Chapter 108 : True Education (4)

Chapter 108: True Education (4)

‘This is the true Blue Plum Blossom……!’

Sewoon genuinely admired the blue plum blossoms blooming splendidly before his eyes.

For a brief moment, he even forgot that he was in the middle of a duel.

It felt completely different from when he had awakened Do Yecheon at the Murim Alliance.

Of course, the sincere fighting spirit imbued in his sword and the will he now carried at its tip must have played a part.

‘It seems he has gained much insight since that day.’

Apparently, after confronting Sewoon who had gone berserk during the Kaifeng Blood Massacre, he had devoted himself even further to training.

Surely, he had deeply regretted not being able to fully unleash himself in that dire moment.

Sewoon felt proud as he witnessed the meaning contained in his opponent’s sword.

He could feel the tireless effort to reclaim all the lost years spent wandering in confusion.

But it was only for a moment.

‘That doesn’t mean I can just stand still and take the hit.’

Swaaa!

Along with the fragrant plum blossom scent that tickled the tip of his nose, Sewoon’s slowed vision quickly returned to normal.

Swaaek!

Chwaaa!

And within the beautiful figure of the Blue Plum Blossom wrought of qi, he saw the cruel blades hidden inside.

‘The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art!’

Sewoon immediately recognized the sword art being unleashed.

It bore many similarities to the sword form he had seen in his past life, when Do Yecheon was called the Heaven-Slaying Sword Ghost.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art was the very essence of Mount Hua.

Its difficulty was such that unless the practitioner possessed extraordinary perception and talent, even attempting it was beyond reach.

But if one had the qualifications, they could unleash sword techniques brimming with such overwhelming power as this.

Kwa-deuk!

Sewoon tightened his grip around the axe handle.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art was truly the pinnacle of illusionary mastery.

Unlike the many crude illusionary sword arts of the jianghu, which only focused on dazzling appearances to deceive and aim for fatal strikes,

Mount Hua’s sword was like a brush painting upon the heavens.

Mount Hua’s illusions always manifested into reality.

Kwa-ru-ru!

In the unique Blue Plum Blossom that Do Yecheon had newly created, each petal contained a power like that of a raging storm.

But Sewoon was not afraid at all.

He had already devised a perfect means of countering it.

‘At times, defense can become the greatest offense.’

Swaaa!

The poisonous qi mixed with the yin-cold qi of the Ice White Divine Art surged furiously through his entire body.

‘It’s done!’

Jang Sopyeong and the other Young Successors felt victory within their grasp as they saw the Blue Plum Blossom blooming in midair.

The five martial artists who had poured all their strength into this technique had already stepped back a pace.

Of course, their hearts longed to rush forward to aid Do Yecheon, but they could not.

‘It would only end up dragging him down.’

Numbers did not always guarantee strength.

When martial artists of the Transformation Realm clashed, those weaker who got caught in between could end up hindering their own side far more than helping.

As fellow martial artists, they felt bitter, but facts were facts.

Fights between Transformation Realm martial artists always brought tremendous aftershocks.

Even if it was a duel, unless prior arrangements were made, disasters could easily occur.

But the Blue Plum Blossoms dazzling their eyes seemed destined to bring calamity upon the Masked Man alone.

‘But since when did Yecheon advance his martial arts to such a level?’

The Young Successors exclaimed in awe at the refined Plum Blossom Sword Art.

It was their first time seeing such Blue Plum Blossoms, and the beauty of the swordsmanship, as well as its destructive force, left them breathless.

They instantly understood why Do Yecheon had requested the time between rounds.

Chwa-ra-ra!

Swaaaa!

At last, countless blue petals poured down upon the Masked Man like a heavy rainstorm.

‘Ahh!’

‘……Beautiful!’

It seemed like the legendary Myriad Blossoms Rain of the Sichuan Tang Clan had come to life.

They were certain this strike would finally land a proper blow upon the one who had disregarded them.

Swaaaa!

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, an entirely unexpected sight unfolded before their eyes.

Sreung!

Chwaaa!

Along the arc of the Great Axe slicing through the air, a mirage-like figure followed.

The Masked Man had begun wielding the Great Axe imbued with the profound mystery of illusion, just as Do Yecheon had with his sword.

Though it was immensely difficult for a weapon like the Great Axe, by nature one of weight, to manifest the mysteries of illusion.

Chwa-ra-ra!

The Masked Man, as if to show difficulty did not mean impossibility, painted his own picture with motions as graceful as Do Yecheon’s.

A ferocious snowstorm sweeping across a frozen wasteland.

Jjeo-jeo-jeok!

Jjeo-jeok!

The raging Blue Plum Blossoms were completely blocked by the Masked Man’s snowstorm.

For the span of three breaths, the Masked Man neither harmed nor subdued Do Yecheon.

At this moment, what he sought was only the Blue Plum Blossom.

A look of shock flashed in Do Yecheon’s eyes.

Swaaaa!

The current of the snowstorm swept the Blue Plum Blossoms, twisting their direction.

Chwa-ra-ra-ra!

Sge-ga-ga!

The deflected blossoms scattered not toward the Masked Man, but like a meteor shower flew toward the Young Successors.

“D-dodge it!”

The Young Successors began scrambling in panic.

Even after being deflected, the blossoms had lost none of their power, and a direct hit could cause serious injury.

But amid the chaos……

‘How is he doing this……?’

Only Ha Yeong’s eyes, for some reason, shone with a different light.

The reason was only one.

Because, before her eyes, her opponent was displaying a martial art far too familiar.

Yet that martial art was one he should never have been able to use.

‘……Could it be?’

Just as one thought surfaced in Ha Yeong’s mind—

Do Yecheon’s pupils trembled violently, as if struck by an earthquake, his hidden trump card having ended in a complete failure.

Moreover, when he saw his comrades endangered by his own scattering qi, even his composure wavered.

‘In this case, I must use the power of the Heaven-Slaying Star……!’

At the very moment he tried to draw upon the last resort he had sealed away in front of his comrades—

Puh-uk!

With a dull sound, a massive impact suddenly spread from the back of his neck.

The clarity faded swiftly from Do Yecheon’s eyes.

Thud.

And at once, his body collapsed to the ground.

“Hoo, persistent bastard.”

Behind the fallen Do Yecheon, the Masked Man had appeared without anyone noticing.

Like a flash of lightning, the Masked Man had struck the back of Do Yecheon’s neck with the end of his axe handle, rendering him unconscious.

Thus, the only Transformation Realm martial artist among the Young Successors was subdued far too easily.

The Masked Man casually set his axe down to the side and dusted off both hands.

As if nothing had happened, his composure overflowed.

Soon, his gaze shifted toward the remaining five Young Successors.

“Now then, the promised three moves are over.”

At his words, all the Young Successors felt a chill down their spines.

They all instinctively realized it.

The prey had turned into the predator.

Kwa-deuk!

Pabat!

In an instant, the Masked Man stomped the ground and charged with ferocity.

The reinforced floor of the training hall shattered under his step.

“Everyone, be careful—!”

Seeing the enemy fly at them like a whirlwind, Peng Daeho shouted at once.

Papap!

“You’re too late.”

To their shock, he had already arrived at his side.

Swaaaek!

Without a trace of hesitation, Peng Daeho swung his saber, wrapped in fierce qi, at his opponent.

Hsss!

But his blade only cut through the faint afterimage of the shadow-like opponent.

‘Afterimage?!’

It was Shifting Form, Exchanging Position, said to appear only at the highest mastery of movement arts.

Swaaaek!

The last sound Peng Daeho heard was an unknown tearing noise.

Wham!

With the flat of the crescent-shaped axe blade, his abdomen was struck with great force.

Puh-ung!

A bursting sound echoed loudly as Peng Daeho’s body vanished from the training hall floor.

Kururuk!

Kwaaang!

After rolling across the ground, he crashed brutally against one end of the wall.

With just one strike, Peng Daeho also lost consciousness and lay motionless, leaving the Young Successors utterly shocked.

“Ho, to think you still have the composure to worry about others in this mess?”

Seizing that very instant, the Masked Man lunged toward his next prey.

The Masked Man was like a wild, untamed beast.

His next target was Namgung Baek.

Pajit!

From Namgung Baek’s sword, clenched between his teeth, surged a sharp, blue lightning qi.

Just as he was about to unleash it—

Swaaaek!

‘What the?!’

The Masked Man suddenly stretched out his free hand and grabbed the blade itself.

Pajijijik!

Naturally, the dreadful lightning qi surged straight into his opponent’s meridians.

“Not bad. A little tingling.”

The Masked Man spoke as if nothing had happened.

The hand gripping the sword had turned pale white, coated with frost.

In that instant of Namgung Baek’s shock—

Puh-uk!

With another dull thud, Namgung Baek’s body went limp and collapsed.

Jang Sopyeong, witnessing the scene, widened his usually narrow eyes in disbelief.

‘……So what he showed before wasn’t his full strength?’

Compared to when he had only defended for three moves, this was another level of skill and power entirely.

At least thirty percent—

No, more than fifty percent of his strength had been hidden from them.

‘Just who in the world is this man……!’

Jang Sopyeong could not help but question who exactly their Alliance Leader had brought as their captain.

It was a use of yin-cold qi he had never seen before.

Even the Palace Head of the North Sea Ice Palace, ruler of the Outer Regions, might have difficulty employing such application.

Thud.

And in that moment, Tang Serin and Do Ha-yeong also collapsed side by side onto the ground.

Step, step.

“Now only you remain.”

Walking through the fallen bodies of the Young Successors scattered across the training hall, the Masked Man approached Jang Sopyeong.

The aura he exuded was like that of a mighty Heavenly King of Buddha.

Though their defeat was already certain, Jang Sopyeong’s eyes still refused to yield.

Wuuung!

Swaaaah!

Though the qi left in his dantian had reached its limits, he drew forth every last drop.

From both of his palms, qi roared like a storm.

“I like those fighting eyes of yours.”

“Shut up!!”

Tadat!

Stamping down with full force, Jang Sopyeong charged forward.

Closing the distance in an instant, he leapt up and once again unleashed the Descending Dragon Eighteen Palms at the Masked Man.

But the Masked Man, not even bothering to block, muttered softly.

“But staring at me with those eyes…… I can’t tolerate that.”

The moment he finished speaking, he thrust out his right fist with the speed of lightning descending from the heavens.

Kwa-ruuung!

A sound like an explosion rang out, and a dizzying impact struck his face.

At the same time, Jang Sopyeong’s vision flipped upside down.

‘Huh, why is the sky on the ground…….’

And finally, his vision was swallowed by pitch darkness.