Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Fifth Demonic Emperor's Rainbow Zenith
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The Fifth Demonic Emperor, seeing me leap into the air, drew his sword a second time with the same simple motion.
*Scree!*
It was too late to use the Celestial Net Divine Eye to discern the trajectory of the Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword. I was curious, but I had to give up.
It wasn't called the Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword for nothing.
*Behind him!*
As I used the Heaven-Flying Divine Steps to somersault behind him, a searing pain shot through my left calf.
*Slice!*
It was my first time using the Heaven-Flying Divine Steps in real combat, and my lack of proficiency had cost me a cut on my calf.
As I descended behind him, he sensed me, spun around in an instant, and swung his sword again.
*Scree!*
It was a peculiar sound, like metal lightly scraping against metal.
I quickly bent my upper body backward in mid-air, shifting to the left.
*Shhh...*
The fluttering hem of my shirt was sliced off. I had nearly been cut in the side.
The moment the Fifth Demonic Emperor launched his fourth attack, I shot upward with the Heaven-Flying Divine Steps, infusing the Fire Dragon Sword with the Five Elements Divine Art and Yin Essence. With a light flick, I unleashed my technique.
Heaven Severance.
*Fwoosh!*
*Ugh!*
This time, my left shoulder was grazed, but at that same instant, the blue-white ice flower of Yin Essence struck the Fifth Demonic Emperor squarely on the head.
*Thwack!*
*It's over.*
I landed five steps away from him. A direct hit to the crown of his head with Yin Essence should have turned him into a block of ice.
Bright red blood flowed from both my legs and my left shoulder, staining my clothes and the deck.
The Fifth Demonic Emperor, his sword angled toward the floor, spoke in a low voice.
"You are quite something. Who are you?"
It was absurd. He was speaking as if nothing had happened, despite the Yin Essence hitting him right on the head.
I had clearly seen the blue-white ice flower strike his head with my own eyes.
"I am the Grand Branch Master of the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Grand Branch."
"Hmm?"
The Fifth Demonic Emperor frowned, his brow furrowed.
"Are you the Fire Dragon Sword?"
It was an honor that a Demonic Emperor knew of the Fire Dragon Sword.
"I am. Also known as the Blue-White Jade Hand."
The moniker 'Blue-White Jade Hand' was quite cool. In any case, I couldn't understand why the Fifth Demonic Emperor was perfectly fine.
Also, strangely enough, while I fought the Demonic Emperor one-on-one, his subordinates didn't interfere at all.
Meanwhile, the fire I had started in the cabin earlier had grown, and half the ship was now a sea of flames.
A muscle in the Fifth Demonic Emperor's cheek twitched.
"I didn't expect you to make it this far."
The Fifth Demonic Emperor slowly approached me, raising his sword.
I couldn't believe he was unharmed.
"You... are you all right?"
"Hahaha! Did you think I would fall for such a minor sound art?"
*He knows he was hit with Yin Essence!*
That meant either the Yin Essence had no effect on him, or he had expelled it with his internal energy. But it wasn't a sound art, nor was it an extreme yin art. It was pure Yin Essence.
*Impossible!*
Three steps away, the Fifth Demonic Emperor suddenly lunged, swinging his sword.
"Die!"
*Damn it!*
In my surprise, I hadn't paid enough attention to his slow approach. Three steps was far too close.
*Shit! Heaven-Flying Divine Steps!*
I hastily activated the Heaven-Flying Divine Steps as his sword cleaved through the air.
But it was too late. Judging by what had happened so far, this close a distance was perfect for getting killed.
As I shot three *zhang* straight up, I braced myself, expecting to be cut somewhere on my body.
However, aside from my legs and left shoulder, I felt no new cuts.
I quickly glanced down and broke into a smile.
*Just as I thought!*
I could see the Fifth Demonic Emperor's head, which had turned completely white.
*Thud!*
I landed in front of him again.
"You..."
*Sssss...*
The Fifth Demonic Emperor, his head as white as if covered in frost, glared at me and tried to say something, but his eyes, nose, and mouth froze over rapidly, cutting him off.
*To withstand the Yin Essence for that long... he was a tenacious one.*
After being hit by the Yin Essence, he had barely managed to hold on with his internal energy, but had finally succumbed and frozen solid. He was truly formidable.
As I watched, his entire body turned into a block of ice within a single breath.
If I hadn't used Yin Essence, I don't know how the fight with him would have turned out.
The Life-Reaping and Soul-Suppressing Experts stared in shock at their frozen leader.
*Fwoosh!*
The raging flames swept closer and closer toward us.
Despite this, the enemies ignored the fire and began to attack me all at once.
"Get him!"
I kicked off the deck and shot into the air.
"Byeok-gyo! Let's go!"
"Yes! Brother Yong!"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo leaped up and took my hand.
The enemies all jumped into the air after us, but they couldn't get higher than five or six *zhang* before falling back down.
*Wheee!*
I whistled, and from somewhere, White Cloud appeared like the wind.
As we settled into the palanquin, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Immortal couldn't hide her excitement.
"Ahh! That was truly amazing!"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo smiled brightly.
"Did you see?"
"I was watching from thirty *zhang* up! My goodness! The men the Fire Dragon Sword benefactor fought were incredible experts. Who were they?"
"They were Demonic Emperors."
"Heavens! Demonic Emperors? Do you mean the Nine Demonic Emperors of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union?"
"Yes."
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Immortal was aghast at Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo's words.
It was well known that the Demonic Emperors were the second-in-commands of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union.
"There were four of them in total, and Brother Yong killed three."
"Ahh! I saw it with my own eyes and still couldn't believe it...! The Fire Dragon Sword benefactor is magnificent!"
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Immortal was so shocked she even forgot to chant Amitabha's name.
Just then, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo noticed the blood flowing from my left shoulder and was startled.
"Ah! You're injured!"
I had my left shoulder turned away from her, so she had only just noticed.
"It is nothing."
In the presence of others, it was proper etiquette to address her formally as the Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance.
"Let me stop the bleeding."
I waved my hand to refuse, but she held my shoulder to keep me still and applied pressure to the wound.
Then she noticed the blood on both my legs and jumped in surprise.
"Oh my! Your legs are injured too!"
She gently pushed on my chest to make me lie down and tended to my legs, her face etched with worry.
"I'm sorry. I should have figured out the Fifth Demonic Emperor's Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword sooner."
"That was the Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword?"
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Immortal cried out, practically fainting from shock.
After Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo finished tending to the wounds, Mi-hyang, who had been waiting, asked.
"Young Master Ak, where shall we go?"
I asked Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo.
"Where would you like to go?"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo looked down below.
The Demonic Emperor's Grand Union ship was engulfed in flames in the middle of the sea, and people were jumping from it into the water.
Not far away, another ship was floating—the one carrying the Martial Alliance's core members.
They must have seen the fight break out and the subsequent fire on the Demonic Emperor's ship and turned back to approach.
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo asked me.
"Should we save the enemies?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Am I not allowed to ask?"
This conversation could get complicated.
"Save them."
"I will."
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo spoke quietly, as if talking to someone right beside her.
"Grand Elder, please rescue the people who fell into the sea."
"Understood."
Following her words, the reply from the Spiritual Enlightenment Zen Master came through. The two of them had used Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission.
* * *
White Cloud dropped me, Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo, and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Immortal onto the ship before ascending and disappearing from view.
Of course, White Cloud was just hovering high in the sky and would come for me when I whistled.
The Martial Alliance's core members and Sang Gang-jo gathered around us.
They had all seen Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and me jump onto the Demonic Emperor's ship to fight, and they were both amazed and deeply impressed.
Sang Gang-jo approached me, his face full of relief and welcome.
"Grand Branch Master!"
I was glad to see him too. We had been practically inseparable during my time at the Dong-ro Grand Branch, and it seemed I had grown fond of him.
The Drunken Immortal Beggar asked with a look of astonishment.
"Alliance Lord! Why did you suddenly attack the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union ship?"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo stood beside me and smiled.
"Brother Yong made the decision."
"Why would he do that? Wasn't it too dangerous?"
In response to the Drunken Immortal Beggar's question, the Grand Purity Adept explained in a placating tone.
"If we had just left them alone, the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union would have attacked us. Do you think we would have been safe then?"
"Oh! You're right!"
"The Fire Dragon Sword fellow saved us."
The Nine Great Elders, excluding the Spiritual Enlightenment Zen Master, clasped their fists in a salute.
"We are greatly indebted to you!"
I wasn't used to this kind of situation, so I just stood there quietly.
The Drunken Immortal Beggar nodded and then spoke.
"According to Chief Sang, the ship pursuing us carried four Demonic Emperors, thirty Life-Reaping Experts, and a hundred Soul-Suppressing Experts. But among those we pulled from the sea, we didn't see a single Demonic Emperor. What happened to them?"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo answered.
"Brother Yong killed three, and I killed one."
The core members stared at me in profound shock.
"Alliance Lord, were the Demonic Emperors as powerful as the rumors say?"
"Of course. They were far more powerful than the Fifteen Venerables of the Martial World."
"How do you think this old beggar would fare in a one-on-one fight?"
"The match would probably be decided in twenty stances."
The Drunken Immortal Beggar stroked his sparse beard.
"Hehehe! Alliance Lord, isn't twenty stances a bit too long? Ten would be more than enough."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Immortal Beggar, the Alliance Lord means you would *lose* within twenty stances."
The Drunken Immortal Beggar looked dumbfounded.
"Alliance Lord, is the Grand Purity Adept right? Is that what you meant?"
"Yes."
"Hah! Are you saying the Demonic Emperors are that powerful? I can't believe it!"
"The one I fought was the Sixth Demonic Emperor, and it took me more than ten stances to kill him."
"Tch! So they're that strong?"
The Drunken Immortal Beggar couldn't last more than five stances against Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo.
Just then, Sang Gang-jo noticed my blood-soaked clothes and gasped.
"Grand Branch Master! Are you injured?"
"He was wounded in three places by the Fifth Demonic Emperor's Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword. I've temporarily stopped the bleeding."
Sang Gang-jo's face was filled with considerable shock.
"For you to be injured in three places, Grand Branch Master... the Demonic Emperors must truly be powerful!"
"And yet he killed three of them by himself! Incredible!"
The Drunken Immortal Beggar gave a thumbs-up.
The Master of Profound Truth wore a surprised expression.
"Alliance Lord, are you certain it was the Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword?"
"There's no doubt. The simple movements, the thin ripples, the *scree* sound of the blade... they're all characteristics of the Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword."
At that moment, the Spiritual Enlightenment Zen Master spoke quietly.
"Alliance Lord, what kind of Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword do you think the Fifth Demonic Emperor used?"
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo turned to me.
"Did you see a rainbow when the Fifth Demonic Emperor used his sword art?"
"A faint one."
"Then it's definitely Rainbow Zenith."
A slight stir went through the core members at the mention of "Rainbow Zenith."
I found myself incredibly intrigued by this Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword, but Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and the Spiritual Enlightenment Zen Master said no more on the subject.
The Martial Alliance members reported that they had rescued eighty-seven experts and eight crewmen of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union who had jumped from the burning ship, subdued them, and locked them in the hold.
They hadn't pulled them out right away, instead waiting until the enemies were exhausted before subduing them one by one, so it hadn't been difficult.
By my count, there were about one hundred and ten living Life-Reaping and Soul-Suppressing Experts, which meant that twenty or so had either drowned or been swept away by the waves, becoming fish food.
No matter how powerful a Life-Reaping or Soul-Suppressing Expert might be, in the vast open sea, they were less than a mere fish.
* * *
Night fell.
On the wide deck above the cabins, I sat in a circle with Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo and the core members of the Martial Alliance.
Sang Gang-jo had just finished explaining that I had conditionally approved the Dong-ro Grand Branch to become the new headquarters for the Martial Alliance.
Everyone listened with serious and solemn expressions, and as soon as Sang Gang-jo finished, they burst into cheers, overjoyed.