125 - Sichuan, China (16) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

The whites of Dang Saguk's eyes had turned black. With every breath, purple poison mists spewed out, and the staggering movement had disappeared. "Let's see how long you can afford to be so leisurely." At Dang Saguk's words, Mok Riwon's expression turned cold. "Have you dabbled in demonic martial arts?" "I sought power." Boom! "That power is precisely why it becomes justice." As Dang Saguk stomped powerfully, the ruins of the building quivered. The Heavenly Poison Snake was now so black it seemed like an actual serpent rather than merely a force. What exactly had brought him to such ruin? What kind of power was he so desperately craving? While Mok Riwon pondered these questions, he also thought of the answer. 'It all boils down to the survival of the strongest.' Such is the nature of our martial world, borne from that principle and completed by it. 'However,' Without righteousness, Dang Saguk was wrong. Mok Riwon was determined to deny him with all his might. "Despicable. Poison Demon." By addressing him so, Mok Riwon marked his stance. * Without any signal, both men lunged at once. A massive venomous serpent clashed with a dark wave. However, the direct confrontation culminated in a clear victory for the serpent. Ssshhraaak― The crystallized dark force shattered, producing a rupture sound. The snake stretched further, and Mok Riwon quickly twisted his body, but couldn't dodge as easily as before. His forearm grazed scales. 'Fast!' It was also strong, and immense. Perhaps his transcendental past was not in vain. Yet, Mok Riwon still had a source of confidence. 'He still can't detect my force.' Some sensory organ must be permanently damaged, making it impossible to even forcibly use it. Furthermore, the murderous intent mingled with the demonic energy honed Mok Riwon's senses sharper than ever. 'This is manageable.' As he absorbed the demonic energy, his body grew more vibrant. The heavier the murderous intent, the keener the senses. Facing a degraded transcendental, resistance seemed possible. 'So, with all my might.' Force dispersed from Mok Riwon's body, marking the entire space surrounding him. Ssshaaa― Stream of Shooting Stars. This ultimate technique, realized at the pinnacle of martial arts, surged through him. "Merely this!" Dang Saguk exclaimed. As he clenched his fist, crystals sprouted over the scales of the serpent. At a glance, thousands, maybe millions of scales lit up individually— a spectacular sight. Mok Riwon was familiar with the number. 'Gangqi!' The culmination of Qi mastery, achieved only by reaching transcendence. Was it any wonder he was ranked among the ten strongest? Not merely the use of Gangqi, but the skill to produce so much of it instantly was dizzying even for Mok Riwon. 'However…!' Ultimately, an unleashed force amounts to nothing if it misses its mark. The serpent lunged. Mok Riwon pivoted, striking the serpent's jaw upwards. Its head jerked upward, but Mok Riwon didn't escape unscathed. Crack― A fissure formed in his sword. Mok Riwon's eyes widened. 'I was sure I dodged!' To think that even a mere touch could deliver such a shock when the force was redirected. His body stiffened for an instant. A lapse in judgment. "Where are your eyes wandering?" Dang Saguk was suddenly up close. Having regained his mobility, he moved faster than Mok Riwon's perception. 'Ah, no…' In that moment, Dang Saguk reached out and struck Mok Riwon's diaphragm, unleashing his Qi. Roaaar―! Mok Riwon's thoughts were momentarily severed. Cough― As blood was spat out, his mind reconnected but his body was already lifted into the air. Mok Riwon caught sight of Dang Saguk who swung his hand, and the serpent raised its head. 'I must dodge!' Mok Riwon concentrated his Qi in his feet and burst it. Boom! An imperfect execution of the Void Stepping Technique. Luckily, he dodged the gaping maw of the venomous serpent but had trouble landing. Crashing onto the rubble, Mok Riwon faltered. "Is that the end of your so-called righteousness?" Dang Saguk asked. Excitement, disdain, arrogance. Such lowly emotions tainted his words. He continued his contemptuous speech. "Look. See how futile justice without power is. Despite your cries for righteousness, are you not facing defeat?" "…" "Because you lack power." A conviction within himself. That corrupt and arrogant sentiment soon turned into vile sludge, touching Mok Riwon's skin. He gritted his teeth and rose again. Taking a deep breath, he expelled the poisonous energy. Fortunately, this task had become easier than before as the demonic energy mixed with the poison produced an abnormal neutralizing effect. 'The bleeding…' Was significant. Blood from a wound on his forehead obscured his left vision. The scent of blood pounding in his heart. His killing intent surged. "Won't you make an excuse?" Dang Saguk's eyes widened fiercely. The whites of his eyes were completely black, evoking a sense of dread, yet at the same time, there was a perverse sweetness to it. "You can't do it. You're just the same. No, it's this entire martial world that's the same!" "...No." "What do you mean, no!" The venomous snake opened its mouth again. Poison energy condensed inside, seemingly poised to strike. Mok Riwon, clutching his foggy consciousness, grasped his sword firmly and moved his feet. Then, the poison shot out like an arrow. He dodged it. Boom! Mok Riwon felt an explosion behind him but did not look back, instead charging straight towards Dang Saguk. 'He's aiming for the left chest, the heart.' Dang Saguk's murderous intent precisely targeted that spot. Pretending to expose himself, Mok Riwon deliberately bared his chest, and Dang Saguk willingly took the bait, launching a hidden blade. Of course, it was a feint. The location of Dang Saguk's murderous intent shifted to the right shoulder. Mok Riwon twisted his waist to turn his body. With a whoosh, his garment was sliced off. 'Now!' Mok Riwon burst forth his Qi, aiming to blind Dang Saguk's vision. Roaaar! Dark mists tinted the space black. The light of the righteous blossomed greatly. Whoosh― A dark Qi force coated the sword. White dots began to densely pack above the space. It was the fourth form of the Meteor Sword Art, the Twelve Swords. "Such a ludicrous move!" Dang Saguk raged. "Do you think imitating him will make you win!" In a fit of anger, Dang Saguk burst forth his Qi. "You're wrong! You cannot win! Even if he comes now, he cannot defeat me!" Dang Saguk raised his fist. "For I am―!" And slammed it down. "Because you've failed to shed the lingering shell!" Roaaar!!! The explosion rushed out with the poison. Yet, Mok Riwon did not stop. He ran, reciting. "You're wrong." The Meteor Sword Art known to Mok Riwon is the martial art of the righteous. The martial art of the righteous does not lose to the wicked. Thus, it would not fail Mok Riwon. 'Next.' Flipping the sword to a reverse grip, he drew it back while arranging the white stars created atop the Qi. - The latter four forms of the Meteor Sword Art delve into the realm of Qi mastery. While the fourth form, the Twelve Swords, can be mimicked at the pinnacle of mastery, forms from the fifth onwards are impossible without complete control of Qi. 'Speed up.' He added speed to the white stars. 'Faster.' Tails appeared behind the stars. 'Even more.' Soon, the stars with tails circled in orbit, transforming into countless rings. - The fifth form embodies the principle of circulation. The ancestor created this form after observing the movement of the seven planets in the night sky, realizing it resembled the principle of Qi circulation. The stars forming rings subsequently dashed towards Dang Saguk's position. Simultaneously, Mok Riwon, holding his sword in a reverse grip, swung it. Meteor Sword Art, the fifth form, Sky Orbit on a Starry Night. A vortex centered around Dang Saguk formed in the dark space. A cruel whirlwind wishing for nothing but the annihilation of its target. Rumblle― As if thunder rumbled, Dang Saguk's whole body was battered by the white stars turned grains. Some bounced off the skin, others burrowed in and exploded within. Thus, blood, flesh, and poison splattered in all directions. It definitely hit. This technique transcends the boundary of realms, aiming to damage the human body itself. Yet, "Kukuku...!" Dang Saguk laughed with ease as if he didn't feel the pain. Swoosh― He grabbed the sword blade with his hand. * Dang Saguk was familiar with this martial art. A sense of déjà vu surged. [Victory! Sword Lord Mok Seon-o!] At the age of thirty-nine, he faced Mok Seon-o in the quarterfinals of the Blue Dragon Martial Arts Assembly. Mok Seon-o won with this move. How could such a destructive martial art avoid all vital points? Mok Riwon's technique vividly reminded him of that day. "The fifth form of the Meteor Sword Art, Sky Orbit on a Starry Night." "..." "Truly fitting of the future of Dang family. It was an honor to face you." The refreshing laugh as he bowed resurfaced in his memory. The misery of having to look up at him. The appalling martial world cheering for him. All of that was coming back to the surface. There was an unspoken question in Dang Saguk's words. "May I ask for another match next time? It was too enjoyable." What's enjoyable about this? "The aesthetic of your poison techniques, shooting out with the hidden blade and adding elegance to the final move, chilled me to the bone." How dare you judge me. "You seem destined to reach transcendence. Let's strive to spread righteousness throughout the martial world together." How dare you, of all people, speak of righteousness. ...it was a statement yet to be delivered. And along with it came the memory of the moment when the blood feud had ended. "...Poison King, before I leave, I shall say this." Till the very end. "Power without righteousness is nothing but emptiness." He had uttered such words while sparing his life. Dang Saguk didn't want to admit it. Righteousness was merely a veneer, a superficial layer to package power. Martial arts, in their essence, were nothing but evil byproducts formed from the desire to kill. 'Righteousness is...!' No matter what it's applied to, it's nothing but a hollow outcry. I will prove it. It could be proven. "...Such a laughable martial technique." Through this murderer right in front of me. "How could..." "You're inferior to Mok Seon-o. Even if you follow his techniques, you're just a lower-class fighter." Dang Saguk laughed mockingly as he looked at the astonished Mok Riwon. He caught the blood flowing from his heart in his empty hand. "There's something else laughable about your so-called righteous martial arts." The blood flowed out in streams. It was satisfying. "It's your pretense of being a righteous warrior." Swoosh― He splashed the blood onto Mok Riwon's face. It was blood filled with life, drawing nearer to death. In that moment, Dang Saguk could see it. "Look." The eyes turning red. The pupils contracting within. The breath quickening and the body heating up. "What is righteousness?" Mok Riwon's lips parted slightly. "What is justice?" The dark Qi bristled sharply. "In the end, it's power." Killing intent opened its eyes. "So..." I am right.