Thunder Sword vs. Lightning Needle
html, body { margin:0; padding:0; } Ruffian: Jongchil 20
The illusory space created by the mysterious corpse-raiser was filled on all sides with thick, dark fog. It was the perfect spot to use Darkness Radar. There was no skill more useful in a place where visibility was completely blocked.
Darkness Radar7Lv (C-rank)
Consumes mana to scan a 70m radius around you. Range doubles in darkness.
Perfect timing—the skill had just leveled up. Now my radar's detection range extended to 70 meters. In darkness, that made it 140 meters.
Someone might look at the distance and think it wasn't much, but in a situation like this where you couldn't see an inch ahead, being able to grasp everything within 70 meters in all directions was a tremendous advantage.
It was especially useful in places cluttered with obstacles, like dense mountains or forests. Detecting enemy ambushes went without saying.
They're fighting over there.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of swords clashing came from the right. Sound alone wasn't enough to pinpoint the exact location, but Darkness Radar had picked up four people. I headed straight there.
"Urgh! Who sent you assassins!?"
Nangong Hyeok swung his sword while bellowing in a voice thick with rage.
Nangong Hyeok's moniker was Net Sword.
True to his name, his dense, net-like sword strikes blocked the assassin's blade rushing at him through the fog.
His swordplay showed no sign of being hampered by the poor visibility—it thoroughly sealed off his opponent's attacks. As expected of one of the Nangong family's promising young talents.
"Heh heh! You ever seen an assassin who answers that!?"
But the advantage lay with the assassins. They moved freely, as if the thick fog was no hindrance at all, pressing Nangong Hyeok relentlessly.
Was the formation's fog not affecting them?
Or maybe they had some tool to secure visibility. Either way, it made sense—they were the ones who set the trap.
"Young Master Hyeok! Damn it! You cowards!"
Yeonmuk spat in frustration as she drew her sword. But with her vision blocked, her swings only sliced empty air. The two assassins ignored her, focusing their attacks on Nangong Hyeok. They planned to take him out first.
Nangong Hyeok was holding his own pretty well, but at this rate, he wouldn't last twenty exchanges. The situation itself was stacked against him.
He had to face two opponents, and on top of that, his vision was impaired. The fact that he'd held out this long proved he was an exceptional martial artist.
At least super first-rate level. He'll definitely make the top eight in this Dragon-Tiger Contest.
I didn't intervene right away, just observed. Nangong Hyeok hadn't pulled out his trump card yet. He'd do it soon—he had no time to waste.
"You bastards! You think the Nangong family is a joke!? Fine, I'll show you the power of Nangong!"
Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!
Blue lightning began to flicker along Nangong Hyeok's sword. It was a brilliant flash piercing the obstructive fog—the Nangong family's signature art, Emperor Sword Technique.
If someone asked what symbolized the Nangong family, nine out of ten would say sword and lightning. They were the masters of the sword and lords of thunder.
The Nangong clan's unique heart method, Heavenly Thunder Heart-Shattering Qi Technique, was one of the rare arts that allowed accumulating lightning qi within the body. That was why they paired so well with Lightning Spirit Pills.
The Emperor Sword Technique perfectly wielded that accumulated lightning qi. Legend had it that mastering it let you command heavenly thunder like a blue dragon. Of course, that was exaggeration, but it captured the essence of the Nangong swordsmanship beautifully.
"Kuhaha! Finally! The Nangong family's Emperor Sword Technique! I've been waiting to see it!"
"Then behold! This is Nangong's thunder! I'll cut off your arms and interrogate your backers slowly!"
The blue sparks crackling from Nangong Hyeok's sword grew stronger. Soon, they transformed into massive lightning.
Instead of sword qi, he wrapped his blade in lightning qi. The lightning radiating from his sword shot out in all directions.
Crackle! Crackle!
Nangong Hyeok's sword moved. Its speed was like a bolt from a clear sky. The destructive power was as immense as thunder shaking heaven and earth, and the web of lightning branching from his blade like spider silk evoked his Net Sword moniker. If he used that technique in the Dragon-Tiger Contest, he'd cruise to the finals.
But the assassins facing his thunder sword acted way too suspiciously. The power in his blade was nothing to scoff at, yet they remained utterly composed.
Impossible without some dirty trick up their sleeves. If they could overwhelm his thunder sword with pure skill, the fight would've ended already.
"Kuhaha! I've been waiting for this moment!"
One assassin pulled a small metal rod from his bosom to counter Nangong Hyeok's sword. A normal rod would've been suicide, but of course, it wasn't ordinary.
Zzzzap!
"Gaaah!"
The scream came from Nangong Hyeok.
"Young Master Hyeok!"
Yeonmuk urgently aimed her sword toward the scream. But Nangong Hyeok was already out of the fight. He dropped his sword like someone electrocuted and collapsed to the ground.
"Kuhahaha! This is the power of the Thunder Absorbing Needle!"
◈ Absorbs lightning qi with mysterious power. A perfect counter to the Nangong family's arts.
◈ Limited capacity—overload causes explosion and injury.
The Thunder Absorbing Needle—one of the artifacts from the original story. It had the mystical power to absorb lightning qi and was a key counter to the Nangong family.
However, it had a fixed capacity for absorption. Pour in more lightning qi than that, and it would explode, injuring the user.
To overload it, you'd need at least mid-peak realm. A sure counter against the current Nangong Hyeok.
Nangong Hyeok had lost a massive amount of lightning qi in an instant and collapsed from exhaustion. He hadn't lost consciousness, but he was combat-ineffective for now. Only Yeonmuk remained.
"Hee hee! A Huashan disciple wasn't on the list, but not a bad catch."
"Eek! I won't go down easy!"
Purple energy bloomed from Yeonmuk's sword. A fragrant plum blossom scent spread outward from her blade—the effect of Huashan's signature heart method, Purple Flower Divine Art.
If lightning symbolized the Nangong family, plum blossoms symbolized Huashan. The deeper the purple plum scent, the higher the skill level—and Yeonmuk's was profoundly rich and fragrant, beyond what her age suggested.
"Haaah!"
From her sword tip unfolded the 24 Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Her purple internal energy wove beautiful plum blossoms in the air. The flashy, elegant Huashan swordsmanship had a captivating resonance that moved the viewer—and it wasn't exaggeration.
As expected of a named character from the original.
Yeonmuk's dazzling swordplay flustered the assassins. But it wasn't enough to turn the tide.
If even a disciple like Yeonmuk is this strong, that Song Ukgang must be impressive. Nice—maybe target him next?
"Don't talk nonsense! I'll kill you all here!"
"Kuhaha! The reason you're alive isn't your swordsmanship—it's next year's prime body!"
As they got serious, the assassins' attacks sharpened toward Yeonmuk. She struggled to defend against their blades in the invisible fog, unable to stop the accumulating wounds. Forced to use her flashy plum blossom sword purely for defense, she fell into a defensive slump.
"Urk! Miss Yeon!"
Nangong Hyeok, kneeling on the ground and barely rising, called to her in a ragged voice. The situation was dire for Yeonmuk.
"Kuhaha! Let's see that flesh!"
Slash!
The assassin's sword grazed Yeonmuk's skirt. It loosened and slid down.
"Hee hee! Nice panties!"
"Eek!"
Seeing them leer at Yeonmuk's underwear, it seemed the assassins could pierce the fog. I wanted a look too. Couldn't see details through the mist.
"Kuhaha! Dance for our amusement!"
The two assassins' relentless combo attacks cracked Yeonmuk's already strained defense. The beautiful plum petals in the air began to scatter one by one, and finally, she lost her grip on her sword.
Ting!
"Aah!"
Her sword spun through the air and stabbed into the ground.
Yeonmuk hurriedly shifted to fist stance, but unlike the Wudang sect, Huashan had no renowned fist arts. No way she could hold off two assassins barehanded.
"Gahaha! What a sight! A Nangong punk and a Huashan bitch collapsing so helplessly!"
"Bro! Time to have some fun, right?"
"Of course!"
After their exchange, the thick fog enveloping everything slowly began to lift. They'd subdued their two targets, so no need for it anymore. Maintaining the fog probably drained their internal energy or something.
Once the fog cleared completely, the assassins' faces came into view. More ordinary than expected. No idea if they were from the original story.
I can guess their backers, though.
Definitely minions of the Shadow Moon Divine Cult, the secret organization stirring up chaos in the martial world.
The Shadow Moon Divine Cult's goal was to sow discord in the martial world, spark a war, then claim the ruins for themselves. The recent murder of the Murim Alliance's Falling Jade Prison warden was their doing too.
Their hallmark was a butterfly tattoo somewhere on the body. A quick search would confirm their identity.
"Kuhaha! Bro, check this bitch's face. Pretty cute, huh?"
"Urgh! You filthy scum! Reveal your affiliation!"
Yeonmuk glared at them in fury. But the assassins ignored her, chatting among themselves.
"I'll take her front, you take the back. Let's fuck and finish quick."
"Sounds good. Looks like her ass is virgin territory—I'll develop it personally."
"Ugh! S-stay back!"
Yeonmuk crawled backward on the ground, scooting on her butt. But the assassins approached with vile grins, faster than her retreat.
"We'll send you to paradise so death won't feel unfair! Kuhaha!"
About time I stepped in.