Heading to the Ami Sect (2)
Hyeon Yucheon had made up his mind.
'Whether she's a good person or was forced into attacking my master against her will—I couldn't care less about her background.'
Because in the end, the one who chose that action was Biyeon Sinn-i Yeo Unsa-tae herself. It was her responsibility.
He had no idea why she was inviting him now, of all times, but the Demon Sword Prince's attitude was unwavering.
Brrr!
Yeonjeong shuddered violently upon sensing the beast-like killing intent radiating from Hyeon Yucheon, who appeared so composed and gentle on the surface.
The other Snow Cloud Seven Fairies felt it too.
The younger ones among them were in their late twenties to early thirties. Having lived secluded in the women's quarters of Ami Sect with little exposure to men, they had been somewhat swayed by Hyeon Yucheon's tall, handsome figure.
But what was this?
'We absolutely cannot let him meet Sa-tae-nim.'
To them, Hyeon Yucheon was like the plague itself—a vicious beast intent on killing Yeo Unsa-tae.
Faced with his overbearing resolve to exact revenge no matter what, the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies, who had hesitated somewhat, now steeled themselves.
Chaeeng, chaeng!
They drew their swords as if they had been waiting for this moment.
"I knew it would come to this. They say all men of the jianghu are heartless and cruel... and it turns out it's true."
Yeonjeong glared at Hyeon Yucheon with fierce eyes, her killing intent surging.
She turned to her fellow disciples and issued orders.
"I'll take Hyeon Yucheon, along with Second and Third Sister. The rest of you, handle the remaining intruders."
Hearing this, Hyeon Yucheon and the entire Demon Sword Sect entourage couldn't hold back their laughter.
"Ohohoho!"
So Jaun, who harbored deep affection for Hyeon Yucheon, let out her signature coquettish laugh, mocking the Ami warriors who seemed not just naive but downright foolish.
"Hmph! What's so funny?"
In response, Yeonji—the youngest of the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies, with her bold and fiery personality—narrowed her eyes and shot them a glare.
She had secretly taken a liking to Hyeon Yucheon's striking appearance, but his declaration to kill Biyeon Sinn-i, whom she revered and trusted above all, had twisted that fondness into hatred.
"You think you seven can even scratch our Young Master Hyeon?"
So Jaun's words were perfectly reasonable.
In truth, even Ga Jinuk and Eum Ji-myeong weren't worried at all. They were more concerned that countless more Ami disciples might swarm them.
'She's right.'
'If it were before Young Master Hyeon's power surged from absorbing the Sun Golden Frog's inner core, maybe. But now...'
These days, Hyeon Yucheon could single-handedly dismantle an entire sect with his personal prowess.
"Lying again."
"You think that'll shake us?"
Despite So Jaun's words, Yeonjeong and the others refused to believe it.
"Lying? Ridiculous. Since stepping into the jianghu, I've never once spoken falsely."
Hyeon Yucheon flashed a faint smile and extended his hand.
It wasn't the formal stance for unleashing the Formless Flash Quick Sword—strictly speaking, just a few fingers raised. The Snow Cloud Seven Fairies let their guard down at the casual gesture.
Paat!
To their shock, an unimaginable formless sword gang erupted from Hyeon Yucheon's grasp.
It was so fast and powerful that Yeonji, the youngest targeted by the strike, couldn't withstand it properly.
"Kyaaak!"
She screamed as if her plate had shattered, collapsing to the ground on the spot.
And that was just the beginning.
Chaeng!
She dropped her sword—the warrior's second life—clattering to the floor.
The brief clash with Hyeon Yucheon's formless sword gang had caused excruciating pain, forcing her to let go.
Drip, drip!
Soon, crimson blood like blooming red flowers poured from Yeonji's hand.
"My god... I didn't even see it, and I had no idea the attack was coming."
Yeonji was more dazed by not understanding how she'd been hit than by the physical pain.
Her skills weren't the weakest among the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies, yet a moment's carelessness had left her wounded.
"Everyone, no more carelessness—attack together!"
Only now did Seolryeonggeom Yeonjeong grasp the harsh reality, even if just a little.
What mattered now wasn't worrying about the others—it was focusing solely on the Demon Sword Sect Lord, the Demon Sword Prince Hyeon Yucheon.
Swish!
Fortunately, Yeonji's injury wasn't severe; she could still fight.
"We'll use the wheel battle!"
And the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies had one specialty.
When multiple warriors faced a single foe, they often used formations or linked techniques. But there was something similar yet different: the wheel battle.
This method involved taking turns unleashing strikes, highly effective but requiring years of synchronized training among the participants.
The nuns of Ami Sect, secluded on the mountain and devoted solely to sword practice in the women's quarters, were perfect for it.
"To us, Yeo Unsa-tae-nim is like our great mother. Are we going to let these outsiders invade just like this?"
With the mood plummeting due to Yeonji's injury, Leader Yeonjeong shouted to rally their spirits.
Those words were tremendous motivation for them.
All the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies were orphans abandoned by their parents or those without anywhere to go. Biyeon Sinn-i had saved them with her compassion; she was their grandmother, parent, sect leader—everything.
Nod!
Even Yeonji nodded with steely resolve.
Watching this, Hyeon Yucheon gained new insight into Biyeon Sinn-i.
'Earning that kind of faith isn't easy.'
He thought this revenge might prove harder than facing Shaolin or Wudang figures.
Wind-Splitting Strike!
With morale sky-high, the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies exchanged glances and unleashed the Ami technique best suited for wheel battles: the Chaotic Wind Flying Leopard Sword Method.
People often thought of Golden Bell Palms or other sword arts for Ami techniques, but they chose this for the wheel battle.
Different arts could work, but synchronized strikes from the same style were far superior.
Paaaht!
The first to charge was, naturally, Seolryeonggeom Yeonjeong.
She had the strongest skills among them and was ideal as the pivotal hub of the wheel battle.
Formless Gas Sword!
Chaereong!
Hyeon Yucheon effortlessly blocked her assault with a sword formed from formless energy.
'As expected of the Demon Sword Sect. At least he's no braggart.'
Even on the first clash, Yeonjeong inwardly admired how smoothly he parried.
At the same time, she briefly lamented how such a young warrior had fallen to the demonic path, then retreated.
[Do not retreat under any circumstances!]
Yeonjeong, the vanguard and commander of the wheel battle, sent a transmission.
The essence of a wheel battle was wearing down the opponent's stamina and spirit through relentless rotation.
"Haaap!"
Leading the remaining six, they launched a total assault.
As the rotation completed once, then twice!
Drip, drip, drip!
Something astonishing happened.
Hyeon Yucheon, whose realm had advanced, unexpectedly retreated a step.
Yeonjeong smiled brightly at the sight.
Individually weaker than the Demon Sword Sect Lord, perhaps—but united, they were strong. She believed it.
But it was all a miscalculation.
"I've studied Ami's arts well. They're said to be profoundly mysterious in the secular world—unpredictable, bizarre, infused with strange energies..."
Despite being pushed back, Hyeon Yucheon continued calmly, unflustered.
"But they're below expectations."
He even belittled their level, provoking without hesitation.
"What?"
"How rude!"
"Hmph! Talking nonsense because you're losing."
No matter how innocent the nuns, they couldn't tolerate Hyeon Yucheon's taunts.
Fury exploding, they prepared to resume the effective wheel battle—
"Be careful."
With Hyeon Yucheon's warning, he stopped testing the waters and revealed his true power.
Formless Linked Bullets!
Pababababat!
A massive barrage of sword gangs—the Formless Linked Bullets—spread out.
Astoundingly, their number was dozens of times greater than before absorbing the Sun Golden Frog's inner core.
The sky filled densely with the sword gang clusters.
Like a fierce downpour from the heavens, the insane invisible barrage turned the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies from warriors into mere girls.
"Kyaaak!"
"Aak!"
In an instant, their robes soaked in blood as the seven nuns suffered grievous wounds, forced to scream shrilly.
The silver lining? Hyeon Yucheon's prior warning meant no fatalities.
'The reason I'm showing unusual mercy to my enemy's disciples isn't anything special.'
Unlike the other Heaven's Five Venerables, Biyeon Sinn-i was someone his master had somewhat respected and understood. Though late, she'd repented her wrongs and even invited him, so he extended leniency here.
He also realized the Snow Cloud Seven Fairies' obstruction wasn't Biyeon Sinn-i's will but their own defiance of it.
"Second Sister! Third Sister!"
As Hyeon Yucheon pondered this, Yeonjeong looked back at her collapsed sisters amid the hellish scene.
It was utterly divine martial prowess, beyond belief.
'A sword art like this? Martial arts like this exist in the world?'
Seolryeonggeom Yeonjeong, who had dismissed secular arts as feeble bluster, completely reversed her view.
She hated to admit it, but Hyeon Yucheon matched the rumors—no, exceeded them. He wielded godlike skills she could never catch.
"There's still more!"
Alone on her feet, Yeonjeong clenched her teeth and charged.
If seven warriors failed against one and retreated, she'd be too ashamed to stand even on empty Ami Mountain.
Chaotic Descent Flying Traces!
She unleashed the killing move of the Chaotic Wind Flying Leopard Sword, teeth gritted.
The strike, profound and full of chaotic changes like falling leaves, targeted only Hyeon Yucheon's throat.
Yeonjeong's all-out technique was as potent as any Murim Alliance master's.
But it fell short of the Demon Sword Prince.
Kwajijijik!
Hyeon Yucheon seized her blade barehanded, infused with full inner power.
"Eek! Eek!"
A sword expert's blade caught barehanded!
Unable to believe it, Yeonjeong struggled to wrench it free—but it was impossible now.
"Step aside no longer. I've shown mercy for Biyeon Sinn-i's invitation once already—that's enough."