The Qi Arts Master Chapter 70
“You fucking bastards!”
Maeng Geon fought the Dangga Twelve using only his right arm, his injured left dangling uselessly at his side.
“Monster of a man.”
Dangga's Tenth clicked his tongue as he eyed Maeng Geon. Despite the gash on his left arm, the countless cuts they'd inflicted, and the barrage of poisons coursing through his veins, the Beast King only grew fiercer in his assaults. It was downright eerie. To top it off, their Tenth had fallen to the combined onslaught of the Namrim Beast King and his tiger.
In exchange, the massive tiger lay dead. Witnessing the death of his soul-bound companion, along with the slaughter of his beast kin by these unorthodox scum, ignited a blazing rage in Maeng Geon.
“Raaargh! I'll kill you all, you bastards!”
Maeng Geon unleashed his Fierce Tiger Claw Slash with savage force. Qi shaped like a tiger raking its claws exploded outward, sweeping through the Dangga Twelve with extended range and devastating power.
“Gah!”
The Eleventh and Twelfth crumpled to the ground. The Third narrowed his eyes at his fallen comrades. Excluding the absent First and Second, all ten of them were ganging up on Maeng Geon—and not only was it no easy fight, they were the ones taking damage. It was bewildering. But glancing at Maeng Geon's state, he resembled a wounded tiger on its last breaths.
“He's exhausted! Keep your distance—rotate attacks and focus on poisons!”
The Tenth, who'd been greedily pushing for a quick resolution, now committed to dragging it out. Maeng Geon's face paled further. He'd been staving off the toxins with the dense inner energy packed into his muscles, but he was hitting his limit. The poisons now seeped deeper, unleashing waves of agony, yet he clenched his teeth and endured. If they'd closed in for melee, he could've fought back—but at this range, dodging hidden weapons and poison needles was pure hell.
“Shit...”
Maeng Geon spat a low groan at the dire turn.
In stark contrast, Dang Jeong-ah stood unscathed. The First and Second facing her hadn't launched a single attack. Beyond her status as the Pavilion Lord's daughter, the Lord's command demanded they escort her back to Dangga intact.
Dang Jeong-ah pressed her lips tight, staring at the pair. Even among the elite Dangga Twelve—who were all peak transcendent masters—these two stood out, teetering on the brink of the Fire Transformation realm.
Realms were broad milestones in the martial world, but gaps widened dramatically within them as one advanced. The chasm between realms was no mere step—it was a yawning abyss. No matter how close to Fire Transformation, it was worlds apart from the real thing. The same held for peak transcendent versus transcendent.
Dang Jeong-ah knew these two were beyond her. Poison might bridge the gap in realms, but they were poison masters themselves. No openings, no variables.
“Even if you drag me back, I'll return on my own terms. Like always. Attend to your duties and go.”
Her words were firm. But the First and Second shook their heads impassively.
“This is our final mission. And it's the Lord's command.”
Dang Jeong-ah swallowed hard. In Dangga, “the Lord's command” was an unbreakable incantation.
She sighed, her expression hardening. “Then call off the attack on the beast kin. I'll go quietly.”
“We can't. That's the Lord's command too.”
She clenched her fists until her nails drew blood. The helplessness shook her to her core. Tian Ailang had entered the Pagaksa Temple, forcing it into a frenzy before it collapsed—a good sign. But he hadn't emerged. The Namrim Beast King was besieged by the other Dangga Twelve, his kin faring no better. No variables, no hope.
Dang Jeong-ah bit her lower lip hard. Returning to the clan meant a horrific end.
Poison Human Maiden. A forbidden inner arts enhancement, reviled even in poison-mad Dangga for its inhumanity. It propelled one's excruciatingly difficult poison arts to new heights in a single leap. But it was banned for one reason: the conditions.
She had to be blood kin. A virgin. A transcendent realm poison human who'd completed training. And she had to be taken via the Absorption Demon Arts of阴阳union.
The conditions alone were nauseatingly depraved. The pinnacle horror? The woman died post-coitus, drained dry like a husk, her entire inner energy and congenital essence absorbed. A demonic art through and through.
Humiliated by the Murim Alliance, the Pavilion Lord—desperate for absolute power—chose this path from the clan's archives. He'd pieced together fragmented records through sheer obsession. Even if the subject was his only daughter.
Dang Jeong-ah had learned of her father's maniacal lust for power and this method from her brother, Dang Sang-ho. Usually headstrong, he'd always obeyed his big sister. But stumbling on Father's plan shattered him. Confined for days, horrified that his sister's fate was sealed by paternal greed. He couldn't stop a god-like father. Afterward, he twisted further into escapism—but became a brother who followed her every word blindly.
Hearing the Dangga Twelve's intent, Dang Jeong-ah sensed her time had come. She steeled her resolve. Death awaited either way—she'd fight the impossible. Like Tian Ailang and the beasts against Pagaksa. Like Tian Ailang charging into its maw on a sliver of hope.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Needles forged of wrought iron shot from her hands.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
But the First and Second countered with their own, foiling her ambush.
“Throwing a tantrum? We don't want to hurt you—come quietly.”
The First urged her irritably.
“Die!”
Dang Jeong-ah hurled her hidden weapons wildly and unleashed Seven Treasures Soul-Scattering Poison.
“Useless.”
The First dodged the projectiles while releasing the antidote mist. High-realm Dangga elites could neutralize most poisons naturally, but Seven Treasures was too agonizing to tank barehanded.
With no attacks landing, Dang Jeong-ah retreated, channeling desperation and qi into Ten Thousand Heaven's Rain.
“Hah!”
“I told you, it's pointless.”
The First flicked his hands in annoyance at the needle storm blotting his vision. From his Wind-Sweeping Palm, a counter-Ten Thousand Heaven's Rain erupted—more needles than hers.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
Hundreds collided and rained down like sizzling oil.
“Damn it...”
All efforts futile, defeat washed over Dang Jeong-ah in hollow waves.
“Fine, now come back to the—”
Thud!
Victory-drunk, the First approached—only to be struck and sent flying.
“...?!”
The Second whirled toward the attack's source: Tian Ailang, finger aimed like a drake's head.
Thud!
“Gurk!”
The Second soared away like his comrade. Tian Ailang's Finger Cannon, qi compressed at his fingertip.
Tian Ailang brushed off the Pagaksa slime and gore clinging to him, approaching Dang Jeong-ah.
“You alright?”
With the colossal Pagaksa corpse looming behind him like a trophy, he looked impossibly reassuring, dashing.
“Y-yes...”
“Can I kill them all?”
His gesture swept over the Dangga Twelve battling the beast kin and unorthodox alliance.
Dang Jeong-ah nodded frantically. “Yes! Please, I beg you.”
She bowed deeply. Pride of Dangga blood be damned—this moment, she entrusted everything to him. Complex tears welled up.
“Got it. You've done enough—rest.”
Tian Ailang glanced at her lightly, then fired another Finger Cannon at the twitching First and Second. He then shrank the earth with Shrinking Ground, racing to Maeng Geon's besieged side.
In one breath, he detonated the earth's veins around the encircling Dangga Twelve.
Boom!
The ground erupted in a savage spray, scattering the Twelve in alarm. Attacks on Maeng Geon halted; space opened for him to maneuver.
“Get clear.”
Tian Ailang's curt words to Maeng Geon, then he unleashed Finger Cannons in all directions.
Divine Dragon Finger Barrage. Scattershot.
“Aaaagh!”
“Dodge!”
The Dangga Twelve scrambled into defenses against this bolt from the blue.
“Fuck!”
Maeng Geon belly-flopped to the dirt as Tian Ailang's blasts ignored friend or foe. Injuries dulled his tumbling form; pain surged. Jaw agape, he gawked at the man spraying qi like piss from a leaky bladder.
Disrupting their formation and rhythm in seconds, Tian Ailang dove in with Thunder Dragon Descent, shattering them individually like lightning.
“Aaaagh!”
Gliding ground-skimming like Shrinking Ground or midair-kicking like Cloud Dragon Eight Forms, Tian Ailang pivoted freely. His unpredictable footwork cornered the Twelve.
Desperate for defense, they'd clustered one way. Behind Tian Ailang: Dang Jeong-ah and the prone, spectating Maeng Geon.
Regulating his charging breath, Tian Ailang flung his hands wide.
Fire Butterfly Barrage.
Hundreds of crimson butterflies fluttered vividly toward the enemy, speeds varying to fill the field like Ten Thousand Heaven's Rain.
Divine Dragon Finger Barrage. Scattershot.
He didn't stop—Finger Cannons lanced at evasion routes, blocking retreats at blinding speed.
Regaining his wits, the First gaped at the encroaching butterflies sealing every path. He'd seen from hiding how this ravaged Pagaksa; the aftermath terrified him.
“Huddle up! Max protective qi—defend!”
The Twelve clustered frantically, erecting qi shields. A ploy to minimize hits from the wide barrage through combined power.
Union.
Tian Ailang manipulated the sprawling butterflies like sword arts, redirecting every one at the huddled mass.
The First's face twisted in horror.