Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: He Who Ties Unties (3)
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"Don't go berserk! Just stay still!"
Black Wolf, gripped in Cheol Woo's brutish hand, thrashed like a madman. The force was so immense that even Cheol Woo, bearer of the Reverse Diverging Aura World Force, could barely contain it.
He wrapped his arms and legs around Black Wolf's torso to constrict it, but Black Wolf rolled on the ground, trying to shake him off.
After a brief but fierce struggle, a strange vibration rippled through the air, and the thick fog that had shrouded them vanished in an instant.
As the fog lifted, Black Wolf's frenzied rampage began to subside.
Once Black Wolf's movements fully stopped, Cheol Woo released his limbs from around its body and collapsed flat on his back.
Black Wolf shook its head a few times and cautiously approached Cheol Woo.
"You back to your senses?"
At Cheol Woo's question, Black Wolf licked his face.
"Damn mutt!"
Cheol Woo smacked the head of Black Wolf as it licked his face.
Black Wolf yelped like a dog beaten with a club and retreated, too intimidated to bare its teeth, tucking its tail between its legs in a cowed posture.
"That's what you get for going wild like that."
Excited by the assassins' relentless attacks, Black Wolf had shed its feral form. Cheol Woo had assumed its keenly developed senses would keep it safe, but the Mist Lock Illusion Array made no distinction between man and beast.
Once ensnared by the illusions, Black Wolf went berserk, attacking friend and foe alike without mercy.
Its assaults, worthy of a spirit beast, were too much even for Thunderbolt to handle, and its swift movements outclassed the assassins by far. With no other choice, Cheol Woo stepped in to subdue it, forced to shed his own feral form in the process.
Even without Cheol Woo and Black Wolf, Sima Geon decided to press on.
To rescue them, he would have had to abandon the feral form himself—a significant burden. He had no idea how long it would take, and in the meantime, Thunderbolt, Manchu, and Gwa Yu could fall to the assassins' attacks. But the decisive reason Sima Geon chose to move ahead was his absolute faith in Cheol Woo's mental fortitude and martial prowess—forged through the unimaginable agony of attaining an indestructible body. No illusion array, however potent, could overcome that.
"Looks like that mist array or whatever got dispelled."
Cheol Woo glanced around and tilted his head.
"Still, wasn't it too quick? Our tussle didn't feel like it lasted that long. Anyway, we're way behind now. Let's go, Black Wolf."
Cheol Woo gave Black Wolf's rear a light kick, prompting a fierce roar as it bolted forward. Though they had strayed far from the original path, Black Wolf's acute sense of smell made it no issue.
"Th-the array seems to be dispelled."
Gwa Yu pointed at the fog that had thinned and vanished in moments.
"Yeah, looks like it. That vibration earlier too."
"Who dispelled it?"
Thunderbolt asked Sima Geon as he approached.
"Who knows."
As Sima Geon held his tongue, Manchu scanned the surroundings.
"Maybe it just wasn't effective? They ended up fighting among themselves more than attacking us."
"Sounds right. The Mist Lock Illusion Array does have that flaw. That's why it's only used as a last resort to guard the Blood Forest."
Gwa Yu wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead.
Guiding the group safely through the array was far from easy. Having already endured a major battle, Gwa Yu was far from peak condition. The extreme tension and mental strain had left him on the verge of collapse.
"Anyway, good thing. No need to rush now. The deputy leader and Black Wolf should be fine, and you need a breather too."
Sima Geon shook his head at Thunderbolt's words.
"No need to slack off. Gives them time to prepare too. Gwa Yu."
"Yes."
"Can you hold out a bit longer?"
"Of course."
Gwa Yu steadied his faltering mind and answered firmly.
"Good. How far to the main base?"
"Not far."
"Alright then. Let's move."
Sima Geon stepped ahead of Gwa Yu.
Gwa Yu's power had been needed to pierce the array, but now that it was gone, there was no reason to keep him in front.
True to his word, the Blood Forest's main base soon came into view.
Sima Geon halted and slowly surveyed the area.
He sensed assassins hidden nearby, desperately masking their presence. Yet these survivors were no amateurs—their skills were exceptional. A few had concealment techniques so masterful that only close attention would reveal them.
"Gwa Yu."
"Yes."
"Can I smash it?"
Gwa Yu hesitated briefly before nodding resolutely.
"No problem."
Sima Geon patted Gwa Yu's shoulder, then turned to Thunderbolt and Manchu.
"Stay put here. No signs of hidden assassins nearby, but stay alert just in case."
"Got it. Don't worry about us."
Sima Geon nodded lightly at Thunderbolt's reply and turned away.
With each step, the Heavenly Demon Sword swayed gently at his side.
In an instant, Sima Geon's form shot into the air.
Leaping high enough to clear the main hall's roof in one bound, he swung his sword.
Paassss!
A sharp whoosh accompanied the sword aura surging forth, crashing down on the hall.
Ten Thousand Forms Sword, Flying Stream Scorching Blaze!
The assassins hidden around the hall gasped at Sima Geon's sudden assault.
Kwaaakwang!
"Argh!"
"Kaaaak!"
Screams echoed as the sword auras pummeled them relentlessly.
The hall's roof shattered into fragments, scattering everywhere. Massive pillars, carved from ancient trees, snapped like dry twigs.
Numerous assassins fell without a scream, their bodies torn apart. Others perished crushed under collapsing roofs and broken pillars.
And that was just the beginning.
After demolishing the massive hall with two strikes, Sima Geon's form blurred into motion at incredible speed.
Nothing in his wake remained intact.
Buildings large and small, along with the assassins concealed inside and around them, were mercilessly swept away.
The Blood Forest assassins—killing machines honed by extreme training and countless murders—were crushed by the overwhelming presence emanating from Sima Geon, helpless to act.
"Kahahahaha!"
A sudden mad laugh shook the rocky hills, followed by attacks far cruder than Sima Geon's raining down indiscriminately.
Cheol Woo, arriving late to the battlefield, unleashed his pent-up rage from breaking the array, swinging his fists freely.
Backed by the mighty inner energy of Ink Gang Asura Qi, his Overlord Sixteen Fists and Soaring Heaven Three Strikes unleashed destruction beyond imagination.
A few assassins gritted their teeth and attacked, but Cheol Woo—who could withstand perfect ambushes—wouldn't let exposed strikes land. Even if they did, their attacks stood no chance against Ink Gang Asura Qi.
"Heh heh! Where did... this... monster... come from..."
Residual Poison chuckled incredulously. His sole successful strike had yielded nothing.
Enduring with Turtle Breath Great Law, seizing that one chance after endless patience.
His blade, shooting from the ground like lightning, should have pierced the enemy's perineum.
Instead, his sword snapped, and a brutish hand seized him.
"You gone mad, old man? Where the hell you aiming?!"
Cheol Woo, yanking Residual Poison from his underground hiding spot by the collar, seethed with rage. He had nearly suffered an irreparable disaster before even taking a wife, yet this fool was laughing.
Residual Poison's laughter didn't last.
Ink Gang Asura Qi had infiltrated and ravaged his organs the moment he struck. Before Cheol Woo grabbed his collar, a kick had shattered his ribs.
Cheol Woo irritably tossed the limp body aside and sought his next foe, but Sima Geon raised a hand to stop him.
"Come out."
Sima Geon said quietly. No response. His Heavenly Demon Sword flashed like lightning, silently slitting the throat of a perfectly concealed assassin before returning.
"Last chance. Come out."
At Sima Geon's call, the assassins emerged one by one.
They had no choice.
They couldn't escape Sima Geon and Cheol Woo's eyes, nor did they trust hiding longer.
From rubble, trees, bushes, and underground—seven emerged, faces pale with terror, signaling surrender. In less than half an incense stick's time, most of the Blood Forest assassins lay dead.
Among the captives was Heo Ok—the root of all the Blood Forest's turmoil.
"Heo Ok!"
Gwa Yu's eyes rolled back in fury as he charged.
Heo Ok was his father's most cherished possession, loved perhaps more than his own children. Recalling his father's brutal fall due to Heo Ok's betrayal, Gwa Yu lost all reason.
Thunderbolt tried to intervene, but Cheol Woo signaled him back. Sima Geon did nothing.
As Gwa Yu passed the captives.
The smallest one, slumped amid the hall's ruins covered in wounds, twitched his lips. No one noticed but one.
A tiny golden needle shot from the assassin's mouth toward Gwa Yu.
Gwa Yu sensed nothing. Even if he had, the needle's stealth and speed made evasion impossible.
The assassin had already bowed his head. Failure was inconceivable until the metallic clang.
Tting ttang.
Like beans popping in a pan. The assassin's head snapped up. The needle lay at his feet.
Realizing failure, he moved like lightning. Countless hidden weapons flew at Gwa Yu—but Sima Geon stood before him.
A flick of his sleeve deflected them all. The Heavenly Demon Sword settled into his hand, having just knocked the needle aside.
Shriiik!
A sharp whoosh split the assassin's face.
His halved face parted, the human skin mask falling away to reveal his true visage.
"Heavenly Ice Flower!"
Gwa Yu's eyes rolled back again at the fiend who rivaled Heo Ok in dismantling the Blood Forest.
Gwa Yu swung without hesitation.
"Knew it would come to this."
Heavenly Ice Flower smiled bitterly and spat his last golden needle—not at Gwa Yu, but Heo Ok.
"Argh!"
Heo Ok screamed, clutching the needle embedded in his eye.
As Heo Ok writhed, agony exploding from his head, Heavenly Ice Flower felt no concern. Gwa Yu's sword rushed in.
By the time Heavenly Ice Flower's severed head hit the ground, Heo Ok wailed in worse torment, his eye and surroundings rotting from the lethal poison on the needle.
Gwa Yu approached Heo Ok with murderous eyes but held his sword upon seeing the gruesome sight—as if waiting for prolonged suffering.
But Heo Ok wasn't the only one in agony.
As he thrashed in death's throes, the captive assassins clutched their heads and rolled on the ground too.
All watched in bewilderment but made no move.
The writhing lasted nearly half an incense stick before subsiding. Gwa Yu watched Heo Ok to the end, then thrust his sword into his chest to complete his vengeance.
Exhausted from revenge, Gwa Yu slumped. As Thunderbolt moved to support him, he spotted something.
"Huh? What's that?"
All eyes turned to where Thunderbolt pointed.
A worm smaller than a pinky wriggled from Heo Ok's punctured eye.
"Ugh, what the hell..."
Cheol Woo grimaced and turned away, as if regretting the sight.
"H-here too."
Manchu found similar worms in the fallen assassins' faces. Smaller than Heo Ok's, but eerily alike.
"So that's it."
Sima Geon crushed the wriggling Soul-Seizing Gu from Heo Ok's eye underfoot.
"Remember the Poison Blood Gu we had stuffed up our noses back at Black Dragon Valley as kids?"
"Ah!"
Cheol Woo and Thunderbolt nodded. Unpleasant memories soured their faces.
"They used that to blackmail us good."
Cheol Woo ground the fallen Soul-Seizing Gu into the dirt.
Sima Geon briefly explained the Poison Blood Gu to the puzzled Gwa Yu.
"This played a similar role. No one wanted to betray. But with these implanted in their heads, they had no choice. When they squirm in the brain, no human will can resist."
Gwa Yu bowed his head, silent.
Whatever the cause, betrayal was fact—and it cost his father and brothers their lives. No pity or forgiveness stirred in him.
"That's just how it is."
Sima Geon patted Gwa Yu's shoulder, subtly shielding him as tears flowed.