264 - Murim Login

Chapter 264 Who would've thought I'd be this glad to see that dumpling spirit? At a moment when even a cat's paw would be useful, Cheongpung's arrival was incredibly helpful. Without realizing it, I found myself yelling in welcome. "Cheongpung!" "Yes, benefactor." The Blood Lord showed recognition at Cheongpung's hesitant response. "Oh-ho. I wondered which rat it was, but turns out it's the Invincible Sword of the Mount Hua Sect." Of course, he figured it out just up to there. During the competition, it was revealed that Cheongpung belonged to Mount Hua Sect, but he’d never in his dreams suspect that Cheongpung was the cherished youngest disciple of the Sword Saint, Mae Jonghak. This is when you should exploit their complacency... "Should I call you the Sword Saint's disciple? Or his grandchild?" Bastard. He knows everything. Then again, it’s Ambrosia who's been pulling strings by planting the Great Elder all these decades. The Blood Lord must hold quite a high position within Ambrosia. 'It would be strange if he didn’t know.' The Blood Lord smirked at my evident dismay. “No need for that expression. It won't make a difference just because you've gained another ally.” Look at this punk... Though we’re still lingering at the peak, Cheongpung and I are entities who can't be compared to ordinary peak masters. I have overwhelming skills and rich battle experience, while Cheongpung possesses exceptional fighting sense, combining dozens of martial arts at the right moment, along with his innate martial talents. Add the strongest of the Ten Kings, the Flame King, Red Sky River, into the mix. I thought we had a fair chance at this fight. “You're underestimating us.” “Because it's the truth.” “What?” “If you wanted to kill me, you should've brought the Sword Saint himself, not just his disciple.” “You little...” “There’s only one thing left to do.” The Blood Lord nonchalantly beckoned us with his finger, a voice dripping with casual confidence. “Prove it, with your martial arts.” That was the only sensible thing he'd said so far. Indeed, warriors must prove themselves with their martial prowess. By winning a fight, you prove your strength; if you lose, it's evidence of weakness. “If you meet Yama, tell him it was the Flame King who sent you.” Swoosh! At the crackle of a dry laugh, Red Sky River's form shot forward. At the same time, a familiar notification pierced through the air near my ear. Ding! - A sudden quest, [Life and Death], has been triggered! - You cannot decline this quest. The quest is forcefully accepted! Damn it. The quest title is quite the masterpiece. I lunged forward, forgetting to curse as I shouted a name instead. “Cheongpung! Now!” Cheongpung gritted his lips and charged. The azure sword in his grip elegantly painted plum blossoms in the air as it danced. Whoosh! Shwish! On a quiet path, the warm mountain breeze heated by the flame energy sliced through by spears and swords. The Blood Lord, who was watching us charge at him from both ends, parted his lips. “Well then... let's see what you've got.” Clap! Red Sky River flicked his hand. The immense energy enwrapped with flame thrust forth from his wrinkled palm. It was the perfected Fire God Palm (火焰神掌), an extreme yang technique rumored to burn even the soul. Just when it was about to sweep across the Blood Lord's body. Whizz! A breeze blew. By the time I noticed, a sword of daunting red flames was in the Blood Lord's hand, splitting the Fire God's palm energy cleanly in half. Boom, Crash! On either side of the path, the towering tree branches exploded. With a deafening crash, flames surged and earth, roots, and tree shards rained down like a shower. And through the chaos, two beams of light pierced. Swoosh! Slash! A spear and sword thrust from front and back. The Blood Lord twisted his lips as he let go of his blade, allowing his newly freed fists to strike the air. Bang! Compressed air burst forth, whipping up a storm. The ferocious spear thrust and blossoming plum at the sword tip were engulfed by the formidable wind pressure. Against their will, Jin Taekyung and Cheongpung were pushed back, eyes wide in shock. "...Damn. He's disgustingly strong." "This... How can this be?" Crack. The Blood Lord, having retrieved his suspended sword with a sweep of the hand, had been handling the two even while employing void manipulation (虛空攝物). “Do you think that’s enough?” "......!" Red Sky River's eyelids trembled involuntarily. He never fathomed that his mastered Fire God Palm would be so easily nullified. It wasn't evaded or deflected—it was simply split. Realizing the Blood Lord was a master beyond what he imagined, his chest sank with dread. ‘Says I should've brought the Sword Saint himself if I wanted to kill him?... It's no empty boast.’ The enemy was presumably equal to the Samsung, if not superior. His power and understanding of martial arts were not beneath his own. Moreover, he wielded them with youthful vigor and a fresh physique, not lacking an inch. For the first time today, Red Sky River's wrinkled hands felt pitifully small and frail. ‘If I were merely thirty, no, twenty years younger...’ When his body was intact, enlightenment was lacking; by the time he filled the void, his body had aged too much. Like water seeping from an old, cracked vase, Red Sky River was like that now. ‘I might be meeting my grave here.’ The deep, sinking gaze of Red Sky River did not escape the Blood Lord's notice. Twisting his lips upward, he chuckled mockingly. “Old man, are you finally grasping the situation here?” Red Sky River shook his head nonchalantly. He knew that Jin Taekyung and Cheongpung's eyes were on him. No sense in sapping morale with futile words. "Your words are bold. We’ve only just begun." “To you, maybe. But I haven’t even started yet.” “What?” “So-called righteous sects speak of humility, granting three seconds even to inferiors to showcase their might. I decided to mimic that.” "......!" The Blood Lord counted off, pointing to each one with a significant gesture. Each had demonstrated their worth for precisely one second, their combined performance spanning three seconds, precisely as he'd planned to stand static for those three beats. "Now, it's my turn. Let's see you struggle." A crimson light flared in the Blood Lord's eyes. Simultaneously, a colossal, ominous aura stained a bloody red emanated from him. And then... Rumble...! Mount Song trembled. Whoosh! Bang! Dazzling light filled the surroundings. The brilliance was blinding, accompanied by a relentless roar of sound. Among the chaos, the overwhelming presence was a single blade exuding a dark crimson energy. Crash! The powerful sword aura left a faint streak of white as it cut through the air. The destructive trajectory erased everything in its path, effortlessly deflecting the attacks aimed at the Blood Lord. Including my own. Bang! The blade of my spear echoed with a sharp resonance. The shaft quaked violently in my tight grip. Despite pouring immense strength into it, the force behind the attack was monstrously powerful—unbelievably so for a human. 'This monstrous being.' Gritting my teeth, I twisted my body. Whoosh! By a hair's breadth, the dark crimson blade grazed my hair. The pressure from the wind caused a slight tear in my skin, drawing blood. Swallowing up the blood that dripped from my nose, I swung my spear. "Hyah!" Whirl! The viciously spinning spearhead targeted the Blood Lord’s chest. Thanks to pouring all my points from winning the competition into my abilities, my speed and power had elevated. But then... Clatter! The Blood Lord's empty hand caught the spearhead. Though bare-handed, it wasn’t a normal hand. A massive, dark crimson energy cloaked his grip. "This won't be enough." With a chilling voice, he tugged the spear with overwhelming strength. And then, the Blood Lord’s eyes widened in surprise. The spear, once in his grasp, had vanished as if it never existed. "You...!" Even before the shocked voice could escape, I had already dived deep into his space. 'Inventory open. Summon.' In a fleeting moment, the fiercely heated spear was back in my hands. The world's hardest, sharpest metal, the Everlasting Cold Iron, pierced through protective energy, slicing the flesh beneath at that moment. Thud, Thump! As the Blood Lord flicked its sleeve, an intense force struck my abdomen hard. As I was pushed back ten steps, what filled my vision was the enraged face of the Blood Lord and the fountain of blood erupting from his chest. 'It worked.' An attack possible only because it was me, only because it was hardly considered a threat. The unexpected system attack succeeded, bypassing the Blood Lord’s defenses. 'Now’s the chance.' An opportunity that might never come again—a rope too crucial to miss. Swallowing the blood rising in my throat, I shouted. "Elder!" My shout echoed through the devastated path. It pierced the air, carried by the wind, reaching someone’s ears. A blazing voice spilled from his lips. "Well done." The elder transformed into the Flame King as he charged the Blood Lord. Boom! From his small frame burst an immense flame energy. It scorched the air and crushed the wind. While the Blood Lord's aura felt malign just from viewing, the Flame King’s was an intensity threatening to engulf the world. "This damn...!" The Blood Lord murmured like a groan. But it was too late. He didn’t know, but I did. I knew what Red Sky River was doing and the might it held. He’d only used it once before, killing a thousand demons, creating a legend. 'Fire God Ghost Dance.' In that instant, Red Sky River's figure vanished. With light-footed movements akin to a dance, his hands and feet, blurry like mist, approached the Blood Lord. Red and blue flame energy filled the air, a terrifyingly destructive yet beautiful spectacle. "Flame King!" Swoosh! With the Blood Lord's rough cry, the blade joined the flame energy. The noise was like cliffs collapsing and the sky splitting. 'This is...' A battle of such speed it was hard to follow with the eyes. But in those mere moments, I understood. Within those impossibly brief seconds, hundreds of powerful clashes occurred—and who emerged victorious. Boom! A wave of heat consumed the dark crimson aura. Something flashed upwards, embedding deeply into the upturned earth. A single blade remained where its owner faced his final blow. "I said even demons couldn't escape my grasp," the elder spoke softly. With that whisper, his palm struck the Blood Lord's chest. Sizzle, Crack! The flesh burned, and the ribcage caved in. Blood spewed forth as the Blood Lord, with dimming eyes, fell to his knees. And... that was it. Red Sky River stared down at the motionless Blood Lord’s crown, his body swaying. "Elder!" "Wise elder!" Cheongpung and I rushed forward, supporting Red Sky River, moving him to a relatively untouched patch of grass. Fire God Ghost Dance. No flame burns eternally. When the dance ends, the heat dissipates. This discrepancy limited Red Sky River, aged by eons, to use it just once. “What do you think, didn't I tell you I'd do it?" he asked with a faint smile. "What do you mean?" “Fire God Ghost Dance. Wasn't it fantastic?" Seeing his smiling face, I let out a sigh of relief. I then returned the smile. "It was incredible." And I meant it. It was truly awe-inspiring. If only it ended there. But then, a voice behind stole the moment. "Fire God Ghost Dance... what a remarkable name." Turning slowly, we saw the Blood Lord standing, risen as if unharmed.