Chapter 356
Chapter 356
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 365
Chapter Title: Rampaging Demonic Sword
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Ban Hojeong gulped nervously as he stared blankly at the demonic sword thrashing wildly in Namgung Hyeok's hand.
What the hell was going on?
'It wasn't like this before!'
He had polished and refined the sword over and over, trying to purify the eerie aura, murderous intent, and lingering spirits within it.
But the sword's baleful energy only grew thicker, and the power emanating from it intensified, driving him mad.
What was even more frustrating and insane was that the moment Namgung Hyeok gripped the sword, an enormous surge of demonic qi erupted—far beyond anything he had anticipated.
"What... what do we do with that thing...."
This was so unfair.
It really hadn't been like this!
Namgung Hyeok's eyes widened as he glared at Ban Hojeong.
"You old fart! What kind of talk is that from the master smith!"
The sword going berserk in his hand was absurd enough, but what was that comment?
'Can this even be fixed back to normal?'
What kind of demonic qi was this bitchy?
'Crazy, it feels like it's freaking out to escape!'
Was it because of my internal energy?
The Heavenly Sky King Arts produced the purest, clearest energy in the world.
It was polar opposite to demonic qi—no, natural enemies—so it made sense that it would thrash even harder to flee.
But even so.
'Why is it even bitchier than before!'
Damn it, so the original sword he'd carried around had just been holding back because it was weak?
Namgung Hyeok shouted at Ban Hojeong.
"Do something about this! Did you toss it to me expecting me to carry it like this? Argh, why does it get bitchier the more you work on it!"
"I... I did my absolute best. I really did, but I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
"You didn't expect it?!"
"Put... put the sword down first and talk, the sword!"
"That's what I'm saying! What about my sword?!"
Whoa....
Did he just avert his gaze?
Ban Hojeong swallowed hard.
There was nothing he could say.
He had boasted confidently, and there was no excuse for the sword ending up like this.
'...It was beyond my level. That thing....'
He had been arrogant. Maybe he shouldn't have touched something out of mere curiosity, and this mess was the result....
"Excuse me, sect leader."
"...I'm... I'm sorry. I got too greedy."
"That's not the important part right now."
Huh?
What could be more important?
"It won't come off."
"...What?"
"I said fuck! It won't come off! Did you glue it or something? It won't detach!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
"See? It won't come off!"
As Namgung Hyeok swung his hand wildly, the demonic sword twitched violently.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
The demonic qi extending like tentacles from the sword attached firmly to his hand churned wildly as he swung it around.
Gurgle! Shaaa!
Ban Hojeong turned pale.
"W-What did you say?!"
Namgung Hyeok prodded at the demonic qi wrapped around his hand and asked crookedly.
"What are you gonna do about this?"
"Calm down! I'm thinking of a way!"
"A way to fix it?"
"W-Well...."
"Ah, now you're saying you can't? I asked you to polish it up nice so I could carry it around, and this is what you made?!"
"How was I supposed to know it would end up like this while refining it...."
In the world, what kind of flower was that?
The demonic qi was sprouting up like crazy, growing and growing!
Slice slice!
The table caught in the demonic qi was sliced like tofu.
"...Ouch."
What kind of cutting power?
Namgung Hyeok blinked, then locked eyes with Ban Hojeong.
"Got a way?"
"...."
Ban Hojeong was at a loss for words.
How was he supposed to purify that rampaging demonic qi?
It was incomparably stronger than the sword he'd first brought in.
As if to confirm it, the Namgung family members who had rushed in together chimed in one by one.
Geum Cheomsang sighed as he looked at the frenzied demonic sword.
"Haa, what do we do with that?"
"To keep trouble from happening...."
"No, trouble's already happened—what do you mean keep it from happening? Can he go back to Anhui Province swinging that sword?"
Paeng Junghyeok shook his head.
No way, that couldn't happen.
In the worst case, he might get captured by the Orthodox Alliance.
"But if it's the Azure Dragon, surely there's a solution...."
"If our young master could handle it, would we have come all this way?"
"Huh."
"This seems hopeless."
Amid the sighs.
Scribble scribble scribble!
Dang Myeongok watched the thrashing demonic sword in Namgung Hyeok's hand and jotted notes in her notebook.
"Demonic sword enhancement."
"Crazy sister! Why the hell are you writing that down!"
"Good weapon! As expected of the Iron Divine Sect!"
"...."
This is the complete opposite of the request, you know?
Beside her, Paeng Yeonhwa muttered.
"I'm jealous. Really jealous. Totally jealous."
"...."
"Why are you looking at me like that! It's true, it's sharper now! Sharper cuts better!"
Paeng Junghyeok just sighed without replying.
Hwangbo Chung yelled at them as they shuddered.
"Hey, you dumbasses, first someone grab that bitchy thing! It's gonna slice us up for real!"
Yeah, that wouldn't work.
If it could be done, it would have been already.
That's the Azure Dragon holding that demonic sword, you idiots.
The Namgung family members backed away to a safe distance.
The master smiths were dumbfounded by the sudden spectacle.
Ban Hojeong groaned.
There was no proper reaction anywhere.
It was in the midst of this utter chaos.
"You wretch!"
The shout echoing through the Iron Divine Sect's workshop drew everyone's eyes.
Hyunwonja glared at the writhing energy from Namgung Hyeok's sword with bulging eyes.
"Where the hell did you get a demonic sword like that!"
Demonic qi.
It was definitely demonic qi.
Hyunwonja, who had cultivated the Wudang Sect's supreme Daoist internal art for decades at the pinnacle of the Dao.
He instantly recognized the ominous black energy pouring from Namgung Hyeok's sword.
His Crimson Yang Divine Art, infused with the power of the Demon-Slaying Blade, was reacting.
Every time that foul energy thrashed, the Crimson Yang Divine Art stirred.
Cheongsong and Cheongu were shocked by Hyunwonja's gravely hardened face.
"Martial uncle, t-that's demonic qi?!"
"Gasp! It's... it's getting stronger!"
They too had sensed the unnatural energy was extraordinary, but they hadn't realized it was demonic qi.
To encounter a demonic sword with demonic qi here of all places!
In the Iron Divine Sect, famed for crafting divine swords, and held by a Namgung family disciple no less—it was enough to cause a huge uproar.
Ban Hojeong panicked.
"True Person! T-That's not it. It's just....!"
"What nonsense! You can't recognize that vicious energy? I've seen countless swords in my life, but never one this vicious!"
He had seen and handled countless swords in the Jade Form Pavilion, starting from the Wudang Sect's symbol, the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.
Even including famed divine swords floating in the martial world and ghostly blades renowned for their murderous intent, none could match this one.
In the world, demonic qi like that!
It was so intense it hurt the eyes just to look at it.
That was a sword destined to draw blood.
"Deputy Sect Leader Ban! You must explain what this is about!"
Ban Hojeong hurriedly spoke.
"I was just trying to purify that energy! Things went wrong...."
"Purify? How do you purify a sword like that!"
"There must be a way."
"Hah!"
Hyunwonja sighed.
They tried to refine a sword like that for use?
He turned his head, watching the demonic qi flicker like a snake's tongue and swell like flames.
"You're wrong!"
"Pardon?"
"You don't purify it. There's only one way!"
Everyone perked up at Hyunwonja's words.
To suppress that demonic qi?
Namgung Hyeok looked at Hyunwonja while holding the demonic sword.
As expected, Demon-Slaying Blade meant Daoist sects?
Hyunwonja declared firmly.
"Destroy it!"
...You flat-nosed bastard?
"Hand over the sword! Whether I destroy it or seal it, I'll handle it!"
Namgung Hyeok looked at Hyunwonja in disbelief.
Has this flat-nosed bastard lost his mind?
"Butt out? Why would I give you my sword!"
"Fool! Can't you see the energy dwelling in that sword! It will inevitably become a blood sword that thirsts for blood!"
"That blood won't be mine, so butt out. I'll handle the purification myself! Destroy what? What do you even think this is?"
Namgung Hyeok snorted.
Hyunwonja's eyebrow twitched.
"Our Wudang Sect has a duty to correct things that disrupt the natural order!"
"Go mind your own business? That would be the proper, righteous thing, right?"
"You brat! If you won't hand it over, I'll take it by force and destroy it!"
Hyunwonja shouted with inner energy, eyes fierce.
The demonic qi from the sword churned again in response to the Crimson Yang Divine Art.
Namgung Hyeok looked baffled.
"Hey, don't do that. You'll regret it for real if you do."
Hyunwonja shouted with a resolute face.
"Cheongsong! Cheongu! What are you waiting for! Surround that punk immediately!"
"Yes!"
"Hand over the demonic sword, young hero!"
Namgung Hyeok gaped at the Taoists taking triangular formation positions.
Why are they looking at me like I'm some evil spirit?
Hyunwonja shouted sternly.
"In the name of Hyunwon, I swear to destroy that sword!"
With his shout, Cheongsong and Cheongu closed in almost simultaneously.
At the same time, Hyunwonja formed sword seals, preparing to unleash Wudang's Pure Blue Eighteen Steps lightness skill.
His center of gravity shifted forward as if ready to launch, flames of energy flickering over the sword seals gathered at his chest.
Ban Hojeong's jaw dropped.
"Gasp! T-That....!"
If no one stopped them, something big was about to happen.
No, it might already be happening.
'The sword will be ruined, and people will get hurt!'
Because of the demonic qi, that sword was a priceless treasure one might not see once in a lifetime.
Even the master smith Ban Hojeong felt heartbroken at the thought of it being destroyed by Wudang Taoists.
At the same time, he worried Namgung Hyeok might get hurt, and he was shocked by the Namgung family members who hadn't budged an inch amid this.
Why?
The atmosphere was so tense and murderous.
Why weren't they even trying to intervene....
Paeng Junghyeok sighed.
"Haa, he's dead set on dying."
"No one else to mess with, so they pick on the Azure Dragon...."
"Shall we prepare a coffin?"
Dang Myeongjin and Geum Cheomsang muttered and shook their heads.
Ban Hojeong's jaw dropped wide.
What the hell were they saying?
The opponents were Wudang.
Even if the Jade Form Pavilion's leader was somewhat lacking in martial prowess, he was beyond what most sects' experts could challenge.
No matter how outstanding the Azure Dragon was as a young expert, facing mid-tier masters seemed impossible.
Even to a mere smith like him, it looked precarious....
Precarious....
Preca....
Ban Hojeong's eyes bulged at the unfolding scene.
Boom! Kwaboom!
With a massive explosion, Cheongu and Cheongsong, charging at Namgung Hyeok, were flung left and right.
It was like swatting flies—the whirlwind of force from his swung arm sent them flying.
"Kuaaaak!"
"Keheuk!"
Crash!
Crunch!
Cheongsong rolled across the floor and slammed into the wall, while Cheongu shot up high and smashed headfirst into the ceiling.
Dangling!
As Ban Hojeong gaped at Cheongu dangling and swinging like a lantern.
"You punk, how dare youuuu!"
Crunch!
Namgung Hyeok's fist smashed mercilessly into the face of Hyunwonja, who had launched himself with Pure Blue Eighteen Steps.
Ban Hojeong's jaw dropped again as Hyunwonja flew back in the exact pose he'd attacked with.
What in the world was happening?
Ignoring the stunned Ban Hojeong, Namgung Hyeok curled his lip.
"Have they gone mad?"
Every time he got tangled with these flat-nosed bastards, it never ended well!
"Want to return to the void from Taiji, you punks?"
Hyunwonja staggered to his feet.
Clutching his crumpled face, he looked dazed at the snarling Namgung Hyeok.
'W-What is this?'
Did this make any sense?
He knew the Azure Dragon's prowess was impressive, but he was the leader of Wudang's Jade Form Pavilion.
The two great disciples with him were active masters in the martial world.
Even if his skills lagged behind his fellow sect brothers, could he not handle a single young punk like this!
Was it the demonic sword's power?
Wriggle wriggle!
Hiss!
Throb!
Sure enough, the demonic qi was churning.
"You wretch! You've been corrupted by demonic nature! That demonic sword is deluding you!"
Namgung Hyeok cracked his neck side to side.
Crack! Crack!
He mercilessly drove a liver shot into the charging Hyunwonja.
Forming a reverse Taiji, he slammed his fist into Hyunwonja's jaw in an instant.
Kwaaang!
"Keheuk!"
Hyunwonja's jaw spun.
Namgung Hyeok scowled fiercely and yelled.
"Demonic nature my ass! You're the one getting drenched in blood today!"
"W-What?!"
"Fuck, why are you flat-nosed bastards always such pains in the ass, past and present!"
These damn flat-nosed bastards!
Should he just kill him?
No.
They were both orthodox factions, after all.
"I'll turn you into mincemeat!"
Pow! Bam! Pow!
"Return to the void, you punks!"
Bang bang bang!
"Kweeeeek!"
Hyunwonja's screams echoed through the workshop.
The smiths trembled as they watched Namgung Hyeok pummel Hyunwonja while spewing streams of demonic qi.
Ban Hojeong's jaw dropped.
Ah... so that's why he's the Azure Dragon.
He finally understood why Namgung Hyeok was called the Azure Dragon.