Chapter 414
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 414
Chapter Title: Then, Let's Spar
"Relax your strength there. If you put too much force into it, you'll just get in the way of where the sword wants to go."
Just as she was in the middle of flowing through her sword forms...
Ha Mu-baek's voice rang out.
Yeon Ha-min followed his advice.
"No, too much. Now the sword has no power."
The next correction followed.
Her sword dance didn't stop.
She kept adjusting to his pointers, moving her blade continuously.
"There, put your full power into it. More force."
As she tried to match his instructions to the best of her ability...
The sword dance began to change, bit by bit.
It had always been a mesmerizingly beautiful sword dance, enough to captivate anyone who saw it.
Now it traced even more exquisite lines.
With contrasts of strength and subtlety emerging, highs and lows that hadn't been there before, it brimmed with even greater vitality.
"That's a technique where you deliberately draw in the opponent's attack, then use their own force for a counterstrike. Move while thinking about the meaning behind the sword's path."
Ha Mu-baek's sharp voice cut through again.
Yeon Ha-min focused on her sword and his words, pressing on with the dance.
After repeating it countless times...
"Then, let's spar."
Ha Mu-baek drew his sword and leaped right into the heart of her sword dance.
Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng!
Sword light flashed, and the clear ring of clashing steel echoed.
The moonlight-reflected gleams sparkled everywhere, illuminating the area.
As the sword dance moved, so did the lights, their flickering weaving a beauty indistinguishable from the dance itself.
No one was there to witness it, so no one would ever know.
Ha Mu-baek relentlessly targeted Yeon Ha-min's clumsy spots.
The more she responded...
The closer her sword dance inched toward perfection, almost without her realizing it.
How many repetitions had it been?
Yeon Ha-min's face was drenched in sweat.
Her veil clung wetly to her skin, getting in the way.
Her face had gone deathly pale because of it.
Even so, she kept swinging her sword without rest.
Swords thrusting endlessly in a single breath.
Ha Mu-baek watched and moved his own blade.
A deliberate sword.
At a trajectory and speed utterly different from before, Yeon Ha-min couldn't respond at all.
Sreuk.
Ha Mu-baek's sword sliced past her face in an instant.
Thud.
The veil fell away.
With it, her stunning face emerged, glistening with sweat.
Fresh air rushed into her nostrils, bringing color back to her cheeks.
"No one's here to see, and even if they were, it wouldn't matter right now. Take off the veil. Interrupted breathing throws off your sword movements."
"Y-yes..."
Yeon Ha-min's cheeks flushed faintly.
Ha Mu-baek's sword moved first.
Yeon Ha-min immediately launched into her Manhwawolrak Sword Dance.
And so their duel continued until the rooster crowed at dawn.
"Go inside and rest now."
With that, Ha Mu-baek turned away.
"Thank you."
Yeon Ha-min bowed deeply.
"This is the last one."
Yoo Gwi-gwang finished marking the map and spoke.
It was the moment their mission concluded.
"Good. Let's pack up and head back."
Pung Geon nodded.
"Route?"
Yoo Gwi-gwang asked.
They were currently near the center of the southern region of the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
Heading north would take them to the heart.
South led to the Mountain-Crossing Great Wall.
Same for east or west.
"I think we should avoid the center."
Everyone nodded at Gwan Ha-kyeong's words.
They had no choice.
There might be Dark Blood Corpses or Ink Iron Corpses lurking somewhere in the depths.
They could handle an Ink Iron now, but nothing said a Dark Blood wouldn't pop out suddenly.
Sticking to the safer southern and western areas they'd already cleared was best.
"Right. Head west along the wall and return."
Everyone agreed with Pung Geon's decision.
Based on their experience traversing the forest so far, it was the smartest path.
"Then let's hurry."
Yoo Gwi-gwang urged the Fierce Dragon Corps members on.
The Demon-Sealing Corps followed suit, hastening their steps.
"Wh-what is that?"
Gwan Ha-kyeong whipped her head east, face pale with shock.
"What's wrong?"
Pung Geon asked, startled by her sudden move.
"D-don't you feel it?"
Her voice trembled.
No one else sensed anything yet.
"Qu-quickly, as fast as we can... we have to run. From here. No time to pack. R-run! Hurry!"
With that, Gwan Ha-kyeong kicked off the ground.
Just her sword and the map.
Nothing else.
Luggage would only slow them down.
Stunned by her outburst, the others hesitated for a split second.
But they soon ditched their gear too, grabbing only weapons and the mission map before bolting.
They all knew Gwan Ha-kyeong.
That trust made them follow without question.
No detailed explanation, just her sudden sprint—but they believed there was good reason.
They ran at full speed, matching the Fierce Dragon Corps' pace since they lacked proper lightness skill.
Even Gwan Ha-kyeong, who could go faster, held back to their max speed.
Straight west.
She led, drawing her sword.
The reason was simple.
They were barreling straight through, ignoring territories.
Corpses naturally lunged out.
"Kuerghhh."
Death Corpses.
Sreuk.
One slash split it from head to groin vertically.
The Demon-Sealing Corps and Fierce Dragon Corps followed in her wake.
"Krraaaagh!"
Two Poison Corpses appeared.
Sreuk.
No difference.
She severed their waists in one go.
Regrettable she couldn't burst their heads at full sprint, but that was for later.
Escaping the immediate threat mattered more—keep running.
"Kiaaa!"
"Kraang!"
Two Blood Corpses.
Blue light rippled along Gwan Ha-kyeong's blade.
Sword aura poured in thick.
Sreuk. Sreuk.
A cross-slash cleaved them instantly.
Unstoppable momentum.
Her comrades marveled, but no time to voice it.
Gwan Ha-kyeong never paused, not for a second.
Single-point breakthrough.
Straight for one goal.
She ignored how this might tangle the corpse territories they'd mapped.
'Faster, faster—over the Great Wall. Somehow, escape the Demonic Forest.'
The terrifying aura she felt even now.
Desperation fueled her swings and strides.
The growing dread made her back prickle.
"Hm?"
Pung Geon, sprinting hard.
A sudden sensation from behind made him glance back.
Nothing visible.
But definitely felt.
An intensely terrifying presence.
'This is it?'
Second to sense it, after Gwan Ha-kyeong, given his realm.
Now he understood her frantic dash.
His legs poured on more power.
First time feeling such dread since joining the Demon-Sealing Corps.
Body soaked in instinctive fear.
Even facing the Dark Blood's Severing Blood Ghost with Ha Mu-baek hadn't been this bad.
Back then, it felt like the forest's worst.
Compared to this faint rear aura? Child's play.
He wanted to yell for the group to speed up.
Couldn't risk it.
Might provoke that distant, unknown entity.
'Damn it. What the hell does this cursed forest hide...'
One certainty: caught by it, they're all dead.
Hoping for another miracle? Foolish greed.
Even that one-armed mystery expert who saved them from the Ink Iron before might not handle this.
'Instructor Ha?'
Unknown.
Maybe Ha Mu-baek could block it.
Pung Geon shook off the thought.
Focused on running.
Why Gwan Ha-kyeong charged straight: nearest Great Wall from start point.
Aim to leap it in one go.
Impossible before, but with Ha Mu-baek's Vermilion Bird Soaring Heavens, doable.
Escaping the unknown horror to reach the wall felt harder.
Gwan Ha-kyeong poured her mind forward.
Ignored the rear.
If it closed to grabbing distance, she'd feel it without trying.
Only ahead, focus ahead.
That instant.
"Kraaaang!"
Sudden ambush.
Gwan Ha-kyeong reflexively swung.
Kang!
A different sound rang out.
"Ink Iron Corpse."
She muttered low.
No panic on her face.
Using the rebound from its arm, she spun once and slashed again.
This time...
Sreuk.
Ink Iron's head flew.
Her blade now cloaked in deep blue sword aura.
It faded quickly.
Couldn't predict fights—conserve qi.
Minimize expenditure; just run out.
And so they ran and ran.
Finally.
Wall in distant sight.
Goal visible, strength surged.
Almost there.
Corpses lunged, but near wall...
Mostly Death Corpses.
Gwan Ha-kyeong's sword danced; they scattered like fallen leaves.
At the wall, she unleashed Vermilion Bird Soaring Heavens, leaping sky-high to clear it.
Pung Geon followed.
Demon-Sealing Corps.
Fierce Dragon Corps last.
Yoo Gwi-gwang, final to land safely.
"Hoo."
Relief sighed out.
He'd only sensed that dread near the wall.
"Keep running!"
As all crossed, Gwan Ha-kyeong urged again.
She'd wanted to bolt immediately, but anticipated some pausing in relief—like the Fierce Dragon members.
Her words brought doubtful looks.
"Feels like even the wall won't hold it."
No long explanation needed.
Now others felt it too, if not as intensely.
All gripped by fear.
Was she amplifying their terror?
Kwaaaang!
Wall shook with a massive boom.
Whatever pursued had struck it.
Crackle.
Stone dust rained down.
Demon-Sealing members glanced back in disbelief.
"Run!"
Pung Geon's shout—everyone kicked off with all they had.
Faces full of impossible disbelief.
They ran like hell itself chased them.
Thus, they fled twenty li from the Great Wall.
Total abandonment of post.
No one cared.
Better punished alive than dead following rules.
Dying for protocol? Pointless.
"Hahk. Hahk. Hahk."
Gwan Ha-kyeong finally stopped, gasping.
"Kuhk. Hahk. Hahk."
"Uhk. Hahk. Hahk."
Fierce Dragon members heaved like dying men.
No wonder.
They'd run shields and all.
Couldn't ditch them—not knowing when battle might erupt.
"Wh-what the hell was that? Hahk."
Pung Geon panted out.
"D-don't know. Hoo."
"Even the wall's spells useless?"
Gwan Ha-kyeong nodded.
"That aura... it'd ignore mere spell power."
Why corpses stayed trapped in the forest behind the wall: spells and formations along it.
Too high for Death, Poison, or Blood Corpses.
Ink Iron or Dark Blood? Height irrelevant.
Hence anti-corpse spells across the wall, repelling them with disgust.
Demon-Sealing's Yellow, Azure, White, Purple, Black Five Corps posts per Demon-Sealing Great Array.
Meant to contain corpses inside.
Since Doksim-geuk became captain, self-serving ops warped it.
But Black Corps couldn't reach south—per array.
White Corps, deemed cushy in harsh Demon-Sealing, patrolled walls checking spells.
Also circulated array energy across forest.
Low risk, high importance—no envy, just admiration.
Imagine spells failing, Ink Irons or Dark Bloods over? Horrific.
At Gwan Ha-kyeong's words, Demon-Sealing eyes turned forest-ward.
"What in the world..."
Pung Geon murmured low.