Chapter 349

Chapter 349
## Chapter 349. Revenge (5)

—

In my previous life, my mental image of Je-geum-hak was that of a classic schemer operating from the darkness. He was the sort of individual who plotted all kinds of malicious strategies while keeping one side of his face cast in shadow and the other obscured by a fan, wearing a cryptic smirk.

When I encountered Je-geum-hak face-to-face in this lifetime—possessing a smooth countenance that seemed to have stepped right out of a portrait of an elegant nobleman—an uncontrollable rage boiled inside me. This was the man who had managed to assassinate Je-gal-so-myeong, the leader of the Murim Alliance, thereby playing a major role in accelerating the Alliance’s downfall. I had every right to be furious.

Moreover, his characteristically slippery and excessively tranquil demeanor only added fuel to my anger. Wouldn’t the distinct nonchalance displayed by a scoundrel who had inherited everything from birth naturally grate on the nerves of someone who started with nothing but his own two feet? That was precisely how it felt.

“Jin— So— un—”

Yet looking at him now, staring intently while shifting his eyeballs that barely remained in their sockets like a mismatched, horrifying pair—

“*Umm*….”

The rage didn’t boil up nearly as intensely as it had during our initial meeting. It was likely due to the fact that I had grown far more powerful than I was back then. Yes, that had to be the reason. Even though it was a gruesome visage that made one hesitant to even glance at it, for some reason, it was far more tolerable to behold than his earlier pristine appearance. Perhaps it was because his face now truly reflected his foul, underhanded plots.

Observing his clumsily twitching left arm and the solitary eyeball that seemed to drift independently of his control from time to time, the sight could have been deeply unsettling. However, my feelings no longer wavered because of his physical appearance. In fact, it was rather fitting….

“*Ahem*…!”

Even when we previously parted ways, I suspected our paths would cross again eventually. But to think we would meet once more under these circumstances, in such a condition. I regarded the man with a mocking gaze and inquired.

“Did you enjoy the token I passed along to you last time?”

Both of Je-geum-hak’s eyes shuddered violently as if they might roll back into his head.

“I— I received it clearly— If you comprehended what I— have orchestrated for yo— u, you would be as— tonished.”

His finger gestured toward the Sa-hwal-dan. Ha, does this fool take me for some helpless bystander?

*Swish—*

A brilliant flash erupted from the point of the Red Light Sword, and a lone streak of light surged forward, aiming to pierce Je-geum-hak’s throat. The man was so oblivious that he failed to even pivot his head in time. Just as I unleashed my blade with maximum power to sever his neck before he could attempt any underhanded maneuvers—

*Kachow—*

His familiar [Ice Barrier] manifested around his frame. Just like in our past encounters, the man was prone to carelessness. Furthermore, my current condition was one where my inner energy had elevated to a transcendent level compared to the era of the Four Black Lotus (**Sa-heuk-ryeon**). Right as I prepared to shatter the frost in a single thrust and take his head—

*Clang.*

The Red Light Sword, which was boring through the Ice Barrier, came to an abrupt halt a mere fraction of an inch from Je-geum-hak’s throat.

“What….”

“Idiotic— fool—!”

Je-geum-hak let out a distorted smirk and snapped his fingers. In that exact instant.

“Get back!!!”

*Boom, boom, boom!*

Accompanying a thunderous blast, a column of blazing fire erupted from within the ranks of the Sa-hwal-dan.

“Aaargh!”

“Cough!”

“*Urgh*!”

Agonized shrieks echoed from those who already found it agonizing to stir due to their previous wounds.

*Tug, tug—*

I attempted to wrench my blade free, but it remained completely stationary, as though embedded within solid obsidian.

“Did you— assume I would be— bested just like— before—!!”

A grating sound resembling scraping metal burst forth, and crimson fluid began to seep from his glaring eyes. I channeled my internal reserves and forced the energy directly into the Red Light Sword. A brief gap manifested between the frozen wall and the Red Light Sword that was wedged fast within the ice. The moment the Red Light Sword loosened slightly, I yanked the blade with all my might while simultaneously imparting a spinning momentum by focusing that power.

*Swish—*

I attempted to rotate completely and decapitate Je-geum-hak.

*Clang.*

Once more, his typical [Ice Barrier] materialized out of nowhere and obstructed the blade.

*Crack, crack.*

No, it didn’t merely stop at blocking.

*Swoosh—*

It unleashed its freezing aura, attempting to engulf the Red Light Sword entirely.

‘The sub-zero energy has grown even more potent?’

When I witnessed it during the encounter with the Four Black Lotus, the [Ice Barrier] functioned strictly as a defensive tool. That technique, which used to be nothing more than a temporary shield, was somehow retaining an even more fierce freezing force and locking everything in ice.

*Clang! Clang! Clang, clang, clang!*

Furthermore, its durability had augmented past comprehension. It wasn’t at a point where it was immune to being sliced by sword-light, but the compressed layers of ice exhibited a defensive capability that made even refined iron seem fragile. The swiftness with which it manifested and vanished was so intense that regardless of how frequently I shattered it, my blade ultimately failed to reach his flesh.

“What sort of trick is this——.”

The reality was that the [Ice Barrier] had evolved past a simple protective charm and had transformed into a mechanism for retaliation. What precisely had occurred to this fellow during the period we were apart?

Simultaneously, Je-geum-hak was snapping his fingers and launching assaults on the academy disciples. Five small embers leaping from his hand plunged directly among the Sa-hwal-dan combatants and instantly ignited, consuming the very air.

*Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!*

Columns of flame erupted once more. Damn it, that bastard……!

As though he were doing it intentionally, the man persisted in targeting the academy disciples without granting me so much as a glance. A few individuals among the academy disciples leapt forward to try and strike Je-geum-hak, but the torrents of fire erupting from Je-geum-hak’s alternate hand were far too hazardous, leaving them in a state where they could not safely draw near.

I instantly summoned the power of the Great Sun Monkey. The fiery essence flooding into the Red Light Sword began to steadily elevate the weapon’s temperature. The crimson glow that originated from the center of the edge spread across the entire blade. Before long, the whole length of the Red Light Sword was colored a vibrant scarlet, looking exactly like a piece of metal fresh from a blacksmith’s forge.

Because the ambient temperature had been heavily dropped by Je-geum-hak’s frost techniques, the air surrounding the edge instantly vaporized and produced thick vapor. The moment the Red Light Sword, thrusting forward while trailing a pale streak, smashed into the [Ice Barrier]—

*Crack, crack——*

Fissures developed across the dense Ice Barrier, and it immediately began to fracture.

‘I can shatter this……!’

And the moment I delivered another blow with the Red Light Sword.

*Pop!*

*Rumble.*

“How— dare— you—!”

Fragments of the shattered [Ice Barrier] broke apart and scattered across the dirt. As Je-geum-hak knitted his brows, the bindings that resembled dark leather crinkled, and crimson fluid dripped between them.

“Did you— master the Yang— Family Breathing— Technique—?!”

“Ah, it looked like you only half-mastered your skills last time. I perfected it specifically so I could thoroughly cook you when we crossed paths again.”

“I— I will— slaughter you!!!”

An enraged Je-geum-hak commenced using both of his arms against me simultaneously. Shards of ice surged from one palm, while globes of fire erupted from the other. I withdrew the Great Sun force and deployed the Twin Heavens Sword Technique to discharge sword-qi. At the exact moment a vortex of colliding forces erupted as three distinct varieties of energy intertwined, I executed the Tae-eul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps to reposition myself directly behind the man.

“Honestly, that method worked incredibly well last time.”

At the very second I gripped the man’s neck and prepared to trigger the Blue Dragon Bead.

‘Eh?’

The man’s form vanished without leaving a trace. In that precise instant.

“Jin— So— un—”

The voice echoed from a spot roughly three *jang* away to my right side.

“Did you— assume I would have gathered— no insights from our— previous clash?”

A colossal orb of flame manifested above his head and was instantly hurled straight at me. I, attempting to dodge instinctively, recognized in that split second that the academy disciples were positioned directly behind me.

‘Confound it.’

*Rumble.*

I was ultimately preparing to counter by unleashing the Great Heaven Divine Palm, when at that exact moment—

“**Dae-sa-hyeong**!!!”

Geum-pyo’s shout rang out fiercely.

“Please leave the defense of the rear to us!”

Geum-pyo was sprinting forward while raising his Vajra Tablet, accompanied by the remainder of my squad. When did they achieve this level of growth? I suppose I can confidently rely on them to cover my back this time.

I instantly deployed the Tae-eul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and shifted to a stance on Je-geum-hak’s left. And at the exact second Je-geum-hak launched the fireball, I concurrently unleashed the Great Heaven Divine Palm.

*Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!*
*Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!*

The shockwave succeeding the detonation slammed in from both sides, producing a scenario where it was practically challenging to even maintain one’s balance. I quickly snapped my head toward Geum-pyo’s direction, and fortunately, it appeared they had successfully deflected the blast from the fireball.

I rapidly shifted into motion. Given the nature of my adversary, I lacked the luxury of waiting for the dust cloud to settle. I initiated the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Technique and drove the Twin Heavens Sword Technique straight into the coordinate where I sensed his aura.

*Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!*

The impact vibrating through my palms was unmistakable.

*Kachow! Boom, boom, boom, boom!*

At that exact moment, a thunderous blasting sound echoed from Bing-hwa-sa’s direction. In the zone where Cheol-sun-jik and the others were confronting that unnatural woman, thunderous sounds echoed unceasingly as if explosive charges were detonating, and the tally of fighters collapsed on the earth steadily multiplied.

*Dong! Dong! Dong!*

That was not the extent of it. In the sector where they were battling the creature, spearheaded by Il-gak and Nam-hwa-seong, wounded individuals were also unceasingly falling. My frame twitched instinctively, but I could not disengage immediately. Because an undeniable, hostile bloodlust was still radiating from within the dense haze right before my eyes.

*Swish—*

A silhouette burst through the airborne dust. Je-geum-hak lunged forward with one palm glowing crimson as if ignited and the other palm glowing azure as if frozen solid.

*Clang!*
*Pop!*

Even though I swung the Red Light Sword to intercept, my frame was propelled backward due to the residual forces of the blast. The spot impacted by the azure hand that slipped through the opening lost all feeling, as though it had been severely frostbitten. What proved more challenging to manage than anything else was his incredible physical power.

‘What sort of brute force is this……!’

For some reason, the limbs he thrust forward felt as though they had transformed into solid stone. With every single blow that connected, an intense tremor was conducted through me.

*Boom! Boom!*

This man was originally a scholar who operated from behind a desk, and even in combat, he was someone who concentrated on making his foe suffer using Yin-Yang energy. He had suddenly mutated into an entity possessing such massive physical strength. Blast it, could it be…….

“Hey, did you start doing daily exercises or something?”

“You— remain— ignorant! Of the things I— have relin— quished.”

I immediately commenced executing all my defensive blocks utilizing my right forearm.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

After deflecting roughly three of the man’s strikes in that manner, the fellow also seemed to detect something unusual as he scowled deeply.

“You— you……”

“Ah! Did you finally recognize this?”

I slightly pulled back my sleeve and curved the edges of my lips upward.

“It’s a recently acquired piece of gear, and for personal protection, nothing else compares.”

The Gluttony Armor (**Po-sik-gap**) I had stripped from him during our prior engagement.

“Thanks to your contribution, I’m putting it to excellent use. Much appreciated.”

“……!”

Je-geum-hak’s asymmetrical eyes went wide.

“You— you— rogue whom I— cannot satisfy— myself even if I shred— you to pieces!”

A tremendous tremor began to radiate outward from Je-geum-hak, powerful enough to warp the surrounding space. And I returned my blade to its scabbard swifter than I ever had before.

“I will— slaughter— you—!!! I will— slaughter— you—”

Masses of frost and globes of flame materialized around the man. Je-geum-hak paraded his might as though he intended to detonate everything at any second, projecting an immense aura. But paradoxically, I experienced a rather peculiar sensation from the man’s current state.

‘He is fragile.’

It was undeniable that he had acquired a level of power that was incomparably more violent than when we last locked horns. However, it was blatant that the overall efficacy had diminished because the man had also discarded all the authentic advantages he originally held in order to crave alternative powers. His former strategy—deploying a Gimum Formation to orchestrate an ambush and engineering a scenario where his victory was absolute—was twice as problematic to navigate. I pondered if he had extracted some wisdom from our previous encounter.

As expected of an elite from a faction of psychopaths, he appeared to have settled on pursuing his vengeance purely through a clash of raw power.

**White Moon Heaven-Conquering Three Styles**
**1st Style: Extreme Speed (Geuk-kwae).**

To think he would grant me an opening even while being fully aware that I possess this technique. The man’s raw strength itself might have grown more potent than last time. But—

“Idiot.”

The fellow had clearly become more foolish than before.

*Screeeech—*

The sword cut through the air, and a sharp whistle of breaking the atmosphere succeeded it.

*Slice—*

And along with the sound of severing heard at the final split second, a crimson slash manifested across Je-geum-hak’s torso.

*Thud, thud.*

The [Ice Barriers] and fireballs that had been hovering plunged to the earth and detonated, unable to sustain their internal cohesion.

“*Gack*— *gack*— merely— merely on account of— you—.”

Whether Je-geum-hak was profoundly bitter about something, he refused to break his gaze from me even as crimson fluid streamed from both of his eyes.

“The— grand design— of the Divine Cult— was directly— before my vision——.”

The man, who wore a utterly defeated countenance, ground his teeth together as though he had arrived at a final resolution.

“Heavenly Demon— Unrivaled, Ten Thousand Demons— Obeisance.”

*Crack.*

Accompanying the sound of something shattering within the man’s throat. A colossal vortex of energy swirled violently around his form. The [Ice Barrier] and fiery spheres fused into a single gale and commenced enveloping the man. Crimson vapor burst from his five senses, including his mouth and ears, and both of his pupils turned completely black, such that all traces of sanity could no longer be detected.

Following that.

“*Grrrrrr*.”

As though he had mutated into a wild animal, he let out a guttural snarl and extended his arm. The crimson and azure gale that was revolving around him blasted directly toward my position. When I dodged the two forces by a mere hair’s breadth, frost locked over the terrain where I had just been standing with a sharp *crack*.

*Pop!*

Subsequently, as the crimson force impacted the earth, a blast erupted.

“Young Master Jin!”

My comrades, including Nam-gung-seon-hwa, attempted to charge into the frontline, and I extended my hand to intercept them.

“Stay back!”

Power was cascading unceasingly from the man’s physique. It wasn’t merely a standard deployment of his inner reserves. Power was overflowing as if a colossal reservoir had ruptured. And his true objective was gradually becoming crystal clear. The reality that the man had selected mutual annihilation rather than surrendering his life. A warning chime resonated within my mind.

I had never imagined that the atmosphere could possess a hue. Because in no scrolls, in no legends, was the color of a gale ever illustrated. The multicolored vortex I witnessed for the very first time was magnificent beyond words. The scarlet and azure shades radiated an enigmatic charm. As anticipated of the breeze, it was unconfined and weightless, moving with incredible velocity.

However, the locations where that gale brushed were by no means magnificent.

*Pop, pop!*

Accompanied by a resonant blasting sound, fire ignited.

*Crack, crack.*

It plummeted the ambient temperature instantaneously and generated dense ice wherever it made contact.

‘This is perilous…….’

Nam-gung-seon-hwa, who had never been instructed on or conceptualized such abnormal phenomena previously, experienced a chilling dread at this unfamiliar magnificence.

*Woooooo.*

She attempted to discharge a gale-like strike from her palm to counter the wind, but—

*Pop.*

The unconfined wind effortlessly bypassed the palm strike and persisted in charging forward. The scarlet wind that fluidly glided over the palm strike descended into the core of the Sa-hwal-dan and triggered an additional blast.

*Pop, pop, pop!*

Nam-gung-seon-hwa, incapable of observing the carnage any further, marshaled the Emperor’s Divine Power (**Je-wang-sin-gong**) and slammed down against the azure wind.

*Rumble.*

While it did not rival her grandfather’s output, an ample electrical current crackled and surged into the gale.

*Flash.*

On this occasion as well, the wind, which attempted to slip away as fluidly as water, was shattered into fragments right then and there.

*Clang—*

But that did not signify the conclusion. Nam-gung-seon-hwa’s frame locked up at the freezing ice creeping up through her hand. It didn’t stop at merely causing her frame to freeze. The sub-zero energy that penetrated through her meridians obstructed the internal power that was circulating like water.

“*Gack*……”

Her mobility ceased in a flash, and agony enveloped her entire body as if her inner energy were surging in reverse. But the scarlet wind charged in immediately afterward. Nam-gung-seon-hwa squeezed her eyes shut without realizing it.

*Pop!*

At that exact second, along with a thunderous blasting sound, Geum-pyo’s back materialized in her view.

“Are you unharmed?!”

Geum-pyo, who had withstood the blast utilizing the bulwark he carried daily like an extension of his own body, was merely pushed back slightly and sustained no other trauma.

“Ye—yes. I am fine.”

“In any case…… that is an absolutely insane level of might.”

At Geum-pyo’s observation, Nam-gung-seon-hwa gestured her agreement. It was challenging to credit that a mortal was employing two such contrasting elements, yet each and every one of those strikes was incredibly potent. Furthermore, the coordination when it lunged at a target maintained the precision of advanced martial arts within itself. It reached a point where she questioned if the quantity of individuals countering such an onslaught carried any significance, regardless of how numerous they were.

At that exact second.

*Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!*

An incredibly rapid, continuous blasting sound resonated. When she spun her head toward the coordinate where the noise echoed, she identified a single individual.

“……!”

Jin-so-un was sprinting at the attacker directly through the gale. Nam-gung-seon-hwa, thoroughly alarmed, shouted his name.

“Young Master Jin……!!!”

“Please withdraw the forces!”

That man, is he genuinely intending to plunge into that? Encircling the attacker, scarlet and azure gales were rotating like a cyclone. It was a scenario where she couldn’t even presume to calculate how much devastation would manifest if that cyclone expanded in every direction. Even so, she couldn’t formulate a method to properly intervene. Because it was a style of martial arts she was observing for the absolute first time in her existence. Because it was a combination she was witnessing for the very first time in her experience. Furthermore, it was a predicament where she remained ignorant of what would unfold if one hurled their physical body into that cyclone.

“Young Master Ji— Jin……”

Yet Jin-so-un’s velocity did not diminish. He dashed swifter than he ever had before. The golden whip (**Geum-pyeon**) radiating from his left hand forged a path by deflecting away the winds that were striking at him. And Jin-so-un—

*Swish—*

Transformed into a solitary missile and was launched forward without a shred of reluctance, like a lightning bolt piercing straight through a tempest.

“……!”

At that terrifying spectacle, Nam-gung-seon-hwa’s face went entirely pale.