Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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In the standoff with the Bi-Gang, it was Seomun Hye who moved first. She glared at the Bi-Gang with sharp eyes, then raised her sword and unleashed a burst of sword qi.
Pew pew pew!
The Bi-Gang stood still until it was struck by the three lines of sword qi, then sprayed blue blood as if its transparent body had been damaged. Startled, it let out a seagull-like cry of "Kiruruk" and fled backward in a hurry.
'As expected, sword qi works well on it.'
I recalled the time I had fought desperately against the Bi-Gang in my previous life. Back then, the Bi-Gangs had circled around me in near-transparent states before ambushing me. Annoyingly, they were unaffected by anything except pure qi or natural forces—swords or spears simply passed right through them.
Fortunately, Seomun Hye wasn't the type of warrior driven mad just by seeing the monster. And since she could even use sword qi, she was plenty helpful. Seomun Hye said,
"Young hero. We just need to take down that monster, right?"
"Yes. For reference, it's called a Bi-Gang, and it only takes damage from pure qi or natural forces."
"What? So we have to drive it off with sword qi alone?"
"That's right. And that's not the only problem."
Kyurururuk
Kyuruk...
The Bi-Gang writhed, emitting eerie sounds. Realizing it was finally resorting to its second tactic, I felt a dizzying vertigo. I had no choice but to warn Seomun Hye.
"It can teleport, and its regenerative abilities are incredibly strong!"
Kagang!!
In the next instant, the two of us swung our weapons like lightning to deflect the dark strike. It was a sudden, formless physical attack. The Bi-Gang had simply teleported behind us and whipped its tail-like appendage, but it packed enough power to shatter a human body if not blocked.
Seomun Hye looked baffled.
"Wh-what is this? How can such a monster exist in this world..."
The wound on the Bi-Gang from Seomun Hye's sword qi was already half-healed. Seeing smoke-like wisps rising from its transparent injury as proof of its regeneration, I gritted my teeth.
'Damn it... I knew it...'
Back then, when I fought the Bi-Gang and its horde of demonic beasts until I died, I had managed to deal with most of the lesser ones, but barely any Bi-Gangs.
And for good reason—most attacks didn't work on them, they teleported in flashes, and any damage they took regenerated at an astonishing speed. It was an impossibly formidable demonic beast, and Mangnyang's warning that facing a Bi-Gang head-on was suicide had been spot on.
"To kill it, we need a qi-intensive technique to finish it in one blow."
"Then let me..."
"But hold off for a moment."
"Why?"
"Because these things..."
Kirurururuk
Kiruk
Kirurururuk
"...might act in groups."
Even as I answered, I felt a wave of exhaustion.
Bi-Gangs were slowly crawling up from various parts of the ship. Three more had boarded. Knowing transparent killer tentacle monsters were coiling around us from all sides made me feel less than alive. Seomun Hye had paled as she realized the gravity of the situation.
"Young hero... this is..."
I muttered while eyeing the Bi-Gangs surrounding us from every direction.
"The silver lining is that they seem to crave live human flesh. They could have sunk the ship ages ago but haven't."
But I had half-expected this. Mangnyang had told me back in Goryeo that Bi-Gangs were flesh-eating monsters. A beast like that would use the Fog of Delusion spell to knock humans unconscious, then enjoy a leisurely [feast] by devouring them one by one with its transparent body.
Shwik!
I swiftly struck the Bi-Gang trying to slip into the cabin. It recoiled, spitting acidic fluid, but I deflected it with a wooden plank. Breathing heavily, I thought,
'Four of them... It's tough, but maybe manageable.'
That was when it happened.
Zzirit
"......"
A stabbing pain flooded my mind. Along with a severe migraine, my body's balance faltered. Wondering what was going on, I felt as if the otherworldly beings' monstrous tongue was drilling directly into my head.
'Speech?'
The Bi-Gang's body twitched. Its crimson eyes fixed on me.
For some reason, I sensed it was the [Bi-Gang] before me sending me a [message]. If my hunch was right, this Bi-Gang wasn't a mindless beast but an intelligent creature capable of communication. It could even convey its will telepathically to others.
'Damn it... What good does understanding do!'
Gritting my teeth, I gripped my spear tightly. At the same time, Seomun Hye lunged at one Bi-Gang and unleashed her ultimate technique.
"Haat!"
Kwa-ching
Sword flame!
A decisive technique usable only by a select few peak experts flowed along Seomun Hye's blade. The sword flame, rising like silver-white light flames, soon coalesced into a single blade in midair. Seomun Hye's body merged with her sword in perfect unity and thrust toward the Bi-Gang.
Kwa-kwa-kwak!!
[Kirurururuk...!!]
One Bi-Gang's body was massively sliced and torn. Even with its superior regeneration, it staggered back, clearly suffering major damage. I was startled, having momentarily lost track of Seomun Hye's movements.
'What incredible skill!'
In pure swordsmanship, she was on par with Present Heaven Daoist. And she seemed to have even more power in reserve, possessing terrifying martial prowess beyond her years. No wonder she had advanced to the fourth round of the Dark Classic Martial Tournament.
I couldn't just stand by either, so I unleashed the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear. With the superbly trained basics of spear, power, and speed, my spear strikes burst forth seven times in a single breath. The repeated thrusts and spins riddled the Bi-Gang in front of me with holes.
Kwarung
Unwilling to be picked off one by one, as one neared death from my spear strikes, the other two flew toward me. They spewed acidic fluid violently while charging with body slams; their ferocity left me no choice but to evade with Thunder Shadow Step's Heaven's Execution.
Paat
I stood back-to-back with Seomun Hye. She said despairingly,
"It's regenerating again..."
Indeed. She had inflicted heavy damage on one, but unable to fully track its movements, she hesitated to press the attack. Its transparent body let most physical attacks pass through, so a failed strike risked a deadly counter. Even for a master like Seomun Hye, finishing it in one hit was difficult.
The same went for me.
Shishik
Though I kept distance with Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear, the Bi-Gang's movements were incredibly slippery and unpredictable. It didn't use martial arts per se, but its primal instincts rivaled any technique. The gap in innate physical abilities was so vast that we humans bridged it only through martial arts.
'I absolutely cannot let the Embroidered Uniform Guard obtain the Seven Essentials.'
At the same time, I was struck anew by how catastrophic the [incident where the Embroidered Uniform Guard seized the Seven Essentials] had been in my past life. The number of Bi-Gangs and demonic beasts I faced then numbered in the dozens or hundreds. Struggling this much against just four—what would hundreds be like? And with their ability to ignore non-qi attacks, no amount of regular soldiers could handle them.
Alone on land, I could have unleashed my inner energy wildly to wipe them out. But here on the sea, destroying the ship was not an option, and there were people to protect in the cabins. The terrain was far too disadvantageous.
"What do we do..."
There was still no sign of Miho having dealt with the shaman. As I pondered, it happened.
[Believe.]
Thud
Some divine energy flowed into my body. A path connected from the crown of my head to my dantian, and a massive wave of clarity rose from my throat. Having rarely felt such mystical energy up close, I was shocked.
I heard the voice of Yeo Dongbin's sword spirit.
[Cast aside distracting thoughts and surrender your body. And believe.]
Believe—
Now I understood its meaning. It was daunting and hesitant, but if this was the only way out, I had no choice.
'At this rate, we'll die. I have a feeling.'
Having died over ten times, I knew.
Fail to choose correctly here, and death awaits.
Moments later, as the sword spirit instructed, I cast aside stray thoughts and yielded to the divine energy. My consciousness sank into the depths of my subconscious, and I felt as if I were watching my body from outside. Bodily sensations remained, but my soul had detached.
Flash!
Suddenly, pure white energy swirled in my eyes. Then, a voice not my own rang out clearly from my throat.
[How dare these异族 prey on humans! I shall not tolerate the demonic path's horde.]
Kiruruk!!
The Bi-Gangs sensed I had become a 'different being' and grew agitated. [I] hurled the spear, impaling one Bi-Gang straight through. Even if I had poured all my inner energy into a full-power throw, I doubted it would have matched that force and speed.
Puk
[Kiiik!!]
It was astonishing. The spear embedded in the Bi-Gang's transparent body erupted into a massive wound, flying out the other side. Unlike previous injuries, it couldn't regenerate easily and collapsed writhing. The spear carried a power that inhibited regeneration.
Then [I] slowly drew the famed blade Muramasa. [I] admired its sharpness and beauty for a moment before murmuring,
[A demon-sealing demon blade, eh. An ill-omened sword, but no choice but to use it.]
Kying—
At the same time, starlight naturally condensed on the famed blade Muramasa, glowing in fluffy clusters. The sight of brilliant rainbow hues gathering made the surrounding Bi-Gangs shrink back timidly. The power emanating from the sword tip was overwhelmingly dominant. Seomun Hye, standing right beside, stared at the starlight in a daze.
Soon, the auspicious qi coalesced into a single form, turning into a pure, unadorned gray hue. The refined blade's shape matched what I had heard.
Rigid qi!
[I] aimed the rigid-qi-infused famed blade straight ahead and roared in fury.
[The era of the ancient ones ended long ago! By the will of the heavens, I shall purge you.]
Indeed.
The being that had possessed my body was none other than the Fighting Immortal, strongest of the Eight Immortals, and the Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin, revered as a deity by most Taoist priests! The command to believe was to fulfill the possession condition—closing off my reason to make my spirit receptive.
Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin's hand moved.
Kakakakakakang
With a resonant sound, illusions of the famed blade suddenly appeared in midair. Each one brimmed with rigid qi, the formidable energy forming a vortex toward the heavens.
Terrifying majesty!
The thunder-infused vortex pierced downward to the earth moments later.
Sseukwang!
[Kieeeek!!]
In an instant, one Bi-Gang's body shredded into hundreds of pieces and exploded. The rigid-qi-charged famed blade had flown in at horrifying speed via sword control arts and detonated its energy. Unlike before, the Bi-Gang writhed without regenerating, then vaporized completely under the ensuing thunderbolt.
Simultaneously, the peerless sword shadows multiplied into hundreds of strands, assailing the remaining Bi-Gangs. They tried leaping into the sea to escape, but Yeo Dongbin's sword momentum blanketed heaven and earth in a flash. Thousands upon tens of thousands of divine sword shadows glittered like a rainstorm—an artistic sight.
Pipiping
Kwa-gwang
As the sea fog dissipated, explosions boiled up like liquid clouds. Amid the sword-explosion vortex stood Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin, aloof in the air—an unattainable realm of flight for me.
Seeing the last one flee into the distance, he flicked his hand.
[Young one, do you see?]
Each sword was infused with will. At Yeo Dongbin's intent, extreme concentrations of thought and念 formed a violet qi-sword that leaped through space. With a mere twitch of his finger, it tore a massive light across the sky, striking the Bi-Gang instantly.
Kwa-gwang
The Bi-Gang scattered without even a scream. Yeo Dongbin, floating grandly in the air watching, lowered his hand.
[This is the Heavenly Escape Sword Art.]
The majesty of annihilating the Bi-Gangs in moments was beyond doubt.
The being manifesting on earth through my body—
It was Yeo Dongbin, the most venerated sword immortal in history. Countless immortals and Daoists had existed, but only Yeo Dongbin ascended solely through sword mastery and demon slaying.
Yeo Dongbin suddenly furrowed his brow.
[A massive progeny of the baleful god approaches. Is the demonic so rampant in this era? Did those fools learn nothing from the Great Cataclysm of the Silver Age? How lamentable!]
Kugugugu...
He was right. Most of the sea fog had cleared, but something ominous and enormous approached from the horizon.
It was a calamity in the form of violet mist. Nothing else could describe its size and terror. Amid the violet mist clouds, massive tentacles writhed upward, ceaselessly spewing filthy, fearful curses. Compared to the Bi-Gangs we just fought, this was a true demon that made them seem cute.
Kuooh
It swallowed thunderclouds, filling heaven and earth with its presence. Lesser than the Moon Yao's guardian, but even I knew a human couldn't face it.
What was a baleful god?
As I wondered inwardly, Yeo Dongbin read my thoughts and answered as if monologuing.
[Young one. In this world exists a being more malevolent and fearsome than sea gods: the one that guards the evil gods from the ocean depths until they reach the stars' orbits. That is called a baleful god, and yon violet entity is its progeny.]
Such a thing existed?
As I reeled internally, Yeo Dongbin raised famed blade Muramasa and glared ahead.
[Yet your innate power is exceptional, allowing me to wield 100% of my strength. Worry not.]
The distance to the baleful god's progeny closed.
At around fifty-odd zhang, Yeo Dongbin floated famed blade Muramasa into the air. Simultaneously, a colossal five-colored light cluster, incomparable to before, gathered with immense radiance. It felt as if the surrounding natural qi was depleting—true mastery over nature itself.
Kwa-ching!
[Roar, divine sword of the fire dragon!]
A massive jade flame erupted from famed blade Muramasa. Ultimately, the blade lost material form, becoming pure flame—like a fire dragon's qi boiling from the sword. As draconic energy enveloped my body, scorching heat surged from within, making me feel like the dragon incarnate.
Heavenly Escape Sword Art
Fire Dragon Divine Sword
Obliterating Light
[Return to your foul origin!]
My body, transformed into a massive light mass with the Fire Dragon Divine Sword, charged ahead bearing Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin's will. Its speed surpassed even my simultaneous Great Thunder Destruction Array and thunderclap. Yeo Dongbin drew out my full potential for greater power.
Kuooh
The baleful god's progeny spat tentacles and fired demonic qi blasts like cannonballs, to no avail. The Fire Dragon Divine Sword incinerated the tentacles relentlessly and plunged into the violet cloud-like body. I nearly suffocated from the thick demonic qi at its core, but the Fire Dragon Divine Sword burned even that away, bringing relief.
[Ooooo!]
I sensed the progeny’s heart-like core. The heart had eyes like a living thing and tentacles of its own. It chanted shamanic secrets and spirit words to defend itself, but Yeo Dongbin's sword ignored all and pierced dead center.
[Kieeeeeek!!]
The heart screamed. The next instant, it exploded, spraying inky blue blood everywhere, and the surrounding violet clouds began collapsing. Its true form was a hybrid of spirit and nature-summoned mass. Yeo Dongbin swiftly retreated via flight back to the ship.
Kwa-gwang
Behind, the baleful god's progeny exploded and vanished.
Chalclang
Yeo Dongbin sheathed famed blade Muramasa and said,
[Young one, forgive overusing your body. You've lost much qi—rest and recover.]
Whooo
Simultaneously, the divine energy left my body. My submerged consciousness gradually returned, until I regained control of my flesh. The events felt like a daydream, but watching the violet demonic remnants shatter behind confirmed reality.
Only then did I understand.
The blessing of the Heavenly Escape Sword Art—
Yeo Dongbin had imparted it to me, and it allowed him to possess and fight in my place when sensing demons.
"Cough, cough...?!"
I suddenly coughed. Checking my hand in confusion, it was smeared with fresh blood. My whole body felt limp and drained, like exhaustion from dozens of sleepless days of labor crashing over me. I nearly fainted but held on through willpower as Seomun Hye rushed over to support me.
"Are you alright?!"
"Cough... cough... huff..."
I gasped for breath. Checking my condition, my vast inner energy was depleted to less than ten percent. Yeo Dongbin had pushed my body to its limits for the Heavenly Escape Sword Art, causing internal injuries.
It had been ages since my last internal injury, leaving me bewildered. How much inner energy had that brief battle consumed? As I forced myself to stand, something approached from the sky.
Shuuk
Miho arrived flying on her glider. In one hand, she held the head of a fishfolk with goggling eyes like a bell. Likely the sea god's kin and fog-making shaman.
"Possessing the Fighting Immortal in your own body—what the hell are you?"
Miho, sounding incredulous, incinerated the shaman's head with foxfire. The flames roasted it, filling the air with the scent of tasty grilled fish. As I dimly opened my eyes to look at her, Miho told Seomun Hye beside her,
"You, look after him. The fog and windless zone are dispelled now."
"And you?"
Miho ignored her, staring into Seomun Hye's eyes. Seomun Hye shuddered, her eyes glazing over. Having instantly cast her enchantment, Miho repeated,
"Got it? Look after him."
"Yes..."
My memory ended with Seomun Hye carrying me to the sickbay.
I passed out into deep sleep.