Chapter 132

When martial artists think of the master of Heaven’s Kill, they often imagine a blood-soaked lunatic, a total murder maniac.

And honestly, that’s not entirely off the mark.

But it’s not exactly true, either. At least, those who wield the power of Heaven’s Kill don’t go rabid like crazed dogs, tearing at anything just because there’s blood involved.

In fact, that image of a blood-crazed murderer is just a facade that past masters of Heaven’s Kill intentionally cultivated.

Seldom do the killers of Heaven’s Kill ever run into each other, so it seemed reasonable to use it as a means of hiding their true selves.

Rather, the practitioners of Heaven’s Kill are a bit more calculating, a bit closer to cunning assassins.

Thanks to this, Qing, who has received the aura of Heaven’s Kill, has finally sharpened her mind clearly.

The first thought that struck her was a piercing self-reflection.

Why didn’t I realize how strange this was?

Is my self-defense technique some kind of absolute magical shield?

It’s not some superconductive shock-dispersing material that perfectly absorbs all impacts, is it?

Qing, insightful as always with her social sciences background, gazed at Cho Gak.

The issue was never about the sword energy versus the Qi energy.

If she’d been hit that hard, then Cho Gak, even if he wasn’t butchered, should at least have sustained some nasty bruises or bones cracking somewhere.

Her lifeless eyes glinted dully as they quietly reflected Cho Gak’s figure.

It seemed like she had completely lost her rationality.

But, if that’s the case, then isn’t that more convenient?

Heart ablaze, mind as cool as ice.

It’s something every master in the world says at least once, yet even they struggle to maintain it.

When reason is lost and the instinct to kill takes over, one becomes honest.

Eyes fixated solely on the target, and the body follows without deceit, transforming into a simpleton fixated solely on slaying the opponent.

With a more relaxed heart, Qing welcomed her encounter with Cho Gak.

The thrusting sword tip swayed left and right, splitting into three forms, one targeting her neck, one her heart, and another slashing diagonally toward her waist.

Stepping sideways and twisting her hips while pulling her spine back, a fierce gust of wind sliced by her throat, and her chest tingled!

Ack! Lady, I’ve been cut again!

But before that final attack could land, Qing touched the side of the blade with her palm, gently redirecting its path.

Cho Gak’s body was forced outward by the blade.

As Qing dodged to the left, her Magic Flute swung, and the ancient club pierced through the air aiming for the back of Cho Gak’s knee.

Thud!

When the back of the knee is struck, the knee springs forward.

Cho Gak dropped to his knees, then rolled out clumsily.

Qing didn’t chase after him, taking a moment to exhale as she kept her eyes on him.

There hadn’t been any real hit made on him just now.

This is odd. Is it even possible for there to be no impact at all?

But come on, would a master of the Realm of Transformation get hurt just from rolling around?

He got himself back on his feet with a spring after rolling, rushing straight back into the fray.

“I’m gonna kill you! You b****! I’ll finish you!”

Pfft. Who’s gonna say that?

Qing scoffed, kicking off the ground to charge at him instead.

His losing his mind made him much easier to handle.

Qing’s taunting him every time had a purpose behind it.

Of course, Qing’s cool head contributed to that ease.

But in a state of frenzied bloodlust, he wouldn’t think it was strange at all.

After taking a couple of hits, she’s starting to feel like she’s familiarizing herself with his swordplay.

Qing thrust her Magic Flute straight into the blade block of Cho Gak.

With a twist of power from the starting point of the blade’s path, his technique lost direction and wavered helplessly.

She blocked an incoming raking strike with her forearm, “Ack! Dammit! That stings!” and delivered a solid kick to the shin.

Cho Gak lurched forward.

The Magic Flute painted an afterimage as it smashed into the back of Cho Gak’s head!

He skidded across the courtyard in front of the Tang Family, leaving a long trail.

Watching Cho Gak spring back up, Qing concocted a wicked plan.

If I just tire him out, it’ll surely work.

Her inner strength wasn’t limitless, after all. How long could he keep expending his Qi and maintaining that defensive technique?

But what if he got his wits back?

‘Heh. I’ve lost.’ would he declare as he escaped? And then I’d be left with no chance to put a stop to it?

That wouldn’t do.

What other tricks do I have up my sleeve?

Buddha’s Physical Body? Too easy a way to die. Let’s put that on hold.

Master of Dark Demon Arts? The Supreme Hand-to-Hand Combat wouldn’t even work on him.

Tang Nan-ah’s Disrobe Technique? I doubt a man with his mind all twisted would be distracted by stripping his clothes off.

Qing checked her arsenal again as Cho Gak charged back at her.

Hundred-Eight Sura Sword, Heaven’s Kill!

Like a hawk swooping down to catch a rabbit, the tip of her Magic Flute thrust at Cho Gak’s shoulder, twisting the space of her weapon and drawing him onto a distant path.

Then she hooked his ankle as she grounded herself using the anti-gravity principle of Moon Lady’s Step.

Cho Gak was sent flying in a parabolic arc!

All the while, the instinct to kill stretched her lips into a grin.

In that moment where Qing’s heart would be deeply pierced, Choi Riyong was ready to leap in.

But that was all, just a stance ready to dish out a hit.

Because the atmosphere of the Life and Death Match had changed drastically.

Only Tang Nan-ah, with her limited insights, flailed her feet anxiously and clung to the Grand Elder.

“Eek, what do I do? Help Qing out!”

“Let’s just wait and watch. Big injury doesn’t appear to be the case. And most importantly, ah. I wish I could ask the Grandmaster how she trains her disciples.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? There’s blood, blood…!”

Yet, once again, after a few exchanges, Cho Gak found himself rolling around.

He sprang up again only to be thrown and twisted, floundering about like a fool. Anyone could see how ridiculous he looked.

“Isn’t our Qing winning? But what if she gets hurt?!”

“She’s breaking down his techniques and countering with clarity! That’s not something you typically achieve at her age.”

Initially, it was a matter of honing one’s techniques, maintaining consistency in training and building muscle memory.

To wield that skill properly with real power, one needed to adopt the correct posture and forms.

But in actual combat, where even a speck of dust can cause variables, it’s improbable to happen.

However, when experience builds and principles are comprehended through the grit of battle, one reaches the stage where they can break off any part of their technique and use it freely.

Except in Qing’s case, she simply learned by osmosis.

Her head was filled with completely broken down techniques.

Moreover, her physical abilities had peaked beyond limits.

Force, balance, flexibility, and endurance developed to surpass a human’s capacity, so the scene she envisioned in her mind became manifest in the most ideal form.

“But that guy looks intact.”

“The sound may be loud, but he’s just lightly tapping away at her, isn’t he? I think he’s practically training against a master of the Realm of Transformation.”

The Grand Elder was on a roll until he stepped on a banana peel.

If Qing had heard that, she would’ve been like, “Is this guy losing it?”

Meanwhile, Cho Gak, who had already been tossed over ten times without regaining his wits, was both impressive and pitiful.

After all, he wasn’t just tussling with some little girl; he was crashing down, getting more and more furious while struggling to get up.

And with that anger, rough thoughts and anxious glances spread among the elite guards.

Honestly, this looked embarrassing.

Then came the moment.

Out of nowhere, instead of charging in, Cho Gak halted at his place, wide-eyed and shocked.

“Princess Haryeon? What are you doing here…?”

As soon as he opened his mouth, it was a string of nonsense.

“No, you can’t! How can you be here?”

“You must maintain dignity, dignity!”

“No, no, that’s not true. I, too…”

“Princess, no! Ah, Hyae, Hyae!”

Then, from the side where the imperial guards stood, a series of panting breaths echoed.

The Princess Haryeon, just as she was, was indeed a princess.

And her name wasn’t actually Haryeon.

It was just a title given by the Emperor!

The true name of the royal family was so sacred that even speaking it was considered a sin against the heavens.

That’s why he ordered them to call her Haryeon, out of sheer respect.

Even so, in broad daylight with so many people around, uttering the royal name was truly an unspeakable crime, something that could never be forgiven!

Even those martial artists who seemed to know the royal family like the back of their hand dared not speak the royal name.

But Cho Gak’s antics didn’t stop there.

Suddenly, he threw his sword, pulled down his waistband, and yanked his pants down harshly.

Then, with all his might, he waggled his lower body in front of everyone as if flaunting it!

“Ha! Does this satisfy you? Look at this princess, debauched like no other! Hyae the b****!”

With just a tad of exaggeration, the sound made as blood drained from his face echoed like thunder.

The officials turned pale, their faces drained of color as their eyes shook.

“A princess? And she’s a complete worthless s***! This hole isn’t exactly what it seems, is it! Even if I were to have a go with air, it wouldn’t feel this good, you filthy b****!”

He was genuinely acting as if he were doing just that.

Everyone could only keep those thoughts to themselves.

“Get your pants back up! You filthy b****! How dare you touch this Cho Gak and have relations with someone?!! Princess my a**! You’ve been nothing but a whore, Haryeon!”

He kept swinging wildly with one arm, and it was an absolute disaster that was hard to bear.

And, disturbingly, in the midst of all this chaos, while Qing cautiously picked up her fallen sword, she was still just focused on shaking her waist.

Qing poured her True Energy into the sword blade.

Once again, a dazzling array of mixed-colored sword energy burst forth brilliantly.

Qing stamped down hard, making a massive crater in the ground.

The staggering power contained flowed through her ankles, past her knees and waist, gathering strength, and then stabbed straight into Cho Gak’s lower abdomen.

Even in a fantasy, when engaged in great deeds, the defenses seemed ineffective against her self-defense technique.

But even so, the blade felt as if it were being resisted like cutting through steel.

How could a sword pierce someone wrapped in self-defense Qi? What was he, some kind of special external martial artist?

Was he the legendary indestructible diamond body?

Staring up at Qing with disbelief, Cho Gak, whose back and abdomen were pierced, murmured.

“Princess? Why…? “

Even with his Dantian skewered, the effects of the energy remained strong.

After all, if a stab could cure poisoning, then what point was there in an antidote?

It was like giving him a dose of poison instead.

Instead of responding, Qing inhaled deeply and roared.

“How dare you insult the Princess! I cannot bear it!! Dare I!! That, um, who was it? Right, the training of the Princess!! No Blasphemy! No Blasphemy! Offenders deserve to die!”

At the same time, Qing’s kick threaded its way between Cho Gak’s legs.

Bang! With a resounding crash that felt like a wall colliding, Cho Gak’s body shot up high into the sky before crashing down helplessly.

This time, she definitely felt it.

The front of his hips was crushed into a fine powder, with both pubic bones shattered and his tailbone pulverized, all with the satisfying sensation of destruction.

Moreover, the gripping sensation between his hips and the top of his feet crumbling only added to the satisfaction, truly, it was utterly delightful.

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