Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Forbidden Demon Art
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There were few in the Demonic Alliance who could command a hundred Black Warriors at once.
Ma Yeon-gi concentrated his qi into his feet, boosting his speed. The men he'd encountered today were clearly no ordinary foes. An ominous foreboding wrapped around his entire body.
"Gah!"
The moment Ma Yeon-gi accelerated, a fierce impact struck his throat, drawing an involuntary scream from his lips.
His rapidly moving body halted abruptly, forcing him to absorb the full brunt of the shock—not just with his body, but directly through his neck.
Ma Yeon-gi's vision blurred for a moment. The impact had been too intense. But soon his sight cleared, allowing him to take in the situation. The first thing that caught his eye was the man gripping his throat.
The stranger was one of the uninvited guests who'd appeared at the Yu Family Manor. Ma Yeon-gi had paid him little mind at the time, yet he couldn't fathom how this man had suddenly shown up here. When he'd left the manor, no one had been pursuing him. There shouldn't have been anyone capable of catching him in that scenario.
And yet, here he was. Chasing him down. Seizing his throat.
"Wh-what...?"
Ma Yeon-gi forced his mouth open. His eyes glared murderously at Dan Hyeong-u. He wasn't without fear, but he firmly believed he could survive this crisis if he just escaped it.
Ma Yeon-gi quietly circulated his internal energy. Surprisingly, he could still use it.
'He hasn't sealed my qi?'
Ma Yeon-gi shot Dan Hyeong-u a suspicious glance. He wiggled his fingers. They moved freely. Astonishingly, his body wasn't restrained at all. His neck was simply held.
'Hmph, fool!'
Ma Yeon-gi's foot, infused with internal energy, shot toward Dan Hyeong-u's solar plexus. At least, that's what he thought he'd done. But nothing happened.
Ma Yeon-gi looked back and forth between Dan Hyeong-u's face and his own foot in shock. His qi still flowed. But his foot wouldn't extend. His hands moved as he wished. Yet he couldn't attack Dan Hyeong-u.
Only then did Ma Yeon-gi panic in earnest.
Dan Hyeong-u stared calmly into Ma Yeon-gi's eyes. He could have unleashed his emotions to terrify the man, but he saw no need.
Ma Yeon-gi was so flustered he couldn't even judge what he should do. Dan Hyeong-u turned around, still gripping Ma Yeon-gi's throat, and took a single step.
Whoosh!
"Urk."
A crushing pressure suddenly gripped Ma Yeon-gi's entire body, snapping him back to his senses. His vision blurred again, then sharpened. His eyes widened in shock.
"Th-this... the Yu Family Manor?"
Jegal Rin's surprised face came into Ma Yeon-gi's view. Behind her stood the Sword Demon and Sword King—the Sword Demon looked mildly startled, while the Sword King seemed nonchalant.
Tang Ho-gwan and Tang Mun-yeong standing nearby were also slightly surprised, though less so than the Sword Demon or Jegal Rin. Umun Hye, of course, showed no surprise at all.
"P-put me down right now!"
Ma Yeon-gi thrashed his limbs wildly, shouting as he poured qi into them. But nothing moved. It was enough to drive him mad. His qi wasn't sealed, nor were his pressure points struck, yet his body refused to budge.
"Hah... hah..."
Exhausted, Ma Yeon-gi panted and let his body go limp. He hadn't even moved much, yet he was already spent. No—his body hadn't moved at all, and still he was drained.
"Brought him."
Dan Hyeong-u muttered indifferently and casually tossed Ma Yeon-gi aside.
Thud!
Ma Yeon-gi rolled limply across the ground. But he sprang right back up. There was no strain in his movements.
He'd been dropped to the floor with nothing sealed at all. Had he realized this sooner, he wouldn't have ended up rolling pathetically.
Ma Yeon-gi started to flee again, but glanced at Dan Hyeong-u and clenched his teeth. No matter how he ran, he'd be caught. In this situation, he needed a different approach.
Ma Yeon-gi scanned the room slyly. He spotted a few he might overpower. He was quite strong himself. He'd been a decent expert before, and gaining command over the Black Warriors had made him far stronger.
In an instant, he identified those in the Yu Family Manor weaker than himself.
Jegal Rin, Tang Mun-yeong, and Umun Hye seemed manageable. The envoys would be a toss-up. The rest were untouchable powerhouses he'd never even graze.
Gulp.
Ma Yeon-gi swallowed unconsciously.
"I can hear the gears turning in your head from here."
The Sword King remarked mockingly. Ma Yeon-gi deliberately avoided looking at him. The Sword King smirked at the man's evasion.
"You're putting on quite the show. If you want to start something, at least learn who I am first."
At the Sword King's words, Ma Yeon-gi finally turned and asked,
"Just who the hell are you people?"
The Sword King answered as if he'd been waiting.
"The Sword King."
Ma Yeon-gi's eyes bulged.
"The Sword King?"
Only then did he understand why the Black Warriors had crumbled so easily. His opponent was the Sword King.
Ma Yeon-gi's gaze shifted to the man beside the Sword King. The Sword King kindly elaborated.
"And the Sword Demon."
Ma Yeon-gi's eyes nearly popped out. He realized his chances of leaving alive were slimmer than he'd thought.
"Damn. They say even a lucky fool breaks his nose falling backward."
Ma Yeon-gi muttered as he slyly gauged his opponents. Then he lunged, seizing Jegal Rin's back and reaching for her. If he could just take her hostage, a path might open.
"Gah!"
Ma Yeon-gi failed. A devilish face filled his vision, followed by the rough grip crushing his throat.
"D-damn..."
Ma Yeon-gi mumbled weakly. His body was fine, as always. But it wouldn't obey his will.
"This is insane."
It perfectly captured his feelings.
"Unbelievable. How is that even possible?"
The Sword Demon spoke in disbelief. Curiosity dawned on the group's faces.
They wondered what trick Dan Hyeong-u was using this time. All eyes turned to the Sword Demon.
"No one sees it? That he's completely unharmed?"
The Sword Demon glanced at the Sword King as he spoke. The Sword King was the only other one who understood—aside from Ma Yeon-gi himself, the victim.
"I have a rough idea of the principle..."
The Sword Demon nodded at the Sword King's words.
"Knowing the principle and actually doing it are worlds apart."
The Sword King had to nod in agreement.
"Naturally."
The group was puzzled by their exchange. One person couldn't hold back her curiosity.
"What does that mean, Grandpa?"
Umun Hye asked in a slightly coquettish tone. The Sword King shook his head and countered,
"Can you restrain someone without striking their pressure points?"
Umun Hye tilted her head at the question.
"If they're weak, you could just pin them down by force."
"Not that. I'm talking about doing it while just holding their throat, like he did."
All eyes turned to Dan Hyeong-u, who still gripped Ma Yeon-gi's neck.
The group's gazes filled with shock.
"D-don't tell me... he didn't seal a single pressure point?"
They recalled Ma Yeon-gi's reaction when Dan Hyeong-u tossed him. He'd moved freely, qi intact. They'd assumed Dan Hyeong-u released the seals upon letting go. But why bother with such hassle?
"Then why isn't he moving at all?"
Umun Hye's perfectly logical question prompted the Sword Demon's answer.
"Balance."
"Balance?"
"Every time he tries to move, it disrupts his balance, keeping him still. Like balancing a stick on your palm to keep it from falling. Though in this case, it's the balance of qi."
Umun Hye's face twisted in disbelief at the explanation.
"How do you balance a person like a stick?"
"Exactly, it defies reason. And yet, here he is, doing it."
At the Sword Demon's words, Ma Yeon-gi finally grasped his predicament. He stared at Dan Hyeong-u like a monster. He'd thought the man merely frightening, but he was far more extraordinary.
"Wh-what do you plan to do with me?"
Dan Hyeong-u looked to Jegal Rin at Ma Yeon-gi's question. She stared back in surprise until their eyes met, snapping her out of it.
"Demonic Alliance Leader, Gal Cheon-ak. He's really back?"
Ma Yeon-gi's face hardened at Jegal Rin's question. The rest of the group's expressions mirrored his.
The Demonic Alliance had resurfaced. With power utterly different from before.
Chapter 3: Forbidden Demon Art
Ma Yeon-gi knew far less than expected. In fact, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he knew almost nothing about the new Demonic Alliance. All he knew was that its leader, Gal Cheon-ak, had returned, and they wielded the mighty Black Warriors.
"So Gal Cheon-ak plans to take revenge on the Golden Lotus?"
Ma Yeon-gi scoffed at Jegal Rin's question.
"Hmph, as if the Golden Lotus is worth a damn. We know the Martial Alliance backs them. Our enemy is the heavens themselves. We'll wash the world clean in blood. That's our vengeance."
A subtle rage and madness laced Ma Yeon-gi's words.
"Do you have the power for that?"
Ma Yeon-gi's eyes gleamed at the Sword King's retort.
"The Black Warriors' power is more than this. You'll witness it soon enough."
A foreboding chill gripped the Sword King at Ma Yeon-gi's words. He frowned and pressed,
"What other schemes do you have? You think you can do anything now?"
The Sword King subtly raised his aura, but Ma Yeon-gi just sneered.
"Hmph, you don't seriously think I'm the whole Demonic Alliance, do you? I'm just one of many."
Ma Yeon-gi fell silent after that. Perhaps everything he'd blabbed was meant to be revealed upon capture. No, that was certainly it. He'd even volunteered unasked details.
Jegal Rin eyed him sternly.
"What's the Yu Family Manor's next target?"
A mocking smile curled on Ma Yeon-gi's face.
"Why should I tell you?"
Jegal Rin frowned slightly. She had suspicions, but needed confirmation. Unconsciously, she glanced at Dan Hyeong-u.
The moment Dan Hyeong-u caught her gaze, he approached Ma Yeon-gi. The man tensed greatly. Others didn't scare him like Dan Hyeong-u did. The endless despair the man had inflicted chilled Ma Yeon-gi to the core.
Dan Hyeong-u placed his hand on the kneeling Ma Yeon-gi's head. Trembling in fear, Ma Yeon-gi couldn't resist. The Sword King had now sealed his every pressure point. He couldn't move. All he could do was speak.
"Wh-what! Hah!"
Ma Yeon-gi couldn't continue. Vast demonic qi surged from Dan Hyeong-u's hand, piercing his crown. A intense sensation shook his mind, as if he'd become an idiot if he lost consciousness.
"N-no!"
Terror filled Ma Yeon-gi's eyes. The demonic qi from Dan Hyeong-u dredged up primal fear. It was utterly horrifying, beyond reason.
Dan Hyeong-u withdrew his hand. Focus vanished from Ma Yeon-gi's eyes.
"Next target?"
"Namchang... Healing Immortal Sect."
The Sword King's eyes widened at Ma Yeon-gi's sluggish reply.
"What?!"
All eyes turned to him.
"Those bastards!"
The Sword King launched himself forward. No need for more questions or sights. His granddaughter was at the Healing Immortal Sect.
The Sword King vanished in an instant. The remaining group sighed softly at his receding figure.
"Looks like we need to split up here. We can't just let these go."
Tang Ho-gwan nodded at Jegal Rin's words. They had three captured Demonic Alliance remnants alive. The two initial guards and Ma Yeon-gi still breathed. Whether he'd recover his sanity or become a vegetable forever was unknown, but they couldn't leave them be.
"Handing them to the Martial Alliance seems simplest."
Going with the Sword King to Namchang would be ideal, but there was no branch there. The nearest required returning to Honam.
A new Martial Alliance branch had opened near Hyeong Mountain in Honam, created to re-investigate it thoroughly.
"I should head to the one near Hyeong Mountain first."
Tang Ho-gwan looked troubled at Jegal Rin's statement, glancing at Dan Hyeong-u. Truthfully, he wanted to go with Dan Hyeong-u. But he couldn't leave Jegal Rin alone.
"I'll make a stop in Namchang."
Jegal Rin's eyes widened at the Sword Demon's words. He turned and added,
"He's a pretty decent sparring partner."
The Sword Demon's form swiftly receded.