The Noble Justice Faction Hero (2)

Yu Seol did not dodge. She merely thrust her head toward the direction the finger was coming from.

Crack-!

It was the sound of the Taoist master’s index finger snapping as it tried to press a pressure point.

“Guh!”

Perhaps because he was supposedly an elite warrior of Mount Hua, only a small groan escaped.

Above all, no scream came because confusion preceded the pain.

How was his finger bent at such a strange angle? He could not fathom what had just happened.

“W-what on earth is this…”

“I’m going in now, so don’t stop me. Understand?”

Yu Seol took a step forward without even glancing at him.

Their purpose in coming here was to lure the enemies stationed near the temple entrance to a designated spot. But that mission had long since been erased from her mind.

At this moment, Yu Seol’s eyes burned only with the will and stubbornness to go inside.

Thud-!

Yu Seol’s shoulder shoved into the Taoist warrior’s lower chest.

A tiny girl had pushed back the Plum Swordsman with force, a high-ranking Murim Alliance warrior at the peak of martial prowess.

The Taoist, staggered back, realized something was seriously wrong.

‘…I was pushed back in strength?’

There was no longer any doubt: the child before him was a martial artist disguised as a civilian, and a skilled warrior whose level could not be easily estimated.

He had to act, and his deliberation was short.

Wasn’t his back exposed? Completely defenseless.

He could not back down, not with Mount Hua’s reputation at stake.

‘Take the kid down in one blow, then subdue the old man.’

That was the conclusion the Taoist reached in that brief moment.

There was no time to draw his sword. His hand reached to seize the back of Yu Seol’s neck.

This time he had no doubt of success, the strike carried force that could pierce wood.

But his plan was stopped as soon as it began.

Thwap-!

From somewhere another hand materialized and grabbed the Taoist’s hand.

When he turned, the old man’s mouth beneath the bamboo hat was grinning.

The Taoist’s heart sank at the chilling smile.

What kind of situation was this? The opponent’s grip was so strong his knuckles felt like they’d be crushed.

“…Guh.”

In that instant, Jeong Hye’s other hand came down on top of the Taoist’s head. There was no chance to evade.

He wanted to call for help from his comrades, but even that opportunity was gone.

His face was already falling toward the opponent’s knee.

Smash-!!

The renegade monk’s knee slammed mercilessly into his face.

The Plum Blossom Swordsman crumpled at once, his eyes rolling back.

Thud-!

“W-what?”

“What’s going on?”

Warriors who had been resting around the temple began to converge on the entrance.

There, the strange figure wearing the bamboo hat was bobbing his shoulders as if dancing.

“Puhehe. Seol is angry~ If you try to stop her you’ll all die~”

There was no provocation like it.

Rage flared on the faces of everyone watching.

Although the Taoist guarding the entrance lay collapsed and bewildered, not a single person seemed tense.

Surrounded by formidable warriors, what was there to fear?

“You bastard!!”

An elder Taoist in blue robes stomped on the ground.

Featherlight, swift qi arts, the Flying Stream Step known as a secret art of the Qingcheng sect.

At that moment Jeong Hye’s body slid at a strange angle and moved in front of Yu Seol.

Those watching were surprised by the wondrous movement.

Grasp-!

In the blink of an eye Jeong Hye’s hand squeezed the other’s neck, a lightning-fast move.

Laughably, the elder of the Qingcheng sect was subdued without offering any resistance.

“Y-you are…”

The seized Taoist looked as if he couldn’t believe it; he must have recognized Jeong Hye’s face beneath the bamboo hat.

“Ahem. Do you know who your elder is?”

“Jeong…”

He couldn’t finish; Jeong Hye’s grip applied immense force.

Crunch-!

“Shh!”

Everything had happened in an instant.

The Justice faction warriors who watched were dumbfounded.

Where was this? This was a gathering place for the Justice faction warriors renowned throughout Shaanxi and the surrounding region.

No absolute authority could act rashly here without consequence.

It was tantamount to wounding the pride of the Justice faction that dominated the murim world.

A suffocating aura of killing intent swept through Geumyang Temple.

Then someone recognized Yu Seol’s identity and pointed a finger.

“That Yin Monster, you wench! You came to your death without a shred of fear.”

At the name ‘weird one’, the Justice faction warrior no longer dared to attack alone.

A dozen or so warriors took a wide detour and blocked the entrance to Geumyang Temple.

Regardless, Yu Seol continued to walk slowly toward the main hall, Jeong Hye matching her stride with an elated expression.

“Out of the way.”

Who dares block the path to the Buddha?

Yu Seol clenched her fist, eyes sparking.

It was a declaration that she would break through anyone who tried to stop her by force.

The Justice faction elders were stunned but ready to strike.

Then.

“Everyone, fall back!”

Two figures were springing through the air toward them from somewhere.

Yu Seol and Jeong Hye paused at their arrival.

The Fist Emperor Ma Kwang-cheol. And the other was the Kunlun Martial Emperor Cheong Jin, two of the Ten Great Warriors appeared at once.

They were formidable presences exuding authority able to subdue thousands.

“I’ll handle that freak; esteemed elders, take the Yin Monster.”

At the Fist Emperor’s authoritative words, the Justice faction’s warriors’ tension eased.

All except one.

On seeing Yu Seol with his own eyes, the Kunlun Martial Emperor froze like a block of ice.

“…”

The Fist Emperor looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Why that face? Surely you’re not intimidated by a freak like that?”

“…You must withdraw everyone. Immediately.”

The Fist Emperor momentarily thought he’d misheard.

The Kunlun Martial Emperor he knew was bold and never backed down regardless of opponent; seeing him now wear an expression of fear was incomprehensible.

“What on earth do you mean?”

Meeting the Yin Monster’s gaze made the Kunlun Martial Emperor flinch, a nightmare from the Dunhuang crossroads village flashed to mind.

“With this level of force it’s impossible. Before a catastrophe occurs, pull everyone back.”

“I just can’t understand. With our current strength, even if the Evil Sect Alliance’s leader came, there’d be no escape.”

How could he speak of the indelible humiliation from the past?

All the Kunlun Martial Emperor could offer was the suggestion to withdraw.

“I cannot explain in detail. Hurry before it’s too late…”

“You know me well, don’t you? I don’t know the reason, but that cannot happen.”

The Kunlun Martial Emperor sighed and took a step back.

“If you persist to the end, the Kunlun Sect will withdraw from here.”

At his signal, three Taoists of the Kunlun Sect hurried over and stood at attention.

“Elder, are you really withdrawing?”

“Please reconsider this.”

Without a moment’s hesitation he turned his back.

“We are leaving. Do not ask the reason.”

The Fist Emperor watched the departing Kunlun Martial Emperor with a look of disbelief.

What could possibly be happening that the great Kunlun Martial Emperor would abandon his pride and retreat?

It was then.

The old man wearing the bamboo hat waved his arms and taunted him.

“Puhihi. Kwang-cheol, step aside quickly~ Seol is going in~”

The Fist Emperor Ma Kwang-cheol, a fearsome warrior who rose to the rank of an absolute with his two fists alone.

Who would dare call his name so casually?

Annoyed, the Fist Emperor knitted his brows tightly.

“You!!”

The Fist Emperor’s shape darted toward Jeong Hye like an arrow.

His forward-thrusting fist was wrapped in dark crimson force, with the vigor to level mountains.

Jeong Hye did not confront it but unfolded the Great Body-Shift Technique and slid back slightly.

And in the spot he had occupied, the approaching weird one had already thrust out a fist.

It looked like a small chestnut burr colliding with a rock.

The ensuing result surpassed imagination.

Kraaaash-!!!

Through the staggering roar someone let out a groan.

“Guh!”

The Fist Emperor staggered backward, his stance broken, while Yu Seol did not budge an inch.

All who watched were stunned.

The Fist Emperor had been overwhelmingly pushed back, and all from a fist.

The thought that he might be defeated lodged deeply in everyone’s minds.

Then an elder warrior who was the first to regain his wits shouted urgently.

“Attack all at once!!”

There was no longer any time to worry about face.

From all sides over fifty elite warriors of the Justice faction began to close the distance.

And at that moment.

Yu Seol and Jeong Hye were simultaneously enveloped in a golden radiance.

Whoosh-!

It was the Buddha Lion Roar technique and the Dharma Muscle Changing Technique.

The only difference was that the weird one had a halo of light around his head.

Back to back, the two raised their fists in unison.

“They won’t even let us offer rites… everything’s doomed.”

“Puhihihi!”

Immediately, a suffocating flurry of blows began centering on the pair.

Bang-!! Bam-bam-bam-!!!

One by one they were terrifying warriors capable of wielding powerful qi.

Dazzling flashes sparked endlessly as fierce winds howled without cease.

The peak opposite where Geumyang Temple stood.

Evil Sect elders gathered there watched with their mouths agape.

“W-what on earth is that situation?”

“…Why are the ones who went to lure them charging in?”

They had sent the two strongest among their group to lure them safely here. Yet why are they crawling into the Dragon’s mouth of their own accord?

It was a situation that defied common sense.

What was more astonishing was that the two showed not an inch of hesitation.

“Is the weird one really that strong, Yang Monster?”

“At that level they aren’t at the level of Supreme. Perhaps then…”

“…Could it be?”

Profound, the realm called Absolute Supremacy, a semi-immortal state that only noble and exalted beings at the pinnacle of martial arts could reach.

If the weird one were not such a master, there was no way to explain the current situation.

The Evil Sect elders trembled at the unrivaled martial display of the weird one.

“How could that be…”

“Profound realm, you say. It might be the first in the history of the Heterodox.”

While everyone was astonished, Baek Gyu pretended not to notice.

And Yu Jinsan pressed his forehead with his hand as if suffering a headache.

‘If one loses self-control, the other was supposed to hold them back.’

What had happened was clear without seeing: instead of restraining each other, they egged one another on and escalated the situation.

It was the outcome of the proud granddaughter and the reckless mad monk’s pairing.

With the situation thus, it was no time to remain idle. Only the thought of rushing to help his granddaughter consumed his mind.

Yu Jinsan quickly grasped the twin dragon spears he had brought in both hands.

“How long do you intend to just watch!?”

The Evil Sect finally snapped to attention.

They had never dreamed of a head-on duel, but now the situation was different.

First, Baek Gyu drew twin blades from his waist and shouted.

“Forget strategy — let’s go and wipe them out!”

Wasn’t this the perfect chance to strike at the backs of those flustered Justice faction guys? Truly an opportunity that might never come again.

Without hesitation, eight masters launched themselves into action.

And as they charged forth.

The head of the Black Cat Sect, who had been hiding in the temple, had already become a shadow and begun slashing with his blade.