150
Chapter 150: If You Lived as an Assassin, You Must Die as an Assassin.
Kwa-rurung!
A deafening roar, too immense to be considered man-made, erupted without pause.
The clash of absolute masters.
With each exchange of their techniques, gale-force winds shook the surroundings, and overwhelming shockwaves poured forth, forbidding anyone from approaching.
Having ascended to the Transcendent Realm and communing directly with the natural energies, he gradually freed himself from the constraints of finite internal energy, living in a different flow of time than ordinary masters.
While peak masters had to push their internal energy to the extreme to unleash techniques of such destructive power, those in the Transcendent Realm could discharge them effortlessly, dozens of times in a single breath, truly akin to a natural disaster.
The higher one climbs in the realm of martial arts, the wider the gap between levels becomes. Those nearing the pinnacle eventually reach the Transcendent Realm, beginning to transcend the limits of humanity.
Hence, it is called the Transcendent Realm.
Hence, they are called absolute masters.
The Pavilion of Towering Views at Jongnam was being crushed under the pressure of these two masters.
The ancient pavilion, carrying the history of past immortals, collapsed meaninglessly under the calamity wrought by the masters. Yet, hidden beneath, the Shadow Emperor remained motionless, enduring.
The relentless rhythm of the two masters, as if dozens of breaths had been linked together without pause.
The sound of a sword and whip tearing through the air.
The light, free footsteps of the Hwasan Sword Saint barely grazed the ground.
The heavy, earth-shaking footsteps of the Ghost Whip King.
The fluttering of the two masters' robes.
Amidst the explosions of cliffside rocks and the thunderous collapse of the pavilion, the Shadow Emperor did not miss a single sound the two masters made.
'Nearly a hundred exchanges now. The Hwasan Sword Saint is gaining the upper hand.'
With his eyes closed, his breath stilled, clinging to the cliff like a frog, the Shadow Emperor deciphered the life-and-death struggle between the Hwasan Sword Saint and the Ghost Whip King solely through the shockwaves and sounds.
The frequency of the rustling from the Ghost Whip King's robes was increasing. The sound betrayed his urgency.
The once-rhythmic sound of the Ghost Whip King, like an instrument, now twisted and faltered.
Mu Hwi had begun to completely dominate the flow of the battle.
'Even the Ghost Whip King, who has slain two absolute masters before, is being pushed back like this...'
Listening to the sounds of the Ghost Whip King, the Shadow Emperor slowly, ever so slightly, extended his hand. Feeling the cool touch of the twin blades at his waist, he waited patiently.
An assassin is one who waits.
Dozens more exchanges passed in a flash.
Chwa-jak!
The sound of something being sliced repeatedly.
Having once lost his twin blades to Mu Hwi before, the Shadow Emperor was certain that Mu Hwi had severed the Ghost Whip King's Dragon Whip this time as well.
At this moment, the Ghost Whip King's momentum was completely broken. Hearing this, the Shadow Emperor's eyes snapped open as he released his concealment technique.
Simultaneously, the Shadow Emperor lunged, thrusting his twin blades toward Mu Hwi's back. The blades flashed, poised to pierce through—but Mu Hwi did not even glance back, continuing to drive his Sim-myeong Sword forward.
The Shadow Emperor's brows rose at Mu Hwi's disregard for his ambush in favor of cutting down the Ghost Whip King.
'This madman...?'
But soon, the Shadow Emperor realized Mu Hwi's actions were not reckless.
Behind Mu Hwi's back, the Purple Sunset surged.
Rippling and scattering in the sunlight, the Purple Sunset condensed into a blade-like shockwave and shot toward the Shadow Emperor.
Feeling the vibration of the shockwave, the Shadow Emperor's eyes widened. Had it been a mere shockwave, he could have easily split it and buried his blades in Mu Hwi's back—but he could not.
'Imbuing will into shockwaves? Has he merged the principles of the Formless Sword?!'
Shocked, the Shadow Emperor reversed his grip on the twin blades and unleashed the Moon-Cutting Twin Blades technique to counter.
At that moment, the Ghost Whip King, gritting his teeth, swung his twin palms, violently deflecting the Sim-myeong Sword aimed at his throat.
Kwaaang!
Deafening explosions and gales erupted simultaneously before and behind Mu Hwi.
Mu Hwi, too, adjusted his stance, lowering the Sim-myeong Sword as he steadied his breath. The Ghost Whip King and the Shadow Emperor, having each countered Mu Hwi's attacks, now stood shoulder to shoulder.
The Ghost Whip King, a thin line of blood on his neck, glared at the Shadow Emperor beside him with murderous intent.
"No wonder you were nowhere to be seen all this time. You were waiting to use my life as bait for your assassination? This is why assassins are..."
"You survived thanks to me, didn't you, Whip King?"
The Ghost Whip King's veins bulged at the Shadow Emperor's shamelessness, but with Mu Hwi approaching, he had no choice but to fall silent.
"Finished your greetings?"
As Mu Hwi slowly raised the Sim-myeong Sword to mid-stance, the Ghost Whip King and the Shadow Emperor naturally distanced themselves, preparing for a joint assault.
The Shadow Emperor, having faced the shockwave directly, and the Ghost Whip King, having blocked Mu Hwi's strike, both clearly sensed the will imbued in the shockwave Mu Hwi had emitted from his back.
Imbuing will into shockwaves—this meant Mu Hwi had begun wielding the Formless Sword, inching closer to the Absolute Realm beyond the Transcendent.
Not yet having reached such heights themselves, the two masters naturally chose to join forces against Mu Hwi.
The pride of absolute masters dimmed, but the two men chose survival over honor.
Kung!
Exchanging glances, the three masters simultaneously stepped forward, charging at each other.
The chaotic interplay of the three masters' offense and defense.
Sword, twin blades, and twin palms clashed wildly. From the left, the twin blades rained down; from the right, the twin palms struck—yet the Sim-myeong Sword showed no haste.
As the Ghost Whip King alternated his palms, violently pushing against the air, waves of crushing force capable of swallowing a tree whole poured forth.
Though inferior to his signature whip techniques, the Ghost Whip King's palm strikes were lethally sharp.
Jjeok!
As palm force and sword energy collided, the sound of tearing fabric echoed repeatedly. While slicing through the palm force, the Sim-myeong Sword swung downward, was met by the twin blades from above and below.
Blocking the sword while aiming to sever the fingers gripping its hilt—the Shadow Emperor's move. Seeing this, Mu Hwi executed the Wave-Cutting Nine Immortals technique, refined through his duel with the Thunderbolt Sword Master.
Kka-gang!
Twisting his wrist in reverse, Mu Hwi simultaneously deflected the twin blades slashing from above and below, then tilted his wrist to thrust the Sim-myeong Sword straight into the Shadow Emperor's chest.
Not a simple thrust—the sword trembled endlessly, creating countless variations.
"Keuk!"
Faced with seven piercing strikes aimed at shredding his chest, the Shadow Emperor frantically parried but ultimately allowed two to land, staining his chest with blood. Against Mu Hwi's Wave-Cutting Nine Immortals, the Shadow Emperor's Moon-Cutting Twin Blades were effortlessly dismantled.
At that moment, Mu Hwi's gaze shifted. Reflected in his violet pupils was the Ghost Whip King, rotating his palms to unleash a palm strike.
Even as he pierced the Shadow Emperor's chest, Mu Hwi generously scattered the thick petals of the Plum Blossom Scattering Hands with his left hand.
His rotating left hand deflected the Ghost Whip King's palm strike, driving a crushing force of petals into his collarbone.
Pudeuk!
With his collarbone shattered, the Ghost Whip King could only grimace and retreat. His gaze trembled slightly as he looked at Mu Hwi.
'This feeling... It's been a long time. The last time I felt this was against the Paewangseong Lord.'
Though one eye twitched in pain, the Ghost Whip King glared at Mu Hwi, who appeared completely unfazed.
Even with two masters of the same realm joining forces, they were barely holding their ground—no, with each exchange, they were gradually being pushed back.
With his Dragon Whip severed and their joint assault failing, the Ghost Whip King began to feel the same helplessness and pressure he had once felt before the Paewangseong Lord.
Countless martial artists faced limits and walls when confronting those of higher realms. Even an absolute master like the Ghost Whip King was no exception.
Exhaling deeply, Mu Hwi observed the wounded Ghost Whip King and Shadow Emperor glaring at him.
"Mediocre."
His evaluation of their combined assault.
Duels with martial alliance members to forge a new solitary sword style, exchanges with the Sword Immortal and the Paewangseong Lord, consecutive battles against absolute masters like the Sword Master and the Iron Mountain Fist King, coupled with daily advancements in the comprehension of will.
Unbeknownst to himself, Mu Hwi had been preparing to transcend the Transcendent Realm and reach the Absolute. Naturally, he had attained the martial prowess to withstand the combined assault of two Transcendent Realm masters.
'Just a few more steps forward.'
He would reach a new realm he had never attained in his past life.
For the first time, Mu Hwi, who had always stood his ground, stepped forward.
The Sim-myeong Sword, calmly poised at mid-stance.
The Purple Sunset shimmering around the sword illuminated the Ghost Whip King and the Shadow Emperor like the dawn sun lighting the world.
The extending mist multiplied into countless threads, weaving endless variations, scattering petals, and blooming dozens of plum blossoms in the air.
Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers.
In the blink of an eye, a garden of violet-hued plum blossoms descended.
Unlike when he had unleashed it against the Sword King and the Sword Immortal, this Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers unfolded with unparalleled fluidity and mastery.
As Mu Hwi's realm elevated, so too did his comprehension, refining his techniques to perfection.
"Kuaaak!"
Engulfed instantly by the Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers, the Ghost Whip King and the Shadow Emperor desperately unleashed their martial arts. Even at full power, wounds multiplied across their bodies.
The peerless techniques they had honed over a lifetime crumbled like leaves before the endless, nature-like variations of the Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers.
"Kuluk!"
His left arm severed, deep gashes carved into his thigh and waist, the Shadow Emperor, surveying his own body, resolved to survive at all costs.
He hadn't lived this long only to die meaninglessly in a place like this.
Summoning his last reserves, the Shadow Emperor poured everything into his legs.
Peu-beobeok!
Though his body was riddled with wounds, blood gushing with every movement, the Ghost Whip King continued resisting, unleashing his twin palms.
"Hwasan Sword Saint!"
Seizing the moment, the Shadow Emperor struck the Ghost Whip King's back with a palm strike. Caught off guard by the Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers, the Ghost Whip King couldn't react in time.
"Shadow Emperor!"
The Ghost Whip King roared, but his body, thrown off balance, was torn apart by the Hidden Scent, Motionless Flowers before he could finish.
Using the Ghost Whip King as a shield, the Shadow Emperor attempted to escape the technique's grasp.
'I can survive.'
As the panorama of the Jinling Mountains unfolded before his eyes, the Shadow Emperor prepared to execute the Thousand Killer Evasion Technique. If he could just conceal himself once, he was confident he could escape even with these injuries.
Puuk!
At that moment, two blades pierced through his chest from behind.
Eyes wide, the Shadow Emperor trembled, frozen in an awkward stance, unable to complete his leap off the cliff.
Munyeong stared down at him with indifferent eyes.
"Senior Brother. You always scolded me, saying all I was good at was concealment. Remember?"
"Munyeong!"
"Thanks to mastering a level of concealment even you can't match, I've finally avenged our sect today."
Listening to Munyeong's voice from behind, the Shadow Emperor coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"You dare... Even if your concealment surpasses mine, had I not been wounded by the Sword Saint, would your blades have ever touched me?"
"Perhaps not. But Senior Brother, your mind is as shaken as your body. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this easy. I only gave it a thirty percent chance."
The desperate will to live had blinded the Shadow Emperor.
Though the Shadow Emperor scoffed with a hoarse voice, Munyeong calmly twisted the twin blades embedded in his chest.
"I've killed every traitor who left our sect with you. You're the last."
While the Hwasan Sect had crushed the Shadow Society's forces and headed straight for Jongnam, the assassins of the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect had relentlessly hunted down the remnants, eradicating their legacy.
Thus, Munyeong had crossed out every name on the death list of those who had betrayed their sect.
Only one name remained: the Shadow Emperor.
The Shadow Emperor laughed hollowly, blood spilling from his lips.
"Do you know why I left the Thousand Killer Sect? I didn't want to die so meaninglessly."
"If you lived as an assassin, you must die as an assassin. What grand death did you expect?"
Munyeong pulled the blades free and cleanly severed the Shadow Emperor's head.
"And now, the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect is mine. Thanks to you, Senior Brother. We will bear the weight of your sins."
Having personally ended the Shadow Emperor, Munyeong turned away.
He bowed deeply toward Mu Hwi, who watched from above, clasping his fists in respect.
"I will never forget the grace of allowing me my revenge."
***
"It seems I secluded myself for too long."
The old man, sitting cross-legged atop a rock, sighed as he observed the Guyu Sect Leader kneeling before him.
The death of the Heavenly Sword Demon, once his target of vengeance.
The birth of the Shaanxi Blood Master and the Sacheon Alliance. The rise of the Black Night Palace.
Hearing of these events he had missed due to his seclusion, the Guyu Sect Leader's face looked somewhat hollow.
"Above all, to lose two candidates for the next Sect Leader to the Hwasan Sect—such shame. Sect Leader, with what face do you still live? You should have either attacked the Hwasan Sect or died. One or the other."
As he spoke, the Guyu Sect Leader's face twisted slightly. The Sect Leader could only bow his head deeper.
"My apologies."
"In my absence, the Guyu Sect's reputation has crumbled to dust."
After a moment of contemplation, the Guyu Sect Leader spoke again.
"A late-stage foundation level disciple, earthly supreme in his twenties, the Hwasan Sword Saint—what a terrifying talent. It wouldn't hurt to meet him before challenging the Sword Immortal."
"Then, will you head to the Hwasan Sect?"
The Sect Leader cautiously asked, but the Guyu Sect Leader's gaze was icy.
"The Hwasan Sect? First, I must restore order to this ruined sect of ours."