Chapter 78: The Fist King Transcends Martial Arts in Battle
The Fist King Transcends Martial Arts in Battle
Chapter 78: The Fist King Transcends Martial Arts in Battle
Dan Woo-sung's Lightning Strike shot forward like a beam of light.
Wherever that light passed, the darkness transformed into brightness, as if lanterns had been lit in its wake.
Left Envoy Yeon Je-hong barely managed to deflect the Lightning Strike with his crimson hands wreathed in Scarlet Crimson Hands.
But the Lightning Strike was not a mere flash—it was a condensed spear of lightning energy. Only the portion that clashed with the Scarlet Crimson Hands dissipated, while the remaining force of the spear struck Yeon Je-hong's body head-on.
Thud!
Yeon Je-hong was sent flying in a straight line, his entire body crackling with residual lightning energy.
"Kkhh—!"
Trembling mid-air, Yeon Je-hong forcibly expelled the lightning energy with a surge of his own inner power. His robes tore apart from the violent discharge, leaving him in tatters. His jaw quivered uncontrollably—this martial art was as agonizing as being struck by demonic energy.
By then, Dan Woo-sung had already closed the distance and swung his fist.
Yeon Je-hong blocked the strike and shouted:
"Right Envoy!"
Reinforcements?
Dan Woo-sung showed no hesitation and pressed his attack.
But it was a feint.
Crash!
Yeon Je-hong, who had barely defended with a double-palm block, was sent skidding backward before dropping to his knees and bellowing:
"Spare me!"
The moment Dan Woo-sung stepped forward to kick Yeon Je-hong's head—
Whoosh!
—the Left Envoy leaped like a frog, flipping mid-air before rolling away and scrambling to escape.
Even as he gave chase, Dan Woo-sung was dumbfounded.
He was momentarily stunned.
If the martial world had truly fallen under the Demonic Path's rule, the title of Left Envoy would place its holder among the top two or three most powerful figures in the realm. Yet here was this man, shamelessly crying for help and dropping to his knees to beg for his life—actions so disgraceful they shattered Dan Woo-sung's expectations.
The sheer audacity of such cowardice was chilling. Neither the White Path nor even the Black Path would tolerate such behavior.
As Yeon Je-hong fled, he suddenly turned toward the darkness on his right and shouted with exaggerated relief:
"Right Envoy! Help me!"
This time, it seemed real—his voice carried genuine excitement.
The moment Yeon Je-hong stopped running, he lunged back at Dan Woo-sung, unleashing a flurry of clawed strikes infused with Scarlet Crimson Hands.
Screech!
Dan Woo-sung ducked and swept Yeon Je-hong's legs out from under him.
But the Left Envoy twisted mid-fall, channeling energy into the ground before springing upward like a firework, laughing wildly.
"Hahahahaha...!"
Arcing through the air, Yeon Je-hong landed and backpedaled, taunting:
"Hey, the Right Envoy's nearby, you know? Let's call it quits. He's just taking a shit right now, but once he's done, you're dead meat. How about we settle this peacefully? I'll let you go—just stop, alright? Stop!"
Dan Woo-sung charged forward expressionlessly, forcing Yeon Je-hong into another desperate sprint. His Lightfoot Technique wasn't even faster than Dan Woo-sung's, making escape impossible.
For a brief moment, Yeon Je-hong's life flashed before his eyes—proof of just how dire his situation was.
His life hadn't been particularly enjoyable.
"Damn it."
From birth, he had been taught that revenge was his purpose, that he had been wronged. Before he even reached adulthood, his mind had been corrupted by the Demonic Path. But by the time he grew up, he had come to enjoy this life. The freedom to do anything in the name of vengeance appealed to him. Murder and violation were addictive.
Just as things were about to get even more entertaining—
He had to run into the Fist King's disciple?! What kind of bullshit luck was this?!
After running for what felt like an eternity, Yeon Je-hong's eyes widened in genuine shock as he spotted an ally.
"Demon Sword! Help me!"
Was this a dream or reality? The black sword, the black uniform—there was no mistaking it. Though their exact rank was unclear.
The eighth-ranked member of the Twelve Demon Blades narrowed his eyes and drew his sword.
"Left Envoy?"
"Behind me! It's the Fist King's disciple!"
Dan Woo-sung, who had closed the distance in an instant, unleashed a strike that the Demon Blade intercepted with his sword. The moment Dan Woo-sung's fist made contact, he grabbed the demonic blade and twisted.
The Demon Blade's expression darkened.
'Lightning energy?!'
Seizing the opportunity, Yeon Je-hong lashed out with a crimson-infused palm strike.
Dan Woo-sung countered with a left-handed block while simultaneously releasing a surge of lightning energy.
Crack! Fwoosh!
A shockwave erupted from the clash, sending all three combatants reeling.
The Demon Blade's eyes widened.
'The Fist King's disciple...?'
Even their lord, the Sword Demon, had joined forces to capture this man once before. The memory of his fighting prowess was seared into his mind.
Dan Woo-sung alternated his glare between Yeon Je-hong and the Demon Blade. His energy reserves were ample. The three men's minds raced.
Yeon Je-hong smirked.
'You're done for. This guy's mastered Blade Immunity.'
Dan Woo-sung judged that an energy clash would be disadvantageous. If reinforcements arrived while he was locked in such a battle, it could mean his death.
He forced the two back with a concentrated burst of energy.
Yeon Je-hong and the Demon Blade were pushed back seven or eight steps before regaining their footing.
Yeon Je-hong laughed.
"Hahaha...! How pathetic! Demon Blade, I'll leave this one to you. Capture him and drain him dry! Let's start with his limbs—his limbs! This is your chance to rise in rank!"
"Shut your mouth when you fight."
The Demon Blade scolded the Left Envoy before swinging his sword. Even if Yeon Je-hong was the Heavenly Demon's Left Envoy, their factions were separate—he held no authority over the Twelve Demon Blades.
Yeon Je-hong blocked Dan Woo-sung's escape route, attempting to grapple him with Forbidden Hand Combat. The two pounced like wild beasts, their attacks tearing through the ground and nearby walls.
Dan Woo-sung leaped back, spinning mid-air before releasing another energy wave to propel himself further.
For a moment, it seemed the tide had turned.
Dan Woo-sung retreated, eyeing them coldly.
Yeon Je-hong grinned as he pursued.
"Starting to feel the pressure? Kneel and beg, and I might take you as my subordinate. How about it? I like your spirit."
The Demon Blade asked:
"You're really the Fist King's disciple?"
Yeon Je-hong nodded.
"That's what I said. He's conserving energy—be careful. He's got tricks up his sleeve."
By now, Dan Woo-sung had backed against a wall, arms hanging loosely at his sides. He focused, scanning for any other approaching enemies.
None.
This retreat was his own choice—a shift in psychological warfare.
They believed they had the upper hand, but Dan Woo-sung doubted their coordination. Their conversation alone betrayed their lack of synergy. The gaps in their teamwork would be their downfall.
Backing against the wall was part of the mind game.
The Demon Blade's sword shot toward Dan Woo-sung's face, only to shatter the wall behind him. Dan Woo-sung struck the Demon Blade's abdomen, sending him flying with a hollow thud. Yeon Je-hong followed up with a Scarlet Crimson Hands strike aimed at Dan Woo-sung's throat.
Sssshhk—!
The wall split diagonally, cleaved in two. Dan Woo-sung dodged with calculated precision, moving like a cat before erupting like a lion with another Lightning Strike.
He deliberately held back his speed—until the moment the Demonic Path fighters grew accustomed to his rhythm.
Then, he exploded into motion with Instantaneous Lightfoot Technique.
Launching upward, Dan Woo-sung stomped the Demon Blade's head with Lightning Foot before flipping mid-air to seize Yeon Je-hong's skull and slam him down.
His plan had always been to kill Yeon Je-hong first.
Even before the flip, Yeon Je-hong had been targeting Dan Woo-sung's back.
But in the split-second after attacking the Demon Blade, Dan Woo-sung seized the Left Envoy as intended—exploiting their clumsy teamwork.
Dan Woo-sung injected lightning energy into Yeon Je-hong's head while dragging him across the ground with Lightfoot Technique.
"GAAAHHH—!"
Flailing like a fish out of water, Yeon Je-hong thrashed wildly as the Demon Blade unleashed a barrage of sword energy at Dan Woo-sung.
Dan Woo-sung flipped Yeon Je-hong upward, using him as a shield against the incoming strikes. Even in this state, the Left Envoy desperately deflected some with his palms.
Thud! Thud! Slash!
Yeon Je-hong's left hand was severed by a sword beam.
"Ghk! You bastard!"
As Yeon Je-hong reached for Dan Woo-sung's arm with his remaining hand, Dan Woo-sung channeled the full power of White Lightning Ten Stages into him.
Yeon Je-hong's arm froze mid-air before going limp.
The Demon Blade, who had been closing in, immediately assumed a defensive stance, shocked by the sudden reversal.
But then—
The Demon Blade feinted a sword swing before vaulting over the wall.
The moment he cleared it, Dan Woo-sung stomped Yeon Je-hong's face into the ground.
CRUNCH!
"You damn... bastard..."
As Yeon Je-hong's skull caved in—
Dan Woo-sung leaped onto the wall, tracking the Demon Blade as he fled into a nearby house.
The Demon Blade scrambled onto rooftops, leaping two or three houses at a time, his frantic footsteps betraying his terror.
He was running for his life.
These men were accustomed to ganging up on opponents—not fighting one-on-one.
Dan Woo-sung gauged the path before descending and giving chase. The Demon Blade's noisy retreat made him easy to track.
Cutting through an unnamed alley, Dan Woo-sung kicked off a wall to launch himself onto a rooftop.
The Demon Blade stood on a distant roof, holding what looked like a signal flare.
Dan Woo-sung raised a single finger, mimicking Yeon Je-hong's Scarlet Crimson Hands, and compressed lightning energy into a needle-thin beam.
Within the domain of the Five Lightning Realms, his will shaped the lightning.
Zzzzzzzap!
The beam shot out faster than even Dan Woo-sung expected, obliterating the flare mid-air.
Thud!
The Demon Blade lowered his sword, staring at Dan Woo-sung.
The gap between their rooftops was wide.
The Demon Blade gestured mockingly with his left hand—"Come over here."—before stepping back.
Of course, he had no intention of waiting.
"Come on."
Instead, he dropped off the roof mid-retreat.
Dan Woo-sung sprinted across the rooftops.
The Demon Blade pretended to fall but caught the roof's edge with one hand. The moment Dan Woo-sung leaned over, he sprang up and slashed.
Swish!
Both fighters relied on sound to track each other.
Dan Woo-sung caught the blade just before it reached his throat, then stomped the Demon Blade's face with Lightning Foot. He had anticipated the counterattack—there had been no rustling of fabric.
Thud!
But blunt force didn't seem to faze the Demon Blade. Even after the kick, he refused to release his sword. Dan Woo-sung yanked the blade, slamming the man onto the roof.
Their energies clashed through the sword.
Crackle!
In close-quarters combat, Dan Woo-sung's mastery of body techniques gave him the overwhelming advantage. While channeling energy through the sword, they exchanged brutal strikes with their free hands.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Crunch!
Dan Woo-sung's punches and kicks felt like hammering metal—yet the Demon Blade struggled more against the lightning energy coursing through him.
When Dan Woo-sung aimed for his eyes, the Demon Blade responded with a headbutt. This wasn't the refined combat of martial artists—it was a street brawl.
Dan Woo-sung grabbed his collar and slammed him into the ground.
CRASH!
Only then did the demonic sword clatter away. Dan Woo-sung picked it up and snapped it in half with a mix of internal and external energy.
He glared at the Demon Blade.
"You bastards just won't die. How many people did you have to kill to get bodies like this?"
Though exhausted, the Demon Blade rose like a reanimated corpse.
Dan Woo-sung glanced around. They were four or five stories up. The moment the Demon Blade tried to flee, Dan Woo-sung seized the back of his neck with Instantaneous Lightfoot Technique and launched them both into the air.
They arced away from the building. Only then did true terror grip the Demon Blade, and he screamed.
This was pure, instinctive fear.
Mid-air, Dan Woo-sung twisted the Demon Blade's body upside-down before stomping down between his neck and jaw—headfirst toward the ground.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH—!"
The scream stretched endlessly as Dan Woo-sung rode the Demon Blade down.
SPLAT.