A Mortal's Fate
Humans instinctively avoid blades. It is an empirical lesson learned from the fear of being hurt by them.
'Foolish bastard!'
But the Beast Poison Demon was different.
Now that he had pushed his Beast Battle Spirit to its absolute limit, there was no blade in the world that could harm him.
The ultimate external martial art fueled by the grudges of beasts and spiritual creatures, transforming the flesh into an impenetrable weapon.
'I'll crush you in an instant!'
Crunch!
The muscles in his thighs and calves compressed to their absolute limit.
Boom!
They expanded explosively, generating a massive surge of momentum.
He moved literally like an arrow shot from a bow.
The ground he stomped on was cratered as if struck by a meteor.
Harnessing that explosive force and elasticity, the Beast Poison Demon closed the distance to Jeok-un in just a few strides.
“Die!”
Ya Yul-gi clenched his fist with all his might.
It was massive, easily matching the size of an average adult's head.
This was the power of the Beast Battle Spirit.
With the explosive elasticity of his leg muscles, he had reached Jeok-un in the blink of an eye.
The Beast Battle Spirit was no mere external martial art. It was a technique that blended the internal energy of the dantian with the ghostly qi born from the grudges of slaughtered beasts and spiritual creatures.
By using these grudges and ghostly qi to forge a body that transcended human limits, its essence lay in turning the physical form itself into a weapon.
In short, it did not merely enlarge the body; it weaponized the flesh itself.
“A mere toothpick like that can't do a damn thing to me!”
Thus, he sneered at Jeok-un.
No matter how sharp that toothpick was, it wouldn't leave so much as a scratch on his skin.
With his Beast Battle Spirit pushed to its peak, his body was as impenetrable as dozens of layers of iron armor.
To pierce this barrier and harm him, one would need to be an expert of at least the same realm.
'He expects to pierce a barrier that easily blocks the sword gang of the Transformation Realm with that pathetic sword qi?'
Jeok-un had not even manifested sword gang, the very symbol of the Transformation Realm.
The dim haze rising from the blade was, by all accounts, nothing more than ordinary sword qi.
He had clearly consumed the Golden Spirit Thread recklessly without properly digesting it.
Otherwise, it made no sense that he couldn't manifest gang-gi despite reaching the Transformation Realm.
'I'll pierce your heart right now!'
With that thought, the Beast Poison Demon brought the fingers of his left hand together, shaping them like the tip of a spear.
Whoosh!
He thrust it straight toward Jeok-un's heart.
He intended to impale the heart just as he had planned, and the energy surrounding Jeok-un remained faint.
'Mere sword qi cannot pierce the Beast Battle Spirit!'
Ya Yul-gi was brimming with confidence.
At least, until his left hand collided with Jeok-un's sword, Moon Under.
But the moment their fingers and blade—no, their respective weapons—clashed.
'Huh...?'
He sensed something was wrong.
Slice!
Along with a chilling sound of cutting, something flew into the air.
It was the five fingers of the Poison Demon, severed like dry stalks of sorghum.
They had been cleanly sliced off by Moon Under.
Though Ya Yul-gi boasted that his body could block steel and gang-gi alike, he couldn't withstand even a single strike from Jeok-un.
“Aaargh!”
His pain-filled scream echoed loudly through the mine shaft.
The Beast Poison Demon instinctively pulled back his left hand and retreated, but...
“First, the left hand.”
Now, it was Jeok-un who went on the offensive.
Swish!
Whoosh!
“Ugh! Argh!”
The Beast Poison Demon desperately dodged Jeok-un's sword. He had no choice.
The Beast Battle Spirit he had bragged was harder than steel was currently offering absolutely no protection.
'W-What on earth is this...?'
Ya Yul-gi tried to analyze the situation with panicked eyes, but there was nothing he could figure out.
Watching his bewildered, foolish expression, Jeok-un curled the corner of his mouth.
'Foolish bastard. You probably thought it was just sword qi.'
Like his cold sneer, the energy of Nok-jon infused into Moon Under's blade flashed like moonlight.
The Third Star of the Overlord's Power. The force of absolute control and neutralization, stripping away the opponent's internal energy defenses upon contact.
Naturally, what Jeok-un had unleashed was no simple sword qi.
Every martial artist is a superhuman.
To be precise, a martial artist who has mastered internal energy transcends human limits.
The source of their ability to leap dozens of feet in a single bound, move faster than the eye can see, and catch bare blades with their hands.
It is all thanks to internal energy.
Because internal energy is the very foundation that allows them to surpass human limitations.
Conversely, what happens when that internal energy disappears or is neutralized?
What becomes of the martial artist?
Naturally...
“Aaargh!”
They are reduced to nothing more than ordinary mortals.
They bleed when cut, and they writhe in pain.
Just like any other normal human being.
Slash!
“Gah!”
This time, a massive gash was carved across the Poison Demon's chest.
This was made possible by the power of Nok-jon.
*Shhh!*
*Hummm!*
The green, shimmering haze looked like ordinary sword qi on the surface, but its essence was entirely different.
The third star, Nok-jon.
Also known as the Star of Heavenly Fortune, it is an auspicious star that governs nobility and rank, serving as the foundation of longevity.
To extend one's lifespan, there must be no harmful energies.
In other words, evil energies could not coexist with Nok-jon, which possessed the power to neutralize and dispel them.
'To put it simply, Nok-jon is the power of control.'
The moment the Overlord's Divine Qi clashed with another's internal energy.
It forcibly seized control of the opponent's internal energy—a domain normally completely closed to outside interference.
To use an analogy, it was like forcing them to lower their shield, exposing their bare flesh and weaknesses.
Though the moment the latch was undone lasted only a fraction of a second...
'In a battle between martial artists, an instant is more than enough.'
Ya Yul-gi's Beast Battle Spirit was repeatedly shredded by Jeok-un's sword as easily as paper.
“Ugh, argh!”
Slash!
Slice! Slice!
His body, which had been like iron armor that couldn't be scratched even by weapons coated in sword gang, was now as fragile as freshly made tofu or wet paper.
'I don't even need to use the Red Heaven Galaxy Sword.'
Ya Yul-gi was utterly helpless against simple, improvised sword strikes that weren't even part of a proper martial arts form.
Before long, Ya Yul-gi's body looked like a tattered rag, covered in countless deep and shallow wounds.
Because he usually relied on his Beast Battle Spirit and rarely bothered to block, trying to defend against every blow now inevitably exposed openings everywhere.
'Damn it! If not for that sword! If only he didn't have that sword!'
As he was sliced and shredded until his entire body was a bloody mess, the Beast Poison Demon reached only one conclusion.
The mysterious sword Jeok-un held.
That nameless blade had to be some extraordinary, legendary weapon.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain what was happening.
'Huff, huff. First, I need to create distance. And then...!'
By this point, even Ya Yul-gi had to admit he could no longer sustain a close-quarters fight.
It was humiliating and wounded his pride, but...
It was far better than losing and suffering.
*Whoosh!*
In the end, Ya Yul-gi mustered the last of his strength and unleashed fist gang in all directions.
“Aaaaah!”
Ya Yul-gi practically screamed.
Was it a simple act of desperation or madness?
It was not.
*Whoosh!*
*Sssss!*
Ya Yul-gi's fist gang was different from before.
A sudden red haze enveloped his entire body, and it began to infuse his hands and fist gang.
The red haze was no ordinary energy.
Sizzle!
The rock walls of the abandoned mine melted and dripped where the rising energy touched them.
'Poison qi.'
It was the Blood Net Poison Art, the second ultimate technique that had earned the Beast Poison Demon his title.
A deadly poison technique that corrodes all matter upon contact, melting stone and flesh alike into bloody water.
Combining the strongest physical body with the deadliest poison art was the secret technique that had elevated Ya Yul-gi to his current position.
“I'll turn you into a puddle of blood!”
With those words, the Beast Poison Demon brought his hands together and thrust them forward.
Whoosh!
Flash!
A horrific wave of poison qi erupted from his palms toward Jeok-un.
Though a poison capable of dissolving everything like a raging ocean wave surged forth...
Jeok-un grinned.
“?!”
For what reason?
Jeok-un smiled more brightly than ever.
The reason became clear immediately.
The moment Moon Under sensed the opponent's poison, it began to thrash wildly.
No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say that Nok-jon had begun to run rampant.
*Sssss!*
Rumble!
There may be supreme martial arts, but there is no single strongest martial art.
This was an accepted truth in the Jianghu, acknowledged by both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions.
The reason was natural counters.
Every martial art had at least one other style it could rarely defeat due to elemental or structural incompatibility.
Just as a fast sword defeats a heavy sword, and an illusion sword defeats a fast sword, but an illusion sword cannot defeat a heavy sword.
This cyclical relationship of counters was the law of incompatibility.
What countered Nok-jon's power of dispersion were mental arts, such as soul-stealing techniques that shook the mind.
And...
'And poison arts, you idiot.'
Every time Nok-jon flashed, the red energy grew visibly fainter.
From blood-red to pink.
And then to a sunset orange...
Until finally, it became completely colorless.
The poison qi vanished without a trace.
“Wh-What...!”
“What nonsense...” The Beast Poison Demon couldn't finish his sentence.
“Gack!”
Because Jeok-un swung his free hand and shattered the man's jaw.
The Beast Poison Demon nearly blacked out from the extreme pain, a sensation he was experiencing for the first time in his life.
Crack!
Jeok-un's brutal grip dragged his slipping consciousness back.
“Where do you think you're going? It's too early to pass out.”
“Ugh?!”
Whoosh!
Crack! Bam!
Accompanied by the sharp sound of tearing wind.
Dozens of punches infused with Nok-jon rained down once more.
Intending to tenderize the demon's bones and flesh thoroughly.
“Gwaaaah...!”
With a wail that was hard to distinguish between a scream and a groan, Ya Yul-gi coughed up black blood.
His dantian had shattered, leaving him to fall victim to the residual poison of his own Blood Net Poison Art.
He had shot himself in the foot.
His swollen muscles withered in an instant, turning him into a mummy-like figure, and the poison spread rapidly, causing dark red spots to bloom all over his body.
“S-Spare... me...!”
Ya Yul-gi begged for his life.
But Jeok-un didn't even pretend to hear, slowly taking a step forward.
Step. Step.
With every footstep, Ya Yul-gi tried desperately to crawl backward, but his ruined body refused to obey his commands.
Paralyzed with fear, Ya Yul-gi trembled and spoke again.
“I-I'm sorry! I-I was wrong... Please, just spare my life...!”
The moment Jeok-un stood right before him, Ya Yul-gi met his terrifying gaze and let out a shrill shriek.
Just when he realized he would surely die if things continued like this...
“The Demonic Cult!”
Ya Yul-gi played the only card he had left.
“Y-You need information on the Demonic Cult to avenge the Shadowless Killer, don't you? I-I'll give you everything! I am one of the Cult's Five Elders! Surely, there is something you want!”
The price for a cultist leaking the Cult's secrets was death.
And not just any ordinary death, but a horrific, agonizing execution.
Yet, to escape immediate death, Ya Yul-gi was willing to do anything.
Even if it meant spilling the Cult's deepest secrets.
“...”
Step.
Jeok-un stopped in his tracks.
A glimmer of hope flashed in Ya Yul-gi's eyes.
Had he said the right thing?
As Ya Yul-gi swallowed hard in anticipation...
“Hey, old man.”
Jeok-un suddenly called out to Old Hwang, who was sitting slumped to one side, catching his breath.
When Old Hwang looked up, Jeok-un gestured toward Ya Yul-gi with his chin.
“You should be the one to finish this.”
“...!”
“W-Wait!!”
Realizing how the situation was unfolding, Ya Yul-gi spoke in a panic.
“I-I said I'd tell you everything! The location of the Sword Demon, ugh!”
Crack!
Jeok-un shut him up by slamming a fist into his mouth.
“I don't need it.”
“G-Gurgle...”
As Ya Yul-gi groaned, his teeth completely shattered, Jeok-un added mockingly:
“Because I already know everything a piece of trash like you could possibly tell me.”
“H-How...?”
“Beast Poison Demon.”
“...H-Hieee!”
Just as Ya Yul-gi was about to deny it, Old Hwang approached.
His eyes shone with a fierce light.
The murderer of his son.
The sworn enemy, with whom he could not bear to share the same sky, lay right before him.
“S-Spare...!”
Ya Yul-gi shrieked, begging for his life until the very end, but...
Slice!
Old Hwang answered with a decisive slash of his sword.
Thud, thud...
The sound of a head rolling across the ground.
That was his final answer.