Chapter 558
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 558
Chapter Title: Stand Right There
“Ugh.”
Un Se-hyeok staggered back from that single sword strike.
He looked at Ha Mu-baek with a startled expression.
The heavy force transmitted along the flat of the blade was utterly different from before.
“How...?”
Ha Mu-baek responded to the incredulous mutter.
“I asked if you're ready to die. Right now.”
Step.
Ha Mu-baek took a step forward and raised his sword.
“Shut up!”
Un Se-hyeok lashed out wildly with his sword.
He instinctively knew it was time to unleash the strongest sword technique he could muster.
And so, the sword unfolded from his hand.
The final, ultimate stance of Demonic Flower Twelve Annihilations.
Demonic Flower Myriad Heaven Blood!
Red blood-red petals filled the air in all directions, surging toward Ha Mu-baek like a storm.
Ha Mu-baek eyed the ink-black sword aura and ominous sword momentum barreling toward him. His own sword moved.
Infinite Formless Eight Severing Sword Wave.
First Stance. Heaven Sever.
Slash.
A crisp sound.
But that was not the end.
Yet.
Un Se-hyeok's Demonic Flower Myriad Heaven Blood split into two pieces and vanished entirely.
“Hngh.”
It didn't stop there.
The clothes over Un Se-hyeok's chest tore open, revealing a long gash.
It was only a shallow cut into the skin, but the bleeding was considerable.
Had he not retreated in time, his body would have been cleaved in two.
The thought sent chills down Un Se-hyeok's spine.
“Just as I expected.”
Ha Mu-baek spoke as if he'd known it all along.
He'd calibrated the strike precisely so Un Se-hyeok could dodge just far enough to suffer only that wound.
Un Se-hyeok understood the implication, but he couldn't believe it.
It meant Ha Mu-baek had completely grasped his abilities.
“Nonsense!!!”
Un Se-hyeok shrieked in frenzy.
He raised his sword once more.
His ultimate stance had been effortlessly dismantled, but he refused to give up.
“Die!!”
He poured every ounce of his inner energy into it and thrust the sword forward.
No—he hurled it.
The ink-black sword flew toward Ha Mu-baek as a flying sword technique.
It was Demonic Flower Myriad Heaven Blood once again.
But this time, it was different.
Fused with the flying sword, Demonic Flower Myriad Heaven Blood now conjured demonic flower petals vast enough to blanket the entire training ground.
Ha Mu-baek frowned at the sight.
“Same old trick.”
His white sword aura sword moved again.
Infinite Formless Eight Severing Sword Wave.
Third Stance. Thunderclap Divide.
Ha Mu-baek hurled his own sword.
Innumerable bolts of lightning rent the air, incinerating and erasing the demonic flowers everywhere.
Ha Mu-baek clenched both fists.
Sword aura gathered in them.
Then he thrust them straight forward.
Boom!!!
Ha Mu-baek's sword aura smashed directly into Un Se-hyeok's sword.
In that instant.
Crack.
A fissure appeared on the sword infused with aura.
Then—
Shatter!
Fragments pulsing with aura exploded outward like a storm.
Ha Mu-baek calmly swung both fists.
As if he'd anticipated it perfectly.
Whoosh!
The sword fragments collided with his fist aura and vanished.
With the demonic flowers gone and pure white fist aura scattering in all directions.
The scene that emerged.
Only Ha Mu-baek stood there, his face as calm as ever.
Un Se-hyeok had vanished.
He'd thrown his sword and chosen to flee.
“Wha, wha, what...”
Wi Su-yeon could only make inarticulate noises, her face full of disbelief at the outcome of the chaotic exchange.
Pung Geon and Gwan Ha-kyeong wore expressions of “He's a monster, as expected.”
Gwi-hwi looked pityingly at his ruined fourth senior brother.
It was bad enough that he'd dabbled in demonic energy, but to sacrifice everyone present as scapegoats the moment he sensed defeat and flee?
Of course, Ha Mu-baek had thoroughly crushed that plan, leaving no casualties.
But his fourth senior brother had fled.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled softly and strode forward.
His steps led toward the gates of Yunyun Martial Hall.
Down the empty street.
There.
Un Se-hyeok was waiting.
Impaled on Ha Mu-baek's thrown sword like a skewer, pinned to the ground.
In the midst of fleeing at full-speed lightness skill, his back had been pierced by Ha Mu-baek's flying sword and slammed into the dirt.
Ha Mu-baek had thrown his sword not to block Un Se-hyeok's, but to catch him.
“Th-this can't be...”
Gwi-hwi, who had cautiously followed behind Ha Mu-baek, muttered in shock upon discovering Un Se-hyeok's wretched form pinned to the ground.
Ha Mu-baek squatted down in front of Un Se-hyeok's face.
“Old monster. You saw how I rampage on the battlefield, didn't you? You thought a sloppy trick like that would let you escape?”
“Grrr.”
Un Se-hyeok ground his teeth and groaned.
“The highest-ranking guy in Huashan Sect dabbles in demonic energy... You're insane, right?”
Un Se-hyeok just clenched his teeth at Ha Mu-baek's question.
Ha Mu-baek looked up at Gwi-hwi.
“Sword Sage. It's fine if I kill this bastard, right? You saw it clear as day. Him using demonic energy.”
“...”
Gwi-hwi was speechless.
Those who touched demonic energy had their martial arts crippled and were locked in Huashan Sect's thunder prison until death.
That was Huashan Sect's sect rule.
Even if he'd touched demonic energy, Un Se-hyeok was a Huashan disciple, so he had to be punished according to those rules.
Gwi-hwi knew he had to inform Ha Mu-baek of this, but the words wouldn't come.
Ha Mu-baek's aura was that overwhelming.
Goosebumps prickled over his skin, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Any last words before you die?”
Ha Mu-baek stood and gazed down at Un Se-hyeok with cold eyes.
“Heh. You think you'll get off scot-free if you kill me? I'm a Huashan disciple. Heh heh.”
Ha Mu-baek's gaze shifted to Gwi-hwi at Un Se-hyeok's words.
“Those who cultivate demonic arts have their dantian crippled, their limbs' meridians severed, and are imprisoned in Huashan's thunder prison until death. That's the sect rule.”
Gwi-hwi finally managed to recite Huashan Sect's rule.
“No. I'm killing him.”
Ha Mu-baek was resolute.
“You planning to fight all of Huashan?”
“Before that, didn't this bastard try to kill your disciple? And the Sword Sage too?”
Ha Mu-baek asked Gwi-hwi again.
In the shock of that immense battle, he'd momentarily forgotten, but yes, that was exactly what happened.
Had Ha Mu-baek not appeared, everyone there would surely have died.
“Th-that was...”
A Huashan disciple had tried to kill another Huashan disciple.
Betraying the master, extinguishing the ancestors.
The term for deceiving one's master and bringing disgrace to the sect.
The moment he'd cultivated demonic arts, it was already as good as committing that sin. And then trying to harm fellow sect disciples on top of it?
Could there be greater shame?
“That 'betraying the master, extinguishing the ancestors' that the orthodox sects hold so dear. You know about that, right?”
Ha Mu-baek asked, naming the exact crime on Gwi-hwi's mind.
“E-even so, it's a Huashan matter...”
“And among those present were members of the Righteous Heaven Alliance's Fierce Dragon Corps.”
Gwi-hwi flinched at the words.
Come to think of it, a woman had called Ha Mu-baek “Corps Leader.”
“Still a Huashan matter? Or a Righteous Heaven Alliance one?”
By now, everyone from Yunyun Martial Hall had gathered around Ha Mu-baek.
“Even so, it must be handled through consultation between the Righteous Heaven Alliance and Huashan.”
Wi Su-yeon stepped forward then.
She harbored great resentment toward her grand martial uncle who'd tried to kill her.
But greater still was the name of Huashan Sect.
Ha Mu-baek stared silently at Wi Su-yeon, her face still covered by thick cotton cloth.
“That's Huashan's view.”
A curt reply.
He turned back to Un Se-hyeok.
“One last thing before you die. Where'd you get the demonic energy?”
“Demonic energy... It's inside you too. Heh heh.”
Wrinkles spread across Un Se-hyeok's face one by one.
He glared at Ha Mu-baek with venomous eyes and spoke.
“Sure, probably. But the demonic energy you just used isn't that. You definitely got it from somewhere. Something you stashed away during the last war?”
Un Se-hyeok flinched at Ha Mu-baek's question.
That reaction was answer enough. Ha Mu-baek gripped his sword hilt.
“Then die.”
“N-no!!”
Gwi-hwi hurriedly blocked Ha Mu-baek's path.
Ha Mu-baek impassively drew the sword impaling Un Se-hyeok's back and sheathed it.
Then he stepped back.
“Whew...”
Gwi-hwi sighed in relief, thinking his words had gotten through.
Then.
“Gah! Graaah! Grk! Kaaaaah!”
Un Se-hyeok began shrieking as if dying.
It was the kind of scream that came with thrashing and convulsing, yet he couldn't move a muscle—only scream.
“Wh-what is this...”
“He's already dead. The sword just kept him breathing a bit longer.”
Ha Mu-baek said it like it was nothing.
In other words, the moment Ha Mu-baek's sword pierced his back, Un Se-hyeok was as good as dead.
“Th-that's...”
Gwi-hwi stared at Ha Mu-baek with hollow eyes.
“He tried to kill Fierce Dragon Corps members of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, so as their corps leader, I exacted the price. If you've got complaints, come find me.”
Ha Mu-baek's words were calm yet impossibly heavy.
Overwhelmed by his dignity, Gwi-hwi could only work his lips silently.
“And don't forget—I just saved everyone's lives here.”
Gwi-hwi, who'd been about to speak, formed a fist salute and bowed.
“Thank you for saving our lives, Corps Leader Ha.”
“Thank you for saving us.”
Following Gwi-hwi's lead, Wi Su-yeon hurriedly saluted and bowed as well.
Those were the only two who thanked him after his words.
Ban Yun stared vacantly at his dying master, who was screaming his last.
Un Se-hyeok's screams gradually faded, then stopped.
His corpse, shriveled like a gaunt chicken's neck.
It slowly turned black, then crumbled to ash with a hiss, leaving only dark powder.
“That's the end of demonic arts.”
Ha Mu-baek said, looking at Gwan Ha-kyeong and Pung Geon.
“A vicious thing, different from blood arts.”
Deep fury laced his voice.
Hearing it, Gwi-hwi finally recalled Ha Mu-baek from the last war, his killing intent rising toward blood and demonic arts alike.
‘Come to think of it...’
It was different.
Today was terrifying enough to make his blood run cold, but it lacked that sticky, profound killing intent from back then.
“Alright, now we handle what happened here. What went down?”
Ha Mu-baek asked Gwan Ha-kyeong.
“Yes, Corps Leader.”
As Gwan Ha-kyeong stepped forward.
The Maehyang Sect martial artists began slinking backward one by one.
None moved together. Each sought their own escape.
Ban Go-rok didn't even glance at his father, only watching Ha Mu-baek as he inched away from them.
Ban Yun, whose body was far from normal after Un Se-hyeok's attack, also gritted his teeth and slowly retreated.
It was the natural choice for them.
That monstrous display just now.
And the one who'd shown it was on the side defending Yunyun Martial Hall.
Now, thoughts of seizing the hall were gone—survival was all that mattered.
Look at that decisive hand he'd shown.
Even calling it a Huashan matter, hadn't he killed anyway?
Ha Mu-baek merely glanced at them without particular interference.
He focused on Gwan Ha-kyeong's report.
Gwi-hwi and Wi Su-yeon naturally learned the full story as well.
They'd rushed in hastily, so they hadn't known the exact details.
By then, all the Maehyang Sect people had vanished.
Gwan Po eyed the situation warily before slowly withdrawing.
He wanted vengeance for his brother, but it was impossible.
So he retreated.
“You. Stand right there.”
Then Ha Mu-baek's low voice reached Gwan Po's ears.
He shot Ha Mu-baek a look of injustice.
His eyes screamed resentment: Why let the Maehyang Sect rats slink away but stop me?
“I told you we'd talk again.”