Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Sword God's Cave (2)
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“What in the world is going on…?”
Ouyang Jue frowned at the continuous barrage of explosions.
‘Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like they’re using explosives…’
*Bang! Crash!*
The masked figures arrayed outside the barrier were relentlessly unleashing their martial arts.
Notably, a great many of them were armed with bows.
To shoot arrows meant they intended to kill everyone, leaving no witnesses to be caught by the authorities.
Ouyang Jue glanced back at the Omniscient One, who was maintaining the barrier.
“Are you alright?”
“...Hmph, what a question.”
The Omniscient One, gritting his teeth as cold sweat beaded on his brow, looked incredibly precarious.
The sharp arrows, in particular, were putting immense pressure on him.
At this rate, not only would he fail to maintain the barrier, but he would also suffer a fatal wound.
Ouyang Jue drew Severing Manifestation and charged forward.
*Swoosh-!*
With the Moon-Treading Shadowless Steps that linked his Plum Blossom footwork, he instantly scaled the man-high wall and cut down a masked man hiding below.
In that instant, Ouyang Jue’s eyes widened.
‘Black Crow…’
The characters carved into the masked man’s neck glowed black for a moment before vanishing.
*I wonder if there's some meaning to the words 'black crow'.*
Ouyang Jue filed this away and charged onward.
Liu Zhangming also pushed his movement technique to its limit.
“Omniscient One, fall back for a moment!”
At Ouyang Jue’s words, the Omniscient One, as if he had expected it, retreated to a safe area with Daewung as his guard.
Seeing this, a masked man who appeared to be the leader shouted.
“Don’t let him get away!”
The unpleasant voice, like an axe scraping against an iron zither, made Ouyang Jue grimace.
It seemed he was using a sound-altering technique to prevent anyone from identifying him by his voice.
But that would only work as long as he wasn’t caught.
Ouyang Jue swung Severing Manifestation lightly and advanced.
“First, one of you!”
*Thud!*
A stomp infused with powerful internal energy crushed the ground, and a massive shockwave mixed with sand and dust, obscuring the surroundings.
It was a trick the Black Dragon had once used against Ouyang Jue, a highly effective tactic when facing multiple opponents.
It was especially powerful when trying to covertly snatch one person, as the narrowed field of vision was a massive advantage.
Ouyang Jue’s left palm strike whipped out like a snake.
*Crack!*
His fist struck the masked man’s solar plexus precisely, then swept from left to right, shattering a couple of ribs.
“Keuk…!”
“Not yet.”
With his free right hand, Ouyang Jue grabbed the masked man by the collar and threw him backward.
There was no need to check what happened next.
“Kuaaang!”
Just from the sound of Daewung’s cry and the rustling from the Omniscient One, he was certain they had taken care of it.
Ouyang Jue smirked and counted the number of warriors gathered before him.
“Thirty-six of them. A quarter of an hour should be enough.”
“…”
When not a single masked man reacted to his words, Ouyang Jue’s lip curled.
‘Well, it’s not like I expected anything else.’
Their reaction was so textbook that Ouyang Jue instinctively ruled out the possibility of them being from the Underworld.
If they were, they wouldn’t have been able to resist the provocation and would have at least flinched.
Just as Ouyang Jue was organizing his thoughts, Liu Zhangming roared in anger.
“You fiends!”
“...Senior Brother, what is it?”
“To use bows so cowardly! This is utterly and completely unjust!”
*So that was it.*
Ouyang Jue let out a faint smile as he watched Liu Zhangming effortlessly dodge the arrows.
Although Liu Zhangming had been gaining a lot of experience lately, it seemed he had yet to truly grasp what a warrior with malicious intent was capable of.
In fact, Ouyang Jue had been expecting explosives right up until they left the Sword God’s Cave.
Dealing with these masked men would not be difficult.
‘The arrows are a bit annoying, but not impossible to dodge.’
Ouyang Jue advanced, deflecting each arrow with Severing Manifestation.
Seeing this, the masked men’s movements began to stiffen.
The slight trembling of their fingertips suggested they were feeling fear.
“You seem to have miscalculated.”
As Ouyang Jue muttered in a low voice, the masked man’s trembling momentarily ceased.
No voice came in response, but what could be a clearer answer than that?
Ouyang Jue pointed Severing Manifestation at the masked men.
“The one who is quick to reveal your leader will be sent away alive. I say this on the honor of the Mount Hua Sect.”
At those words, the masked man closest to Ouyang Jue let out a sharp breath.
It seemed he was trying to speak in a way that the leader behind him wouldn't notice, so Ouyang Jue acted as if he hadn't seen anything.
“So you have chosen death over a cup of forfeit wine!”
*Tat!*
Kicking off the ground with his right foot, Ouyang Jue strode toward the masked man.
He then closed the distance, feigning a blow to the chest with his left palm.
*If you don't speak now, I'll have to use my internal energy!*
*He, he is…*
*Crack.*
At the sudden sound, Ouyang Jue kicked the masked man in the chest and retreated.
‘How did he…!’
The masked man’s neck was bent at a grotesque angle, dangling loosely.
Behind him, a cheerful laugh echoed.
“Your knack for scheming is as superb as ever.”
“...You!”
Ouyang Jue’s face hardened.
Unlike the other masked men, this one wore a white robe and showed his face openly.
Just like with the arrows, it was a display of confidence that he could kill everyone who saw his face in one fell swoop.
Ouyang Jue spoke, his expression tense.
“I never dreamed we would meet again so soon, Grand Master Musheng.”
“Hmph! Your provocations won’t work on me!”
As if to say he was done talking, the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon unleashed a thick cloud of demonic energy.
The triumphant smile that followed was filled with the certainty of victory.
“This time, there is no Buddha's Shadow Gate. How could the likes of you possibly harm me!”
“…”
Ouyang Jue fell silent.
Rather than be swayed by the taunts of a demon, it was better to think hard and find a way out.
His accumulated experience also played a part.
‘Then again, have I ever fought on a battlefield where I had the advantage?’
From his past life as the Bloodhound to his present one.
Ouyang Jue had always been placed in difficult and complex situations, forced to fight against powerful foes.
Even if a situation seemed hopeless, if one kept a clear head and looked at the bigger picture, a path to victory could always be found.
As Ouyang Jue’s grip tightened, the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon shot him a disdainful look.
“Do you really think you can defeat me with such pathetic sword skills?”
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s gaze flickered for a moment to Severing Manifestation and Liu Zhangming.
He spoke boldly, but he wasn’t entirely ignoring them.
Severing Manifestation was a divine weapon that possessed an aura sharp enough to harm him, and Liu Zhangming also had some kind of strange power.
‘Though it seems he himself is unaware of it.’
That was why now was the perfect chance to kill Liu Zhangming without any risk.
*Kwoong! Kwaaa-!*
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s mere movement whipped the wind into a gale.
Ouyang Jue planted his feet firmly and strained to keep his eyes open.
With his All-Seeing Eye, he frantically searched for traces of the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s vanished form.
Then, Severing Manifestation swung out forcefully.
*Clang!*
A loud crash resounded as the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s fist met Severing Manifestation.
The internal energy contained in the blow was so immense that several of the masked men collapsed on the spot, unable to withstand the internal injuries.
After that single exchange, Ouyang Jue retreated to assess the situation.
“...!”
Most of the masked men had been subdued by Liu Zhangming and were scattered on the ground, and a long, bloody gash was drawn on the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s fist.
Unlike the Black Dragon, who had remained unscathed, a sudden premonition struck him that the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon could be easily cut by Severing Manifestation.
‘It might be possible…!’
His grip on Severing Manifestation was still firm, and his internal energy sat heavy in his dantian.
A fighting spirit, a belief that he wouldn’t be easily defeated no matter how strong the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon was, enveloped Ouyang Jue’s entire body.
Seeing this, a look of displeasure crossed the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s face.
“Did you really think you might win with something like this?”
*Gnash, grind!*
The demonic energy erupting from the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s palms instantly corroded the surroundings and claimed the lives of the numerous masked men.
Before they even had time to swing a sword, the area was filled with a sea of blood and bodies, and Liu Zhangming’s face hardened.
“Do you not even spare your own allies?!”
“Allies? How dare mere grunts think themselves my equal?”
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon growled in a low voice.
“We have suffered greatly because of you lot. Rather than let some useless fools live and leave a trail, it’s better I kill them with my own hands!”
“You fiend!”
Liu Zhangming let out a roar and charged at the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon.
The technique he unleashed was, as always, a form from the Plum Blossom Sword Arts.
‘Falling Plums Become Rain!’
Ouyang Jue matched Liu Zhangming’s pace and swung Severing Manifestation at the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon.
Without a method like the Buddha's Shadow Gate, it was only logical to seize the initiative with a perfect joint attack.
At the same time, the Omniscient One, who had been resting, rose and began to create a barrier.
He intended to draw out the strange energy of the Sword God’s Cave to bind the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon.
Just then, the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon spoke.
“Pathetic!”
A Lion’s Roar mixed with demonic energy roiled Liu Zhangming’s internal energy and tore the Omniscient One’s eardrums to shreds.
“Keuk…!”
The Omniscient One wiped the crimson blood from his lips.
It was said that the demonic energy of the Eight Evils could kill the living with its mere release. So the legends were true.
“Ung… ah, lend me your shoulder.”
“Wuuung…”
Supported by Daewung, the Omniscient One dragged his legs, completing the barrier one step at a time.
*Clang, Kang!*
*Kwa-kwang!*
Although Liu Zhangming quickly stabilized his internal energy, the momentary gap was not easily closed, and their joint attack began to loosen.
Even though the Omniscient One had not practiced martial arts, he had lived long enough to have seen many masters, and he could tell.
‘Before a hundred seconds pass, their joint attack will be broken, and the Plum Blossom Cloud Dragon will surely die.’
The Omniscient One steeled his resolve once more and forced down the blood rising in his throat.
The fear that he might die here flickered for a moment, but he quickly erased it.
His karma had ended after defeating the Black Dragon anyway. If he could save these two senior brothers, that was enough.
However, the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon would not stand by and watch.
“How dare you!”
Demonic energy shot from the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s right palm and struck Daewung hard in the back.
*K-crack!*
The palm force tore through flesh and scraped bone, making Daewung scream in agony.
“Kuaaargh!”
“Daewung!”
The Omniscient One urgently checked on Daewung, but it was already too late.
A single blow had left him on the verge of death.
Seeing this, Ouyang Jue bit his lower lip hard.
“Senior Brother, let’s give it our all.”
“Of course.”
Liu Zhangming’s voice was soft as he replied, but he couldn't hide his tension.
Their joint attack would eventually be neutralized, and the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s power was nigh infinite; he couldn’t help but sense their impending defeat.
Ouyang Jue looked toward the Sword God’s Cave with a wistful gaze.
‘It would be great if the Forgetting Sword would step in now…’
He hadn’t heard the full details, but he was told the man couldn't leave the cave.
Hoping for the Forgetting Sword’s help would be difficult.
Ouyang Jue gathered his resolve and gripped Severing Manifestation properly.
Just as the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon swung his right palm.
“Why don't you leave the young ones alone, and we old-timers settle the score?”
*Swish.*
The Forgetting Sword, having effortlessly blocked the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s attack, wore an arrogant smile.
“You still remember my name, don't you, Old Bitter Herb!”
“Seo Mun-hwi, you bastard!”
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon’s fury erupted.