Chapter 178

Chapter 178
Chapter 178. The Black Flame Dragon Who Devours a Sea of Blood (8)

“What in the world… Is that creature really an Iron Corpse Puppet?”

Nam Hwa-seong questioned, his expression completely frozen in shock.

I replied, feeling utterly incredulous.

“Is it not perfectly obvious from its appearance?”

The monster’s limbs jerked with unnatural rigidity, and its flesh possessed the texture of solid rock. Although it ranked as the lowest class among the Jiangshi created by the Demonic Path that once plunged the realm into ruin, an entity like this would still strike sheer terror into the hearts of current warriors should it walk the earth. It was inevitable to recognize it. Throughout the historical Great Righteous-Demonic War, the single greatest source of casualties among the martial arts community had been none other than this very Iron Corpse Puppet.

Nam Hwa-seong bellowed, though his fingers shook uncontrollably.

“You’re the abnormal one for identifying it instantly! I—I’ve never encountered such a monster before!”

“Regardless, you put in a solid effort.”

The man genuinely merited commendation. He had accomplished far more than my original instructions required. It was clear he was fiercely determined to acquire those Demon-Subduing Talismans.

“Excellent work. In accordance with our agreement, I shall grant you five Demon-Subduing Talismans.”

“To hell with that…! Keep them!”

What a thoroughly deceitful fellow. He had always behaved in this unreliable manner, a direct consequence of associating with a rogue like Cheol Sun-jik.

I gripped the already strained cord of the Flying Dragon Claw and yanked it with greater force. The Iron Corpse Puppet thrashed against its restraints, fixed its gaze upon me, and charged forward with feral rage. Without hesitation, I vaulted over its frame, spinning the Flying Dragon Claw to hoist the heavy mass of the Iron Corpse Puppet straight into the air.

CRACK. BOOM!

Plunged skull-first into the dirt, the Iron Corpse Puppet violently resisted.

CRUMBLE, CRUMBLE.

It tore through the nearby earth and stones as though they were nothing but soft mire, dragging itself free before resuming its assault with that absurd, bouncing stride.

BOING. BOING. BOING. BOING.

Much like how these Iron Corpse Puppets served as an absolute horror to low-ranking combatants during my past life, encountering an Iron Corpse Puppet now remained a deeply unsettling ordeal. Completely devoid of intellect and impervious to agony, an Iron Corpse Puppet pressed onward to slaughter its targets without a shred of hesitation, indifferent to whether a shaft pierced its socket or a wave of Sword Qi cleaved its skull. That total lack of self-preservation was precisely what made it an absolute terror to any opponent.

“However, those memories belong strictly to the past!”

Clearing my mind of lingering anxieties, I executed the Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps and dashed directly at the Iron Corpse Puppet.

TAP TAP TAP TAP.

Confronted by an advanced movement technique that generated instantaneous afterimages in every direction, the Iron Corpse Puppet struck out blindly, its razor-sharp claws slicing through nothing but empty space.

Slipping smoothly behind the creature, I channeled a massive surge of internal energy and delivered a devastating kick to the rear of its skull.

THUD!

THUD.

An echo resembling the clash of boulders reverberated through the clearing, forcing both limbs of the Iron Corpse Puppet deep into the underlying dirt.

“Look at that fool attempting to bludgeon an Iron Corpse Puppet to death.”

Nam Hwa-seong, wiping a fresh smear of coughed-up blood from his lips, jeered in a petty attempt at retaliation, though his words failed to move me. A mere sparrow could never comprehend the grand designs of the Great Roc.

Twitch, twitch.

As the Iron Corpse Puppet writhed in an attempt to extricate its embedded limbs from the earth, I planted my foot firmly upon its spine, positioned the blade of the Black Dragon Sword against its frame, and raised the weapon like a lumberjack preparing to split logs. Right then, the loudmouthed sparrow chimed in once more.

“You simpleton! Everyone knows an Iron Corpse Puppet’s hide is impervious even to Sword Qi!”

For someone who had been shaking like a leaf and lamenting his imminent demise a minute ago, he certainly possessed a loud voice. Casting a sharp glance at Nam Hwa-seong, I instructed,

“You seem perfectly lively. Get over here and assist me.”

“…Cough. M-My internal trauma is acting up…”

How could his internal wounds suddenly worsen when he hadn’t lifted a finger? Granted, Nam Hwa-seong’s claim held some truth; the hide of an Iron Corpse Puppet surpassed conventional steel in density. Severing such flesh demanded an implement forged from a material at least as resilient as Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.

“As luck would have it, the Black Dragon Sword bestowed upon me happens to be crafted from Diamond Indestructible Iron.”

I cloaked the Black Dragon Sword in a dense layer of Sword Force. Nam Hwa-seong, mid-cough, stared at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“A worthless wretch like you is capable of manifesting Sword Force?”

Nam Hwa-seong, you rascal, you clearly aren’t suffering from any real pain right now, are you?

Refocusing my attention entirely on the Iron Corpse Puppet, I brought the blade down with every ounce of my might.

DOOONG.

A reverberation akin to striking an enormous monastery bell jolted painfully through my palm. Despite heavily coating my hand with internal energy for protection, the sheer force of the collision vibrated straight through my skeleton.

Yet, the strike achieved its purpose; for the first time in its unnatural existence, the Iron Corpse Puppet seemed to register the peril of destruction, throwing itself into a frenzied panic.

PAPAPAPAK!

Yanking its limbs free, it thrashed wildly, obliterating the ground and causing the soil within a ten-foot radius to erupt outward.

BOOM!

The topsoil ripped apart completely, sending deeply buried debris raining down across the area. Leaping backward to evade the shockwave, I touched down right next to Nam Hwa-seong, who inquired with an anxious look,

“Does that creature seem… a bit enraged to you?”

“Wouldn’t you be furious if a portion of your neck had just been sliced open?”

“A-A portion was sliced…?”

Ignoring Nam Hwa-seong’s stammering, I activated the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, darting past the man in a flash. Dodging the sweeping claws of the Iron Corpse Puppet, I lashed out and wrapped its throat once more with the Flying Dragon Claw. Channeling a heavy concentration of internal energy into the rigid Heavenly Silkworm Thread, the wire tightened at an incredible speed.

In an instant, the frame of the Iron Corpse Puppet, which had been desperately attempting to shield its damaged nape, was hauled forward at a velocity exceeding my own, hurtling past me before crashing violently against the rocky precipice.

THUD.

Without losing a beat, I flooded the Black Dragon Sword with pure qi, unleashing a torrential barrage of Sword Qi.

This precise moment justified the immense quantities of Spiritual Medicine I had consumed earlier.

BOOM BOOM. BOOM BOOM MOOM. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.

Accompanied by a series of detonations so spectacular they brought an overwhelming sense of catharsis, fragments of stone and soil scattered in every direction.

Watching this monster—which I had so intensely loathed during my prior existence—reduced to a helpless, stationary target filled me with immense satisfaction, even as the reservoirs of internal energy within my Dantian began to deplete at an alarming pace.

CRASH.

Emerging from the rubble of shattered boulders, the Iron Corpse Puppet staggered to its feet, jerking awkwardly like a shattered marionette.

The trauma to its throat had clearly exacerbated during the onslaught, as the split in its neck had widened by an additional inch. Right then, Nam Hwa-seong pointed a trembling finger ahead in sheer dread.

“L-Look over there…”

I shook my head, offering a condescending smirk.

“Are you still ignorant? An Iron Corpse Puppet—”

“No, you idiot! I’m talking about those lunatics charging straight toward us!”

“…”

Evidently terrified that their prized Iron Corpse Puppet would be pulverized, the disciples of the Blood Cult were sprinting in our direction with desperate urgency.

“Tch… Of course I noticed.”

“Quit lying! You were completely oblivious!”

The annoying sparrow possessed sharp observation skills, if nothing else. Paying no heed to Nam Hwa-seong’s look, I turned around.

“Academy Student Il-gak.”

Il-gak, who had been staring blankly at our confrontation, suddenly jolted back to awareness. I locked my gaze with his.

“Can I leave that group to you?”

Il-gak cast a brief glance toward the approaching enemies and gave a firm nod.

“…Leave them to me, Benefactor.”

“I have repeatedly mentioned that I am no benefactor.”

Was he showing petty defiance simply because I referred to him as an Academy student rather than a Buddhist monk? Regardless of my spoken annoyance, Il-gak swiftly moved into action, intercepting and striking down the advancing Blood Cult forces. Though his reserves of Vajra Force were entirely depleted, a disciple of Shaolin remained a force to be reckoned with. He would undoubtedly secure an adequate window of time for me to finish off the Iron Corpse Puppet.

‘Now, as for my own target…’

Grrrrr.

The Iron Corpse Puppet emitted a low snarl reminiscent of a cornered predator, its former emotionless demeanor completely vanished. Indeed, having sustained such substantial injuries, it was bound to be single-mindedly obsessed with taking my life.

Abandoning its bizarre, skipping gait entirely, the Iron Corpse Puppet lunged forward with the velocity of a discharged arrow, closing the gap instantly.

BOOM!

Deploying the Lotus method against the incoming monster, I deflected its trajectory. The Iron Corpse Puppet hurtled past my position, slamming heavily into an area filled with solid boulders.

BOOM BOOM BOOM.

Pulverizing the stone formations as easily as bean curd, the creature dragged itself out from the tumbling debris and assumed a low stance once more. At this point, it possessed only a single, overriding objective: my demise.

“Indeed, I remember vividly how many lives your relentless nature claimed in the past.”

The images of the Sojeong Squad companions who perished due to this fiend, alongside those forced to abandon their allies, flashed through my mind. Regardless of how heavily we battered you or how fiercely our blades cut, we could only heap curses upon your existence because you simply refused to perish. It became normal for us to decide who would lay down their life first when facing you. It became normal to turn and run at your approach. You stood as the absolute most malevolent emblem of the Demonic Cult.

“That utter lack of emotion only infuriates me further.”

A perverted Demonic Beast fashioned from human flesh solely to slaughter mankind. Such an abominable raison d’être stifled even the slightest shred of compassion.

“Bring it on!”

BOOM!

The Iron Corpse Puppet launched itself from the terrain, hurtling forward like a projectile. Simultaneously, I charged directly at it.

KYAAAAH!

I lunged with the Black Dragon Sword toward the creature as it bared a maw slick with dark, putrid fluid.

CLANG!

The edge of the Black Dragon Sword struck its teeth, producing a sharp, ringing clang. It was truly a monstrosity, managing to withstand the momentum of my thrust using nothing but the sheer pressure of its bite.

Simultaneously, the creature attempted to tear me apart with its darkened talons.

SLASH. SLASH!

My dark martial arts attire ripped open under the pressure of its claws, yet I held my ground without flinching. Worn beneath my outer garments, the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Robe—a hidden heirloom of the Wang Estate—would safeguard me against the toxic talons of this Jiangshi.

“Had you possessed an ounce of intellect, your priority would have been removing this blade.”

My internal energy converged rapidly at the point of the Black Dragon Sword, materializing into brilliant Sword Qi. Imbued with this radiant, golden energy, the Black Dragon Sword immediately escalated its power, manifesting a potent Sword Force.

GRRRRKK.

Intuiting that something had gone terribly wrong, the Iron Corpse Puppet started shaking its skull in an attempt to break free.

“Far too late.”

Steadily pumping more internal energy into the weapon, I expanded the volume of the Sword Force significantly.

SQUELCH!

The shimmering Sword Force tore directly through the roof of its mouth, erupting out from the rear of its skull in a brilliant display of luminescence.

“KRAAAAAAAGH!”

Inverting the roles from my past life, I relentlessly drove the creature backward, refusing to yield a single step as I forced it into retreat. The Iron Corpse Puppet flailed its limbs uselessly, steadily losing ground until its back finally collided heavily with a solid stone face.

GRRRRKK.

Strangely enough, the gaze of the Iron Corpse Puppet appeared to quiver with genuine panic.

“Do you finally comprehend the terror of demise?”

KYAAAAAAH!

The creature offered another primal roar.

“Excellent. That pleases me greatly!”

Circulating the Taeul True Scripture to its absolute limit, I delivered a cleaving strike that severed the Iron Corpse Puppet down the center.

SPLIIIIIT…….

A dark seam traced its way from its skull all the way down to its groin, yet the resilient fiend still attempted to scratch at me.

KRAAAH…….

An instant later, a torrent of dark blood erupted like a geyser, and its frame parted completely into two sections.

THUD.

The remains hit the dirt listlessly. Cleaved entirely in two, the Iron Corpse Puppet finally became motionless.

Staring down at the gruesome remains of the creature, memories of the rascals from the Sojeong Squad unexpectedly filled my mind.

“…Ha. I suppose gazing at such an abominable monster naturally reminds me of you terrifying fools.”

An unbidden wave of nostalgia washed over my spirit.

Murong Jae-hwa, who had been assisting Il-gak in fending off the cultists advancing toward Jin So-un, spun around abruptly upon hearing a booming cry.

“UAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”

Locked in a brutal struggle against the Iron Corpse Puppet, Jin So-un paid no heed to the creature’s incoming talons, entirely consumed by his fanatical drive to destroy it.

‘If he absorbs that lethal Corpse Poison…’

Though he yearned to dash forward and provide backup, he recognized that he would currently be nothing more than a hindrance to Jin So-un. That reality remained unchanged. He was attempting to mimic the properties of the Thunderbolt Arrow using the projectiles provided by Jin So-un, yet his efforts lacked the decisive power needed to turn the tide of battle.

Had he successfully mastered the genuine Thunderbolt Arrow, would these crimson-clad cultists have presumed to draw near? Shaking away the doubts that threatened to paralyze him, Murong Jae-hwa pulled back the bowstring once more.

TWANG. WHIZZ—

BOOM.

The projectile detonated upon impact, dealing a devastating blow to the cultists. Seizing the opening, Il-gak plunged into their ranks, completely disrupting their movements and keeping them at bay. Yet, despite his attempts to calm his mind, Murong Jae-hwa could not banish his internal remorse.

‘Had I only mastered the Thunderbolt Arrow… if I had simply exerted myself a bit more…’

His senior would not have been forced to wage such an agonizingly perilous battle. Furthermore, he wouldn’t have needed to venture into this perilous abyss to rescue him. These reflections weighed heavily on his conscience.

‘What am I truly accomplishing here?’

Suddenly, the crimson-clad adversaries halted their advance. Exhibiting signs of hesitation, they began backing away, breaking off their engagement with Il-gak entirely.

‘What is happening?’

Following the collective gaze of the retreating cultists, he saw Jin So-un standing isolated, maintaining a brilliant shroud of golden Sword Force.

Tracing Jin So-un’s line of sight down to the earth, he beheld the Iron Corpse Puppet, cleanly halved and completely still.

‘Good heavens…’

Ultimately, his senior had managed to slay the fearsome Iron Corpse Puppet entirely by his own hand.

“Young Master Jae-hwa! The enemies are pulling back!”

Despite the joyful exclamation from Eun Seol-ran, Murong Jae-hwa found no cause for celebration. A deep sense of guilt toward Jin So-un consumed him, stemming from the realization that he had ultimately fallen short of the expectations placed upon him.

“Brother Jin!”

As the cultists initiated a full retreat, Eun Seol-ran emerged from her place of concealment, rushing forward to embrace Jin So-un. Following a brief exchange with Eun Seol-ran, Jin So-un turned to converse with Il-gak and Nam Hwa-seong.

“…”

Murong Jae-hwa initiated a step forward but immediately froze. He simply lacked the courage to draw near. Just then, a voice called out.

“Murong Jae-hwa!”

Jin So-un barked his name aloud.

“B-Brother…!”

Observing Jin So-un marching toward him with an intense expression, Murong Jae-hwa instinctively recoiled. Yet, he was too slow to dodge as Jin So-un suddenly grabbed his arm.

“Did you seriously continue drawing that bowstring despite your hand being completely shredded? Unbelievable!”

Jin So-un’s attention was fixed squarely on the lacerations covering Murong Jae-hwa’s right fingers. Inspecting the damage, Jin So-un gave a sharp click of his tongue.

“Tch. Granted, handling an iron bow for the first time was bound to cause this; acclimating to such a weapon is no swift task.”

With a sharp tear, he ripped a strip of cloth from his own attire, administered a coating of Golden Wound Medicine, and carefully bandaged the lacerated skin.

“Even so, you managed to hold the line using the ammunition I provided.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You seem completely unaware of just how many lives your actions preserved.”

Despite contributing only a minor effort with an unmastered technique, he was still receiving heartfelt commendation from Jin So-un. Murong Jae-hwa kept his gaze lowered, unable to look him in the eye. Jin So-un placed a reassuring hand on Murong Jae-hwa’s head, giving it a soft pat.

“You genuinely did an incredible job.”

“…”

Though his fingers throbbed with pain and his limbs felt entirely shattered, a sudden warmth and vitality seemed to course through his veins.

“It is time to return.”

With those simple words from Jin So-un, a profound sense of peace finally washed over Murong Jae-hwa.