Taesan bellowed as he thrust his sword, unleashing an ashen sword energy like a cracking whip.
Its speed was beyond the eye's pursuit.
Rite-Light Ink Trace.
A sword energy that seemed to tear through light itself.
‘Fast!’
Namgung Hyeok spun his body. The ashen sword energy pierced in faster than he could form his Celestial Grasp.
His body reacted swiftly.
The Rite-Light Ink Trace stance barely grazed past his back.
Chwaaak!
Dropping low as if rolling on the ground, Namgung Hyeok chained into Celestial Slayer.
Skang!
Sparks flew, and thunder roared.
The heavy demonic energy from Jang Taesan traveled up his wrist.
“Urk!”
Swallowing a groan, he pushed forward relentlessly.
Kang!
Celestial Slayer's trajectory shifted, rising into Celestial Stroke.
A single stroke with the force to split a mountain plummeted as if to cleave the enemy's soul.
Flaaash! Kwaaaang!
An arrow-like sword energy pierced through the flickering thunder, grazing Namgung Hyeok's cheek and shoulder.
Viscous blood scattered in droplets, and in his vision appeared Jang Taesan's twisted face, warped like a ferocious deity.
His attacks were landing.
Clash and shatter.
The foe was no master of the Heavenly Rite Demon Sect.
Though the enemy was worlds apart from the Lone Tyrant's realm, his experience and instincts remained intact.
The enemy was a massive boulder, but he was a stone chisel.
Shatter it.
Crack it.
“You think you can win head-on?!”
Jang Taesan roared.
At the same instant, the Heavenly Rite Swordsmanship's killing light flashed.
Kwaaang!
“Ugh!”
Even against the crashing force of Celestial Weight, Namgung Hyeok gritted his teeth and endured.
Block with Celestial Grasp, threaten with Celestial Slayer, strike with Single Stroke.
Deflect with Single Stroke again, open a path with Celestial Slayer, counter with Celestial Grasp.
Kwaang! Kwaaaang! Skang!
Energy clashed against energy amid the dust rising from the ground.
Thunder and sword energies tangled, unleashing aftershocks.
Boom!
Namgung Hyeok was pushed back.
Each clash with the enemy's sword felt like his joints were snapping.
Each stance felt like his flesh was tearing apart.
Each surge of the Supreme Heavenly Bright King Art felt like his organs were twisting in agony.
Yet he did not stop.
Instead, he pressed even fiercer.
As if the fight so far had been mere probing, he charged with even greater ferocity.
Jang Taesan’s eyes wavered.
The movements piercing into Rite-Light Ink Trace and chaining into Shadow-Cleaving Light Kill surpassed imagination.
He slipped into the fleeting gap between the two stances.
No ordinary courage or experience could achieve such a feat.
“...You’ve got guts.”
Like a squirrel darting between trees, Namgung Hyeok dodged his sword.
Every moment was razor-thin.
A single misstep would send him plummeting into an abyss.
Yet Namgung Hyeok was pulling it off.
Namgung Hyeok clashed Single Stroke against the Heavenly Rite Swordsmanship while extending True Soul Twelve Forms.
Chwaaang!
Boom!
Overpowered in strength and inner energy, he was flung to the ground.
Gulp. Swallowing the rising blood, he leaped back in like a beast.
He had to keep up the assault before the enemy could read his moves.
‘Move!’
Kaaang!
Damn this body, move!
Kwaaaang!
The Heavenly Rite Swordsmanship grazed his side. Just the sword wind tore his flesh, spurting blood.
As vicious as ever.
But he was even more vicious than this swordsmanship.
Celestial Grasp, Celestial Slayer, Single Stroke!
The three stances of Tyrant Soul whirled fiercely.
“I acknowledge your skill.”
Jang Taesan drew up his full power.
“But it’s not enough!”
A ring of gray light formed from his sword.
He bridged the halting sword paths with sheer power and inner energy.
Experience, stances—none mattered before absolute force.
Kwaaang! Pajijijik!
Namgung Hyeok's thunder tore apart as the shockwave engulfed his body.
“Wuuk!”
His guts churned, muscles ripping with the sound.
His body froze for an instant.
Grit!
“Kraaaah!”
Ignoring the rebellion of his body, Namgung Hyeok raised his sword.
Jeeeng!
His body floated up.
Kwakakaka.
He barely halted his slide by stabbing the demonic sword into the ground and glared ahead.
Jang Taesan, having seized momentum, bore down on him.
That brutal sword momentum plunged toward Namgung Hyeok's crown.
“Hyeok!”
Namgung Ryong blocked the black-clad man's sword while screaming.
Paeng Jung-hyeok and So Hye-yeon were startled, their eyes drawn there.
He tried to throw himself in to shield, but the black-clad man charged to block him—and faster still, Jang Taesan’s sword reached Namgung Hyeok first.
“Hyeok—!”
“Young Master Yi!”
“Namgung Hyeok!”
Puk!
Jang Taesan’s sword passed indifferently through the desperate cries of the three.
A dull thud echoed as a dark object pulverized against his blade.
In the moment blood mist blinded his view.
“...!”
Jang Taesan’s eyes widened.
Namgung Hyeok had spun his body around the demonic sword planted in the ground, kicking away a corpse sprawled on the floor.
Using the centrifugal force, Namgung Hyeok shot forward like a bullet, plunging a dagger into Jang Taesan’s chest.
Puwook!
Namgung Hyeok grimaced.
“Fuck.”
By a hair's breadth.
That hair's breadth had torn through Jang Taesan’s protective energy but kept the dagger from his heart.
If only he had a bit more stamina left, just a handful more inner energy!
This bastard—how much inner energy does he even have left?
“Kraaaaaah!”
Puk!
Jang Taesan thrashed, hurling Namgung Hyeok away.
“Kuhuk!”
Namgung Hyeok tumbled across the ground, curling like a shrimp before springing back up.
“Hah! Haak!”
Jang Taesan, heaving ragged breaths, yanked out the dagger firmly embedded in his chest.
Clang.
“The Namgung Clan’s sword... is so different in your hands. You’re so different...”
Jang Taesan muttered through gritted teeth.
Namgung Hyeok’s sword differed in quality and nature from Namgung Jangcheon’s, Paeng Cheonwi’s—even Tang Yicheon of the Tang Clan.
“Huuu... You’re truly different... That’s why I must kill you, no matter the sacrifice. I can’t let you become an obstacle...”
Ptoo.
Namgung Hyeok spat the pooled blood from his mouth and rose.
He regulated his breathing.
He steadied his expression.
“You bastards... same shit then or now.”
Gazing at the Namgung Clan’s main hall and outer courtyard submerged in blood, Namgung Hyeok let his sword droop.
His inner energy was already depleted.
No matter the Supreme Heavenly Bright King Art’s insane recovery and rotational power, it was no bottomless ocean.
His body was now merely that of a man in his twenties.
The limit had come.
‘...Just three more stances?’
If only he could hold out longer.
Jang Taesan looked down at his chest where the dagger had struck.
“...Subduing Demon energy.”
The Supreme Heavenly Bright King Art’s aura shook the turbid demonic energy.
To him, a demonic arts cultivator, it was no different from poison.
Normally he’d shake it off easily, but his own power was greatly expended.
Jang Taesan surveyed his surroundings.
The battlefield’s tide had already turned.
The heads of the Five Great Clans watched from afar on their battlefield.
“Huu... Supreme One. I go forth in the Sacred Flame’s blaze.”
Hm?
“What?”
Kuuuuuuu!
A world-shaking vibration emanated from Jang Taesan’s body.
Drip! Drip!
Blood tears poured from Jang Taesan’s eyes.
At that eerie sight, Namgung Hyeok’s eyes widened.
Amplifying inner energy.
His robes and hair swelled as if about to burst.
No way?
As Namgung Hyeok stared at Jang Taesan, the black-clad foes battling the Thunder Dragon Squad turned.
Paaaa!
A blood-like energy erupted from their bodies.
“Protect the Young Master!”
“Grab him!”
“No—!”
Shouts soared to the heavens.
The black-clad ones, bleeding from their eyes, charged toward Namgung Hyeok.
Hungry ghosts.
Hungry ghosts reaching from hell.
Namgung Ryong leaped before them.
He became one with his sword, unleashing Imperial Sword Form.
A single enlightenment.
A majestic yet stately energy spreading from the vast blue sky gathered at his sword tip.
Kworung!
Puuuuh!
The black-clad ones lunging like hungry ghosts exploded atop the unfolded sword barrier.
Bone shards and flesh fragments pelted like hidden weapons.
A shiver-inducing sacrifice, throwing everything for their goal.
Horrified by the gruesome scene, everyone guarded Namgung Hyeok’s front.
Paeng Jung-hyeok and So Hye-yeon blocked the flesh fragments piercing the sword barrier like darts.
The Thunder Dragon Squad barely held with Ghostly Linked Formation, lending their strength.
Pukpukpuk!
Those caught in the self-detonations who couldn’t evade crumpled to the ground.
Puk!
Flesh and bone lodged in Namgung Ryong’s shoulder, jolting it badly.
Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward even more.
A convulsion crossed Namgung Hyeok’s eyes.
A blood rain poured like a downpour as Jang Taesan thrust his sword ahead.
The demonic energy churning over his shoulders coalesced into the blade.
A circular ring formed from the gathered energy.
‘Radiant Heaven Veil!’
Tszzzzz!
Jang Taesan’s aura flipped in an instant.
From the sword tip of the blood-tear-flying Jang Taesan, the mass exploded into a hail of arrows.
Gray arrows pierced, shattered the black-clad ones’ flesh, and flew onward.
Namgung Hyeok gathered his remaining energy and sprang forth.
“You, you fucking bastard!”
His demonic sword moved.
Urk!
Blood burst through his lips.
Hwaaa!
Celestial Grasp formed thirty-six swords, blocking the front.
Celestial Slayer!
Crunch!
His shoulder snapped, ankle twisted.
But the thirty-six Celestial Slayers swept away the Radiant Heaven Veil’s downpour.
‘Damn it, moooove!’
Feral killing intent pushed back the shockwave.
The thirty-six sword energies soaring to the sky crashed back down.
Thirty-six thunderbolts dismantled the mountain.
Kwarururung!
Single Stroke.
His dantian felt torn.
Inner energy scattered.
Namgung Hyeok gritted his teeth.
Innate energy instinctively surged, empowering the Single Stroke.
Kwaaaaaang!
Thirty-six sword energies cleaved the heavens, plunging down.
Devouring the Radiant Heaven Veil’s arrows, they blazed as if to incinerate all on earth.
The demonic sword slipped from his grip, unable to withstand the shock.
“Die!”
Jang Taesan charged with mutual destruction’s momentum.
That desperate, madness-filled aura engulfed Namgung Hyeok without faltering.
People screamed as Namgung Hyeok collapsed.
“No—!”
At the voice from behind, just as Jang Taesan’s demonic claw reached the falling Namgung Hyeok.
Shuuuuaaaak!
“...!”
In that instant when his heart seemed about to be pierced, a chipped sword suddenly in Namgung Hyeok’s hand cleaved Jang Taesan’s crown.
Flaaash!
The surging killing intent and madness plummeted like a single bolt of lightning.
Three Thunder Swordsmanship split Jang Taesan’s body in two.
Jeeeeeeng!
“Uwaaaak!”
Namgung Hyeok spewed a basin of blood and collapsed.
The darkening world surged with black-clad ones and Evil Faction experts charging toward him.
Consciousness faded.
Consciousness...
“Hyeooooook!”
Namgung Jangcheon descended like lightning, sweeping the surroundings.
“Namgung Hyeok—!”
Paeng Cheonwi shattered those approaching with Mixed Origin Divine Path.
“Green Shadow Blood Hands, protect Young Master Yi—!”
Tang Yicheon spewed poison mist, sweeping the Evil Faction remnants.
Time, which had crawled slowly, now raced ahead.