The Thing That Had To Come Has Arrived (2)

Kwang!

With a roar, Pungho and Wol Ah-Song fell simultaneously.

“Kuaak!”

“Ack!”

Shock registered on the faces of the two who lost their balance. The difference in power was overwhelming. It felt as though they were pitted against an insurmountable wall.

Jong Hyun, the Wudang sect disciple who was observing them, lowered his sword with a puzzled expression.

“How did you manage to kill my disciples with such inadequate skills? What tricks did you use?”

Ten Wudang Sect disciples had disappeared in this land. Weren’t there three first-class disciples among them?

Although there wasn’t an exceptional warrior among them compared to him, they were not a force that the bandits could easily defeat.

Pungho spat out blood and smirked.

“Trick? I simply beheaded them!”

“Can’t you just tell the truth?!”

They were bandits both in name and identity. They couldn’t afford to back down now.

Wol Ah-Song, the leader of the Biho bandits, provoked him once more.

“Damned man. I’ll send you to the other side soon. Ask them in person how all this happened.”

Jong Hyun exuded an intense killing intent. It seemed as though merely fighting against the bandits was an affront to his pride.

“Let’s see if you can keep talking so confidently. Don’t expect a quick death.”

It was a threat of a painful demise.

If their force were suppressed, it would be the end. Wol Ah-Song frowned as if he wouldn’t be defeated and retorted.

“Even if you step on a mountain bug, it won’t die, you moron!”

Although it didn’t feel like it, attacking first was their only chance of victory. If they were on the defensive, they wouldn’t be able to break free.

As Pungho and Wol Ah-Song charged simultaneously, Jong Hyun sneered.

At that moment, a white, mist-like qi appeared on the blade he was holding. It was sword qi in a very pure form.

This faint form appeared on the blades of Pungho and Wol Ah-Song, but they seemed too unstable to be identified as sword qi.

Kwaang!

Every time their swords clashed, groans escaped only from Pungho and Wol Ah-Song.

It felt as though their wrists would break down from the disparity in internal qi, and internal wounds started to accumulate in them.

“Kuak!”

“Ack!”

It was quite clear that if this continued, they wouldn’t last much longer. They knew it, too. If the Wudang warrior decided to fight earnestly, they would already have been on the ground.

He was slowly exerting pressure on them without inflicting severe wounds, as if he were in a game.

The situation was so bizarre that it wouldn’t have been surprising if they collapsed at any moment.

In that moment of desperation, a strand of hair on the back of Jong Hyun’s neck suddenly stood up.

Slash!

With the sound of something being cut, Jong Hyun’s form stumbled momentarily. At the same time, he frowned because the person who attacked him from behind was an enemy.

“How dare you?!”

Hyun Hee widened the distance with a dark look on her face. She attempted a surprise attack, but the only thing she cut was his uniform.

By no means was it a weak attack. It was a last-minute evasion.

She stood shoulder to shoulder with the two leaders, sword in hand.

“Unfortunate. I thought it would work.”

Jong Hyun looked dumbfounded at this.

“Wh-what did you just say?”

“You heard me, right?”

At that moment, one of the bandits around called out to her.

“Commander, your sword!”

Wheik!

Hyun Hee snatched the sword that was thrown in the air and aimed it at Jong Hyun without hesitation.

“… Wh-what? Commander?”

He couldn’t comprehend the absurdity of the situation. The second-class disciple of Wudang was now a member of the bandits? This was a disgrace that Wudang could never forget.

“It’s better than being in Wudang, right? There’s no need to worry about how Sasuk is feeling.”

Jong Hyun gripped his sword, his hand trembling with anger.

“Let’s assume there was no mention of taking you to Mount Wudang.”

This meant that he would kill her too, who was a disciple of Wudang, with his own hands.

The three of them, including her, adjusted their forms and stood to face him. The situation didn’t seem hopeful. Above all, weren’t they in a situation where they were all fighting to death? It was doubtful if the joint attack would even work.

This time, Jong Hyun’s attack began first. It was because he didn’t want to extend this any longer.

The tip of his sword drew a circle and then swept across their three bodies at the same time.

It was a different kind of offense from before, and the three had to do their best to fight the enemy.

Kwang!

“Kuak!”

“Ack!”

In a single move, three of them got thrown back at the same time.

At that moment, Jong Hyun’s feet stopped, and he quickly approached Wol Ah-Song, who was closest. His attacks didn’t stop.

Kwang!

In just one clash, his sword rose, and Jong Hyun’s blade struck him in the stomach.

Puak!

“Kuak!”

Jong Hyun, who pulled back the sword, waited for the man to fall and then went to his next target, Pungho.

It was a different movement than before. When he stepped, it felt like he was leaving afterimages.

Next, his sword qi filled with killing intent, rushed to his chest without another thought.

Pungho, who couldn’t even correct his form, sensed his end. And in just a split second, a gust of wind came, which pierced right between the two of them.

Swish!

The blade of a spear, which appeared in the blink of an eye, was shining red.

Soon, the sword qi and spear qi collided with a strong roar.

Chung!

Jong Hyun took a step back, and in front of him, an old man came with a spear in hand.

“He isn’t your opponent, so step back.”

All of the bandits who had been surrounding him were very moved by Yu Jinsan’s appearance. His presence was like a light that came into darkness that didn’t have a single light.

“E-Elder?”

“Are you here to help?”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Yu Jinsan sighed at their tearful eyes.

“Your affection is too much… This is the last time, so don’t like it too much.”

Regardless, the bandits cheered for Yu Jinsan, and Jong Hyun frowned in front of him. At this critical time, an old man with a child tied to him appeared and stopped the fight, a development Jong Hyun didn’t appreciate.

“You were responsible for the death of the Sajaes.”

Yu Jinsan nodded.

“My name is Yu Jinsan. I don’t know what the Kangho of these days is like, but back in the day when I was active, we used to introduce ourselves before a fight.”

Jong Hyun slowly studied the man.

Although he seemed a bit old to be active, this man didn’t appear to be a bandit. His neat white hair and beard gave him a saintly aura.

And behind him was a child who seemed to be two or three years old, smiling over his shoulder.

“Harmonious Growth Sword, Jong Hyun. Remember this name because I will cut off your head.”

His attitude was slightly different from when he dealt with the bandits. He might have judged that this old man was worth the effort.

“I see… Such a cool title.”

After saying that, the two assumed their stances.

At the instructions of Pungho, the surrounding bandits widened the distance. This was because getting closer would only hinder their movement.

“Go, Elder!”

“You will definitely win!”

But the bandits’ cheers didn’t reach his ears. All of Yu Jinsan’s senses were focused on his spear and his opponent.

He appeared calm as he slowly pulled out his spear and lowered his stance, but inside, he was truly shocked because Jong Hyun seemed more skilled than he had expected.

He was on a different level from the Wudang Sect Taoists he had dealt with until then.

‘I need to win within three clashes.’

Three clashes. A moment when his body had the best stamina in its current condition. If the fight lasted longer, his chances of winning would decrease.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew between the two, heightening the tension.

Wheeing!

The moment Yu Jinsan’s white hair fluttered in the wind, his toes touched the ground. He ran towards his opponent as if he couldn’t afford to lose.

In a split second, the tip of his spear turned slightly and struck right in the center of the Taiji circle he had formed.

Tsk!

Since it was a head-on fight, the impact was significant on both sides. They pushed against each other, not even having time to breathe.

Yu Jinsan gritted his teeth and stepped forward with his left foot. Simultaneously, his spear rotated in the opposite direction, rushing fiercely towards his opponent.

Swish!

The blade of the spear, shrouded in a red mist, was poised to split his opponent in two. However, his opponent wasn’t that weak.

The oncoming sword morphed into illusions, moving with the speed of lightning.

Thung-!!!

“Euk!”

“Kuaak!”

Groans escaped from both their mouths.

In a fight, it was common to catch one’s breath and prepare for the next move after each attack.

But at that moment, Yu Jinsan didn’t even have time to breathe.

‘Last one!’

He knew he had to put everything on the line for this. The red qi on his spear shone brightly. Jong Hyun, sensing the other man’s intentions, pulled his sword over his shoulder.

Hyun Hee flinched, noticing how his sword trembled. She realized how deadly this sword technique could be.

Part of her wanted to warn the old man, but was there even time for that?

‘…No.’

So she set her concerns aside as the two men closed the distance.

Kaaang!

They clashed like magnets, then fell apart and stumbled simultaneously. Jong Hyun’s shoulder was covered in blood. He had suffered a stab wound.

And Yu Jinsan wasn’t entirely unscathed either. Blood flowed down his left arm. His left arm had been crushed by the sword qi.

With his left arm injured, he couldn’t swing his spear with one hand. To make matters worse, Jong Hyun didn’t seem like he would miss this opportunity.

Swish!

The sword qi cut through the wind as if it were going to kill him instantly.

Yu Jinsan swiftly turned his upper body to the right, and his chest sank as the sword qi passed in front of his chest by an inch.

Pang!

The attacks continued, and dodging was all he could do. As it was, he had no answer now. He needed to come up with some way.

‘Is that the only way?’

As soon as there was a small gap, the sword would be thrust in to kill him.

It seemed like this young Taoist wanted to kill the man at any cost, even if it meant getting hurt a little.

The rising sword blade rushed fiercely.

Even though his left shoulder was in a bad state, he planned to take advantage of this last chance.

But the results that followed were completely unexpected.

Kuak!

Jong Hyun’s sword, which was moving swiftly like lightning, stopped in the air.

And then his eyes opened wide, as if his eyeballs would fall out. This was because an unbelievable sight occurred.

The child’s left hand was resting on Yu Jinsan’s shoulder. And her small fingers were holding the blade of the sword.

What was even more shocking was that the sword wouldn’t budge.

Jong Hyun’s eyes shook.

‘…Wh-what?! Why isn’t the sword moving?!’

He was clearly shocked.

He tried to pull back the sword, but the blade was stuck there as if it were wedged between two rocks.

At that moment, the child on the old man’s back licked her lips.

“Grapa, are you hurt?”