Chapter 132: Arriving at White Flower Peak-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 132: Arriving at White Flower Peak-2
Sun-woo arched his back like a bow.
Then, he sprang forward, shooting through the air.
It was the Bow-Body Shadow-Flicker.
This was the trump card he had once used to face Yorang, who boasted transcendental speed. Back then, Sun-woo had only been in the Super-Peak Realm, yet he had displayed a speed that even Yorang couldn't dare to catch.
And now, the Bow-Body Shadow-Flicker performed by Sun-woo, who had reached the Transcendent Realm, was incomparable to that time. Furthermore, his physical abilities had increased exponentially due to his Awakening.
It would not be an exaggeration to describe his speed as a flash of lightning.
Sun-woo shot toward the Yin-Yang Demon with that transcendental speed. He concentrated his internal energy. Yin-Yang Harmony Qi, laced with poison, began to flow through Sun-woo’s hand and into his sword.
Soon, a terrifying energy, lethal just to look at, surged through the Dragon Tail Soft Sword.
‘Die!’
Sun-woo swung the blade straight for the Yin-Yang Demon’s neck.
Clang!
However, his wish was not granted.
Despite being a strike delivered with his entire soul, the Yin-Yang Demon blocked his sword with pathetic ease.
Grit.
Sun-woo lifted his leg and kicked out at the Yin-Yang Demon.
Thud!
Sun-woo’s foot slammed into the Yin-Yang Demon’s stomach, the sound of the impact echoing.
"Heh heh."
But instead of a scream of pain, only a chuckle escaped the Yin-Yang Demon. He raised his other hand and reached for Sun-woo.
Flutter.
Snap!
The Black Dragon Robe fluttered and slapped the Yin-Yang Demon’s hand away. The Yin-Yang Demon seemed slightly surprised, as if he hadn't expected the robe to act on its own.
Sun-woo didn't miss the opening. He quickly formed Astral Qi on his blade and slashed at the Yin-Yang Demon’s neck.
Clang!
But his sword was once again blocked by the Yin-Yang Demon’s hand. The Demon then raised his foot and kicked Sun-woo away.
Sliiiiiide—
Crash!
Sun-woo was pushed back a great distance before smashing through a wall and becoming embedded in the debris.
"You have some quite peculiar things."
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke as he watched Sun-woo. He had thought only the boy's martial arts had improved, but he had brought along some strange artifacts. The abilities of the Dragon Tail Soft Sword and the Black Dragon Robe were enough to surprise even the Yin-Yang Demon. A sword and a robe that possessed their own will to protect their master was a rare sight indeed.
Drip. Drip.
"Blegh!"
Sun-woo, slumped against the broken wall, spat blood onto the floor. It seemed his internal organs had been damaged by the Yin-Yang Demon’s kick.
"Shit."
Sun-woo spat out a curse.
It had been a brief exchange, but he had shown everything he had. He had used the Dragon Tail Soft Sword and the Black Dragon Robe, which he had never used in real combat before, and he had cast the Bow-Body Shadow-Flicker after boosting his physical abilities through Awakening.
Yet, nothing had reached the Yin-Yang Demon.
They were on completely different levels.
Sun-woo knew. He knew the Yin-Yang Demon was holding back significantly. The Demon was merely countering his attacks; he hadn't followed up with any real offensive of his own. If he had to pick a proper attack, it would be the kick from just now, but even that hadn't carried any killing intent.
If the Demon had kicked him in earnest, his stomach would have been pierced through.
Grit.
Sun-woo clenched his teeth harder. He raised the Dragon Tail Soft Sword once more.
‘I’ll make it so you can’t even block it!’
Sun-woo began to circulate the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art. His internal energy flowed through his hand and into the sword, which began to emit a blue light. The blue light grew more vivid until it formed Astral Qi.
Sun-woo began to drive the blue Astral Qi gathered on the blade toward the very tip.
Woooooom—
A massive wave of energy swirled and condensed at the tip of the Dragon Tail Soft Sword.
‘Compress... compress... compress...’
An immense amount of Astral Qi was compressed countless times at the tip of the sword. Soon, it formed a round sphere.
It was a Sword Ring.
Sun-woo took his stance again. He intended to pierce through in a single strike.
Seeing this, the Yin-Yang Demon broke into a wide grin.
A Sword Ring.
What was a Sword Ring? Was it not the highest level of technique, maximizing destructive power by compressing the incredibly powerful energy known as Astral Qi countless times?
The Yin-Yang Demon couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the boy pioneering a path he hadn't even been taught.
Sun-woo arched his back like a bow. Then, he sprang forward, using the recoil to shoot himself toward the target.
Bang!
With a sonic boom that sounded like the air itself exploding, Sun-woo’s figure vanished.
Flash!
He reappeared right in front of the Yin-Yang Demon’s nose.
"Die!!!"
Sun-woo let out a roar as he lunged for the Yin-Yang Demon’s heart.
The Yin-Yang Demon smiled as he watched the Sword Ring approach. Then, he slowly reached out his hand.
At that sight, Sun-woo felt a surge of inner mockery.
‘You’re reaching out with a bare hand when you should be dodging or using Protective Qi?’
Sun-woo sneered at the Demon's arrogance. He believed that arrogance would lead the Demon to his death.
This was a Sword Ring. A technique that maximized destructive power by compressing Sword Astral, which could easily slice through steel like a radish. And he was going to block it with a bare hand?
No matter how much of a master of the Profound Realm he was, it should have been impossible.
Finally, the Demon's hand and Sun-woo’s Sword Ring made contact.
Sun-woo expected the Yin-Yang Demon’s hand to be torn to shreds. But the result was entirely unexpected.
The Yin-Yang Demon’s hand began to move slowly, as if wrapping around the Sword Ring. Despite being in direct contact with the sphere, his hand remained perfectly intact. Then, he slowly pushed the Sword Ring to the side.
The Sword Ring, pushed by his hand, slowly lost its energy and vanished shortly after.
"H-How...?"
Sun-woo’s eyes widened like saucers. It was impossible. Not only had he pushed the Sword Ring away with his bare hand, but he had also neutralized it entirely?!
"Heh heh."
The Yin-Yang Demon chuckled repeatedly, seemingly enjoying Sun-woo’s shocked expression.
"Remember it well. This technique is called the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth."
At those words, despair washed over Sun-woo.
What was the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth?
Was it not the supreme martial art of the West, originally from Persia, and the Cult Protection Martial Art of the Demonic Cult?
The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth was an incredibly bizarre martial art that allowed one to change the direction of force at will. Its utility seemed simple enough, but during the Great War of Righteousness and Demons, countless martial artists of the Central Plains felt an indescribable terror toward this simplicity.
One who mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth could redirect any force. They could twist the direction of an enemy's attack and send it back to the attacker or a third party. They could even redirect arrows, poison, hidden weapons, swords, and spears—every kind of weapon.
There were no exceptions.
While it shared similar principles with Shifting Flowers and Joining Trees or the Wudang Sect’s technique of using four taels to move a thousand catties, it was actually on a completely different level of mystery and power.
Who could face someone who could return every single attack?
The Heavenly Demon Emperor of the past had also mastered this martial art. It was because of this technique that he was able to annihilate a large sect single-handedly without sustaining a single scratch.
Sun-woo stood with his mouth agape after hearing the name. The stories regarding the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth were legendary. And now, that legendary martial art had been performed by the Yin-Yang Demon’s hand. How could he not be shocked?
But the shock was soon replaced by a crushing sense of despair.
As long as the Demon knew the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, no attack Sun-woo launched would ever work. Nothing would reach him.
Sun-woo’s eyes began to redden. He wasn't afraid of dying in a world without Ok-ryeong. He had no lingering attachments. But the thought that he couldn't avenge her brought tears to his eyes.
Drip. Drip.
Tears began to fall from Sun-woo’s eyes. He felt so sorry for Ok-ryeong. It was because of him. He was the reason she died. He shouldn't have left her with the Yin-Yang Demon. He shouldn't have come looking for White Flower Peak in the first place.
Tears of regret and remorse flowed down Sun-woo’s cheeks.
"Stop your damn crying."
Seeing this, the Yin-Yang Demon frowned and spoke to him. He had shown the boy a divine technique, yet instead of being impressed, the brat was blubbering?
"Why is this kid so full of tears?"
Annoyed by the sight, the Yin-Yang Demon grumbled. Despite the Demon's irritation, Sun-woo continued to sob.
"Ok-ryeong is alive."
It was then. Perhaps tired of hearing Sun-woo’s crying, the Yin-Yang Demon blurted out the words.
"W-What did you say?"
Sun-woo stammered, his voice trembling.
"She's alive, you brat. So stop leaking from your eyes."
The Yin-Yang Demon’s irritated voice followed.
*
Sun-woo covered the unconscious Yorang with his robe. Looking at her, he felt a pang of guilt for bringing her along when she had been doing just fine. It felt like she was getting knocked out every single day.
Pat, pat.
Sun-woo stroked Yorang’s hair a couple of times before standing up. It was time to go see Ok-ryeong.
"Follow me, brat."
The Yin-Yang Demon began walking toward the earthen cave filled with jars of Fasting Pills.
‘Huh?’
Sun-woo followed the Yin-Yang Demon, feeling puzzled. Looking inside the cave, it was filled with jars just like before, but Ok-ryeong was nowhere to be seen. Sun-woo looked at the Yin-Yang Demon with a gaze full of distrust.
"Want me to gouge your eyes out?"
Noticing Sun-woo’s look, the Yin-Yang Demon spat out harsh words. Sun-woo quickly lowered his gaze. He felt that this man might actually gouge his eyes out.
"It's this."
The Yin-Yang Demon pointed a finger at the ground. Looking down, Sun-woo saw a single bamboo tube stuck into the earth.
"What is this...?"
"She is buried under this ground."
"What!?"
Sun-woo asked back in shock. Why on earth would he bury a perfectly fine, living person in the ground? A look of disbelief began to cloud Sun-woo’s eyes.
"Keep your eyes pretty if you don't want them dug out."
"Yes, sir!"
Sun-woo lowered his eyes and answered quickly. He had realized the gap in their power. He vowed not even to think about resisting.
"What do you think the Turtle Breathing Technique is in the first place? It maintains a state where breathing, heartbeat, and even body temperature are almost like a corpse. But if you expose that to the air at room temperature, it'll rot in no time."
"But wouldn't she rot just the same if she's buried in the ground?"
"That's fine. The higher the viscosity of the soil, the less a body rots. Fortunately, the soil in this cave has high viscosity. So I buried her without hesitation."
Hearing the Yin-Yang Demon’s explanation, Sun-woo let out a silent sigh of relief. He had confirmed that the Yin-Yang Demon hadn't killed Ok-ryeong.
‘Wait.’
Then, Sun-woo felt a sense of dissonance. Didn't the Demon clearly say earlier that he had killed Ok-ryeong? But now he was saying she was alive. That was also strange. Why tell such a pointless lie? It was confusing as hell.
"Wait a minute."
Sun-woo hurriedly called out to the Yin-Yang Demon.
"What, you brat?"
"Didn't you clearly say earlier that you killed Ok-ryeong?"
"When did I say that?"
The Yin-Yang Demon asked back as if he had no idea.
"You said there was no hope, so you buried her in the ground!"
"And that's why I buried her."
The Yin-Yang Demon pointed at the ground as he spoke to Sun-woo.
"............"
Sun-woo wore a dumbfounded expression. If someone phrased it like that, anyone would assume she was dead!
"Then why did you beat up Yorang!?"
"Since when does a beast address a human like a friend? Besides, her wailing was so loud my eardrums were stinging."
"............"
It seemed he had beaten Yorang simply because she spoke informally to him.
"You remember this well, too. A beast only listens when it's beaten."
Sun-woo stood there, stunned. If that was the case, there had been no reason for him and the Yin-Yang Demon to fight in the first place. Then what had he been fighting so fiercely for? Why had he shed those hot tears?
"Anyway, did you bring the Poison Essence?"
The Yin-Yang Demon swallowed a smirk at Sun-woo’s stunned face and changed the subject.
Pat, pat.
Sun-woo patted his chest.
"It's inside my robe."
"Good. We can start the treatment right away."
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke calmly.
"But there's a problem. The poison is so potent that it can't be touched by normal means..."
"Hand it over."
The Yin-Yang Demon cut Sun-woo off and held out his hand.
Thud.
Sun-woo hesitated for a moment before placing the Poison Essence in his hand. Contrary to his worries, the Yin-Yang Demon handled the Poison Essence as if it were nothing. Sun-woo’s jaw dropped at the sight.
He himself could touch it because his Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art had completely fused with the poison, giving his energy poisonous properties—but what was the Yin-Yang Demon?
"What do you take me for?"
Noticing Sun-woo’s gaze, the Yin-Yang Demon gave a smirk. An air of effortless composure radiated from his face.
"I'm going to treat her, so get out."
The Yin-Yang Demon issued an expulsion order.
"Can't I watch from the side?"
Sun-woo asked in a suggestive tone.
"Get lost. You're in the way."
The Yin-Yang Demon flatly rejected Sun-woo’s request.
"Okay..."
At the firm rejection, Sun-woo’s shoulders slumped as he trudged out of the cave. The Yin-Yang Demon watched Sun-woo’s retreating back and let out a faint smile.