Chapter 123
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: The Fall of the Blazing Blood Sword Lord
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Shwaaak!
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un's eyes widened. In the blink of an eye, the Crimson Death Sword had burrowed toward his throat.
‘Fast!’
He quickly twisted his head aside.
Paat!
But he couldn't fully evade it. The sword force grazed past, splattering blood from his neck.
‘Ugh.’
Seol Hwa-un swiftly thrust out his fist in retaliation, but unlike before, the Blazing Blood Sword Lord leisurely parried it with his blade.
Kwang!
A explosive boom rang out, and the two separated once more.
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un quickly staunched the bleeding from his neck and closely observed the energy flowing through the Blazing Blood Sword Lord and the Crimson Death Sword.
‘Demonic qi?’
But he soon dismissed the thought.
‘No. It's too seamlessly fused with his original energy to be demonic qi.’
It was an energy even he had never seen before.
‘Impressive. So the Blazing Blood Sword Lord had mastered something like this?’
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord smirked coldly.
“You look like you have a lot of questions.”
“…….”
“Ask King Yama after you're dead.”
Paang!
His form shot forward again. It was hard to believe such speed came from merely flicking his ankle.
“……!”
The Crimson Death Sword, cloaked in even fiercer sword force, descended from above Seol Hwa-un's head.
Shwaaak!
It was too fast to react to. Instead of dodging, Seol Hwa-un flicked his finger.
Paang!
A heavy finger technique shot out and collided directly with the Crimson Death Sword.
Paaaang!
Even the power of the Ice Ring Finger fell short of fully blocking it. But it succeeded in greatly slowing the sword's momentum.
Papap!
Seizing the opening, Seol Hwa-un's form retreated backward.
Kwaaaang!
The Crimson Death Sword slammed into the ground, creating a massive crater.
“You're holding up pretty well!”
Shwashwashwa!
He unleashed three consecutive thrusts. This time, Seol Hwa-un unleashed his fist technique and extended his palm.
He was about to deploy the Ice White Divine Palm.
Paaaa!
As the Ice White Divine Palm slowed the sword strikes, Seol Hwa-un retreated once more.
Kwakwakwang!
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord pressed on relentlessly, while Seol Hwa-un was steadily pushed back.
Shushushuk!
Kwakwang!
Even in the disadvantageous situation, Seol Hwa-un barely evaded the Blazing Blood Sword Lord's onslaught.
‘This slippery bastard!’
As time passed, the confidence on the Blazing Blood Sword Lord's face gradually hardened.
‘Not much time left.’
The technique he was using maximized speed and power in an instant but consumed vast amounts of internal energy and had a short duration.
‘No way he figured that out?’
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord shook his head slightly.
‘Impossible! Even the name of this technique is unknown. He couldn't know.’
But contrary to his expectations, Seol Hwa-un had roughly grasped the situation.
‘I don't know what technique it is, but anything causing such a drastic change must have a weakness.’
No matter how profound the martial art, it couldn't exceed one's own level.
Moreover, showing such a massive disparity with the Blazing Blood Sword Lord meant it wasn't his true strength.
‘Strains the body, or has a time limit.’
Or else inevitable side effects like impaired rationality.
‘The conclusion is, dragging it out will naturally turn the tide in my favor.’
And sure enough.
Impatience appeared on the Blazing Blood Sword Lord's face. His attacks were growing increasingly reckless.
‘Dragging it out further would make it easy, but…….’
He couldn't fight the Blazing Blood Sword Lord forever.
Despite the Red Wolf Island forces' fierce resistance, the North Sea Ice Palace warriors were gradually being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Seol Hwa-un's eyes flashed.
‘Time to settle this.’
At that moment, the Blazing Blood Sword Lord drew forth a sword force over two ja long and swung it widely.
“You bastard!!”
Shwaaaa!
The Crimson Death Sword, now seemingly twice as large, carved a massive diagonal slash—an utterly overwhelming sight.
“……!”
This strike carried a fierce determination to kill Seol Hwa-un once and for all.
‘You can't block this with your crude finger technique!’
“…….”
In that instant, Seol Hwa-un stepped forward instead.
‘Hmph, determined to die…….’
It was a suspicious move upon calm judgment, but the Blazing Blood Sword Lord had no time for that.
It was an uncharacteristic mistake.
Sssit!
The Crimson Death Sword cleaved straight through Seol Hwa-un's form.
Paat!
The strange thing was, despite the sword force passing through him, nothing happened.
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord's eyes widened as he smirked coldly.
‘No?!’
Only then did he realize he had sliced an afterimage.
‘Oh no!’
He hurriedly deployed his protective aura, twisting his body and thrusting his sword backward.
It was an instinctive action born from experience in countless battles.
And there was the real Seol Hwa-un. The counterattack was sharp, but the response came too late.
Seol Hwa-un's fist burrowed into his left side.
It was the fourth form of the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist: Sky-Shattering True Fist.
His fist shattered the belated protective aura like glass and struck true.
Kwaaaang!!
“Urk!”
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord couldn't fully extend his sword before the immense impact sent him flying backward.
Kung!
He finally stopped after leaving a massive human-shaped dent in the wall of the Taegeuk Branch Hall.
“Kuuh……!”
He barely stood propped on his sword, but the Blazing Blood Sword Lord was done for.
Not a single bone in his body was intact, and his meridians were severed in strands—utterly wrecked inside.
With hazy eyes, he stared at Seol Hwa-un.
“That footwork…….”
“It's the Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps.”
Seol Hwa-un had held back the Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps until the decisive moment, using it to end the fight in one go.
What was astonishing was how he had linked the Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps with the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist.
The Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps and North Sea Ice Palace martial arts were like water and oil, incompatible. Yet Seol Hwa-un had tirelessly worked to overcome that limitation.
“To think you hid such an exquisite movement technique…… Impressive judgment.”
Had the Blazing Blood Sword Lord known of the Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps, he wouldn't have swung his sword force so recklessly.
“…….”
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord's complexion rapidly darkened. He gave a bitter smile.
“Who would've thought I'd die to the Ghost Flame Art…….”
A light flickered in Seol Hwa-un's eyes.
‘Ghost Flame Art?’
The Blazing Blood Sword Lord forcibly lifted his head to glare at Seol Hwa-un.
“Kekeke, don't get cocky just because you beat me. That peace will shatter soon enough.”
Seol Hwa-un's gaze changed.
“……What?”
“Enjoy it while it lasts…… Keuk!”
Burrur!
Having said that much, the Blazing Blood Sword Lord's body trembled violently, then burst like a small fountain of blood.
Puk!
Thus, the Blazing Blood Sword Lord vanished, leaving only a pool of blood without even a corpse.
“Ghost Flame Art, huh. So that was the name of the technique.”
His final state must have been due to the Ghost Flame Art's backlash.
“But what did he mean by those last words?”
Regrettable, but there was no time to ponder now.
‘A shame. If only there was his corpse…….’
He could have shown it to demoralize the unorthodox warriors.
Even if Seol Hwa-un shouted that the Blazing Blood Sword Lord was dead, those in the melee wouldn't believe it.
In the end, he immediately joined the battlefield.
Whirlic!
Leaping into the fray, Seol Hwa-un's fists unleashed tremendous fist winds.
Kwakwakwakwang!
“Kaaak!”
“Keuheok!”
Over a dozen enemies were swept away in an instant.
“The Young Palace Lord has joined us!”
The North Sea Ice Palace side's morale soared, while the unorthodox warriors panicked.
“It's the North Heaven Dragon!”
“B-Be careful!”
“What's the Blazing Blood Sword Lord doing? Why is he letting that guy rampage…….”
Kwaang!
“Uaak!”
The leader of the Hundred-Man First Squad approached Seol Hwa-un.
“Young Palace Lord!”
“You've done well. I'll take the left flank, so you handle the right with your Hundred-Man First Squad.”
“Yes!”
“Oh, and spread the word that the Blazing Blood Sword Lord has fallen.”
At his words, the Hundred-Man First Squad leader's eyes widened.
“Yes? Then did the Young Palace Lord…….”
Seol Hwa-un smiled and nodded.
‘The enemies might not believe it, but our palace warriors will. No reason not to spread it.’
“As expected of the Young Palace Lord!”
The Hundred-Man First Squad leader immediately raised his voice.
“The Young Palace Lord has felled the Blazing Blood Sword Lord!”
“What?”
“I-Is it true?!”
As the unorthodox warriors wavered uncertainly, the North Sea Ice Palace warriors erupted in cheers.
“Waaaaah!!”
“The Blazing Blood Sword Lord is dead!”
“Just a bit more effort!”
The unorthodox leaders shouted back without yielding.
“It's a lie!”
“Don't believe it! It's a trick to break our morale!”
“We have the advantage—push them!”
Seol Hwa-un ignored them and thrust his fist out again.
Kwaaaang!
“Uaak!”
At that moment, Seol Hwa-un's face subtly hardened as he unleashed the fist strike. Considerable pain emanated from his chest.
“…….”
Upon closer inspection, the front of his robe was sliced about two inches deep, soaked with blood.
Even with the Heaven-Earth Phantasmal Steps, he couldn't completely evade the Blazing Blood Sword Lord's tremendous sword force.
He had trusted in his Ice Heaven Darkscale Armor, but unfortunately, the wound was just above where the protective armor covered.
Along with the shallow cut, the sword force's energy had infiltrated, causing internal injuries.
Still, deeming it not severe, he had ignored it until now.
“……?!”
Glancing at the wound, Seol Hwa-un frowned. The skin around it had turned dark and mottled.
‘Seems like the Ghost Flame Art's doing.’
It was a vicious technique.
‘Even affecting the wound like this.’
This could become dangerous if left as is.
‘No choice.’
Seol Hwa-un strongly circulated the Ice White Divine Art, enveloping the entire sword wound in cold qi.
It would restrict his movements somewhat, but with no immediate solution, this was the best.
‘I will win.’
Meanwhile, the duel between Dong Ho-won and the Heaven-Slaying Deputy was nearing its end.
Both bore torn uniforms and numerous minor wounds from the fierce clash.
Yet neither showed any sign of stopping.
Spear and axe clashed once more.
Kwaaaang!
Unable to withstand the impact, the two were pushed back, their expressions polar opposites.
Dong Ho-won wore a confident smile, while the Heaven-Slaying Deputy's face was rigid.
“You're starting to tire, Heaven-Slaying Deputy.”
“Nonsense! That's you!”
“Is it?”
Dong Ho-won's spear spun gracefully before descending toward the Heaven-Slaying Deputy's head.
Shuuk!
“Don't underestimate me!”
The Heaven-Slaying Deputy swung his massive axe in defiance.
Chieeeeng!
A sharp metallic clash rang out, and the Heaven-Slaying Deputy staggered back wildly.
“Kuh!”
In contrast, Dong Ho-won held his ground.
“Definitely weaker than before.”
“…….”
The Heaven-Slaying Deputy's face twisted.
‘Damn it! To think a late-generation punk is this strong!’
For him, who had inwardly believed he could handle the North Heaven Dragon, this was absurd.
With his stamina plummeting rapidly, the Heaven-Slaying Deputy had no choice but to go all-in.
‘I’ll kill him with this strike.’
He squeezed out every last drop of his internal energy into the axe.
Tstutsutsutsu!
Soon, intense axe qi erupted from the blade.
Dong Ho-won also sensed his intent to settle it.
‘I’ll meet it.’
He gripped his spear tightly, concentrating his internal energy.
“Axe Head Covering Heaven!”
An overwhelming axe of ferocious momentum descended upon Dong Ho-won's head.
Kwaaaa!
“…….”
In that instant, Dong Ho-won's spear tip quivered madly before surging upward.
‘Long Spear Piercing Heaven!’
Shwaaak!
A heavy roar soon exploded.
Kwaaaaaang!