Chapter 159

붕대남 hurriedly checked the house law enforcement officer’s report.

청의 was tall, and the transformed martial artist did indeed have long arms and legs.

When 청 grabbed the old man’s wrist and twisted, the old man’s corpse floated up about half a foot into the air and began to sway.

It was a scene that looked eerily horrifying, a double whammy of trouble.

For now, there was a supreme post-final opponent in front of me, and the thought of the consequences after the death of Sapa-ren’s law enforcement officer made a chill run down my back.

Truly, it was the definition of adding insult to injury.

“I am Dan Woon-sak, the sect leader of Namyeon Sect. Who are you to commit such a brazen act?”

Dan Woon-sak tried to speak firmly, but a bit of a shaky tremor mixed into his voice.

“Why should I even reveal my name while cleaning up trash? It’s the pesky ones that typically get cleaned up.”

“Hmm…”

Dan Woon-sak let out a heavy groan.

If we translated their conversation into martial world speak, it would go like this:

‘Let’s talk it out here.’

‘Shut up and come at me.’

Now, as a five-year martial world individual, 청 also learned to communicate with a decent martial language rather than just interpret.

Not to mention, he was skilled enough to apply it.

“However, there’s a slight chance of survival. Hand over Old Man Ban’s grandson.”

Beside him, 제갈이현 couldn’t help but admire silently.

As expected, big sister! Even if she were to give him away, she wouldn’t say ‘I will withdraw!’

Since she said ‘chance,’ isn’t this just a crafty scheme where you can take it or leave it?

Now, 제갈이현 almost grasped about eighty percent of 청’s character.

Once he decided to strike, he would use any method available—words, sword, poison, or fire—until it was unfavorable for him. A persistent and cunning rogue.

He was someone who didn’t care about face, but seemed to have a sense of justice, so that’s a fitting description.

“Tsk. Even if you call us trash, aren’t you targeting Old Man Ban in the end?!”

“Rescuing the grandson is a far better sight than kidnapping him and sounds more praiseworthy. Where are you aiming at? It’s like comparing rotten food after a full moon to a freshly prepared feast. Do you think everything edible can be called food?”

“Even if you dress it up, it’s still an ugly desire to take a world-renowned swordsman.”

“Enough. Hand over Old Man Ban’s grandson. Weaklings aren’t just going to hand it over saying ‘Sure, here you go.’ Why’s your tongue so long?”

“That’s…”

At that moment, 제갈이현 leaned close to where 청’s face would be, whispering softly.

“Big sister, I don’t think we can hand over Old Man Ban’s grandson. The inspection officer said it’s a wicked tonic, so probably…”

The rumor about the leprosy patient eating children was born from a mere hatred-laden accusation.

But rumors are exceedingly malicious creatures.

They shake the hearts of the needy and make them believe them as truth.

And leprosy is such a gruesome disease that it’s likened to divine punishment, where flesh rots off while still alive.

청’s gaze lost its luster, becoming cold and lifeless.

Behind the fine veil, faint violet glow seeped through the eyeholes.

It was a malign star, instinctively recognized as something very harmful and horrifying.

“I should’ve just set it ablaze earlier.”

“I agree.”

청 let go of the old Great Demon Lord’s corpse and firmly gripped the Moonlight Sword with his right hand.

While he could use his left, it was just more natural to wield the sword in his right hand.

“Since your face is covered, must be the head of the Namyeon Sect? People say there’s not a pretty face among those who hide theirs.”

Everyone present looked at 청 with strange expressions.

But 청 stood confidently as a beautiful figure, showing no signs of hesitation.

“I’ll let everyone know just how ugly you are. Running out of food causes you to devour people? You filthy—”

“Wait! It’s a misunderstanding! There’s a misunderstanding!”

Dan Woon-sak shouted urgently.

청 tilted his head slightly.

“A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”

“The terrible rumors about tonics or whatever aren’t true! Who would believe such a nonsense theory!”

“Not a rumor? That dead law enforcement officer, he said—”

“No, older sister, that’s the law enforcement officer. But why does security sound so nice? Somehow it makes my heart warm.”

“Forget that. That law enforcement officer mentioned you guys were consuming medicinal tonics.”

Hearing that, Dan Woon-sak let out a voice of grievance.

It was genuinely a tone of injustice.

“Old Man Ban’s grandson was sold off to obscurity ages ago! We stopped using those ineffective superstitious remedies long ago!”

“So you’re saying you’ve eaten it? Irrelevant!”

청 stepped on the ground and shot out like an arrow.

Now, the large silhouette of the great sword blocked the Moonlight Sword, leaving a thick trail of sunset light behind.

“Damn! What the hell! Strike!”

Dan Woon-sak shouted as he drew his sword.

The faint starry light shimmering on the blade, by the time you reach leave with a bit less compression, still skilled in sword aura.

Sword intent and sword aura are worlds apart.

However, to break through 청’s reckless output, his less compressed sword aura would struggle to suffice.

청 continued the assault, riding the momentum.

With the stance of a storm—wind and fire, the Hundred-Eight Sura Sword’s post-final 11,000 strikes unleashed countless afterimages, a wild swordplay, sweeping across up and down, left and right without restraint.

While Dan Woon-sak thought of withdrawing as he barely held off the strikes, he also thought,

Was it really not easy?

Though the eerie violet glow trailing behind was frightening, and the swordplay forming into a bunch was utterly bizarre and unheard of—

Regardless, without using sword aura, it turned out to be the sight of a supreme expert mindlessly increasing inner strength.

“Damn it! I’ve been fooled! This girl isn’t a master at all!”

“What are you saying? I am a master.”

“What’s everyone doing! Don’t hesitate!”

Dan Woon-sak shouted, but the goons instead retreated and hesitated.

The shortsighted ones saw 청’s menacing swordplay as a hundred times more dangerous compared to the feeble sword aura of the sect leader.

A few discerning first-rate and peak martial artists kept an eye on 청’s backing team, waiting for the chance to jump in.

After all, since the bloody martial devil had been slain, there must be at least one capable person among them or some equivalent technique.

Thus, whilst watching for an opportunity to overturn the situation if the sect leader gained an upper hand or retreating if he faltered seemed the better option.

Originally, the teachings emphasized the bonds of loyalty among the sects, especially those in Sapa.

They repeatedly insisted on it for those sans integrity.

“You bastards!”

Dan Woon-sak gritted his teeth.

Ultimately, he had to get it done.

No matter how immense his inner strength, could he really not overcome a single mere girl at peak level?

Dan Woon-sak intentionally made a complicated face, stepping back while putting on an act of being overwhelmed.

Then, spotting an opening between the sword clashes, he drew a sharp sword path aiming for 청’s exposed arm.

It was a rare excellent stroke in Dan Woon-sak’s life—a strike filled with the essence of a lambent latecomer.

In an instant, his accelerated thoughts slowed to such a pace where 青 raised her arm to block the sword’s trajectory.

In the slowly flowing world, Dan Woon-sak’s lips curled into a gradient smile.

Silly girl, do you think you can block my sword aura with that skin of yours?

Finally, Dan Woon-sak’s sword aura touched 청’s slightly tilted forearm.

Time felt almost frozen as the piercing aura seeped into her fair skin.

He was sure that this beautiful arm would soon be cleanly severed at the elbow when, just then—

A powerful shock erupted through his grasp!

It felt like striking a steel block; pain shot up his arm as his skin screamed, and every joint resonated with ache.

“How can…”

At that moment, 청’s right arm had returned from the wild.

Realizing there was no way to evade the fatal blow aimed at his waist, Dan Woon-sak completely relaxed his legs and threw himself back.

청’s blade narrowly skimmed Dan Woon-sak’s nose, creating a crescent arc.

With a sigh of relief, Dan Woon-sak accepted the shock that felt like a crash on his back and immediately flipped his body energetically.

Rolling on the ground, he performed a technique called ‘Naryeop’, which literally translates to rolling like a lazy donkey—rolling round and round on the ground.

Though those in the martial world value face more than life, when it comes to actual danger, no one would choose death over rolling.

Yet they still go on and on about Han Xin’s dragging and other nonsense.

This was all Han Xin’s fault for providing such an excuse that would be referenced for a thousand years.

청 stomped down hard.

The rough pressure of Heavenly Demon’s domination crushed the surroundings.

The advantage of the Heavenly Demon’s domination is that it gathers energy underfoot, sparing one from seeing the horrifying glint of the demon’s eyes.

It meant you could just use it carelessly.

Dan Woon-sak, who had barely rolled once, groaned under the suddenly amplified pressure.

Just then, with a clang, the sound of Buddha’s Physical Body rang out, and blood erupted from the sprawled figure’s thigh.

“Gaaah!”

Dan Woon-sak clutched his thigh, screaming as if he would die.

The inner thigh is one of the surprisingly critical spots.

One of the thickest blood vessels passes through unprotected, which made it quite deadly for Dan Woon-sak when the femoral artery ruptured, causing uncontrollable bleeding.

Even so, he considered himself a master and clutched at the wound, letting fragrant smoke evoke with a couple of strands of white mist.

He managed to stop the bleeding, but losing one leg at peak level would allow any other supreme martial artist aside from 서문청 to have their way.

청 looked down at Dan Woon-sak with a grin.

“Not recognizing a master is your death sentence.”

In truth, it was an utterly ridiculous claim.

With an understanding of the sword far different, even amidst the frenetic attacks, Dan Woon-sak almost succeeded in landing a deadly counterattack.

The indestructible form of Supreme Hand-to-Hand Combat was meant to be at peak level to not have weak spots, or else he would have been severed pretty at the midsection along with his arm.

Had it not been for the Heavenly Demon’s domination, he would’ve leaped back up and charged once more, and had it lacked the Buddha’s Physical Body, how could he have shattered the thigh in midair?

However, it was customary in the martial world to keep a few secret techniques up one’s sleeve.

청 had simply kept more than the average amount.

In professional terms, it’s ‘If you don’t know, you must get hit.’

It’s a vintage truth passed down since the dawn of humanity.

And when the outcome is determined, history has prescribed a task for the defeated since long ago.

“P-please! Spare me! I’ll give you anything you want, just please…”

“What I want is already said. Old Man Ban’s grandson. Can you bring him here right now?”

“Please, give me time. I sold him off to obscurity. If I sniff around, I’m sure I can find…”

“Hmm. An opening! This is now for my arm!”

While scratching his chin, 청 casually lowered her hand only to suddenly stretch it out, and *bang!*

Blood burst forth as Dan Woon-sak’s forearm fell beneath his elbow, rolling alongside the sword on the ground.

“Gaaah! Why! Why!?”

“Your rolling eyes gave it away. Your stance was off to start with. If you want to live, you should know how to press your hands together like a fly vise; why were you clutching the sword so tightly that you turned white?”

There indeed exists a technique called ‘Sword Boiling’.

It’s a method that violently infuses true energy into the sword to shatter it; if one fumbles, only the weapon is destroyed.

Yet a properly honed sword boiling technique is like a great general’s technique, where thousands of sharp fragments are unleashed, full of true energy.

청 found it suspicious for no reason. In fact, Dan Woon-sak was secretly preparing his last resort.

It was the truth that 청’s fighting style thrived on perception and craftiness, making her incredibly sensitive in such moments.

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