Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
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Thud!!
A corpse from the Wind God Corps bounced away to the side of me and the Sword Demon. I could tell it was a corpse because the man's head was already gone. From the slashing mark in that split second, I discerned that he had been caught in the swirling flow of the Thunderclap Flash.
'At least ten enemies must have died from that one Thunderclap Flash.'
As I muttered to myself inwardly, we reached the center of the bamboo grove.
The area was a chaotic melee.
Peak Experts from the Wind God Corps had Jin So-cheong surrounded in the middle, and some of them even gathered their internal energy to launch combined wall formation attacks. Quite a few had died from the Thunderclap Flash just moments ago, with corpses scattered here and there, but the Wind God Corps experts didn't blink an eye as they charged in fury.
Clang!
Kakang!
Jin So-cheong, under assault from at least dozens of Peak Experts, was fending them off in place while swinging his spear. There wasn't the slightest tremor in his eyes, and beads of sweat flying through the air from his body. Every time Jin So-cheong executed a single move, it was as if the Wind God Corps experts were attacking dozens of times in response, but he used his willpower to fluidly deflect every assault and counterattack instead.
The moment the Sword Demon and I appeared in the area, all eyes turned to us. The first to react was a burly Wind God Style warrior who immediately charged at us.
Shing!
Blade light erupted fiercely. By the speed of his saber, he was undoubtedly a considerable Peak Expert, but he was unlucky to face the Sword Demon. The Sword Demon lightly deflected his attack, then grabbed him by the throat and hurled him into the bamboo grove.
"Kuheok!!"
As he flew into the bamboo grove screaming, an uproar spread through the area. It was because everyone present sensed the Sword Demon's prowess. A middle-aged man who appeared to hold high status among the Wind God Style experts stepped forward and said,
"Who are you?"
"I am the Sword Demon of the Shadowless Sect."
"Sword Demon!!"
The Wind God Style experts, including the middle-aged man, flinched. Even Jin So-cheong, who had been quietly recovering his stamina amid the commotion, showed a glint in his eyes as he looked at him. The Sword Demon smirked as all attention focused on him and said,
"Is it that surprising that I've come here?"
The middle-aged man growled.
"If you're here, then kill that Jin So-cheong bastard."
"......"
The Sword Demon gave him a strange look and said,
"I'd like to, but I have something to say to Jin So-cheong first."
"What? What nonsense is that?"
"Give me a moment. Then I'll join in."
The middle-aged man scowled and said,
"Damn it. Do you think the Wind God Style is so easy that a punk like you can make demands?"
"Who said I think it's easy? We're in the same boat, so I'm just asking you to grant a small request."
"... Do as you please."
He seemed deflated. By his pride, the Sword Demon's demand would normally be outrageous, but realistically, the Sword Demon's aid held absolute power in this situation. If the Sword Demon left, the Wind God Style would suffer even greater losses. As the Wind God Corps experts parted to make way, the Sword Demon and I approached Jin So-cheong.
I examined Jin So-cheong's current condition and let out a groan.
'He's consumed a significant amount of internal energy and looks fatigued... but no major wounds at all. He still has about seventy percent of his strength left.'
It might seem modest, but I was awestruck by Jin So-cheong's ability. We'd passed over twenty Wind God Style corpses on the way here, yet he'd slain them without sustaining serious injuries and preserved most of his power. If the Sword Demon hadn't arrived, he might have fought the Wind God Corps to mutual destruction or even better.
The Sword Demon faced Jin So-cheong at a distance of about ten feet. He stared at him silently before saying,
"I've heard a lot about you, but this is the first time seeing you in person."
Jin So-cheong, having caught his breath somewhat, smiled faintly and replied,
"They say the Sword Demon of the Evil Faction, Seomun Daeryong, lives up to his name. If anything, your reputation seems understated."
"Haha, thank you for the praise. You have impressive skill yourself. Who would have thought you'd decimate the experts of the Wind God Style, one of the White Lotus Church's Four Great Martial Styles, to this extent."
At the Sword Demon's words, the surrounding Wind God Style experts scowled. Especially the high-status middle-aged man bellowed,
"Sword Demon! Enough bullshit—fight! Did you come here to mess around?"
The Sword Demon replied with a cold smile.
"You're the one spewing bullshit, so how great must you be to talk to me like that? State your name and title first."
"I am Yong Mu-yang, elder of the Wind God Style."
The Sword Demon feigned surprise.
"What? You're an elder? Impressive... You looked too weak, so I didn't recognize you."
"Ugh... You son of a bitch."
The Wind God Style elder Yong Mu-yang finally exploded and shouted,
"That's it! Get out now. We'll handle Jin So-cheong."
But the Sword Demon completely ignored him as if he hadn't heard. Instead, he looked at Jin So-cheong and said,
"Is Lee Gwang nearby?"
"......!!"
At the Sword Demon's words, Jin So-cheong showed a faint sign of agitation. It meant the question had struck at his core. Jin So-cheong quickly regained his composure and said,
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No need to hide it. If I were Lee Gwang, that's exactly what I'd do."
"......"
"It's a perfect plan. You take out half the Wind God Corps, Lee Gwang the other half... With two transcendent experts rampaging, even the world's Wind God Corps couldn't handle it. You must have seized this bamboo grove beforehand as favorable terrain, right? Perfect for a pincer attack."
Jin So-cheong thought for a moment, then stared piercingly at the Sword Demon.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much. I've come to give you some advice."
"Advice?"
The Sword Demon's lips moved slightly. It seemed like he was sending a transmission to Jin So-cheong.
Upon hearing that secretive transmission, Jin So-cheong's face showed clear surprise. For the usually composed Jin So-cheong to fail to hide his expression meant the transmission contained something重大. A moment later, he said,
"Understood."
"Heh heh. See you later then."
Taat!
As soon as he finished speaking, the Sword Demon leaped away with lightness skill. I ended up withdrawing alongside him in a daze. The Wind God Corps experts, including the middle-aged man, glared at us murderously.
"You bastard... What scheme are you plotting?"
"Scheme? I said from the start I came to talk to Jin So-cheong."
"Don't make me laugh. Spill it now, or we'll treat you as part of the Thunder God Style and wipe you out too."
A heavy tension flowed.
The Wind God Style experts began to move slowly.
Puff puff pung!
Moments later, three Wind God Corps members around the Sword Demon charged at him and died instantly. They hadn't been able to respond to the Sword Demon's covertly activated flying sword of will. The Sword Demon drew his sword.
"This is self-defense. If you want to try more, I won't stop you."
"......!!"
The Wind God Style experts surged with ferocious killing intent. With over thirty Wind God Corps members still left and Yong Mu-yang appearing to be a transcendent expert, they seemed confident of their superiority against us. However, Yong Mu-yang soon realized the reality and waved his hand.
"... Let them go."
The Wind God Style was the strongest here, but they only had enough power for mutual destruction with Jin So-cheong. Turning the Sword Demon into an enemy as well could lead to annihilation. Until now, Yong Mu-yang had pressured the Sword Demon using the White Lotus Church and Eight Demonic Sects' subordination, but when it failed, he deflated on his own.
"That's more like it."
The Sword Demon grinned and left the area.
Paat!
As I followed the Sword Demon, I said,
"What did you say to Jin So-cheong?"
The Sword Demon, stepping on bamboo nodes and soaring high, said,
"I told him I want to form a non-aggression pact with the Thunder God Style."
"What?"
The Sword Demon kept his gaze fixed ahead. As if something important was in front of him.
"Well, now the real thing begins. You should stay alert."
Alert? What did that mean?
Hadn't we left the battlefield between the Wind God Style and Jin So-cheong?
Before I could respond, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of dread and looked ahead.
"Ugh..."
I had to stop my lightness skill and halt in place.
The terrifying killing intent emanating from ahead was undoubtedly refined by willpower, and it was also an intangible aura that subtly pressured the opponent. Someone without knowledge of willpower or at a low level would faint or die just from the intangible aura. And in the martial world, only a scant few transcendent experts could wield intangible auras.
This aura was very familiar to me. Despite facing countless killing intents, I immediately knew who this one belonged to. As I deflected his killing intent with my own willpower, I gritted my teeth, knowing it had finally come.
'It's not as oppressive as I expected.'
Step...
A figure emerged from the other side of the bamboo grove.
The man facing us held a single spear like Jin So-cheong, with a sword at his waist. His clear features and indifferent gaze made him seem like a scholar, but in truth, he was a master among masters who had honed transcendent martial arts for decades.
The Sword Demon cupped his fists toward him.
"This is our first meeting like this. Pleased to meet you, Lee Gwang."
"......"
That's right.
The one blocking our path was Triple Excellence Lee Gwang!
Heir to the Thunder God Style, master of the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, one of the Imperial Palace's Four Great Experts—the Death Envoy Azure Dragon—and a transcendent expert who shook the world with a single spear! Lee Gwang, with whom I shared a hundred years of enmity, had finally appeared before me in this life.
Lee Gwang slowly scanned us both. His indifferent gaze evoked the image of a fierce tiger that never lost its composure. Though it seemed calm, that gaze was proof he had entered combat readiness.
Lee Gwang spoke.
"I need to revise my judgment of the Shadowless Sect. I didn't expect a powerhouse of this level..."
Lee Gwang seemed to recognize the Sword Demon's prowess at a glance. If the Sword Demon were even slightly weaker, he probably wouldn't be conversing so calmly.
The Sword Demon laughed heartily.
"Haha... I'm flattered. I myself am impressed that Triple Excellence Lee Gwang has reached the realm of a generational grandmaster."
"We're not here to gild each other's faces."
Lee Gwang replied leisurely, looking at the Sword Demon before saying,
"Sword Demon Seomun Daeryong. I've obtained information that you've submitted to the White Lotus Church. Do you intend to continue on their path?"
Lee Gwang's words were unusually polite. It signified that he acknowledged the Sword Demon as an equal or superior expert. Normally, with Lee Gwang's personality, he'd charge at weaker foes without a word and sever their heads. Hearing Lee Gwang, the Sword Demon replied,
"I have my own plan to preserve my sect. However, if I truly intended to ride with the White Lotus Church, I wouldn't have left your disciple alone. You know that much, right?"
"......"
Lee Gwang fell silent before saying,
"What do you want?"
The Sword Demon shrugged.
"That's too vague a question. I'd prefer something more specific."
"I'm asking what you hope to gain by intervening in the fight between our Thunder God Style and the White Lotus Church."
The Sword Demon answered leisurely.
"Quite the opposite. I have no desire to get involved in your fight at all. That's why I'm here today."
"What do you mean?"
The Sword Demon replied curtly.
"Your disciple charged out to strike at the Eight Demonic Sects, a subordinate force of the White Lotus Church, forcing me to move as well. What a nuisance."
True to his sharp mind, Lee Gwang instantly grasped the Sword Demon's intent and immediately bowed his head slightly.
"My apologies. The Shadowless Sect will not be touched henceforth."
Whether the Sword Demon wanted it or not, as a subordinate of the White Lotus Church, he had no choice but to respond to external attacks or provocations. And with Jin So-cheong targeting the Eight Demonic Sects, fighting the Sword Demon was inevitable. Lee Gwang had considered it natural until now, but he viewed clashing rashly with the Sword Demon—a transcendent expert surpassing even him—as a loss. Thus, he could swallow his pride and seek reconciliation.
The Sword Demon shook his head as if it wasn't enough.
"That won't suffice."
Lee Gwang scowled.
"I don't have time right now. Can we continue this later?"
He was in a state where he needed to rush to aid Jin So-cheong and annihilate the Wind God Corps. Even alone, Jin So-cheong could mutual-destruct with them, but Lee Gwang had to ensure his disciple survived. Lingering here too long spelled disaster.
"You're being selfish! But if you ignore my demands, I'll do as I please."
As the Sword Demon pressed strongly, Lee Gwang replied as if he had no choice.
"What is it? I'll grant what I can."
"It's not a big deal."
The Sword Demon grinned and said,
"I'd like you to spar with our Shadowless Sect's White Protector here. I think a duel with a powerhouse will be good stimulation."
"......"
Lee Gwang looked at me in surprise. Gauging my presence, he groaned and said,
"Hmm... That young man is the protector? Not the sect leader?"
"That's right."
"... Understood. But not today."
"Of course. I'll set a date later and visit the Azure Dragon Martial Hall with the White Protector."
"I'll await you."
Paat!
As soon as he finished, Lee Gwang shot off like a beam of light using Thunder Shadow Step: Heaven's Flash, heading back the way we came. He had to join immediately and slaughter the Wind God Style experts. After confirming Lee Gwang had completely vanished from sight, I said to the Sword Demon,
"Do you think I can beat Lee Gwang?"
I understood the Sword Demon's intent. He had deliberately indebted Lee Gwang to create a sparring opportunity for me and let me gauge his strength. But honestly, I didn't feel confident of victory.
The Sword Demon replied,
"Whether you can win or not isn't the point. The important thing is to gauge how strong Lee Gwang will be seven years from now, without your involvement."
"......"
"Have confidence. Sparring with Lee Gwang will surely be a great asset."
The Sword Demon glanced toward the back of the bamboo grove. Screams, clashing blades, and bursts of qi indicated Lee Gwang was rampaging once more.
"We should take what we can before that guy self-destructs."