The Moonlight Is Especially Beautiful (3)

Yu Jinsan drew his final breath while sheltering his body behind a pillar.

He even stopped breathing and froze every movement.

‘Twenty feet.’

It was the approximate distance to the approaching killer.

The grip on his Dragon Slaying Spear had grown damp with tension.

He hadn’t actually fought yet, but he couldn’t help being tense.

After all, this was a notorious figure who had run rampant in the martial world since the days he himself used to be active.

Back then he wouldn’t have even dreamed of meeting him head-on.

But now the story was different.

‘Ten feet.’

Yu Jinsan lowered his stance and stared upward.

Judging from the information his granddaughter had given, it must be Ma Gwang-yun, the Black Snake among the Twin Snake Demons.

It was well known in the murim world that he had mastered the Undying Black Qi Cultivation, making most attacks ineffective.

Yu Jinsan had also mastered Shaolin’s supreme technique, the Vajra Indestructible Divine Arts, to eighty percent proficiency, so there was no reason for him to be afraid.

He was a matchable opponent unless one was an absolute master who had reached the extreme pinnacle.

‘Five feet!’

A tiny sound, no more than a bird’s wingbeat, was approaching.

Yu Jinsan focused every nerve so as not to miss it.

His knees bent as if a spring were gathering power.

And a moment later.

His eyes finally caught the opponent’s figure for the first time.

It was from the rooftop across from him.

An old man in deep black with white hair flying was leaping toward another pavilion.

‘Now!’

Yu Jinsan’s body sprang off the ground.

Swoosh-!!

Leaping with all his strength, he darted like an arrow toward the opponent’s flank.

He looked like an arrowhead approaching to pierce a raven’s side.

Ma Gwang-yun was startled by the sudden ambush.

“Gasp!?”

Where could he possibly dodge in midair?

Without time to assess the situation, he frantically raised the blade he was gripping.

But this strike was a heavy, powerful attack saturated with Yu Jinsan’s inner strength.

Two kinds of fierce qis collided in the sky, emitting a thunderous roar.

Kraaaash-!!!

Losing his stance, Ma Gwang-yun was flung away like a kite in the wind.

It was the sound of Ma Gwang-yun’s back colliding with the wall of the opposite pavilion.

This was no time to groan — he was finally seeing his opponent properly: a fierce little figure flying at him, gripping a spear.

To his annoyance, it seemed as if the child were mocking him.

With a triumphant expression, Yu Jinsan hurled his Dragon Slaying Spear.

Yu Family Wind Slaying Spear — Seventh Form: One-Light Extreme Flash.

A streak of red light shot like lightning toward the opponent’s left chest.

It was a form that could not be stopped unless one was very experienced.

He thought it would finish him in one blow, but Ma Gwang-yun, as expected, was not an easy opponent.

Clenching his teeth, he used all his strength to raise his blade.

Kahng-!

Defense from an unstable posture could never be perfect.

The blade Ma Gwang-yun was holding was knocked away; the heavy impact caused him to lose his weapon.

Seizing the advantage, Yu Jinsan pressed the attack once more.

‘All right. Let’s see you try to stop this too!’

The spear tip, soaring high into the sky, came down vertically toward the opponent’s shoulder.

For the man who had lost his weapon, there was no means of defense.

Yu Jinsan was certain of victory.

That was, until he saw both of his opponent’s hands enveloped in a murky dark aura.

‘Undying Black Qi Cultivation?’

It was the terrifying demonic arts he’d only heard of by rumor.

Its power in person exceeded imagination — enough to even try to catch his spear with bare hands.

His worry soon became reality.

To catch a spear charged with force using bare hands — as if his hands were made of hardened steel. It was absurd.

If he’d known, he would have finished it with a piercing, sharp form.

Regret washed over him, but it didn’t mean there were no options; he could press with inner power.

Whether the spear was gripped or not, he intended to ram into the shoulder.

Veins bulged on Ma Gwang-yun’s forehead; he was holding on with his life on the line.

At that moment both their feet touched the ground simultaneously — they’d finished clashing in midair and landed.

Because of his disadvantage in size, Yu Jinsan ended up in an awkward stance.

“Let go, you bastard!”

They strained against each other, each trying to snatch the spear away.

Ma Gwang-yun too was a formidable master who had been active in the martial world for over half a century.

It didn’t look like this would end easily.

Then they had no choice but to change tactics.

Yu Jinsan first released the spear shaft and drove into the opponent’s chest — to launch a surprise attack.

His clenched fist twisted into the opponent’s abdomen like a spike.

It was the Hundred Step Divine Fist, its destructive power enhanced by his granddaughter.

Originally a technique that strikes from afar with a palm wind, when used in close quarters its power doubles.

The attack had clearly landed, but something was off.

The sensation under his fist felt different from usual — it hadn’t delivered a proper impact.

The Undying Black Qi Cultivation — true to its name, a demonic arts said to be impervious to any attack.

Just as Yu Jinsan was momentarily taken aback by that power, Ma Gwang-yun’s counterattack began for the first time.

A long strike shrouded in black air smashed into his chest.

Swoooosh-!!

In an instant, golden qi manifested over the struck area and absorbed the blow.

When Yu Jinsan took no serious damage, Ma Gwang-yun was noticeably startled.

How could he have known his opponent had trained the Vajra Indestructible Divine Arts?

They paused their attacks and looked at each other for a moment.

“Yang Monster… why are you here?”

It seemed Ma Gwang-yun had also recognized his identity.

They were the Yin Yang Twin Monsters who stirred up trouble wherever they went, from Shaanxi to Henan, so it wasn’t surprising.

“I came to catch you; do you think I came out for a leisurely stroll?”

“So you were the one who laid the trap here. As the rumors said, you’re a treacherous one.”

Yu Jinsan frowned as if displeased.

“I never thought I’d live to hear the demons will call me treacherous.”

In the past, he would have been too ashamed to lift his head.

But now it didn’t matter. He was no longer a member of the Justice Faction who only shouted righteousness with his mouth.

Meanwhile Ma Gwang-yun furtively rolled his eyes left and right; fear was hidden in his gaze.

It wasn’t because of the trackers closing in around them.

If the Yang Monster was here, of course the Yin Monster would have come as well.

He couldn’t help but worry about the safety of the other serpent leader, the Red Snake, one of the Twin Snake Demon.

He could not be unaware of the terrifying reputation of the Yin Monster.

“No need to look around like that. The old woman who came with you is probably dead by now.”

A dark murderous gleam appeared in Ma Gwang-yun’s eyes.

How could he remain calm when his lifelong partner was dead?

“You bastard!”

His demeanor seemed to have abandoned any will to live.

Escape was impossible.

Dozens of trackers were approaching from all sides; among them were top warriors of the Evil Sect Alliance. The sharp-eyed Ma Gwang-yun had already noticed this.

And on top of that, the terrifying Yin Monster must be somewhere nearby.

He was already like a mouse trapped in a jar.

“No one step forward.”

At Yu Jinsan’s word, the approaching warriors stopped and formed a perimeter.

He intended to have a proper bout with Ma Gwang-yun — secretly he wanted to see how the Undying Black Qi Cultivation matched against the Vajra Indestructible Divine Arts.

Then Ma Gwang-yun muttered in an angry voice.

“Yang Monster… I won’t take you alone.”

Yu Jinsan’s face was full of composure, enough to taunt his opponent.

“Trying to die together with me? Not a chance, you fool.”

At that moment Ma Gwang-yun launched his attack first.

A reckless surprise attack that ignored defense; he seemed eager to finish the fight before the Yin Monster appeared.

Yu Jinsan did not retreat and stepped forward.

He too abandoned defense and delivered a long strike to the opponent’s abdomen.

Skrreek-! Kraaang-!!

“Ugh!”

Aside from a slight groan, neither seemed to have taken serious damage.

And from there, a brutal exchange finally ensued.

Both hands, shrouded in a murky hue, focused on striking Yu Jinsan’s face and torso.

Yu Jinsan doggedly stayed close and rained down Yu family Heaven-and-Earth Palm and the Hundred Step Divine Fist on his abdomen.

Kraang-! Skreeek-! Krak-krak-!!

They were in close quarters, wildly throwing fists and techniques; both even employed the Thousand Pound Hammer as if refusing to yield an inch.

Those watching from afar were stunned by the desperate scene.

It was a clash between the Vajra Indestructible Divine Arts at eighty percent proficiency and the Undying Black Qi Cultivation that had reached its extreme.

There was no sign the duel would end soon.

A relentless brawl continued with not an inch of backing down.

It was around the time they’d each taken dozens of blows.

With a violent crash, they both stepped back two paces.

They paused briefly to catch their breath.

But the clash they expected to resume immediately did not start.

They themselves must have known that continuing like this would not end it.

Then, suddenly both their heads turned to the side at the same time.

“You don’t need any help?”

Yu Seol was crouched between them, resting her chin on her hand. When had she approached without a sound?

Her presence here meant she had already subdued the Red Snake. As expected, she had not a scratch.

Yu Jinsan hesitated for a moment.

Should he keep insisting on proving himself, or choose the easy path?

So far neither had gained the upper hand.

If it went to the end, one of them would have to collapse from exhaustion first for it to finish.

‘It’s pointless any longer.’

There was no answer this way — unless they fought with weapons and violent qi.

But there was no reason to risk that.

He had already achieved his intended goal and gained a satisfying result: a duel with the Undying Black Qi Cultivation, which had reached its extreme despite only eighty percent training of the Vajra technique.

The supreme Shaolin art passed down by the renegade monk was indeed remarkable.

“Enough.”

Yu Jinsan raised his left hand as if to show he no longer intended to fight.

He broke his stubbornness because he didn’t want to be seen being beaten in front of his granddaughter.

As he tried to withdraw, Ma Gwang-yun asked urgently.

“Where do you think you’re going, stopping the fight! Didn’t you say you’d settle this one-on-one with me!?”

“Hm. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never said that.”

“…What do you mean?”

Yu Jinsan folded his hands behind his back, stepped over beside Yu Seol, and muttered.

“Substitution.”

Ma Gwang-yun, looking bewildered, stammered as he asked back.

“W-what did you say!?”

He knew he had no hope fighting the Yin Monster — indeed, the concept of a fight didn’t even apply to such an opponent.

But Ma Gwang-yun had no choice.

Yu Jinsan, who had already stepped back, turned his back and looked up at the sky.

“Hm. Tonight the moonlight is really beautiful.”

There was no need to watch the outcome closely.

Having lost interest, Yu Jinsan watched a meteor streaking down beneath the moon.

Savoring the ringing in his ears from Ma Gwang-yun’s ensuing scream…….