Episode 230

“Ahhhhhhhhh!”

Kaaaaaaaaaa!

Ink-scaled Blood Python and Chung Myung rushed toward each other. The sheer speed of both of them was splitting the water to the sides.

“Flying on Water?”

“He is running on water! Running on the water!”

Flying on Water!

It was a light footwork method that transcended normal techniques. It was one of the highest peaks of footwork techniques, and it allowed the user to run on water.

The ability to actually use this in reality required enormous power to facilitate pushing away the water without sinking. Therefore, unless a martial artist was a master, they wouldn’t even attempt such a technique.

But Chung Myung was making full use of it very naturally!

The disciples of Mount Hua clenched their fists.

‘Would it be possible?’

Baek Cheon also had a stiff expression. Chung Myung had already failed to catch the snake once.

“He doesn’t have a sword, so what is the point in fighting.”

This fight was different from a usual battle between warriors.

A battle between warriors didn’t depend on who wielded the sword better. When using a strong technique against a swordsman, the strength of a technique was important. Ultimately, the one who wielded the better technique would prevail. But that wasn’t the only thing that made a difference. A swordsman who used a quick sword could aim for a gap in the techniques of a swordsman who used a strong sword.

But it was completely different here.

The scales of that snake made swordsmanship meaningless. Even if the sword Chung Myung used was splendid and agile, it was meaningless if the snake’s scales could block it. So, the key to winning the battle was knowing whether a sword could even pierce those scales.

And if it could, he had to end it in a single blow.

“Ughhhhhh!”

Chung Myung jumped up and charged the snake’s head.

Kwak!

And then…

‘I will eat you!’

As if his actions represented those words, he greeted the snake head-on.

“You brat!”

Chung Myung looked at it and thought, ‘How dare you treat humans as prey?!’

Tat!

Chung Myung’s feet touched the air. He lifted his body once more using the air like a stepping stone and then descended like a meteor right onto its head.

“Ahhhhh!”

His broken sword began to shine with blue qi. He felt that the color was getting darker. But before he could completely come to terms with that thought, his qi had already turned purple.

“T-that color?”

“Purple?”

However, the disciples didn’t have enough time to be shocked. Chung Myung’s sword had reached the head of the snake.

Kaaaaaak!

With the sound of a giant bell being rung, the snake’s upper body came crashing down after it was hit on the head.

“Oh?”

“Ohhh!”

Baek Cheon was shocked. Had he just seen the eyes of the snake close in shock?

Some might say that snakes have no facial expressions, and some might say that the people who said that snakes had expressions were crazy, but it was clear to Baek Cheon that this snake had shown some sort of reaction on its face.

“He hit it?”

It was far away that he couldn’t tell for sure. All Baek Cheon could make out was Chung Myung wielding the sword once again.

“Okay!”

Kaaaang!

Kaaaang!

Kang!

Kak!

Kaaaang!

‘Uh?’

‘There are some weird sounds mixed in?’

Baek Cheon titled his head.

Of course, they had never heard a snake’s cry, so they couldn’t tell if the foreign sound was a scream or not.

But it was clear that what they had heard now was different than before.

No matter how much Chung Myung had swung his sword before…

‘Does he really have a chance now?’

The snake, which had refused to even budge before, was now twisting its body in pain.

“How dare you!”

Chung Myung gripped one of the snake’s scales with one hand.

“Ahhh! It got cut!”

Due to the sharp tip of the scales, his hand was slightly cut. Chung Myung clenched his teeth and circulated qi into his hand. After strengthening his hand with qi, he grabbed onto the scale more tightly.

“You’re still fine?”

And he went back to striking it down violently.

As soon as the black scale was touched by the broken purple sword, its head started moving weirdly.

Kiiiiik!

A completely different scream than before rang out across the forest. Seeing that, the disciples of Mount Hua clenched their fists.

“He is doing it!”

“Wow, he is doing it?”

Of course, he hadn’t pierced the scales yet, but the last attack definitely felt like a solid hit. And each time his broken sword fell, the snake would twist in pain.

‘Isn’t the result the same regardless of whether it is cut down or beaten to death?’

Moreover, its huge size, which had been an advantage and source of terror before, was now turning into a weakness. And since it had no limbs, getting rid of Chung Myung was even tougher.

Kaack! Kaaack!

Coupled with its screeching cries, the snake continued to twist its body.

“Stay still, you idiot!”

Kaang! Kaaang!

Chung Myung slammed the snake’s head repeatedly without paying attention to anything else.

Because of how big it was, his attacks would connect regardless of the snake’s desperate movements. In such a situation, Chung Myung was in a dreamlike state.

If it was repeatedly hit a couple more times, the snake was bound to fall, even if it would take some more time.

It was at that moment.

A bright red light shone from the eyes of the snake.

Kaaack!

The snake let out a tremendous scream and started to rush toward the ground.

“Uh?”

And with Chung Myung on its head, it banged itself on the ground.

Kuuung!

“…kuak.”

The shock was so great that a depression was created in the ground. But Chung Myung didn’t let go of its scales despite the pain he felt.

“This…”

The eyes of the snake were still shining red.

Kwang! Kwang!l wang! Kwang!

It kept doing the same thing again and again. By now, the ground had caved in so much that the trees and rocks were scattered.

“T-this!”

The disciples all grabbed onto their swords. This time, it seemed like it was really a game of who died first from banging their heads. If Chung Myung couldn’t handle this, then they were going to rush in and save him.

Baek Cheon, who saw Chung Myung being constantly hit, ran to one side.

“N-no!”

‘The Purple Wood Grass.’

“The Purple Wood Grass!”

The snake was preparing to slam itself on the ground again. But the place it chose was where the Purple Wood Grass was. And if it slammed its enormous body even near that place, not a single herb would survive the collision.

“Not thereeeeeeee!”

When Baek Cheon screamed, even Chung Myung, who was hanging off its scale, flinched.

“Ahhhhh!”

Chung Myung spread his arms wide to grab the head of the snake, and he tried to reach for the ground.

And finally, managing to touch the ground, he held onto the snake with all his might.

Kwakwakwakwang!

Chung Myung’s feet continued to get plowed into the ground. Even though he resisted, he was the only one getting pushed back. Gradually a small crater was formed on the ground, and he found enough balance that allowed him to take the lead.

“Kuaaak! Kuaaaaak!”

Chung Myung, who decided to use all this strength, finally stopped the snake from destroying the Purple Wood Grass.

“This…!”

He held onto its huge head and rotated it, making the snake’s body twist. Then he kicked it in the face.

“There is no way I will let things go your way!”

Kwaaaaaa!

The huge body of the snake turned over and fell into the lake after it was hit by Chung Myung, making the water splash violently.

“Ah.”

Chung Myung waved his arms as his whole body ached. His whole body felt like a mess, and he had dirt and grass all over him. His gaze fell onto one side, and he noticed that the snake was missing.

Bubble.

Seeing bubbles at the top of the lake, he realized it.

“I should end it soon.”

Chung Myung pointed the broken sword towards the lake.

As if responding to his action, the bubbles suddenly moved in a circle. Soon the water began to move, and from it, the snake emerged again.

“Um?”

Chung Myung titled the head.

‘It looks different?’

‘Different…. Ah!’

Chung Myung was shocked.

The scales of the snake were now standing upright! Its steel scales that had been protecting its body were now standing up. It was as if it was mocking its opponent by showing off its soft flesh.

“You look angry?”

Chung Myung smiled.

“That is how one should look at their opponent.”

Kaaaaaaaa!

As if hearing those words didn’t sit well with it, the snake let out a scream. It was such a loud cry that anyone who had heard it would have trembled.

The disciples of Mount Hua had to cover their ears to bear the scream.

With its shining red eyes, it began to rush towards Chung Myung. This was different from before when it just attacked with just its neck sticking out of the lake. Now it was rushing towards Chung Myung much more aggressively.

Thanks to that, more than half of its body was revealed at once.

Those who were watching it became shocked as they saw its size. It was so huge that Chung Myung looked like an ant in front of it. But Chung Myung didn’t back down… he didn’t even take a single step back and just looked at it. He just stared at it with an expressionless face.

‘Will it work?’

‘With this body and with this internal qi?’

‘Well… I don’t know.’

‘But there is no reason to not try.’

Chung Myung’s eyes looked concentrated and cold. He had crossed his limit again, but that alone was meaningless.

Growth was meaningless if one didn’t put their life on the line.

At the tip of Chung Myung’s sword, purple qi began to shine again. It got darker and darker and began to change color again.

It was now bright reddish brown.

Then it became a bright reddish color that resembled the color of the plum blossoms of Mount Hua. That was the color of his sword now.

He stared at the snake that was frantically rushing towards him and finally moved his sword.

Clench.

His hand holding the sword clenched it tighter, and when qi was infused into it, the veins in his hands began to shine, and his sword turned crimson.

‘Strength is power!’

The qi from his dantian was freely swirling around. After the unparalleled power of internal qi was activated, it all rushed into his arm that was holding the sword.

He felt like his sword would explode at any moment. Feeling that power, he brought down his sword. At the same time, the tip of the sword began to create numerous plum blossom petals.

As if branches of plums existed in the air, the plum blossoms began to bloom again.

Kaaaaak!

A bright blue light shone in the eyes of Chung Myung as he saw the snake getting closer.

“Ahhhh!”

The plum blossoms had now all gathered in one single place.

Falling Plum, Blocking River.

The infinitely soft petals which had been gathered even blocked the flow of the river.

The plum blossoms that contained the strength to block everything shot out like a star.

Wheing!

The sound of the plum blossom moving with immense speed and the sound of the snake coming with reckless wrath to take them down. That sound pierced the ears of everyone around them.

Crack!

The scales of the snake were literally ripped out in front of this sword technique. It blew away its scales and other fragments of its body in different directions. The plum blossoms that still hadn’t lost their momentum pierced the snake’s flesh.

Kwaaaaaaaaa!

The snake had its mouth open wide. A desperate scream filled the place.

Paaaah!

With the sound of something exploding, the hard skin of the huge animal began to crack. Red blood rushed out like a waterfall from its head.

“Kuak…. Kuak….”

The dark body trembled. And slowly, the red eyes looked at Chung Myung.

“Ack!”

Chung Myung, whose body was drenched in sweat, looked at the wounded snake.

‘It wasn’t perfect.’

He couldn’t fully wield it like he did in the past. But it was important that he was able to unfold it despite the fact that he had done it this haphazardly. Time would take care of the rest.

“Cough!”

Chung Myung coughed two times and gently lowered his sword. The snake continued to writhe in pain with the hole in its head as blood gushed out of it.

It wasn’t just the size of the wound that hurt it. The qi on his sword must’ve ripped through the insides of that snake. As proof of that, wasn’t the snake unable to control itself from trembling?

“I need to finish it. Now…”

It was at that moment.

Paaah!

Suddenly, there was a huge splash of water. The snake rushed into the water and then, in an instant, ran to the depths of the lake.

“…uh?”

Chung Myung’s eyes went wide.

‘It ran away?’

‘If it was human… No, it would be tough to consider it as a warrior. But since a beast has no pride or honor, it can run away at any time.’

But Chung Myung, who hadn’t thought of it till then, looked at the lake in shock.

“Chung Myung!”

“You won!”

The disciples ran to him.

“Wow! You really caught it!”

“Amazing! Chung Myung! The sword you used at the end… Uh?”

Jo Gul, who was talking, titled his head.

“Chung Myung?”

It was because Chung Myung was trembling with his head bowed. When Jo Gul saw his face, he looked stunned.

What he saw was a face that was beginning to lose all reason.

“H-How dare you… HOW DARE YOU RUN AWAY!?”

Anger was making his face tremble!

“Are you running away after making people suffer like this? Where did you learn such ignorant things!”

“Finding honor in a fight with a snake! You are horrible!”

“There should be some honor, at least. Honor! Bring it out! I will teach it honor!”

Chung Myung began to run to the lake.

“Yah, brat!”

“Stop him!”

But they were one step too late, and Chung Myung dived into the lake.

“My rewarddddd!”

Plop.

And Chung Myung disappeared in an instant to the bottom of the lake.

“…”

Jo Gul, who had been watching the entire thing, lowered his head and then asked Baek Cheon.

“…will he be fine? In the water?”

Baek Cheon smiled.

“Just leave him alone. Whether he kills it or whether he dies… I don’t care anymore.”

“….”