Chapter 24 Poison Forest 6

Chapter 24: Poison Forest 6

“To think such a space existed deep within the Poison Forest—surprising.”

Stepping onto the solid ground that existed like an island deep within the swampy Poison Forest, the Bloodthirsty Demon Army’s Ji Gwang-ok surveyed his surroundings.

Except for the narrow entrance path and the inner courtyard with its stone house and open space, the entire surrounding area was swampland.

Moreover, there were no walls, yet the snakes and insects swarming the area didn’t enter. It seemed the entire space was sprayed with a scent repulsive to venomous creatures.

“This is the work of someone who knows both poisons and herbs well.”

Jigwang-ok felt he understood who the half-paralyzed old man was that the Miao child possessed by the spirit had spoken of.

He murmured with a sinister smile.

“So we meet again at last, Elder Seok.”

But when they finally reached the Mo House, the ones who opened the door and stepped out were an unexpected young man and woman.

The man bowed first and said.

“I am Seolpung, leader of the Seventh Division of the Boryong Thirteen. Where might you be from, senior?”

“Hoo, the Boryong Division?”

A savage smile curled Ji Gwang-ok’s lips.

His subordinates behind him, upon seeing Hae Cheong-yeon standing beside Seol Pung, were already in an uproar.

“It’s a woman! A young woman!”

“Heh heh heh! She’s got a killer figure.”

“Her face looks killer too, why’s it covered?”

“What’s there to worry about? We’ll just kick it off, heh heh heh!”

Ji Guangyu first responded to Seolpung’s words.

“I am Ji Gwang-ok of the Blood Sect. I came here on business with the old man said to be here. Are you going to stop me?”

Seolpung bowed respectfully once more and said.

“So you are Senior Ji Gwang-ok of the Blood Demon Army. I’ve heard much of your fame. How could I possibly dare to block your path? However, this is a safe house where our Biyongdae members occasionally stay. Unless you intend to disregard the inviolable treaty personally established by the Martial Arts Alliance Leader and the Blood Demon, would you kindly withdraw now?”

At the mention of the Blood Demon’s name, Ji Guangyu’s eyes flickered.

Renowned for his fierce loyalty to the Blood Demon, he could not ignore that name.

It was just as Seolpung had thought.

The smile vanished from Ji Guang-ok’s face as he growled,

“This place is the secret base of the Flying Dragon Corps? I don’t think so.”

Seolpung quickly interjected.

“That’s not true! Isn’t the Dragon’s Nest emblem over there?”

“Huh?”

Just as Jigwang-ok turned his gaze toward where Seolpung was urgently pointing with his finger.

Seolpung’s figure shot toward Jigwangok like a beam of light.

Whoosh!

It was obvious they’d end up fighting anyway.

Thinking this, Seolpung had deliberately acted as polite and timid as possible to lull his opponent into a false sense of security.

Believing this might be his first and last chance, Seolpung even drew upon his hidden secret technique.

A crimson glow flickered between his tightly shut eyes.

He swung his Hojo-su with all his might at the back of Jigwang-ok’s head as he turned away.

It was his true form, the Beast Fist, which he had concealed from his comrades under the name of the Blinded Blade.

CRASH!

“Yik!”

Seolpung gritted his teeth.

At the last moment, Ji Gwang-ok had looked back at him and raised his arm to block the attack.

But Seolpung began unleashing a flurry of strikes toward Jigwangok, who was staggering, unable to fully absorb the shock.

It was a frenzied assault, lashing out with both arms like a beast, whirling his body like a tornado as he unleashed a barrage of retreat techniques.

Seolpung could only maintain his current state of power for at most half an hour (one hour = 15 minutes).

Therefore, he had to bring this to a conclusion within that time.

Simultaneously with Seolpung’s surprise attack, Haecheongyeon had also launched himself forward.

As prearranged, she targeted the subordinates standing behind Jiguangyu.

Her figure, which had followed like a shadow behind Seolpung, suddenly appeared within the Blood Sect disciples’ field of vision.

“Haah!”

Shu-hak!

A lightning-fast thrust erupted from the tip of her sword.

It was the Comet Slash, the Black, a technique her father had confidently declared was no less formidable than the Four-Sword Technique of the Piercing Blade.

Like a comet slicing through the darkness, the sword pierced the chest of one Blood Cultist in an instant.

Puuuuk!

“Gah!”

Now four.

Hae Cheong-yeon’s gaze swept coldly over the remaining men.

But the Blood Cultists, startled and retreating, had already solidified their defensive stances.

The element of surprise seemed to end there.

From now on, he had to somehow prevail against these four top-tier martial artists, who appeared to be his equals.

The enraged Blood Sect disciples charged all at once.

“How dare you, you bitch!”

“Overwhelm her!”

“Hey, hey! Don’t kill her! We need her limbs intact to eat!”

“Don’t scar her face either! I prefer licking a flawless face!”

Such taunts would have enraged any ordinary martial arts woman.

But upon hearing it, Hae Cheong-yeon only smiled.

Limbs intact, face intact.

With that kind of mindset, she could only feel grateful.

While Hae Cheong-yeon was feeling grateful toward her enemies, Seol Pung’s situation was not going well.

Ji Guangyu, who had been pushed back by the surprise attack, was slowly beginning to regain the upper hand.

Even in this urgent situation, he maintained a cool defense while recovering his strength, truly showing himself to be a veteran of a hundred battles.

Ji Gwang-ok barely weathered the crisis and let out a sigh of relief inside.

He had paid a harsh price for his momentary lapse in vigilance.

It was astonishing that a youngster who looked barely in his twenties—one he had initially estimated, even at his highest level of cultivation, to possess only about eighty years of internal energy—was displaying martial prowess approaching the pinnacle.

It seemed somehow connected to the fact that the boy had his eyes closed.

But now that he had parried the surprise attack, it was merely astonishing.

That bastard had failed to seize his first and last chance, and now, as the true supreme martial artist, he had gained the upper hand.

With a predatory grin, Jigwangok slowly began shifting from defense to offense.

Kwaaang!

With a thunderous roar, Jigwangok’s palm struck Seolpung.

It was the Blood Sect’s signature technique, the Thunderclap Blood Palm.

Pwoong!

“Guh!”

Seolpung crossed his arms to block, but the immense force sent him flying backward.

Barely regaining his balance and landing, Seolpung saw Jigwangok charging at him like a raging tiger.

“Kwahahahaha!”

His twin blades, encircled by crimson energy, struck Seolpung like a colossal boulder.

POW!

“Huh?”

Ji Gwang-ok, who thought it was the end, murmured in quiet admiration.

Seolpung’s counter had been astonishing.

Crouched as small as possible, his body spun violently, narrowly evading Jigwangok’s powerful strike.

It was truly a beast-like movement.

Then, Seolpung’s retreat technique, maintaining that momentum, struck Jigwang-ok’s head.

Whoosh!

Both stepped back, momentarily halting their assault.

Blood flowed from Ji Guang-ok’s torn cheek.

It was the result of Seolpung’s blade-like retreat technique grazing him.

Ji Guangyu wiped his own blood with his hand, then licked it off with his tongue, letting out a low chuckle.

“Heh heh heh heh! You’re quite something, aren’t you? To think such a one existed among the young of the Flying Dragon Corps. It’s fortunate I could kill you before you grew any larger.”

Then he leaped out again like a fierce tiger.

“Kwahahahaha!”

Watching Jigwang-ok descend upon him like a colossal demonic beast, Seolpung had to clench his teeth hard.

***

Inside the stone chamber, the old man Seok Gyeong-dal had not yet fled. After handing over the books containing his years of research to Dakam, he urgently urged him.

“Take your brothers and hide there. You understand? You absolutely must not come out until at least six months have passed.”

Dakam asked, tears welling in his eyes.

“Tokno! Tokno is valuable too!”

But Old Seok Gyeong-dal smiled contentedly and shook his head.

“I’m going to die soon anyway. Since I’m going to die, shouldn’t I use my life for something more valuable?”

After pushing Dakam and his siblings into the secret passage, the old man rose to his feet.

His arms and legs, immobile for years, were regaining sensation for the first time in ages.

In truth, his paralysis was a measure he had taken to seal his own demonic energy.

He had done it to prevent himself from becoming like his friend, Jeon Moo-kwang, whose mind was being increasingly consumed by demonic energy.

This was why he could maintain his sanity against the Blood Sect’s insane demonic arts—arts that would destroy the caster’s body if their power wasn’t constantly strengthened.

The demonic energy coursing through his entire body for the first time in ages was fiercely heating his heart.

It meant the demonic energy was beginning to erode his brain, but it was fine for a little while.

After all, he wasn’t planning to use it for long.

Just as he was about to burst out the door with a frenzied grin,

Suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulder.

An old man, his face suddenly twisted in a grimace, shouted over his shoulder.

“Dakam! You still…?!

***

Haecheongyeon was still holding out, surrounded by four top-tier masters of equal standing.

However, this was largely the choice of the Blood Cultists rather than Hae Cheong-yeon’s.

“Oh! Excellent!”

“Kee-ha-ha-ha! The flesh on her thighs is so tender and juicy?!”

“Next, let’s try the chest area!”

“Whoa, that might be a bit tricky, huh?”

The Blood Cultists were now teasingly slicing away only Hae Cheong-yeon’s clothing.

They were enjoying themselves, making slashes only on the sleeves, thighs, and calves, revealing the skin beneath.

Any martial arts woman would be trembling with humiliation in such a situation, yet Hae Cheong-yeon was essentially letting it happen.

Right beside her, the fight between Xue Feng and Ji Guangyu was unfolding, and Xue Feng was in a very bad situation.

Under Ji Guangyu’s relentless, one-sided onslaught, Seolpung was barely holding on, enduring a truly desperate struggle. The fact he hadn’t collapsed yet was commendable enough.

Haecheongyeon judged that forcing himself into this situation would be pointless.

After all, defeating these four alone was impossible, and if he pushed too hard and got captured, Squad Leader Seolpung would be finished.

So instead, he was deliberately letting himself be dragged around to lure the enemy into complacency.

When suddenly, Hae Cheong-yeon’s ears pricked up.

Beneath her hair, which fell down to her chin, her lips curved into a faint smile.

“Alright, this time I’ll give it a shot!”

One of the Blood Cultists, thrilled, let out a greedy laugh and charged at Hae Cheong-yeon.

But just as his blade was about to graze Hae Cheong-yeon’s chest, her sword suddenly flashed.

Shuuuwaaah!

A milky-white sword aura spread out like the Milky Way in an instant. It was the Star Cloud Heavenly Strike, the ultimate technique of the Star Blade Art.

“Wh-what?!”

The startled Blood Cultist desperately tried to defend, but it was already too late.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

“Gaaaah!”

Countless intertwined sword energies pierced through his defenses and grazed his body, causing his skin to begin cracking like spiderwebs.

Blood gushed from his entire body like fountains in the next instant.

Puhahhhhh!

“Gwaaaaah!”

Only upon witnessing their comrade’s miserable death did the Blood Cultists realize she had deliberately concealed her strength to lure them into complacency.

Their eyes turned vicious.

“How dare this bitch!”

“Attack her all at once!”

“Losing an arm won’t matter! Subdue her first!”

The remaining three charged at her simultaneously.

Three top-tier martial artists charging with genuine intent—for Hae Cheong-yeon, they were undeniably formidable opponents.

But for some reason, behind Hae Cheong-yeon, who was smiling with ease, two figures darted out like bolts of light.

“Well done, young lady!”

“Die, you bastards!”

It was Sun Woo-jin and Bi Sa-yeong, finally awakening from their qi cultivation.

***

Power was surging through his entire body.

At last, my senses aligned with the memories of my past life.

My internal energy was nearly at the level of a full cycle.

Having consumed merely half a Danwan pill, yet gaining over thirty years’ worth of internal energy—the old man’s claim that this would be comparable to a Summoning Dan seemed far too modest.

The immense speed backed by a full cycle’s worth of internal energy.

The Blood Cultist’s panicked face rapidly enlarged.

“Haahhah!”

Shuuuwaaah!

From the tenth strike of the Sunwoo Thirteen Swords onward, internal energy of first-rate quality or higher was required.

That’s why he had never unleashed it before.

Because he hadn’t known it in his past life, and because his internal energy was insufficient in this life.

The first time he unleashed the Eleventh Strike of the Sunwoo Thirteen Swords, Great Vulture Ten Thousand Miles, its dazzling sword energy spread like a colossal wing, engulfing the enemy’s entire body.

Startled by the illusion of milky-white wings enveloping him, the Blood Cultist screamed and wildly swung his sword.

“Gaaaah!”

But the wings were merely an illusion.

A single beam of light shot out from its center, lightly grazing his neck as it passed. His movements stopped abruptly.

Pwahhhhh!

Blood gushed like a fountain from his half-severed neck just as I was already covering the Blood Cultist clashing swords with Miss Qingyan.

Miss Qingyan was effortlessly parrying the enemy’s sword.

As if she knew I would finish quickly and return.

The Blood Cultist’s eyes widened in shock upon spotting me swooping in from behind like a bird of prey.

And the instant his gaze locked onto me, Miss Qingyan’s sword drew a sharp line as if she’d never been pushed back.

Whoosh!

My blade and Young Lady Qingyan’s blade simultaneously sliced through the man’s body.

The creature, its chest and neck split wide open, collapsed, spewing blood.

Smirking, I asked her.

“I wonder if I’ve caused unnecessary trouble?”

She replied with a rare smile.

“It was a good interference.”

The smile on her small, crimson lips beneath her hair, seen for the first time in ages, was still beautiful.

Just then, Biseyoung screamed like a shriek.

“What are you doing?! I should be helping too!”

Bisaeng was being pushed back against the remaining Blood Cultist.

Though his internal energy cultivation had reached nearly forty years, Bi Sa-yeong hadn’t yet ascended to the realm of the top tier. It seemed facing a top-tier Blood Cultist was still beyond him.

However, while the opponent was difficult, the situation didn’t appear particularly dangerous.

He was effortlessly evading the attacks using the Heavenly Wind Step of the Flying Swordsmen sect, which, when perfected, allowed one to become as light as a handful of air and slip through an enemy’s strikes.

As he dodged, he laughed and retorted.

“You’re exaggerating when it’s not even that dangerous!”

“Acting tough?”

The speed of the divine technique, unleashed with the power of a full cycle of the Chinese zodiac, was truly astonishing.

In an instant, my sword, striking down, split into five blades, closing in on the Blood Sect disciple.

“Ugh!”

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

I could see the bastard gritting his teeth as he blocked my sword.

He seemed to be the most skilled among the remaining foes.

He even managed to block the powerful strike I delivered with my sword, aimed at the gap in his defense.

“Haah!”

Clang!

He was quite the formidable opponent.

I felt an urge to keep testing how far he could hold out, but unfortunately, there was no time for that.

The moment he barely parried my sword, he grinned and let go of his blade.

Startled by the sudden loss of pressure, the bastard voiced his confusion.

“Wh-what?!”

Right then, I stepped into his guard and slammed my fist into his face with all my might.

Crack!

“Gahhh!”

My head, diligently trained in external martial arts, was no less formidable than a cobblestone.

Thus, the face of the bastard, suddenly struck by a rock, was completely caved in.

In that instant, I lightly grasped the sword still suspended in the air and sliced through his neck.

Slashing!

By the time blood spurted from his neck, I had already leaped backward and retreated.

A thrilling sensation coursed through his entire body, and laughter escaped him involuntarily.

He had finally nearly caught up to his primary goal: the achievements of his past life.

Smoothing back his hair, disheveled from the headbutt, he muttered.

“Huh, he’s no match for me.”

Then, Biseyoung, who had been watching my headbutt with a stunned expression, shouted.

“Don’t try to look cool, you ignorant fool!”

Hmm, it seemed he hadn’t realized his own body was probably similar to mine.

And when I turned my gaze, the battle between Ji Gwang-ok and the now-participating Elder Seok Gyeong-dal was also entering a new turning point.