Episode 349

Kang-! Kang!

Yong Pung was smiling as if he was in a good mood.

Unlike when he brought down the Murim Alliance or shattered Shaolin, showing no emotion at all, now he seemed very excited.

“Uughh!”

The same went for Ma Cheol.

He exerted all his strength, pressuring his opponent and displaying his power.

Yet, as if testing the limits of his strength, he unleashed it, even though it wasn’t working at all.

However, where there are those who enjoy, there are also those who do not.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was facing the two, showed no change in expression. Whether he found it interesting or not, whether his curiosity was piqued or even that had faded.

Neither his gaze nor his emotions revealed anything at all.

Blocking and dodging the incoming blades and their attacks seemed as leisurely as playing with toys.

How can a person be so devoid of emotion, Yong Pung thought as he watched that expression and caught his breath.

‘I’ve seen it before….’

Yes, he had seen that expression just once before.

The expression he had when he mercilessly cut down countless comrades near the foot of Mount Changbai.

Dan Woo-hyun simply cut them down.

For him, cutting people down was the most natural thing.

It was his innate nature.

The true aspect of the Heavenly Killing Star bestowed by the heavens.

‘He is different from ordinary Killing Stars.’

Unlike those who enjoy slaughter or go on a crazed rampage of killing, he was fundamentally different.

Dan Woo-hyun was indeed a Killing Star marked by the heavens, and thus, the Wind of Death always blew around him.

Yong Pung was personally experiencing it.

Even now, a fierce wind was swirling around Dan Woo-hyun, enough to make one’s entire body shiver.

Swoosh!

With a light swing of Dan Woo-hyun’s hand, Yong Pung retreated and fell to his knees.

‘This is…the Martial God!’

He had served under Blood Demon and witnessed countless strong warriors.

Among them, the one with overwhelming strength was the Blood Demon, but the opponent in front of him now had even surpassed that.

He couldn’t even properly see a single move unfolding right before his eyes.

Yet, Yong Pung couldn’t stop smiling.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

Dan Woo-hyun asked, looking at them with a calm gaze.

Judging by their expressions and their full exertion of effort, they seemed to have a sense of admiration for the strong.

It was as if Sa Dohak was provoking Dan Woo-hyun to ascend to a higher place.

Knowing that, he asked.

“If you are the Martial God, isn’t it a great honor? To die at the hands of someone like you.”

“I see… There seems to be honor in such things.”

Dan Woo-hyun seemed completely uninterested.

Dying is no different. Whether it’s dying absurdly at the hands of a weaker person or hitting your head on a rock while passing by and dying an accidental death.

Since there’s no real difference in ceasing to breathe, it was a meaningless story to Dan Woo-hyun.

“They’re just youngsters without even the will to survive.”

“…!”

“Ugh!”

With that one remark, Yong Pung and Ma Cheol’s expressions wavered.

To Dan Woo-hyun, martial arts was life.

He learned it to live, and he practiced it to survive.

In any situation, he had never contemplated his own death, which is why he couldn’t understand those who charged in, knowing they would die, just to satisfy a simple thrill of victory.

One could muster determination, but ultimately, the heart that gives up on life cannot exert true strength.

“Just think of it this way. I don’t want to die either, but you’re going to kill me anyway, right?”

Ma Cheol smirked as he looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

Through his clearly provocative gaze, he asserted that his words were not wrong.

Already standing before the Martial God, he knew they would never be let go, so he had drawn his sword, resolved to die.

“I see…”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded as he extended his hand.

For a moment, a faint breeze began to swirl around him. It was not a wind that could harm a person, yet it carried an inexplicable chill.

“But before you die, you must tell me everything you know.”

“Haha, sorry, but that’s impossible too. We are under a restriction.”

“……”

Dan Woo-hyun raised an eyebrow.

Someone who could impose a restriction on warriors of this caliber.

It could only be the Blood Demon. He hated being betrayed by his subordinates, so he must have placed a restriction to prevent it.

“Who is it? The one controlling that restriction?”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s question, Ma Cheol sneered with a smirk. Then he slowly clenched his fist and spat ‘ptuh!’ while glaring directly at Dan Woo-hyun.

It was a moment where his unrestrained nature was fully revealed.

“You crazy bastard, if I could say something like that, I wouldn’t be going through this hell!”

He shouted roughly and charged forward.

All his qi gathered in his fist, and that power seemed capable of toppling even a mountain. The intent to truly kill Dan Woo-hyun overflowed with murderous aura.

At that moment, a peculiar wind blew around Dan Woo-hyun.

The wind instantly enveloped Ma Cheol.

Ma Cheol, who felt the wind, did not budge.

Even Yong Pung, who was watching, sensed the strangeness.

“Living long enough, you see a lot of amusing things. You’re the second one to curse at me.”

“What… Did you… Say…?”

Ma Cheol muttered as if he were a deaf person.

Then he began to tremble all over, and soon blood started to trickle down from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes.

“What…hey…this is…”

“You probably can’t even speak properly. Everything that makes up your body must have been torn apart.”

“Kah…”

Dan Woo-hyun slowly raised his finger.

At the tip of his finger, a small vortex was swirling.

Though small, it felt powerful enough to cause a horrific disaster if it entered a human body.

Eventually.

Swoosh-!

Ma Cheol’s body was torn apart without leaving a trace.

The wind that burst from within not only turned his clothes but even the gauntlets he was wearing into powder in an instant.

Moreover, a more shocking event occurred; the blood scattered in all directions did not fall to the ground but was caught in the vortex.

The small vortex floated in midair, absorbing Ma Cheol’s blood completely.

Yong Pung watched it, breaking out in a cold sweat.

‘If he had been determined from the start…’

It wouldn’t have lasted even a moment.

Thinking about it, Yong Pung smiled even more.

He raised all the internal qi he had and heightened his resolve.

He would definitely pour out everything he had.

It seemed as if he was making such a vow.

“Haa, haa… Haa…”

Zhuge Yeon and Kwon Mujin were panting heavily as they stood still. The presence of those pursuing them was not felt.

However, they weren’t far from Wudang, so the pursuers could catch up at any time.

“Everyone scattered, right?”

“Yes. If we had fought in that state, we would have all died…”

Zhuge Yeon awkwardly smiled and turned her back. On Kwon Mujin’s back was Abbot Seon Jin, eyes peacefully closed, but fortunately, he didn’t seem to have stopped breathing.

‘Did he faint?’

It was plausible.

Seon Jin, who had lost his dantian, couldn’t possibly withstand the surging power in that fierce battle. Furthermore, he was already weakened to the core, so fainting was inevitable.

“I hope everyone is safe.”

“Just worry about us. There are still pursuers.”

“Right.”

Zhuge Yeon shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

The objective was achieved.

To protect Zhuge Yeon and Kwon Mujin, who were escaping with Seon Jin, the Hwang Bo family and the Namgung family blocked the enemies with full force and began their retreat.

Having achieved the goal, further sacrifices were unnecessary.

What remained was just to safely escape from this place.

Rustle-!

At that moment, someone approached using light footwork. Surprised by the sudden appearance, Zhuge Yeon and Kwon Mujin took a defensive stance and swallowed hard.

“You seem to be fine.”

“…Tang Mun-hye.”

The figure was none other than Tang Mun-hye.

It was assumed that she had retreated with the Sichuan Tang family, so why was she here alone?

Unable to comprehend, they wore a peculiar expression.

“Relax. I have no intention of doing anything. Besides, with your current skills, you’re on par with me. I’m not foolish enough to attempt anything with Twin Blades also present.”

Tang Mun-hye shrugged and muttered.

If it were only Zhuge Yeon, it might be worth a try. Seizing the Abbot and attributing all the credit to the Sichuan Tang family would be possible.

However, it’s none other than Twin Blades Kwon Mujin present.

Not only that, but although he had not yet shown himself, Dan Woo-hyun, the head of the Hunan Dan family, was also here, so it was not wise to move recklessly.

Tang Mun-hye looked at Zhuge Yeon with a dignified gaze.

“This time, since we involved you under the name of our Sichuan Tang family, I thought it was only right to take responsibility until the end.”

Zhuge Yeon narrowed her eyes as she looked at Tang Mun-hye.

It was still a gaze filled with disbelief.

Having known the Sichuan Tang family for a long time, she was not unaware of their cunning nature, like snakes. Therefore, it was a place to be more cautious than anywhere else.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“That makes it even more suspicious.”

Tang Mun-hye gave a slight smile.

Then she swiftly removed a hidden weapon from her bosom and threw it quickly.

Kang-!

It collided with something in an instant.

Zhuge Yeon and Kwon Mujin were startled as they looked at the assassin weapons they collided with and fell.

They, too, were assassin weapons. It was impossible to know where they flew from, but it seemed to be the work of a considerable expert.

“It seems we’ve been caught.”

Tang Mun-hye took a deep breath.

The presence of pursuers was felt from not far away. Kwon Mujin, also sensing this earlier, drew his two blades and held them in both hands.

“It seems you have no choice but to receive my help now.”

“Indeed. It’s as if someone led them right here.”

At Zhuge Yeon’s words, Tang Mun-hye laughed awkwardly.

Her expression was not good, as if a secret she didn’t want revealed had been discovered.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

“We’re here to help you. Isn’t that why you came?”

Tang Mun-hye shrugged at Zhuge Yeon’s words that seemed to see through everything. During the retreat, she was separated from the Sichuan Tang clan, and she faced life and death several times in fierce battles.

If she hadn’t met Zhuge Yeon and Kwon Mujin, she would have become a corpse.

She straightened her posture and nodded.

“Then let’s help each other.”

“You are eloquent, seriously…”

Zhuge Yeon took a deep breath and gripped the sword hilt. Regardless of everything, the fact that the pursuers were approaching did not change.