Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Blood Tears (3)
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At some point, the Blood Spirits following Yi Bungbi all came to a simultaneous halt.
Their goal was not escape, but to protect Yi Bungbi and Yagul Hon as they fled.
"Block them with your lives!"
Hwa Ok, the sole remaining captain among the Blood Spirits' Five Elders and the only high-ranking officer left besides Yi Bungbi, glared at the pursuers and shouted.
The Sword Pavilion swordsmen, led by Eun Sang, had no intention of letting even a single enemy escape unscathed. Above all, they absolutely could not allow the Blood Cult Leader's bloodline to get away alive.
"Charge! We can't let them escape, no matter what."
Eun Sang, who had already lost six of his men pointlessly to Yagul Jae's attack, bellowed with venom in his voice as he swung his sword.
While the Sword Pavilion swordsmen pursued Yagul Hon, Sima Geon—who had reclaimed the Heavenly Demon Sword—and Yagul Jae clashed head-on.
The auras radiating from the two men toward each other were terrifying.
A wind fiercer than a storm swirled around them at the center.
Each gust turned into a razor-sharp blade, sweeping through the surroundings.
Shriiing!
With a chilling whoosh, a streak of light sliced through the wind and flew forward.
Sima Geon had thrown the Heavenly Demon Sword.
The Heavenly Demon Sword cleaved through the light in an instant and pierced Yagul Jae's heart.
The image of Yagul Jae, seemingly run through the heart, vanished like a mirage.
It was the pinnacle technique of Phantom Shift.
Sima Geon's gaze, having seen through it, had already shifted to the left.
Flames hotter than the fires of hell came rushing in.
Sima Geon, who had appeared defenseless, reached out his hand, and the Heavenly Demon Sword swiftly returned to his grasp.
"Hah!"
With a powerful shout, Heavenly Net Starlight unfolded.
The sword barrier that lightly deflected the layered attacks of the Annihilation Sword Formation spread around Sima Geon, controlling the flames. But astonishingly, Yagul Jae's Thunderbolt Blood Sword was far more powerful than the combined might of fifteen Divine Demon Division members.
The once-unbreakable sword barrier shook violently under the relentless assault, on the verge of collapse. Seizing the momentary lapse in Yagul Jae's offense—a split-second opening—Sima Geon unleashed the ultimate strike of the Nine Heavenly Forms: Extreme Void Radiance.
A blinding flash tore through the sword barrier.
Judging it too late to counter, Yagul Jae immediately halted his attack and twisted his body aside.
His left side was deeply gashed, blood spurting out.
Yagul Jae swung his sword toward the blood spraying in all directions.
The blood droplets gathered along his sword's path, instantly transforming into vicious hidden weapons hurtling toward Sima Geon.
Clang clang clang!
The blood drops collided with the Heavenly Demon Sword, creating a deafening racket.
Some broke through the Heavenly Demon Sword's defense and struck Sima Geon's body.
Sima Geon couldn't hide his surprise as he looked at his torn clothing in places. It wasn't enough to cause serious harm, but without his supreme protective aura, Ink Gang Asura Qi, he might have taken real damage.
Having repelled Sima Geon's attack by weaponizing his own blood, Yagul Jae retreated and let out a sigh.
No matter how fast Sima Geon's strike had been, in a normal state, he could have reacted even quicker.
But now, even knowing Sima Geon's movements, his body couldn't keep up. The aftermath of his battle with the Sword Empress was undeniable. He had sustained non-trivial injuries, and invisible fatigue had built up in his body.
"Impressive technique."
Sima Geon shook his torn sleeve and remarked.
"It's just a petty trick."
Yagul Jae twisted his lips.
"Why didn't you flee? I thought you'd sacrifice your subordinates like last time and try to escape. Honestly, I didn't expect you'd let the bloodline go instead of yourself."
"If it weren't for them, I might have."
Yagul Jae pointed toward the Blood Spirits fiercely battling the Sword Pavilion swordsmen.
"Besides, it's that look in your eyes."
"My eyes?"
"The look that said you absolutely wouldn't let this old man go. I gave up on the idea. You seemed like you'd chase me to the ends of hell. Better to save the grandson at least."
Sima Geon smirked at Yagul Jae's words.
"Sharp instincts."
"Of course. I've lived long enough."
The words didn't feel out of place at all coming from a face in its mid-twenties.
"It's a shame I couldn't cut the grass at the root, but it doesn't matter. No one like you will come along anyway."
"Who knows. Don't be so overconfident. His talent exceeds what you think. Plus, I gave him a decent weapon. And..."
Yagul Jae straightened his sword and continued.
"At the very least, I plan to take one of your limbs with me."
Yagul Jae's form shot toward Sima Geon.
"Try it if you can."
Sima Geon smiled coldly and slowly moved the Heavenly Demon Sword.
"Let me go! Hurry!"
Yagul Hon screamed until his throat was raw.
His meridians were sealed, leaving him unable even to twitch a finger, but his speech acupoint wasn't fully suppressed.
"You must survive."
Yi Bungbi replied without turning his head. Even speaking while fleeing at full speed was a burden.
"Grandfather is back there. How can you tell me to live alone? That's an order. Stop now!"
Despite Yagul Hon's desperate cries, Yi Bungbi's feet didn't stop.
As Yagul Hon kept shouting, Yi Bungbi said coldly,
"Do you want to alert the pursuers to our position?"
"If you would just stop, I'd do even that."
"Going back won't change anything."
"Shut up!"
Yi Bungbi ignored Yagul Hon's outburst.
"The Leader stayed behind to save you, Lord. The elite guards who always said you were like blood brothers to them are blocking the pursuers. They'll all die. They knew it and stayed with smiles on their faces. There was only one thing they wanted: for you to escape safely."
"I can't survive alone. If I die, we'll die together."
"That's not possible. Your life no longer belongs to you alone, Lord. If you throw it away now, who will avenge the Leader and the elites?"
"......"
"He's the Divine Demon Division Leader, someone even the Cult Leader couldn't handle. Who else could defeat him? You're the only one with potential."
"But I..."
Yagul Hon trailed off. Suddenly, he recalled his grandfather's transmission from when Yi Bungbi was carrying him on his back.
[I've burdened you with a heavy load. It'll be humiliating and infuriating. But endure it. Use this humiliation as the foundation for your growth. Don't obsess over revenge until you're confident in your own strength. Cultivate power and patience until you're fully prepared. As soon as you escape this place, seek Immortal Demon Physician Hwanong. Claim the gift this old man prepared for you. It'll be a great help. The path will be hard, but don't give up. Hon, I believe you can accomplish the great cause I failed.]
Yagul Hon bowed his head and fell silent.
Yi Bungbi felt the shoulder where Yagul Hon rested grow warm.
It wasn't just tears.
Glancing back briefly, he saw the wet shoulder turning redder and realized Yagul Hon was shedding bloody tears.
'Lord.'
He couldn't presume to fully understand Yagul Hon's anguish. But one thing he could resolve: he would protect Yagul Hon with his life on whatever path lay ahead.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
A massive clash echoed, sending terrifying shockwaves rippling outward.
The red sword aura erupting from Yagul Jae's blade dominated the surrounding space, setting it ablaze.
Sima Geon met it head-on without dodging.
As Yagul Jae pressed his continuous assault against the Heavenly Demon Sword's clear blue energy, he suddenly flinched.
Sima Geon's sword was already at point-blank range.
Even before the blade arrived, an aura enveloped his entire body, making it feel heavy as if caught in a spider's web. Sensing something off, Yagul Jae's expression hardened.
Instinctively sensing crisis, Yagul Jae gritted his teeth and unleashed the ultimate strike of Thunderbolt Blood Sword: Mad Slaughter.
The red aura from Yagul Jae's sword contracted to its limit, forming a single point, then shot toward Sima Geon.
Boom!
With an explosion, Yagul Jae's form was sent flying pathetically.
He stabbed his sword into the ground to brace himself, rolling ignobly. He avoided the strike, but couldn't stop the surge of blood.
Clutching his chest and vomiting blood, Sima Geon's sword came flying at him again.
Seeing Sima Geon unscathed while he himself suffered internal injuries, deep suspicion flickered in Yagul Jae's eyes.
Though injured from the Sword Empress fight and fatigued, the gap shouldn't be this wide. He'd lost recently, but by a hair's breadth. Moreover, his internal energy had grown slightly since then, and his martial prowess had improved.
'What in the world...'
As soon as he confronted Sima Geon's aura, his body's reactions felt off again, just like before. Profound helplessness washed over him, his body sagging like wet cotton.
He had to evade first.
Pouring all his energy into a twist.
Shadow Severing Step at its peak made his movements illusory.
Though his true body was one, to Sima Geon, it looked like over a dozen afterimages moving.
Shh-shh!
Wherever Sima Geon's gaze lingered, Yagul Jae's shadow dissolved into smoke, leaving gruesome gashes on the spots he'd occupied.
'Urgh!'
Yagul Jae's face twisted in panic and pain.
Even at peak Shadow Severing Step, he was barely dodging; the sword's movements were too sharp. He evaded by a hair, but the shockwaves were no joke. Even grazing blows split flesh and sprayed blood.
Injuries accumulated, and the internal damage from the earlier clash gnawed at him.
Yagul Jae sensed that without breaking this situation, he'd die without landing a blow.
No solutions came to mind.
Even at peak Shadow Severing Step, he barely evaded, and with severe internal injuries, clashing head-on was burdensome.
Above all, he had no idea how to counter the aura constricting his body. That aura prevented escape despite peak Shadow Severing Step.
How much time passed like this?
The sticky, intricate aura like a heavenly net began to thin. His body felt lighter.
While evading Sima Geon's attacks with Shadow Severing Step's secret technique, Yagul Jae unleashed Blood Net, the ultimate strike he'd refined by compressing Blood Sea Demon Lord's Forty-Nine Forms of Thunderbolt Blood Sword in his own way.
Several strands of blood-red light extended from Yagul Jae's sword.
It was so swift and powerful that Sima Geon, mid-offense, hurriedly withdrew to defend.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sima Geon's blocks were fluid and lightning-fast, without waste. But Yagul Jae had endured patiently for this chance; the full-force attack's power exceeded expectations.
One of the dozens of lightning bolts clashing with the Heavenly Demon Sword slyly changed direction, piercing Sima Geon's shoulder.
As Sima Geon's body staggered, Yagul Jae's eyes gleamed.
Not missing the opening, he charged at terrifying speed, swinging his sword.
Blood Ring, the new ultimate strike of Yagul Jae's refined Thunderbolt Blood Sword.
Nine glowing red rings hurtled toward Sima Geon.
Each ring moved in unpredictable directions and wobbles, as if alive, threatening Sima Geon.
Sima Geon, enduring the pain, carefully wielded his sword.
Unleashing Nine Heavenly Forms consecutively with bizarre movements, he struck down the encroaching red rings one by one. Each clash boomed with shockwaves.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
With the most powerful explosion yet, both forms retreated as if by agreement.
"Kuhk!"
Yagul Jae doubled over, spewing dark red blood.
Sima Geon also looked unwell from the impact, blood trickling from his lips.
Yagul Jae raised his sword again after vomiting blood several times.
His face twisted in agony, but his deeply sunken eyes were colder and more resolute than ever.
"I said I'd take an arm."
Before the words finished, Yagul Jae's form vanished.
Using Shadow Severing Step's final secret technique to disappear from Sima Geon's sight, he summoned his remaining internal energy for an attack.
Sima Geon reacted swiftly.
A roar like an erupting volcano and tremors like an earthquake shook the area.
"Fall back!"
Someone shouted.
Those anxiously watching the fight hurriedly retreated.
The clash of two martial masters at the pinnacle, pouring everything without reserve, evoked an indescribable dread and majesty beyond human ken.
'Don't lose, Leader.'
Cheol Woo, gravely injured from the fight with Yi Geuk, unable to properly circulate energy, and battered blocking Yagul Jae's Thunderclap Bomb against the Sword Empress, struggled to open his eyes in Jinrim's arms, cheering for Sima Geon.
Perhaps bolstered by Cheol Woo's encouragement.
The world-shattering roar and storm subsided, revealing the outcome of the earth-shaking battle.
"Waaah!"
Cheers erupted from those who had watched anxiously.
Unlike Sima Geon standing tall with the Heavenly Demon Sword angled downward, Yagul Jae—embedded seven paces away against a tree—was a wretched sight.
Contrary to his boast of taking an arm, his own arm was severed, his body slashed to ribbons. Without the tree propping him up, even sitting would have been impossible.
"Kuhhhh."
With a groan or scream indiscernible, Yagul Jae raised his head.
Seeing Sima Geon far more intact than expected, Yagul Jae let out a hollow laugh.
"I wanted to take an arm... such a pity."
Sima Geon touched his limp left arm and said.
"A bit deeper, and you might have."
"That's as far as this old man's skill goes anyway. Khek!"
Suddenly vomiting blood profusely, Yagul Jae labored to ask,
"I thought you overwhelmed me because of the Sword Empress fight. But thinking it over, that doesn't hold. You're no match for her, but you fought my subordinate too. You simply grew stronger. I just don't understand. How? How could you grow so much in that short time? Did you hide your power before...? Khek!"
Doubling over again to vomit, Yagul Jae struggled to lift his head.
Sima Geon saw severed organ fragments in the blood clots and knew Yagul Jae's life was nearly spent.
"Here."
Sima Geon pointed to the Heavenly Demon Ring, now a bracelet around his wrist, and continued.
"It held the last insights of the Heavenly Demon."
"Th... Heavenly Demon!"
Yagul Jae's eyes widened.
"I'd known for a while but never felt the need to learn it. I had the Three Demon Lords' arts to rival the Heavenly Demon's. But after fighting you, I changed my mind. Their arts might not suffice against you."
"S-so you learned the Heavenly... Demon's... martial... arts...?"
Yagul Jae's voice weakened rapidly.
"Yes. More precisely, I'm incorporating it bit by bit into the Three Demon Lords' arts. Far from complete, but it worked well enough, no?"
"Yes... definitely. Now... I get it. The source of that... dreadful aura... squeezing my body..."
Yagul Jae smiled emptily and continued with effort.
"Still... feels good. You, who gained the Three Demon Lords'... arts, had to resolve... to learn the Heavenly Demon's... arts because of this old man... At least that much..."
That was it. His eyes remained open, but Yagul Jae's fading voice fell silent.
"Hoo!"
Sima Geon exhaled deeply.
With the fight over, tension released, pain flooding his body. Especially from his left shoulder.
Sima Geon reached out, gently closing Yagul Jae's eyes. He bowed slightly, then slowly turned away.