Episode 163

Normally, it was not too strange to see warriors above a certain level alternate between two martial arts.

Those who reached a peak usually have two or more martial arts in their main arsenal.

And when encountering enemies, they use them accordingly, alternating between the two or using whichever counters the enemies they were facing more effectively.

They even change the form of their martial arts.

But there are very few cases of this specifically even in this sect.

It was because using two martial arts at the same time was a whole different story.

“What, so you have a trick up your sleeve?”

From Seol-Hwi’s point of view, seeing the Supreme Pavilion Lord using two different ones was unfamiliar.

Understanding one martial art itself is already tough, but now he was going to use two of them with two different attributes at the same time.

Especially one which could lead to the death…

This man must have honed it with actual combat.

Gooo!

Sama Gwi’s blade had heat on it.

To be precise, the black shadow and red flame were rising from the tip of it.

This, how do I deal with it?

Seol-Hwi felt the need to make a decision right now.

It was because he had to prepare his defense for whatever was going to come.

So he acted first.

Wheik!

He moved his feet to a height of nine centimeters without touching the ground.

Ghost Shadow Footwork–a skill the Seven Messengers are required to learn and one that he was also taught during the one month training period they had.

Of course, what Seol-Hwi was doing now was a light footwork, and he used it to make sure the opponent would be able to read his movement or breathing.

Shhh!

Seol-Hwi’s first attack closed the distance with Supreme Wind God.

It was easy to use because he had changed its technique by one step, so it was now an easy one to execute.

Kwaang!

He avoided it!

Seol-Hwi felt it the moment the sword fell that the opponent was not there. However, there was still the shadow.

And there was the flow of air right behind his back.

Papat!

Seol-Hwi turned back and swung his sword, and in just a blink of an eye, the sword collided with the blade.

Boom!

The shock of the attack was strong enough to push their legs to the point where their ankles were in the ground.

However, unlike Seol-Hwi who was done, Sama Gwi was just getting started.

And in this hit where he wanted to end this fight against a lowly person, he gave out this dark energy.

This!

He was late.

Under the circumstances, there seemed to be no time to unleash the time slowing technique.

Seol-Hwi had to take this head on.

Kwaang!

The dark energy which came into contact with him penetrated his body.

Shhh!

While the dust was still piling up on the ground, Sama Gwi looked calm.

“Oh. You stopped that?”

Although it was blocked, Seol-Hwi still took damage. He was clutching his shoulder, and one knee was bent as if standing seemed tough.

In order to prevent severe wounds he had to use a lot of energy for defense.

“But it will be different next time.”

Chiing!

Flames and dark qi rose with his sword once again.

Three times stronger, a significantly stronger force than before.

“Dealing with this will not be easy.”

Seol-Hwi had gone stiff. This man was using two different auras.

And each of them seemed unique in their own manner.

Furthermore, unlike the flame which could be made to explode, this dark qi he was using was encroaching everything it came in contact with.

So, if he collided with it like this, Seol-Hwi would suffer.

I need to use a special skill.

Wuk!

Seol-Hwi cut his hand once again, raised his head, and looked at Sama Gwi.

To the left this time.

Papapt!

Seol-Hwi grabbed the place where he could feel the air move and swung his sword.

Chang!

Again, internal energy collided.

Both men were pushed back at the same time, and Seol-Hwi immediately decided to protect his body.

This was his attempt to cope with the dark qi which consumed everything.

Where?

And when he could not sense the energy, he bit his lip. There was no other way.

When Seol-Hwi took a breath and looked around, he decided to prioritize defense rather than offense.

Ah…

And he found it.

The dark qi which was floating about his head began to sink down.

Papat!

Seol-Hwi twisted his body and got away at the same time Supreme Low Temperature Ice was released.

Chchchc!

There was light which struck down like a whip. Due to the repulsive forces around, the ground had cracked.

“Um?”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord who witnessed all that hesitated.

Paaak!

Through the soaring rubble came an attack of Seol-Hwi this time.

“Haaa!”

Sama Gwi, who expected a strong attack, was prepared to counter whatever came next.

The moment their weapons met, they both felt something strange.

Hhjjj!

Ice arts?

For a moment, Sama Gwi was shocked.

A strong wind force rose from Seol-Hwi’s sword.

Kwaang!

The wind rose. The ferocious storm ravaged the body of Sama Gwi.

His body which was ready to defend was pushed back.

“Is this the end…?!”

Seol-Hwi, who was about to unleash Sura Exploding Flame Arts stopped.

He saw the weird flow of energy around.

Damn it, again!

Since the blood near his eyes had not dried yet, he could do it again.

Sama Gwi, who was in the air because of being pushed back, appeared in front of Seol-Hwi and swung his sword.

Of course, Seol-Hwi, who escaped it due to the slowing effects of Supreme Low Temperature Ice, decided to aim for the throat.

Shhh

The dark qi followed him, constantly preventing him from approaching Sama Gwi.

Seol-Hwi stepped back and tried to use it again.

Swish!!

Because the time slowing effect was over, he performed a normal flame attack.

This time, the opponent avoided and moved back.

How?

Seol-Hwi was trying to analyze how Sama Gwi was moving.

He should have been hit by Supreme Wind God, so why?

Sama Gwi who noticed it said,

“The first one is an illusion.”

“…?”

“I showed you an illusion with the footwork. If any footwork reaches the ultimate level, then it can display something similar to an illusion.”

“…You should realize I am quick as a mouse.”

“Sure. Rather…”

Sama Gwi smiled and said,

“Who will give you time to unleash your skills?”

“…!”

Seol-Hwi was shocked,

He didn’t expect this old man to already time how Seol-Hwi was using his skills.

“And then there is the Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts… Hahaha. I just cannot believe it. I thought you were trash but then you acquired so many things in such a short time…”

Pjjj

He looked shocked.

It was a face mixed with excitement and a lot more.

“Can you guess who is stronger at this point?”

“No, I don’t know. Aren’t you the one who took most damage though?”

“Really? Well…”

Seol-Hwi smiled.

“This time I will take you down for sure.”

“Things are different from before. You said you wanted to step on my face.”

“I will do that too.”

Tssss

Seol-Hwi began to use all his qi.

And he thought to himself,

I need to get this done in one hit.

The two martial arts the opponent is using, there is a cooldown before they can use it again. There is a way to counter it by blocking both, but that was too risky now.

With the first hit–

He could be enough to crush the opponent

Sura Exploding Flame Arts–

The most devastating technique he could use.

Papat!

Seol-Hwi still had wet blood around his eyes and took the lead.

Swish!

Sama Gwi was also moving fast enough that he couldn’t be witnessed with naked eye.

Whek

Seol-Hwi read the flow in the air and took a step ahead. This time he pushed his sword to the upper left.

Bang!

–came the explosion of the attack. This was what Seol-Hwi intended.

Swish!

As soon he noticed this dark qi coming for him–

The time bond.

He managed to escape the attack which was coming for his body and extended his sword.

Was it because of the continuous use of two martial arts? The shoulder of Sama Gwi had a slight cut on it.

But this was all in close range.

Rrrring!

“…”

Wind blew in again.

Sama Gwi desperately tried to escape but was blown up regardless.

“This is it.”

And taking advantage of that, Seol-Hwi moved as close as he possibly could and–

Kwakwakwang!

An explosion which never should be faced at close range exploded right at his face, not just once but four times!

This pushed even the body of Seol-Hwi back. The entire area looked like it had been turned upside down.

Woong!

It was so intense that the wind which moved couldn’t even reverse it.

“This, I was supposed to stomp on his face…”

Seol-Hwi sighed at the darkened vision due to smoke.

He was in such a hurry to kill his opponent that he forgot about humiliating them.

“Well, it could be because he is strong. This should… uh?!”

It was then.

Swish

Air escaped loudly with the dust clearing away–it was something which made Seol-Hwi doubt his eyes.

In this moment of hesitation–

Shh!

The dark qi came for him.

Kwak!

With a deafening sound, Seol-Hwi’s body was pushed back.

Crack!

He managed to barely escape this.

However, to protect his body from major wounds he had to let his right foot take a hit, so he couldn’t get back up.

“No…”

The red light which shone into the eyes of Seol-Hwi–

The one walking up from the explosion with something like a red halo around him.

It was the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

And he was smiling without a single wound on him.

“Such interesting skills, but did you think just that would be enough?”

“N-no…?”

Seol-Hwi looked at his arm.

The long blade in his hand, it had to be a normal weapon. At least it looked like it.

Seeing that, the Supreme Pavilion Lord laughed.

“Yes, this is the Attack Absorption Long Blade, a divine weapon. This one can block any kind of attack once if we shake our head from side to side you know?”

“…Ah!”

Only then did Seol-Hwi realize.

The Supreme Pavilion Lord didn’t have the ability to block his skills, instead he used a divine weapon with such skills.

Just like Seol-Hwi.