Poison Forest (7)

“Ji Gwang-ok!”

Seok Gyeongdal’s twin palms, blazing with murderous intent, crashed in. Ji Gwang-ok barely managed to deflect them.

Thump!

Seeing him clearly, the Blood-Seeking Demon General cried out in shock.

“Elder Seok?! It really is you!”

“Yes, it’s me! How is Jeon Mu-gwang?”

Ji Gwang-ok laughed like a wild beast.

“The Blood Demon is ever well. He often says that if Elder Seok had not left, the Blood Cult would have dominated the world ten years earlier.”

Seok Gyeongdal’s expression darkened.

“Ten years earlier? Then you’ve already restored the lost materials.”

“Heh-heh-heh, it was not easy.”

Once a martial scholar and physician rather than a warrior, Seok Gyeongdal had taken the role of researching, refining, and improving the Blood Cult’s demonic arts.

Above all, modifying the corpse-arts into today’s living corpses—demons—had been largely his doing.

But when Seok Gyeongdal left the Blood Cult, he had destroyed all of his research materials.

He had believed that the methods for crafting higher-grade demons and even the ultimate “Blood Demon Humans” would be lost forever….

Ji Gwang-ok said,

“The Blood Demon instructed me: if I ever meet Elder Seok, see him off peacefully.”

In other words, Seok Gyeongdal was no longer needed. The destroyed archives had already been restored.

Ji Gwang-ok let out a beastly laugh and lunged.

“Then fare well, Elder Seok! Khahahaha!”

Seok Gyeongdal’s cultivation level was about ninety years of inner power.

Since he had always been more of a scholar than a fighter, and since pushing higher would likely have left him unable to resist the erosion of demonic arts, he had stopped there.

Even so, with eyes blood-red, Seok Gyeongdal struck Ji Gwang-ok almost as an equal.

“Uhaaa!”

KRA-KOOM!

After their palms collided and they staggered apart, Ji Gwang-ok narrowed his eyes.

“You took a Mad Blood Pill.”

“Kahahahaha!”

The Mad Blood Pill was a dangerous pellet that forced one’s qi into berserk overdrive, briefly spiking power but crippling the user afterwards.

Even orthodox masters with pure inner energy ended crippled eight times out of ten; for those who cultivated demonic arts, it was no different from poison.

Seok Gyeongdal had swallowed exactly that.

Seol Pung, who had caught his breath while Seok Gyeongdal intervened, paled when he heard the name of the pill.

Now he understood why the elder had stepped in.

Seol Pung ground his teeth and rushed at Ji Gwang-ok again.

“Haa!”

He could not waste an opening bought with another’s life.

While Seok Gyeongdal fought Ji Gwang-ok head-on, Seol Pung, with the movements of a wild beast, circled like a leopard to attack Ji Gwang-ok from behind.

Both Seok Gyeongdal and Seol Pung pressed him fiercely, but Ji Gwang-ok had not yet used his full strength.

“Gnats!”

Crimson qi cloaked his twin palms and exploded outward like a storm—

Thousand-Loop Demon Palms, a Blood Cult art made to handle many enemies.

Papapapapap!

“Urgh!”

“Ghk!”

Red afterimages filled the air like sunset. Overwhelmed, Seok Gyeongdal and Seol Pung were flung backward.

It was truly a fearsome chain-palm technique.

Seol Pung, animal-quick, landed and regained balance. Seok Gyeongdal, unable to absorb the shock, stumbled.

Ji Gwang-ok saw the opening and burst into wild laughter, charging at Seok Gyeongdal.

“Khahahaha! Fare well, Elder Seok!”

Crimson lightning gathered in his palm center—

Thunderclap Blood Palm.

The thunderous strike roared toward Seok Gyeongdal’s unguarded chest. Seol Pung leapt desperately.

“Elder!”

But Seonu Jin, who had already moved to Seol Pung’s side, seized his arm and held him back.

“Jin?!”

What Seol Pung saw was Seonu Jin’s heavy eyes, shaking his head.

Sensing something, Seol Pung turned back—just in time to see Ji Gwang-ok’s palm smash into Seok Gyeongdal’s chest.

“Die!”

BOOM!

“Kuuaagh!”

Seok Gyeongdal’s back exploded like fireworks—blood, bone, and organs bursting out.

Yet Ji Gwang-ok’s feral grin froze when he saw Seok Gyeongdal’s face.

Despite his body being torn apart, Seok Gyeongdal still lived—and was smiling.

Realizing something was wrong, Ji Gwang-ok tried to retreat.

But Seok Gyeongdal’s hand, clutching his arm, would not let go.

Light blazed from Seok Gyeongdal’s eyes.

In the next instant, his body erupted in a massive explosion.

KRAAAA-BOOM!

The Blood Cult’s forbidden art: Self-Detonating Thunder, blowing oneself up to drag the enemy down together.

“Elder!”

Seol Pung screamed.

Seonu Jin’s expression hardened as he recalled the elder’s words before they left the hut:

“Even if I take the Mad Blood Pill and join with Seol Pung, we cannot defeat Ji Gwang-ok. So I will bait him and self-detonate. When I do, you must pull Seol Pung and Cheong-yeon away.”

When Bi Sayoung had demanded to know why, Seok Gyeongdal had smiled and said:

“Because… they weigh on my heart.”

His smile had been relieved.

Though they had withdrawn far, Seok Gyeongdal had even directed the explosion, blasting only toward Ji Gwang-ok.

But when the dust cleared, Seonu Jin and the others widened their eyes in disbelief.

Ji Gwang-ok still stood, his body splattered with gore.

“Khrrr… damnable old man!”

The arm that Seok Gyeongdal had grabbed was gone, but the rest of his body seemed intact.

A faint crimson qi sheathing covered him. Seol Pung muttered, stunned:

“Protective Body Qi…?”

Protective Body Qi was full-body qi armor. Even pinnacle masters could only sheath limbs or weapons; covering the entire body was a realm reserved for the greatest of the age. Yet Ji Gwang-ok had shown it, though imperfectly.

But it had taken its toll. Ji Gwang-ok coughed blood.

“Khulk!”

Seol Pung’s eyes sharpened.

This was the chance—Elder Seok Gyeongdal’s last gift.

Seol Pung’s body flashed like lightning, eyes glowing red.

Pow!

“Haa!”

Seol Pung leapt like a tiger, slamming Ji Gwang-ok with all his strength— his art, Beast Fist.

Thud!

“Grh!”

Ji Gwang-ok, blocking with his single arm, was driven back helplessly.

But that was only the beginning.

The terror of the Beast Fist lay in its aerial barrage—Seol Pung spun like a cat midair, his fists and feet raining blows like a storm.

Babababababam!

Pale-faced, Ji Gwang-ok could not counter; he staggered back.

“Grh… you brat…!”

Seol Pung swept in with a Tiger Claw Sweep. Ji Gwang-ok raised his arm to block— but Seol Pung seized the arm, ran his body up it, spun, and smashed Ji Gwang-ok’s temple with his elbow.

Crack!

“Ghk!”

It was the first clean hit.

But not the last.

Seol Pung’s knee slammed into Ji Gwang-ok’s ribs—

Crack!

“Urgh!”

Ribs shattered. Seol Pung vaulted high, then came crashing down.

KRAAASH!

“Gyaaa!”

Ji Gwang-ok screamed as he was flung across the ground.

Their comrades clenched their fists and shouted:

“That’s it!”

“Finish him, Captain!”

Seol Pung stepped forward for the final blow—

But he could not.

“Khulk!”

Seol Pung fell to one knee, coughing blood.

“Captain!”

“Are you all right?!”

Only Seonu Jin sighed heavily. He knew from his past-life memories: the Beast Fist state that allowed an eighty-year pinnacle to pressure a super-pinnacle was time-limited. About fifteen minutes. And now, of all moments, it had ended.

Judging by the blood, Seol Pung had already forced it past its limit.

While Hae Cheong-yeon and Bi Sayoung rushed to support Seol Pung, Seonu Jin’s eyes stayed fixed on Ji Gwang-ok.

Ji Gwang-ok, staggering, was standing again.

Cold truth: even injured, only Seol Pung could face a super-pinnacle. The others, not even at pinnacle, could not withstand his qi.

If only they had one more pinnacle warrior….

Seonu Jin’s eyes flicked to the baggage behind Ji Gwang-ok—the Blood Cultists’ supplies.

His eyes sharpened.

Seonu Jin drew his sword and sprinted, the Flying Wind Steps at full power, a gale-swift charge.

“Ji Gwang-ok!”

Ji Gwang-ok sneered at the charging youth.

Even wounded, to be challenged by someone not even at the pinnacle realm was laughable.

Red thunder crackled in his remaining hand—Thunderclap Blood Palm ready.

“Uaaap!”

But Seonu Jin did not close in. He kicked the ground, flinging dirt into the air.

Fwoomp!

Dust and grit billowed, blinding Ji Gwang-ok’s vision like hidden darts.

Tricks like this were familiar to a Blood Cultist. Ji Gwang-ok shielded his eyes and sneered.

“Futile!”

But Seonu Jin did not charge through the dust. He slipped behind Ji Gwang-ok.

“Huh?”

Tracking him, Ji Gwang-ok saw Seonu Jin grin as he heaved up a bundle.

Realizing what was inside, Ji Gwang-ok cried out.

“You cur!”

Seonu Jin flung it at him, slashing at the same moment.

Shrrrip!

The ropes snapped—

A black panther bared its fangs.

“Kyarr!”

It was the same beast whose eyes had been fixed on Ji Gwang-ok earlier with killing intent.

The panther, which had fought nearly evenly with Seol Pung, now free, sprang at Ji Gwang-ok.

Claws raked; Ji Gwang-ok smashed it aside with his arm.

Thud!

But the panther was nearly a pinnacle-level beast. Midair, it twisted and came again for Ji Gwang-ok’s opening.

Ji Gwang-ok could not look away.

Behind it, Seonu Jin kicked again, flinging more grit.

Fwaah!

With one arm left, Ji Gwang-ok had to shield his eyes.

The panther lunged again.

“Kyarr!”

“Impudent!”

Ji Gwang-ok roared, swinging his arm— but a sting flared at his shoulder stump. He froze.

It was faint, but wrong.

Glancing, Ji Gwang-ok froze.

Two snakes had struck into the wound, their fangs buried deep.

They were Three-Color Arrow-Snakes, venomous serpents used as living hidden weapons—one bite meant near-certain death.

Ji Gwang-ok’s eyes went blank.

He saw Seonu Jin grinning savagely, a leather pouch in his hand.

“This… can’t be….”

He could not stop the panther.

Crunch!

Seonu Jin heard the neck snap clear.

The panther bore Ji Gwang-ok down, tearing his throat out.

Rrrip!

Fwoosh!

Blood sprayed in a crimson fountain.

Even a super-pinnacle could not live without his throat.

Instant death.

“Hooo….”

Seonu Jin finally exhaled and looked at Ji Gwang-ok’s corpse.

The panther did not eat the torn throat.

It spat it out and stared quietly at Seonu Jin.

Seonu Jin met its yellow eyes.

The beast was a predator, almost a match for a pinnacle expert. With Seol Pung wounded, if it turned on them now, they could not stop it.

Yet Seonu Jin felt no hostility from its gaze.

The panther glanced at Seol Pung and the others, then turned and ambled back into the Poison Marsh.

Seonu Jin almost felt it had thanked him.

He collected the Arrow-Snakes from Ji Gwang-ok’s shoulder, slipped them into the pouch, and hurried to Seol Pung.

It was finally time to leave.