Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Death to the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable!
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[The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable wants to kill you badly enough to demand a duel to the death. That means he's confident.]
A simple fight is different from a duel to the death. Only in a duel to the death would he fight with everything he has.
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable spoke quietly.
“Gwi-ryong, come here.”
A faint shadow flickered in the night sky behind the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable, soon materializing behind him.
He was a slender man in black robes, with long hair that reached his waist. A thin, blue veil covered his mouth and nose, leaving only his eyes visible.
“Your orders.”
His voice was that of a clear-toned man.
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable looked at me and said.
“This boy is my disciple. If you kill me, take him as your subordinate.”
Usually, the strong don't prepare for their own defeat, but the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable was an exception.
However, I quickly saw through his meticulous scheme. The reason he said this, despite not thinking for a moment that he would lose, was so that he could easily take everything I possessed after he won.
What a petty bastard.
As I was about to retort, Jang Ung sent an urgent mental message.
[The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable is the leader of the Blood Shadow Sect. The Blood Shadow Sect is a mysterious school that belongs to neither the Orthodox, Unorthodox, nor Demonic factions.]
[So he's offering me the Blood Shadow Sect?]
[Only if he is defeated.]
[I will win.]
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable spoke.
“Fire Dragon Sword, what will you wager?”
“I will wager the Dong-ro Branch.”
“Is that all?”
“All? Are you unaware that Dong-ro Prefecture is the eye of the storm, a zone of calm amidst the chaos?”
I was putting what Jang Ung had told me to good use.
“Hmm! So you're wagering Dong-ro Prefecture?”
In a way, Dong-ro Prefecture was a greater prize than the Blood Shadow Sect.
“Not Dong-ro Prefecture, the Dong-ro Branch.”
Though it would never happen, even if I were to lose, the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable would have to fend off the endless waves of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union, the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, and the Martial Alliance, all trying to devour Dong-ro Prefecture, just to claim it.
There was no way the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable was ignorant of Dong-ro Prefecture's current status as the eye of the storm. Its value had skyrocketed.
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable drew his sword.
*Shing!*
A sword suffused with a bloody aura—a blood sword. It caught the moonlight, casting flickering red shadows that made it impossible to see the blade clearly.
It was the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's signature weapon, the Blood Shadow Sword. The very sword whose true form no one but its owner had ever seen. Anyone who had seen it was dead.
*Whoosh!*
Without a word of warning, the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable attacked.
He had been five or six paces away, but the moment he launched his attack, he was suddenly two paces in front of me, swinging the Blood Shadow Sword.
It seemed he had maintained that distance from the start with the intention of striking first.
*Ch-ch-ch-chang!*
*'Ugh! What is this?'*
Dozens of blood-red shadows rained down like a sudden shower, all of them targeting my vital points.
“Sword of a Thousand Blood Shadows!”
“He's too close!”
Soyang-gun and Sang Gang-jo cried out at the same time. The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's signature sword art, the Sword of a Thousand Blood Shadows, was well-known in the martial world.
*Shwaaaaa!*
The dozens of blood shadows were now just two feet away, and seeing them so clearly while my body had yet to react made my heart leap into my throat.
*Swoooosh...*
In that instant, my body responded, unleashing the legendary footwork, Floating Light, Divine Shadow.
My feet lifted half a foot off the ground, moving in a dizzying dance.
*Shwaaaang!*
At that, the dozens of blood shadows seemed to slow to a crawl as they grazed precariously past my head and sides.
In truth, the blood shadows were as fast as light, but Floating Light, Divine Shadow was so swift that they appeared slow.
To an onlooker, I would have appeared as relaxed as someone taking a stroll.
Seeing this, Soyang-gun's eyes widened.
*'Floating Light, Divine Shadow!'*
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable relentlessly pursued me, unleashing his second stance.
*Shwiiiiing! Shwing!*
If the first stance was a deluge of dozens of blood shadows blanketing the sky, the second was five blood shadows shooting menacingly from five different directions.
*Chwaaaat!*
Again, I used Floating Light, Divine Shadow to evade, but I had no opening to counterattack.
If I kept only dodging, I would face his third attack, and then I would finally be cornered.
Just as I was thinking that, the blood shadows I thought I had evaded abruptly changed direction and shot toward me again, like true shadows.
*Shwish-shwiiing!*
*'Could he be controlling the sword energy?'*
These five blood shadows were far more powerful and faster than the dozens that had rained down in the first attack.
I urgently deployed Floating Light, Divine Shadow, crossing my feet and twisting my head and torso wildly to dodge.
*Shwoong! Shwoong! Shung!*
*Tcht!*
"Ugh!"
The outer edge of my left shoulder was shallowly cut. Fabric and flesh tore, and blood spurted.
No matter how my body reacted on its own, once a fight began and my martial arts were active, I had to take control.
Therefore, to vaguely expect my body to dodge on its own would be a regret I'd take to the afterlife.
*Chit!*
"Ah!"
This time, a searing pain shot through my right buttock.
In the eyes of Jang Ung, Sang Gang-jo, and Soyang-gun, it must have looked like I was trapped in the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's attack range, flailing about and getting injured.
And they were right. I'd been hit while flustered. My pride was wounded.
*Swish!*
The Blood Shadow Sword Venerable floated swiftly into the air, fiercely swinging his blood-red sword to launch his third attack.
He swung it so fast that the sword itself was invisible, replaced by four crimson circles in the night sky that hummed with a bizarre sound. *Whirrr!*
I sensed that the four crimson circles would soon converge on me, exploding into dozens of blood shadows.
If that happened, I might not be able to evade with Floating Light, Divine Shadow.
*'I'll break through!'*
I hadn't expected the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable to be this powerful.
But I am more powerful than him. I must be.
My mind raced.
*'To take him down, one technique won't be enough! I'll use two—no, three techniques at once!'*
Before the thought was even complete, my body shot toward the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable.
*Ch-ch-chng!*
*'Fleeting Shadow Step!'*
I heard Soyang-gun murmur in astonishment.
“Fleeting Shadow Step...”
In a split second, I vanished and reappeared ten feet in front of the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable, unleashing the final ultimate stance of the Eighteen Stances of Light-Splitting Swordplay: the Transcendent Light-Splitting Bolt.
*Flash!*
From the Fire Dragon Sword, eighteen streaks of pitch-black lightning erupted.
*K-k-k-krak!*
It was far more beautiful than any firework.
This time, Sang Gang-jo muttered as if in a dream.
“Transcendent Light-Splitting Bolt!”
Sang Gang-jo had only mastered the Transcendent Light-Splitting Bolt to the fourth level.
The eighteen streaks of lightning shattered the four circles created by the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable.
*Kwaaaaaat!*
As the four circles exploded, the blood swords lost their target and scattered in all directions.
I could see the look of surprise on the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's face.
*'Heh heh heh! Now I'll show you something truly surprising!'*
Floating at the same height as the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable, ten feet away, I swung the Fire Dragon Sword fiercely.
*Flash!*
*Spaaaat!*
Lightning shot out from the Fire Dragon Sword.
*'Lightning of a Thousand Calamities!'*
Sang Gang-jo and Soyang-gun had never in their lives seen a sword emit lightning. Their jaws dropped.
*'Lightning! And it was the Lightning of a Thousand Calamities from the Three Celestial Arts!'*
Creating sword energy and sword qi with internal energy was fundamentally different from creating real lightning, as was the power.
A look of utter shock filled the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's face.
The next moment, his face lit up rapidly. A flash of light—lightning—was striking down from above.
*Sizzle!*
"Kugh!"
A crescent-shaped bolt of lightning split the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's brow.
It didn't just split his brow; it cleaved his body in two, right down to his groin.
*Thud!*
*Fwoosh!*
His bisected body fell to the ground and burst into flames.
"Umm!"
Standing alone to one side, the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's disciple, Gwi-ryong, stood ramrod straight, clenching his fists and letting out a heavy groan.
But he didn't move from his spot, his body trembling violently as he glared at the burning remains of the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable.
The Fleeting Shadow Step, Transcendent Light-Splitting Bolt, and Lightning of a Thousand Calamities I used to kill him were all at the eighth level of power.
I had roasted the Red Serpent Divine Sword with a Heaven-Shattering Flash infused with seventh-level power, which meant the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable was slightly stronger.
This part displeased me slightly. Above the Fifteen Martial Masters were the Eight Absolutes of the Realm. To fight them, I would have to pour out all my power, to the ninth or even tenth level.
But the Eight Absolutes weren't the strongest. At the very pinnacle were the Four Calamities of the World.
With my current abilities, I could somehow manage the Eight Absolutes, but the Four Calamities were an insurmountable mountain.
According to Jang Ung, the Fifteen Martial Masters, the Eight Absolutes, and the Four Calamities had never fought each other, and their rankings were just decided by enthusiasts who collected rumors from around the martial world.
But there's no smoke without fire. Whether they were rumors or not, there must have been a reason for the rankings.
Having fought one myself, the rankings set by those enthusiasts seemed to be roughly correct.
To become the strongest under the heavens in actual combat, I must defeat the Eight Absolutes and the Four Calamities.
*'I still have a long way to go.'*
Jang Ung had firmly believed I would defeat the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable, but seeing the result, a bright smile spread across his face.
*'Ah! As expected of my lord!'*
However, from my perspective, Sang Gang-jo seemed to have been half in doubt about my victory. I could tell just by looking at his face.
Then, seeing me struggle against the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable, the thought that I might lose could have crossed his mind.
As for Soyang-gun, who knew nothing about me, he must have experienced a whole new world.
*Fwoosh!*
Everyone, including myself, stared blankly at the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable's burning body.
A moment later, the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable was gone, leaving behind only a handful of ashes. The man who had vowed to avenge his younger brother, Nu Jin-sang, had hurried to his brother's side.
Next to the ashes lay the Blood Shadow Sword, scorched by the flames. The sword that no one had ever seen had finally revealed its true form.
Seeing the sight, I couldn't contain the triumphant laughter that burst out of me.
“Hahahaha!”
I threw my shoulders back and laughed with my head thrown back. I couldn't stop the laughter from erupting. It was too satisfying. A wave of pure, cleansing satisfaction washed over me.
Seeing everyone look at me with expressions of awe made me feel even more triumphant.
“Uwahahaha! Uncle Jo! Am I on the level of the Fifteen Martial Masters?”
“No, you are not.”
“Then what am I?”
“You are beyond them!”
For the first time in a while, Sang Gang-jo's voice was filled with excitement.
“And what is beyond them?”
At times like this, no one could stop me. I wanted to tease Sang Gang-jo a little, who had probably thought I might lose to the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable.
Sang Gang-jo said with sincerity.
“I predicted that you, Third Team Leader, would defeat the Blood Shadow Sword Venerable without difficulty.”
“Hmph!”
Sang Gang-jo turned to Soyang-gun.
“Soyang-gun, what did I say earlier about the Third Team Leader's martial prowess?”
“You said it was difficult to be certain.”
“I mean what I said before that.”
Sang Gang-jo had implied that Ak Bi-ryong was beyond the level of the Fifteen Martial Masters and would surpass the Eight Absolutes.
“What did you tell me before that?”
“Soyang-gun!”
Seeing Soyang-gun's faint smile, Sang Gang-jo realized he was being teased.