Chapter 102 Black Dragon (4)

Chapter 102 Black Dragon (4)

“From these chains, I shall be freed!”

At the roar echoing from the peak of Mount Mosan, Gu Yangjeok took a half-step back.

It was overwhelming. Truly awe-inspiring, it could scarcely be believed to be human strength.

Even as mere intimidation, it was enough to shatter a person’s spirit.

‘That is why he is a demon.’

Gyu Yang-jeok gripped his sword, his gaze fixed on the tense Man Tong-ja.

He glanced at his own wrist and saw even the fine hairs standing on end.

It reminded him of a rabbit facing a predator, and he chuckled softly.

Only then did the thick tension around him seem to ease slightly.

He had faced countless masters before, but never had an opponent made him contemplate defeat before the fight even began.

If he felt this way, how immense must the pressure be for the sorcerer, Mantongja?

Gu Yangjeok tapped the completely stiffened shoulders of Mantongja.

The true qi, tempered by the Jixian Gong, traveled up his shoulder and stimulated Mantongja’s entire frozen body.

“Man Tong-ja, start climbing.”

“……!”

Man Tong-ja, barely regaining his senses, cast a bewildered glance and rummaged through his inner robe.

They were the talismans he had prepared for the fight against the Black Dragon over the past two months.

As Man Tong-ja trembled, stuffing the talismans back into his clothing, Gu Yang-jeok tossed out a light jest.

“You sure prepared a lot just to catch a snake.”

“A snake?! It’s the Black Dragon, the mightiest of the Eight Palms!”

“But a snake is still just a snake. If you grab its head in your fist and twist it, it can’t use its strength. How pathetic.”

As Gu Yangjeok briefly recounted his snake-catching exploits on Huashan, Mantongzi seemed to relax considerably, occasionally letting out a chuckle.

They looked less like a party heading to battle a demonic Black Dragon and more like a group going on a scenic tour of a famous mountain.

‘My experience as a vagabond comes in handy at times like this.’

Gu Yangji felt the black dragon’s oppressive pressure gradually closing in and asked Mantongzi discreetly.

“So, how do you plan to deal with it now?”

“Perhaps the sword Zhanxian possesses…”

Did they really have to drag out this pointless talk until now?

Gu Yangji frowned and shook off the black dragon’s encircling pressure.

“I know he’s a scholar, but there’s no time left for lessons!”

“…Zhanxian is a sword specialized in cutting down spirits and other lifeforms imbued with spiritual energy!”

At those words, Gu Yangjie’s eyes narrowed.

“Then what about Docheol?!”

“A blacksmith from the Baohua Sect, called the Demon Sect long before the Nine Demon Sect! No time for lengthy explanations!”

Though he’d heard rather shocking information about Docheol’s background, there was no time to process it.

As Mantongzi had said, that bastard was closing in.

While Gu Yangji caught his breath, Mantongzi, perhaps driven by urgency, shouted hoarsely.

“I’ll handle the rear and support! You hold the Black Dragon and hold your ground!”

Before Gu Yangji could even respond.

Kwaaang-!

Something slammed into the sword. That alone made Gu Yangji feel as if both his feet had vanished.

‘What kind of power is this…!’

A monstrous strength utterly impossible to resist.

Gu Yangji’s feet sank deep into the ground. His wrist snapped back and forth in an instant.

Gu Yangji let out a faint groan without realizing it.

“Guh!”

A sharp pain swept through his entire body, and a metallic taste and scent filled his mouth.

Was it because the unstoppable shock had engulfed his whole body?

Gu Yangjeok forced himself to swallow the blood he was about to vomit.

The snake’s voice, spoken as if in jest, slipped deep into his throat. Gu Yangjie’s teeth clenched, wrinkles forming on his jaw.

The man wearing the Black Dragon mask sneered at the sight.

“You brat, you dared call this lord a snake?”

Gu Yangjie let out a hollow laugh.

“Take it back.”

Even at those words, the Black Dragon showed no sign of accepting it, swinging his broad leg.

POW!

As swift and quick as gunpowder igniting. Gu Yangji unleashed the dragon power coursing through his entire body, his strike so fast it seemed like a single, extended line.

CRASH! CRUNCH!

Gu Yangji’s new form was helplessly pushed back. The Black Dragon’s power was extraordinary.

It was on a different level from all the enemies he had faced before, including in his past life.

Had he hesitated even an inch, he would already be crushed on the ground below.

‘If I used the Moon-Blocking Shadowless Step, I might be able to fight him in a light-body battle…’

What if the Black Dragon ignored him and charged at the Man Tongzi?

Gu Yangjie kept these various possibilities in mind as he faced the Black Dragon once more.

Evil eyes glowed through the Black Dragon’s mask.

“I see you very well.”

“…?”

“The sound of your brain churning!”

Black Dragon unleashed a dark, viscous energy, his eyes blazing.

The monstrous power he’d been building since moments ago seemed to originate from this energy itself, carrying an almost tangible weight.

Yet his speed didn’t diminish in the slightest.

Gu Yangjie realized the realm Black Dragon possessed was beyond imagination.

He wasn’t a demon for nothing.

The black dragon’s overwhelming aura made his entire body feel as if it were being crushed.

Indeed, even after exchanging over ten blows, he hadn’t gained the upper hand even once.

‘It’s been a long time since I felt this kind of tension.’

Gu Yangjeok wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead.

‘I’ve faced countless masters before, but when was there ever a time I fought purely for life and death?’

In this life, starting with Baek Cheong-il at the very beginning, up to the recent fight against Eon Yang-gun.

None were easy opponents. But none were opponents worth fighting desperately for life and death.

So he had resorted to cowardly tactics before.

Then what about this time?

This was a formidable foe encountered suddenly, without any opening moves.

Moreover, in his past life, he hadn’t even known of this man’s existence. This was someone so strong he made the ever-leisurely Man Tong-ja anxious.

Even now, facing him felt overwhelming.

But what would have happened if it were his past self?

Gyu Yang-jeok felt an unwarranted curiosity. He shook off the Black Dragon’s claw and stepped back.

“Hey, which one of the Eight Palms are you, strength-wise?”

The Black Dragon paused his attack for a moment, then laughed as if amused.

“Of course I’m the strongest!”

“…Hmph.”

It was a pointless question. Without that kind of confidence, he wouldn’t have been called the Demon.

Just as Gu Yangji was about to dash forward again, gripping his sword, Mantongzi sent a telepathic message.

-You stalled well.

‘Not that I intended to.’

As Gu Yangji gave a light nod, something stuck firmly to his back.

Simultaneously, power surged through his entire body, his vital energy seemingly soaring skyward.

Clang!

Once more, the blade path of the Plum Blossom Sword clashed with the Black Dragon’s overwhelming might. But this time, the outcome was different.

“……!”

He wasn’t being pushed back, but he was barely holding his own.

Gyu Yang-jeok infused his Golden Armor Fist with the Purple Mist Qi, repelling the Black Dragon. Yet, he felt uneasy.

-No need to panic.

As if sensing this, Mantongzi calmly prepared the next talisman while sending a telepathic message.

-One-on-one, you’d definitely be pushed back. But with my help, you won’t burst like a dried-up frog just now.

-That’s laughable.

Though he hadn’t yet revealed all his cards, Gu Yangjeok swung his sword in a straight line, channeling the fiery energy of the Diamond Fist Armor.

The sword energy, now infused with fire, traced a cross. The Black Dragon snorted derisively at the sight.

“What a pointless move!”

“Is that so?”

Gu Yangjeok concealed his heightened spirit with an indifferent tone.

Initially, his bewilderment was strong, and he showed his emotions plainly. But now, he intended to provoke the Black Dragon’s temper, making his attacks predictable.

However, soon, Gu Yangjeok’s eyebrows twitched.

Swoosh!

Even the two stylized sword qi streams were torn apart effortlessly, as if they were mere paper to the Black Dragon.

Suddenly, the Black Dragon’s form stretched out long, then leaped over this section.

Crack!

It was just a simple headbutt, yet Gu Yangjeok felt his entire body bend.

In reality, his ribs had sustained significant hairline fractures. Warm blood surged within him, as if congealing inside his body.

“…Ugh.”

Gu Yangji forced a calm expression.

‘If the Ten Thousand Tongue sees I’m panicking and lose my composure, that’s even more dangerous.’

Gu Yang-jeok swallowed his screams and pain, calmly unfurling the Plum Blossom Sword.

“Plum Dew Clears the Mist, Plum Blossom Pierces the Sky, Plum Branch Slices the Path…”

The more Gu Yang-jeok muttered, the harder the Black Dragon found it to hide his discomfort.

It was infuriating that a mere brat, not even of age, dared confront him with internal energy that didn’t even fit his body.

Moreover, Mantongzi aiding from afar with talismanic arts was deeply irritating. Being bound to Mount Moshan in the first place was precisely because of that same lineage as Mantongzi.

Among the Eight Palms, only the Black Dragon was in the predicament of being bound to one place.

Hwa-reuk!

A crimson light surged from the Black Dragon’s eyes. It wasn’t something that could be expressed by mere expression or spirit; it was truly a materialized force.

Gu Yang-jeok immediately withdrew the Zha-jin energy he had been using to wield the Plum Blossom Sword, appropriately distributing it to his defensive energy and protective aura.

The Black Dragon laughed.

“You bastard! You’ve finally fallen into my trap!”

“……?!”

In the brief moment Gu Yangji faltered, a terrifying whirlwind erupted from the Black Dragon’s hands.

Kwa kwa kwa!

Then, he raised his left palm and brought it crashing down.

It was a simple attack, too basic to be considered mere martial skill, let alone a subtle technique.

Yet the Black Dragon always favored attacking that way. Thus, he focused on making his movements swift and concise.

Even if fellow palm-style practitioners might sneer, none doubted its power.

The Black Dragon believed he had seized the advantage, certain that no matter how strong Gu Yangji was, he couldn’t block it.

“This is the Black Dragon’s Single Strike!”

Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

One Strike to Move Mountains.

Even if he dodged it, the ground would shake. That would inevitably throw his balance off.

Could he block the attacks that would follow?

Gu Yangjie shook his head.

‘Worrying about it now is useless. I didn’t come this far just to find excuses.’

Therefore, Gu Yang-jeok deliberately erased the thought of seeking another method from his mind. He focused all his attention on the Black Dragon before him.

At that moment, Man Tong-ja sent a telepathic message.

-You can block it once, so devise a plan in that time!

Though merely a voice formed by qi, the telepathic message Man Tong-ja sent was akin to a scream. It seemed he too assumed Gu Yangji would die.

‘Sorry, but I’m not that weak.’

Gu Yangji wanted to prove this.

In his past life, he’d watched Mantong die without understanding anything. Now, he wanted to show it wasn’t the same.

‘Ultimately, it’s just my own self-satisfaction.’

Gu Yangji’s eyes snapped open.

He knew the current Mantongzi was different from the close friend he’d known in his past life. But the essence remained unchanged. Meeting him again had made him feel it.

A friend with a slightly odd temperament, but all the more kind for it. A guy who, despite his advanced age, loved sweet treats like dried lotus leaves and sugar-coated gourds.

Swoosh!

The bundle of talismans Man Tong-ja threw drew a perfect circle, blocking the Black Dragon’s strike.

But as if such a miracle could only happen once, crackle, crackle, the entire bundle of talismans burned away. Not even ashes remained; it was completely consumed.

Meanwhile, Gu Yang-jeok stood in a straight, upright stance, waiting for the Black Dragon.

Seeing this, the Black Dragon sneered.

“You dare to think you can block my attack head-on?”

“Nothing is impossible.”

As Gu Yangjeok answered, a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

The Black Dragon laughed even louder.

“Very well! For that spirit alone, I’ll spare you the agony!”

In an instant, the Black Dragon unleashed a palm strike.

POW!

An overwhelming, unstoppable force was unleashed.

Even the Ten Thousand Swordsman’s face turned deathly pale, as if he himself couldn’t block it.

Within that chaos, Gu Yangjeok’s lips slowly parted.

“Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.”