Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Black-Faced Ghost Venerable
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Black-Faced Ghost Venerable had been a notorious criminal in the martial world since his youth.
His face was so dark that he was called Black-Faced Ghost, and later the honorific "Venerable" was added, making it Black-Faced Ghost Venerable.
He had originally been a disciple of the Kunlun Sect, the sect of immortals.
Among the young disciples, his talent was unparalleled, drawing the full attention of the sect leader and elders.
But his lust was overwhelming, leading him to rape a female disciple and flee the sect.
He ran because of the crime at first, but he intended to return to Kunlun.
As Kunlun's greatest prodigy, he believed the sect leader and elders would forgive him.
However, the elder who came in pursuit shattered his hopes completely.
"Cripple your own martial arts."
Kekeke... Kuhahaha...!
Even surrounded, he laughed like a madman.
Dare to tell Kunlun's top prodigy to cripple his martial arts?
If it weren't for the fact that his crimes could be washed clean, even piling up layers of sins wouldn't change a thing.
Black-Faced Ghost slaughtered all of Kunlun's pursuers and became a true public enemy of the martial world.
His martial arts were so profound and elusive that no one could kill or capture him.
It was shortly after the great war with the Demonic Cult, so the pursuit wasn't very tight.
He raped and plundered at will.
Yet even he faced a crisis.
It happened when he crossed paths with an Emei Sect female master while roaming the martial world.
Her swordsmanship shared many similarities with his own, making her an exceptionally tricky opponent.
With Emei disciples there too, he nearly lost his head.
He barely escaped with his life, swallowing his tears in retreat.
He ground his teeth in resolve, burning with thoughts of revenge.
He later learned her title was Six Nets Sword Queen.
After honing his skills in seclusion, he returned to the martial world for more rape and plunder.
Now, he was confident even the Six Nets Sword Queen was no match for him.
'Damn it... If only I hadn't met the White Master back then...'
He had thought himself the sky, only to find another sky above.
"Where is the Golden Stream Yi Household?"
Walking along the road, he grabbed an old man and asked.
His eyes were so deep and dark, it felt like staring into shadows.
The old man, terrified, pointed to one side of the village.
"Straight that way... You'll come to a grand manor. That's the Golden Stream Yi Household."
He started toward the direction the old man indicated but stopped and asked again.
"Where is Wall Craftsman Manor?"
The old man pointed east of the village.
"Go that way, and you'll see a manor on the hill. The village calls it Wall Craftsman Manor."
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable changed direction and headed east.
Rushing from Sabaeksung, the Golden Stream Yi Household likely had no news yet.
So the order was to take that bastard Hwang Moo-young's head and visit there.
Whoosh...
After a few steps, wind stirred, and his figure scattered like smoke.
The old man trembled, watching the scene.
'A demon has appeared... a demon...'
Sa Sa-un and the siblings prepared roast duck and spicy tofu for dinner.
The siblings were skilled at roast dishes and tofu.
Se Yeong sat down and spoke to them.
"Starting tomorrow, you run with the squad members."
The siblings' faces lit up at his words.
The squad members ran to the distant mountain and back every morning after breakfast.
The siblings had envied their routine.
"It's still a bit early, Hero Han. My internal energy is still lacking, and I've only recently started practicing lightness skill. It'll take at least three hours."
The squad members' return times from the mountain were getting faster and faster.
Yi Cheon-young's words made sense, and the squad nodded in agreement.
But Se Yeong thought differently.
"That's why we're starting early. If the siblings collapse from exhaustion, Young-gak will help them."
"Om mani padme hum. Why burden this humble monk with such worldly troubles?"
Young-gak expressed his reluctance indirectly.
"You like worldly troubles. Isn't saving pitiful mortals the duty of Buddha's disciples?"
"They aren't pitiful mortals, Hero Han. Aren't they living quite well?"
"If you don't want to, get out of my house."
Young-gak quickly corrected himself.
"Saving pitiful mortals is the duty of Buddha's disciples. I shall follow Hero Han's words."
Paeng Se-gi, watching intently, sneered.
"I'm embarrassed just watching from the side."
Young-gak pretended not to hear and tore into the roast duck.
Se Yeong laughed and popped some tofu into his mouth.
Crunch crunch...
Se Yeong's face hardened as he chewed the tofu.
Heaven Dominating Blade King hadn't bothered hiding his presence when coming to this manor.
But this new guest was different.
He didn't hide his energy, yet it felt as natural as a gentle breeze.
'Who is it?'
The moment Se Yeong tilted his head, the breeze turned into a fierce storm, crashing in instantly.
"Dodge!"
Se Yeong flipped the table as a sword dropped from the sky.
Slash...
The table soaring upward split in half, and a white figure descended from above.
"Quick reflexes. Are you Hwang Moo-young?"
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable pinpointed Se Yeong amid the squad.
"Who the hell are you, ruining our meal?"
Before Se Yeong could respond, Yi-hwa yelled angrily.
Having witnessed Se Yeong's battle with Heaven Dominating Blade King, she saw him as the martial world's greatest.
He'd survived against one of the Five Absolutes, so no one stronger existed in the martial world, she thought.
Sa Sa-un, pale-faced, hurriedly covered her mouth.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Please be quiet."
"I'm Hwang Moo-young."
Se Yeong stepped toward the squad.
This middle-aged man had a bizarre appearance.
His robes were those of a high-cultivation Daoist.
Yet his eyes gleamed with wicked light, clashing with the robes.
His energy flowed naturally like water, but his actions were utterly sinister.
"I've come for your head."
"Now even dogs and pigs want my head."
As Se Yeong sneered, the middle-aged man's sword moved fluidly.
The motion looked slow enough to yawn at, yet the sword tip was already piercing his throat.
Urk...
As a urgent groan escaped Se Yeong's lips, the sword tip veered toward his chest.
Slash.
The blade sliced through his collar, then his thigh.
The movements happened almost simultaneously, like flowing water.
Thud...!
Se Yeong barely blocked with his sword, facing the man tensely.
Heaven Dominating Blade King's blade arts were savage and mountain-cleaving, while this man's swordsmanship was soft yet heavy.
"Brother! That's Black-Faced Ghost Venerable!"
Paeng Se-gi seemed to recognize the man.
Kekeke...
"So there's still a kid who knows me."
The man was delighted at being recognized.
Only then did Se Yeong realize who he was.
A black-faced Daoist is a demon reborn as one. Wherever the demon passes, wails and death abound—alas, the heavens are lamentable.
It was something an old martial artist had drunkenly rambled in an inn when Se Yeong first entered the world.
Se Yeong had searched for him then but heard he'd vanished long ago.
"Who sent you?"
Se Yeong aimed his sword and asked.
"Kid. I came from Sabaeksung."
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's answer was shocking enough.
'How did the White Master know I'm here?'
But he soon recalled the man calling him not Han Se Yeong, but Hwang Moo-young.
Hwang Moo-young was a name he'd hastily made up here.
"That bastard Lee Da-in, this son of a...'
As Se Yeong gnashed his teeth, a sinister smile curled on Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's lips.
"Thanks to you, I got to return to the martial world."
Finishing his words, his figure floated lightly into the air.
Swoosh...
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's sword cleaved space, clashing with Se Yeong's.
Boom...!
It was just a simple space slash.
Yet the pillar behind Se Yeong at the hall's rear was neatly severed by that simple strike.
Crumble... Crash...!
With the pillar gone, a beam and part of the roof collapsed.
'Damn it... It's only been days since I repaired the manor...'
Boom! Boom boom...!
Se Yeong blocked the sword slicing through his body, using the shock to retreat his figure instantly.
'What kind of swordsmanship is this...'
Even blocking Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's sword, Se Yeong couldn't hide his distress.
The swordsmanship looked very slow, yet in an instant, it slashed all his vital points simultaneously.
This wasn't like Shaolin's stillness in motion.
It was like an immortal leisurely strolling atop clouds.
Boom...!
Se Yeong smacked away the sword at his throat, using the recoil to land atop the manor wall.
Behind was the forest where he'd clashed with Heaven Dominating Blade King before.
Tap.
As Se Yeong kicked off the wall and soared, Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's sword flew at him.
Boom boom...!
Se Yeong smacked the sword away, his figure flung into the forest.
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's figure followed like an arrow into the woods.
"Brother...!"
"Hero Han...!"
The squad all drew weapons to help Se Yeong.
"Don't interfere...!"
Boom boom...!
But Se Yeong's voice stopped them.
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable was a master comparable to Heaven Dominating Blade King.
Boom boom...! Boom...!
Se Yeong could only barely block the incoming sword and energy waves.
Whenever he tried to find an opening for his own sword arts, Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's blade was already piercing his body.
Kekeke...
His eyes flashed red, and the sword shredding his clothes and flesh struck everywhere.
Boom boom...!
His chest split open, blood flowing.
A bit deeper, and it would've been fatal.
Se Yeong steadied his racing heart with deep breaths.
If Heaven Dominating Blade King fought Black-Faced Ghost Venerable, who would win?
Probably not an easy victory for either.
But Se Yeong wanted to bet on Heaven Dominating Blade King.
The moment a sword moved from the left, one dove for his right chest; as one shook below, it was already slicing his throat.
Boom boom...! Boom...!
Se Yeong blocked Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's sword, retreating then shifting left and right.
Swoosh...
As soon as the sword moved right, the trees lined on the left were neatly felled.
Thud thud... Crash...!
Black-Faced Ghost Venerable, smirking, twitched his thin eyebrows slightly.
His sword, which had been slicing clothes and flesh, was blocked by Se Yeong's.
Swoosh...
Suddenly floating into the air, his figure twisted direction mid-air instantly.
Simultaneously, his sword cleaved space at Se Yeong's back.
Swoosh...
As the sword sliced Se Yeong's afterimage, like flowing water, it slashed another space.
Boom boom...!
Se Yeong smacked it away, and Black-Faced Ghost Venerable floated back a dozen paces.
In that instant, demonic energy surged from Se Yeong's body, a demonic form rising to engulf Black-Faced Ghost Venerable.
Boom boom...! Boom...!
The demonic energy shattered against the sword.
Se Yeong leaped into the air, raining demonic energy like rain on the ground where he stood.
Countless swords poured down, but Black-Faced Ghost Venerable's sword fluidly deflected the demonic energy above his head.
Boom boom...!
Keke...
"A Demonic Cult lackey, eh?"