Chapter 285: Old Monster Mangong
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 285: Old Monster Mangong
Crackle, crackle.
A pungent smell wafted through the air.
The tens of thousands of centipedes that had filled the tunnel were reduced to a handful of crumbling ash.
Beyond the flames, Wang Chwiong stood relatively unharmed, but his eyes trembled in a way I had never seen before.
“...I guess a 4th-circle spell doesn't do much against a Flower Realm master, huh?”
Kang Hyun-woo brushed the ashes from his shoulder and walked out of the fire.
With the flames at his back, his eyes glowed red. The strange pattern drawn in his left eye added an inexplicable sense of pressure.
“Hmm, is it because you're so old all the fat's been rendered out? You're not burnt at all.”
“You... you bastard! How dare you!”
Wang Chwiong roared at Kang Hyun-woo, who was nonchalantly rubbing the back of his neck with a smirk.
But his fury lacked its previous intensity.
What he was feeling now was not mere bewilderment.
It was fear of the unknown.
Wang Chwiong denied it with all his might.
He, the leader of the Black Crow Sect, couldn't possibly feel fear toward a rising star who was barely past twenty. He channeled his rage, raising his internal energy.
The moment a formidable killing intent erupted from him, Wang Chwiong kicked off the ground and charged forward.
Thud!
A dark, murky aura enveloped his staff.
In response, Kang Hyun-woo coated his Black Killing Mad Demon Sword with his own aura and swung.
Clang!
The tunnel shook from their collision. The impact was strong enough that some of the more sensitive guests in Monghyeonru noticed something was amiss.
Wang Chwiong couldn't hide his shock when he saw that Kang Hyun-woo hadn't been pushed back by his strike.
'How dare a mere Transcendent Realm master not be pushed back by my power?!'
Though he outwardly expressed rage, Wang Chwiong was perfectly rational.
Unlike some members of the Evil Faction whose demonic nature had seeped into their very bones, he was a martial artist who had achieved enlightenment and reached the Flower Realm. He wasn't foolish enough to underestimate an opponent who used such strange and unidentifiable dark arts.
Of course, he still had to bite his tongue to suppress the rage he felt at the sight of his precious poisonous creatures, cultivated over many years, turning to ash in an instant.
Even as blood trickled from between his lips, Wang Chwiong swung his staff.
Aside from its cumbersome appearance, it was practically a simple staff.
Kang! Kaang! Kkang!
His dazzling staff techniques relentlessly pressed down on Kang Hyun-woo.
Publicly, the Black Crow Sect was famous for cultivating all sorts of poisonous creatures and using the poison arts derived from them, but this was a common misconception.
Just as the martial artists of the Tang Family of Sichuan were masters of swordsmanship, the Black Crow Sect had passed down exceptional staff arts for generations.
The Poison Blood Ghost Staff Art.
While it couldn't compare to the Beggar's Sect's Dog Beating Staff Art, it was undoubtedly a high-level martial art.
“You, of all people, I will ask 'that place' to turn you into a jiangshi so I can control you myself!”
Kwagagagak!
As the leader of one of the Twelve Demonic Sects, Wang Chwiong's accumulated internal energy was beyond imagination. Every time he swung his staff, a brutal grinding sound, like a drill, echoed through the tunnel.
Furthermore, true to the name of his technique, a thick poison energy seeped from the tip of his staff, pressuring Kang Hyun-woo.
It was clear who was on the defensive.
Kang Hyun-woo, who had initially blocked Wang Chwiong's attacks head-on, was now starting to dodge or deflect them.
Seeing this, Wang Chwiong's lips curled into a smirk.
'You've lasted long for a Transcendent Realm master, but this is the end.'
An insurmountable gap existed between the Flower Realm and the Transcendent Realm.
If the Transcendent Realm was the stage of establishing one's inner image, the Flower Realm was the stage of projecting that image onto the world.
In simpler terms, the more they clashed, the more Kang Hyun-woo's Aura would be eroded by Wang Chwiong's inner image, gradually losing its form.
The same applied to his protective aura.
Moreover, the poison energy that was steadily filling the tunnel was smiling upon Wang Chwiong.
He could have simply dragged out the fight, but he chose not to.
He was anxious about when Kang Hyun-woo might use his dark arts again, and he wanted to vent the deep-seated anger in his heart.
“I'll start by crushing that venomous mouth of yours!”
Wang Chwiong's staff began to spin.
The murky aura and poison energy compressed, following its flow.
Chiiik—
Wang Chwiong unleashed the concentrated energy, thrusting his staff forward.
Poison Blood Ghost Staff Art: Mountain-Breaking Acupoint Strike.
Fwaaaah!
The staff, spinning at an incredible speed, shot forward with the force of a spear, hurtling toward Kang Hyun-woo.
It was a speed that even a martial artist at the apex of the Transcendent Realm would struggle to react to.
In that moment, Wang Chwiong was certain of his victory.
Of course, he had no intention of blowing up his head, since the corpse needed to be in good condition to be made into a jiangshi.
He would just shatter that wretched mouth and jaw of his.
He had controlled his power to that extent, but he had by no means held back his killing move.
'...But why?'
Wang Chwiong watched the sword flying toward him, a question forming in his mind.
Even if the passage was fairly wide, the fact that it was a tunnel meant the space was limited.
It wasn't just a matter of speed. Considering the range of the swirling aura and poison, it was an unavoidable attack.
Even if he managed to dodge, he would have to give up an arm.
But Kang Hyun-woo was defiantly swinging his sword, having dodged the staff.
Wang Chwiong's gaze fell on Kang Hyun-woo's eyes, which were emitting a strange light. They held an indescribable, sinister energy.
Just as the dark Aura sliced through the air, aiming to sever Wang Chwiong's neck...
KABOOM!
A tremendous explosion erupted, and poison energy whipped out in all directions.
*
The explosion centered on Wang Chwiong shook the entire tunnel.
The shockwave reached as far as Cheon Yeo-hwa and Mujin.
“Wh-what was that just now?!”
Mujin, his face pale, looked back toward where Kang Hyun-woo was.
Still being dragged by the scruff of his neck by Cheon Yeo-hwa, he struggled.
“Sister-in-law! We have to go back now! My brother won't last long on his own—”
“No.”
Cheon Yeo-hwa answered Mujin's shout with a firm voice.
“If it's him, he'll be fine.”
Mujin looked at Cheon Yeo-hwa, taken aback by her confident reply.
Her eyes held an unwavering faith in someone.
It was impossible not to know who that someone was.
At this point, Mujin had no choice but to shut his mouth. He decided to trust Kang Hyun-woo in his heart.
'Brother! I'll believe that you'll come back alive and well!'
It was the kind of support and worry the person in question wouldn't be too happy to hear.
In any case, Mujin continued to be dragged along by the scruff of his neck by Cheon Yeo-hwa.
It felt as if their roles had been reversed, but he didn't complain, as he instinctively knew that Cheon Yeo-hwa was stronger than him.
It was actually kind of comfortable.
Thud!
But after suddenly being thrown to the ground and rolling several times, that thought vanished completely.
Covered in dirt, Mujin looked up at Cheon Yeo-hwa.
“S-Sister-in-law?”
She said nothing, staring straight ahead.
Her red eyes, gleaming under the torchlight, flashed with a murderous glint.
Only then did Mujin realize the situation was unusual. But no matter how long he waited, nothing happened.
Still, Cheon Yeo-hwa continued to glare intently forward.
“Come out.”
Startled by her voice, which was colder than a winter gale, Mujin looked around, but he couldn't see so much as a rat, let alone an insect.
Glancing at Cheon Yeo-hwa, Mujin carefully spoke.
“Um, Sister-in-law? What are you talking...”
“You've got good instincts, girl.”
“?!”
At that moment, someone walked out from the darkness beyond the torchlight.
Mujin couldn't believe his eyes. The man was less than thirty feet away, yet he hadn't sensed his presence at all.
This should have been impossible.
The current situation implied one of two things.
Either the man was an assassin who had mastered dark arts, or he was a master of a higher level than himself.
“Hmm, this is quite a predicament. The elder only mentioned the Blue Dragon...”
The man's gaze swept over Cheon Yeo-hwa and Mujin.
Shing!
His gaze was so chilling that Mujin instinctively drew his sword. But the man only glanced at him for a moment before paying him no further mind.
As if he wasn't even worth dealing with.
“Hey, girl.”
The man's gruff voice echoed in the tunnel.
Cheon Yeo-hwa didn't deign to answer, instead looking at him as if he were a bug crawling on the floor.
As if pleased by her reaction, the man gave a grotesque smile.
“Keke, yes. A girl with some spirit is much fresher than an obedient one. I'll make you an offer. I'll spare your life if you become my woman.”
“How dare you!”
Mujin felt an unbearable rage at the insult directed at his brother's wife.
It didn't matter that his opponent was a greater master than him.
Now was the time to swing his sword for the sake of his sister-in-law's honor.
Just as Mujin was about to charge the man...
Fwip!
A flash of white light, and the man's ear was half torn off.
“?”
“?”
The sudden turn of events left not only Mujin but also the man who had been attacked bewildered as he touched his wound.
A considerable amount of blood stained the ground red.
The man's gaze naturally shifted to Cheon Yeo-hwa. To be precise, to the throwing dagger in her hand.
Cheon Yeo-hwa looked at the man with an alluring smile. It was a smile filled with blatant ridicule.
“Don't worry. I didn't coat it with poison, so you won't die.”
“...Ha, haha! Hahahaha!”
The man burst into loud laughter.
Immediately after, his laughter ceased, and an intense killing intent exploded from him.
“I like you.”
Chrrk—
The man pulled chain-sickles from both his sleeves. Watching this, Mujin's eyes widened as he shouted.
“Black Blood Shackled Ghost!”
Jeok Gyegwang, the Black Blood Shackled Ghost.
He was one of the masters of the Evil Faction, a Transcendent Realm master who ranked high among the Top 100 Experts of the World.
Though he wasn't part of the Twelve Demonic Sects, he was a villain who killed the innocent for his own pleasure.
He was also known for being a tricky opponent to face due to his use of the kusarigama.
“I take back my previous offer. Instead, I'll cut your tendons and make your body unable to live without me.”
Despite Jeok Gyegwang's brutal threat, Cheon Yeo-hwa merely looked bored.
“From the bullshit I'm hearing, a dog must be barking somewhere.”
She even feigned cleaning her ear as if to mock him, provoking him further.
At this, Jeok Gyegwang smiled with glee and threw his chain-sickle.
Whoosh!
The chain-sickle cut through the air at an incredible speed, flying toward Cheon Yeo-hwa.
Since ancient times, those who wielded unusual weapons, along with poison masters, were considered the most difficult opponents in Murim.
While the attack patterns of weapons like swords, sabers, and spears were somewhat predictable, with established counters, it was difficult to even gauge the attack direction of peculiar weapons like the kusarigama, sword whip, and hooked spear at a single glance.
And the Black Blood Shackled Ghost was a master famous for wielding such an unusual weapon as if it were an extension of his own body.
'It would be nice to see her begging while impaled on my chain.'
Jeok Gyegwang savored his dark desires and twisted his wrist. The chain-sickle bent bizarrely in mid-air, swinging around to strike Cheon Yeo-hwa's thigh and shoulder respectively.
The speed was so fast it was hard to follow with the eyes, and Mujin could only react a step too late.
Even with the weapon right in front of her, Cheon Yeo-hwa didn't move an inch, simply staring straight ahead.
'Got her!'
The moment elation filled Jeok Gyegwang's eyes...
“A chain-sickle... a nostalgic weapon.”
Snatch!
As if it were nothing, Cheon Yeo-hwa snatched the chain-sickle out of the air with one hand.
“Wh-what...?”
Jeok Gyegwang's eyes widened as he stared at Cheon Yeo-hwa, completely caught off guard.
Mujin, standing beside her, was just as shocked.
“...Once, I had a subordinate who also used a chain-sickle. He was hopelessly untalented with weapons like swords or sabers. But the moment he held a chain-sickle, he became a demon who could slaughter dozens of demonic humans in an instant. Thanks to him, I've held one a few times myself.”
Jeok Gyegwang snapped back to his senses at Cheon Yeo-hwa's words.
He hurriedly pulled on the chain to retrieve his weapon.
Chrrk! Chrrrk!
“If he saw this, he would have been so enraged by your pathetic skills that he would have cut off your wrist.”
But for some reason, no matter how hard he pulled, the chain-sickle wouldn't budge.
It was as if it were fixed to a rock wall.
'Wh-what kind of strength does this girl have?!'
For Jeok Gyegwang, who was confident in his physical power, it was utterly incomprehensible that he was losing a contest of strength against a mere girl.
“However, I am merciful.”
Fwoosh—
In that instant, Cheon Yeo-hwa's figure vanished.
Only a long, white trajectory indicated the direction she had gone.
When Cheon Yeo-hwa reappeared, she was barely half a step away from Jeok Gyegwang.
Having allowed her to get so close, he hastily tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
Saaaa—
Her hand turned pure white.
It was a strange yet beautiful light, as if forged from the collected vengeful spirits of those who had died on a snowy mountain.
Amidst the biting cold that felt like it could necrotize his skin, Jeok Gyegwang stared, mesmerized, at the sight and opened his mouth.
“...Don't tell me you're a de—”
“So I will only take your life.”
Moon Spirit Demonic Art: Moon Spirit White Yin Palm.
The moment a pure white light filled the tunnel.
A white flower.
Craaaack—!
A palm strike of white snow pierced through Jeok Gyegwang's protective aura and crushed his chest.
A single white flower bloomed amidst the scattering of dark red carnage.
It was a fleeting end for a demonic leader who had killed hundreds of commoners and dozens of martial artists over the past decade.