That’s a different story, isn’t it? (1)
A fluid, graceful sword stroke – smooth as flowing water – neatly sliced through demonic cultist’s throat.
It was a chillingly swift sword, yet its movements were so smooth and graceful that they almost seemed slow. Before it, the enemies could barely even put up a proper resistance.
Slaaash!
Demonic cultists whose necks had been cut halfway through clutched at their throats, choking up mouthful after mouthful of frothing blood.
Though their necks had been split, they were still demonic beings [마인(魔人) – demonic martial artists]. In general, a sword strike that failed to completely sever their necks could not take their lives.
And yet, as though denying this common knowledge, those very demonic beings cut by Yu Iseol’s sword could do nothing but clutch their necks and tremble.
A closer look revealed the cause. The demonic energy surging from their bodies could advance no farther than the vicinity of the wounds, writhing helplessly without being able to spread further. The immortal energy infused into Yu Iseol’s sword was preventing their wounds from healing.
Thud. Thud.
One by one, the fallen demons trembled, then soon went limp.
“Krr…”
Perhaps because they had seen what happened, or perhaps because they instinctively sensed and feared the immortal energy flowing from Yu Iseol, even demonic cultists who had lost their reason and done nothing but rampage, could not readily approach her.
Even so, nothing changed in any significant way.
Whoosh.
Yu Iseol kicked off the ground and sent herself soaring into the air.
To borrow Yoon Jong’s words, it was a display of skill honed to its absolute peak. To borrow Baek Cheon’s words, it was the ultimate height of perception, something one wouldn’t even dare attempt to imitate. And to borrow Jo Geol’s words, sheer lunacy that meant putting half your life on the line.
Drawing on her peerless lightness skill, Yu Iseol unleashed her signature aerial sword art [공중검예(空中劍藝)], aimed at her opponents’ heads, upon demonic cultists.
It was a unique method whose origins could not be found anywhere in Hwasan’s sword techniques. Yet no one called this sword an unorthodox path*. For so long as it embodies the true essence [진의(眞意)] that Hwasan’s sword must possess, whatever principle [법(法)] it may follow, it remains, in the end, the sword of Hwasan.
Swwoossshh.
Yu Iseol, having swiftly launched herself into the air, swung her sword. Her movements were nothing short of ethereal.
The reason occupying higher ground on a battlefield was always the core of military strategy was that people found it difficult to defend against attacks coming from above. This principle applied equally to martial arts.
Demonic cultists reflexively raised their weapons.
The cheap iron swords and iron blades [철도(鐵刀)], rusty from neglect and chipped along their edges, looked incapable of cutting even through a withered old tree.
Yet the moment those chunks of scrap metal were enveloped in demonic energy, the rusty junk transformed into demonic weapons [마병(魔兵)] no less formidable than any divine weapon**. Anyone who faced a demonic cultist would know this.
Yet at that moment, Yu Iseol’s sword once again shattered, in an instant, what those of Gangho regarded as common sense.
Claaaang!
The moment Yu Iseol’s sword struck them, demonic cultists’ weapons were sliced apart like rotten branches.
The immortal energy, naturally drawn into Yu Iseol’s sword after being stirred by the demonic energy, split apart the demonic energy surging along the enemies’ weapons. Stripped of demonic energy, their weapons were nothing more than scrap metal.
The rusty iron swords were incapable of withstanding Yu Iseol’s Plum Blossom Sword.
Through the opening created as their weapons were crushed, Yu Iseol’s Plum Blossom Sword smoothly made its way in.
Slaash! Slaash! Slaash!
Having cut across the chests of three with a single sword strike, Yu Iseol used the top of one foot as a foothold, kicked off, and spun her body.
Fwoooooah!
As demonic cultists waited for the moment Yu Iseol began to descend, hundreds of plum blossoms poured down like rain over their heads.
Startled by the sudden rain of flowers [화우(花雨)], they swung their weapons wildly. Every plum blossom petal that met the rough blades was crushed helplessly, but it did not matter.
The role of those petals, after all, was merely to steal their attention for a single instant.
Fwoooosh!
Yu Iseol plunged through the forest of plum blossoms, descending like a ray of light.
Having instantly shifted her position from above to below, Yu Iseol lowered her body the moment she landed and swung her sword like a flash of lightning.
Shaaaararaak!
With a sound like silk being sliced clean through, a vivid crimson moon bloomed over the ocher earth. The sword energy, imbued with a killing intent chilling enough to belie its beauty, sliced through demonic cultists surrounding Yu Iseol in an instant.
“Aaaaaagh!”
Whether from the pain of their flesh being cut, or from the pain of the demonic energy that had filled their bodies being shattered, demonic cultists collapsed while letting out desperate screams.
“Sago! Behind you!”
Then Tang Soso flew in behind Yu Iseol and knocked away the blade a demonic cultist had swung in a desperate struggle.
“Be careful, Sago.”
“Mm.”
Even as she slowly nodded, Yu Iseol calmly kept her eyes fixed on demonic cultists.
⠀
“…Th-That…….”
Jo Geol turned to Yoon Jong as though utterly dumbfounded.
“Isn’t that practically cheating?”
“She’s taking down demonic cultists like they’re those Saparyeon bastards. It hardly looks any different.”
“……To be honest, I was a little taken aback too.”
He never would have guessed that Yu Iseol’s immortal energy was that potent.
Of course, among the Five Swords, Yu Iseol lived the life closest to the Path of the Immortals [선도(仙道)].
While Yoon Jong focused on the mindset one had to possess in order to walk the Path of the Immortals as a Taoist, Yu Iseol was someone who distanced herself from the Five Desires and Seven Emotions [오욕칠정 (五欲七情)***], drew close to nature, and put the life of a Taoist into practice.
If one asked which of them followed the Path of the Immortals more closely, it could only be Yu Iseol.
‘But even so, I never expected the difference to be this great.’
Yoon Jong looked at Yu Iseol without being able to hide the bewilderment on his face.
Of course, even without taking her immortal energy into account, Yu Iseol was stronger than Yoon Jong. She might even be far stronger than Jo Geol. And if someone like her also possessed the overwhelming advantage of such powerful immortal energy…
“….Wouldn’t that make Sago someone on a completely different level when fighting the Demonic Cult?”
“Seems that way.”
There was no need to think about it deeply. Wasn’t the result unfolding right before their eyes at this very moment?
Of course, all of this was because Yu Iseol was an exceptional person. In Yoon Jong’s opinion, Yu Iseol’s immortal energy might have reached a level that was difficult to compare not only with the elders of Hwasan, but perhaps even with the elders of Wudang.
It was precisely because she had reached such a level that she could fight as the natural nemesis of demonic cultists who wielded demonic energy.
“…If I’d known it would turn out like this, I would have meditated more and eaten less meat.”
“Do you really want to say something like that on a battlefield?”
Yoon Jong shook his head as if to say there was no helping him. And yet, because he secretly shared the same thought, he felt somewhat called out.
In truth, he had thought that the immortal energy of Taoism was merely proof of one’s cultivation and would not be of much help to martial arts itself. Who could have known that assumption would be overturned like this?
‘In any case, this is good news.’
It is proving more effective than he had expected.
Everyone was performing far better than he had anticipated. Even the powerful enemy who had appeared out of nowhere had fallen to Baek Cheon’s hand, while Yu Iseol and Hye Yeon were sweeping through the enemies like leaves before an autumn wind.
“Whooooooaa!”
Even now, one of Hye Yeon’s punches swept through the cultists.
After completely abandoning all mercy towards his enemies, Hye Yeon’s fists had grown exceedingly fierce. Demonic cultists were swept away by the tremendous force of his punches without even being able to put up proper resistance.
A fist that did not merely push back and crush, but broke and shattered.
“….This is seriously so damn overpowered. I should’ve just gone to Shaolin.”
“Why are you always so envious of everything, seriously?”
Thoroughly fed up with Jo Geol, Yoon Jong shook his head. But even now, his gaze remained fixed on demonic cultists.
‘At least, as far as I’d thought…’
Demonic cultist were strong. Terrifyingly strong. They had fought countless enemies before, but never had there been another enemy he dreaded crossing swords with this much.
And yet they were fighting. They were even holding them back despite being so greatly outnumbered.
“…Everyone’s gotten stronger.”
“Huh?”
“…Never mind. You weren’t meant to hear that.”
“What are you always muttering to yourself about?”
“Shut up and just fight!”
Yoon Jong wore a bitter smile.
‘That damn bastard.’
And yet even that damn bastard was doing his part. He was suffering because of the demonic flower, but in truth, that too was because he had been fighting demonic cultists from the very front, more actively than anyone else.
‘We have grown stronger.’
Beyond all comparison with the past.
The frustration over their lack of strength that they had felt while fighting Saparyeon. The thirst they had been forced to endure because none of them had been strong enough to stand out individually. Now, they could barely feel it at all.
If even Yoon Jong, the weakest among them, felt this way, how must the others feel?
He had no way of knowing how much longer they would have to hold out. But if all they had to do was hold demonic cultists here and keep them from reaching the commoners, rather than actually defeat them, it seemed they could manage for quite some time yet.
‘If things get too dangerous, we can just fight while falling back.’
As long as they did not suddenly collapse, their superior mobility gave them the advantage. In Gangho, greater numbers did not necessarily guarantee victory. Depending on the conditions of the battle, a smaller force could actually have the advantage.
Yoon Jong clenched his fist tightly.
“We can do this.”
“Yes?”
“I said we can do this, you damn bastard!”
Jo Geol blinked.
“Sahyeong, is your immortal energy lacking compared to Sago because you lose your temper like this every now and then?”
“Shut up, you punk!”
“……You can forget about ascending to immortality, then.”
Listening to Jo Geol’s voice, Yoon Jong smiled.
If that bastard had not been so shamelessly carefree, Yoon Jong would not have been able to look at the situation with such a calm heart. Jo Geol alone possessed the ability to keep things from becoming too serious even with a blade at his throat.
“Geol! We’re breaking through the center. Support Sago!”
“Do you think battle tactics will work on these bastards?”
“Splitting them apart to the left and right will be enough! That way, they won’t be able to properly make use of their numerical advantage.”
“Of course I always get stuck with the difficult stuff. Fine, I’m going!”
Jo Geol charged forward. Watching his retreating back, Yoon Jong clenched his fist.
‘Yes, we have grown stronger.’
Now, they could fight even without Chung Myung here. Hwasan was str-…
It was at that moment.
“Pathetic…….”
A chilling voice pierced his ears. Though it was not particularly loud, it somehow cut through all the noise of the battlefield.
‘What was that?’
A moment later, Yoon Jong saw it.
An ominous darkness, one that could hardly be described simply as ‘black,’ surged upward as though filling the heavens.
This newly risen darkness was so deep and dense that it made the demonic energy emanating from the other cultists look bleak in comparison.
It shot forward like lightning, tearing demonic cultists to shreds, and flew towards Yu Iseol at the front as though plunging down upon her.
Yu Iseol’s eyes flew wide at the sudden attack.
Reflexively drawing up every last bit of her energy, Yu Iseol met the demonic energy with her sword, and the instant the two collided, an explosion rang out as though it would rupture their eardrums.
Then Yu Iseol’s body went flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
“Saagooooo!”
Tang Soso let out a piercing scream and raced towards Yu Iseol.
But the others could not bring themselves to turn their gazes to Yu Iseol as she was sent flying. They dared not. An overwhelming presence was commanding the gaze of everyone there.
Yoon Jong’s face had turned pale as he swallowed dryly, his eyes fixed on the figure standing in the distance.
The one who had crushed not only Yu Iseol, but even demonic cultists who had stood in his way, with a single blow.
“…..Heavenly Executioner.”
Yoon Jong shuddered at the weight of the words he had uttered himself.
He had come.
“…To the likes of these bastards.”
Heavenly Executioner ground his teeth and stepped towards them, emitting a domineering aura like that of a black lion.
Special Spinoff Chapter 74 >>>
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*외도(外道) – unorthodox not in a sense just-evil martial arts, but ‘outside’ of their established teachings, so non-sect ways of teaching. Same as it was mentioned recently in the context of non-Buddhist arts.
**신병이기(神兵利器) – an established phrase to refer to divine weapons of any kind.
***Five desires: to eat (appetite), lust, to posses (material things and riches), to rest (sleep), fame (recognition). Seven emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hatred, desire.
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