Chapter 193
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Pinnacle Fist Clash
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Gu Jin-cheon, who had been quietly watching the duel, realized how Seol Hwa-un had shattered the Fist Demon's fist ring.
‘Impressive!’
The reason the Fist Demon's fist ring was more powerful than usual was that the ring itself spun ferociously.
By infusing rotational force into a simple fist ring, it could unleash such overwhelming power.
Seol Hwa-un, having noticed this, used Fist Cannon One Split to slow the rotation while reducing its incoming speed.
‘And then he crushed the center of the fist ring in one go with his fist strength.’
It required precise timing, boldness, and cool judgment—all coming together perfectly.
‘To show such judgment and audacity at that age?’
It was hard to believe he was a late-stage disciple.
But what truly shocked him came next.
“……!”
Gu Jin-cheon stared in awe at the sight of the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist's final stance, Nine Splits Dominion.
‘To think such a beautiful stance exists!’
It was a fist strike that was utterly free yet intensely powerful.
‘Even an expert uncle could block that?’
Nine Splits Dominion.
This stance embodied Seol Hwa-un's growth thus far—it was the very essence of the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist.
“……!”
Faced with the tremendous fist strike bearing down on him, the Fist Demon smiled instead.
‘This is it! This is what felled the Blood Yin Four Generals!’
Over the past three years, the Fist Demon had meticulously investigated Seol Hwa-un's activities, even threatening the Hao Clan if necessary.
Through this, he had pieced together Seol Hwa-un's martial arts from the traces left by his fist strikes and witness testimonies.
‘The North Sea Ice Palace fist art that North Heaven Dragon mastered: Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist. Composed of five stances, its power ranks at the pinnacle among fist arts.’
The Fist Demon clenched his fists tightly.
‘I was confident against everything else, but that final stance was tricky.’
Seol Hwa-un had unleashed Nine Splits Dominion in the martial world twice: once against the Blood Yin Four Generals and once against the Raksha Witch.
Fortunately for the Fist Demon, all witnesses belonged to the Evil Cult's Eight Gates, making it easy to track them down.
Though the accounts varied slightly, he had reconstructed Nine Splits Dominion by piecing together the common elements.
‘Compressing the prior stances into a single fist and unleashing them all at once—a truly fantastical stance.’
However, as a fist master with a different directional style, even being taught it would make mastery difficult.
‘Its completion is too high to dismantle directly. So then?’
He had no choice but to counter with a martial art of equal caliber.
‘Great Vajra Divine Fist.’
This fist art, passed down from Kwon Bae two hundred years ago, had become the Fist Demon's signature technique.
‘Vajra Without Law!’
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!!
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un felt as if an endless massive wave was crashing over him.
‘This is… the fist art perfected by Old Lone Journey!’
It felt as though two hundred years had bridged the gap, bringing him face-to-face with the man himself.
A smile crept onto Seol Hwa-un's lips.
‘Let's clash, Lone Journey.’
The two fist masters' stances collided head-on.
Kuaaaaaang!!
A deafening roar like something exploding echoed in all directions. Those with weak inner power had to clap their hands over their ears.
“Ugh!”
“What in the world is happening?!”
Even the scattered remnants of the sparring platform vanished without a trace.
Ku-ku-gu-gu!
As the thick dust settled, the two figures came into view.
The Fist Demon and Seol Hwa-un stood motionless, facing each other.
“…….”
Since they remained standing at the point of impact, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.
Seol Hwa-un spoke first.
“Is this also the Great Vajra Divine Fist?”
“Indeed. It's the final stance Master created in his lifetime. Called Vajra Without Law.”
“Vajra Without Law…….”
Seol Hwa-un gave a wry smile.
‘Impressive, Lone Journey. To create a fist art on the level of Nine Splits Dominion.’
He paused briefly, then suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
“Keok!”
The exchange had left him with severe internal injuries.
In contrast, the Fist Demon merely looked slightly pale, showing no major issues.
Regrettably, the difference lay not in the stances, but in inner power and realm—the fight was decided there.
His two months of secluded training had been only half successful.
He had achieved harmony of yin and yang, but failed to reach the coveted Heavenly Martial Realm.
The Fist Demon smirked coldly.
“You see it clearly now, don't you? The North Sea Ice Palace arts can't overcome me.”
“…….”
“Now you truly must use ‘that’ martial art.”
The Sword Demon's eyes flashed with killing intent.
“If you don't want to die.”
The moment his words ended, he swung his fist. A heavy fist aura erupted forth.
Paaat!
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un quickly retreated and defended, but his reaction was too slow.
Paang!
As Seol Hwa-un staggered, the Fist Demon appeared right before his face.
“……!”
Anticipating the move, Seol Hwa-un thrust out his clenched fist without hesitation.
‘Sky-Shattering True Fist!’
But the Fist Demon had read Seol Hwa-un's attack as well.
“I told you the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist won't work.”
He immediately unleashed the fourth stance of the Great Vajra Divine Fist: Collapsing Fist Single Hammer.
Shuaaaa!
Their fists soon clashed.
Kwaang!
‘Kuhk!’
Seol Hwa-un swallowed a groan. His internal injuries prevented him from putting full power into it, and he was pushed back.
“Hurry and show me your true fist art!”
The Fist Demon's massive fist came flying again.
Buwoong!
At that moment, Seol Hwa-un's eyes darkened deeply.
Kwang!
With a heavy thud, Seol Hwa-un's form was pushed back once more.
“…….”
But something was off about the Fist Demon's expression.
“This is…….”
Seol Hwa-un said calmly.
“This is the ‘fist art’ you wanted. Satisfied?”
The Fist Demon's face twisted for the first time in a while.
“Nonsense!”
He charged at Seol Hwa-un again.
His hands generated fierce auras with relentless momentum.
It was the same stance from three years ago that Seol Hwa-un had faced: Twin Fists Vortex.
Back then, Seol Hwa-un had blocked it with Blazing Flower Fist's stance, Blazing Flower Full Sea, and even counterattacked.
This time, Seol Hwa-un's movements mirrored Blazing Flower Full Sea exactly.
Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu!
The difference was that instead of flames, pure white ice flowers bloomed.
“You bastard!”
Enraged at what he saw as mockery, the Fist Demon unleashed his Reverse Flame Rebound Fist again.
Back then, it had neutralized Blazing Flower Full Sea.
Jjeojeok!
But just like before, as it sucked in the ice flowers, his arm froze solid.
The Fist Demon stared blankly at his arm.
“……Is this really Blazing Flower Full Sea?!”
“Indeed. I merely executed it with yin cold energy instead of yang strong energy this time. To be precise, Ice Flower Full Sea.”
“You think that makes sense?!”
“What's unreasonable about it?”
Switching the core energy underlying a fist art is no simple task.
Yet harmony of yin and yang made it possible. As a result, Seol Hwa-un had transformed Blazing Flower Fist into an entirely different art.
Paaaang!
The ice encasing the Fist Demon's arm shattered in an instant.
“I won't accept this!”
Seol Hwa-un thrust his fist toward the charging Fist Demon.
‘White Flame Violent Shatter!’
It was the fourth stance of Blazing Flower Fist—no, now White Flame Fist.
Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu!
The erupting pure white chill converged into one, forming an ice orb slightly larger than an adult fist.
Paaaang!
The ice orb shot toward the Fist Demon.
It was even more powerful than when executed with Pure Yang Infinite Art. This was because Seol Hwa-un's foundational inner power was the yin-based Nine Yin Primordial True Qi.
However, it didn't seem to threaten the Fist Demon much.
Shuuk!
His brutish fist strike smashed White Flame Violent Shatter outright.
Paaaang!
“You think this nonsense will take me down?!”
“…….”
As expected, the Fist Demon was strong. Even White Flame Fist, enhanced by Ice White Divine Art, fell short.
‘That leaves Thunderbolt Three Fists…….’
Thunderbolt Three Fists was the true essence of the Heavenly Collapse Fist Emperor's fist arts.
But unlike White Flame Fist, it couldn't be simply switched to yin cold energy.
It was an ultimate art relying on the explosive power unique to yang strong energy, making the yin-yang conversion far more complex.
If his realm had advanced further, perhaps—but he lacked the time for that.
Still, executing Thunderbolt Three Fists with Pure Yang Infinite Art was impossible.
‘I can't reveal yang strong energy in front of so many people.’
Seol Hwa-un had only used yang energy in truly unavoidable situations or when concealing his identity. Neither applied here.
Moreover, even if he did unleash Thunderbolt Three Fists, it likely wouldn't overcome the Fist Demon.
His severe internal injuries were a major factor.
“…….”
In the case of the Blood Yin Four Generals, though their realm lagged, they shared the Martial Soul Realm, allowing him to prevail.
Clever energy manipulation, vast experience, and a bit of luck had brought him victory.
But the Fist Demon lacked no experience and was a Heavenly Martial Realm expert.
Closing that gap was difficult.
‘The difference in realms is this vast.’
If the opponent used a weapon, he might exploit its weaknesses for an opening, but against a fellow fist master, it was meaningless.
‘No choice then…….’
Seol Hwa-un's form vanished. He resorted to the speed incantation of Heaven and Earth Shadowless Dance for the first time in a while.
Papap!
He appeared before the Fist Demon in an instant.
“……!”
Seol Hwa-un thrust his shoulder in a surprise attack. Caught off guard, the Fist Demon took it full force.
Peureok!
“Kuk!”
Seol Hwa-un's shoulder struck the Fist Demon's solar plexus dead-on.
As the stunned Fist Demon reeled back, Seol Hwa-un dove into his guard again.
“……!”
Back in his Heavenly Collapse Fist Emperor days, his toughest opponent had been the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader.
The man's martial arts were extraordinary, giving even the Heavenly Collapse Fist Emperor trouble.
But the Heavenly Collapse Fist Emperor had closed the distance extremely and used close-quarters brawling to subdue the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader.
‘Recall that sensation!’
Seol Hwa-un unleashed a barrage of indiscriminate strikes.
Shushu-shushu!
He targeted the Fist Demon with every possible body part: head, shoulders, elbows, knees.
The distance was so close that dodging or swinging fists was impractical.
Yet.
Papapapapapak!
Incredibly, the Fist Demon blocked every attack using his entire body.
Seol Hwa-un's eyes widened involuntarily.
“……!”
A smile formed on the Fist Demon's lips.
“Close-quarters brawling, eh? I rather like it myself.”
Their ultra-close combat ensued.