Chapter 72: Tang Seo-yoon Shows Her Divine Might - Part 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 72: Tang Seo-yoon Shows Her Divine Might - Part 2
Clang!
Clang!
Go Wol began to deflect the hidden weapons flying toward him one by one.
How many hidden weapons does this girl have?
Go Wol cursed inwardly.
He had swatted them away with his sword time and again, yet the number of incoming projectiles showed no sign of thinning. Just how many did she have hidden on her person?
In the Sichuan Tang Clan, it was common for direct-line descendants who practiced poison arts to carry one or two as a last resort. Since the creation of the legendary Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art, there was no longer a need to rely heavily on hidden weapons.
But Tang Seo-yoon was different.
Despite having mastered that peerless art, she carried enough hidden weapons to throw them incessantly.
Swish!
"Urgh!"
Suddenly, one of the hidden weapons she fired grazed Go Wol’s cheek.
Drip.
Blood began to trickle from the shallow cut.
"How can you save face if you're being toyed with by a 'mere girl'?"
Tang Seo-yoon mocked him with a smirk.
"You little bitch!"
Irritation flared within Go Wol.
Since their poisonous auras were evenly matched, the fight inevitably had to be decided by other means. That was why he had drawn his sword, while Tang Seo-yoon had pulled out plain, simple hidden weapons without any mechanical triggers.
When he first saw them, Go Wol had snorted in derision. He thought it pathetic that she would resort to the petty martial arts of common thugs.
In the Tang Clan, throwing hidden weapons had long since been relegated to a low-tier martial art used only by the branch families. The art of throwing, originally created to compensate for the high risks of poison arts, had fallen into complete decline after the emergence of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art.
Direct-line descendants preferred carrying one or two complex, powerful mechanical hidden weapons. There was no need to burden oneself with a belt full of throwing knives.
Thus, Go Wol had been confident in his advantage and acted with leisure. He assumed her actions were nothing more than the desperate struggles of someone cornered.
It didn't take long for him to realize how wrong he was.
Every single hidden weapon Tang Seo-yoon threw was infused with significant internal energy. They carried such immense force that it was difficult to deflect them without using at least Sword Qi. Go Wol was forced to maintain his Sword Qi constantly, which began to accelerate the depletion of his internal energy.
Furthermore, whenever he tried to close the distance, she moved with ghostly speed to pull away, denying him any chance to strike. He realized that if his internal energy ran out before her hidden weapons did, he would surely lose.
I can't let that happen.
Go Wol adjusted his grip on his sword. He wasn't the type to gamble on dangerous moves, but he had to seize victory, even if it meant taking a risk.
Go Wol began to surge his internal energy, channeling it into the blade.
Wooooong—
The sword resonated, and the surrounding air began to swirl and gather around the blade.
Now!
Go Wol swung the sword, now heavy with gathered currents, toward Tang Seo-yoon.
Whoosh!
Screeeeeech!
As he swung, the air currents gathered on the blade transformed into sharp wind blades, flying toward Tang Seo-yoon.
Sword Wind?!
Startled, Tang Seo-yoon tried to dodge, but the blades were already upon her.
Slash!
She quickly manifested her Protective Qi to shield her body, but she couldn't avoid the internal injury.
"Cough!"
Tang Seo-yoon clutched her chest. A sharp pain radiated from where the Sword Wind had struck. If she had been even a moment slower with her Protective Qi, her body would have been sliced apart.
"What a waste. I was planning on cutting you clean in half."
Go Wol spoke with a sly grin. Any thought of capturing her alive had long since vanished. Her beauty, which rivaled the Greatest Beauty Under Heaven, was a shame to lose, but she was too strong to defeat without going all out.
Fsssss—
Go Wol began to radiate a thick murderous aura.
"Mmm..."
Tang Seo-yoon let out a low groan, sensing the shift in his demeanor.
Go Wol was strong—vulgar language aside. He was a prime example of how personality and skill didn't always correlate.
There was almost no difference in the level of their poison arts. This meant the fight couldn't be settled with poison. In the end, all she had left were her hidden weapons.
If the Great Elder or the Grand Elder, who hadn't practiced hidden weapon arts, had faced Go Wol, they would have been in trouble. But she was different.
Obsessed with martial arts, she had carved out time from her sleep to master not only poison arts but also hidden weapon arts to perfection. Thanks to the throwing weapons she carried to practice the Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers, she had held the upper hand.
But with the appearance of Sword Wind, the scales were balanced once more.
Sword Wind.
It was a high-level technique that involved wrapping the sword in air currents to fire blades of wind. If used correctly, it granted the power to cut down distant opponents. However, it was rarely used because it consumed a vast amount of internal energy—nearly as much as Sword Astral. Usually, martial artists preferred to close the distance and end things with a single strike of Sword Astral.
The fact that Go Wol had resorted to Sword Wind meant he was frustrated by his inability to close the gap.
Tang Seo-yoon watched Go Wol with a tense gaze. Now that he could attack from a distance, the advantage of her hidden weapons had faded. They were back on equal footing.
No, if anything, Tang Seo-yoon was at a disadvantage. No matter how many she had, her hidden weapons were finite. In contrast, as long as Go Wol's sword didn't break, he could keep attacking. If his internal energy didn't run out before she threw her last weapon, she was as good as dead.
She had to end this quickly.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Go Wol began to advance, swatting away the hidden weapons with his Sword Wind. Though it consumed a lot of energy, it allowed him to close the distance much more easily than using simple Sword Qi.
The gap of thirty meters was instantly narrowed to fifteen.
Go Wol rejoiced.
"Heh, why don't you spread your legs and beg for mercy now?"
Feeling more relaxed, Go Wol threw a lewd insult at her.
"........."
But she remained silent, focusing entirely on her offense and defense. If she let her guard down for even a second, the distance would be closed in an instant. She didn't have the luxury to respond to such a cheap strategy of provocation.
"Tsk, boring bitch."
Go Wol clicked his tongue at her stoic reaction. He always found it a turn-on when a woman as stiff as a stone statue finally started screaming, and he felt a pang of regret that he wouldn't get to experience that with her.
She had the looks of the Greatest Beauty Under Heaven, yet she was so strong that he couldn't take her alive. He almost wanted to curse the heavens.
But what must be, must be.
Go Wol concentrated his internal energy once more. He planned to fire a Sword Wind and then use an explosive burst of energy to close the remaining distance.
They were only nine meters apart now. At this range, he could definitely reach her.
One, two, three!
Swish!
Boom!
As the Sword Wind flew, Go Wol detonated his internal energy at his Yongcheon points. His body shot forward like a cannonball. A few hidden weapons struck him, but he didn't care.
I'll take a few hits from those toothpicks. In exchange, you're giving me your life!
Sword Astral began to coat Go Wol's blade.
Wooooong—
As the distance closed, he swung his sword without hesitation.
Whoosh!
"Die!"
Go Wol’s Sword Astral reached Tang Seo-yoon’s face. It was too late to dodge. She had to minimize the damage somehow.
Tang Seo-yoon manifested her Protective Qi once more. This was different from the Sword Wind. Whether she could withstand it was uncertain. But if she didn't, only death awaited her.
KABOOM!
As Go Wol’s Sword Astral collided with Tang Seo-yoon’s Protective Qi, a massive shockwave scattered and a thunderous roar erupted.
Crash!
"Gah!"
Taking the direct hit of the shockwave, Tang Seo-yoon spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, slamming into a wall. The wall crumbled, burying her under the debris.
"Ugh..."
Go Wol groaned. The impact had been significant for him as well, and he felt a sharp ache in his wrists.
"What a girl."
Go Wol was genuinely impressed. In that split second, she had manifested Protective Qi to prevent her body from being severed. He couldn't do anything about the blunt force of the impact, but blocking the blade itself was an incredible feat.
But that was it. In the end, she was down, and he was the one still standing.
"Heh... hehehe... HAHAHAHA!"
Go Wol’s boisterous laughter echoed. He had won.
He turned around and began to walk toward the Great Matriarch. It was time for the victor to claim his spoils. He would violate her to his heart's content.
It was then.
Shiver.
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
No way.
Go Wol spun around. He stared at the pile of bricks where Tang Seo-yoon was buried. The rubble still covered her.
What was that?
Just as Go Wol was feeling puzzled...
Rumble.
The debris began to shift. Then, Tang Seo-yoon emerged, her eyes hollow and sunken. Her mouth was stained red from the blood she had coughed up, evidence of her severe internal injuries.
"You stubborn bitch. If you had just stayed down and played dead, you might have kept your life!"
At Go Wol’s words, Tang Seo-yoon gave a faint smirk.
It wasn't that she hadn't thought about it. Even with her Protective Qi, Go Wol’s Sword Astral had been too much to handle. Her ribs were broken. A shard of bone had likely pierced her lung, making every breath an agonizing struggle. Her internal organs were twisted, and she was in excruciating pain.
She wanted nothing more than to collapse and fall into a deep sleep.
But she couldn't. If she fell now, she would never complete the Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers. That thought consumed her, driving her to stand back up.
To worry more about an incomplete technique than her own life after being pushed to the brink of death... if he saw her like this, he might laugh and call her a crazy woman. But she couldn't help it. That was just the kind of woman she was.
Besides, if something happened to the Great Matriarch, there was no telling what that madman would do. In the worst-case scenario, he might just disappear with the second half of the technique's secrets. She didn't want that.
Stagger, stagger.
"I have to... protect them."
Tang Seo-yoon forced herself upright, swaying on her feet.
"Foolish girl."
Seeing her rise like a living corpse, Go Wol readjusted his grip on his sword. What did she think she could do in that state? It looked more like she was begging him to finish her off.
Go Wol began to concentrate his internal energy. Though he was nearly depleted, he could easily handle a walking corpse like Tang Seo-yoon.
Go Wol charged at her. Just like before, he focused his energy on his Yongcheon points and detonated it. This time, he would pierce her throat and end it for sure.
Using the explosive force as a springboard, Go Wol flew toward her at high speed.
Fifteen feet.
She had to endure.
Twelve feet.
Not yet.
Nine feet.
Just a little, just a little more.
Seven feet.
Now.
Tang Seo-yoon thrust her hands into her sleeves. She concentrated every last drop of internal energy from her Dantian into her fingertips. The energy flowed into the hidden weapons.
This was her final gamble.
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
Tang Seo-yoon unleashed every single hidden weapon she possessed at once. A countless multitude of steel flowers began to fill the sky. It was a technique Go Wol had only ever heard of—the ultimate peak of hidden weapon arts that had been overshadowed by the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art.
The Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers.
"AAAAAAAGH!"
Go Wol began to scream as the myriad of hidden weapons began to bury themselves in his body. It felt as if he were being struck by a sudden thunderstorm from a clear sky.
He had been prepared to take three or four hits at most. But the number of weapons she unleashed wasn't just three or four. It was a staggering amount that completely filled his vision.
"Gwaaaaagh!"
The flowers of steel bloomed across Go Wol’s body one by one. With no internal energy left, he couldn't even manifest Protective Qi.
Two hidden weapons pierced his forehead, shattering his skull. Another sliced off his ear. One struck his right eye, blinding him instantly. A weapon lodged in his nose, collapsing the bridge. One pierced his throat, creating a whistling air hole. Dozens more buried themselves in his chest, and his limbs were riddled with steel. His groin was mangled beyond recognition.
Unable to even scream from the sheer intensity of the pain, Go Wol died where he stood.
The disciple of the Poison Demon and the leader of the Evil Ghost Squad—a place where the world's most wicked gathered—Go Wol died without ever realizing his ambition of destroying the Tang Clan.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Tang Seo-yoon gasped for air. It wasn't a perfect Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers. It was merely a technique mimicked using only the first half of the secrets.
But it seemed to have been enough for Go Wol. A man who had reached the Upper Stage of the Super-Peak Realm had died without being able to offer any resistance.
"Urgh..."
In exchange, a massive backlash surged through her body. She had clearly overexerted herself. Her Dantian felt hollow. She had exhausted almost all of her internal energy.
She wanted to collapse and sleep right then and there. But she couldn't. Even though Go Wol was dead, the Evil Ghost Squad would still be carrying out their slaughter. She had to stop them.
Limp, limp.
Dragging her feet, she approached the Great Matriarch and Geum Jeok-hwa.
Tap, tap, tap.
She concentrated her last shred of energy into her fingers and moved her hands rapidly to unseal the Great Matriarch’s acupoints.
"Hah..."
The Great Matriarch let out a groan as her body was suddenly freed. Regaining her composure, she spoke with tears welling in her eyes.
"Thank you, young lady."
Tang Seo-yoon had saved her from being violated by that monster. She couldn't be anything but grateful.
"Haah... haah... I didn't have enough energy to free both of you. Sister, please free the Third Madam."
"I understand. For now, please rest."
The Great Matriarch urged Tang Seo-yoon to rest. To her eyes, Tang Seo-yoon looked dangerously close to collapse.
"There's... no time... for that. Instead, please take me down to the Medicine King Pavilion."
The Medicine King Pavilion was the archive where the Tang Clan’s elixirs were kept. Normally, it was a place one couldn't even approach without having performed great service or on special occasions, but the current situation didn't allow for such formalities. She intended to recover her body using elixirs.
Tap, tap, tap.
Meanwhile, the Great Matriarch freed Geum Jeok-hwa’s acupoints.
"Phew."
Geum Jeok-hwa also groaned as her body regained mobility.
"There's no need to go to the Medicine King Pavilion. I have a Hundred-Year Fleeceflower in my quarters."
Geum Jeok-hwa spoke urgently. Although it was the Medicine King Pavilion, most of the elixirs kept there were low-grade items that could be found on the market. The high-grade elixirs had already been consumed by the direct-line descendants.
Geum Jeok-hwa revealed the existence of the Hundred-Year Fleeceflower she had secretly hidden for her son. It was a preparation she had kept for him to successfully pass through the Godok Hall, but in the current situation, giving it to Tang Seo-yoon was the right choice. What was the point of a Young Clan Head if the Tang Clan itself was destroyed?
Hearing her words, Tang Seo-yoon smiled. It seemed the heavens had not yet abandoned the Tang Clan.
Supporting Tang Seo-yoon between them, the Great Matriarch and Geum Jeok-hwa headed toward the Third Madam’s quarters.