78 - Missions, Intelligence (9) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

While Nangong Jinchun was causing a commotion, the other members were infiltrating the interior of the residence. The inner house, where Main's leader was located, was the deepest part. They had not encountered any other Main members in the process. "Most of their attention was drawn to the Black Dragon. The Main members who have not shown themselves yet are likely the core forces guarding the inner parts." They had not expanded their senses to check. If they spread their Qi, the others would notice their position. All they could do was estimate the enemy's power and distribute their manpower accordingly. "As Seon Woo said, the place where the hostages are held is the master's bedroom in the inner house. According to the structure of the residence, it's impossible to move past without being detected." Logically, that was the case. "Jegal San." Dang Hwa-Seo looked at Jegal San. Jegal San smiled faintly. "Leave it to me." Jegal San's simplified formation and movement techniques were optimized for moving in the shadow of night. There was no one more suited for deceiving the enemy's perception and rescuing the hostages. However, they could not just rely on Jegal San alone. Given that the inner house contained Main's elite forces, it was necessary to divert their attention. "Ilwoon Seunim and Baek Bong will join me in engaging the other Main members. If the rumors are true, the enemy will have one more person, but I believe we have a sufficient chance of winning." Hye Woon and Ilwoon nodded. Having confirmed this, Dang Hwa-Seo spoke to Mok Riwon. "Mok Sohyup." "Speak." "Mok Sohyup, you must capture the leader. Among us, you are the one with the most completed martial prowess. Can you do it?" Mok Riwon nodded with a determined face. "I will try. No, I must succeed." The one taking the most dangerous path should be oneself, Mok Riwon thought, as he rose to his feet. Then, the other members also stood up. "Jegal San. Move when the battle starts." "I wish you good fortune." "Let's go." Thump! With Dang Hwa-Seo's leap as the signal, the members began to scatter. * Oh Gangak, still, lay in the room. His eyes closed, not moving at all, he looked almost dead, but the occasional movement of his toes showed he was still alive. 'Cheonsalseong...' Oh Gangak mulled over this. His expression twisted at the thought of a certain person. The man who always looked down on him with blood-red pupils. The man who took away his place and deserved death. The current vice-leader. -I'll let you live. That's the greatest mercy I can offer. Oh Gangak brushed his face. Just thinking of him made the skin he had been flayed from throb. 'Worthless vermin.' Oh Gangak's lips twisted into a smirk. 'To become a cripple just because you lost one star. How laughable.' Oh Gangak inwardly mocked the vice-leader. The loss of Cheonsalseong and his eyes turning blood-red and hard, spending his days drowned in medicine, and still not letting go of his obsession to invade the Central Plains—all of it was ludicrous to him. According to orders, the thief should be kept alive. Only then can the star be reclaimed. However. 'Why should I do that?' Oh Gangak had no intention of sparing him. If he were to break the neck of Cheonsalseong himself, the star would be lost forever. That would bestow eternal despair upon that accursed spawn. "Hahah!" Oh Gangak burst into raucous laughter. "Cheonmaaaaa~ My ruleeeee~." What a joke. "A place is not meant for a vermin relying on a star." Oh Gangak slowly got up. Because he sensed a certain energy. "Now, let's go welcome the guest." Crusted blood fell from his body. Simultaneously, a demonic energy surged. The vermilion demon energy that had brought him to the vice-leader's position and now made him known as a demon, erupted. Oh Gangak kicked the door open and lunged forward. As he did so, he threw a punch. In an instant. Boom! Mok Riwon, who had been lying in wait outside, drew his sword and blocked the punch. "You’re a sight for sore eyes!" As Oh Gangak laughed and shouted, Mok Riwon's gaze sharpened. "Main." "Die!" The flames surrounding Oh Gangak suddenly grew in size. Soon after, they exploded. Boom! Mok Riwon was blasted away. * Mok Riwon had been contemplating something on his way here. 'Can I defeat Main without relying on the star?' It would be easy with the power of Cheonsalseong. Even if Main had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, Mok Riwon was confident that using Cheonsalseong, he could easily overcome him. Why wouldn't he be? Cheonsalseong allows one to grasp all the enemy’s killing intent and movements. The extremity of evil resistance can penetrate the essence of the martial arts the enemy uses. To Mok Riwon, Main was an opponent whose every move could be seen through. No matter how strong he was, if it came to that situation, he couldn't lose. But it shouldn't have happened that way. 'He will be devoured by killing intent.' Every path shown by Cheonsalseong was a path of slaughter. What Gukmajiche wanted was to drench this body in demonic energy. - Riwon, do you know why demonic arts are called so? It's because, despite knowing the harm they bring to the body, the temptation they wield is inescapable, binding one's nature. Once tasted, one can never return to the same kind of training as before. Mok Riwon knew. He wasn't someone whose heart was firm enough to repel the incoming temptations. He wasn't strong enough to use those temptations to his advantage and turn them around. The method used against Nangong Jinchun was only possible because the opponent had no intention of killing him. It was not feasible this time. Main's killing intent would be far more blatant and venomous than Nangong Jinchun's. 'Kwonma. The reason I couldn't defeat him was simple.' It was probably because he had, albeit unwittingly, leaned on Cheonsalseong until now. It was likely because he had gambled with uncontrollable power in the face of crisis. Thus, the method Mok Riwon considered was different. 'Moves.' A sequence of actions with a precise intent and a definite path. With it, he could cut Main without being influenced by killing intent. As long as he didn't deviate from the sword technique, there was no chance of accidentally cutting Main's vital points. If he meticulously and mechanically entrusted all his actions to the moves, he wouldn't be pushed by temptation. And for that, he had forged a sword. 'Manlyeon Igeom (The Ten-Thousand Chain Logic Sword).' A swordsmanship technique he created himself to overcome the lack of moves felt while facing Kwonma Paewungchu. This would allow him to face that Main. "What are you looking at? Huh? With Cheonsalseong, you should act more ferociously." Oh Gangak laughed mischievously. The blood-red demonic flame twisted around his body, menacingly hissing at Mok Riwon. Mok Riwon asked, "...So you know about this star, after all." "Yes, I know." "How do you know that?" Oh Gangak paused. For a moment, he stood still with a perplexed face, then burst into mad laughter. "Hahah! So naive. Why would I tell you that?" "If you don't tell, it will be very painful for you." "Really now." "I'm not joking." Mok Riwon prepared his stance. Before he knew it, his scabbard was thrown far away, and he held the sword with both hands. "I won't kill you. But I won't leave you alive either. I will make you suffer greatly." It was a preparatory stance for the moves. Oh Gangak's expression hardened. Staring at Mok Riwon with emotions unknown to him, he eventually muttered, "Always the same." "Uh?" "You people. Those who claim to have stars." Thud. Oh Gangak stepped forward. Veins bulged on his face, half of which was torn away. "Just with a born star, you act so high and mighty. As if you're nothing without it." Mok Riwon frowned. However, he couldn't continue his thoughts because Oh Gangak rushed toward him. Whoosh! The demonic flame shot forth. Simultaneously, Oh Gangak's right hand opened wide, as if to grasp Mok Riwon's face. Could this be the collection of all the world's hatred? Could this be the boiling over of resentment-drenched emotions? With a look of sinking eyes, Mok Riwon said, "If you won't talk, I'll just have to find out myself." Mok Riwon's strike was swift. The sword dance began from a blind spot, beyond human perception. Crack! In an instant, exactly seven times. Mok Riwon's sword passed through Oh Gangak's fingers, wrist, forearm, and elbow joints. There was no flesh torn away. Because, in that moment, Oh Gangak concentrated his demonic energy in his arm. The blood of Oh Gangak adorned the air as the two switched positions, neither pausing. Oh Gangak stepped on a pivot and charged again. This time, it was his leg. Yeomtoegak (Flame Hammer Leg). His leg, wrapped in demonic flame, aimed at Mok Riwon's solar plexus. Swoosh. A dark energy flowed from Mok Riwon, wrapping around his sword. Once again, Mok Riwon swung his sword at a speed beyond perception. The outcome once more leaned towards Mok Riwon. Crack. A total of 11 times. Leaving afterimages, Mok Riwon swiftly slashed from Oh Gangak's toes to his waist, as if to sever his leg. And yet, he did not stop. After catching his breath momentarily, Mok Riwon accelerated, pressing his attack on Oh Gangak. The number of slashes increased with each attack. From 7 to 11, then 18 and 31. And again to 42 and 51 times. The number of slashes increased, yet the time it took was chillingly the same. Manlyeon Igeom First Technique. Talhonbeonkwae (Soul Snatching Pleasure). As Mok Riwon continued the moves, integrating only the swift sword techniques from the martial arts of the Wulin Alliance, weaving their subtleties together, his sword strokes sped up. Initially utilizing only the strength of his arms, the swordplay now harnessed resistance, recoil, and the clash of Qi flows for greater acceleration. Crack-crack-crack! The sound of flesh and bone being sliced continued incessantly. Mok Riwon’s form became even blurrier. Only the sparks flying everywhere indicated that this was some form of collision. Mok Riwon, as he had assured, avoided all of Oh Gangak's vital points while pressing down on him. Amidst this, Oh Gangak chuckled. "Idiot." Mok Riwon's expression hardened. For a fleeting moment, even as his entire body was being sliced and scratched, he noticed where Oh Gangak’s gaze was directed. It was at his solar plexus. Lowering his head, Mok Riwon suddenly realized that he was aflame. Dangerous. Making that judgment, Mok Riwon abruptly broke the sequence of moves and quickly retracted his body. Oh Gangak, staggering, laughed. He seemed to pay no mind to the wounds that had shredded the flesh of his whole body. “Thinking you're the only competent idiot. That's why you fall down.” With that, he clapped his palms together with a smack! "You and that guy." The flames that had clinged to Mok Riwon's solar plexus suddenly spread over his entire body. Then, they exploded. Boom! It was the fifth technique of the Vermilion Demon Qi, Yeomagwi (Flame Demon Ghost).