The Start Of The Cleanup (5)

Gu Yong-seon was horrified.

‘Where?!’

The instant his foe vanished, his sense spread like lightning in all directions to read the enemy’s killing intent.

But Jin-hyeon did not target Gu Yong-seon.

Puhwaak!

“Grahk!”

Screaming, Song Cheol-gwang staggered back.

With War-Sword Three Arts’ Ten Steps, Certain Death, Jin-hyeon’s Indestructible Sword split Song Cheol-gwang’s collarbone in one stroke.

If he had let his guard down, that blow would have split his head open. But Jin-hyeon was not disappointed. He could feel that beneath the enemy’s collarbone, where the Indestructible Sword had sliced past, an artery had been damaged.

‘That felt good.’

The Indestructible Sword swept in a cross at once.

He followed Ten Steps, Certain Death with Cross Soul-Slash, to leave him no time to knit the torn artery back together with Qi.

With his left collarbone split, Song Cheol-gwang could wield the White-Iron Staff only with his right hand.

Kwa-reung!

“Grrr…”

The force of the Cross-Soul Slash was heavy and savage. Even his wild staffwork could not smother it.

Blasted backward, he struck a tree. He coughed a flood of blood. He had sustained an internal injury.

Huk!

As Jin-hyeon moved in for the finishing blow, he grimaced and twisted his body. At some point, Gu Yong-seon had begun attacking his back.

Jjeoeoeng!

The Indestructible Sword and Gu Yong-seon’s hand met with a fierce metallic scream.

It is said a palm-and-fist master can crush rock bare-handed and deflect fine blades. Jin-hyeon too could match blades with internal energy infused hands.

But Gu Yong-seon’s hands surpassed even that. His hands were dusk-black, as if forged of black iron.

“Fine strength you have.”

“You fling killing moves without restraint! Such violent forms are fit to be called demonic arts!”

At his grand pronouncement, Jin-hyeon gave a chilly laugh.

“You throw your words around too lightly, Gu Yong-seon.”

“Hold your tongue!”

Hwaaak!

A stronger aura burst from Gu Yong-seon.

In that instant, Jin-hyeon knew he was readying his killing move.

Peopeopung!

The pouring fists and palms grew more ferocious.

Power was one thing, but his speed had grown even greater. In the span of a single breath, he unleashed over a dozen punches, and the air itself roiled.

‘Considerable.’

Even as he yielded ground, Jin-hyeon analyzed Gu Yong-seon’s martial arts.

‘A head of the Eight Martial Houses should be long from true battle, yet he’s honed what a pugilist needs most. Solid arts, first-rate reflexes.’

Bare-hand specialists are usually at a disadvantage against edged weapons.

But for a master who has trained to this level, it is a different story. With powerful internal energy, limbs as hard as steel, and the freedom to emit and withdraw projected force at will, he can ignore all the advantages of both weapons and distance.

‘Far above Wi Chang-gun.’

He outclassed Wi Chang-gun, head of the Black Tiger Fist Sect, though both were of the Eight Houses.

A higher realm alone does not make one stronger. Gu Yong-seon stood a step above Wi Chang-gun in realm and in real combat, and above all, he knew how to make full use of his own abilities.

He surpassed him in every respect. The gap between their realms was slight, but his martial skill was overwhelming.

Papapapang!

Even though he was a bare-handed master who could ignore the advantage of distance, Gu Yong-seon kept closing in.

‘Heh, he’s rattled.’

Inwardly, Gu Yong-seon rejoiced.

Jin-hyeon was daunting to face head-on. That was how strong he was.

But he was far too young for the realm he had reached. That made him remarkable, but on the other hand, his real combat experience inevitably fell short of that of older masters.

That fact was laid bare in this very clash. He swung that heavy sword in short, tight motions so as not to allow a decisive blow, yet he did not even dare to think of counterattacking.

‘This is enough. There’s no need to force a finisher.’

He executed the Heavenly Wind Qi Art to the limit for one reason. To buy Song Cheol-gwang time.

As a peak master, Song Cheol-gwang could rejoin the severed artery with internal energy, steady his wounds, and rejoin the fight. Gu Yong-seon didn’t forget this was two against one.

And the strategy was excellent.

“You wretch!”

Hwaaak!

Behind him, Song Cheol-gwang’s aura surged. While he was being pressed, the other had forced bone and artery back together with Qi.

‘Watch for that vanishing footwork, guard against it and victory is certain.’

That footwork that made him vanish was astounding, but under nonstop pressure with not even a breath to draw, he could not use it.

Killing intent welled in Gu Yong-seon’s eyes.

‘This ends, you bastard!’

Paang!

Leaping overhead, Song twisted a section of the White-Iron Staff’s shaft.

Chiring!

A hard spearhead sprang from the tip; the White-Iron Staff became a White-Iron Spear.

“Die!”

As the blade sprang, he struck like lightning. It was the Divine Spear House’s strongest art, Jade Thunder Spear Art.

Gu Yong-seon in front, Song Cheol-gwang above.

A moment of utmost peril.

Jin-hyeon’s left hand stirred the air gently.

‘?!’

In a blink, Song Cheol-gwang’s eyes went wide.

His white-lightning thrust, which was once aimed at Jin-hyeon’s crown, curved slyly inward toward Gu Yong-seon’s arm.

‘What?!’

Startled, Gu Yong-seon struck high with Quick-Wind Eight Hands. He had no choice but to meet the attack head on.

Kwa-reung!

Gu Yong-seon’s reaction speed was astonishing.

“Kh!”

Hit by Song Cheol-gwang’s White-Iron Spear mid-attack, he barked despite himself.

“What are you doing!”

Rebounded, Song Cheol-gwang was flustered too.

“Th-that was not my…”

Just then.

Hwaaak!

The shockwave from the burst dispersed faster than expected, and through that gap Jin-hyeon surged, slashing for Gu Yong-seon.

It was a monstrous single slash, fueled by Heavenly Wolf Qi. Startled, Gu Yong-seon invoked the Abundant Prosperity Guild’s strongest art, Black-Iron Hand.

Jjeoeoeong!

His face twisted involuntarily.

A deep sword-gash marked his wrist said to be steel-hard.

Jin-hyeon had thrown it with a full breath. Gu Yong-seon, shaken and unprepared, could only take the attack.

From there, Jin-hyeon’s counterattack began.

Flash! Flash!

The heavy Indestructible Sword moved like a swift blade.

Cross Soul-Slash, Ten Steps, Certain Death, then Cross Soul-Slash again, the three linked techniques carved deep wounds across Gu Yong-seon.

Kureureung!

Pouring in powerful techniques in bursts, the exploding air left no room to breathe.

Gu Yong-seon went pale. Moments ago his bare-hand speed had driven the fight, but now it was reversed.

Jin-hyeon’s swordwork was grand, fierce, and flawless. Even while bringing out the full essence of the heavy sword, it was beyond understanding how he could still move so fast.

When it came to speed, bare-handed techniques were faster. Even so, Gu Yong-seon found it difficult just to defend, let alone counterattack.

‘Insane! What kind of ridiculous Qi art is this?!’

Each time the greatsword swept through the air, he either split the projected force to left and right or stepped in a pace to press him harder, and in between he would send a burst of palm force from his left hand to break apart his evasive stance.

He was not simply driving him back with swordsmanship alone. It was an elevating style of combat that used projected force and footwork to restrict the enemy’s responses from the very root.

His mastery of not only weapon techniques but also the application of Qi arts had reached the very heavens. In all his life, Gu Yong-seon had never experienced such exquisite combat ability.

Driving Gu Yong-seon ceaselessly, Jin-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

“You wretch!”

Pababak!

The attack came not from above but from the side. At some point, Song Cheol-gwang had closed in again, unleashing the Jade Thunder Spear Art toward Jin-hyeon’s abdomen.

Teoeong!

At that moment, Jin-hyeon’s body turned.

Spinning like a top, he let the spear graze by.

Bbagak!

“Kh!”

Jin-hyeon’s Whirlwind Kick smashed Song Cheol-gwang’s left shoulder. The counter was so natural that it seemed prearranged.

And of all places, it struck his left shoulder. In an instant, the collarbone and artery he had forcibly bound in place with internal energy twisted out of alignment.

Gritting his teeth, Song Cheol-gwang kicked off and unfurled the Flowery Eighteen Spears again to keep him off.

Then Gu Yong-seon shouted,

“Don’t!”

A chill raced down Song Cheol-gwang’s back.

Peoeok!

Two legs flew high into the air.

“Guaaah!”

Song Cheol-gwang toppled on the spot. With both shins blown off below the knees, it was only natural.

It was Ten Steps, Certain Death executed from a low stance. Anticipating that Song Cheol-gwang would defend rather than attack, it was a truly exquisite move.

“You bastard!”

Gu Yong-seon countered at once with Black-Iron Hand.

At that moment, Song Cheol-gwang’s collapsing body naturally rose into the air and fell into Jin-hyeon’s grasp.

It was the same Qi art that had bent the spear. Seizing his nape, Jin-hyeon used him as a shield.

Peoeong!

“Grk!”

Song Cheol-gwang’s face went ashen-black.

Gu Yong-seon reeled. His Black-Iron Hand should have struck Jin-hyeon, yet it burst into Song Cheol-gwang’s gut.

Puhwaaak!

The blood Song Cheol-gwang vomited spattered Gu Yong-seon’s face.

Having dealt a mortal blow to an ally with his own hand, Gu Yong-seon finally lost all reason.

“You brutal wretch!”

“Brutal, my foot.”

Hurling Song Cheol-gwang at him, Jin-hyeon unleashed a horizontal slash.

In that instant, Gu Yong-seon had to choose.

If he caught Song Cheol-gwang, he would be cut down together with him by Jin-hyeon’s sword. However, to let go and dodge, abandoning the head of one of the Eight Martial Houses whose hand he had already taken, would have been far too disgraceful.

Yet the result was set. It was better that he live than for both of them to die.

‘Forgive me.’

Huk!

He shoved Song Cheol-gwang away and fell back.

Peoek!

Song Cheol-gwang’s upper and lower halves were severed outright.

A cut marked Gu Yong-seon’s abdomen too. His brief hesitation let the blade kiss him.

In the eyes of the bisected Song Cheol-gwang, there was nothing but deep resentment, shock, fear, and disbelief.

“Impossi—!”

Just then.

His flying upper half tugged again toward Jin-hyeon’s left hand.

It was the same Qi art he had used to bend the White-Iron Spear’s trajectory and to set Song Cheol-gwang’s body upright even after his shins had been severed. To anyone who did not know better, it would have seemed like nothing short of sorcery.

Heavenly Wolf Path Six-Character True Art.

Of its six characters, Engage (接), Unbind (解), Rouse (激), Pierce (透), Rebound (彈), Detonate (爆), this was Engage, the Heavenly Wolf Engage Qi technique.

Engage is a technique that fixes the flow of Qi or air in whatever place the user desires. At its ultimate stage, a single wave of the hand can send even a massive boulder rolling. This is why Engage is also called Suction.

Drawing in Song Cheol-gwang’s upper half, Jin-hyeon unleashed Rouse, The Heavenly Wolf Rouse Qi, to the limit.

Puhwaaak!

It was a horrific sight.

Rouse is a technique that renders one’s strength extremely flexible, producing vibrations by modulating the intensity of Qi.

Having been struck by that technique, an immense spray of blood erupted from Song Cheol-gwang’s severed upper body

An explosive spectacle of blood.

It felt as if the humidity in the air had risen tenfold in an instant. The blood sprayed out by Heavenly Wolf Rouse Qi was mixed with scraps of flesh and bits of entrails.

‘!!’

Gu Yong-seon gaped, frozen by the sheer brutality.

And Jin-hyeon did not miss the opening.

Flash!

With Ten Steps, Certain Death, Heavenly Evasion Half-Step, he took Gu Yong-seon’s rear flank and slashed on the diagonal.

Puhwaak!

“Grahk!”

Gu Yong-seon spewed blood and fell. The diagonal cut took part of his spine. He could not stand.

At last, the tough foe collapsed.

Panting, Jin-hyeon flicked the blood from the Indestructible Sword and sheathed it.

The battle was over.