Chapter 67

Jegal Seon-a infused her thoughts into the white scroll, breathing life into it.

The Heavenly Divine Sword, White Scroll. Its power, which governs spirituality, harmonized with resonance power, enveloping the area in a veil of perception.

Though Jegal Seon-a’s mental strength wasn’t particularly strong, resonance power is inherently a two-way force. With sufficient mental strength, it was entirely possible for Jegal Seon-a to transfer her power to others.

“Everyone, swallow the Illusion-Breaking Pills!”

Black Sword Ghost, realizing the situation too late, issued the command.

The Illusion-Breaking Pills, as the name suggests, shattered illusions created by sorcery. They were a countermeasure against the Jegal Family’s Soul-Confusing Formation. However, the formation technique Jegal Seon-a had cast was fundamentally different from the ordinary illusions of the past.

“This is…?”

Black Sword Ghost was momentarily engulfed in a sensation of floating through the sky.

An endless sky. Above, below, and all around, the vast expanse was filled with a boundless blue.

‘Did she overlay her thoughts onto others through the White Scroll?’

As soon as he realized the nature of the phenomenon, Black Sword Ghost returned to the real world.

Having opened all three Dantians and achieved unity of essence, energy, and spirit, even the power of the White Scroll paled in comparison to Black Sword Ghost. It was, more accurately, the limitation of the user wielding the White Scroll.

“You have no intention of letting us go, do you…?”

The endless sky he had seen in the mental space was now watching him.

Facing Namgung Woo’s piercing blue eyes, Black Sword Ghost lamented the lack of options.

“This doesn’t add up.”

Creak.

A chilling sound emanated from Black Sword Ghost’s sword, and the two moved simultaneously.

Clang!

From the first clash, it was a collision of aura energy with no mercy. The situation had reversed. If earlier Geumshin was the challenger and Black Sword Ghost the examiner, now it was the opposite.

‘How long has it been since I fought such a strong opponent?’

Black Sword Ghost spread his internal energy throughout his body via his meridians. The power extending through his limbs gave him a sense of omnipotence, as if he could do anything.

The sword aura of the two was like the eye of a storm.

Even though Geumshin had activated his protective aura to the maximum, the massive vortex of energy still left scratches. However, the two’s control over their sword aura neutralized the shockwaves.

Five exchanges of swords passed in an instant.

Feeling the bone-chilling impact from the clash of internal energy, Black Sword Ghost was immersed in ecstasy.

A life-or-death battle.

A path to survival appeared.

‘This guy, he’s inexperienced!’

§

Who was the greatest master Namgung Woo had ever seen?

Undoubtedly, it was Paeng Hu-sang. Gwak Dan was also strong, but at the time, they were too focused on their own battles to fully assess his strength. However, having experienced Paeng Hu-sang’s ultimate technique, the Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade, Namgung Woo had no choice but to place him at the forefront.

What if we set aside peerless masters like Paeng Hu-sang or Gwak Dan? Yi Ja-ryong was also a transcendent master, but his sorcery overshadowed his martial prowess, leaving Han Gyeran as the obvious choice.

Han Gyeran was strong. Namgung Woo had even thought he might need to sacrifice two limbs to defeat her. But now, he realized his earlier calculations were wrong.

‘Sacrifice two limbs? No, I should have been prepared to die together.’

Facing Black Sword Ghost’s sword, he understood.

Physical ability, internal energy, martial arts level… none of these were areas where Namgung Woo fell short. Yet, the balance of victory remained unshaken.

It was the difference in experience. The accumulated experience from repeated battles compensated for the lack in other areas.

‘He’s even blocking my Upper Dantian abilities.’

The overwhelming presence that had turned Sori Hyung-rang into a soulless husk had no effect on Black Sword Ghost.

Of course. Black Sword Ghost was also a master who had opened his Upper Dantian.

Unless it was something integrated into martial arts like the Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade, the clumsy Upper Dantian abilities used simultaneously with martial arts couldn’t suppress the soul of a supreme master like Black Sword Ghost.

Conversely, Black Sword Ghost’s focus was divided as he guarded his Upper Dantian soul, but his decades of experience allowed him to manage it.

The full-powered battle between two supreme masters turned the area into a wasteland. Trees were uprooted by the shockwaves, and sword winds sliced through the ground.

With each step, the earth flipped, and strikes aimed at gaps tore through the air.

It was a clash of unimaginable power, a mystery how such force could erupt from the small bodies of humans.

Namgung Woo wasn’t anxious.

If it became a prolonged battle, Namgung Woo would win. Though the internal energy of supreme masters was like an ocean, it wasn’t infinite.

Both the quantity and efficiency of internal energy favored Namgung Woo, so Black Sword Ghost would reach his limit first.

But that was also part of Black Sword Ghost’s plan.

“Ah!”

A scream from behind shook Namgung Woo’s concentration.

Jegal Seon-a had used the White Scroll as a medium to spread her resonance power.

The shockwaves from the two’s clash disrupted this, causing the Black Sword Squad members to regain consciousness.

Seizing the slim opening, Black Sword Ghost’s sword aimed for Namgung Woo’s vitals. Namgung Woo’s consciousness accelerated. His experience fighting Yi Ja-ryong moved his body faster than thought.

The Heavenly Aura Protective Technique blocked Black Sword Ghost’s blade.

Whoosh!

The Heavenly Aura Protective Technique excellently blocked the sharp, eerie thrust of the sword aura.

But completely neutralizing the impact was impossible. Instead of resisting, Namgung Woo let the impact push him back.

Namgung Woo’s body lightly floated up. Using the Thousand Pounds Push technique, he quickly regained his balance and landed. The moment his feet touched the ground, he swung his arm wide.

In an instant, Heavenly Thunder Divine Energy surged through his twelve meridians. He infused his sword with energy, creating sword energy, and unleashed the Flying Sword Energy: Thunderous Strike.

Slash!

The arm of a Black Sword Squad member, about to strike a fallen Hwaseong Temple monk, was severed by the golden sword energy.

‘He used my attack against me…!’

Black Sword Ghost roared in fury as he watched his disciple’s arms being severed.

“Where are you looking!”

“It’s already too late.”

Namgung Woo smirked as he blocked Black Sword Ghost’s attack.

And then.

“These bastards!”

Slash!

“Don’t let them escape! Kill them all!”

Thud! Crack!

Chaos.

Finally, the orthodox martial world members who had set out from Gyeonghyeon arrived.

Among them, two stood out.

The leader of the Hwang Mountain Sect, Jeonggwang Doin, split a Black Sword Squad member with his hand blade. The Dragon-Slaying Moon Grasp Seal, the Hwang Mountain Sect’s ultimate hand technique, displayed destructive power.

Not to be outdone, another master displayed astonishing prowess.

It was Paeng Ha-ryeong, now freely wielding two blade techniques. The Cyclic White Escape Blade blocked incoming strikes, while the Heaven and Earth Thunderous Blade crushed enemies with a thunderous roar.

The Black Sword Squad members, who had been slaughtering Hwaseong Temple monks, were now collapsing like bamboo.

Black Sword Ghost gritted his teeth and glared at Namgung Woo.

“Big brother! Are you okay?”

Paeng Ha-ryeong hurriedly approached Namgung Woo, who was under the murderous gaze of Black Sword Ghost.

Though she knew Namgung Woo’s strength better than anyone, she still anxiously checked him for injuries.

Seeing her like this, someone in the background muttered in a daze.

“Ha-ryeong…? Big brother…?”

Jegal Seon-a, enduring the aftermath of the forcibly destroyed formation, doubted her own eyes and ears.

Yes. My senses must be failing. After all, I’m still inexperienced in handling the White Scroll. Plus, using the Resonance Star Sky Diagram multiple times had drained my mental and internal energy to the brink. The backlash from the destroyed formation must have caused confusion in my perception.

“No! That really is Ha-ryeong!”

Breaking free from denial, Jegal Seon-a screamed.

The formation spread through the White Scroll. Even if forcibly destroyed, the backlash wouldn’t reach Jegal Seon-a.

Of course, her senses were fine. Her eyes were clear, and her ears worked perfectly.

The woman who had approached the hero who protected her was indeed Paeng Ha-ryeong, and the term she used was “big brother.”

Namgung Woo gently pushed Paeng Ha-ryeong away as he heard the shrill scream from behind.

“It’s dangerous. Watch my back.”

“Ah, yes…”

Paeng Ha-ryeong hurriedly ran to Jegal Seon-a.

“I knew you’d come in.”

“Who wouldn’t know you were waiting? You blocked with your protective aura and tried to cut me down. Six Severing Gates… even with such a level, there’s no mercy.”

Originally, he hadn’t planned to go that far, but to protect Paeng Ha-ryeong, it was necessary.

Black Sword Ghost, reading this, chose to pressure the orthodox martial world members to protect his squad instead of pushing further.

Avoiding unnecessary risks. Black Sword Ghost still had a trick up his sleeve.

“Stop right there!”

A group appeared at the foot of the mountain. They were holding members of the Jegal Family in their uniforms.

“That guy is Myeolseomma.”

Jeonggwang, dripping blood from his wounded hand, pointed at the leader of the new group.

“And the person he’s holding seems to be the leader of the Biun Unit.”

Jegal Pan, deeply wounded and held by Myeolseomma, was barely alive.

“Release the Black Sword Squad. Then we’ll let these people go.”

“Myeolseomma! The White Scroll…”

“Then, will you take care of him? I don’t want to.”

“…Tsk.”

As Black Sword Ghost gave up arguing and stepped back, Myeolseomma turned to Namgung Woo.

“Do you accept?”

Was it his place to decide?

Though he had already made up his mind, Namgung Woo hesitated to voice it. Jeonggwang spoke with reverence.

“Great Hero, you decide.”

Great Hero, Great Hero.

Feeling the clear change in how Jeonggwang treated him, Namgung Woo realized the importance of power. With the Jegal Family’s leader in such a state, there was no one to object to his decision.

“Release the Jegal Family members first. Then we’ll let them go.”